Steam Boat

Sauders Named New Silver Lake Principal

BY DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer

Employees of Warsaw Community Schools Corp. cannot serve on the school board.

Thursday, school board member Charles E. Sauders, District 4, resigned his seat on the board. After approving Sauders' resignation, the school board then approved Sauders as the new Silver Lake Elementary School principal.

Sauders was not present at the special school board meeting. However, in his resignation letter to board president Craig Allebach and superintendent Dr. David McGuire, Sauders wrote: "Effectively immediately, I hereby resign my position representing District 4 on the Board of Trustees of Warsaw Community Schools.

"I have enjoyed working with both past and present board members, and I've always been impressed with the board members' and administration's dedication to the welfare of Warsaw Community Schools.

"The Warsaw community is indeed fortunate to have such an outstanding school board and administration."

After the board accepted the resignation, Allebach said that in the time he's served on the board, "this is new to the Warsaw Community Schools board of trustees." After the school board began having its members elected, the school corporation has never had a resignation, he said.

The school board has 30 days to fill the vacancy. According to information provided by the board, vacancies on the board are filled by appointment of the majority of school board members. The appointed member will serve the remainder of Sauders' term until the board seat would be up for election.

The term for District 4 does not expire until December 2004. The seat is not up for election this year, according to Allebach.

Anyone interested in filling Sauders' vacancy on the school board should contact McGuire for more information. All candidates must meet residency requirements. District 4 includes the city of Warsaw, ward 1, precinct 2, ward 2, precinct 1; and Wayne Township, precincts 1 and 2. Deadline for applications for the seat are due by 4:30 p.m. Aug. 19. The board will conduct interviews with all the candidates and asks that anyone applying for the position check with the county clerk to make sure they meet all the requirements.

Sauders served approximately nine years on the school board. Allebach said he was sorry to have to lose Sauders from the board.

Sauders began his teaching career with Whitley County Consolidated Schools, then became a teacher with Fairfield Community Schools, where he taught at Millersburg and New Paris elementary schools. He received his undergraduate degree from Grace College and his master's degree from St. Francis. Sauders is a member of the National Education Association. Sauders and his wife, Paulette, reside in Warsaw, and have two children.