Steven Kain attended his last school board meeting May 20 as Richland-Bean Blossom Community School Corp. superintendent. All school board members were present.
Kain was RBBCSC superintendent for 19 of the last 30 years during three different stints.
“I can be partially blamed for him leaving the first time, and you can blame me for bringing him back. I’m glad I did,” said Marion Jacobs, Ellettsville resident. “Because he has been a good leader for this community.”
“I, too, want to thank Steven Kain. We’ve disagreed a few times, but we didn’t hate one another,” said Larry Thrasher, RBBCSC school board member.
Dana Kerr, school board president; Jimmie Durnil, school board vice president; Debra Walcott, school board secretary; and Edgewood High School teacher Doug Uhls also offered their thanks to Kain.
Kain will remain available through June as a consultant for incoming superintendent Mike Wilcox.
A special meeting of the RBBCSC school board prior to the regular meeting confirmed that Wilcox will take over as superintendent in June. He will be paid $8,333.33 for that month. Beginning in July, his contract stipulates a salary of $100,000 per year for the next three years with the possibility of merit-based raises after each year.
Kain reported that federal sequestration caused a $72,000 shortfall for the Forest Hills Special Education Cooperative, which is a partnership between RBBCSC and Spencer-Owen Community Schools.
“But we’ll continue to serve all kids that need to have service,” Kain said.
The school corporation struck a refinancing deal for part of the elementary school project that will save $369,298 over the next seven and a half years.
“This isn’t money that becomes spendable,” Kain said of the deal.
The savings come as lease, rental or debt reduction payments are lowered.
The school board passed an updated bullying policy at the recommendation of the anti-bullying task force. The policy update is similar to, but developed independently of, House Enrolled Act 1423, which was passed by the Indiana General Assembly and signed into law by Gov. Mike Pence this year.
The school board unanimously approved the adoption of new editions of Reading Street, a reading textbook approved by the Indiana Department of Education.
RBBCSC Assistant Superintendent Carol Gardiner said the school corporation had a 90% passing rate for the IREAD-3 test this year, slightly higher than 89.6% last year, according to the state. The standardized test is taken by elementary school students statewide.
Lora Adams will take over as RBBCSC director of health nursing beginning May 14.
Several coaches were appointed for the 2013-14 school year. Sarah Hall will be head coach for Edgewood High School varsity cheerleading; Carl Salzmann will act as head coach for EHS boys soccer, and Randy Berry will be his assistant; Missy Ringler will continue as head coach for EHS girls golf; Steve Ritter will be EHS freshman volleyball coach; Jeff Farmer will continue as head coach of EHS boys basketball; Gary Farmer will coach EHS freshman boys basketball; Marty Deckard will be assistant coach for EHS wrestling; Alex Burns will be EHS diving coach; John Kensek will head the Edgewood Junior High School girls cross country track team; Chip Coldiron will act as head coach for EJHS seventh grade football and seventh grade basketball; Becky Murphy will coach EJHS seventh and eighth grade volleyball; George Hunt will head seventh grade girls basketball; Sonya Ruedlinger will coach the EJHS cheerleading team; and Matt Shockney will coach eighth grade girls basketball.
The next meeting of the RBBCSC school board will be held in the School Services Building on June 17 at 7 p.m.
Originally published in Ellettsville Journal, 2013. Republished here for archival and portfolio purposes.