SOUTH WHITLEY - Residents of Larwill, Pierceton and South Whitley started meeting about a year ago and formed the Whitko Leadership Council.

About 20 "council" members met Wednesday in the Brownstone Cafe to continue business.

All the towns of the Whitko school district were represented except a Sidney resident, said school board and council member Dave Tranter.

School board members, town council members, school principals and business representatives discussed plans for a Celebrate Whitko Day, a proposed festival.

District financial officer Phil Menzie restated the council's mission: to promote common goals to benefit the communities and schools.

South Whitley Elementary School Principal Barb Flory said the school was named part of the Indiana Achievement Institution, which will conduct a three-year study, to help all students succeed.

Ruth Jones, Pierceton Elementary School principal, said third-, fourth- and fifth-grade students were involved in MAP testing this week.

She said all schools are holding a "penny pitch" until Sept. 9. The donations are being collected for American Red Cross disaster relief in Louisiana and Mississippi.

Middle School Principal Jerry Klausing said students were off to a great start.

Whitko High School Principal Parrish Kruger said a 15-minute "silent, sustained reading period" is being held daily.

"They can read anything they wish," Kruger said. "And it's getting hard to get them on to other subjects. It's a great success."

The next council meeting is Nov. 20. [[In-content Ad]]