An all-new summer internship program and a possible partnership with Lakeside Book Company were highlighted Tuesday at Crawfordsville Schools’ May public meeting.
Superintendent Dr. Scott Bowling said both the college student-teaching internship program and the chance to enter the workforce in a familiar, opportunistic setting with a long-time Crawfordsville institution could help inspire local students to settle in their native area.
One of the things Summer School is allowing us to do is engage with students who want to go into education. We want to put them in a situation that’s just like student-teaching,” he said. For the rest of the summer we’ve got jobs lined up for them through Central Office of grounds and maintenance, those sorts of things. This will be the first year for the program and we’re excited about it.”
The program would be open to college students seeking a degree in education. Participating students will be under the supervision of a certified teacher.
Additionally, a meeting held Monday between Lakeside Book Company, formerly R.R. Donnelly’s & Sons, gave both parties hope for a reinvigorated local workforce scene.
Through the potential partnership, students could begin working at Lakeside as early as their junior year while also earning high school credits toward graduation, giving them a leg up on vocational opportunities.
“They are very excited about, quite honestly, getting that company back to where it’s well thought of in the community for being a family-oriented company in terms of hiring. ‘We want to get back to the time where students thinking about entering the workforce .... that Lakeside is first on their list,’” Bowling said. “Those of you who’ve lived in Montgomery County a long time remember that’s the way it was. Donnelly’s was a place people wanted to work if they wanted to go straight into the workforce.”
Bowling added that high school juniors and seniors would be a great target age for the program.
“We think sometime in their junior year’s the right time. Not just juniors, but seniors as well — to be able to get kids in job placements and do work-based learning where they’re able to be paid and high school accredited at the same time is the goal there,” he said. “It was just a really positive meeting.”
In other business, the board:
• Approved a series of minor handbook adjustments at the preschool, elementary and middle school levels.
• Approved the final step in the New Beginnings Child Care purchase of the former John Beard Elementary School.
• Approved a food service contract renewal with Chartwells Schools food company.
• Approved the hire, transfer, termination, retirement and resignation of multiple employees Tuesday. They include: Kristi Tesmer, retire as psychologist at WCISSC; Cindy Dawson, retire as administrative assistant at Nicholson; Julie Chalmers, resignation as teachers aide at Hose; Sue Whalen, resignation as teachers aide at Hose; Ashlyn Williams, terminated as teachers aide at CMS; Kelly Ressler, hired as special education teacher at Hose; Mike Norman, hired as criminal justice instructor for CTE at CHS; Brayden Montgomery, hired as social studies teacher at CHS; Shelby Paxton, hired as teacher at Hose; Jayda Sanders, hired as special education teacher at Willson; Jordan Chandler, hired as mental health professional at CHS; Shandolyn Aboudou, hired as psychologist at WCISSC; and Elizabeth All, hired as special education specialist at WCISSC.
