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NORTH MANCHESTER - Manchester College junior Katie Hanes visited the Manchester School Board meeting Tuesday to discuss and demonstrate the mediation process for solving conflicts.
Hanes was assigned by Education For Conflict Resolution, North Manchester, to work with Manchester Junior High School students "who have some kind of a conflict," MJHS principal Randy Gratz said.
"We've seen a tremendous decrease in conflicts," he said, "at least that I have to deal with."
Gratz also said Manchester is "fortunate to have ECR in our community."
Hanes and three MJHS students performed a role play for board members demonstrating a typical student conflict. Hanes said the role play was demonstrated to "show a positive way to solve conflicts."
This is Hanes' first year working with ECR. She said mediation for students takes place during their study hall or lunch.
"If anybody feels they need to go to mediation," she said, "they fill out the form (in the office)." The other participant in the conflict is contacted and they can choose to participate in mediation.
"It's not forced," Hanes said. So far, she said, all the students who have been contacted for mediation have participated.
"It could be conflicts between teachers and students (or) parents and students," Hanes said. It's not limited to MJHS students.
Currently, 12 MJHS students are involved in the mediation program. These students go through one day of mediation training.
Hanes said MJHS has not had many conflicts this year and when they do occur, they're "not major conflicts."
In other business:
• Board members approved changing the agenda for monthly board meetings on a temporary basis. The first meeting of the month will include one item of business. The remainder of the time will be used for a workshop. The second meeting of the month will be a regular board meeting.
• Superintendent Connie Curry reported to board members on parent/teacher conferences.
"This year, 72 percent of our enrollment had conferences of some kind within our schools," she said. "So, I'm pleased. ... We'll certainly strive to increase that whenever we can."
Board member Larry Miller said once the group conferences were ended at the junior high, the percentage of conferences increased.
• Board members approved an Eisenhower Title II federal grant for $5,583 and a Title VI federal grant for $8,180.
The grants cover testing and scoring materials; professional development costs such as memberships, subscriptions and publications; contracted services and staff development opportunities and supplies in the areas of math and science as well as other core subjects as defined by the grant guidelines, including: English, government, arts, geography, history and economics.
• Board members approved a donation from the Wabash County Solid Waste Management District to Laketon Elementary and Manchester Elementary schools' libraries for materials.
"We certainly appreciate everything they do to support us," Curry said.
• Board members approved an overnight field trip request from Rhonda Snover and Shelly Walgamuth, MHS English and French teachers, to take MHS students to England and France in June for nine days.
• Board members granted permission to the PeeWee PomPom League to use the MHS stage each Sunday for eight weeks beginning Jan. 7.
• Board members granted permission for a cheerleading sport camp for students in kindergarten through eighth grade to take place Feb. 3 at the MHS gym and auditorium.
• Board members accepted Angie Briner's resignation as student intervention coordinator at Manchester Commuity Schools. Briner will be the executive director for ECR beginning Dec. 15.
• Board members approved a professional leave request for Melissa Curless to attend the Indiana Writing Initiative, Fort Wayne, Jan. 17 through Feb. 21.
• Board members approved hiring Rebecca Cook as a temporary grade two teacher at MES and Marla Parson as seventh grade ladies' basketball coach at MJHS.
• Curry said MHS presented a musical last week titled, "The Secret Garden."
"If you missed (it), you missed a real treat," Curry said.
• Board president Kent Trickle reminded board members that an annual donation of $50 is given to the Dick Harvey Scholarship Fund. The procedure was changed from past years and donations have not been received yet for this year.
• School board meetings were set for Jan. 9 and 23.
Manchester Community Schools Board of Trustees includes: president Kent Trickle, vice president Virginia Gunter, secretary Larry Miller, Todd Speicher, Sally Krouse, Brad Perrott and Thom Frantz. Superintendent is Connie Curry.
