LAKELAND SCHOOL CORPORATION

BOARD MEETING MINUTES

Monday, January 26, 2015– Lakeland School Corporation Central Office

  1. President Bob Bond called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. Other Board Members in attendance were Kathy Fuller, David Larimer, Carey McKibben, Sue Keenan, and Bob Murphy. Also seated at the table was Crystal Leu, Director of Curriculum and Student Services. Present in the audience was Jenny Landez, Cathy Phillip, Melvin Glick, Eva Merkel, Chris Wilkins, Susan Mueller, Marty Burns, Brad Targgart, Sherry Severson, Jason Schackow, Paige Frost, Tom Mortola, Sandy Mortola, Jan Collyer, Charlie Collyer, Scott Brill, Chip Troyer, Tammy Hoffelder, Patty Mullens, and theLakeland Middle School Boy Scout Troop and parents. Representing the Media was Guy Thompson from the LaGrange Standard/News, Patrick Redmon from the Kendallville News Sun, and Tim Murray from WTHD – Thunder Kuntry.
  1. The Boy Scouts led the Pledge to the United States Flag.
  1. Mr. Bond gave invitation to members of the audience to speak to items on the agenda.
  1. No one requested to speak.
  1. COMMUNICATIONS
  1. Mrs. Leu read a thank you card from the LaGrange Clothes and Food Basket. They thanked Lakeland School Corporation Office for the food and toy donation made prior to Christmas.
  1. CONSENT AGENA

Mr. Murphy made a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented, seconded by Mr. McKibben and approved five (5) to one (1). Mr. Larimer was the opposing vote.

The Board will consider the approval of the following items:

  1. January 12, 2015Board meeting minutes
  2. Resignation of David Priestley as JV Baseball Coach at Lakeland High School
  3. Employment of David Priestley as a Volunteer Baseball Coach at Lakeland High School
  4. Resignation of Tyler Brown as Elementary Technician
  5. Payroll and claims for Lakeland School Corporation
  1. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT
  1. The Board received a request for a long term medical leave from Risa Herber, Superintendent.

Mr. McKibben made a motion to approve the request for long term medical leave for Risa Herber, Superintendent, seconded by Mrs. Fuller and approved unanimously.

  1. Mr. Larimer made a motion to appoint Mrs. Eva Merkel as Interim Superintendent due to the medical leave of Mrs. Herber, seconded by Mrs. Fuller and approved unanimously.
  1. Mrs. Leu recommended the Board approve a maternity leave for an elementary teacher at Wolcott Mills Elementary School.

Mr. McKibben made a motion to approve a maternity leave for an elementary teacher at Wolcott Mills Elementary School, seconded by Ms. Keenan and approved unanimously.

  1. Mrs. Leu recommended the Board approve a maternity leave for an elementary social worker at Wolcott Mills.

Mr. McKibben made a motion to approve a maternity leave for an elementary social worker at Wolcott Mills, seconded by Mr. Larimer and approved unanimously.

  1. Mrs. Leu recommended the Board approve the resignation ofAllecia Leer as a High School MathTeacher effective at the end of the 2014-2015 school year.

Mr. McKibben made a motion to approve the resignation of Allecia Leer as a High School Math Teacher effective at the end of the 2014-2015 school year, seconded by Mrs. Fuller and approved unanimously.

  1. SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT’S REPORT
  1. Mr. Bond thanked Mrs. Merkel for stepping up to fill in as Interim Superintendent. He announced that Mrs. Merkel will still be the Lakeland High School Principal along with being Interim Superintendent.
  1. OTHER BUSINESS
  1. The Board will consider a recommendation to hire two appraisal firms.

Mr. Bond made a motion to table this agenda item, seconded by Mr. Murphy and approved unanimously.

  1. The Board was presented with a draft of a 2015-2016 school calendar. The draft was duplicated from the 2014-2015 school year calendar.

Mr. Murphy made a motion to approve the 2015-2016 school calendar as presented and seconded by Ms. Keenan.

Mr. Bond requested that since Good Friday 2016 is not attached to Spring Break, the day be considered as a make-up snow day if needed.

Mr. Murphy made a new motion to approve the 2015-2016 as presented and adding that Good Friday be a make-up snow day if needed, seconded by Mrs. Fuller and approved unanimously.

  1. PUBLIC COMMENTS
  1. Mr. Troyer addressed the Board with concerns about the Lakeland School Corporation Athletic Program.

Mr. Bond stated that he hear that parents were going to be present for this meeting and has heard that there are concerns. He shared that Lakeland School Corporation needs parents to be active in the Athletic Booster Clubs. Only four (4) parents have attended the meetings this school year. In the 1990’s we had over two hundred (200) parents active in the Lakeland High School Athletic Boosters Club.

  1. Tom Mortola stated that he and his wife did not know there is a booster club for parents. He stated he thinks we need to communicate better with students and parents using technology (e-mail, text messages, facebook, and twitter). Mr. Mortola also asked if
  1. Mr. Troyer stated that his son quit the Varsity Basketball team and no one from the school bothered to call and ask why or what was going on. There did not seem to be any care regarding the matter. They have a concern that there is no equality in treatment with our program.
  1. Mr. Brill asked if there was a way to get all three (3) elementary schools on the same page in sports. He feels it would help the over success of our middle school and high school programs.
  1. Mr. Bond stated that the next Lakeland High School Athletic Boosters meeting will be February 18th at 7:00 p.m.
  1. Patty Mullen asked if Lakeland School Corporation would consider lowering ticket prices. She also announced that the next LMS Booster meeting is February 5th at 6:00 p.m. at Lakeland Middle School.
  1. Paige Frost, Sr. at LHS, shared her Senior Project – Laker Crew. This project is to help boost school spirit.
  1. J
  1. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS
  1. Mr. Murphy took a moment to thank Sherry Severson for her 27 year so service to the Softball Program at Lakeland High School.
  1. Mr. Larimer thanked everyone in the audience for coming to the meeting and sharing their concerns.
  1. ADJOURNMENT
  1. Mr. Murphy made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:21 p.m., seconded by Mr. Larimer and the meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted by Jenny Landez

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Jenny LandezDate Approved

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Bob BondDavid Larimer

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Kathy FullerSue Keenan

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Carey McKibbenBob Murphy