South Ripley student enrollment increases
Mary Margaret Moorhead - Staff Writer

South Ripley Community School Corporation Board of Trustees received information at their Monday, September 19, meeting that school enrollment for the year stands at 1,289 students, an increase of 17 over last year.

According to Superintendent Ted Ahaus, two home school students that attend the Southeastern Career Center will also be counted as dual enrollment students at .37 each.

Board President Jim Miller and members Chris Bradford, Robert Garcia, Keith Mathews, Randy McIntosh, Ralph Miller, and Jim Samples approved the 2006 budgets which included the General Fund, Debt Service Fund, Capital Projects Fund, Transportation Operating Fund, Bus Replacement Fund, Rainy Day Fund, and Preschool Special Education Fund.

Resolutions also received unanimous approval for a Capital Projects Fund Plan and a 10-year bus replacement plan.

Under personnel items, the board accepted the resignation of Cathy Cutter as a special education aide at the high school and hired Lindsay Payne to replace her.

Family medical leaves were granted to Band Director Eric Stauffer from October 3-14 and to Spanish Teacher Sara Dennis from November 7 to February 10, 2006.

Coaching assignments receiving board approval included Tammy Tankersley, eighth grade girls' basketball; Scott Holdsworth, varsity baseball; Thom Conover, reserve baseball; Jason Gambrel, seventh grade boys' basketball; Dick Gambrel, eighth grade boys' basketball, and Thomas Goefft, volunteer soccer coach.

In order to assist Mrs. Sue Dunker with three severe elementary special education students, the board approved the recommendation of Superintendent Ahaus to create and post a 3 1/2 hour per day, four day per week position with permission to get a substitute until someone can be officially hired.

Board members also voted unanimously to approve a request from Agriculture teacher Pat Holland and the FFA to attend the National FFA Convention in Louisville, Kentucky, from October 24-29 and one from the South Ripley Student Council to attend the Indiana Association of Student Councils in Vincennes from November 10-13.

Also approved was a resolution authorizing Superintendent Ahaus, along with Business Manager Lana Miller and Karen Sieverding, as agents to complete Public Employees' Retirement Fund paperwork.

A two-mile per day route extension received approval for Route #12 due to a pickup not on the original route description.

The ISBA Fall Regional meeting will be October 19 at the Pines in Seymour, according to Superintendent Ahaus.

He also informed the board that a grant in the amount of $21,500 had been received from the Tyson Fund Board of Trustees to be used toward the purchase of classroom amplification systems and speech therapy testing materials.