Issuu

INSIDE TODAY: VINTAGE BASEBALL PG. 8

theRISING SUNrecorder

www.theohiocountynews.com

Thursday, August 28, 2014

VISITING RISING SUN

Issue No. 35

Diploma opt out, not cop out School board drops math requirement, talks referendum BY CHANDRA L. MATTINGLY Staff RepoRteR

PHOTOS BY CHANDRA L. MATTINGLY/the RegiSteR

U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-South Bend, stopped at the Rising Sun Legion Post and visited with three World War II veterans: from left: Bob White, Capt. Bill McClure, Donnelly and Bill Rowling, as Rising Sun Mayor April Hautman looks on.

Donnelly talked with gifted craftsmen at Harps On Main Wednesday morning, Aug. 20, in Rising Sun. With several stops focusing on redevelopment in Southeastern Indiana, he came to Rising Sun from a stop in Lawrenceburg and next was heading to Vevay. He also stopped by Jack’s Place while in Rising Sun. Donnelly’s final Rising Sun stop was the Ohio County Historical Museum.

Candidates listed for fall election Staff RepoRt

Ohio County voters will have county officials to elect in November as well as school board trustees and township trustees and advisory boards. One federal and several state offices also are up. As released by Ohio County Clerk Annie Jo Jackson, the candidates competing for county offices are: Ohio County recorder: Republican (R.) Doris Young, 4433 S.R. 56 N., Rising Sun, and Democrat (D.) Andrea Grimsley, 6679 Salem Ridge Road, Aurora. Ohio County sheriff: R. Glen Potts, 3736 Nelson Road, Rising Sun, and D. Francis “Swede” Colen, 412 S. Walnut St., Rising Sun. Ohio County surveyor: R. Wayne Stahl, 205 N. High St., Rising Sun, and D. Steve Johns, 902 Walnut St., Rising Sun. Ohio County Commissioner District 1: R. Doug Baker, 310 S. High St., Rising Sun, and D. Todd Ray Walton, 912 Burgess Ave., Rising Sun. Ohio County Council District 2: R. Mike Beckett, 809 Burgess Ave., Rising Sun, and D. Tim Adams, 631

Breezy Drive, Rising Sun. Ohio County Council District 3: R. Don Grace, 4858 Old. S.R. 262, Rising Sun, and D. Jeff Stegemiller, 4430 Smith Road, Rising Sun. Ohio County Council District 4: R. Myron Dennis, 2520 Texas Gas Road, Bennington, and D. Jeff Iceburg, 13418 Aberdeen Road, Dillsboro. Running unopposed for county positions are R. Aaron Negangard, 24568 Lela Drive, Lawrenceburg, prosecuting attorney; D. Deb Cappel, 2776 Bellview Lane, Rising Sun, Ohio County auditor; R. Cliff Thies, 215 Second St., Rising Sun, Ohio County coroner; R. Ed Hautman, 1025 Burgess Ave., Rising Sun, Ohio County assessor; and D. Dill Dorrell, 312 Short St., Rising Sun, county council district 1. Five folks are running for school board in district 4, from which two will be elected: Gary Kinnett, 308 Fourth St., Rising Sun; Tom McKay Sr., 613 Fourth St., Rising Sun; Pam Nowlin, 721 Turner Road, Rising Sun; Connie Smith, 604 Fourth St., Rising Sun; and Pam Southard, 513 S. Walnut St., Rising Sun,

