Tuesday night marked Donna Burroughs’ final school board meeting as superintendent of Triton Schools.
Burroughs alerted board members of her retirement back in September and they appointed Elementary School Principal Jeremy Riffle to the position during a November board meeting. Continue reading
Triton School board members received a financial report about the school corporation’s building project when they met this week.
They’re still in the preliminary stages of the project according to Superintendent Donna Burroughs. She said at Monday’s meeting, Business Manager Tom McFarland provided a summary of all the fees that have been paid to various individuals involved in the project process such as surveyors, architects and attorneys.
Burroughs mentioned that she’s been told whenever schools tackle these kinds of building projects, they typically rack up around $150,000 in fees. She said their fees amount to approximately $50,000 so far. Continue reading
When the Triton School Board met Monday evening, Superintendent Donna Burroughs submitted a letter of retirement to the board. Burroughs has been superintendent at Triton for five-and-a half-years and worked with various Indiana school systems before that, such as Plymouth, Argos, Rochester and South Montgomery in Crawfordsville. Continue reading
The Triton Community School Corporation and the Marshall County Community Foundation have come together to help Triton students further their education with scholarship opportunities in the trades industry.
The Triton School Board members this week board did approve a quote from SiteOne for a the mobile sprinkler system for the high school football field. The current system needs to be updated.
Superintendent Donna Burroughs said the board also discussed the disposal of old cafeteria tables.
The Triton School Board graciously accepted a healthy memorial donation for student scholarships during their meeting Monday night.
Superintendent Donna Burroughs said the donation came from Compton trust in memory of two life-long Triton supporters.
“This scholarship donation was in the amount of $188,611. I think that’s just awesome that they want to support the school. The interest will be given away each year in the form of scholarships for kids who are planning to pursue the study of some trade,” said Burroughs.
The Triton Community School Board held a public hearing concerning a few projects planned that will be under construction in 2018.
Superintendent Donna Burroughs said a new HVAC system will be installed at the elementary school as part of this project.
“We’re looking at replacing the heating and cooling system at the elementary school,” said Burroughs. “It’s over 25 years old now and not working properly and it’s hard to get parts. The elementary project will be about $800,000 or a little more.” Continue reading
The Triton School Board took action Monday night to approve vendor contracts to complete several capital projects planned during the summer months.
Sidewalks will be replaced and some of the flooring will be replaced in the high school. Superintendent Donna Burroughs said some of the flooring hadn’t been replaced since the building was constructed in 1963.
The Triton School Board members on Monday night voted to continue with a building project that will begin in 2018.
Bonds will be issued to build a new gym at the high school, install a new roof at the high school and purchase a new heating and cooling system at the elementary school.
While other school corporations are seeing a slight increase in cafeteria prices for the next school year, the Triton School Corporation will not follow the current trend.
Superintendent Donna Burroughs said she feels parents and students will appreciate the efforts made by the food services staff in keeping the prices at the same level.
The Triton Community School Board discussed proposed building projects for this coming year.
Superintendent Donna Burroughs said a facility study was conducted in the fall that identified the corporation’s needs.
“It was identified that we need a new heating and cooling system at the elementary school, we need a new roof at the high school and we should look at a new gym. We’ve been using the old Bourbon gym and it’s in need of a lot of repair,” said Burroughs.
The Triton School Board will talk about possible building projects when they meet in a work session tonight.
Superintendent Donna Burroughs told MAX 98.3 FM News that they started preliminary discussions last month. She said that they need a new a roof at the high school, a new heating and cooling system at the elementary school and an addition to a gym facility.
Horsepower has sweetened the deal for Triton High school students to attend classes this year.
Superintendent Donna Burroughs said the school board accepted a donation Monday night as part of this year’s perfect attendance prize.
“We accepted an automobile gift from a local automotive dealer who has given us a car to give away to a high school student who has perfect attendance,” announced Burroughs. “That will be given away at the end of the school year, right before they do finals.”
The Triton Community School Board has added days to the end of the school calendar to make up days missed due to weather. Superintendent Donna Burroughs said the school board met in special session Thursday night to make another determination on how to make up days missed. She said the board was given permission to add hours to the end of school days in order to make up that missed instruction.
“It was just made available to us this week through the State Department of Education to add time to different days of the week. Six hours of added time, however it was made up, would equal one make up day. We opted to add 45 minutes to our days on Fridays. Eight Fridays adding 45 minutes a day will equal six hours so that will give us one makeup day,” explained Burroughs.
The Triton School Board learned this week that two students wish to start a peer helper program as a service project. The board appreciated the presentation and were proud of the leadership initiative, according to Superintendent Donna Burroughs.
Burroughs told MAX 98.3 FM News that the board is considering the addition of a preschool program next school year. The program would be shared with the other schools who participate in the special education program.
Burroughs also commented that the board will be looking to share services with other corporations to help with the lack of funding. The Corporation hosted a presentation on the lack of funding for schools late last year. She stated in a previous interview that the biggest catalyst in the lack of funding is the state takeover of the General Fund, which pays salaries, insurance, and operating costs. Burroughs said the Triton School Corporation is receiving $1.7 million less than it did ten years ago.
No decisions were made at this week’s meeting.
Students at the Triton School Corporation will be making up days missed due to snow. Superintendent Donna Burroughs said two days were built into the calendar and four days have been missed so far this semester that will be made up.
“We have for of those scheduled,” explained Burroughs. “Next Monday is one of those days and Good Friday is the second one. May 26 and May 27 are days three and four. Hopefully, we don’t have anymore.”
The Triton School Board approved the 2015-2016 school calendar when they met on Monday night.
Superintendent Donna Burroughs said the school board opted to go with a balanced calendar to keep in line with surrounding school corporations.
“It’s only about a week difference from what we’ve had in past years, so it’s not like it’s a whole new creation. We’re just starting one week earlier. With the importance they place on testing, we feel like that gives us an extra to week to work with the kids,” stated Burroughs.
The Triton School Superintendent held a public presentation Thursday night to discuss the status of funding for public schools.
“The money that we used to get we no longer get,” stated Donna Burroughs. “Triton, for instance, is receiving $1.7 million less in 2014 than we received in 2004. Everyone knows that the cost of everything is going up so it’s making it very difficult for our schools to maintain programs and staffing as it has been in the past.”
Donna Burroughs added that the biggest catalyst in the lack of funding is the state takeover of the General Fund which pays salaries, insurance and operating costs.
