PIERCETON - At a special meeting Thursday, the Whitko Community School Corp. Board of School Trustees approved Barbara Flory as the new South Whitley Elementary School principal.

The board also approved to assist the new Whitko Youth Center, South Whitley, by providing transportation for students to and from the center.

Jeff Hendrix, Whitko superintendent, recommended the school board hire Flory for the SWES principal job. He said she came from the South Bend School Corp., where she worked at Clay Intermediate School.

"We're excited to have her. She's a real ball of fire. She's a real kid person," Hendrix said.

Since Bill Hoppus resigned as the SWES principal effective Aug. 4, Hendrix served as interim principal in addition to his superintendent duties. Hendrix said it was fun for him to serve as SWES principal but he was ready to turn the reins over to Flory.

Dave Tranter, Whitko School Board president, said the school board members were concerned when Hoppus' resignation came about so quickly, but he commended Hendrix for "doing an astounding job." He welcomed Flory to the Whitko School Corp.

The Whitko Youth Center will be at the Schultz Ministry Center, Mulberry Street, South Whitley, and will begin in mid-September. By unanimous decision, the school board voted to assist the youth center by allowing transportation on Whitko school buses.

The approval includes the following stipulations: no special stops; no added responsibility for drivers; evaluation of bus usage at the end of each semester/trimester; the Whitko Youth Center has the responsibility of notifying proper authorities of students signed up for, but not attending; the bus usage is based on availability and on financial capability. Whitko School Corp. must have a "hold harmless agreement," reserves the right to discontinue service with proper notification and the youth center's sign-up forms must state that the school corporation is "not liable."

Tranter said the youth center is for students in grades six through eight for all students in the Whitko School Corp.

Hendrix said the youth center is not affiliated with Whitko Schools, the corporation is just providing transportation.

Tranter said the school corporation will closely watch the number of students participating. Mike Sands, Whitko transportation director, said there should be no problem with transporting the students to the youth center as long as there isn't a large number of students, Tranter said.

In other business, the school board:

• Approved the 2005 budget, 2005 capital projects plan and 2005 bus replacement plan.

• Approved the resignation of Whitko High School principal Jim Suding, effective today.

• Approved the employment of Troy Mann, WHS student council adviser; and Bonni Twait and Dawn Hinthorn, fall drama directors, WHS.

• Approved the wage for physical education assistant at $10 per hour.

Members of the Whitko School Board are Pete Mitchell, E. Marie Trump, Dave Tranter, Hal Trump and Michael Braddock. They meet at 7:30 p.m. on the third Monday of every month. Their September meeting will be held at Whitko Middle School, Larwill. [[In-content Ad]]