Tippecanoe Valley Adopts 2021 Budget, Accepts $22K Donation

The Tippecanoe Valley School Board Monday dotted some i’s and crossed some t’s with the adoption of the school corporation’s budget.

The 2021 budget is $25,564,063. The debt service fund is $2,896,574; education fund is $13,360,767; and the operations fund is $9,306,722. There were no major changes from the 2020 budget, corporation Treasurer Jessica McFarland noted.

Also Monday, the school board updated the corporation’s sexual harassment and Title IV policies, as per was the recommendation through the legal department, Tippecanoe Valley School Corporation Blaine Conley said. An added eLearning attendance policy was also approved to the school’s policy that will now require students who attend the virtual Pathway to log in each day to be accounted for, Conley said.

The board also approved the acceptance of two donations. One donation was from the Roann First Brethren Church for $400 to go toward the corporation’s Boomerang Backpack program. The program sends home a backpack full of food with children who need it to eat over the weekend. Request for a backpack is required by the parent or guardian.

A donation from Bib’s Billfold was also accepted for $22,100 that was raised during the annual Sweet Sassy Golf Classic. Stephanie Bibler said the annual tournament fundraiser raised $21,000, but an additional $1,100 was donated by the Zolman family from money raised at a memorial hole that was sponsored for past players who have since died. The Zolman family was honoring their family member, Jerry Zolman, and decided to have all of the money raised from the hole go to Bib’s Billfold, Bibler said.

In student reports, it was announced that on Wednesday all seniors will get an excused absence day to visit colleges or job opportunities. An update was also given on the high school’s softball facility project, which Conley said was in good shape and Monday’s rain will help get the grass growing.

“We’re excited for next season to start,” Conley said of the field.

The next Tippecanoe Valley School Board meeting is 6 p.m. Nov. 9 at Mentone Elementary School, 301 E. Jackson St., Mentone.