By Angel Perkins Correspondent
The success of Triton’s students was the major spotlight of last Monday night’s regular school board meeting. Held in the auditorium or Performing Arts Center (PAC), to allow room for all those in attendance, the meeting highlighted the boys high school basketball team, the team’s coaches and managers, the cheerleaders and their managers and the high school jazz band for all their efforts and accomplishments this school year. Each member, coach and manager received a certificate for their successes and was given kudos by board members and administrators.

A representative from Congressman Joe Donnelley’s office said Donnelley had wanted to be there to present the students with a plaque but had a prior speaking engagement regarding healthcare and so read from the statement on the plaque from the House of Representatives honoring the players. Donnelley had written, “You guys had a great run as a basketball team” and referred to the Trojans, the second place winners of the IHSAA 1-A state championship game, as exhibiting “focus, determination and grit.”
Boys basketball coach Mark Groves accepted the plaque and Triton Musical Director Peter Foster thanked the team saying, “It’s been a true honor to be able to play with this group of guys.” He recognized his musical programs’ pianist Betty Pope whom he said he appreciated for all her volunteering for the musical groups’ shows and competitions.
Another honor Foster announced was that of his choral musicians. He recently received word from the Indiana State School Music Association announcing that the choirs had earned an “All Music” award. Qualifications for the award include a minimum of one soloist and one ensemble to qualify for the state contest, a gold rating to be earned by the choir at a state contest and a gold rating earned by the high school choir at a state contest level.
Foster said the school would be receiving a banner and a letter from the ISSMA recognizing the choral students for this high award which is the first of its kind for the Triton Performing Arts Department.  “This was a total surprise and an honor,” Foster told the school board. “I’ve worked at a lot of schools and this (Triton students and community) is by far the best.”
Triton Schools Superinten-dent Carl Hilling said he had been to the Triton prom and had heard from the photographer working the event who said he had shot similar events all over the area and complimented Hilling on such a great parental output of support, the politeness of the students and the professionalism of the staff and was said to have told Hilling, “you have a nice thing going here.”
In Other News:
• Exchange student Jose’ David of Mexico thanked the school board for their participation in the exchange program and for allowing him to be a member of the student body for the year.
•Triton senior Joey Teeple thanked the board for their permission of the class to attend the annual senior trip to Washington D.C.
• Members of Triton’s group of the Indiana Academy of Parent Leadership were given recognition for their accomplishments and their efforts in helping students achieve better scores in math, and for providing opportunity for more parent involvement within the school. Members Marcia Keyser, Susie Mullin, Tim and Evelyn Stichter and Jessica Oswalt had attended five, two-day training sessions throughout the past school year. A PowerPoint presentation was given showing various events the IAPL members were involved in.
• Adjustments were made and approved for the 2009-10 Triton school calendar. Days that had been set aside as half days are to be changed to full days off. Superintendent Hilling said that start and finish dates would be the same, as would Christmas and Easter holiday vacation days but that changes may be made in the future to accommodate circumstances. “There have been no dates set for parent-teacher conferences,” he said. “The state superintendent mandated we have 180 student-contact, full days.
• Approval was given for the Destination ImagiNation teams to travel to Knoxville, Tenn. May 19-23 to compete in the global finals. The Triton teams will compete against teams from 47 (other) states and from 18 countries.
• An additional appropriation was approved by the board for $19,200 to be moved from the corporation’s Rainy Day Fund to pay NEOLA for their policy update and revision services. The company assists corporations in staying within state guidelines which vary per state government leader and law changes.
• The next regular Triton School Board meeting has been rescheduled from Monday, June 8 to Monday, June 1.