Frustrations, Celebrations at Warsaw School Meeting
Posted
Aaron Organ-aorgan@timesuniononline.com
The Warsaw Community Schools Board meeting Monday saw both parental frustrations voiced and classroom successes lauded.
During the three-hour meeting, two parents upset with the district charging parents for textbooks voiced detailed, researched arguments calling for a refund of parents’ money, then later the board heard a wild success story about algebra test scores skyrocketing across the board.
One parent told the board that among her four children being schooled within the district, she pays over $500 in textbook fees - requirements that she says, with court precedence backing her argument, are unconstitutional.
Another parent argued that issues and questions raised in a letter written to Superintendent Dr. Craig Hintz was not fully addressed. The board asked the woman to resubmit the letter and copy each board member on it, and assured her the questions within it would be answered.
The board later received a status report from Lorinda Kline on the district’s Algebra 1 achievements, which saw a dramatic climb in test scores due to a collaborative effort from teachers across the district.
Overall, test scores on the Algebra 1 exam rose from 76.6 percent to 85.5 percent. The Hispanic students saw their test score climb from 54.4 percent to 79 percent, and the students on free and reduce lunches had their scores go from 60.1 to 78.2 percent. Special education students improved their test scores from 46.3 percent to 64 percent.
“That is worthy of celebrating,” said Kline.
JoElla Smyth presented to the board a detailed report of the district’s summer school program, which saw 2,071 students attend its many offerings - up from some 1,800 a year ago. Students earned 878 credits and recovered 105 credits in the program that should see the district return at least 73 percent of its investment from the state.
In other business, the board recognized school psychologist Shelly Mabee, who was named Indiana School Psychologist of the Year by the Indiana Association of School Psychologists. Mabee, who works at Eisenhower and Madison elementaries and the high school, was nominated by colleagues and the principals.
The board also approved a federal grant and a federal preschool special education grant, as well as a Title III grant. The 2012 budget, a capital projects plan, a bus replacement plan and a flexible operating budget was also approved by the board.
The board also voted to accept a $1,500 donation to Jefferson Elementary School from First Presbyterian Church of Winona Lake. The money will be used for student emergencies such as doctor appointments or gym shoes.
