City schools staying COVID-free for now

At a time when other area schools are having to suspend in-person classes New Albany schools have had no positive COVID-19 tests and no quarantines for students or staff in the past two weeks, Superintendent Dr. Lance Evans said.

“That’s a testament to the hard work by our nurses and teachers,” he said. “If we work together, we can have a positive outcome.”

The superintendent had some other positive news for school trustees at their November meeting Monday.

“We have our benchmarks, and students are performing at a higher level than we anticipated,” he said. That means the interruption in classes has not had as much of a negative impact on learning and retention as feared.

He said this helps “keep moving the district forward, based on our strategic plan.”

Most of the 30-minute meeting was spent on routine matters including some personnel changes.

The district remains in good financial shape with revenue and expenditures in line with budgeting and the district building renovation program is finally wrapping up after well more than a year. “Everything seems to be going well,” Director of Accounting Services Suzanne Coffey said.

Project manager Kelly Howard said fire doors for the middle school had been received and installed with only a little adjustment needed for the magnetic releases. These cause the doors to close automatically whenever a fire alarm is sounded.

Superintendent Evans stressed that all life safety systems are working correctly throughout the schools and the only other work needed is some upgrades.

Payment for one bid package is being reduced by $28,835 at the elementary school. Howard said the compressor in a 20-ton cooling unit failed, allowing un-dehumidified air into the building and causing mold. Since it was the manufacturer’s fault the $28,835, which was the clean-up cost, is being deducted from that bill.

In another business-related matter, trustees voted to centralize all activity funds. Currently, each school has its own fund but the state is pushing for centralization at all schools, Evans said.

The change will still give each school access to its own fund but Evans said the change will provide more internal safeguards and be more efficient. “We’re not doing thing because anybody is doing anything wrong,” he added. “The state just wants everybody to do it.”

In personnel, trustees approved:

• The resignation of Sara Alexander, teacher assistant, New Albany Elementary School, effective Oct. 26.
• The resignation of Ryeleigh Hullette, teacher assistant, New Albany Elementary School, effective Oct. 30.
• The resignation of Jim Taylor, bus driver, central office, effective Oct. 13.
• Hiring Jacelyn Ambrose, teacher assistant, New Albany Elementary School.
• Hiring Hope Brown, teacher assistant, New Albany Elementary School.
• Hiring Kelly Fooshee, teacher assistant, New Albany Elementary School.
• Hiring Tiffany Raines, cafeteria, New Albany Elementary School.
• Transfer of Lea Taylor, bookkeeper at New Albany Elementary School, to assistant business manager, central office.
• Hiring Danielle Thompson, assistant business manager, central office.
• Hiring Brad Pannell, bus driver, central office.
• Emergency license for veteran teacher Alison Moore, career and technical school, due to curriculum change.
• Several additions to the substitute list.

Before adjourning, the board voted to go into executive session concerning a personnel matter but no action has been reported.

The next scheduled New Albany school board meeting will be at 5:30 Monday, Dec. 7, in the high school media center.