Home-school sports participation approved at CMS

CLOVERDALE — A rare vote for its meetings, adopting guidelines for home school students’ participation in sports was not unanimous for the Cloverdale School Board on Monday.

Per a written recommendation from Athletic Director James Wade, Cloverdale Middle School is to follow said guidelines as set out by the IHSAA and followed at Cloverdale High School.

According to an IHSAA bylaw, home school students are eligible to participate in public school athletic programs if they complete statewide exams and provide proof of passing grades. They must also be enrolled in and attending at least one full class offered by the member school.

Wade stipulated that students regardless must be in good standing and follow the school handbook and athletic code of conduct.

“Although we would prefer said students to attend CMS full time, we have found at CHS (that) sport participation is a good way to get them here,” Wade stated in his recommendation, providing that such students often have eventually become full-time students.

“With our current low enrollment and participation numbers, this would seem to be a win for both the corporation and the athletic department,” Wade added.

As she did not provide a reason for such, Board President Vivian Whitaker was the only member who opposed the measure. No discussion was had otherwise.

In other business:

• The board approved for the Cloverdale Community Youth League to place a removable storage shed at its baseball field. Supt. Greg Linton noted that the program will cover the cost.

The program is currently using the softball facility for storage. However, the softball team is wanting to use the same for a locker room.

• Technically new, the board approved a five-and-a-half-hour position for an assistant head cook. Linton explained that the position typically works more, but that the current employee being promoted will be unable to.

• The board approved extending contracts for each administrator by one year. Linton noted that there will be no salary or benefit increases.

• The board approved for the food service department to purchase from contracts through the K12’s Leading Indiana Co-op (KLIC) for the 2024-25 school year. Cloverdale Schools is a member of KLIC.

The board also recognized Cloverdale Schools’ Students of the Month: Kayla Brock (Cloverdale Elementary School), Brayden Gerlach (Cloverdale Middle School) and Jade Manning (Cloverdale High School).

Cloverdale Middle School teacher Kim Bailey was also recognized as the Staff Member of the Month.

With Whitaker abstaining due to a conflict of interest, the board also approved the following personnel report:

• Employment: Chelsey Meluch - CMS principal; Randall Frye - temporary door monitor at CMS; Dorothy Austin - CMS four-hour cafeteria; DeeDee Skiles - CES full-time pre-K instructor; Rachel Scott - CES developmental preschool certified position; Debbie Atwood, Abbie Kenworthy, Jessica Burdge and Holly Ford - summer help/transportation; Jacob Whitaker - eighth-grade football coach;

• Resignations: Tara Baugh - CMS cheer coach; Tammy Kemp - fifth-grade teacher; Dawn Tucker - seventh-grade teacher; Seth Geiger - CHS home school adviser; and

• FMLA - Kim Bailey - sixth-grade teacher.

With Linton and the entire board present for the meeting, Executive Secretary Heather Stokes was also in attendance.

The next regular meeting of the Cloverdale School Board is set for Monday, June 10 at 7 p.m. at the Arthur L. Johnson Administration Office.