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Parents, students and interested taxpayers will have a chance to air their views Monday when the Warsaw School Board holds a public work session to discuss changes in the high school's athletic code of conduct.
Scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday in Warsaw Community High School's large lecture room, the session will include the school board and members of the committee that is writing the updated athletic code.
Discussed at Monday's school board meeting, the topic drew the attention of parents Larry Payton and Kay Kelly, who asked the board to look carefully at the proposed punishments for violations of the code.
Athletes now who violate the code's alcohol, drug and tobacco policies are suspended from participating in their chosen sport for 365 days.
Payton expressed concern that "students athletes are held to a higher standard than other students in extracurricular activities."
He also said that if a student is suspected of a violation, the "finding of facts" process should be changed.
"The athletic department should be eliminated from that process because of the perception that it is not handled consistently. There should be an independent group to study the issues. We're trying to mold young people into responsible adults," he said.
Payton also said he was told by the school's athletic department that no athlete has ever come back to their sport after a 365-day suspension.
WCHS principal Paul Crousore said later that since 1996, 21 students have been suspended from sports because of alcohol-related offenses. Of that 21, he said, 15 were seniors and could not come back; six have committed to coming back but will not be eligible until the 1999-2000 school year.
Monday's work session will not result in a finished policy, but will let the committee hear the opinions of anyone concerned with the athletic code.
The committee working on the code comprises more than 50 people, including administrators, eight coaches, 24 students, 17 parents, and PTO and student council members.
The school board hopes to vote on a completed athletic code by its June meeting.
In other business:
• Dave McGuire reported the summer school schedule for middle school and elementary students this year will again be in August. Because of the recently installed air conditioning in the elementary schools, elementary classes will be held at elementary schools.
High school summer school classes will have two sessions, with the second ending in late July.
• WCS Technology Director Dennis VanDuyne gave an update on technology in Warsaw schools by showing a video made by the WCHS video class. The video showed students in all grades using the Internet to communicate with people in countries they are studying, creating multimedia reports, using spreadsheets and making their own websites.
VanDuyne emphasized that technology is only a tool and that teachers must be able to use that tool to teach kids.
"We are making progress with our technology," he said. "We're not where we want to be yet. Unfortunately, with technology, you never quite get there."
• Terry Frank, director of the Warsaw Driver Education Cooperative Inc., reported on the WDEC and its growth since it began in 1981. The WDEC, recognized as one of the most community-involved programs in the state, now also teaches Bethel College students to be driver education instructors.
• Students from Claypool Elementary demonstrated their conflict resolution program, in which students are trained to help other students resolve problems and settle arguments.
• Assistant Superintendent Dr. Anthony Etienne explained the process the corporation uses for textbook adoption, and that WCS uses a six-year cycle for textbooks. The books now under consideration, for health and science, are on display in the lobby of the school administration building until the board's May meeting.
• Superintendent Dr. Lee Harman said the enrollment Monday was 6,283 students in all schools, compared to last year on April 12, when it was 6,263 students.
The board, after its work session Monday, will meet next at 7 p.m. May 11.
