The Crawfordsville Community School Corporation board of trustees met Thursday and approved a range of facility upgrades, financial moves and staffing changes ahead of the upcoming school year.
The board approved the 2025-26 Elementary Student Handbook without any changes. Stuart Weliever was appointed as the corporation attorney. Members also passed a resolution allowing the transfer of up to $1.3 million into the district’s Rainy Day Fund.
One of the major capital projects approved was the addition of a new parking lot next to the tennis courts at Crawfordsville High School, as well as a new batting cage located next to the existing one behind the softball diamond. Price Excavating was awarded the project with the lowest bid at $99,000. Other quotes included $120,000 from V&L Engineering and $158,772 from Cadillac Construction. To help fund the project, the district received $23,500 in donations from local businesses, including Nucor Steel.
The board also approved a roof replacement project at Hose Elementary School. Bone Dry Roofing submitted the lowest bid at $114,833 and was awarded the contract. Other bids came in from Quality Roofing at $151,300 and Henshaw Roofing at $180,425. The project will be paid for using 2024 General Obligation Bond funds.
Several staff changes were approved at the meeting. Resignations included: Lisa Fisher, Hoover Receptionist; Nicholas Rice, Hoover Teacher Assistant; Katie Rosentreter, Hoover Teacher; Cassandra Hicks, CMS Spanish Teacher; and Molly Barnes, Hoover Essential Skills Teacher.
New hires approved included: Patrick McClamroch, Hoover Assistant Principal; Ethan Hill, CTE Construction Trades; Lindsey Mauntel, CMS school counselor; Amy Carrington, corporation ML coordinator and CMS ENL teacher; Brandon Rash, computer science teacher and corporation network technician; Erika Mrdja, Hoover teacher; Alec Moeller, CMS band teacher; Chloie Stark, Willson teaching apprentice; Elliot Baker, Willson teaching apprentice; Melanie Baldwin, CMS SPED assistant; Taylor Pruett, Willson teaching apprentice; Vivan Ewoldt, Willson teaching apprentice; and Ridrigo Velazquez Mendoza, CMS Spanish teacher.
Position changes approved included: Matt Reynolds, from CHS social studies and special education teacher to special education teacher at AVA and special education chair at CHS; Kristi Strickland, from Nicholson receptionist to administrative assistant and communications and marketing at central office; Hannah Ponto, from Nicholson special education teacher to CMS special education teacher; Leanna Lewellen, from Preschool Instructional Lead to Toddler Childcare Lead; and Lindsey Raines, from community preschool aide to preschool instructional lead.
Assistant Superintendent Brent Bokhart gave an update on recent safety improvements, highlighting work underway at Willson Preschool Academy. Three new exterior doors have been installed to provide direct exits from childcare rooms, a project made possible by a grant from the Montgomery County Community Foundation. Bokhart also announced that all five of the district’s school buildings are now certified in Level Two Effective Instruction. This certification puts Crawfordsville’s buildings among only one-third of the schools in the entire state of Indiana to have earned this distinction.
