Valley Recognizes Head Custodian, Elementary Secretary
Posted
David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
MENTONE – Two women were recognized Monday night by the Tippecanoe Valley School Board for their service to the school corporation. Tippecanoe Valley Middle School Head Custodian Helen Owens was the initial recipient of the TVSC Pillar Award for Outstanding Support Staff. Mentone Elementary School Secretary Vicki Swihart, whose final day with the school corporation is Dec. 20, was recognized for her 35.5 years of service. Swihart started with TVSC in August 1978. She started her career at Mentone as a recess and study hall assistant for one year. She then started in the office her second year as an assistant to Mary Esther Romine. When Romine retired and Lori Deardorff became treasurer, Swihart became an office assistant. Eventually, the title was changed to secretary. She became secretary to the principal and served under nine principals at Mentone. After Boggs thanked Swihart for her service, she said, “I want to thank everyone so much for being part of my life and supporting me all these years.” While she will enjoy retirement, she said she will miss the school and everyone. When announcing the recognition for Owens, Boggs said the school corporation has “many wonderful individuals among our classified staff that work very hard and receive little recognition.” Because of this, in each issue of the “View of the Valley” newsletter a member of the support/classified staffs will be featured. Boggs presented Owens and Swihart with framed certificates and glass apples. Later in the meeting, the board accepted a $500 donation from the family of former student Nick Lowry. According to Boggs, just over a year ago, Dec. 3, 2012, Tippecanoe Valley High School and Burket student Nick Lowry, 18, died in his home from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Later that same day, his father, David Lowry, 53, also took his own life. Nick’s family made the $500 donation to the school corporation in honor of their nephew, son and grandson, Boggs said. In the note accompanying the donation, the family wrote, “... in our healing we would like this donation to help other troubled kids such as Nick. Please use the funds as you see fit, but one of our family’s recommendations is to have a suicide prevention program (if you don’t already have one) to help these kids by giving them the tools they need to succeed.” In other business, the school board: • Approved dual credit for Spanish 3 through Grace College. The dual credit will begin in the second semester. The class is for three credits, and cost is $25 per credit. • Heard a survey of 1,324 parents, students and TVSC staff showed there was not an overall strong desire for Valley to explore a non-traditional school calendar for the upcoming school year. Therefore, as Valley works toward the development of a 2014-15 master calendar, the focus will be on creating a traditional school calendar. • Accepted four Kosciusko Endowment Youth Services grants. The grants totaled $1,496.10. • Approved revisions to the Mentone Parent Group constitution and by-laws. • Approved the Tippecanoe Valley High School Parent/Teacher Organization constitution and by-laws. • Announced upcoming board meetings will be Jan. 20, Burket Educational Center; Feb. 10, TVMS; and March 10, TVHS. All meetings are at 6:30 p.m. • Approved the staff use of social media policy, and a revised policy relating to administration as discussed at the November meeting. • Approved the request from the Tippecanoe Valley Aquatic Club to use the TVHS pool Jan. 12 from 1 to 6 p.m. The club plans to hold its annual Swim-a-Thon then. A dinner will be held in the commons following the Swim-a-Thon.
