Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
SYRACUSE - A concerned parent requested an evaluation on the current delay/cancel policy for Wawasee Community School Corp. Tuesday.
Rich Rhodes, Milford, told board members he was "really troubled about the delay/cancellation policy" and asked that the board "take a look at it."
Rhodes said his concern came about due to "very bad road conditions" on Feb.1, which "resulted in one or more buses sliding off the road and one or more buses becoming stuck in the snow." He said "school was not even delayed" that day.
He passed out a list of six recommendations for board members to review. Among the list was possibly increasing the time frame of the delay/cancellation process, increasing the number of people involved in the process, consulting the highway department, involving bus drivers in the process, scanning the radar to see what weather is coming into the area and opting for a delay or cancellation "if it's a borderline call."
"As a concerned parent, I am requesting the Wawasee School Board to evaluate the current status of the delay/cancel policy for the corporation," Rhodes said. "Even if none of my six suggestions are adopted, I would ask the school board to review and make some recommendations to the current policy."
Superintendent Mark Stock said the transportation director starts out about 4 a.m. and drives through the Wawasee school area to evaluate road/weather conditions. He then checks the satellite and Doppler Radar at the school before 5 a.m. and makes a decision to call Stock or not. If Stock is called, they then meet at the school's central office at 6 a.m. and decide whether or not to delay school. If a delay or cancellation is called, media outlets are notified at or before 6 a.m. The transportation director continues to evaluatea road/weather conditions.
"Those are decisions that we all struggle with," Stock said.
Stock and board members told Rhodes they would look into his concerns.
In other business:
• Bruce Kavill, Syracuse, said six corporate sponsors want to donate $6,000 to the high school baseball team.
"I'm sure that would buy a lot of baseballs and a lot of bats," Kavill said. He also said part of the money would be used for a fence around the baseball field.
Kavill said he would get the information to athletic director Mary Hurley.
• Dirk Koon said he is concerned with the state funding error that recently took place.
"How much is that going to affect our budget?" Koon asked.
Jim Evans, director of support services, said the effect for Wawasee schools is approximately $20,000. "Everything is based on projections," he said. "If we don't get (that money), that will just be money we won't spend."
Stock said he will attend a meeting in Indianapolis today regarding the budget and more will be known about the impact of the error then.
• Board members accepted a fence donation from Royal Crown Ltd. The fence is 84 inches high and will be installed outside the second- and third-grade classrooms that are open to the service drive. Milford School will budget $2,000 toward the fence and Royal Crown Ltd will donate the remainder of the cost.
• The 2000-01 corporation goals also were accepted as board goals.
New goals include student improvement in reading and language art skills, updating and improving the administrative and teacher evaluation process and making grading practices more consistent among grade levels and departments or courses.
• The following resignations were accepted: Jennifer Wozniak-Shear, title I paraprofessional at North Webster School; Doralee Pinkerton, cafeteria worker at Milford School; Max Castor, Wawasee Middle School custodian; and Dennis Sullivan, part-time custodian at Syracuse School.
• The following employments were approved: Angie Higginbotham, administrative secretary in the central office for board recording secretary; Martha Kipp, cafeteria worker at Wawasee High School; and Stephen Davis, custodian at Milford School.
• Larry Liddle was approved as a new science teacher at WHS from Aug. 14 through approximately Nov. 6 until the position is filled with a contract teacher.
• Approved the Interlocal Agreement for North Central Indiana Special Education Cooperative. "We do have enough money to do this without borrowing," Stock said.
• Adopted the 2001 budget, capital projects funds plan and bus replacement plan.
• Don Huber, director of finance, updated board members on the new North Webster Elementary School.
Huber said plumbing started last week and two drinking wells and one fire well will be installed today or Thursday.
• Approved an ISBA region board meeting in Plymouth Oct. 17.
• Approved an FFA field trip request to attend the National Convention at Louisville, Ky., from Oct. 25 through 28.
• Dallas Winchester, Milford, and Don North, North Webster, were introduced as candidates running for the school board.
The Wawasee Community School Corp. board comprises: Jeffrey Wells, president; Carol Swartzendruber, vice president; Marion Acton, secretary; Brian Dawes; and David Carey.
