Clayton re-hired as Linton-Stockton boy's basketball coach by 5-0 vote

Darren Clayton was re-hired as the Linton-Stockton boys' varsity basketball coach during the Monday meeting of the L-S School Board.

The vote was 5-0 and no comments were made from the floor.

Clayton, a Linton-Stockton High School graduate, has been in charge of the Miner basketball fortunes since the 2004-05 season, when he moved up from being an assistant to replace Gene Hall.

Under Clayton's tutelage, the Miners have gone 12-11, 15-9, 11-11, 5-15 and 4-18 in his five seasons at LSHS.

He has an overall record of 47-64 at his alma mater, including 9-33 the past two seasons. His teams have went 19-16 in the Southwestern Indiana Athletic Conference an`d 17-8 in the Tri-River Conference, including tying for the TRC title two seasons ago.

Linton-Stockton won the Greene County Invitational in 2006.

Later that season, the Miners lost to Eastern Greene 50-42 in overtime in the title game of the Class 2A Paoli Sectional.

They finished 15-9 in '06, the most wins by a Linton-Stockton varsity boys basketball team since the Miners went 17-7 under Les Newman in 1985-86.

Clayton's 47 wins is more than Hall (24-64), Doug Boyd (39-48), Bill Carpenter (25-50) and Robert Craig (11-30) -- the four coaches that preceded him.

Linton-Stockton has not won a boys basketball sectional since 1982.

In other business, the board moved forward with a request to purchase computers instead of textbooks for seventh grade social studies.

The move will essentially make the Internet the textbook.

Prior to the vote, the board heard a presentation from Barbara Kirkman, seventh grade social studies teacher and three of her students-- Hannah Kocher, Grace Booe and Brianne Karazsia.

Kirkman noted that the new social studies textbooks aren't much different from the old ones.

The new books have about the same information and about 10 out of 14 test questions are the same as the current tests, she added.

Plus the Indiana Department of Education already has lessons plans on-line.

"Students are already using computers for classes now," Kirkman said, noting computers are more appealing to students than textbooks.

According to the presentation, computers appeal to more learning styles and many Web sites are updated daily-- which allows for current information to be used in the classroom.

When it came to discussion, many board members had questions.

Board Member Rodney Bredeweg asked about homework.

Kirkman explained that if homework is required students can stay after school to use the laptops if they do not have Internet access at home.

She also noted she is usually at the school until 4 p.m. on many days.

"I would be willing to stay for them," she added.

Superintendent Ron Bush explained that recent state legislature defines a computer as a device to be used as a textbook and that instead of book rentals a technology fee/rental could be charged for computers.

"This is so new," he added.

Bush also noted that Kirkman is a good person to test the idea in the classroom.

The idea is to buy a set of classroom computers for seventh grade social studies only, he added.

"We want to try this we think the students will benefit from this," Bush said.

Board Member Bob Good asked if testing could be on the computers.

Kirkman replied that the first time around paper tests would most likely be used but that testing on the computers is possible.

"As we do this...I will want Mrs. Kirkman to come back and check in with us," Bush added.

Board member John Preble asked about the Internet being down during class time.

High School Principal Nick Karazsia joined the discussion by noting that last week the Internet was down a lot.

But, teachers must have back-up plans anyway.

"Teachers are flexible...," Karazsia added.

Kirkman noted that she has taught class on a black board for years and has no problem using it again if necessary.

As for the cost of the project, that's the next step, Bush said.

"We're moving forward and the next step is cost," he added.

Cost information will be shared with the board as soon as the research is complete, he added.

The school is currently looking into leasing laptops as one of the options for the project.

Sports Editor B.J. Hargis contributed to this report.