Warsaw Schools Grapple With Redistricting Issue
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
At the three-hour school board meeting Monday night, Superintendent Dr. Craig Hintz updated the board on the process.
One of the reasons for the redistricting is the reopening and renovation of Claypool Elementary School. New Madison and Leesburg schools also are being built, and Jefferson is being renovated.[[In-content Ad]]Hintz said the redistricting process is designed to be open and transparent. No decisions behind closed doors are being made, he said.
A small core team spent the better part of 20 hours developing redistricting possibilities, Hintz said. On Oct. 19, the large redistricting committee had its first group meeting. The large committee includes about 45 members from the community and school corporation.
At last Monday's meeting, with the help of an outside consultant, Hintz said the large committee was presented with an overview of the redistricting process. Three draft scenarios for redistricting also were presented, with the strengths and weaknesses of each one given.
Another committee meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight at the administration building. The meeting is open to the public.
Hintz said a vast majority of the Warsaw Schools population is centrally located. He said it was logical students will have to move to schools north and south to make the redistricting happen. The redistricting committee is planning now for the future and looking at long-term growth, Hintz said.
Warsaw Schools will have 10 listening sessions for the public on the redistricting. The first one will be at Jefferson Elementary Nov. 4. The last will be Dec. 3. After the 10 listening sessions, the large committee will meet again.
A redistricting recommendation will be made to the school board at its Jan. 25 meeting. Hintz said they anticipate to notify parents where their child will attend school by Feb. 1.
School board member Kent Adams said some people won't respond well to the changes, but some will. He said the meetings are public and the public should get involved now.
"The public has got to get involved and not wait until the end to get involved," Adams said.
The school board approved for Educational Services Company to provide the school district with consulting services on the redistricting. The company will be paid $200 per hour, not to exceed 60 hours. If more time is needed, Hintz said they will come back before the school board to request more hours.
Hintz said while they will have a lot of input on redistricting from within the school corporation, Educational Services Company will provide an outside perspective.
The board approved for the WCS administration to advertise for a Claypool construction transition coordinator. Hintz said the person hired for this position will transition to become the Claypool principal when it reopens for the 2010-2011 school year.
If all goes according to schedule, Hintz said the person will be appointed to the position at the Dec. 17 board meeting. The person would begin their duties in January, after winter break.
"There's a lot of work ahead for the person selected for this position," Hintz said.
In other business, the school board:
n Approved for Dr. Steve Barone to provide consulting services to WCS today and Wednesday for $9,000. Barone's services will be centered around leadership development and building trust. Funding for the training is provided by an English as a Second Language grant.
n Approved the math remediation textbook rental charge.
A new state graduation requirement for students, beginning with the class of 2012, is that they must pass the Algebra I End of Course Assessment. Students who do not pass on the first attempt must take a remediation course before they are able to attempt the test again.
To address this requirement, Warsaw Community High School is adding several sections of a math lab remediation course. A major portion of the curriculum will be a Web-based software that has a per-student charge of $27.50.
n Approved the application for the Title II Part A No Child Left Behind Grant for $225,233. The grant is an annual federal grant that provides funding for professional development opportunities designed for teachers and administrators.
n Approved change orders for the elementary school building projects.
Change orders for Claypool totaled $27,274.93, leaving a balance of $370,917.70 in the contingency allowance.
Change orders for Jefferson totaled $26,430.20, leaving a balance of $332,231.80 in the contingency allowance.
Change orders for the Leesburg and Madison projects totaled $57,603, leaving a balance of $1,402,263 in the contingency allowance.
n Approved the Title IV Part A Safe and Drug Free Schools Grant for $22,207. The grant covers the district efforts in anti-bullying, drug testing, Positive Behavior Intervention and Support and school security.
n Approved the human resources report.
Included in the report is the resignation of Tony England as the director of alternative services, and naming England as the assistant director of special education.
n Heard the total enrollment for WCS is 6,887 students.
"We are down a little bit from last year," said Chris Gensinger, assistant to the superintendent.
