Centerville-Abington Community Schools celebrated the signing of the new teacher contract and one instructor’s creative use of music to boost math learning during its Oct. 30 board meeting.
Teacher contract
Board members unanimously approved the 2024-2025 contract. Superintendent Mike McCoy said he appreciated another great year of working with the negotiating team’s members, despite a more difficult year financially.
When enrollment count day numbers are finalized, CACS expects to have fewer students than last year, which means a decrease in per-pupil state funding.
Board member Renee Westover, Director of Student Learning Tammy Chavis and Assistant Superintendent Sean Stevenson represented the administration.
Centerville Education Association members Chris Evrard and Damon Anderson attended the meeting. Anderson said he still appreciates the good relationship between administrators and teachers.
“It’s a great sign of things to come,” Evrard said about that collaborative spirit.
Creative teaching
Centerville Junior High School Principal Tiffani Thornburg recognized MacKenzie Cox, eighth grade math teacher, for her work in drawing connections between popular music and Algebra 1.
Cox is one of 20 Indiana educators chosen for the Indiana Educator Fellowship for Creative Teachers through Indiana Arts Commission and Indiana Department of Education.
Cox recently attended three days of hands-on training in connecting creativity to state standards. She also received funding to support an artist residency in her classroom with Youth Symphony of East Central Indiana.
Cox is creating interdisciplinary learning experiences that enhance students’ understanding by applying mathematical concepts to music by artists such as Taylor Swift and Green Day.
Thornburg said research indicates creative teaching strategies, or arts integration, enhance student engagement, literacy skills and learning retention.
In other business
Demolition: Board members agreed to save $17,000 on demolition costs for the annex building and former administration office by not saving the annex’s concrete block that says “high school.” Todd Dooley said he’d prefer spending money for other priorities since the block doesn’t specifically mention the district or township.
McCoy also noted a savings of about $96,000 in interest costs because the district received a good rate on the bonds it sold for the demolition and technology purchases.
An upcoming step is bidding out asbestos removal from the buildings.
Most of the demolition is expected to take place in late November or early December.
Livestreaming board meetings: Starting next July, CACS plans to start livestreaming board meetings on the district’s website. Board members conducted a first reading on a policy that updates the July 1, 2025, deadline to begin doing so to comply with state law.
An archive of copies of the livestream will be created and will include links to any meeting agendas, minutes and/or memoranda. The archive will be maintained for at least 90 days.
The board likely will approve the updated policy at its next meeting, which will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12, in the administration building 115 W. South St., Centerville. That meeting is moved up a day to avoid conflicting with a gathering of regional school officials.
Donations approved for Centerville Senior High School: Stamm Koechlein Family Foundation, $1,500 for Drama Club; Centerstone, $500 donation to Business Professionals of America
Thanks: Assistant Superintendent Sean Stevenson thanked maintenance and custodial employees for their hard work over fall break, including special projects such as fixing kitchen equipment and installing a new furnace in the administration office.
Personnel updates
- Pending hires: Michele Robinson, corporate treasurer; Cheyenne Smith, high school cafeteria server; Aron Chaney, fifth grade boys basketball coach; Tyler Roehler, sixth grade girls basketball coach
- Departures: Mikenzie Fletcher, first grade teacher; Victoria Jones, part-time CARES aide; Marcia Frame, eighth grade girls basketball coach
- New hires: Kaitlyn McDonald, junior high cafeteria cashier; Jacob Fordonski, seventh grade boys basketball coach; Sarah “Katie” Hollendonner, junior high student council sponsor; Kristofer Heidrich, fifth grade girls basketball coach; Sarah Gibson, fifth and sixth grade cheerleading coach
- Transfers: Ashley Reece, high school cafeteria, assistant head cook; Julia Williams, CARES assistant; Heather Troutwine, cafeteria substitute; Stacie Schlotterbeck, sixth grade boys basketball coach
- Volunteer: Patrick Brown, sixth grade boys basketball
A version of this article appeared in the November 6 2024 print edition of the Western Wayne News.