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Emotions ran high for students, parents and school board members when discussing the recent prom rule debate Monday night at the Tippecanoe Valley School board meeting.
At April's meeting a motion was passed that no one over age 21 could attend dance functions at the high school. However, the motion did allow an appeal process to be heard by a five member committee.
Akron resident and Tippecanoe Valley High School senior Shari Reese and her parents, Calvin and Laura Reese, confronted the board and asked why the procedure that the board set up was not followed. They stated that an application was filled out and the applicant was to be interviewed by the committee.
Mark Wise read the motion and said the motion did not read as an interview. The word "appeal" was in the original motion.
Bruce Andrews added that the idea of the motion was to allow the appeal process.
According to the Reeses, their daughter had already bought a dress and ordered tickets for the event.
Andrews, who served on the appointed committee, explained that even with the application there was not enough information available. He said the school had to have a head count of the number of people attending the event. He said the costs of the tickets could be refunded and that the tickets were bought at risk. Andrews said the entire application and appeals process took three weeks. He added that there was not enough time to make the proper decision.
An emotional Reese showed the board her senior memory book: "This is my memory book and these pages are blank.This is what my memory book will look like."
Parent Jim Moyer told the board that in 1983 he attended the senior prom.
"I was 21 and my wife was 18," he said. He told the board that he disapproved of the board deciding who his kids could be with. "That's my job as a parent."
Several staffing problems were presented to the school board.
Marilee Benzing of Akron asked the board why one section of five was being cut from the first grade at Akron. "You're asking us to put 28 kids in a class. Kids are sharing reading books now."
Benzing said other parents were concerned about the situation but were afraid to speak out because retribution. "I want my kids to have a good education. It's not fair. What happens to the slower kids? You're asking the kids to get a good education but without a book."
Superintendent Karen Boling told Benzing that she was unaware of the situation but would look into the matter and follow up with the Akron principal.
Staffing also came up with a vote to move a sixth grade teacher to the seventh grade to teach integrated arts.
Wise expressed concern about the loss of a sixth grade language arts section.
Boling told Wise that using two periods of language arts was not working. " We need to look at what we are doing in that area," she said. "We hope to enhance the quality."
Wise said he was afraid the sixth grade would be short changed: "I thought kids first."
Boling, concerned about funding for extra staff, told Wise, "You have always held us responsible for funding. As superintendent I am responsible for financing. " She said she did care about the kids and would like to have the opportunity of looking into funding additional staff. "We have to look at the way we do business."
Wise countered by stating that the board never batted an eye when approving hundreds of thousands of dollars for technology but was quibbling over $35,000 for a teacher.
In other business:
• Gary McDaniel, representing the Band Boosters of Valley, read a statement to the board about improvements in the music department. McDaniel said he would like to see improved funding in the department and detailed several advantages to a strong music department.
• Students Nick Huffman and Jessica Stiffler were recognized for winning first and second respectively in the Reading Rainbow's Young Writers and Illustrators Contest.
• The Hoosier Spell Bowl and M.A.T.H. teams from Mentone and Akron were introduced and honored for their achievements in competition.
• Akron principal Brett Boggs gave the board a report on Project CHILD. Teachers and students involved in the program described the project involved and the rewards for the students.
• The board also approved an agreement with a neighbor of the Mentone school regarding a drainage easement on their property.
It was also announced that the recommendations be approved for Mindy Metzger to become girls varsity basketball coach and Bill Patrick to become boys basketball coach.
