Wawasee Camp Helps At-Risk Students
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Kathy Cone-
“It was long and had a lot of challenges, but I think it was a good thing for the kids,” Kim Nguyen, Career and Technical Cooperative director, told the board.
Nguyen was describing the results of the first ECO challenge summer camp for at-risk students. Nineteen mostly seventh- and eighth-graders, joined by a few high school freshmen, spent six weeks this summer learning robotics, construction, culinary arts and photography, as well as Frisbee golf, wake and paddle boarding.
The camp was Nguyen’s idea and he leaned on a lot of people, he said, to volunteer both time and resources. Many stepped up, and not only showed the kids a good time, but also guided them toward possible careers. Nguyen also thanked counselors from Bowen Center, Cromwell, for seeing that students from their neighborhood made the daily bus and for being on site.
This was the first year for the program, but it proved its worth, he said. A few benefits were the encouragement to stay in school, potential raise in graduation rates and the ability to track students’ interest in future career possibilities. An end-of-program survey showed participants were interested in fields they were not aware of beforehand.
“The first day, the first week, were tough,” added the director, “but we tamed them down, got organized, and had a lot of fun.”
Tuesday was not only the first day of school, but the beginning of new jobs for many. The board approved a long list of certified and support staff positions changes, including the resignation of former Wawasee High School Principal Don Harman, effective July 31.
Stephanie Lawson will be teaching half time sixth-grade social studies at Wawasee Middle School; Regina Friedrich is replacing Janelle Miller as special education teacher at WHS; Sean Hoffman will be a temporary third-grade teacher at Syracuse Elementary; and Barry Singrey is replacing Eric Screeton as half time WMS sixth-grade social studies teacher.
Three paraprofessionals made changes: Angela Culp and Shaundra Jones both resigned, and Tony Ganshorn was given a one-year leave of absence from Syracuse Elementary.
High school language arts teacher Cyndi Thornburg will be on leave until Sept. 10, and Autumn Griepentrog was given a leave beginning Dec. 20 through the end of the school year.
Other new teachers include: Brent Doty, temporary eighth-grade science teacher at WMS; Anthony Smith, temporary physical education teacher at WMS; and Tracie Vermillion, business teacher at WHS.
Director of finances explained changes incurred by the new healthcare law. Because hourly and support workers must be determined whether or not to be eligible for coverage, administrators will install a time clock. The period of measurement of their time will now extend from Aug. 1 to July.
In other business, the board was informed that three new buses have been purchased for a total of $324,432, about $44,000 under the approved amount. This, in addition to some money from damaged buses, may allow the purchase of a fourth bus.[[In-content Ad]]
“It was long and had a lot of challenges, but I think it was a good thing for the kids,” Kim Nguyen, Career and Technical Cooperative director, told the board.
Nguyen was describing the results of the first ECO challenge summer camp for at-risk students. Nineteen mostly seventh- and eighth-graders, joined by a few high school freshmen, spent six weeks this summer learning robotics, construction, culinary arts and photography, as well as Frisbee golf, wake and paddle boarding.
The camp was Nguyen’s idea and he leaned on a lot of people, he said, to volunteer both time and resources. Many stepped up, and not only showed the kids a good time, but also guided them toward possible careers. Nguyen also thanked counselors from Bowen Center, Cromwell, for seeing that students from their neighborhood made the daily bus and for being on site.
This was the first year for the program, but it proved its worth, he said. A few benefits were the encouragement to stay in school, potential raise in graduation rates and the ability to track students’ interest in future career possibilities. An end-of-program survey showed participants were interested in fields they were not aware of beforehand.
“The first day, the first week, were tough,” added the director, “but we tamed them down, got organized, and had a lot of fun.”
Tuesday was not only the first day of school, but the beginning of new jobs for many. The board approved a long list of certified and support staff positions changes, including the resignation of former Wawasee High School Principal Don Harman, effective July 31.
Stephanie Lawson will be teaching half time sixth-grade social studies at Wawasee Middle School; Regina Friedrich is replacing Janelle Miller as special education teacher at WHS; Sean Hoffman will be a temporary third-grade teacher at Syracuse Elementary; and Barry Singrey is replacing Eric Screeton as half time WMS sixth-grade social studies teacher.
Three paraprofessionals made changes: Angela Culp and Shaundra Jones both resigned, and Tony Ganshorn was given a one-year leave of absence from Syracuse Elementary.
High school language arts teacher Cyndi Thornburg will be on leave until Sept. 10, and Autumn Griepentrog was given a leave beginning Dec. 20 through the end of the school year.
Other new teachers include: Brent Doty, temporary eighth-grade science teacher at WMS; Anthony Smith, temporary physical education teacher at WMS; and Tracie Vermillion, business teacher at WHS.
Director of finances explained changes incurred by the new healthcare law. Because hourly and support workers must be determined whether or not to be eligible for coverage, administrators will install a time clock. The period of measurement of their time will now extend from Aug. 1 to July.
In other business, the board was informed that three new buses have been purchased for a total of $324,432, about $44,000 under the approved amount. This, in addition to some money from damaged buses, may allow the purchase of a fourth bus.[[In-content Ad]]
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