Warsaw School Board Discusses Annual Report
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Warsaw Community Schools' annual report, published Monday in the Times-Union, was explained in detail Monday night to the school board.
The annual report compares WCS facts and figures to the state average. For example, the graduation rate of 88 percent is the same as the state average. WCS' three-year average per-pupil expenditure f $6,600 is above the state average of $6,500, and the average teacher salary of $38,500 is below the state average of $39,800.
The published annual report also details attendance rates and ISTEP scores for each school in the corporation.
One of the outstanding figures in the report was the number of students to whom English is a second language.
In the 1996-97 school year, said Superintendent Dr. Lee Harman, 92 students were listed as having limited English proficiency. This year the number is 210, he said.
While the need is increasing in this area for ESL teachers, he said, there is little state funding for that purpose. "We could use more resources," he said.
Another topic increasingly on the minds of parents and administrators is the subject of school safety and security. Rande Thorpe, WCS business manager, reported Monday that a handbook outlining crisis guidelines was updated and distributed to school personnel.
"We're also discussing drills," he said. "For example, if a building had a hostage situation, would people know how to act, how not to act?"
Thorpe said school personnel are giving input on priorities they believe should get attention.
There are three limits in the area of security, he said. The first is money, the second is time ("we're here to educate students") and the third, he said, is "even if we do everything we can to improve safety and security, our buildings are still not 100 percent secure."
Within the past two years the schools have instituted a limited-access policy and lock all doors except those closest to the school office. They also require visitors to check in and to wear badges.
Greg Schroeder, director of buildings and grounds for WCS, said a pilot program of closed-circuit cameras is being installed on blind entryways and for some of the parking lots at Warsaw Community High School.
Even if the cameras are not monitored, Schroeder said, they are videotaping 24 hours a day.
"The technology is amazing," he said. "A camera the size of a grapefruit can identify you 300 yards away."
In his annual buildings and grounds update, Schroeder also said the new air conditioning systems in Atwood, Jefferson, Leesburg and Silver Lake elementary schools are up and running.
Lincoln Elementary, he said, is still waiting on air conditioning units on back order from a plant in Texas, but should be done in approximately two weeks.
The multipurpose building now under construction at Madison Elementary is expected to be completed for the 1999-2000 school year.
In other business:
• Lakeview Principal David McGuire said the elementary summer school program, which took place in August instead of June, was successful because of the late start date. "We had more time to focus intensely on skills," he said.
• Cherish Beam, WCHS' student representative to the school board, told the board about BLITZ starting at 8 a.m. Oct. 24.
The program, which stands for "Bringing Light Into the Tiger Zone," involves students in community service projects. "We hope to show the community that we really do care, that a majority of us really do want to help out in the community," she said.
• Harman reported that the total enrollment so far this year is 6,313 students, compared to 6,278 at the same time last year.
The school board will meet next at 7 p.m. Oct. 12 in the administration building. [[In-content Ad]]
Warsaw Community Schools' annual report, published Monday in the Times-Union, was explained in detail Monday night to the school board.
The annual report compares WCS facts and figures to the state average. For example, the graduation rate of 88 percent is the same as the state average. WCS' three-year average per-pupil expenditure f $6,600 is above the state average of $6,500, and the average teacher salary of $38,500 is below the state average of $39,800.
The published annual report also details attendance rates and ISTEP scores for each school in the corporation.
One of the outstanding figures in the report was the number of students to whom English is a second language.
In the 1996-97 school year, said Superintendent Dr. Lee Harman, 92 students were listed as having limited English proficiency. This year the number is 210, he said.
While the need is increasing in this area for ESL teachers, he said, there is little state funding for that purpose. "We could use more resources," he said.
Another topic increasingly on the minds of parents and administrators is the subject of school safety and security. Rande Thorpe, WCS business manager, reported Monday that a handbook outlining crisis guidelines was updated and distributed to school personnel.
"We're also discussing drills," he said. "For example, if a building had a hostage situation, would people know how to act, how not to act?"
Thorpe said school personnel are giving input on priorities they believe should get attention.
There are three limits in the area of security, he said. The first is money, the second is time ("we're here to educate students") and the third, he said, is "even if we do everything we can to improve safety and security, our buildings are still not 100 percent secure."
Within the past two years the schools have instituted a limited-access policy and lock all doors except those closest to the school office. They also require visitors to check in and to wear badges.
Greg Schroeder, director of buildings and grounds for WCS, said a pilot program of closed-circuit cameras is being installed on blind entryways and for some of the parking lots at Warsaw Community High School.
Even if the cameras are not monitored, Schroeder said, they are videotaping 24 hours a day.
"The technology is amazing," he said. "A camera the size of a grapefruit can identify you 300 yards away."
In his annual buildings and grounds update, Schroeder also said the new air conditioning systems in Atwood, Jefferson, Leesburg and Silver Lake elementary schools are up and running.
Lincoln Elementary, he said, is still waiting on air conditioning units on back order from a plant in Texas, but should be done in approximately two weeks.
The multipurpose building now under construction at Madison Elementary is expected to be completed for the 1999-2000 school year.
In other business:
• Lakeview Principal David McGuire said the elementary summer school program, which took place in August instead of June, was successful because of the late start date. "We had more time to focus intensely on skills," he said.
• Cherish Beam, WCHS' student representative to the school board, told the board about BLITZ starting at 8 a.m. Oct. 24.
The program, which stands for "Bringing Light Into the Tiger Zone," involves students in community service projects. "We hope to show the community that we really do care, that a majority of us really do want to help out in the community," she said.
• Harman reported that the total enrollment so far this year is 6,313 students, compared to 6,278 at the same time last year.
The school board will meet next at 7 p.m. Oct. 12 in the administration building. [[In-content Ad]]