MENTONE — The Tippecanoe Valley School Board met on Monday, Sept. 12 to discuss updates on the Akron Elementary School project, consider allowing extracurricular participation by homeschool students, conduct a 2017 budget hearing and accept the hiring, resignations, terminations and maternity leaves of staff.

The board was updated on the additions to the Akron Elementary School project. The various parts of the project are under different stages of completion. The building is scheduled closed up by mid-December, from then, construction will be focused on the interior.

The board voted to allow the school district to provide health insurance benefits for all full-time regular bus route drivers.

During the financial report, the board approved the receipts for funds in the amount of $1,452,395,47 and disbursements for funds in the amount of $1,642,493.38.

The board approved a resolution to support Indiana’s small, rural schools. Superintendent of schools, Brett Boggs, brought before the board a desire to have teachers to sign a petition and have the approval to speak to legislators on behalf of this project. Boggs stated, ” I want to support those rural school districts.”

The board also discussed allowing homeschoolers to participate in extracurricular activities, specifically students who reside in the school district. The ordinance would require homeschoolers to participate in one class a day in public school, provide proof of physical examination and attend the required number of practices. The board tabled the vote on this topic until the next meeting.

The board voted to accept a $500 donation from the Kosciusko County Community Foundation to Akron Elementary School to help provide playground equipment. The board also approved a $500 donation from the booster club to Tippecanoe Valley High School. The donation is to be used to plant trees near the softball field.

The board approved the hiring of the following individuals: Brittany Harris, instructional assistant, Akron Elementary, Cheryl Burke, instructional assistant, Akron Elementary, Jasmin Pineda, instructional assistant, Akron Elementary, Anne Stoneburner, instructional assistant, Akron Elementary, Rachel Haney, kindergarten teacher, Mentone Elementary, Amanda Richards, instructional assistant, Mentone Elementary, Britney Sheetz, instructional assistant, Mentone Elementary, Elizabeth Przewoznik, study hall supervisor, Tippecanoe Valley Middle School, Kapri Gardner, custodian, Tippecanoe Valley Middle School, Judith Orians, cook, Tippecanoe Valley Middle School and Seth Fincher, instructional assistant, Tippecanoe Valley Middle School.

The board approved the following extracurricular assignments: Mary Beth Francis, fifth grade volleyball coach, Akron Elementary and Precious Brenton, assistant volleyball coach, Tippecanoe Valley Middle School.

The board approved the following resignations: Marlene Fletcher, cook, Tippecanoe Valley High School, Julie Hayes, JV girls’ basketball coach, Tippecanoe Valley Middle School, Billie Jo Carlin, assistant track coach, Tippecanoe Valley Middle School, Terrye Kirchenstien, assistant track coach, Tippecanoe Valley High School, Tim Meyer, custodian, Tippecanoe Valley High School, Darin Holsopple, head football coach, Tippecanoe Valley High School and Brandon Gall, assistant football coach, Tippecanoe Valley High School.

The board accepted the following termination: Bill King, head custodian, Mentone Elementary.

The board accepted the following maternity leave requests: Krystyna Martin, art teacher, Tippecanoe Valley Middle School and Sara Thomas, language arts teacher, Tippecanoe Valley Middle School.