Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
SYRACUSE -ÊStudent handbook changes were approved by the Wawasee School Board Tuesday. Changes ranged from issues on parking tags to in-school suspension.
One concern about the changes was a request by the elementary school principals to add a section to their handbook that will state the school has the right to inspect any package delivered to students or staff. The change was added "for the safety of our students and staff." Wawasee School Officer Chris Rager requested the change.
Board president Jeffrey Wells asked that if the elementary schools have a policy to inspect packages, shouldn't the middle schools and high school have the same policy.
Wawasee High School Principal Alan Frank said the high school doesn't have the policy because they have the right to inspect lockers and consider inspecting packages to be a part of that right.
Sharon Sigler, elementary school principal, said Rager recommended the school not accept any packages, but she told him that wouldn't fly.
Board member Marion Acton said the schools may want to discuss the policy and have the policy at all schools to be consistent.
Frank then announced, "We'll add (the policy)."
Acton asked about the change in the Milford Middle School handbook that would delete the rule regarding no chewing gum in school. Principal Cindy Kaiser said they're choosing their battles to fight and they thought they would try allowing gum chewing to be consistent with the high school.
The middle school handbook also was changed to read that if a student athlete is in possession of alcohol or tobacco products on or off school property, he or she may not compete in a minimum of 30 percent of the remaining schedule of the sport in which they are competing at the time of the offense.
In other business, the board:
• Was told that four of the 12 seniors who were required to retake the graduation qualifying exam have met the standards. Of the eight remaining, five will meet the requirements of the appeal process and the other three will not. Of the 38 juniors who retook the test, 19 met the standards.
"That is much better than we have done in the past," said assistant superintendent Tom Tumey.
• Tumey said the miscellaneous textbook adoption committee has completed their work. The chosen textbooks are available for patron review at the central office until the June meeting. Anyone who wants to inspect the books is asked to call the office in advance so the books will be available.
• Tumey announced the new teacher orientation program has been expanded to a full week this year and will begin Aug. 7. The program will be held at the Wawasee Middle School and tentatively at Oakwood Inn.
Of the program, Acton said it will allow the new teachers a chance to get their "feet on the ground" in the community and in the school corporation before classes begin.
Early release dates for Wawasee School Corp. also were announced by Tumey. Those dates are: Sept. 18, Oct. 10, Nov. 9, all 2000; Feb. 13, March 22, and May 2, all 2001.
• Recognized the Wawasee Middle School math Academic Super Bowl team, which placed first at their conference meet in April. The team, coached by eighth-grade science teacher Mike Malcolm, consists of Joey Doherty, Justin Jones, Randy Woodcock, Kevin Bell and Aubrey Rhodes. The interdisciplinary team, of Doherty, Leslie Abney, and Sara Marty, also placed first.
The Wawasee High School team finished third in their class at state.
• Recognized Milford School seventh-grader Amanda McDonald for placing first in the student division of the Lakeland Art Association Spring Exhibit. She is the daughter of Brett and Cindy McDonald.
• Approved the resignations of Milford nurse Judy Coleman, Milford Elementary fifth-grade teacher David Stookey and Wawasee High School attendance secretary Rose Olszewski.
The resignation of Don Huber, director of finance, was also accepted. His last day will be Jan. 5, 2001.
• Advertising for bids for a seawall at Syracuse Elementary was approved. The seawall will be a steel sheet-piling seawall.
• Tabled the approval of teachers' 401(a) investment agreement. Director of support services Jim Evans said as part of the teachers' retirement packet, the agreement is the "last piece of the puzzle." Under the agreement, superintendent Mark Stock, Evans and Tumey would serve as trustees. The agreement would be between the trustees and a consultant to provide advice on funds in which to invest teachers' retirement money.
• Stock shared the layout maps of the new North Webster Elementary School. They will be available in the office for inspection from May 9 to 23. On May 23, at a special meeting, permission will be asked to advertise for bids for the construction of the elementary.
• Approved the summer high school tour to England, France and Spain.
• Approved summer school offerings.
Wawasee School Board members are Jeffrey Wells, Carol Swartzendruber, Marion Acton, Brian Dawes and David Carey.
