Warsaw School Board Hears Potential Traffic Issue Near Madison
December 16, 2021 at 12:18 a.m.
Warsaw School Board Hears Potential Traffic Issue Near Madison
By Jackie [email protected]
Dr. David Robertson, assistant superintendent of elementary education, said the Warsaw Traffic Commission will meet in January. One of the things that will be looked at will be expanding Warsaw Community Schools’ school zones, especially around Madison.
There are a couple pieces in play, he said.
“The tech park is continuing to fill up, so we received an increase in traffic flow in that area,” Robertson said.
He believes the county and city are looking at continuing paving toward the west on CR 300N.
“Between that and some of the residential aspects, we just feel like we need to take a look at expanding that school zone up until the roundabout and maybe even beyond that and just make that a 25 mph speed limit school zone,” he said.
The Traffic Commission will be asked to recommend expanding the school zone to the Warsaw Common Council during the Traffic Commission in January, Robertson said.
He also said WCS is looking at a couple modes of transportation of how students get to school. He said there is currently a couple different loads of buses of students that live close to Madison. The city of Warsaw has also done a good job of putting things like sidewalks in that area.
Part of the reason Robertson gave for wanting the expanded school zone designation is there are already students who are walking between the school and the area neighborhood in off hours.
Also during Tuesday’s Board meeting, Christine Koontz, a crossing guard at Jefferson Elementary School, was recognized for quick thinking.
Winona Lake Town Marshal Joe Hawn said Koontz has been doing crossing guard duty at Jefferson Elementary for 11 years with nine of those years being as a volunteer.
Winona Lake Police officer Joe Bumbaugh said the thing that Koontz does best is she greets all the students and knows them all by name.
A video was shown of Koontz crossing students when two motorists drove on the right side of the rest of the vehicles waiting for students to cross the street and past the crosswalk. Koontz was able to usher the students back to safety.
One of the people went to jail, Bumbaugh said. There is a warrant out for the arrest of another person who was involved.
There was just another incident when a car drove past a school bus stop arm at the same crossing.
Bumbaugh said Koontz was able to make sure students didn’t go into the crosswalk as the vehicle went through.
Hawn presented Koontz a plaque for her quick actions. Bumbaugh thanked her for keeping the students safe.
In other business, the Board:
• Recognized Marci Franks, director of food and nutrition services at WCS. She has been the director for almost 34 years and will be retiring Dec. 31.
• Approved the teacher appreciation grant, which was given to teachers as a holiday bonus Wednesday. Last year, teachers that were listed as highly effective were given holiday bonuses of $623. Those that were considered effective were given $470, said Superintendent Dr. David Hoffert said. State law requires a 25% difference between the two amounts.
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Dr. David Robertson, assistant superintendent of elementary education, said the Warsaw Traffic Commission will meet in January. One of the things that will be looked at will be expanding Warsaw Community Schools’ school zones, especially around Madison.
There are a couple pieces in play, he said.
“The tech park is continuing to fill up, so we received an increase in traffic flow in that area,” Robertson said.
He believes the county and city are looking at continuing paving toward the west on CR 300N.
“Between that and some of the residential aspects, we just feel like we need to take a look at expanding that school zone up until the roundabout and maybe even beyond that and just make that a 25 mph speed limit school zone,” he said.
The Traffic Commission will be asked to recommend expanding the school zone to the Warsaw Common Council during the Traffic Commission in January, Robertson said.
He also said WCS is looking at a couple modes of transportation of how students get to school. He said there is currently a couple different loads of buses of students that live close to Madison. The city of Warsaw has also done a good job of putting things like sidewalks in that area.
Part of the reason Robertson gave for wanting the expanded school zone designation is there are already students who are walking between the school and the area neighborhood in off hours.
Also during Tuesday’s Board meeting, Christine Koontz, a crossing guard at Jefferson Elementary School, was recognized for quick thinking.
Winona Lake Town Marshal Joe Hawn said Koontz has been doing crossing guard duty at Jefferson Elementary for 11 years with nine of those years being as a volunteer.
Winona Lake Police officer Joe Bumbaugh said the thing that Koontz does best is she greets all the students and knows them all by name.
A video was shown of Koontz crossing students when two motorists drove on the right side of the rest of the vehicles waiting for students to cross the street and past the crosswalk. Koontz was able to usher the students back to safety.
One of the people went to jail, Bumbaugh said. There is a warrant out for the arrest of another person who was involved.
There was just another incident when a car drove past a school bus stop arm at the same crossing.
Bumbaugh said Koontz was able to make sure students didn’t go into the crosswalk as the vehicle went through.
Hawn presented Koontz a plaque for her quick actions. Bumbaugh thanked her for keeping the students safe.
In other business, the Board:
• Recognized Marci Franks, director of food and nutrition services at WCS. She has been the director for almost 34 years and will be retiring Dec. 31.
• Approved the teacher appreciation grant, which was given to teachers as a holiday bonus Wednesday. Last year, teachers that were listed as highly effective were given holiday bonuses of $623. Those that were considered effective were given $470, said Superintendent Dr. David Hoffert said. State law requires a 25% difference between the two amounts.
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