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SYRACUSE — Concerns over governance, transparency and the recent discontinuation of Wawasee’s gymnastics program dominated public comment during the Wawasee Community School Board’s regular meeting Monday.
Three speakers addressed the board, beginning with Rob Chalk, who questioned the board’s oversight of Superintendent Dr. Steve Troyer and the administration.
Chalk criticized what he described as declining enrollment alongside growing administrative costs, salary increases for certain positions and a perceived lack of responsiveness to constituent concerns.
“If you are ashamed of your decisions and votes, maybe this is not the job for you,” Chalk told board members, calling for more community input on major decisions and increased transparency.
A parent, Curt Hursey, spoke next, urging the board to reconsider its decision to end the gymnastics programs at Wawasee High School and Wawasee Middle School, as announced weeks prior.
Hursey, whose daughter competed in the program, said families directly affected were not part of the decision-making process.
“It seems like this just kind of got jerked out from underneath us,” Hursey said, adding that families had previously worked with the district to find facilities after being displaced from the annex gym.
During patron comments at the Wawasee School Board's August meeting, Hursey voiced dissatisfaction with a lack of transparency and cooperation regarding the closure of Wawasee school's gymnastics program. He questioned why a shared use arrangement was possible at the Student Activity Center but not at the annex, and warned the decision could harm students seeking athletic scholarships.
Community member Lissa Krull, who commented at previous meetings, repeated longstanding concerns about how the district conducts executive sessions, citing Indiana’s open door law. She noted the board has held an executive session before every regular meeting in the past four and a half years, often to discuss job performance evaluations, litigation and board training.
“When you are purposefully making decisions outside of public meetings, you are violating the law — and those decisions you made ... could be voided,” Krull said.
Krull urged the board to hold more public work sessions and ensure agendas and minutes are clearly documented.
Following public comment, Troyer acknowledged the questions raised and said he would review them and report back at next month’s meeting, offering to meet individually with speakers in the meantime.
Krull spoke again at the meeting, pointing out the board's recurring executive sessions and that the board must reach decisions in public meetings per Indiana open door law.
In other business, the board approved donations for programs including cross country, band, FFA, cheerleading and student supply projects and recognized retiring North Webster Elementary custodian James Heintzelman for 10 years of service.
“I want to thank (Heintzelman) for all the work that he’s done,” said Troyer.
Assistant Superintendent Dr. Shelly Wilfong presented changes to the teacher evaluation process in response to House Enrolled Act 1002, introducing a two-year formal observation cycle for “effective” and “highly effective” teachers, alongside expanded professional goal-setting.
She said the change would allow principals more time for classroom walkthroughs and ongoing feedback.
In other matters:
• The board approved a $160,000 Dekko Foundation grant to fund a middle school instructional coach over three years and accepted a $2,000 grant from the Kosciusko County Community Foundation.
• The board reviewed the 2025 budget workshop and granted permission to advertise the 2026 budget, capital projects plan and bus replacement plan.
• The board approved the 2025-26 Wawasee Middle School handbook, middle school ELA curriculum adoption, meal price adjustments and food service bids.
• The board authorized pursuing a small bond issue for deferred maintenance projects and equipment needs.
Troyer reported a successful district-wide opening day for staff, which included welcoming 34 new hires and introducing an updated onboarding process for all employee groups.
The first day of school is Wednesday, Aug. 13.
The next regular meeting of the Wawasee Community School Board is set for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9, at the Wawasee Professional Learning Center, 801 S. Sycamore St., Syracuse.
