Carroll interim superintendent, Dr. James Auter, announced at the Jan. 25 school board meeting that he would meet with teacher Gary Duff to talk about an alternative system for determining class rank.

Duff is a member of a committee that was charged with making a recommendation on that determination. The committee instead came up with a new system for determining valedictorian and salutatorian.

Auter told the Comet Tuesday morning that he has met with Duff once and intends to meet with him again prior to a board work/study session on the matter.

Auter said he and Duff have both been gathering information. He said some of the topics they discussed or will be discussing are class rank and GPA systems, consistency in the grading policy, and weighted honors courses.

“Mr. Duff and I had a congenial meeting last week, and we are building a framework for creating a plan that is meaningful,” Auter said. “I guarantee there will be progress.”

Also at the board meeting, two elementary committees were approved.

Members of the committee to evaluate and make recommendations on the elementary student handbook are: Courtiney Cross, teacher; Andrea O’Brien and Darci Hall, teacher/parents; Breezy Roth, parent/cafeteria worker; Heather Brewington, Kari McIlrath, and Heather Kauffman, parents; and two Student Council representatives, not named.

Carroll Elementary is considering textbooks for art, music, and other specialized areas. Committee members approved for textbook adoption are: teachers, Megan Coomler, kindergarten; Stephanie Hufford, first grade; Susan Briggs, second grade; Linda Mylet, third grade; Carrie Pickard, fourth grade; Amy Cottrell, fifth grade; Jana Conn, sixth grade; Jessica Young, art; Peggy Suhre, music; and parents, Steve May, Shannon Mazurek, Breann Falkenberg, Lisa Nesbitt, and Kari McIlrath.

The board approved Crystal Booth as a volunteer assistant coach for girls fifth grade basketball.

The board accepted the low bid out of three sets of bids for two diesel 66-passenger school buses and one activity bus through the CIESC Cooperative Purchasing process. Cost of the two route buses will be $135,752, which includes two trade-ins. Cost of the diesel-engine activity bus will be $57,062, with no trade-in. The purchases are being made from I.C. Collins.

The board also approved a request to replace the high speed digital duplication printer at the high school. The cost will be about $5,500, to be paid from the Capital Projects fund.

The board declared the old computers in the elementary computer lab to be of “no value” and to turn them over to a recycler.

The board made a determination concerning an appeal of a student expulsion. Members voted to affirm the expulsion determination made on Dec. 9.

The use of school facilities was approved for two fundraising events for elementary student Cody Green and family. The first will be an alumni basketball game on Feb. 26, and the second will be a dance on March 17. Brent Marley of the Cody Green Fundraising Committee made the request, but the events are being held under the auspices of the Flora Community Club, which will provide liability insurance.

Another facility use request approved was from the Cass County Volleyball Club.

Seven requests for conferences and field trips were unanimously approved.

Mary McCarty was given permission to use a school bus to transport the Special Olympics basketball team to Crawfordsville Feb. 4 and to Logansport Feb. 15.

The board will have an executive session Feb. 1 at 7:30 p.m. to receive information about prospective employees.

The next regular board meeting has been changed to Thursday, Feb. 9, at 7:30 p.m. at the Administration Building.