The Indiana Area School Board meets tonight, with only one item on the agenda related to the elementary school realignment plan.
Board member Walter Schroth has proposed an alternate to the $32.2 million project, which would close the Horace Mann and Eisenhower school, expand the East Pike school, and build an entirely new Ben Franklin school. Schroth has been an opponent of the project from the start and has previously proposed placing the project on the spring primary ballot as a voter referendum, but the district’s solicitor said that is not allowed by law. Schroth has also proposed a halt to all activity related to the elementary schools until after the primary so that the board will have an idea of the public’s wishes by the positions of the winning candidates. Four members’ terms expire this year. That proposal has also been rejected by the board.
Also among the items on the agenda are several personnel moves, including a number of teacher retirement notices, all of which would be effective at the end of the school year. Four of the teachers work at Horace Mann Elementary, two at East Pike Elementary, and one each at Ben Franklin Elementary, the Junior High School, and the Senior High School.
The board had previously scheduled another meeting for next Monday, but has pushed that meeting back to January 23rd.
