Speakers Laud The Family Atmosphere At Jefferson
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
There was a former student, parent, school board member, town representative, school superintendent and a business representative. Most agreed that while the new building is great, it's the people that make the school a family.
Principal Dennis Duncan welcomed the nearly standing-room only crowd to the ceremony.
"We're so excited about this building and facilities we have here," he said. "We've always said the school is not about the building but the community. It's really true, but it's nice to have these facilities."
Warsaw Community Schools Superintendent Dr. Craig Hintz focused his comments on Duncan.
Hintz said when he joined the school system 15 months ago, he was informed about the four building projects going on. He realized it was quite an undertaking for a school system to be taking on not just one school but four. And there was the redistricting process that had to be done with the new schools. Almost 1,000 students are going to a different school this year than last year because of the redistricting, he said.
During the construction process, Jefferson students still remained in the building most of the time, but classes had to be coordinated around the construction. Hintz said Duncan told him during the construction he wanted to have Thanksgiving dinner last year in the school cafeteria. Hintz wasn't too sure, but it happened in November.
"Everything went really, really well," Hintz said of the construction process at Jefferson. "Denny was quite the conductor of the symphony."
"This gentleman is so dedicated and committed to this community," Hintz said of Duncan.
Now that Jefferson is built and classes have started, Hintz said he asked Duncan what he would like to do next. Duncan responded that he wants to offer his students the chance to learn Chinese.
Representing the school board, Ron Yeiter said the building is bright and inviting to the curious minds of its students. To get to dedication ceremony, Yeiter said the school board had countless hours of discussion, there were meetings after meetings, and lots of planning. Then more meetings and planning before the construction took place and then the redistricting occurred.
"We're not quite finalized, but we see the light at the end of the tunnel," Yeiter said.
He said there were many people to thank to help get to where they are today. He thanked the architectural firm of Kovert Hawkins; Chief Financial Officer Kevin Scott and his staff; Umbaugh & Associates; former interim superintendent Ralph Bailey; former assistant to the superintendent and Eisenhower Elementary Principal Chris Gensinger; former superintendent Dr. Rob Haworth; former board member Chuck Sauders; Hintz; and the teachers and staff of Jefferson, and Duncan.
Annie Wray is now a seventh-grader at Lakeview Middle School, but she attended Jefferson Elementary. As a seventh-grader, she said she now only understands and appreciates the family atmosphere at Jefferson.
"The staff is the best you'll ever find," she said, though they can be intimidating at times, they push students to do their best.
"Mrs. Kline is only one teacher I love, but she is an example of the many teachers here who go above and beyond," Wray said.
The school has a family friendly atmosphere that never makes you feel awkward, she said.
Wray said she realized it's not about the building, but the people inside it.
"What Jefferson means to me hasn't changed one bit," she said.
Though her children are no longer students at Jefferson, Karla Denlinger spoke about the parents' perspectives.
She said that while they were all there to dedicate a new building, for most of the people there it's not just a building.
"Jefferson Elementary is not just a building, it's a community of people," she said.
Craig Allebach is the Winona Lake town manager and a former school board member. On behalf of the residents of Winona Lake, the Winona Lake Town Council and its various departments, Allebach congratulated Jefferson on its new facilities and dedication.
He said he had the opportunity to come to Jefferson's open house earlier this summer and he was impressed with how it met the needs of all students.
"It's just a beautiful facility. This is truly a state-of-the-arts facility that will position our children for jobs in the 21st century," Allebach said.
Duncan said schools today are trying to prepare students for jobs that don't exist yet. In selecting speakers, he wanted someone to give the crowd a global perspective. He asked OrthoWorx Executive Director Brad Bishop to do that.
Bishop said Orthoworx is working on a comprehensive study of the Warsaw school system and comparing it to other school systems. The new school facilities will help Warsaw.
"School is a really important part of your education," he said, and people should never stop learning.[[In-content Ad]]Globalization is making the world smaller every day, Bishop said. Warsaw is a big part of that in part because it's a player in the orthopedics industry.
Concluding the ceremony, Jefferson student Sydney Wiedeman sang the national anthem and the fourth-grade choir sang four songs.
