Greater Jasper Consolidated School board members met to discuss their goals for the 2021 school year on Monday.
The meeting began with a presentation by Jasper High School Principal, Brain Wilson.
Wilson gave a report about the success of their Fresh Start Program.
The support program is primarily for freshmen and is designed to assist kids with earning credits. The goal is to have each freshman complete the year with 10 credits, which puts them on track to graduate. Students are identified with assistance from the middle school. They are allowed to transition in and out of the program based on their needs and achievements.
The students meet twice a week with staff during homeroom. Education Professions and National Honors Society students will also be helping those who are participating in the Fresh Start Program.
The program helps monitor grades, gives students the opportunity to work one-on-one with staff members, and gives students incentives to pass their classes. Staff members have seen a tremendous change in students who participate in the program. They say that some students early in the first semester had no motivation and no work ethic. Then, those students came back with motivation and even a stronger work ethic to start the second semester.
Next on the agenda was a curriculum update. Director of Curriculum and Assessment, Tina Fawks, presented the first semester of the report to the board. In total, Fawks says that 301 students enrolled in their online COVID-19 Academy at some point during the first semester. 140 Greater Jasper students completed the full semester online. Fawks says there was a 54% passing rate for 6 to 12th grade. Fawks says many students switched back to in-person learning to fit their academic needs and improve their grades.
Stenftenagel Group Clerk of the Works Owner, Scott Stenftenagel, then gave board members an update on buildings and maintenance.
He says they received three competitive bids for the 10th Street Elementary demolition and new parking lot construction project. All three bids were within the school’s budget. He requested that the school board consider awarding the bid with selective alternates to Sefurt Constriction for $1,204,560. Stenftenagel says they expect to start and complete demolition between February 1st and April 2nd. Construction of the new parking lot is expected to be between April 5th and September 3rd.
Stenftenagel then gave an update on the demolition and parking lot construction of the 5th Street Elementary School building.
They are continuing their conversation with Tammy Lampert of the Southwestern Indiana Child Advocacy Center Coalition about retaining the newer 1988 building addition and demolishing the original 1956 school facility and constructing of a new wall and relocating the utilities.
Stenftenagel says they are coordinating termination and demarcation lines of existing electrical services and systems. This includes the existing wet pipe sprinkler system, technology system, fire alarm systems etc.
School attorney, Art Nordhoff, has developed a Letter of Understanding with SWICACC and GJCS. Brad Ecklere has also been reviewing the current property lines to help Nordhoff with establishing the correct language for the deed description and agreement with GJCS and SWICACC. The tentative demolition date is March 1st and is expected to be completed around April 13th.
Towards the end of the meeting, Superintendent, Dr. Tracy Lorey gave a reminder about upcoming enrollment opportunities at the elementary school.
More information about this can be found on the school corporation’s Facebook page.
