SE Dubois Schools Prepare for the Future

At their regular board meeting on Wednesday night, the Southeast Dubois County School Corporation heard presentations about some exciting opportunities. 

Southeast Dubois schools could soon be getting a major update, as a project that began in 2022 starts to take shape. Superintendent Dr. Pund gave an overview of the undertaking, which would involve an update of the district’s facilities and could be funded by bonds. Dr. Pund said that the district wanted to develop a long-term facility plan for SE Dubois. This would ensure that the buildings are running efficiently, the mechanical infrastructure is sound, and district funds are being utilized in the most strategic way. 

The evening began with a presentation by administration and advisers to allow for public comment and served as a preliminary hearing for a project that would issue bonds. Representatives of Gibraltar Design and the Stenftenagel Group presented some of their plans, thanking the district for their patience over the last two years as the needs of the district were evaluated to identify priority areas. This preliminary hearing was the first of several steps in the legal process, which will involve more opportunities for public comment before bonds are issued to fund the project.  

Next, the board heard a presentation on reading resources. For the last several months, the district has been evaluating current resources with the goal of identifying next steps for strengthening literacy instruction. This included a needs assessment survey with ELA teachers to identify strengths and gaps. The survey identified a “strong need for more explicit instruction in reading comprehension.” Teachers expressed that the current resources aren’t providing the rigor necessary to prepare students adequately. 

A representative committee from each grade level band then used a district-designed rubric to evaluate several available resources. They ultimately made a recommendation to pursue the Ready Reading program for grades K-2 and 6-8. For grades 3-5, they chose the Magnetic Reading program. Both programs are through Curriculum Associates. This would be the first time in the district’s history that the same resource would be used from K-8 th , providing an instructional consistency for students and teachers. 

In other business, a series of staffing changes, with a list of resignations, retirements, and hirings was approved by the board. A few adjustments to the 25-26 school calendar were made to allow for three additional staff development days. The revisions to the previously approved calendar were approved. They accepted several donations, saying, “As always, we appreciate our community for their support.” 

The board also completed several annual financial processes. $40,000 was transferred from the preschool fund to the to the rainy day fund. The school treasurers were also bonded, which happens each year in June. The Treasurer was allowed to make necessary transfer funds and balance appropriations to close out the 24-25 school year, and the 2025 budget calendar was approved. 

For more information on these and other updates, visit jasperindiana.gov or JasperGov-Indiana on Facebook.

 

By Drew Hasselbring