Wawasee Changing Start And End Times For School Days
June 14, 2023 at 1:36 a.m.
Wawasee Changing Start And End Times For School Days
By Marissa Sweatland-
Wawasee’s elementary schools will start at 8:30 a.m. and release at 3 p.m. Elementary school teachers’ start time will begin at 7:20 a.m. and end at 3:15 p.m.
Wawasee Middle School will begin at 8:30 a.m. and release at 3:15 p.m. Middle school teachers’ start times will begin at 7:30 a.m. and end at 3:25 p.m.
Wawasee High School will begin at 8:05 a.m. and end at 3:05 p.m. High school teachers’ start times will begin at 7:15 a.m. and end at 3:10 p.m.
This new time schedule will eliminate later arrivals on Wednesday for students.
Troyer said, “This has been a collective effort of honing in on these start times.”
This new time schedule does put every Wawasee student over the federal daily minimum of school minutes. The minimum for elementary is 300 minutes, but Wawasee students will attend 330 minutes. The minimum for middle and high school are 360, but the middle and high school will attend 375 and 390 minutes, respectively.
Board member Andy Cripe asked for clarification as to why the time schedule was designed to be over the minimum.
Troyer responded, “This schedule allows us to keep Warrior Time and 45-minute classes. There is no other time we can cut.”
Warrior Time helps keep the academic gap closed because it gives students extra time to seek extra instructional help from their teachers.
Troyer announced that Wawasee Schools is getting ready to announce some projects that he described as a “transformative legacy.” The project(s) have been funded without having to raise property taxes. Although Troyer did not officially announce what the projects are, the board did move to approve the architects for the project. The motion was set by Mike Wilson, and seconded by Cripe. Troyer announced that the project will be unveiled at the next regular school board meeting at 5:30 p.m. July 11.
The board voted to change Milford School’s name to Milford Elementary School. The change of name also brings a change in grade level configuration. Milford Elementary School will serve K-5 instead of K-8. Previously, the school board voted to consolidate Milford Middle School into Wawasee Middle School starting with the 2023-24 school year.
The board also honored the school corporation’s retiring employees. Among them are Jim Likens, 30 years, WMS custodian; Vince Beasley, nine years, CTE director; Johnnie Fick, 13 years, WHS FACS teacher; Bill Lantz, 41 years, Syracuse Elementary School first-grade teacher; and Ann Mangas, 31 years, Milford Elementary School second-grade teacher.
During public comments, the board heard a request for an update about the Wawasee Veteran Memorial Wall. Rich Rhodes, Milford, brought this request to the board, stating, “with no urgency, this project will not just take a long time but forever.”
Troyer estimated this project will cost $250,000, and assures no dime will come from taxpayers.
“The update,” Troyer said, “is that there is no update.”
The next school board meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. July 11 in the Warrior Room of Wawasee High School.
Wawasee’s elementary schools will start at 8:30 a.m. and release at 3 p.m. Elementary school teachers’ start time will begin at 7:20 a.m. and end at 3:15 p.m.
Wawasee Middle School will begin at 8:30 a.m. and release at 3:15 p.m. Middle school teachers’ start times will begin at 7:30 a.m. and end at 3:25 p.m.
Wawasee High School will begin at 8:05 a.m. and end at 3:05 p.m. High school teachers’ start times will begin at 7:15 a.m. and end at 3:10 p.m.
This new time schedule will eliminate later arrivals on Wednesday for students.
Troyer said, “This has been a collective effort of honing in on these start times.”
This new time schedule does put every Wawasee student over the federal daily minimum of school minutes. The minimum for elementary is 300 minutes, but Wawasee students will attend 330 minutes. The minimum for middle and high school are 360, but the middle and high school will attend 375 and 390 minutes, respectively.
Board member Andy Cripe asked for clarification as to why the time schedule was designed to be over the minimum.
Troyer responded, “This schedule allows us to keep Warrior Time and 45-minute classes. There is no other time we can cut.”
Warrior Time helps keep the academic gap closed because it gives students extra time to seek extra instructional help from their teachers.
Troyer announced that Wawasee Schools is getting ready to announce some projects that he described as a “transformative legacy.” The project(s) have been funded without having to raise property taxes. Although Troyer did not officially announce what the projects are, the board did move to approve the architects for the project. The motion was set by Mike Wilson, and seconded by Cripe. Troyer announced that the project will be unveiled at the next regular school board meeting at 5:30 p.m. July 11.
The board voted to change Milford School’s name to Milford Elementary School. The change of name also brings a change in grade level configuration. Milford Elementary School will serve K-5 instead of K-8. Previously, the school board voted to consolidate Milford Middle School into Wawasee Middle School starting with the 2023-24 school year.
The board also honored the school corporation’s retiring employees. Among them are Jim Likens, 30 years, WMS custodian; Vince Beasley, nine years, CTE director; Johnnie Fick, 13 years, WHS FACS teacher; Bill Lantz, 41 years, Syracuse Elementary School first-grade teacher; and Ann Mangas, 31 years, Milford Elementary School second-grade teacher.
During public comments, the board heard a request for an update about the Wawasee Veteran Memorial Wall. Rich Rhodes, Milford, brought this request to the board, stating, “with no urgency, this project will not just take a long time but forever.”
Troyer estimated this project will cost $250,000, and assures no dime will come from taxpayers.
“The update,” Troyer said, “is that there is no update.”
The next school board meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. July 11 in the Warrior Room of Wawasee High School.
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