PCR-10-01-2014

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Single Copy Cost 50¢ Volume 147 No. 5

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Wednesday, October 1, 2014

The good news and the bad news By Ken Schroeder

kschroeder@putnamcountyrecord.com

GRANVILLE — A case of good news/bad news was heard at the Putnam County School Board meeting on Sept. 22. The good news is the approved Fiscal Year 2015 budget shows an estimated fund balance for June 30, 2015, of $8,440,593, and all funds are expected to be in the black.

The bad news: The Fiscal Year 2015 budget carries $628,037 in deficit spending. “For years, we’ve worried about deficit spending. This year, it looks as though it’s going to become a reality,” Superintendent Jay McCracken said. McCracken stressed the budget deficit quoted is a “worst-case scenario,” and the figures would likely not be as severe, citing

an ending balance for FY ‘14 which was $400,000 higher than expected. “It’s not a bad report. We’re all in the black at the end of the fiscal year,” he said. “Our budget totals are very strong yet, and we can be very proud of the work we are doing for our students.” The largest deficit comes in the operations and maintenance fund with $424,240 worth of red ink. The budget calls for

more than $1 million in support services expenses. The greatest changes from the previous tentative budget come from potential increases in faculty staffing and technology for the school’s 1:1 initiative. In other action, the board: • Discussed Senate Bill 16 which, if approved, would eliminate $874,000 in the school district’s state funding. McCracken said

the bill is meant to substitute for Illinois’ General State Aid program, which has been underfunded for several years. Dubbed the “Robin Hood” bill, the bill will remove levels of state funding for wealthier school districts and distribute the money to poorer school districts. • Awarded a high school diploma to Josh Gualandri, a disabled student who was able to complete his driver’s education training

this summer and therefore meet state requirements for graduation. • Approved offering insurance to the district’s cooks and paraprofessionals. The insurance would be single coverage and cost the district approximately $75,000. • Hired Beth Sale as special education aide at the high school. • Hired junior high basketball and volleyball coaches.

If I only had a brain ... MEGA Brain used to teach children about strokes By Ken Schroeder

kschroeder@putnamcountyrecord.com

PRINCETON — Strokes are the No. 4 cause of death in the United States. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 130,000 people die of strokes each year. That accounts for more than 5 percent of the deaths in America. Strokes are also called brain attacks and occur when blood flow to a part of the brain stops. If blood flow is stopped for longer than a few seconds, the brain cannot get blood and oxygen. Brain cells can die, causing permanent damage. Early reaction to a stroke can save a life, but not everyone knows what to look for or what causes strokes. Enter the MEGA Brain, a traveling exhibit that can teach children and adults the impact of strokes and injuries. Putnam County Elementary students went to the Metro Center in Princeton for a field trip focused on strokes, causes and symptoms. At the center of the presentation was the MEGA Brain, an inflatable replica of the human brain with many different brain injuries represented on it to show what they look like to a Vol. 147 No. 5 Two Sections - 36 Pages

© The Putnam County Record

doctor and their effects on the brain. “We wanted to educate people on stroke and the urgency to respond to stroke just like people would for a heart attack,” Education Director Marcia Hartwig from Perry Memorial Hospital said. “We wanted to make sure people understood the urgency for treatment for stroke and the options that are available. With that we brought in the MEGA Brain exhibit with the help of area health education coordinators for Northern Illinois. They graciously helped us with grant funds for this event.” Strokes can happen to anyone regardless of age, although major risk factors for stroke are high blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking. Nearly half of all Americans have at least one of those factors according to the CDC. Identifying causes is a large part of what the MEGA Brain is all about. “It allows students to come in and tour to learn about their brain as well as diseases that might affect the brain like multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s and stroke,” Hartwig said. “We also have a station on brain inju-

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PCR photo/Dixie Schroeder

Three was not a charm Members of the Putnam County Lady Pumas watch as the Pontiac St. Mary’s Saints celebrate their IESA state championship. Hoping for a win on their third straight trip to the state finals, the Pumas lost to the Saints 7-6 on Sept. 27. See the details in Sports on Page 7.

Driving to a new future Perseverance pays off for McNabb resident By Ken Schroeder

kschroeder@putnamcountyrecord.com

GRANVILLE — One of the requirements to receive a high school diploma in Illinois is completing 36 hours of driver’s education. While Josh Gualandri of McNabb easily fulfilled his academic requirements, he

was not able to satisfy the driving requirement during his senior school year last year due to his disability. Thanks to patience — and help from the school district and other benefactors — Gualandri received his diploma from Putnam County High School from school board President Vicky Nauman on Sept. 22

after he passed a driving course this summer. Because of the loss of some motor skills due to a childhood affliction, Gualandri is not able to drive a normal car. During the summer, he was in St. Louis learning how to drive despite his physical challenges. The vehicle he used to satisfy his driving requirements was a specially-modified minivan which steered using a joystick and used a large button for speed and

signal controls. The technology for the operation of the minivan was adapted from the technology used for flying F-16s. Gualandri’s wheelchair was lifted by the vehicle — the wheelchair then became the driver’s seat. With the van, Gualandri was able to satisfy all of the driving tests required for a driver’s license. The minivan still had its steering wheel and other

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