MENTONE – Monday was Tippecanoe Valley School Corp.’s first day of school and its enrollment numbers were down. Superintendent Brett Boggs reported to the school board Monday night that student enrollment at Valley totaled 1,885. That includes 359 at Akron Elementary, 458 at Mentone Elementary, 418 at Tippecanoe Valley Middle School and 650 at the high school. In March, Boggs said the building principals were asked to project what they thought this fall’s enrollment might be. While former Mentone Principal Angie Mills and TVHS Principal Dr. Michael Bendicsen were close – 450 and 652 respectively – the numbers at Akron and middle school were less than projected by double digits. Akron Principal Chrissy Mills estimated 385 and Scott Backus had projected 435 at the middle school. Boggs also said the enrollment Monday of 1,885 students was less than the September 2014 count of 1,963 students and the February count of 1,953 students. He remarked that the numbers in kindergarten are low. “We’re seeing smaller groups of kids coming in,” he said. In other business, the school board: • Reviewed two school board policies, which the board will be asked to approve at its September meeting. The policies cover the school corporation’s debt management and investments. • Heard that after Tippecanoe Valley sent a request to the Indiana Department of Education to review its graduation rate for 2014, it was corrected to show Valley’s rate was 85 percent instead of 77 percent as initially reported. • Recognized TVMS Secretary Melanie Vanlaningham for being the recipient of the Tippecanoe Valley Pillar Award for Outstanding Support Staff, and Mentone Elementary School kindergarten teacher Ashley DuBois for being the recipient of the TVSC World Class Teacher Award. • Heard TVHS senior Rob Morehouse was selected to attend the 2015 Congress of Future Science and Technology Leaders in Boston, Mass., for three days in the summer. Morehouse said he got to listen to “famous and successful people on how they got successful.” • Was reminded that the Tippecanoe Valley Distinguished Alumni Banquet will be at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 10 at the middle school. The public is invited. • Announced upcoming meetings will be Aug. 17, budget workshop, administration office, 7 p.m.; Sept. 14, regular meeting, Mentone Elementary, 6 p.m.; Sept. 21, budget public hearing, administration office, 7 p.m.; and Oct. 12, regular meeting, Mentone Elementary, 6 p.m.