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There was a former student, parent, school board member, town representative, school superintendent and a business representative. Most agreed that while the new building is great, it's the people that make the school a family.
Principal Dennis Duncan welcomed the nearly standing-room only crowd to the ceremony.
"We're so excited about this building and facilities we have here," he said. "We've always said the school is not about the building but the community. It's really true, but it's nice to have these facilities."
Warsaw Community Schools Superintendent Dr. Craig Hintz focused his comments on Duncan.
Hintz said when he joined the school system 15 months ago, he was informed about the four building projects going on. He realized it was quite an undertaking for a school system to be taking on not just one school but four. And there was the redistricting process that had to be done with the new schools. Almost 1,000 students are going to a different school this year than last year because of the redistricting, he said.
During the construction process, Jefferson students still remained in the building most of the time, but classes had to be coordinated around the construction. Hintz said Duncan told him during the construction he wanted to have Thanksgiving dinner last year in the school cafeteria. Hintz wasn't too sure, but it happened in November.
"Everything went really, really well," Hintz said of the construction process at Jefferson. "Denny was quite the conductor of the symphony."
"This gentleman is so dedicated and committed to this community," Hintz said of Duncan.
Now that Jefferson is built and classes have started, Hintz said he asked Duncan what he would like to do next. Duncan responded that he wants to offer his students the chance to learn Chinese.
Representing the school board, Ron Yeiter said the building is bright and inviting to the curious minds of its students. To get to dedication ceremony, Yeiter said the school board had countless hours of discussion, there were meetings after meetings, and lots of planning. Then more meetings and planning before the construction took place and then the redistricting occurred.
"We're not quite finalized, but we see the light at the end of the tunnel," Yeiter said.
He said there were many people to thank to help get to where they are today. He thanked the architectural firm of Kovert Hawkins; Chief Financial Officer Kevin Scott and his staff; Umbaugh & Associates; former interim superintendent Ralph Bailey; former assistant to the superintendent and Eisenhower Elementary Principal Chris Gensinger; former superintendent Dr. Rob Haworth; former board member Chuck Sauders; Hintz; and the teachers and staff of Jefferson, and Duncan.
Annie Wray is now a seventh-grader at Lakeview Middle School, but she attended Jefferson Elementary. As a seventh-grader, she said she now only understands and appreciates the family atmosphere at Jefferson.
"The staff is the best you'll ever find," she said, though they can be intimidating at times, they push students to do their best.
"Mrs. Kline is only one teacher I love, but she is an example of the many teachers here who go above and beyond," Wray said.
The school has a family friendly atmosphere that never makes you feel awkward, she said.
Wray said she realized it's not about the building, but the people inside it.
"What Jefferson means to me hasn't changed one bit," she said.
Though her children are no longer students at Jefferson, Karla Denlinger spoke about the parents' perspectives.
She said that while they were all there to dedicate a new building, for most of the people there it's not just a building.
"Jefferson Elementary is not just a building, it's a community of people," she said.
Craig Allebach is the Winona Lake town manager and a former school board member. On behalf of the residents of Winona Lake, the Winona Lake Town Council and its various departments, Allebach congratulated Jefferson on its new facilities and dedication.
He said he had the opportunity to come to Jefferson's open house earlier this summer and he was impressed with how it met the needs of all students.
"It's just a beautiful facility. This is truly a state-of-the-arts facility that will position our children for jobs in the 21st century," Allebach said.
Duncan said schools today are trying to prepare students for jobs that don't exist yet. In selecting speakers, he wanted someone to give the crowd a global perspective. He asked OrthoWorx Executive Director Brad Bishop to do that.
Bishop said Orthoworx is working on a comprehensive study of the Warsaw school system and comparing it to other school systems. The new school facilities will help Warsaw.
"School is a really important part of your education," he said, and people should never stop learning.[[In-content Ad]]Globalization is making the world smaller every day, Bishop said. Warsaw is a big part of that in part because it's a player in the orthopedics industry.
Concluding the ceremony, Jefferson student Sydney Wiedeman sang the national anthem and the fourth-grade choir sang four songs.
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