are running for the at-large school board seat. Township trustee and advisory board candidates, by township, are: Cass Township: R. Bridgett Brown Bolling, 2993 Cass Union Road, Rising Sun, vs. D. LaVerne Hayes, 8820 S.R. 56 W., Rising Sun; board candidates R. Kathy Halloran, 9124 Aberdeen Road, Rising Sun, R. Sonny Henry, 5383 Cass Union Road, Rising Sun, R. Raymond Kirkpatrick, 10183 New Hope Road, Rising Sun, and D. Jennifer Mossburger, 5837 Woods Ridge Road, Dillsboro. Pike Township: D. Janet Iceburg, 13586 Iceberg Road, Dillsboro; board candidates R. Jean Dettenwanger, 12770 Laughery Creek Road, Dillsboro, R. Bob Sommer, 13099 South Fork Road, Dillsboro, and D. Deborah Covington, 3006 Bells Branch Road, Dillsboro. Randolph Township: R. Ethel “Sissy” Lamkin, Potter, 809 Wilson St., Rising Sun; board R. Sonja Keith, 1028 Fifth St., Rising Sun, R. Michael D. Peters, 611 Main St., Rising Sun, R. Nanette Stegemiller Williams, 725 N. High St., Rising Sun, D. Ja-

clyn Armbruster, 2862 Bellview Lane, Rising Sun, and D. Nancy Swart, 4972 Dutch Ridge Road, Rising Sun. Union Township: R. Deirdre (DeeDee) Helton, 6465 Hartford Ridge, Aurora; board R. Jerry L. Koons, 6420 Hartford Ridge Road, Aurora, R. John E. Peters, 6140 Salem Ridge Road, Aurora, and R. John Wilber, 8915 Hartford Pike, Dillsboro. Three individuals are seeking the United States Sixth District Representative slot: incumbent Luke Messer, a Republican; Susan Hall Heitzman, a Democrat; and Erik Miller, Libertarian (L.) State office candidates include: ■■Secretary■of■state:■R.■Connie■Lawson,■D.■Elizabath■ “Beth”■White■and■L.■Karl■Tatgenhorst. ■■Auditor■of■state:■R.■Suzanne■Crouch,■D.■Michael■ Claytor■and■L.■John■Schick. ■■Treasurer■of■state:■R.■Kelly■ Mitchel,■D.■Mile■Boland■and■ L.■Michael■L.■(Mike)■Jasper. ■■State■Senate■District■43:■R.■ Chip■Perfect■and■D.■Rudy■ Howard. ■■State■Representative■District■67:■R.■Randy■Frye.

Former catfish club secretary pleads guilty to theft BY CHANDRA L. MATTINGLY Staff RepoRteR

the plea agreement Monday. Boggs was to have paid back to the club, 4482 S.R. 56 W., Rising Sun, the A former secretary of Ohio Valley $5,434.99 prior to or at the time of senRiver Cats has been ordered to pay over tencing, plus pay $160 court costs and $5,000 restitution to the club under a a $50 clerk's fee, according to the plea plea agreement entered in Ohio Circuit agreement. The remaining 20 counts Court Monday, Aug. 25. of theft, all originally filed as Class D Everett L. Boggs, 52, of 8793 Hol- felonies, were dismissed. mes Hill Road, Aurora, pleaded guilty Under the plea agreement, Boggs is to one count of theft, a Class A misde- not to possess firearms, nor consume almeanor, according to court records. He coholic beverages or illegal substances, was sentenced to 365 days, suspended, and is to pay an initial probation users by Dearborn-Ohio Circuit Court Judge fee of $50, a probation administration James Humphrey Tuesday, Aug. 26, as fee of $50, and a monthly probation recommended by Ohio County Magis- users fee of $20. trate Kim Schmaltz. Schmaltz accepted Boggs wrote checks to himself on

the club's account 19 times, beginning March 23, 2009, according to the probable cause affidavit filed by Rising Sun Police Officer Norman R. Rimstidt. The check amounts ranged from $200 June 29, 2011, to $750 on two occasions, July 7, 2009, and May 30, 2012. When interviewed by Rimstidt Jan. 28, 2013, Boggs “readily admitted borrowing money from the catfish club and that he did it because of needing to make truck repairs and that he planned on paying it back,” wrote Rimstidt in the affidavit. Boggs also admitted to making four debit card purchases for fuel on the River Cats' account in June of 2012, said Rimstidt.

