New school board changes things up

by Melissa Soria
Pharos-Tribune staff writer

July 08, 2008 11:17 am

— The Logansport School Board is hoping a change in meeting times and locations will get more parents and community members involved in the school system.
The school board had been meeting at 5:30 p.m. twice a month at the administration building, but it voted Monday to meet at 6 p.m. once a month at various locations throughout the district.
The first of the traveling meetings will be at 6 p.m. Oct. 13 at McHale Performing Arts Center.
“This will help highlight and showcase the schools,” said Superintendent Julie Lauck.
Newly elected school board member Dave McClure said he hoped parents would be less intimidated about attending a meeting at their child’s school than at the district’s administration building.
“It’s a great opportunity to get the parents involved,” he said.
Lauck said holding the meetings once a month will also allow the board to be more prepared.
“I appreciate the board giving this a try,” she said.
McClure and fellow new board members Mike McCord and Cyle Dibble were sworn in Monday evening at the school board’s organizational meeting.
Lynne Ness, who was the former secretary, was elected president of the board. Mike McCord was elected vice president, and David McClure was elected secretary.
Former vice president Michael Fiscel was absent from Monday’s meeting.
Lauck said she was confident the new board members would do a good job.
“They are all ‘kid focused,’” she said. “They should make a great team.”
McCord said his goals over the next school year included making decisions to help bring up ISTEP scores, as well as to help students to succeed in the “real world.”
Dibble said his goals were to raise attendance rates and make more classes available for college credit through the Century Career Center.
McClure said in May that his focus as a member of the school board would be “the kids.” His primary reason for running, he said, were his four young children — 11-year-old Kenna, 10-year-old Cass, 7-year-old Allie and 5-year-old Mayce.
“I want the best education for my kids, and for every other child in this community,” he said. “Education needs to be a priority in their lives.”
McCord said one of the challenges the boad would face was the budget for the 2009-2010 school year, when school budgets across Indiana will feel the effects of property tax reform.
“I experience it in my business everyday,” said McCord, who owns McCords Do It Best hardware. “We’ll take it head on.”
Melissa Soria may be reached at (574) 732-5143 or via e-mail at melissa.soria@pharostribune.com

Tentative meeting schedule for 2008-2009
All meetings at 6 p.m.
July 14 — Administration building
Aug. 11 — Administration building
Aug. 25 — Administration building (First reading of budget)
Sept. 15 — Administration building (Budget hearing)
Oct. 13 — McHale Performing Arts Center
Nov. 10 — Lincoln Middle School
Dec. 8 — Fairview Elementary School
Jan. 12 — Century Career Center
Feb. 9 — Franklin Elementary School
March 9 — Landis Elementary School
April 13 — Columbia Middle School
May 11 — Columbia Elementary School
June 8 — Administration building
July 6 — Administration building (Organizational meeting)