Brownstown Central Community School Corporation approves $1.7 million in claims and a new safety plan

Brownstown Central Community School Corporation approved $1,697,829.52 in claims and payroll, including $68,422.70 for new middle-school lighting funded through general-obligation bond money and $35,155 for network access points. Brownstown Central Community School Corporation also approved its corporation safety plan, a kindergarten field trip for Sept. 24, and auditorium use for a Sept. 9 student-data-privacy training. Personnel actions covering seven resignations, one retirement, 24 recommendations, four transfers and two leave requests were approved collectively. No decision was made on a softball-coaching complaint; the speaker announced her resignation, while Brownstown Central Community School Corporation said it would review the concerns. The corporation is also awaiting a decision, expected by September or possibly its October meeting, on a cooperative $3.3 million school-improvement grant application.
• Brownstown Central Community School Corporation approved total claims and payroll of $1,697,829.52. The approved spending included $68,422.70 for new middle-school lights paid from general-obligation bond funds, $35,155 for network access points, $11,382.99 for school software, $6,229.50 for annual bus-radio maintenance and $11,983 for a student-software renewal.
• Brownstown Central Community School Corporation approved a corporation safety plan presented for the new school year.
• Brownstown Central Community School Corporation approved personnel actions collectively: seven resignations, one retirement, 24 recommendations, four transfers and two leave requests. Two recommendations required special consideration under Indiana Code 20-26-5-11.2.
• Brownstown Central Community School Corporation approved a Sept. 24 field trip for the elementary kindergarten class to Huber’s Apple Orchard.
• Brownstown Central Community School Corporation approved Sept. 9 use of its auditorium by the Educational Services Centers of Indiana for student-data-privacy training sponsored by an artificial-intelligence company.
• Brownstown Central Community School Corporation took no recorded action on concerns about the softball-coach hiring process and the proposed duties of a paid varsity assistant. Kirsten Beavers announced she would resign from her coaching position; officials said they would review the information and consider how to improve future processes.
• Brownstown Central Community School Corporation reported that students will receive free admission to high-school home athletic events during the coming school year, but officials had not yet explained how the program would be administered.
• Brownstown Central Community School Corporation reported that a cooperative application with Austin, Southwestern Jefferson and Jennings County schools was among roughly five or six finalists from about 50 applicants for a potential $3.3 million Next Generation School Improvement grant. The funding described includes $300,000 for planning and $1 million annually for three years; a Department of Education interview was scheduled for Thursday, with a decision expected by September or possibly the October meeting.
• Brownstown Central Community School Corporation reported a 95.7% I-READ pass rate, described as the highest in the area, with four students not passing and 13 of 17 students in the special-education group passing. The report was informational rather than a board action.