Culver to cut teachers
By Bobbie Washburn Ruhnow
CULVER �� Noting that this action ranked as one of the lowest days of his career with Culver Community Schools, Brad Schuldt, superintendent, recommended the cancellation of the indefinite teaching contracts of six teachers at Monday evening�s school board meeting.
Noting that �these are some of the best teachers in the school corporation,� Schuldt recommended terminating contracts for Steve Young, Tammy Kerkove, Heather Delp, Marianne Shustowski, Jill DeSalle and Kellie Manzuk. Schuldt pointed to the �double whammy� of decreased student population and a further decrease in state funding as the reasons for the recommendation.
�Culver has lost 11 percent of its student population� Schuldt said �Out of 1200 students, we have lost 130.� The closing of the Culver Walker plant had not only an economic impact, but resulted in families moving from the area which may have contributed to the decline he continued.
Bill Coleman, Mathews Purucker Anella, Inc., the architects for the school additions and renovations, was present to address the color scheme being used in the elementary schools. Answering Ned Davis� question regarding costs of changing the color panels, Coleman told the board the cost would be prohibitive. The Kynar prefinished aluminum panels cost $12.50 per square foot. To replace the window sections would cost $6,250 per window plus additional $350 in labor.
�What has changed since I presented this to you?� Coleman questioned the board. �The design was done with children in mind.� Board member, Douglass Miller, said the problem was that the children were inside the building and adults were viewing the outside. Jackye Berger said that she had numerous complaints from patrons, but Schuldt said only a very few had voiced any objections to him. Eldon Davis said that times and designs were changing and Terrance Kelsey agreed.
Cheryl Geik questioned the color scheme of the flags and big �C� at the middle school, asking Coleman why the �C� couldn�t be done in orange to match school colors. The present plan is to have oyster white flags and a blue �C� to match the outer trim of the school. Coleman said color choice in the prefinished aluminum used was limited. To use an orange �C�, it would require a purchase of 20,000 square feet of orange aluminum.
In other business, the board declined a bid for two modular classrooms of $500 for each from St. Paul Lutheran Church. Schuldt noted that each classroom cost $30,000.
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