The West Central School Board reviewed the estimated state tuition support for the 2013 budget and according to Superintendent Charles Mellon, it appears the corporation is going to take another funding hit.
“We find ourselves down another $155,000, which is a little over 2.5 percent,” said Mellon. “Again, these are just based on projections. You have to plug in your own numbers with enrollment projections and that type of thing.”
Maintenance workers at the West Central School Corporation will be busy this summer with several projects. Superintendent Charles Mellon outlined those projects, which include work at both the elementary school and the high school.
“In the elementary school, we will be replacing the lights in the classrooms and hallways and we’re going to upgrade the pool’s filtration system,” commented Mellon. “There’s always a little bit of carpeting that we do throughout the corporation. We’re sanding down and refinishing the high school gym floor and replacing the black boards with marker boards throughout the corporation.”
Now that the regular school year at the West Central School Corporation is winding down, the staff is now gearing up for summer school. Summer school starts June 4, according to Superintendent Charles Mellon.
“We’ll have summer school June 4 through the 15,” stated Mellon. “It’s mainly for our IREAD people that have an opportunity to take the test again which will be taken on June 20.”
The School Board approved textbook fees for the 2012-2013 school year.
“The prices increased slightly because of the publisher’s cost. It really wasn’t a large year for textbook adoption because it’s mainly for vocational courses and fine arts,” said Mellon. “K-1 stayed exactly the same and there was just a minor increase for the other grade levels.”
West Central School Superintendent Charles Mellon told the School Board Thursday night that the search is on for substitute bus drivers.
“We have different flyers out in the different areas in the community and hopefully we can come up with some interest in people wanting to drive a bus for us,” stated Mellon. “On that flyer it’s noted that there are a couple of seminars coming up in the near future that people can participate in that are fairly close — Twin Lakes has one in April and Kankakee Valley has one in July. We’re encouraging our community to get involved in the school in this matter and that would definitely help us out.”
The wind turbine at the West Central School campus has been built, but is it operational? Superintendent Charles Mellon was asked to give an update on the progress of the turbine.
“I think our utility company has finished their work and it looks like March 26th is when it could be started up. The people scheduled for us fly over from Germany and March 26th is when they would arrive to begin the commissioning process, which is 120 hours of documentation of things and making sure everything is running properly.”
The West Central School Board discussed a possible reduction in force at their meeting Thursday night. Superintendent Charles Mellon says that due to the projected decrease in enrollment and revenue, the Board may need to cut staff.
Students at the West Central School Corporation will be engaged in testing this month. Superintendent Charles Mellon talks about what tests will be administered.
“We have a full slate of ISTEP and I think we have acuity testing also in March,” said Mellon. “We also have the IREAD test which will be most interesting this year. This is the year that if you’re not reading a grade level by the end of the third grade, then you have to retake the test after some remediation and if you still do not pass it after the second test, you then have to take the same third grade IREAD test the following year. So, your instruction is then a year behind.”
The IREAD results are expected back to the corporation in April.
The West Central School Board discussed some summer projects the Board members have been planning this year.
“One is to refinish our gym floor at the high school,” said Superintendent Charles Mellon. “We had some funding left over from our lighting and ceiling tile project in the gymnasium and that leftover funding will be more than enough to cover the gym floor.”
The West Central School Board received an update on the wind turbine project at their meeting last week.
“We’re still looking at March 1st being our deadline for this,” said Superintendent Charles Mellon. “We will be meeting Tuesday (today), to discuss another update as far as how the project is proceeding. We have seen the utility companies on campus and in the substation here in Francesville so we know that work is being done. We have our fingers crossed that March 1st will be our date.”
The West Central School Board discussed the school’s dwindling budget at their meeting last week. Superintendent Charles Mellon said there are reasons as to why the school is losing money.
“There are two reasons for that,” said Mr. Mellon. “Of course, our enrollment has gone down and then there are different things that they are taking out that were items in the formula in the past like the small school grant, restoration grant and these type of things. I just wanted to convey to the Board that we did get our first draw. We look at being about $310,000 short of what we had last year. We add that on to $323,000 that we were short last year.”
West Central School Superintendent Charles Mellon gave the School Board an update on the wind turbine project during the Board’s meeting on Thursday night.
The West Central wind turbine project was delayed for two days due to high winds in the area. Superintendent Charles Mellon said that the components arrived on the campus and crews were waiting to put up the base and the propellers. Those components were completed and put in place on Saturday. This week, electrical connections will be made and all of the components will be tested.
The West Central School Corporation is moving forward with technology upgrades. Infrastructure for wireless technology is almost complete and Superintendent Charles Mellon says this enables the Corporation to become prepared for some important projects.
“If we go with one-to-one computing down the road, the wireless is there, plus the wind turbine will be on wireless. That means that the people in Chicago will be able to control the wind from the city. If a component goes bad, there’s a red flag that comes up and they can give us some directions on how to fix it or how to reset it on site. So, this opens the door for a lot of things,” said Superintendent Mellon.
The West Central School Board learned that the Corporation will soon see an increase in utility rates as their electric supplier was recently approved for an increase with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission.
Superintendent Charles Mellon said that this increase has disrupted the initial plan for the utilization and cost of the wind turbine.
The West Central School Board voted Thursday to eliminate the Middle School Principal’s position. Superintendent Charles Mellon explains the reasoning behind the recommendation.
The wind turbine project at the West Central School Corporation is moving along schedule.
“Sometime soon here in November, we will start having equipment coming in as far as the tower itself being erected,” said Superintendent Charles Mellon. “The cement base has been poured and it’s going through the curing process. Once the curing process ends in December, they will begin getting the wiring set up and doing all their testing. They still say that we would be functioning by the first week in January. I hope we stay on that schedule.”
The West Central School Board is considering eliminating the position of Middle School Principal. Superintendent Charles Mellon says that the action is being considered due to several reasons, mostly due to the Corporation’s financial outlook.
The West Central School Board is looking to do some technology upgrades throughout the Corporation.
Superintendent Charles Mellon said a Committee has been formed to study the needs of technology at the Corporation. The Board and the committee are focusing on piloting a one-to-one computer initiative, similar to the program at Knox Community Schools, where the students have their own computer and the curriculum is on that computer that the student is responsible for. Mr. Mellon said that they may phase-in the program by grade level, if it is approved.
West Central School Superintendent, Charles Mellon, said the wind turbine project is moving along. The cement has been poured and needs to cure for 30 days before above ground construction can begin. The School Board hopes the project is complete by the end of November.
West Central School Corporation representatives and student leaders, as well as parents and members of the press, were present to celebrate the start of construction on the school’s utility-grade wind turbine project. A ceremonial breaking of the ground was planned for Friday, Sept. 30 at 9:30 a.m., but because of rain, the ceremony was held inside the auxiliary gymnasium and Superintendent Charles Mellon wisely decided against digging a hole in the gym floor to commemorate the occasion.
