Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
NORTH MANCHESTER - The Manchester Community School Board at its meeting Tuesday night created two new positions in the media department at Manchester Junior High and hired one person to fill them.
The board had to reduce the media staff at the junior high from three people to two because of budget cuts earlier this year. Since the school is in the process of switching computer systems from Dynex to Follett to keep track of books and resources in the media center, the need for more help arose.
That prompted the school board to create a one-year position to help the transition in the media department go smoothly. Jane Whited will fill the position of media coordinator from Aug. 18 to Dec. 17, and the position of media instructor from Dec. 18 through the end of the school year.
According to Diane Showalter, "This position will help bridge the gap" during the transition phase.
She added, "Basically, (Whited) will work her way out of the position."
In other business, the board:
• Approved an overnight professional leave request for Kevin Walter to attend the National Council of Teachers of English 94th Annual Convention Nov. 13-23 in Indianapolis.
• Reviewed updates to the board policies. The board is using consulting guidelines to revise and update board, school and administrative policies. More changes are expected and will be discussed at next week's regular board meeting.
• Accepted resignations from Mike Martynowicz, eighth-grade football coach, and Mary Jo Weimann, receptionist for Maple Park Educational Center.
• Hired Sue Gnagy as volleyball coach and track coach at Manchester Junior High; Barb Williams as the K-12 assistant media technology coordinator; Susan Skaar as K-12 media technology coordinator; and Tim McLaughlin as volunteer assistant tennis coach for Manchester High School.
• Heard a budget workshop to explain preliminary budget figures. No budget figures were available.
Manchester school board members present at the meeting were Sally Krouse, president, Todd Speicher, Thom Frantz, Kent Terrill, Brian Shilling, and Brad Perrott. Carlye McLaughlin was not at the meeting. Superintendent Diane Showalter also was present at the meeting.
