Board approves curriculum adoptions, supplemental stipends, bus-aid pay and fiber upgrades; donations accepted
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Summary
At its March 17 meeting the Warrick County School Corporation board approved routine business including textbook and curriculum adoptions, distribution of an early literacy supplemental payment, a $17 hourly bus-aid pay rate, fiber connectivity contracts with partial E-rate funding and multiple school donations.
Warrick County School Corporation's Board of Trustees approved multiple routine-business items on March 17, including curriculum adoptions, supplemental payments tied to an early literacy grant, bus-aid pay rates, lit-fiber service agreements for nine locations and several donations to individual schools.
Curriculum adoptions: The board approved the elementary science adoption — Building Blocks of Science 3D by Carolina Biological — and the elementary music adoption — Quaver's K–5 digital music curriculum by QuaverEd and Music K–8 by Plank Road Publishing. Director of Learning Jason Fisher described the months-long adoption process that included pilot testing, parent and teacher review and curriculum coordinator oversight. "This is actually a months long process that includes looking at the approved Department of Ed list," Fisher said. The adoptions will be used beginning in August 2025.
Supplemental payments and stipends: The board approved distribution of supplemental payment related to the early literacy achievement grant. Guidance from the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE), as read by Fisher, stipulates that the payments be awarded to educators and school personnel through grade 3 who were responsible for literacy instruction during the 2023–24 academic year and who remain employed with the corporation at the distribution date. The funds will be distributed to eligible educators by March 28, 2025.
Bus aids: The board approved setting the pay rate for bus aids at $17 per hour and documented existing employees at that rate. Assistant Superintendent Todd Armstrong explained that many bus-aid positions began as temporary assignments but have become longer term due to student needs.
Connectivity contracts and E-rate: The board approved service agreements with AT&T (switched Ethernet lit fiber) and Astound Broadband powered by RCN for upgraded or replacement lit fiber at nine district locations. Armstrong stated that, pending anticipated federal/legislative funding, the district expects approximately 70% of the cost to be covered by E-rate funding, with the district responsible for the remaining 30%.
Donations: The board accepted multiple donations to district schools. Highlights included a $5,000 donation from Kaiser Aluminum to WPCC for certification costs (covered in the WPCC spotlight article), a $3,868 donation from Newberg Youth Basketball to purchase a scoreboard for Sharon Elementary, and several FFA and student-activity donations at Tecumseh High School. The board approved all donations as presented.
Routine approvals and finance: The board also approved routine items including minutes from the Feb. 24 meeting, claims and the docket for March 17, and a request from the treasurer to void an outstanding check (check number 66359 dated 8/22/22 for $600) with proceeds deposited into the education fund.
Why it matters: The adoptions affect elementary science and music instruction across the district beginning in August 2025; the supplemental payment implements state guidance for early-literacy stipend distribution; the fiber contracts will change network connectivity at multiple school locations with partial federal subsidy via E-rate; and donations fund school-level activities and equipment.
Votes at a glance (motions recorded in the meeting): - Approve minutes of Feb. 24, 2025 and sign docket for March 17, 2025 — motion carried. - Void outstanding check #66359 (dated 08/22/22) for $600; deposit to education fund — motion carried. - Approve nonexclusive clinical affiliation agreement with Progressive Health Rehabilitation Inc. — motion carried (see WPCC article). - Approve elementary science adoption: Building Blocks of Science 3D by Carolina Biological — motion carried. - Approve elementary music adoption: Quaver K–5 (QuaverEd) and Music K–8 (Plank Road Publishing) — motion carried. - Approve distribution of supplemental early-literacy payments to eligible staff (to be distributed by 03/28/2025) — motion carried. - Approve bus-aid pay rate of $17 per hour — motion carried. - Approve service agreements with AT&T lit fiber and Astound/RCN for nine locations (expect ~70% E-rate coverage) — motion carried. - Accept listed donations to multiple schools, including $5,000 from Kaiser Aluminum to WPCC — motion carried.
Ending: Board members recorded unanimous "Aye" votes on the listed routine items and moved the district forward on curriculum adoptions, staffing pay-rate documentation, connectivity upgrades and school donations.
