PIERCETON - A sophisticated version of a popular children's toy is making it possible for Whitko Middle School eighth-graders to have fun while they learn college-level concepts, the Whitko school board learned Monday.

Using a program and equipment furnished by the Legos Group, the students built a robot then programmed it to accomplish specific tasks. According to teacher Teresa Knepple, who introduced the project to her science classes, the two-week assignment can meet more than 20 state standards in science, math and technology. Knepple and eight students demonstrated the project Monday for the school board.

The students, who work in teams, are assigned to build and program the robot, a small rectangular vehicle, to perform nine tasks on a 4-foot by 8-foot course provided by Lego. On the course, called "Arctic Challenge," the robot must pick up, move or release specific objects. Points are added for every task accomplished successfully, and deducted for mistakes or objectives not reached.

Besides the scientific and math applications, Knepple said, the students were required to keep daily logs of their actions, noting what worked and what didn't, and what to try the next day. They also learned to work in teams, solve problems and meet challenges, she said.

Knepple said freshmen engineering students at IPFW must take the same course, so the eighth-graders were doing college-level work.

The program was well-received by the students and will continue next year, she said, if grants can be obtained to buy more than the current three $3,000-robots.

Financial concerns also were a topic for business manager Phil Menzie, who said outstanding property taxes, primarily from Kosciusko County, continue to be a problem for Whitko. "The good news is that this is money we'll probably see someday," he said. He added that he was told that in Kosciusko County, usually there are approximately 12 tax delinquencies; this year, he said, there were 110.

When asked if the school corporation can borrow money to make up for the shortfall, Menzie said yes, just as they do every year with a tax anticipation warrant. The problem now, he said, is that with reassessment confusion at the state level, school corporations are uncertain as to when they will receive their tax draws, making repayment dates difficult to set.

Whitko School Board also:

• Designated the front drive at Whitko Middle School as "Mark Skiles Run," in honor of past board member, the late Mark Skiles, a former runner.

• Approved cafeteria food and supply bid awards by the Northern Indiana Educational Services Center, a group of about 20 schools who purchase supplies in bulk to save money.

• Heard from director of curriculum Diana Showalter that because of the decentralization of the North Central Indiana Special Education Cooperative, a task force made up of special education professionals, parents, teachers and administrators will decide what personnel Whitko needs to employ, what those employees will do and how services will be provided if a specialist is not available. She said the specific positions will be posted, but most of the personnel necessary are already employed by NCI and will simply be assigned to individual school districts.

• Heard that parent-teacher conferences at Pierceton and South Whitley elementaries will be Jan. 29, and that the annual trip to the Shrine Circus will be Jan. 31. This year third- and fourth-graders will attend the circus because last year's third-graders were unable to go because of the weather.

• Set Feb. 3 and Feb. 10 as dates for public meetings regarding the search for a new school superintendent. On Feb. 3 the meetings will take place at Whitko High School lecture room; at 4 p.m., administration and staff will meet with the board, and at 6:30 p.m., the meeting will be open to the public. On Feb. 10 at 4 p.m. in Pierceton Elementary School's conference center, the certified staff will meet, and at 6:30 p.m. the meeting will be open to the public.

Members of Whitko School Board are Mike Traddock, Pete Mitchell, Dave Tranter, E. Marie Trump and Hal Trump. The board meets at the administration building in Pierceton at 7:30 p.m. on the third Monday of each month. [[In-content Ad]]