Warsaw School Board Reviews School Calendar Recommendation
Posted
Jennifer Peryam-jperyam@timesuniononline.com
Warsaw School Board heard a recommendation Monday during its work session for a revised school calendar. The board heard the school calendar committee recommendation from Kyle Carter, Jefferson Elementary principal, and Dani Barkey, chief accountability officer. The first day of school for fall 2016 is being proposed as Aug. 15. The last day of school is being proposed at June 1, 2017, pending snow days. If there are not snow days used, school could be out by May 26, 2017. The board also heard a recommendation for students to be in school on Good Friday in 2017 and 2018, but get the day off in 2016. Parents would still have the choice to allow their students to have the day off, according to Dr. David Hoffert, superintendent. Carter said in talking to parents, they said most local businesses don’t observe Good Friday and it’s hard to find childcare when school is not in session. Other parents felt students should have Good Friday off for religious reasons. The board will review the recommendation Thursday. The board also heard Warsaw Community Schools has been awarded a grant to offer a summer eLearning conference. The $15,000 grant is from the Indiana Department of Education. WCS will host a two-day e3 Technology Conference July 25 and 26. This conference will be open to attendees outside the district and will have space for over 500 participants. Each day will feature a keynote speaker and 45-minute concurrent sessions throughout the day on a variety of technology in education topics. David Robertson, chief academic officer, provided an update on new courses in 2016 at the high school. An advanced placement environmental science class will be added, and the Career Center will add a dual credit for its landscape management course. A global economics administrative and office management course will be added. An automation and robotics II course will be a dual college credit course, and new courses will be hospital management and a cosmetoloogy program. The board also heard Jeff and Lynn Murphy made a donation of a marimba to the Warsaw Community High School music department. The value of the instrument is approximately $6,000. An anonymous donor is providing sets of books for student preparation for the upcoming visit of 1961 Freedom Rider Charles Person in January. The value of the donation is $547.25.
