Human Resources Director Sheila Howe updated the Warsaw School Board on where staffing was for the school corporation Tuesday.
Howe said, as far as hiring teachers, the school corporation was in a “good space right now.” Most of the teachers needed were hired in April.
In January, Howe told the Board that an urgent plea was sent out to WCS staff to reach out to places like family and their churches for anyone who would be willing to work for WCS, “whether it be full-time, part-time. We’re opening up to flexible schedules.”
As the school board moves into the summer months, it will look at the openings for paraprofessionals and transportation personnel, Howe said Tuesday. Howe said she believes Warsaw Community Schools is in a good position as they started looking for people to fill open positions early.
“I feel really good at where we’re at this year. We’ve done different things than we’ve done in the past and I think it’s worked out well for us,” Howe said.
Transportation Director Mark Fick said he is expecting three or four possible retirements in his department. With current pay rates, Fick said there hasn’t been any applications for open positions. He said it takes a minimum of 45 days to get a CDL license.
“It’s just the way the economy is,” Fick said. He also said it is a statewide issue as far as bus drivers positions.
Also, the Board:
• Learned the Indiana School Boards Association honored WCS as a commendable board. Hoffert said a commendable board is one that has gone “through so much professional development” in the past year through active participation in ISBA or ISBA-recognized trainings, seminars and conferences.
Board members Mike Coon and Randy Polston received Commendable Governance Awards.
• Heard from Warsaw Community High School science teacher Emily Gough and several students in the WCS Student Environmental Club. Gough told the Board the club went to the regional Envirothon competition in March in Columbia City. The two teams placed first and third. The top two overall teams in the competition were able to go to the state competition.
One week before the state competition, WCS found out the second-place team at the regional competition was unable to go to the state competition, so both WCS teams were able to go to state.
The senior team was made up of Katelynn Boyle, Cadence Gibson, Rachel Doyle, Harrison Phipps and Claire Walker.
For the written portion of the exam at the state competition, they finished first. The senior team’s oral project placed third. In the overall competition, the senior team placed second in the state competition
