Cummins donates $5,000 for BCIS Ability Weeks
Brown County Schools has received a $5,000 donation from Cummins engine company to continue the Ability Weeks program at Brown County Intermediate School.
Special education teacher Kristen (Cole) Sample started Ability Weeks at BCIS two years ago. Students spend the week learning about and experiencing what’s like to have a disability, going through exercises that simulate autism, hearing loss, physical impairments and visual impairments.
Joel Lewis and James Culley with Cummins were both at the school board meeting July 19 to talk about the donation. Lewis’ wife works in the BCIS special education classroom. He organizes a team from Cummins to go over to BCIS to work with the students during Ability Weeks, Superintendent Laura Hammack said.
Lewis and Sample worked on creating the program together.
Culley was the one who proposed Ability Weeks as a special project to Cummins, which is why the additional $5,000 was awarded to it, Lewis said.
Now, it’s gone global, Lewis said. Cummins is now considering taking the program to Dubai and London. It’s also being considered for launch in Charleston, South Carolina, Lewis said.
School board approves staff changes, first reading of policies
The Brown County Schools Board of Trustees approved the following Aug. 2:
- First reading of the NEOLA board policy, including updates to anti-harassment policies, the annual performance report policy and use of school facilities.
- The 2018-2019 Brown County Schools transportation policies and procedures handbook.
- A food services catering contract with Thrive Alliance.
- The first reading of the metal detector use in schools policy. (See details in the Aug. 1 paper.)
- Separating Brown County Junior High School boys tennis coach Thom Miller, effective July 25. This was not a termination. Megan Niles was appointed to replace him, $1,342 stipend, effective Aug. 8.
- Separating BCJHS assistant football coaches Jeff Mullins and Clayton Oliphant, effective July 24. These were not terminations. Josh Hazelgrove and Brian Parrish were appointed to replace them, $1,278 stipend each, effective Aug. 8.
- Separating Sprunica Elementary School second-grade teacher and Spell Bowl coach Jaida Goldberg, effective July 25. This was not a termination. Jessica Spurgeon was appointed to replace her as teacher, Level 1, $38,000, 184 days, eight hours per day, effective Aug. 6. Sarah Roberts was appointed to replace her as Spell Bowl coach, $279.50 split stipend, effective Aug. 8.
- Separating Brown County Schools cafeteria worker Joanna Spalding, effective July 27. This was not a termination. Amber Wimmenauer was appointed to replace her, part-time with no benefits, $10.25 per hour.
- Separating Van Buren Elementary School cafeteria worker Pam Pennington, effective July 27. This was not a termination.
- Separating Brown County Schools bus driver Tracy Fletcher, effective July 27. This was not a termination.
- Separating Helmsburg Elementary School Spell Bowl coach Olivia Hobbs, effective July 31. This was not a termination. Cortney Hitchcock was appointed to replace her, $559 stipend, effective Aug. 8.
- Appointing VBE Math Bowl sponsors, Cynthia Baughman, Michelle Wagers and Emily Gaither, $186.33 stipends each.
- Appointing VBE Science Bowl sponsors Tina Robertson and Darlene Radloff, $279.50 stipends each.
- Appointing VBE Science Fair sponsor Bonnie Griffee, $868 stipend.
- Appointing Robertson and Wagers as VBE Spell Bowl sponsors, $279.50 stipends each.
- Appointing VBE High Ability coaches Jayne Jones and Baughman, $1,113 stipends each.
- Appointing VBE Instructional Technology Coach Makenzie Duncan, $2,226 stipend.
- Appointing Duncan and Darlene Radloff as VBE instructional team leaders in special education, $1,113 stipends each.
- Appointing Brown County Intermediate School after-school supervisor Darian Butler, part-time with no benefits, $13.75 per hour, as a replacement for Samantha Prather.
- Appointing BCHS night custodian Linda Satter, full-time with benefits, $11.25 per hour, effective Aug. 6. She is a replacement for Audrey Shambaugh.
- Appointing BCS bus driver Sandra Taylor, full-time with benefits, $91 per day, 180 days per year, effective Aug. 8.
- Appointing BCIS sixth-grade volleyball coach Justin Mollo, $1,023 stipend, effective Aug. 8. He is a replacement for Eric Fohl.
- Appointing BCJHS seventh- and eighth-grade volleyball coach Emma Totten, $1,598 stipend, effective Aug. 8. She is a replacement for Jessica Morgan.
- Appointing VBE instructional team leader Bonnie Griffee, $2,226 stipend.
- Transferring BCJHS night custodian Carla Brown to BCJHS head custodian, $14.50 per hour, 260 days per year, eight hours per day, effective Aug. 6. She is a replacement for Wendy Burgmeier.
