By Amantha Garpiel
For Miami Valley Today
TIPP CITY — The Tipp City Board of Education approved a new curriculum, new investment contract and OK’d a student teacher to step in as a long-term substitute teacher.
During the March 19 regular session of the board of education, the kindergarten through eighth grade English and language arts (ELA) teachers presented their choices for a new curriculum.
The choices focus heavily on the science of reading, a science-based approach to reading. For grades kindergarten through fifth grade, they chose two curriculums, reading horizons and wit and wisdom.
As it was explained during the meeting, reading horizons is a phonetics program that focuses on word recognition, while wit and wisdom uses fluency, vocabulary, comprehension and writing to focus on language comprehension.
Wit and wisdom is also the program selected for fifth through eighth grade.
After the presentation from the ELA department representatives, the board unanimously approved the adoption of the department’s chosen curriculum.
The board then moved on to authorize Treasurer David Stevens to enter into a contract with RedTree Investment Group for investment management services.
At the meeting, Joe Violand presented RedTree Investment’s services to the board. RedTree Investment Group is a public fund investment firm that provides services to approximately 225 area K-12 schools or career centers.
Lastly, the board voted to allow the consideration of a student teacher to be a long term substitute teacher.
“Who better to take over the classroom than somebody who has been with the kids, knows the curriculum, is weeks away from graduation, versus paying someone to come in who doesn’t know the kids or the material,” said Superintendent Aaron Moran.
Moran also noted that this is allowed under state law, but is not included in district policy, which is why the matter was brought before the board.
In other business:
The board authorized the treasurer to open a new custody account at U.S. Bank for the district’s investment portfolio that will be managed by RedTree Investment Group.
The board authorized the treasurer to close the existing Fifth Third Securities Investment bank account.
The writer is a regular contributor to Miami Valley Today.
