Laketon Elementary May Get New Name
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
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Tuesday night at the regular meeting of the Manchester Community Schools Board of Trustees, Laketon Principal Bill Reichhart presented information about changing the school's name to Manchester Intermediate School.
A committee was formed several months ago to discuss the possibility of changing the school's name. Since the school currently houses only fifth- and sixth-graders, the committee looked into other schools in the state with the same configuration.[[In-content Ad]]Twenty-three schools in the state have just fifth- and sixth-graders, and only 10 schools in Indiana house grades 4-6. Of those 33 schools, 19 are "intermediate" schools.
The committee feels that identifying the school as Manchester Intermediate School would better identify with the grade levels in the building as well as the age of the students. The students at Laketon Elementary School have lockers, switch classes and walk independently to classrooms, much like a middle school or junior high school.
Also, by changing the name to Manchester Intermediate, the school will be associated more easily with the Manchester Community School System. Currently, Laketon Elementary School is the only school in the corporation that does not have Manchester in its name.
The name change proposal will be voted on by the school board at the Feb. 19 regular meeting. Anyone with questions or concerns about the change should contact a board member or Superintendent Dr. Diana Showalter.
Although some members of the public were apprehensive at the start of the process, most now agree that the name change is a good idea.
"It's the right thing to do, and the right time to do it," said Laketon High School graduate and resident Tom Brown. "Based upon the reasons given, it makes sense."
If the name is changed, the school's colors will change from black and yellow to black and red like the other schools in the corporation. The mascot will be the Squires.
Signs on the building and in front of the school will be replaced or painted if the name change is approved, and the Department of Education will have to be notified if the change occurs.
Plans already have been discussed to add a historical wall to the gym and possibly a display case in the front foyer of the school to preserve the history of the school in Laketon. Laketon was an independent high school before consolidating with Manchester Community School Corp.
In other business, the board:
n Heard that Todd Speicher will not seek re-election to his spot on the board.
n Accepted a $300 donation from the Tri Kappa Children's Support Endowment. The funds are to benefit the children of families living in Chester or Pleasant townships who are in crisis and have urgent financial needs.
n Approved professional leave requests for David Zinsmeister, and Katie Leese to attend the Indiana Association for the Gifted Conference Feb. 11-12 in Indianapolis; Jennifer Hann to attend the IMEA State Conference Jan 18-19 in Indianapolis; Nancy Alspaugh to attend the ACT State Conference March 3 in Indianapolis; Angilee Beery to attend the Hoosier State Association Science Teachers of Indiana Conference Feb 7-8 in Indianapolis; Randy Sels and Nancy Alspaugh to attend the Random Student Drug Testing Summit Feb 19 in Indianapolis; and Terri Denney to attend the Ready for School, Work, Life Conference March 3 in Indianapolis.
n Approved the hiring of Ryan Evans, volunteer Science Olypiad coach at Manchester Junior-Senior High School; Hannah Helman, part-time English teacher at MJSHS; and Todd Volk, varsity softball coach at MJSHS.
n Accepted the resignation of Dana Clark as educational assistant at Manchester Elementary School.
n Approved a $1,000 stipend to Rod Smith, assistant swim coach at MJSHS. The stipend is being shifted from head coach Kyle Weiland to Smith at Weiland's request.
Manchester Community School Board members are Todd Speicher, Jan Fahs, Brian Schilling, Steve Lambert, Kent Terrill, Steve Flack and Sally Krouse, president. Fahs, Krouse, Lambert and Showalter were absent from Tuesday's meeting.
Tuesday night at the regular meeting of the Manchester Community Schools Board of Trustees, Laketon Principal Bill Reichhart presented information about changing the school's name to Manchester Intermediate School.
A committee was formed several months ago to discuss the possibility of changing the school's name. Since the school currently houses only fifth- and sixth-graders, the committee looked into other schools in the state with the same configuration.[[In-content Ad]]Twenty-three schools in the state have just fifth- and sixth-graders, and only 10 schools in Indiana house grades 4-6. Of those 33 schools, 19 are "intermediate" schools.
The committee feels that identifying the school as Manchester Intermediate School would better identify with the grade levels in the building as well as the age of the students. The students at Laketon Elementary School have lockers, switch classes and walk independently to classrooms, much like a middle school or junior high school.
Also, by changing the name to Manchester Intermediate, the school will be associated more easily with the Manchester Community School System. Currently, Laketon Elementary School is the only school in the corporation that does not have Manchester in its name.
The name change proposal will be voted on by the school board at the Feb. 19 regular meeting. Anyone with questions or concerns about the change should contact a board member or Superintendent Dr. Diana Showalter.
Although some members of the public were apprehensive at the start of the process, most now agree that the name change is a good idea.
"It's the right thing to do, and the right time to do it," said Laketon High School graduate and resident Tom Brown. "Based upon the reasons given, it makes sense."
If the name is changed, the school's colors will change from black and yellow to black and red like the other schools in the corporation. The mascot will be the Squires.
Signs on the building and in front of the school will be replaced or painted if the name change is approved, and the Department of Education will have to be notified if the change occurs.
Plans already have been discussed to add a historical wall to the gym and possibly a display case in the front foyer of the school to preserve the history of the school in Laketon. Laketon was an independent high school before consolidating with Manchester Community School Corp.
In other business, the board:
n Heard that Todd Speicher will not seek re-election to his spot on the board.
n Accepted a $300 donation from the Tri Kappa Children's Support Endowment. The funds are to benefit the children of families living in Chester or Pleasant townships who are in crisis and have urgent financial needs.
n Approved professional leave requests for David Zinsmeister, and Katie Leese to attend the Indiana Association for the Gifted Conference Feb. 11-12 in Indianapolis; Jennifer Hann to attend the IMEA State Conference Jan 18-19 in Indianapolis; Nancy Alspaugh to attend the ACT State Conference March 3 in Indianapolis; Angilee Beery to attend the Hoosier State Association Science Teachers of Indiana Conference Feb 7-8 in Indianapolis; Randy Sels and Nancy Alspaugh to attend the Random Student Drug Testing Summit Feb 19 in Indianapolis; and Terri Denney to attend the Ready for School, Work, Life Conference March 3 in Indianapolis.
n Approved the hiring of Ryan Evans, volunteer Science Olypiad coach at Manchester Junior-Senior High School; Hannah Helman, part-time English teacher at MJSHS; and Todd Volk, varsity softball coach at MJSHS.
n Accepted the resignation of Dana Clark as educational assistant at Manchester Elementary School.
n Approved a $1,000 stipend to Rod Smith, assistant swim coach at MJSHS. The stipend is being shifted from head coach Kyle Weiland to Smith at Weiland's request.
Manchester Community School Board members are Todd Speicher, Jan Fahs, Brian Schilling, Steve Lambert, Kent Terrill, Steve Flack and Sally Krouse, president. Fahs, Krouse, Lambert and Showalter were absent from Tuesday's meeting.
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