New Principal Named at Washington Discovery Academy

Posted on Author Anita Goodan
Lauren Cooper

After reviewing 30 applicants, the Plymouth Community School Board approved the hire of Lauren Cooper as the new principal at Washington Discovery Academy.

Cooper has been with the Plymouth Community School Corporation for nine years. She previously served as a teacher and instructional coach at Menominee Elementary School, Jefferson Elementary School and Washington Discovery Academy. Before her employment at Plymouth she was a first grade teacher at Queen of All Saints Catholic School in Michigan City where she began her career in education.

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Public Hearing Held on Superintendent’s Contract

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

The Plymouth Community School Board held a public hearing on the proposed superintendent’s contract that will be effective July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2020.

Board President Todd Samuelson noted the changes which include a little less than a $5,000 increase in the base salary to $120,000 and a $600 phone allowance. Superintendent Dan Tyree noted that the phone increase was not in the previous contract but thought that it should be added in the new superintendent’s contract. Life insurance will also increase to two times the base salary which in this case would be $240,000.

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Public Hearing Set for Plymouth Superintendent’s Contract

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

A hearing is scheduled for tomorrow to hear public comment on the next superintendent’s contract at the Plymouth Community School Corporation.

The contract calls for an annual salary of $120,000 with an annual board contribution to group health/dental/vision insurance premium in the amount of $23,285. An annuity would come to $7,200 with life insurance of $374.40 a year. Gasoline allowance would be estimated at $3,500 with a $600 phone allowance.

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Plymouth Community School Board Receives Handbook Updates

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

Handbook changes were presented to the Plymouth School Board members this week.

Handbook committee member Kenneth Olson presented a change that was suggested by a parent. The parent suggested a chance to contact the Bowen Center anonymously rather than going through the guidance counselor to seek services. The request was to publish the number in the handbook and that request was approved and it is now included.

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Plymouth School Board to Meet Tonight

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

The Plymouth Community School Board will move forward on their plans on projects when they meet tonight. It is anticipated that the board members will adopt a preliminary bond resolution to pay for the cost of maintenance and improvements to the corporation at a cost not to exceed $2 million. Those projects include paving, site work, lighting update and work on the HVAC system. That pending approval will be followed by the possible approval of the declaration of official intent to reimburse those expenditures.

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Plymouth Community School Board Approves Bid for Paving Project

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

Five bids were received for the paving project at Plymouth High School and one was approved this week to complete the job.

Four sections of the parking lot were specified for bids in the advertisement for contractors. Five bids were received for those four areas. The lowest bid was submitted by Niblock at $310,700. All of the required base quotes and alternate bids, bid bonds and supplementary forms were included in the bid packet. The highest bid received was over $400,000.

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Plymouth School Board Approves Purchase of Football Field Turf

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

The Plymouth Community School Board approved a resolution to move forward with the purchase of an artificial turf surface for the high school football field.

The school will enter into a lease with PNC Bank to fund the project. The cost of the project including the product, installation, 10 year warranty, and maintenance agreement totals $797,600. The payments will come out of the Capital Projects Fund for the next five years.

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Public Hearing Held on Proposed Lincoln Junior High Construction

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

The Plymouth Community School Board held a public hearing last night to field comments on the proposed new Lincoln Junior High School facility.

Superintendent Dan Tyree said that focus groups were asked to tour the current facility and all involved determined that a new facility was needed. The cost to rehabilitate the current building was deemed not feasible.

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Plymouth School Board to Hold Public Hearing on New Jr. High Building

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

The Plymouth Community School Board will hear public comment tonight on the proposed replacement of the Lincoln Jr. High School.

The hearing will also welcome public input on the plans for the renovations of and improvements to the Plymouth High School, Riverside Intermediate School and Washington Discovery Academy. A portion of the Lincoln Jr. High School is also expected to be renovated as part of this project to preserve the history of the school.

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Professional Development Changes Taken under Consideration

Posted on Author Lenny Dessauer

The Plymouth Community School Board gathered information from Plymouth High School Principal Jim Condon about a change in the schedule for professional development times for teachers.

Currently, students are released early on Fridays so teachers can collaborate to analyze data and discuss improvements in education in a collective setting. Condon proposed, with the support of the teacher’s association and a study committee, that students arrive an hour late to school on Tuesdays each week beginning in the 2015-2016 school year.

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