SYRACUSE - January is the time for the annual school board reorganization that includes election of officers, school board meeting times and more.
Don Bokhart will remain president of the Wawasee Community School Board. Andy Cripe moved from secretary to vice president. Steve Baut replaced Cripe as secretary. Tammy Hutchinson was appointed recording secretary.
The board approved continuing to hold its regular board meetings at 5:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of every month, with the exception of April, which will be held on the third Tuesday, in the Wawasee Warrior Room.
Superintendent Dr. Steve Troyer moved to establish the board’s stipend of $2,000 plus $112 per regular meeting and $62 per special meeting to be paid quarterly, with a cap of $600. The board approved.
Troyer moved to appoint administrators as the only board representatives to open sealed bids and receive quotes for school business. He suggested himself, Dr. Brandon Penrod, Brandon Kiser and Wade Wierbaugh. The board approved. The board also approved Rachel Moore as treasurer and Barb Casey as deputy treasurer.
Allison Clark and Charlie Krull, the Kosciusko County Lilly Endowment scholars, were honored by the board and attendees. Every year, two students are picked from each county to be awarded a Lilly Endowment Scholarship, which provides a full ride to any of Indiana’s colleges and universities.
Neither student are committed to a college or university; however, Clark plans to study biology and Krull plans to study mechatronic engineering technology. This is the second time in five years both Kosciusko County recipients were Wawasee Warriors.
During the learning report, Sarah Harrison informed the board about the success the Wawasee Virtual Academy has seen so far. The Wawasee Virtual Academy began during the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic when many students were ready to come back into the buildings, but not all.
The Wawasee Virtual Academy offered students the option to work from home while completing classes virtually via an online program, APEX. APEX was already being used by the school corporation for credit recovery. In the 2020-2021 academic year, 216 Warriors were enrolled in the Wawasee Virtual Academy. In this current academic year, the Wawasee Virtual Academy has 48 students enrolled.
“One of our students came to us last year. She had heard of us from a family member who had been through the academy previously,” Harrison explained. “She had plans on going back her senior year, but she stayed with us instead and she graduated a year early.”
Wawasee Virtual Academy students are able to earn a Core 40 Indiana diploma so long as an Indiana-approved Pathway is completed, as well as the required courses. The Wawasee Virtual Academy offers personal interaction with a lead teacher, while helping students find and build confidence and independence, all while removing some of the limitations and social pressures that traditional schooling can bring.
Troyer shared the numerous donations that were made to the Wawasee Community School Corporation. The Korenstra Family Foundation donated $10,000 to WCS for district and building needs for students and staff; Lassus Brothers donated $6,870 to WCSC Elementaries Angel Funds; Brandy Swope donated $2,500 to Wawasee Middle School for staff appreciation; Guesthouse 6225 and Sharie Johnson donated $500 to the North Webster Elementary School’s Clothing Closet; $2,500 was anonymously donated to the NWES Angel Fund; The Knights of Columbus donated $1,150 to the WHS swimming and diving team and $1,250 to the WHS band; Renewal Homes donated $2,500 to WHS ceramic classes; Leland and Mary Dush donated $100 to the WHS Super Mileage and Aluminum Insights donated $500 to the WHS Super Mileage.
Troyer alerted the board to two IHSAA Exemplary Behavior Reports. One was awarded to the girls basketball team for showing great sportsmanship and hospitality. The second was awarded to Matt Carpenter for going above and beyond to make sure an ill, visiting player was cared for.
The board approved two FFA overnight trips. The first trip, an overnight, out-of-state field trip for a horse judging clinic, will take place Feb. 2-3. The clinic will be held on Michigan State University’s campus in East Lansing. The second trip will be an overnight leadership development workshop in Trafalgar. The workshop takes place Feb. 2-4.
The next regular school board meeting will take place at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 13 in the Wawasee Warrior Room, 1 Warrior Path Building 1, Syracuse.