Concerned parents took the floor at Tuesday night’s Northeast Dubois School Board meeting to speak to board members in efforts to seek answers to ongoing issues.Northeast Dubois alumni and parent Denise Gutgsell expressed concern about the absence of a boys golf coach during the spring sports season. Gutgsell told the board that her son is being considered by a number of colleges and has taken part in competition due to the fact that the school’s golf program is without leadership and has yet to field a team. Gutgsell claims her son has lost about a year in the sport.
Also Tuesday night a public hearing was conducted in regards to the contract of Superintendent Bill Hochgesang. During the March meeting, board members and school administrators agreed for their health benefits to be cut which will save the corporation roughly $31,500 a year. The board held the public hearing on Tuesday to make similar changes to Hochgesang’s benefits package. Since the change requires opening Hochgesang’s contract, state law requires the board to hold a public hearing.
Board President Mary Pankey says the board reviewed the superintendent’s contract prior to the hearing that Hochgesang himself requested.
During the public hearing there were no public comments and the board approved a number of changes to the contract.
In other items of discussion, Hochgesang recommended 5 field trip requests from the district’s Future Farmers of America (FFA) teacher so that the students could have the opportunity to attend annual events they participate in. Hochgesang elaborates on the importance the FFA’s presence in the school system and the impact it has on a students’ future.
Hochgesang adds that the link of the FFA and Purdue University fits right in with the program and that the process for students to be eligible for FFA is to be involved in one agriculture class and for those students with busy schedules during the school year the class is also available during the summer months giving students the opportunity to partake in the program.
