CCSC hears presentations on curriculum and athletics

Working in the absence of Katrina Lewis, the remaining six members of the Cloverdale Community School Corporation (CCSC) Board of School Trustees met in regular session on March 10 to approve routine matters, recognize student and staff members of the month, and to address several items under the new business portion of the meeting.

Under routine matters, the board voted 6-0 to approve meeting minutes for executive and regular sessions held Feb. 10.

Acting on a motion from board member Melissa Carrell, seconded by Emily Haltom, the board voted unanimously to approve the latest claims and financial reports, which CCSC Superintendent Greg Linton advised totaled $2,463,999.17 since the board’s previous meeting.

Next, the board recognized the corporation’s Student of the Month honorees for March, which included Cloverdale Elementary School (CES) first-grader Mila Green, Cloverdale Middle School (CMS) student Ryder Pettijohn and Cloverdale High School (CHS) student Isabella Montgomery.

“Thank you for being good kids and good students,” board president Vivian Whitaker said at the conclusion of the presentations, addressing the Student of the Month recipients. “We’re so happy that you’re Clovers. Each of you have bright futures ahead of you.”

Carrie Hall, special education teacher at CMS, was recognized as the latest Staff Member of the Month.

Also recognized were Rumor Jones and Wyatt Lane, who earned Good Citizen Awards for the month of March, presented by Cloverdale Town Marshal Adam Hull.

“Rumor is a silent leader in the fifth grade,” Hall explained. “She pitches in around the classroom and the school whenever she can. You can count on Rumor to always do the right thing.”

Hall added, “Wyatt is a wonderful young man. He works hard in class and always puts forth his best effort. Wyatt is very caring and a friend to many. He often gives to others and likes to make birthday gifts for his classmates.”

Next, the board heard a presentation led by CCSC Director of Curriculum and Instruction Cathy Ames regarding planned diploma and student schedule updates.

“As Indiana graduation requirements have changed, it’s really important that our academic programs here at Cloverdale change as well, not only to support our students, but to support our teachers and our school community,” Ames said. “The updates are necessary in order for students to gain the skills and knowledge they need to be successful and, quite frankly, to be able to graduate. We want to make sure they are ready for their career paths and can think critically, work well with others, and handle the future challenges that they will face, not only in school, but also in college or in the workforce or military.”

Ames added, “By making these changes now we can create a more engaging and supportive learning environment for our students and help them on their road to success. We didn’t want to just sit back and wait…  we wanted to be pro-active and jump right in.”

A few of the key points of Ames’ presentation included making sure students have options to personalize their graduation plan to align with their unique interests and goals; to ensure work-based learning is accessible to more students; the ability to earn high school credit at the middle school level; adding additional dual credit classes to provide students with increased opportunities for college credit; utilizing the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test to assess potential military recruitment; and to open up space within the high school schedule for flexibility in the graduation pathway.

The board also heard from CHS Principal Sonny Stoltz, who commented on the school’s ongoing participation in the “Leader in Me” program.

“If things go well with our last training session in April, we’ll be ready to apply to be a Leader in Me high school,” Stoltz said. “What makes that even more special for us is that we’d be the first Leader in Me school in the state of Indiana. I have to give a ton of credit to everyone involved. This whole program has been counselor, teacher and student driven.”

The Leader in Me program aims to help students with leadership skills, character development and personal growth, both in school and in their personal lives.

James Wade, CHS Athletic Director, later provided the board with an update regarding the addition of Vincennes Lincoln to the Western Indiana Conference, the success of the school’s new outfitting of athletic teams, athlete reward program, and the development of a Booster Club beginning in May. Wade said the Booster Club aims to be in service beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.

Moving on to new business, the board voted 6-0 to approve a resolution determining the need for renovation and improvements to facilities throughout the school corporation, including the “construction of a training facility, site and athletic improvements throughout the school corporation and the purchase of equipment, real estate and technology and leasing all or a portion of the project from the Cloverdale High School Building Corporation.”

