NJ-SP Officials Discuss Necessary Budget Changes Due to State Policy Passed in 2017

Posted on Author Jacque Ryan

When North Judson-San Pierre school board members met on Tuesday, they discussed an upcoming change that will impact how the school corporation keeps track of finances.

Superintendent Dr. Annette Zupin reminded the board members about a House Enrolled Act (HEA 1009) passed in 2017 that will go into effect on January 1, 2019. This will impact all schools, not just NJ-SP. According to Zupin HEA 1009 will eliminate a few different accounts including the capital projects, transportation, bus replacement and general funds. Those will all be replaced with two new funds; the Education fund and the Operations fund. Continue reading →

North Judson-San Pierre School Board Reviews Corporation Plans

Posted on Author Jacque Ryan

North Judson-San Pierre School Board members considered multiple corporation plans on first reading when they met this week.

In early April, a work session was held to establish what to include in the school’s technology, wellness and strategic and accountability plans. When members met on Tuesday, Superintendent Dr. Annette Zupin reviewed the content with board members.

Dr. Zupin said the two major focuses of the technology plan are professional development and the implementation of eLearning. Continue reading →

North Judson-San Pierre Superintendent Highlights Summer School Opportunities

Posted on Author Jacque Ryan

North Judson-San Pierre Superintendent Annette Zupin outlined some summer school opportunities when school board members met Tuesday night.

One thing she highlighted was NJSP’s Countdown to Kindergarten which is an opportunity for incoming kindergarten students to familiarize themselves with the school experience. Dr. Zupin said it will be held for two weeks with students coming in for four days each week. That will run from July 16th through 19th and July 23rd through the 26th.

Additionally, Zupin mentioned that the Starke County Community Foundation provided a $7,000 donation to help fund the Kindergarten Countdown program, as they’ve done for the past few years. Continue reading →

North Judson San Pierre School Board to Meet Tonight

Posted on Author Jacque Ryan

North Judson-San Pierre School Board members will receive information about the General Obligation Bond Resolution when they meet tonight at 7 p.m.

The technology plan, the wellness plan and the strategic and accountability plan will be considered as well. These plans were discussed in a work session earlier this month and will be up for first reading at tonight’s meeting. Continue reading →

North Judson-San Pierre School Board Members Provide Annual Approval for Reduction of Force Notifications, None Sent So Far

Posted on Author Jacque Ryan

North Judson-San Pierre School Board members approved the notification of a reduction in force, should the need arise, when they met Tuesday night.

Superintendent Dr. Annette Zupin explained that this is an action that is approved yearly that permits school board members to notify staff if reductions need to be made. Their approval of the action also dictates that they will follow state-mandated procedures. Continue reading →

North Judson-San Pierre School Board to Meet Tonight

Posted on Author Jacque Ryan

North Judson-San Pierre School Board members will consider the approval of textbook adoption as well as the notification of reductions in force when they meet tonight.

Last month, members approved contractors for the several jobs included in the Lease Project so Superintendent Dr. Annette Zupin is expected to cover any on going progress when she delivers her report. Continue reading →

North Judson-San Pierre School Board Establishes 2018-19 Calendar, Approves Policies

Posted on Author Jacque Ryan

The North Judson-San Pierre School Board approved the 2018-2019 NJSP School Calendar when they met earlier this week.

The calendar establishes that the first student day will be August 8, 2018. Fall Break will start on October 15th and end on October 19th, while Thanksgiving break will run from November 21st through November 23rd and spring break will fall on the week running from March 25th through March 29th. The final student day will be May 23rd.

Additionally, revised board policies received unanimous approval on final reading at Tuesday night’s meeting. Continue reading →

North Judson-San Pierre School Board Elects Board of Finance Officers

Posted on Author Jacque Ryan

The North Judson San-Pierre School Board elected officers to their Board of Finance when they met Tuesday evening.

Members elected Sheila Akers to the President position and Jim Menis was elected to serve as secretary. Superintendent Dr. Annette Zupin stated that Indiana state law requires the finance board to meet annually after the first of the year and on or before the final day of January. Continue reading →

Capital Projects Update Provided at North Judson-San Pierre School Board Meeting

Posted on Author Jacque Ryan

Superintendent Dr. Annette Zupin provided the North Judson-San Pierre School members with a capital projects update when they met Tuesday night.

Dr. Zupin informed members that the emergency renovations to the pool are officially complete and it is fully operational. The pool area will now have renovations done to the dehumidification system as a part of the capital projects. Continue reading →

North Judson San Pierre School Board Meets Tonight

Posted on Author Jacque Ryan

The North Judson San Pierre School board will hold the final reading over proposed board polices when they meet at 7 p.m. tonight.

Additionally, members will act on the approval of a lease agreement, the 2018-2019 school calendar and a resolution regarding fund balance transfers. They will also discuss the approval of a memorandum of understanding with organization Jobs for American Graduates.

