Cloverdale School Board briefed on building project

CLOVERDALE — Despite a delay on an integral part of the project, leaders have been assured of major building updates at Cloverdale Schools being on pace.

Maintenance Director Eddie Byrns gave a positive report as such to the Cloverdale School Board at its regular meeting on Monday. His message was the majority of the work being complete by the beginning of the school year.

The project highlights vestibules and reconfigurations of the main offices at all three school buildings. Restroom renovations and other area updates, including a new commons area at Cloverdale High School, have also been tackled.

Byrns first said that parts for the vestibules have been backordered, with Aug. 9 slated as when they will arrive.

At the high school, the front offices have been roughed in, while the ceiling, light fixtures and general cleanup need to be completed. Meanwhile, the commons area is “moving along,” while all of the tile for the cafetorium is down.

Byrns also spoke to updates progressing with the high school’s concession stand. While there is some electrical but the air conditioning is running, a critical component is the signatures that have been left on the walls.

“Every time I post pictures online, people get super concerned about the signatures,” Byrns said. “I think it’ll pop, and I think it’ll show a lot more visibility.”

As for things at Cloverdale Middle School, Byrns said it is now “super easy.” As for the front office, all that is needed is masonry work, paint and the ceiling, while HVAC has been installed. Except for work in two side areas, the cafeteria is nearly finished.

“I’ve noticed that the sound in there, it doesn’t reverberate like it used to,” Board President Vivian Whitaker said, with Byrns crediting that to the new LVT tile. “It really looks nice.”

At Cloverdale Elementary School, Byrns spoke to the bathrooms being stripped out, with new plastic, non-graffiti dividers and hands-free toilets and sinks going in. Meanwhile, doors are being replaced to allow for large loads, addressing a longstanding issue.

Byrns also noted a new loading dock at the high school that is to be built toward the end of next week, as well as a block enclosure on a staircase to the weight room. The former will allow easier movement of food supplies, while the latter will curb flooding.

“Everything’s going smooth,” Byrns concluded. “Controlled chaos.”

In other business:

• The board was briefed by third-grade teacher Sandi Price and students on the recent Snails to Trails program.

This year’s program took a total of 80 students to various locations, including Patoka Lake, an outdoor escape room at Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis and “The Wizard of Oz” at Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre.

“My favorite thing always is, I say on the bus, ‘How many of you have never done this activity, or been on a boat, or been here?’” Price said. “And so many hands go up. That’s what we love, that we’re giving these kids opportunities and things that they’ll remember.”

• The board approved employment agreements for Cloverdale Schools’ coordinators and bus drivers for the upcoming school year.

As to the coordinators, which include Byrns, Food Service Director Billy Boyette and Transportation Director Joel Kennelly, Supt. Greg Linton noted their salaries and benefits being unchanged until negotiations later this year.

Meanwhile, he said the bus drivers’ agreements are state contracts that outline their pay per day, depending on their particular route.

• Per a request from Principal Chelsey Meluch, the board approved for response to intervention (RTI) and Leader in Me classes at Cloverdale Middle School to be graded as pass/fail.

Linton provided that the move was intended to bring credibility to both programs and be consistent with the high school. Meluch also stated to the request that students would be recognized for their work as such.

• Through the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), the board approved for Cloverdale Schools to provide free breakfasts and lunches for students pre-K-12 during the 2024-25 school year.

Linton noted that Boyette worked with a coordinator to secure the eligibility, which is governed through the USDA and aimed at school districts in low-income areas.

“This is gonna help our community immensely, I really do believe that,” Whitaker commented after the approval.

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

• Resignations: Mark Wheeler - eighth-grade science teacher; and Tyce Jackson - CHS instructional assistant;

• Employment: Regina Wiley - CMS instructional assistant and AEP; Tyce Jackson - CMS second-period RTI teacher; Kiley Cope - seventh-grade science teacher; Michael Richards - CHS business teacher; and Jenna Sullivan - fifth-grade teacher.

Executive Secretary Heather Stokes joined Linton and the whole board for the meeting.

The next regular meeting of the Cloverdale School Board is set for Monday, Aug. 12 at 7 p.m. at the Arthur L. Johnson Administration Office.