Former WRV superintendent will substitute for Wall

Steve Campbell, the former superintendent of White River Valley School Corporation, will temporarily resume the job until his successor Layton Wall returns from a medical leave.

Campbell, who served 16 years as superintendent from 1988-2004, will resume the job temporarily beginning Monday, an appointment which will continue through Nov. 30.

The WRV School Board unanimously agreed to the appointment during Thursday's meeting. Board member Brian Blackmore moved for the hire, seconded by Roger Shake.

Campbell will be paid $300 per school day, per discussion.

Should Wall's recuperation take longer than a month, Board President Glen D. Cundiff said the issue will be revisited.

Campbell could then potentially be given another short-term contract until Wall resumes work.

Campbell retired from WRV in 2004 after spending 41 years in public education. He was a teacher, coach and administrator with the Worthington-Jefferson School Corporation from 1963-1988 before becoming superintendent.

Wall has served as superintendent for five years.

Also Thursday, the board chose United Health Care as the school corporation's insurer for a one-year, $1.12 million contract.

Board member Shari Hostetter moved for the change from Anthem Blue Cross-Blue Shield, which insured the school last year.

A dramatic jump in Anthem's rates spurred the change, Cundiff said.

"That's why we're not going with Anthem. They wanted a 28 percent increase," he said. "They would not come down a dime."

The contract with United Health Care allows the school corporation to maintain the same cost as the past year for "essentially the same" level of insurance, he said.

Also Thursday, board members unanimously agreed to take the Greene County Health Department up on an offer to inoculate WRV students against the H1N1 flu virus.

Shake moved to allow the free vaccinations, seconded by Blackmore.

Parents will have the choice whether to have their children inoculated, and permission slips will be sent home prior to the shots being administered, Hostettler said.

"The parents can choose what they want to do, and then there will be a day when the shots are actually given," Hostetter said.

An information session is slated for Monday between health department officials and county school superintendents.

Thereafter, Hostetter said she anticipates shots will be administered within two weeks.

The choice to take the shots is optional, board members said.

"There will be some (parents) I'm sure that won't be willing (to have their children vaccinated)," Cundiff said.

However, the Center for Disease Control has encouraged inoculation against H1N1, particularly for the young and the elderly.

While there have been reports of H1N1 flu in South Central Indiana, Cundiff said thus far the virus hasn't caused a major dent in school attendance, as some fear it ultimately may.

In total, Cundiff said county schools have had under 10 percent absenteeism.

"That's not broken down by anything," he said. "That's total absenteeism."