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SYRACUSE - To finish off Wawasee's tennis courts, Wawasee Schools Assistant Superintendent Tom Tumey presented the board with two quotes for a tennis storage and observation building.
The quotes were for approximately $34,000 from T.L. Jackson and $28,000 from Phil Price & Sons.
Board member Brian Dawes asked why they were going to build the storage building and observation deck in the first place.
Tumey said they had planned the project for some time. Storage is needed at the tennis courts and shelter is needed for those who use the courts during the day.
With other ways to help the athletic program, Dawes said, he couldn't "get comfortable" with the project. He said he didn't see it as essential, but didn't mean to slight tennis.
The storage building will be 28 feet by 24 feet and have two levels, Tumey said. It will have electricity and a drinking fountain, but no bathrooms. From the observation deck, most of the tennis courts can be viewed.
Superintendent Mark Stock said a permanent structure will be less likely to be vandalized than a storage shed on skids.
Marion Acton, board member, said Wawasee has excellent tennis courts, but they need to be finished. "To me," he said, "I think this is just finishing it off." Acton moved to approve the project at a cost not to exceed $28,500. The board approved the project 4 to 1, with Dawes voting against it.
In another athletic-related action, the Wawasee School Board approved the consolidation of the Milford and Wawasee middle schools' wrestling programs.
Kevin Taylor, head wrestling coach, said he thought it was important to bring the two programs together for the sake of numbers. He said they have to fill a roster of 22, but haven't been able to do that with two separate programs. It is hard to win any championships, he said, with not enough wrestlers on a team.
"I think it's best for both programs to put them together in one team," Taylor said.
Taylor said several parents talked to him first about consolidating the teams. He said he is trying to work out a busing system with the transportation director.
Acton said he thought it would be appropriate to have practices and meets at both schools. He asked Stock if consolidating athletic programs at the two middle schools was going to become more common. Stock said he thought there were no other sports programs that would benefit from consolidating.
The board approved the consolidation by a vote of 4 to 1, with Acton opposed.
In other business, the school board:
• Approved a bid of $109,000 for a seawall at Syracuse Elementary School. Tumey said the bids were higher than he anticipated a year ago. The low bid was from Martin Inc., Fort Wayne. Other bids ranged from $126,968 to $148,400.
Tumey said the seawall will be approximately 782 feet long and will run the length of the Syracuse Elementary property line.
• Recognized four retiring teachers who have more than 119 years of teaching experience among them. Those teachers are: Ronald Carmichael, 23 years; David Stookey, 35.5 years; Janis Engleberth, 25.5 years; and Gale Harris, 35 years.
• Accepted a gift of a Universal Selecterized Abdominal Machine to the Wawasee High School weight room. The equipment is worth more than $1,000.
• Heard a presentation on student progress in mathematics. Overall, students are improving in math at Wawasee schools, but the corporation must continue to work on math skills.
• Approved textbooks for miscellaneous courses and textbook rental fees.
• Heard Wawasee's Title One grant application will be for $162,079.25. With the carry-over from last year, the total funds will be $170,726.09.
Title One is set up for students who qualify for reduced or free lunches. Poverty levels are rising each year and North Webster and Syracuse Elementary have the highest poverty levels in the Wawasee School Corp.
Board members are Jeffrey Wells, Carol Swartzendruber, Marion Acton, Brian Dawes and David Carey.