At the three-hour school board meeting Monday night, Superintendent Dr. Craig Hintz updated the board on the process.
One of the reasons for the redistricting is the reopening and renovation of Claypool Elementary School. New Madison and Leesburg schools also are being built, and Jefferson is being renovated.[[In-content Ad]]Hintz said the redistricting process is designed to be open and transparent. No decisions behind closed doors are being made, he said.
A small core team spent the better part of 20 hours developing redistricting possibilities, Hintz said. On Oct. 19, the large redistricting committee had its first group meeting. The large committee includes about 45 members from the community and school corporation.
At last Monday's meeting, with the help of an outside consultant, Hintz said the large committee was presented with an overview of the redistricting process. Three draft scenarios for redistricting also were presented, with the strengths and weaknesses of each one given.
Another committee meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight at the administration building. The meeting is open to the public.
Hintz said a vast majority of the Warsaw Schools population is centrally located. He said it was logical students will have to move to schools north and south to make the redistricting happen. The redistricting committee is planning now for the future and looking at long-term growth, Hintz said.
Warsaw Schools will have 10 listening sessions for the public on the redistricting. The first one will be at Jefferson Elementary Nov. 4. The last will be Dec. 3. After the 10 listening sessions, the large committee will meet again.
A redistricting recommendation will be made to the school board at its Jan. 25 meeting. Hintz said they anticipate to notify parents where their child will attend school by Feb. 1.
School board member Kent Adams said some people won't respond well to the changes, but some will. He said the meetings are public and the public should get involved now.
"The public has got to get involved and not wait until the end to get involved," Adams said.
The school board approved for Educational Services Company to provide the school district with consulting services on the redistricting. The company will be paid $200 per hour, not to exceed 60 hours. If more time is needed, Hintz said they will come back before the school board to request more hours.
Hintz said while they will have a lot of input on redistricting from within the school corporation, Educational Services Company will provide an outside perspective.
The board approved for the WCS administration to advertise for a Claypool construction transition coordinator. Hintz said the person hired for this position will transition to become the Claypool principal when it reopens for the 2010-2011 school year.
If all goes according to schedule, Hintz said the person will be appointed to the position at the Dec. 17 board meeting. The person would begin their duties in January, after winter break.
"There's a lot of work ahead for the person selected for this position," Hintz said.
In other business, the school board:
n Approved for Dr. Steve Barone to provide consulting services to WCS today and Wednesday for $9,000. Barone's services will be centered around leadership development and building trust. Funding for the training is provided by an English as a Second Language grant.
n Approved the math remediation textbook rental charge.
A new state graduation requirement for students, beginning with the class of 2012, is that they must pass the Algebra I End of Course Assessment. Students who do not pass on the first attempt must take a remediation course before they are able to attempt the test again.
To address this requirement, Warsaw Community High School is adding several sections of a math lab remediation course. A major portion of the curriculum will be a Web-based software that has a per-student charge of $27.50.
n Approved the application for the Title II Part A No Child Left Behind Grant for $225,233. The grant is an annual federal grant that provides funding for professional development opportunities designed for teachers and administrators.
n Approved change orders for the elementary school building projects.
Change orders for Claypool totaled $27,274.93, leaving a balance of $370,917.70 in the contingency allowance.
Change orders for Jefferson totaled $26,430.20, leaving a balance of $332,231.80 in the contingency allowance.
Change orders for the Leesburg and Madison projects totaled $57,603, leaving a balance of $1,402,263 in the contingency allowance.
n Approved the Title IV Part A Safe and Drug Free Schools Grant for $22,207. The grant covers the district efforts in anti-bullying, drug testing, Positive Behavior Intervention and Support and school security.
n Approved the human resources report.
Included in the report is the resignation of Tony England as the director of alternative services, and naming England as the assistant director of special education.
n Heard the total enrollment for WCS is 6,887 students.
"We are down a little bit from last year," said Chris Gensinger, assistant to the superintendent.
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