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Warsaw School Board heard about a resolution regarding litigation against social media companies during its meeting Tuesday.
Warsaw Community Schools (WCS) Superintendent Dr. David Hoffert said the issue came to the school corporation about six months ago in some conversations with some legislators, along with some attorneys working with Indiana schools.
“There’s definitely a negative impact social media has on youth here in America, especially school-aged kids when we’re dealing with anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts,” he said.
Hoffert said there is a group of schools banning together that are authorizing some litigation with social media companies. He said there are about 75-85 school systems in Indiana that are looking to take part and Hoffert recommended WCS be one of them.
The resolution authorizes law firm Wagstaff & Cartmell LLP to initiate litigation and file suit against any appropriate parties to seek compensation to the district for damages suffered by the district and its students as a result of the development, operation and marketing of social media platforms and to seek any other appropriate relief.
Hoffert said he wasn’t asking for any action Tuesday, but it was something that will be brought back during Monday’s regular meeting.
Earlier in the meeting, the school board approved a proposal for a guaranteed savings contract.
Chief Financial Officer Stephen Boyer said the board approved advertising for proposals for a guaranteed savings contract back in June. The school corporation received bids through Friday and they received one from Performance Services Inc. (PSI).
Project bid respondents were asked to evaluate all WCS’ facilities to identify guaranteed savings solutions, including upgrade or replacements at the facilities like plumbing, HVAC systems, electrical and lighting systems, walls, roofs and windows.
PSI provided a 170-page proposal and identified 175 potential solutions across the corporation.
Lakeview Middle School has “substantial infrastructure needs,” Boyer said. PSI’s proposal focuses on areas in need in repair and replacement that could result in a large cost savings to WCS over the years.
The repairs were separated in two phases. Phase one includes some central plant repairs and replacements, some structural repairs to the gym walls, a gym mezzanine for mechanical units and some reroofing. Phase two would include some classrooms and bathroom renovations.
PSI will provide WCS with final energy calculations before a contract is executed. The finalized energy calculations will be included in the contract, Boyer said.
Boyer said it was recommended the proposal be approved based on PSI’s reputation, their technical approach and potential performance guaranteed. If approved, WCS would work with PSI to finalize the scope of the work, including total cost and the guaranteed savings of the projects.
The board approved the proposal.
The board also approved an emergency repair for a sewer lift station.
In March, the sewer lift station at Warsaw Community High School between the high school and Edgewood Middle School became inoperable, Boyer said.
“The sewer lift station has two sewage pumps that lift the waste water to the main sewer line. And after the lift station became inoperable, it was discovered that both of the sewage pumps had failed. So we temporarily rented a sewage lift pump while one of the two in the station was being repaired. The cost of the pump repair and the cost of the rental for that time period was approximately $50,000,” Boyer said.
Currently, the rented pump is gone and the station is operating with the repaired pump.
“If that pump were to fail, the high school would not be able to properly discharge waste water, which could result in the disruption of education for students in the instructional day and could have some unplanned costs,” he said.
WCS received a quote from G & G Hauling & Excavating for $125,000. Boyer recommended the board deem the situation an emergency and authorize Boyer, Hoffert and Director of Facilities, Operations and New Construction Jim LeMasters to expedite the repair.
Board member Matt Deuel asked if the school would have to be shut down if the pump would break down for those repairs. LeMasters said it would depend if they could get a rental pump right away. Deuel then asked if the school was at risk until they found a permanent solution. LeMasters said that was correct.
Hoffert said the high school process 60,000 gallons of wastewater a day and he doesn’t want that amount of wastewater “showing up in our back yard back here.”
Boyer said $125,000 can be covered through bond money and the operations fund.
The board approved the emergency repair.
In other business, the board:
• Heard Warsaw Community and Economic Development Director Jeremy Skinner’s annual TIF update.
• Approved advertising the 2026 budget.
• Was reintroduced to Lewis Fuller, who will become WCS’ fifth school resource officer. He will cover Harrison, Eisenhower, Lincoln and Washington elementary schools.
