Wawasee Gets Grant From KCCF
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By John DeGroff-
The Knights of Columbus in Syracuse donated $1,114 to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which is the largest club at Wawasee Middle School.
Wawasee High School's Gymnastics Program received a donation of $3,400 from Shoop Sports and Youth Foundation. The money will be used to purchase a set of uneven bars.[[In-content Ad]]It was also announced by Superintendent Dr. Tom Edington that the school corporation as a whole will receive part of a $50,000 county-wide grant from the Kosciusko County Community Foundation. This grant is aimed toward dropout reduction and will be shared by Wawasee, Warsaw, and Tippecanoe Valley. Wawasee's portion of the grant will be made available next school year.
The Zimmer Corporation also donated several boxes of hooded sweatshirts and other items. This is a sort of "thank you" for WHS students participating in a project at the company. The items will be distributed to students.
Tracey Roberts presented a brief update on the Career/Technical Program, and changes that are being discussed at the state level. "I've been trying to put together a five-year plan, and right now we're just brainstorming and trying to get ideas," she said.
One such idea from the state is to take 150 different courses and narrow the overall focus down to 39 career pathways in school corporations vocational education programs.
There are some courses that have been recommended to be dropped, but even at this stage, nothing is certain. There is a three-year time frame for most of this program to be finalized.
Edington introduced a federally funded program known as "Race To The Top", which is a part of Indiana's school reform strategy.
"This is under the federal stimulus program," Edington said. "The state will release guidelines on Dec. 18, which is before Christmas break. They need to know if we're going to apply as a school district by Jan. 12. Finalized details will be in early April, and money will be available over four years."
Through this program, $400 million is being made available statewide to school districts. Half will be distributed through regular funding channels, and the other half through Title 1, without restrictions. Edington stressed that this is important because Wawasee faces a 1 percent budget cut from the state this year, and a 2 percent cut next year.
"It's been said that 'Race To The Top' money that would flow through the state would equal at or about, for a district to receive it, 1.75 percent, which would be in the range of the cuts. We're in a situation where we have to comply to certain rules, though."
Areas that WSCS has yet to meet specified requirements involve annual evaluations of all teachers based on data, and incentive awards based on data performance. These two areas are just part of all necessary regulations for participation in the program. The rest, Edington said, will be made known to the school districts on Dec. 18. "This is something that will be happening very quickly, and will affect our bottom line," Edington said.
In personnel matters, the board approved the following individuals for employment with the corporation: Cindy Peterson will be hired to fill Janay Hackelman's leave, beginning Dec. 15, and last for five weeks; Randall Wade as a secnd-shift school year custodian at Milford School; William Maule as an eight-hour third-shift school year custodian at WHS.
Kelly Ross has submitted her resignation as a food service worker at North Webster Elementary School, and Amy Cabaniss has resigned her teaching position as a FACS teacher at WHS.
The financial report for the month ending November 30 is as follows:
Beginning balance:
$23,150,350.89
Receipts:
$2,462,625.89
Disbursements:
$2,926,336.92
Ending balance:
$22,686,639.86
In other business:
n The board approved the reappointment of Dave Van Lue to the Syracuse Park Board.
n Conducted the third reading and adoption of NEOLA Policy Updates.
n Approved the Wawasee Middle School summer project contract. This involves the replacement of individual room unit ventilators. Total project cost is $2,000,000.
n Approved Authorizing Resolution for 2010 Tax Anticipation Warrants. This is money borrowed in anticipation of spring tax receipts.
n Approved the Bank of the West Lease Purchase agreement, used to finance IT software over a three-year period.
Wawasee Community School Corporation board members are: George Gilbert, Mike Wilson, Becky Linnemeier, Mary Louse Dixon and Dallas Winchester.
The Knights of Columbus in Syracuse donated $1,114 to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which is the largest club at Wawasee Middle School.
Wawasee High School's Gymnastics Program received a donation of $3,400 from Shoop Sports and Youth Foundation. The money will be used to purchase a set of uneven bars.[[In-content Ad]]It was also announced by Superintendent Dr. Tom Edington that the school corporation as a whole will receive part of a $50,000 county-wide grant from the Kosciusko County Community Foundation. This grant is aimed toward dropout reduction and will be shared by Wawasee, Warsaw, and Tippecanoe Valley. Wawasee's portion of the grant will be made available next school year.
The Zimmer Corporation also donated several boxes of hooded sweatshirts and other items. This is a sort of "thank you" for WHS students participating in a project at the company. The items will be distributed to students.
Tracey Roberts presented a brief update on the Career/Technical Program, and changes that are being discussed at the state level. "I've been trying to put together a five-year plan, and right now we're just brainstorming and trying to get ideas," she said.
One such idea from the state is to take 150 different courses and narrow the overall focus down to 39 career pathways in school corporations vocational education programs.
There are some courses that have been recommended to be dropped, but even at this stage, nothing is certain. There is a three-year time frame for most of this program to be finalized.
Edington introduced a federally funded program known as "Race To The Top", which is a part of Indiana's school reform strategy.
"This is under the federal stimulus program," Edington said. "The state will release guidelines on Dec. 18, which is before Christmas break. They need to know if we're going to apply as a school district by Jan. 12. Finalized details will be in early April, and money will be available over four years."
Through this program, $400 million is being made available statewide to school districts. Half will be distributed through regular funding channels, and the other half through Title 1, without restrictions. Edington stressed that this is important because Wawasee faces a 1 percent budget cut from the state this year, and a 2 percent cut next year.
"It's been said that 'Race To The Top' money that would flow through the state would equal at or about, for a district to receive it, 1.75 percent, which would be in the range of the cuts. We're in a situation where we have to comply to certain rules, though."
Areas that WSCS has yet to meet specified requirements involve annual evaluations of all teachers based on data, and incentive awards based on data performance. These two areas are just part of all necessary regulations for participation in the program. The rest, Edington said, will be made known to the school districts on Dec. 18. "This is something that will be happening very quickly, and will affect our bottom line," Edington said.
In personnel matters, the board approved the following individuals for employment with the corporation: Cindy Peterson will be hired to fill Janay Hackelman's leave, beginning Dec. 15, and last for five weeks; Randall Wade as a secnd-shift school year custodian at Milford School; William Maule as an eight-hour third-shift school year custodian at WHS.
Kelly Ross has submitted her resignation as a food service worker at North Webster Elementary School, and Amy Cabaniss has resigned her teaching position as a FACS teacher at WHS.
The financial report for the month ending November 30 is as follows:
Beginning balance:
$23,150,350.89
Receipts:
$2,462,625.89
Disbursements:
$2,926,336.92
Ending balance:
$22,686,639.86
In other business:
n The board approved the reappointment of Dave Van Lue to the Syracuse Park Board.
n Conducted the third reading and adoption of NEOLA Policy Updates.
n Approved the Wawasee Middle School summer project contract. This involves the replacement of individual room unit ventilators. Total project cost is $2,000,000.
n Approved Authorizing Resolution for 2010 Tax Anticipation Warrants. This is money borrowed in anticipation of spring tax receipts.
n Approved the Bank of the West Lease Purchase agreement, used to finance IT software over a three-year period.
Wawasee Community School Corporation board members are: George Gilbert, Mike Wilson, Becky Linnemeier, Mary Louse Dixon and Dallas Winchester.
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092