Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
NORTH MANCHESTER - Two teachers in the Manchester Community School System will have reduced contracts in the 2006-2007 school year.
Tuesday night, the Manchester School Board unanimously approved a motion to reduce the contracts of Megan Mattern-Long and Jerry Bolinger.
Mattern-Long's contract will be reduced from 83 percent to 41 percent. She currently teaches physical education and health at Manchester High School and Laketon Elementary School. Next year, she will teach health and education only at Laketon Elementary School.
Bolinger currently teaches 10 sections of industrial technology at Manchester High School. Next year he will teach only seven sections.
"I am sorry for these people," said Superintendent Dr. Diana Showalter. "But at this time we simply don't have enough students or sections to keep them on full time. ... They are quality people, and we certainly hope we soon have students ... to have these people come back in full force."
In other business, the board:
• Approved a request for Todd Volk to be the assistant junior varsity baseball coach at MHS.
• Accepted the resignations of Patricia Reid, technology assistant at MHS; Oris Hippensteel, science teacher at MHS; Jennifer Vincent, varsity girls soccer coach at MHS; and Caryl Straiger, first-grade teacher at MES, effective at the end of the 2005-2006 school year.
• Approved professional leave requests for Linda Moery to attend Living Lands, Living Water March 17; Bill Reichart to attend the School Transportation Association Annual Conference April 19-21 in Indianapolis; Terresa Sabanski and Becky Fields to attend the IAEOP Spring Conference April 21-22 in Indianapolis.
• Approved Sunday activity requests for Manchester Recreation Association to use the MHS gym for a softball clinic March 26, April 2, 9 and 23 from 1 to 5 p.m.
• Accepted a $100 donation from the Gamma Chapter of Tri Kappa to support the Manchester Junior High School play.
• Approved prepaid school lunch claims dated April 18, regular school lunch claims dated March 31, prepaid claims dated April 18 and prepaid and regular claims dated March 31.
Manchester school board members present were Sally Krouse, president, Todd Speicher, Jan Fahs, Brian Schilling, Carlye McLaughlin and Steve Flack. Kent Terrill was absent.