Next, the board acted on a motion from Donna Fidler, seconded by Joe Mann, voting 6-0 to adopt a resolution approving a form of lease agreement. The agreement says in part, “the Cloverdale High School Building Corporation has previously been organized pursuant to the Indiana Nonprofit Corporation Act of 1991 for the purpose of constructing, renovating and improving facilities for the use of the Cloverdale Community School Corporation.”

The board also cast separate 6-0 votes to approve the adoption of a resolution reapproving the formation of the building corporation and appointing a new member, as well as the issuance of one or more series of bonds and one or more series of BANS (Bond Anticipation Notes).

Also under new business, the board unanimously approved the distribution of Early Literacy Achievement Grant Funds, the CES/CMS Snails to Trails Summer Program and the acceptance of one grant and three donations for CHS.

Acting on a recommendation from Superintendent Linton, the board also unanimously approved the creation of an assistant principal position at CES, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.

“As the board is aware, the student population at CES continues to increase with the addition and growth of our preschool program,” Linton noted. “CES has the highest enrollment of our three schools. The increase in student enrollment, and the overall increased social/emotional needs of students in general, has generated the need for [CES Principal] Mrs. [Mary] Elkins to have additional help in managing CES.”

In addition, the board unanimously approved the following professional leave, field trip, and facility use requests:

Professional Leaves

Feb. 18 – Sarah Campbell, CPI training, ONT/Area 30.

Feb. 26 – Paige Glassburn, CPI training, ONT/Area 30.

Feb 26 – Jill Schreiber, webinar on disability and community, CMS.

March 13 – Chelsey Meluch, SPED 101 for Administrators, Area 30.

March 18-20 – Taulbee Jackson, ILearn PLD Review virtual workshop, CMS.

March 19 – Heather Clingan, Indiana FFA proficiency grading, Southmont High School.

March 21 – Jared Metzger, annual tour of schools, CES/CMS/CHS.

April 2 – Ivy Oberkrom, required CPI training, ONT.

April 7-8 – Cathy Ames, Sam Brown, and Tara Baugh, Safe Schools Advanced Academy, Indianapolis.

April 16-17 – Cathy Ames, Title Con 2025, Plainfield.

May 7 – Beth Williams, hang artwork for Art Fair, CES/CMS.

2025/2026 school year – Carrie Hall, one day each month, Asset Program, online.

Field Trips

March 13 – CES fourth grade class, Indiana State Museum.

April 11 – CES first grade class, Terre Haute Children’s Museum.

April 11 or 12^th – CHS band, Northview High School.

April 22 – CHS Academic Super Bowl Team, Greencastle High School.

April 24 – CES kindergarten, Historic Tivoli Theatre, Spencer.

May 9 – CES sixth grade class, Bogey’s Family Fun Center, Terre Haute.

May 10 – CHS Academic Super Bowl Team, Purdue University.

June 2-9 – Snails to Trails, South Bend.

June 3-10 – Snails to Trails, Kentucky.

June 4-11 – Snails to Trails, Indianapolis.

June 5-12 – Snails to Trails, Crawfordsville.

June 6-13 – Snails to Trails, St. Louis, Missouri.

Facility Use

March 5 – Haltom 8U softball parent/player meeting, CMS Media Center.

March 11-12 – Cloverdale Community Youth League (CCYL), CPS, AED, and first aid training, CMS library.

March 19 – CCYL board meeting, CMS library.

April 30 – CHS National Honor Society induction ceremony, CHS cafetorium.

April 30 – Drama Club school play, CMS cafeteria.

May 8 – Annual Arts Fair, CES and CMS.

Additional personnel matters receiving unanimous board approval included:

Employment

Holly Watkins – part-time bus aide.

Alisan Staletovich – CMS guidance secretary.

FMLA

Lori Halloran – CMS teacher.

The Cloverdale Community School Board will meet again on Monday, April 14 beginning at 7 p.m. in the Arthur L. Johnson Administration Building, 310 E. Logan St., Cloverdale. Members of the board include Vivian Witaker, Katrina Lewis, Donna Fidler, Melissa Carrell, Emily Haltom, Joe Mann and Mike Rightmyer II.