WCS Board Hears From Atwood Residents
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Presenting a united front, Atwood residents, former students and parents of students at Atwood Elementary told the Warsaw school board Monday why their school should not be closed.
Citing the individual attention students receive at a smaller school such as Atwood (where enrollment as of Dec. 31 was 118) and the strong teacher support there, parents listed other advantages their children have at Atwood Elementary.
In sports, said PTO secretary Mary Jo Coppes, Atwood may not have championship banners hanging in the gym, "but what you will see when you come to our school is every kid gets to play."
And at parent-teacher conferences, Coppes said, "Atwood Elementary had 100 percent attendance. Mrs. Brandenburg and the teachers have obviously done something great here."
Atwood patrons were reacting to the executive summary of the Community Based Planning Project that recommended Silver Lake and Atwood students might be best served by relocating them.
The board met at Silver Lake Elementary in November to hear views from parents in that school district.
Ron Yeiter questioned the entire process of the CBPP, which included 50 members led by Indiana State University professor Dr. Robert Boyd and Dr. John Ellis, superintendent of Noblesville schools.
"We paid $17,000 for something that really was done kind of shabbily," Yeiter said.
He questioned the objectivity of the committee members, which included some school corporation employees, and said many of the CBPP's conclusions had no supporting data.
Board member Brad Brail responded to Yeiter's comments, saying, "We received that report seven months ago and the board still has not taken action on that report. ...
"I think you could read between the lines and note that the board may not have taken action because some board members have some reservations about the report."
Mike Long said he believes a board decision already has been made to close Atwood, but "the school board has to go through this song and dance."
Again, Brail responded: "This board has not made a decision. We haven't taken any votes or had any private discussions."
Many of the parents present Monday objected to statements made previously by school board president Craig Allebach.
In a Dec. 9 Times-Union article on school size, Allebach said of the board's decision-making process: "Somewhere along the line a decision's gotta be made. Are you really doing what's right by the students or are you doing what mom and dad want to see?"
"We sure hope you're doing what mom and dad want to see because what mom and dad want to see is what's best for our students," Coppes said Monday.
Long reminded board members that they are elected to represent parents, voters and taxpayers. "Parents know what is working and what is best for our children," he said.
Some of those children also addressed the board, as did their parents.
Former school board member George Klinger also noted that with security an issue, "a small school has better security because every teacher knows every student."
Klinger also said he had heard of someone representing the school trying to buy property in the area, a statement that elicited an immediate response from school superintendent Dr. Lee Harman.
"I'd be interested to know who that is," Harman said.
Later in the meeting, Harman elaborated on the property-buying statement.
"That is absolutely false, that is not true," he said. "We don't want people thinking someone's out there trying to buy land."
Board member Charles Sauders also commented on the subject.
"If someone's out there trying to buy your land, they're not buying it for Warsaw, they're buying it for themselves, so don't sell it to them," he said.
Harman said today he had talked to the person who supposedly was claiming to buy property for a school and was told it was a misunderstanding on the part of that person.
Board members were attentive Monday, and patrons were polite, but no decision was reached.
"A decision won't be made quickly," Brail said. "We'll have more public meetings."
In other business, Allebach, Sauders and James L. Folk were sworn in as the new school board members. Allebach was reappointed as board president, with Sauders vice president and Roy Szymanski, board secretary.
Warsaw school board meetings also were changed from the second Monday of each month to the third Monday at 7 p.m.
Warsaw school board members are: Craig Allebach, Brad Brail, Larry Chamberlain, Cathy Folk, James Folk, Charles Sauders and Roy Szymanski. [[In-content Ad]]
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Presenting a united front, Atwood residents, former students and parents of students at Atwood Elementary told the Warsaw school board Monday why their school should not be closed.
Citing the individual attention students receive at a smaller school such as Atwood (where enrollment as of Dec. 31 was 118) and the strong teacher support there, parents listed other advantages their children have at Atwood Elementary.
In sports, said PTO secretary Mary Jo Coppes, Atwood may not have championship banners hanging in the gym, "but what you will see when you come to our school is every kid gets to play."
And at parent-teacher conferences, Coppes said, "Atwood Elementary had 100 percent attendance. Mrs. Brandenburg and the teachers have obviously done something great here."
Atwood patrons were reacting to the executive summary of the Community Based Planning Project that recommended Silver Lake and Atwood students might be best served by relocating them.
The board met at Silver Lake Elementary in November to hear views from parents in that school district.
Ron Yeiter questioned the entire process of the CBPP, which included 50 members led by Indiana State University professor Dr. Robert Boyd and Dr. John Ellis, superintendent of Noblesville schools.
"We paid $17,000 for something that really was done kind of shabbily," Yeiter said.
He questioned the objectivity of the committee members, which included some school corporation employees, and said many of the CBPP's conclusions had no supporting data.
Board member Brad Brail responded to Yeiter's comments, saying, "We received that report seven months ago and the board still has not taken action on that report. ...
"I think you could read between the lines and note that the board may not have taken action because some board members have some reservations about the report."
Mike Long said he believes a board decision already has been made to close Atwood, but "the school board has to go through this song and dance."
Again, Brail responded: "This board has not made a decision. We haven't taken any votes or had any private discussions."
Many of the parents present Monday objected to statements made previously by school board president Craig Allebach.
In a Dec. 9 Times-Union article on school size, Allebach said of the board's decision-making process: "Somewhere along the line a decision's gotta be made. Are you really doing what's right by the students or are you doing what mom and dad want to see?"
"We sure hope you're doing what mom and dad want to see because what mom and dad want to see is what's best for our students," Coppes said Monday.
Long reminded board members that they are elected to represent parents, voters and taxpayers. "Parents know what is working and what is best for our children," he said.
Some of those children also addressed the board, as did their parents.
Former school board member George Klinger also noted that with security an issue, "a small school has better security because every teacher knows every student."
Klinger also said he had heard of someone representing the school trying to buy property in the area, a statement that elicited an immediate response from school superintendent Dr. Lee Harman.
"I'd be interested to know who that is," Harman said.
Later in the meeting, Harman elaborated on the property-buying statement.
"That is absolutely false, that is not true," he said. "We don't want people thinking someone's out there trying to buy land."
Board member Charles Sauders also commented on the subject.
"If someone's out there trying to buy your land, they're not buying it for Warsaw, they're buying it for themselves, so don't sell it to them," he said.
Harman said today he had talked to the person who supposedly was claiming to buy property for a school and was told it was a misunderstanding on the part of that person.
Board members were attentive Monday, and patrons were polite, but no decision was reached.
"A decision won't be made quickly," Brail said. "We'll have more public meetings."
In other business, Allebach, Sauders and James L. Folk were sworn in as the new school board members. Allebach was reappointed as board president, with Sauders vice president and Roy Szymanski, board secretary.
Warsaw school board meetings also were changed from the second Monday of each month to the third Monday at 7 p.m.
Warsaw school board members are: Craig Allebach, Brad Brail, Larry Chamberlain, Cathy Folk, James Folk, Charles Sauders and Roy Szymanski. [[In-content Ad]]