A board of finance meeting will be held immediately following the adjournment of the regular session. Continue reading →

North Judson-San Pierre School Board Held First Reading Over Policy Revisions

Posted on Author Jacque Ryan

North Judson-San Pierre school board members held the first reading over a few different policies when they met last Tuesday. Superintendent Dr. Annette Zupin explained that the proposed policy revisions were a result of the spring 2017 legislative session. She said a majority of the changes had to do with correcting typos and adapting language in some places.

However, she highlighted a few that included more details including polices over child neglect/abuse education, suicide prevention and background checks. One proposed change deals with background checks. Other than asserting that checks must be conducted on an annual basis, the policy also indicates that the specific school corporation is responsible for the cost of the background checks, once the person is an established employee. Continue reading →

North Judson-San Pierre School Board Scheduled to Meet Tonight

Posted on Author Jacque Ryan

The North Judson-San Pierre School Board members will hold the first reading over board policies when they meet tonight.

Members are also anticipated to act on the approval of tax anticipation warrant bids and a resolution that will authorize Treasurer Guy Richie to pay claims and make transfers. Elementary Principal Julie Berndt and Junior-Senior High School principal Jim Polite will present building reports to the school board members.

Continue reading →

North Judson-San Pierre Schools Partner with Cheryl Lyn Welter Family Charitable Foundation

Posted on Author Jacque Ryan

North Judson-San Pierre is the latest school to form a partnership with the Cheryl Lyn Welter Family Charitable Foundation. Harold Welter provided the NJSP School Board with an informative presentation when they met Tuesday night.

Welter explained to board members that the foundation was established in memory of his daughter Cheryl who passed away in an automobile accident her senior year. He provided a bit of background, saying she was a major people person and had been accepted into Purdue University’s School of Child and Family Counseling.

He said Cheryl’s love of helping others and interest in children inspired him to focus the foundation’s mission on helping students at the elementary, middle and high school levels.

Another reason they decided to go with this kind of assistance is because Harold saw a lack of available resources that allowed teachers to apply for immediate assistance. The fund was created as a way to keep teachers from having to pay out of pocket for various things like school supplies, field trip fees and other little items that can really add up after awhile. Continue reading →

North Judson-San Pierre Superintendent Provides School Board With a Few Project Updates

Posted on Author Jacque Ryan

At last night’s North Judson-San Pierre School Board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Annette Zupin provided board members with a brief update about a current project that is nearing completion and another project that will be addressed in the near future.

First, she alerted board members that the pool repairs are nearly complete. Employees with the company Buddenbaum & Moore Commercial Pool Services have finished replacing the faulty main drain boxes and pipes have been set. She said this week they are re-tiling. Once all the tile is laid, the curing period will take approximately one month. Continue reading →

North Judson-San Pierre School Board Meets Tonight For Work Session and Regular Meeting

Posted on Author Jacque Ryan

The North Judson-San Pierre School Board will receive a Capital Project update from a representative with the architecture firm Fanning Howey when they meet tonight.

Harold Welter will attend the meeting and provide a presentation about the Cheryl Lyn Welter Family Charitable Foundation. Board members must also act on a donation from Church of the Heartland. Continue reading →

North Judson-San Pierre School Board Receives Quarterly Enrollment Report

Posted on Author Jacque Ryan

The quarterly enrollment report for North Judson-San Pierre was discussed during the NJSP School Board meeting on Tuesday. Superintendent Dr. Annette Zupin said the enrollment stayed pretty consistent with the Average Daily Membership count that was taken back in September, which was around 1,030 students.

Superintendent Zupin stated that she has been keeping a close eye on enrollment trends since last year. This year the elementary school had 46 student withdrawals. Dr. Zupin broke that down into specific categories; 1 student left to be home-schooled, another left for virtual schooling and 35 students moved out of the district.

The superintendent said the remaining 9 elementary students still live within the district but their parents chose to have them transferred. Dr. Zupin broke that down even more, stating that three transferred to Knox, two went to Eastern Pulaski Schools, two left to go to St. Peter’s Lutheran School and one more transferred to West Central.

She went on to describe the report from the Jr./Sr. High School where 41 students withdrew.

Continue reading →

North Judson-San Pierre 6th Grader Spreads Kindness with Her Award Winning Design

Posted on Author Jacque Ryan

A North Judson-San Pierre middle school student was chosen as a finalist in a nation-wide charitable design contest. At last night’s NJSP School Board meeting, sixth grade teacher JoAnn Gappa and her student Hailey Wright spoke to board members about the Wonder Kind Project.

Mrs. Gappa told board members that her students have recently been reading and working with the book Wonder by R.J. Palacio. One activity she provided to her students was to create a visual representation of kindness and inclusion for a design challenge. GAP Kids started the Choose Kind Challenge inspired by the book, which centers around a child with a Craniofacial condition.

Wright explained the challenge to the members of the board saying, “We all had to design a t-shirt and bunch of other teachers around the world did it and they only picked 8 finalists.” She said her inspiration for her design was to show how we are all different but still “fit in” Continue reading →