NORTH MANCHESTER – North Manchester School Corporation faces an increase in enrollment for the 2013-2014 school year, the school board heard Tuesday. Next year 123 students are expected in grade 12, while over 90 are in this year’s class. 145 students are expected in grade seven, worsening a current shortage of lockers. Currently, the school corporation has no plans to increase staffing, according to Superintendent Bill Reichhart. Principal Nancy Alspaugh, Manchester Junior-Senior High School, half jokingly said of the issue, “were still in negotiations.” Yet the school corporation has brought on a new response to intervention aide, for a segment of six-grade students who were shown to need special attention during recent ISTEP reports. The corporation has accepted the Indiana Literacy Early Intervention Program Grant in the amount of $9,812. The funds will allow more devotion and staffing for RTI aides in the K-2 classes, specifically set aside for struggling readers. According to Curriculum Director Janelle McLaughlin, many at-risk and RTI qualifying students are identified in Head Start, and systemically come from ESL or low-income backgrounds. MJSHS will be offering some additional new career and technical courses. The courses, which are dependent on enrollment, are based on the recommendation of Heartland Career Center. According to Alspaugh, it is expected there will be a continued increase in demand for career readiness courses. Some of the courses include: Culinary Arts, IT Essentials, Personal Financial Responsibility, Advanced Life Sciences and Accounting. Superintendent Bill Reichhart is submitting the Excellence in Performance Awards for Teachers Grant, with the support of the Manchester Teachers Association. If received, the competitive state grant would be awarded as a bonus to deserving teachers. According to Reichhart, last year 100 school corporations applied for the grant and 28 school corporations received an award. A donation of $200 to the Manchester High School Choir Program from Manchester Floor General Contracting Inc. was received, as was $300 for the Manchester High School Boys’ Basketball Program from an anonymous donor.
