SYRACUSE - The Wawasee School Board on Tuesday approved a guaranteed maximum price amendment to its contract with MKS, the contractor for the Milford Elementary School project.
Both of the projects currently underway within the corporation, the performing arts center at Wawasee High School and the construction of a new Milford Elementary School, were approved as construction manager as constructor contracts.
“A CMC is a delivery method that schools are allowed to use,” Dr. Brandon Penrod explained to the board. “And when you do that, you get a GMP. But as long as we do not change scope, the GMP stands after bid. Every time we get a bid package, we will do a GMP amendment.”
The GMP covers the 14 bid packages that were bid on back in August at the bid opening.
“The hard bids come in just under $25 million,” Dr. Penrod told the board. “So you starting talking soft costs, like fees for this and that, contingency money and other various costs, we are at $30,163,458.75.”
The GMP would allow the $30,163,458.75 to be added to the approved contracted cost.
The board approved a GMP amendment for the performing arts center at the regular May board meeting. The corporation has another upcoming bid package on Sept. 25 for phase two of the performing arts center. At the regular October board meeting, Penrod will ask for another GMP amendment.
As the board worked its way through its agenda, the buzz of anticipation grew and grew as the fate of Wawasee gymnastics was about to be revealed. At its last regular board meeting, in August, after hearing multiple impassioned pleas from former gymnasts, parents of gymnasts and coaches, the board chose to table the decision as to whether or not cancel the Wawasee gymnastics program. A petition made its way through the community and collected over 2,000 signatures.

    Nika Prather, president and director of Wawasee Gymnastics Club, went before the board to fight for the future of gymnastics. Photo by Marissa Sweatland, InkFreeNews
  

“I want to say thank you, I know these conversations are difficult at times,” Dr. Steve Troyer, superintendent, said. “Our work is absolutely not done, in fact, I think it is only beginning. We are only starting the conversation, I think there are solutions out there for us to find.”
The board ultimately approved continuing the program and to look for long-term solutions but not to set up the equipment in the auxiliary gym. The gymnastics equipment typically would be set up from October and March for the gymnastics season. The equipment is too extensive to be able to be torn down after every practice or meet. But due to space, the board decided to keep the equipment in storage until there is a long-term solution found.
The Wawasee Gymnastics Club is still allowed to use the space to practice tumbling and other skills. However, without erecting the stored gymnastic equipment, gymnasts are severely limited to the skills that can be learned, practiced and mastered. However, Troyer said, the work to find a long-term solution for the gymnastics team has just begun.
“There might be some solutions that can’t happen immediately today, but I am committed to finding a long-term solution,” Troyer said. “I would recommend the board allow the middle and high school team to continue. In the short term, we would task our athletic directors to finding solutions for practices while we try to explore long-term solutions for the facility issue. This would allow athletes to compete for Wawasee Middle and High School by exploring alternative training options for the upcoming season.”
In other news, Wawasee Corporation averaged 90.5% on its IREAD results. North Webster scored 100%, Milford scored 94.4% and Syracuse scored 83.2%. The state average IREAD score was 82.5%, so Wawasee did score above average. The state goal is to have 95% passing rate by 2025. North Webster will be honored at the Statehouse for its perfect IREAD scores.
“Considering our scores, I have no doubt we will be able to hit that,” Assistant Superintendent Dr. Shelly Wilfong told the board. “I feel like that is a very attainable goal for us and our students. I am very excited to see how we do in the spring.”
In other good news, Kosciusko Community Foundation has granted $50,000 to the school corporation for the construction of early learning playgrounds in Milford, North Webster and Syracuse.
Indiana Department of Education Office of Special Education granted $20,000 as part of the Special Education Paraprofessional Training Program and will go to fund professional development opportunities for Wawasee paraprofessionals. The grant will support training in several areas including learner development and individual learning differences, instructional supports and strategies, multi-tiered systems of support, positive behavioral interventions, transportation safety and assistive technologies.
Wawasee High School received numerous athletic donations, including: $500, Smoker Craft; $500, Northern Lakes Insurance; $500 QES; $500, The Winning Edge; $500, Bart’s Watersports; $250, Ergo Resource Management; $250, the Griepentrog family; $250, Grace College Athletics; $250, Wawasee Community Bible Church; $250, The Papers; $250, Dynamic Spine and Rehab Center; $100, The Motz Group; $100, Alderfer Bergen and Co.; $100, Diligent Wealth Management and $100, Brent and Cindy Kaiser.
The Wawasee High School Art Department received a $1,550 donation from Shoemaker Electric.
Wawasee High School homecoming received a handful of donations, including: $150, Northern Lakes Realty; $300, Lakeside Coffee Co.; $300, Shipley Dental Innovations.
Wawasee FFA also received some donations, including: $300, Kosciusko County 4-H DCFS Committee; $350, Nathan Scherer; $300, Joseph and Myra Sands; and $75, James Rhodes.
North Webster Elementary received a $200 donation from North Webster Church of the Brethren Women’s Fellowship for student needs.
The next regular Wawasee School board meeting will be 5:30 p.m. Oct. 8 in the Professional Learning Center, 801 S. Sycamore St., Syracuse.