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SYRACUSE - Fewer classes a day, more time for each class.
If Wawasee School Board approves trimester scheduling, that's what Wawasee High School students will experience during their school day.
Tuesday, the school board discussed trimester scheduling. No action was taken. Trimester scheduling involves having three semesters during a school year, with five classes a day instead of seven. Each class is for more than 70 minutes.
Marion Acton, board secretary, asked how trimester scheduling will affect athletic eligibility. WHS Principal Alan Frank said athletes will be eligible to play all 12 trimesters. With regular semester scheduling, the Indiana High School Athletic Association only allows an athlete to be eligible for eight semesters, but, Frank said, the IHSAA has worked out the trimester scheduling to allow student athletes to be eligible for all 12 trimesters.
Acton then asked about physical education class size and staffing. Frank replied that trimesters shouldn't make much difference for PE classes. As for staffing, he said, they are going to put two schedules together this spring. One schedule will look at the trimesters with no new teacher hirings and another will look at trimesters if a few additional staff members are hired.
He also said the work load on students will be less each trimester because students are not taking all their core subjects at one time. Only the advanced placement teachers have concerns with trimester scheduling, because, he said, if students take the course the first two trimesters and then have their AP test in May, students may forget some of the information. However, Frank said, there are no studies available that say achievement is lost because of trimesters.
If a student loses two weeks of school in semester scheduling, Frank said, the school tries to drag them back in. However, schools that have trimesters, like Plymouth, put those students on release and tell them to come back next trimester. Students do not end up behind in their credits, he said.
Board member Brian Dawes said he was concerned about students graduating too early. Frank said there would be rules so that doesn't happen, such as requiring students to attend at least 11 trimesters.
In other business, the school board:
• Approved writing a letter of support to aid the town of North Webster's efforts in obtaining a planning grant. Money received from the grant will be used to conduct a feasibility study on the six acres of the old North Webster Elementary School on Ind. 13.
• Was presented with a report by Assistant Superintendent Tom Tumey on how Wawasee students did on the ISTEP+ test.
Tumey said 14 seniors still need to meet the standards on the Graduation Qualifying Exam; 41 juniors and 71 sophomores still need to meet the standards.
Students are improving in math, he said, and there is a slight decline in English and language arts. Early intervention for transfer students is needed, but GQE remediation has been very successful, he said.
• Was introduced to Chris Rager, the resource officer for Wawasee schools.
• Was told by Phil Metcalf, Wawasee Education to Careers coordinator, that next week is career and technology program recognition week, as proclaimed by the governor.
Metcalf gave a presentation on the career and technical program at the high school as well as the Wawasee Education-to-Careers Opportunities program.
WETCO is geared to provide Wawasee High School students opportunities to experience the workplace firsthand. Through work-base learned opportunities - job shadowing, internships, apprenticeships, mentorships and the Interdisciplinary Cooperative Education program - and in partnership with the local business community, students can narrow down their career choices before making decisions about colleges or jobs or even classes.
Metcalf also said building trade students will be involved in apprenticeships with the Associated Builders & Contractors next year.
• Approved claims with the exception of a NIPSCO electric bill for Syracuse Elementary. The bill was miscalculated and the bill the school corporation received was for $29,962.61. The bill will be recalculated by NIPSCO and a new bill will be sent. The new bill is expected to be one-third of the cost.
• Approved a resolution to do an advance refunding issue for the corporation's 1991 financing at such a time as a net dollar savings of $80,000 or more can be realized over the remaining term of the financing. Advance refunding is similar to refinancing a mortgage without extending the numbers of years and at a lower rate. If it works, it can save the taxpayers of the corporation money.
• Approved posting the position of coordinator of support services. The position will be responsible for transportation and operations. The contract is for 260 days with a salary range of $48,000 to $58,000, based on training and experience.
• Approved accepting a scholarship donation from IKON Office Solutions for $5,734.
• Approved an overnight trip for the Wawasee FFA to the National FFA Soil and Land Judging Contest in Oklahoma City, Okla.
Members of the Wawasee School Board are Jeff Wells, Marion Acton, Dave Carey, Brian Dawes and Carol Swartzendruber.
