Blackgrave to head up FTCSC operations

FTCSC personnel report: The following report was approved by the School Board on Monday, October 23: New Employment (Certified) ** Diane Lichtenberger, teacher-half-time kindergarten, Arlington Elementary School (new position) New Employment (Classified) ** Annette Barrett, IA-special ed, Wanamaker Elementary School (replaces Christy Means) ** Stephen Counsel, IA, Kitley Intermediate School (new position) ** Ben Erny, IA-ENL, All Schools (new position) ** Sarah Gabrial, paraprofessional, Adams Elementary School (new position) ** Kylie Gerbofsky, IA, Thompson Crossing Elementary School (replaces Kelley Worley) ** Janie Giroud, bus driver, Transportation (rehire) ** Charolet Goff, food service assistant, Adams Elementary School (replaces Linda O’Mara) ** Matt Hoard, IA-computer lab, Franklin Middle School, replaces Jesse Carrasquillo ** Rebecca Kreuzman, bus driver, Transportation ** Megan Lindsey, paraprofessional, Wanamaker Elementary School (new position) ** Mary Reese, IA-ENL, Franklin Middle School/Franklin Central High School (replaces Rachel Apelgren) ** Joanne Roos, IA, Thompson Crossing Elementary School (replaces Naomi Pryor ** Brian Rugenstein, IA, Kitley Intermediate School (replaces Nicole Danison ** Sandy Schroeder, bus driver, Transportation (rehire) ** Shannon Simpson, custodian, Kitley Intermediate School ** Kara Sweetman, paraprofessional, Adams Elementary School (new position) ** Arthur Thomas, vending assistant, CTEC (replaces Susan Burnette) ** Kristi Weber, IA, Wanamaker Elementary School (replaces Bonnie Danison) Promotions/Changes of Assignment (Administrator) ** Ron Blackgrave, assistant superintendent for operations, CTEC (from assistant to the superintendent) Promotions/Changes of Assignment (Classified) ** Mary Agresta, ISTEP clerk, Franklin Central High School (from receptionist) ** Kim Brown, food service assistant 6-hour, Franklin Central High School (from food service assistant 3-hour) ** Susan Burnette, food service assistant, various schools (from vending assistant) ** Rose Faust, bus driver 8-hour, Transportaton (from bus drive 7.5-hour) Resignations (Classified) ** Lana Anderson, IAS-Special ed, Franklin Central High School ** Rosalind Carter, bus driver, Transportation ** Bonnie Danison, IA, Wanamaker Elementary School ** Amanda Gonzalez, IA, Arlington Elementary School ** Lori Heavrin, custodian, Kitley Intermediate School ** Gloria Hook, food service assistant, Franklin Middle School ** Tony McClusky, custodian, Kitley Intermediate School ** Jeff Russell, custodian, Franklin Central High School ** Deanna Suez, food service assistant, Kitley Intermediate School ** Sheila Toon, food service assistant, Kitley Intermediate School ** Kelley Worley, IA, Thompson Crossing Elementary

The appointment of longtime administrator Ron Blackgrave as the assistant superintendent for operations for the Franklin Township Community School Corporation was unanimously approved by the School Board on Monday, October 23, during its regular public monthly session.

Meeting in the Dr. E.B. Carver Community Technology & Education Center, the five-member board followed the recommendation of Superintendent Dr. Walter Bourke, who reported Blackgrave's appointment is part of a reorganization effort within the district's Central Office.

The appointment also comes six weeks after Ray Pier, the former FT Schools director of operations, was fired, and four weeks after Pier's termination was upheld by a 3-2 vote of the School Board.

Blackgrave moves into the new position - looking after all operational phases of buildings and grounds, construction projects and transportation - after having served as an administrative assistant to the superintendent, primarily in charge of FTCSC human resources matters. Also, he is a former principal at Bunker Hill Elementary School.

In granting Blackgrave's appointment, the School Board also approved a new position of supervisor of human resources. The district will advertise to fill that position as soone as possible.

Bourke said the administrative reorganization is being implemented at no additional cost to the corporation's General Fund, but will provide a positive streamlining of the operations division of the school district.