Rising Sun's math program doesn't add up. That was the gist of parent Mary Daugherty's comments to the Rising Sun-Ohio County School Board at its Tuesday, Aug. 12, meeting. Daugherty, one of 25 people attending the monthly meeting, said she had concerns about the lack of a general diploma in the school's graduation offerings, as well as specific concerns about her son's math homework in the digital initiative. Rising Sun High School's handbook offers only three diplomas: Core 40, Core 40 with Academic Honors and Core 40 with Technical Honors, said Daugherty. But the state code also allows an opt-out process, with a parent's agreement, under which a student completes course and credit requirements for a general diploma. “The Core 40 isn't as important as some of the other statistics I found,” said Daugherty. For instance, over the past three years, an average of only 31.1 percent of students passed the End of Course Assessment for Algebra 1, a state requirement for graduation. “We also have the highest dropout rate at 4.3 percent,” she said, compared to area schools including South Dearborn, Lawrenceburg and Switzerland County. Does leaving the general diploma possibility out of the handbook affect the drop-out rate? And why does Rising Sun require 42 credits for students to graduate, when state requirements are only 40 credits, she asked. The extra two credits are based on the fourth year of math required of RSHS students to graduate, but the required math courses are not what students need in daily life. There are 23 state-approved math courses other than the eight offered at RSHS, including business math, she said. “These classes are also needed,” because of the variety of students in school, she said. So are vocational courses, yet RSHS has the lowest percentage of students attending vocational school in the area, said Daugherty. “These are skills that our community needs,” she said. Meanwhile, she was informed at this year's open house that 10 students had dropped out that day, she said. “That's approximately five percent of our school population,” and also results in reduced state funding because it is based on enrollment, said Daugherty. Do other schools include the opt-out provision for a general diploma, asked school board member Holt

WEATHER TODAY Scattered T-Storms HIGH ......87 LOW.....68 Friday Scattered T-Storms HIGH ......92 LOW.....68 Saturday Partly Cloudy HIGH ......89 LOW.....70 Sunday: Scattered T-Storms HIGH ......76 LOW.....66 Monday Scattered T-Storms HIGH ......84 LOW.....65

Hoffman, and Daugherty said they do. He then asked how she felt about the four years of math, and Daugherty replied she sees Rising Sun students at concession stands unable to make change. Hoffman said advanced math is pushed on students too early, such as algebra in seventh grade, and the four courses don't offer the needed consumer math. Students aren't learning skills such as balancing a checkbook. “When I look at AEP scores and I look at math scores, they don't match up,” he said. Later, Hoffman made a motion, with a second by Billy Hayes, to do away with the currently required four years of math, but also to recommend in December what the new math program will be and how to assess it. The motion passed unanimously. As for the opt-out for a general diploma, board member Melissa Morris said it is a viable option, but not one every student can do. Waivers must be met, and typically it's vocational students who seek it. It should be offered, but the corporation must be careful to whom, she said. “It can't just be a cop out,” said Morris.

Mom: tablet not enough

Referring to her son's math homework, Daugherty said he brought home a blank paper with no book, no instructions. She was told the eighth grade math books are only to be used in the classroom, but students were encourage to take photos of the books and/or of the blackboard with their Microsoft Surface tablets. “I don't believe this is a viable option for our students. They do need the books on the Surface (tablet,)” she said. Superintendent Brandon Roeder said the corporation does not plan to replace the books it got last year, which is why they stay in the classroom. The e-book version of the texts are in the App version right now and students should have the ability to access them through the tablets, he said. Teachers will be able to send assessments through the tablets and students will send homework to teachers via the Internet. “That's supposed to roll out next week,” said Roeder. But Josh Daugherty, Mary Daugherty's husband, said their son is failing math and something needs to be done now. “A child has to have a resource,” said board member Morris. “Being able to take a picture of the book or the blackboard is not a reasonable accommodation,” said Mary Daugherty, referring to state law regarding special education. “Obviously it appears it's failing our students right now,” said board president

See OUT, page 8

INSIDE today COMMUNITY OBITS/LEGALS SPORTS

2 4 6-7

131st Year, No. 35