At a Nov. 18 meeting, Carroll School Board heard about a special health program for kindergarten students this school year.

Elementary principal Carolyn O'Connell explained the program, with information provided by school nurse Jennifer Wellbaum.

The program began with a Health Fair on Nov. 14. Students visited five stations to learn about the importance of exercise and making healthy food choices. Students were given a brief quiz about healthy choices, and their height and weight were recorded. At a wrap-up activity this spring, the quiz will be repeated, and students' height and weight will be recorded again. There also will be monthly activities and a newsletter for parents.

State funds for the two-year grant came through the Carroll County Health Department. It is a shared grant with the Delphi Community School Corporation. The purpose of the program is to educate students about childhood obesity.

O'Connell said the program is one of many responsibilities of the school nurse.

"The school nurse doesn't just put band-aids on anymore," O'Connell said. "She always has something to do."

O'Connell said the school nurse deals not only with physical needs of the students, but emotional and social needs, and home environment, working with social service agencies. She also coordinates services, such as vision and dental screening, and helps provide education on such subjects as human growth and development, nutrition, and obesity.

"And she has many, many reports to fill out," O'Connell said.

The board adopted a resolution, increasing the appropriations out of the Capital Projects Fund. The additional appropriation is for $500,000 to pay higher-than-anticipated costs of the current junior-senior high school piping project. The additional appropriation has been advertised, and still needs the approval of the Department of Local Government Finance. Superintendent John Sayers reiterated that this additional appropriation will not raise taxes.

The 2009-2010 school calendar is under consideration. One proposed calendar shows a beginning date for students on Aug. 11, with the last student day May 18, and Commencement May 29. Another proposed calendar shows a start day for students on Aug. 14, last day May 25, and Commencement May 29. Board president Sam Zook said board members will be taking calendar suggestions up until the next meeting, Dec. 1.

Carroll, Delphi Community, Rossville, and Twin Lakes school corporations go together to choose a representative on the county Area Plan Commission. Carroll's recommendation, by board vote, is Jay Bush. The other school boards also will make recommendations, and ultimately the corporations must agree on one person.

The board approved the following members of the elementary textbook adoption committee: Administrators Carolyn O'Connell and Natalie McQuade, teachers Giselle Parrett, Diana Brown, Susan Briggs, Cecilia Henning, Diane Routt, Kara Burrous, and Andrea O'Brien, and parents Teresa McGill, Autumn Filbrun, Pattie Evans, and Kim Kitchel.

Carla Richardson has been hired as a full-time bus driver.

The board adopted a 403(b) Plan, a document relating to the corporation's matching retirement program. Adopting the plan is an IRS requirement.

Also approved was the use of the auditorium for the Area 8 Share-the-Fun Contest on May 8.

Seven conference and field trip requests were approved, including a trip by senior English students to see "To Kill A Mockingbird" in Indianapolis, and for FFA students to participate in the area Forestry and Entomology Contest at the Fulton County Fairgrounds.

The next board meeting has been changed to Monday, Dec. 1, at 7:30 p.m. at the Administration Building. A work session will precede the meeting.