In items relating to current FT Schools construction projects, the School Board by unanimous vote:

** Officially rejected off-site sewer bids totaling more than $5 million relating to the building of a new middle school in the 10500 block of Edgewood Avenue.

School officials said the off-site sewer work is being re-advertised. Some redesign of the initial scope of the project already has reflected an approximate $500,000 in savings, officials reported to the School Board. Through the redesign effort, the project is expected to attract more responsive bidders, with expectations that the new cost will fall in the $3.5 million range.

** Approved a change-order totaling $89,466 for the building of a temporary stone road around the Freshman Academy project on the northeast corner of Franklin Central High School. The road will enhance access, particularly for buses, at that area of the campus and also help alleviate congestion. School officials said funding for building the road is available though contingency money contained within the bond issue for the overall Freshman Academy project.

School Board members also were advised that recent rainfalls and standing water are causing lime stabilization delays at both the middle school site and the intermediate school construction area in the 7600 block of Edgewood Avenue.

In addition, the new boiler installation tied to renovation work at Bunker Hill Elementary likely will be pushed back several months due to extensive asbestos abatement. Asbestos removal was anticipated when the cost of the building update was considered.

Several other items also required board action, with each one being approved by unanimous vote:

** An additional appropriation from the Rainy Day Fund. This request by the district's business manager, Jim McWhirt, will allow for the facilitation of a $3 million transfer to be made from the Rainy Day Fund to the General Fund.

In a request for the additional appropriation from the Rainy Day Fund, McWhirt stated that "due to likelihood the General Fund will have insufficient cash and appropriations to pay the remainder of the disbursements that are anticipated through December 21, 2006, we need to prepare to use our Rainy Day Fund in December to satisfy the deficit."

The school district is anticipating about a $1.3 million deficit by the end of the year. McWhirt estimated that no more than $2 million of the additional appropriation likely will be needed. The Rainy Day Fund currently lists a balance of just under $3.6 million. Any cash unused in 2006, according to McWhirt, will remain in the Rainy Day Fund and be available in a subsequent year.

The additional appropriation request requires a public hearing, which likely will be conducted at the School Board's meeting already set for Monday, November 13.

McWhirt also reminded that the 2007 budget - recently approved by the School Board - is expected to be trimmed somewhat through the state review process, and already is under-funded by about $3 million.

Superintendent Bourke also reminded board members the FT Schools overall budget must be balanced by 2009, pointing out that all supplemental sources for offsetting deficits are expected to be dried up by that time.

** A PERF Authorization Resolution. This allows Dr. Bourke, Blackgrave and McWhirt to be able to sign off on quarterly PERF reports in behalf of the school corporation. The revised authorization became necessary due to numerous changes in FTCSC administrative personnel in recent months.

** Tax Neutrality Resolution. As part of the 2007 budget process, the School Board is required to adopt a Tax Neutrality Resolution regarding the levy required to pay the debt associated with bonds sold in 2003 to "buy out" severance benefits.

The levy required for the Retirement/Severance Bond Debt Severance Fund must be neutralized by reducing the levy in other funds. The budged adopted for 2007 includes provisions to reduce the levies in the Capital Projects Fund and the Bus Replacement Fund in equal amounts to accomplish the neutralization.

In another matter requiring School Board vote, the monthly personnel report was unanimously approved, with one item - the hiring of Elizabeth Horton for additional duties as the district's Title I assistant director - being tabled for further information. Horton currently serves as the literacy administrator for FT Schools.

The School Board also heard the first reading of a proposed school policy relating to the naming of school facilities for individuals. A facility is defined as an area or structure such as a library, reading room, cafeteria, auditorium, gymnasium, natatorium, or an area outside the school building such as a sports field or stadium. Included in the policy proposal are guidelines for considering a person to be honored and an outline of the process to be followed in selecting the name for a facility.

Two informational presentations were provided for School Board members - one relating to the addition of The Franklin Central Honors Diploma and another pertaining to the Central Nine Career Center's proposed $13 million construction and renovation initiative.

- FTONEWS.com -