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THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2022
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SCHOLASTICS
New Buffalo school board hires New Buffalo Middle School principal
embers of the New Buffalo Area Schools Board of Education approved the employment of Dan Caudle in the position of middle school principal at their Monday, June 27, meeting. New Buffalo Area Schools Superintendent Dr. Jeff Leslie said that there were eight applicants for the position and the top two were interviewed. “I think he’s a great addition for us – he has a ton of energy, he taught for seven years at the middle school level, and he’s been a middle school principal before, so I think he’ll be the best fit for us,” he said. Caudle said he grew up in Dyer, Indiana, and played baseball at Indian State University. Previously, he was a middle school teacher at Chesterton Middle School, principal at Barker Middle School in Michigan City and assistant principal at Chesterton High School and Liberty Elementary School (also in Chesterton). Caudle said he knows a few community members here and that they’ve spoken “highly” of the school district. “Middle school is where I spent 10 of my 15 years (in education), so when there was an opportunity to come over here, I had to at least try - in talking with Dr. Leslie, I think we can do great things,” Caudle said. Board members received an update from Mike Kounelis from Skillman Corporation with regards to the Science Technology Art Energy Math (STEAM) building being constructed across from the middle/ high school along with the pickleball court and skate park. Kounelis said that there’s been a lot of supply chain issues with the project. The initial delivery of the panels didn’t arrive until the end of April, which was a “significant delay.” The wall panel erection began in early April, and manufacturing issues were identified with some wall panels in mid-May with regards to the inconsistencies in many of the lengths of the panels after a field report by METL Span. Kounelis said the design specifies a “vertical caulk joint/sealant
BY FRANCESCA SAGALA
this week and surfacing should take place next week. The pickle ball and skate park should be complete by Aug. 12. Kounelis acknowledged the delays in the project. “From the Skillman and Abonmarche side, there’s been a very aggressive push on our side with the contractors,” he said. One community member who’s a member of the active pickleball community and a second home owner, Mark Greenstone, said he and other community members are “confused and dismayed” with the lack of progress with the pickleball courts. He said that season is half over and there’s around 37 days left until Labor Day. “I think there should be some transparency as to what’s going on for the taxpayers,” he said.
Dr. Jeff Leslie welcomes Dan Caudle to New Buffalo
assembly.” Two trim options were recommended to “help alleviate some of those inconsistencies: A top half trim piece that’s a wide flange trim piece that’s 20 feet in length, is gasketed behind the flanges, maintains the vertical “reveal” and doesn’t require any caulking and a two-piece trim assembly, with is 10 feet in length, has a gasket/seal behind the flanges, has a vertical caulk joint applied to cover mechanical fasteners (the caulk joint is aesthetic) and also maintains the vertical “reveal.” Regarding the project’s timeline, installation of the roof panels was scheduled to commence June 28 and should be completed by July 15. Wall panels should be completed by July 22 and a series of trim and accessories around door openings, loop openings and any penetration should be completed by Aug. 12 (this doesn’t include the trim pieces). Overall, the building should be complete by the end of September if progress is maintained. The pavilion should be completed by Aug. 5. Pickleball inserts (the netting) should be installed by
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eslie said that the district’s day camp started that day and that they so far have 120 campers. He said that River Valley Schools Superintendent Dr. Steven Disney contacted him over the weekend and said that there’s no need to co-op with New Buffalo for middle school volleyball. Both districts have coaches, so Leslie said they’ll be running separate programs. In May, the board approved a sports cooperative with River Valley for middle volleyball and boys’ soccer, with practices to be held at New Buffalo. Leslie said the positions for district bands director and middle/high school Spanish teacher close June 30 and there’s been eight applicants for bands director and one so far for Spanish teacher. Board members approved the operation agreement for participants involved in the LaPorte County Career and Technical Education Area Vocational District #6. Board members approved the purchase of equipment for district wireless access points, in the amount of $74,195.60, from Qubit Networks. The board designated authority to Barb Woerdehoff to issue work permits.
