Retirements approved for pair of veteran Bloomfield teachers

Shirley will retire at the close of the 2009-2010 school year, while Barnes leaves around Dec. 18, the close of the fall semester.

Shirley, presently a 3rd grade teacher, has served 36 years in the district, teaching multiple grade levels during her tenure.

"The best word to describe Miss Shirley is dedication," said Mary Jane Vandeventer, Bloomfield Elementary School principal.

"She really gives her heart and soul to her students. For her, it just doesn't end at 3:30 p.m. when the bell rings. In the summers, and on the weekends, she's still thinking about how she can help these students."

"She's a dear, dear lady," Vandeventer said.

Barnes, Bloomfield's speech and language pathologist, served 24 years in the school district.

"She's solved many, many speech issues in our children, and now she is ready to move on to new things," said superintendent Dan Sichting.

Vandeventer said Barnes was licensed across multiple areas of special education, providing a substantial benefit to the school during her tenure.

"I know Joyce loves to travel," she said. "So I wish her warm sand and lots of travel."

Board members unanimously approved both retirement requests.

Also Thursday, Bloomfield High School Principal David Dean presented results from the revised Indiana Standardized Test of Educational Progress (ISTEP-Plus) and tests required for graduation.

In the 7th grade, 65 percent of students passed in math, just under the state average of 68 percent.

English scores exceeded the state average, with Bloomfield scoring 73 percent passage compared to 69 percent statewide.

Social studies also slightly exceeded the state average, 58 percent to the statewide 57 percent.

In 8th grade, both the state and the school scored a 66 percent passing rate in English, with Bloomfield's 73 percent passing rate in math exceeding the state's average of 68 percent.

"This was our baseline year," said Dean, noting the ISTEP Plus has been revised dramatically. "We wanted to get a gauge on how we were doing."

Statewide, schools are also transitioning from graduation exams to subject-based tests.

The graduating class of 2012 will have to pass tests over Algebra I and sophomore English as well as pass the courses to graduate.

They will be allowed to retake the courses and exams should they fail, under a plan developed by the schools.

Preliminary scores for the English exam won't be available until 2010, Dean said, but preliminary Algebra I passing rates were 20.1 percent in 2008, below the state average of 34 percent.

However, the school's scores jumped to 32 percent passing, compared to 41 percent statewide, in 2009.

"Those numbers are low, certainly, but look at the jump we made in just a year," Dean said. "What this tells us is that, in this instance, our teachers are getting it, and they know what we have to focus on."

In other business, the board:

* approved the purchase of a 2009 Ford F-250 4x4 truck from Ruxer Ford-Lincoln-Mercury in Jasper.

With the addition of the plow and a truck bed liner, the final cost of the vehicle will be $25,500.

The truck, which will be used to plow snow, replaces a truck bought in 1990 which Sichting said "has lasted well beyond its life expectancy."

Ruxer will allow $1,200 trade-in credit on the used 1990 truck, per discussion.

* Approved the use of volunteers for extracurricular activities. Lana Pinnick, Trent Frady, Jeff Riggins and Matt Miller will assist with girls' Biddy Basketball. All have been approved by Bloomfield's Athletic Director Ron McBride, Sichting said.

* Received word that the state will reimburse the district for 73 percent of their summer school expenses, up for 66 percent reimbursement in 2008.

The high school submitted eligible expenses of $18,696.60 this year, offering health, supervised agriculture and driver's ed classes during the summer break. The state agreed to repay $14,507.06 of that cost.

* Were told 508 students and staff members received H1N1 flu shots Nov. 6 as the first Greene County school to receive free inoculations from the county health department.

* Received word the school corporation has passed a Nov. 4 inspection for the state fire marshal's office. The marshal had previously found deficiencies which the school corporation corrected.

* Approved the short-term transfer of funds from the Rainy Day Fund to the Debt Service and Retirement/Severance Bond Debt Service Funds, to cover costs in case the school corporation's share of state property taxes is delayed in December.