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SYRACUSE - Playground equipment at Syracuse Elementary School is "in a state of decay," parent Traci Henn told the Wawasee Community School Corp. Board of Trustees on Tuesday.
Henn told the school board she and the Parent-Teacher Organization playground committee she serves on want the school board's help in generating funds for new playground equipment.
Syracuse Elementary has two playgrounds. The front playground has some new equipment, Henn said, but the back playground needs newer equipment. The PTO has tried various ways to raise money to purchase playground equipment but it can't raise the kind of money it needs to fully fund it. She asked why the responsibility of providing safe playground equipment was that of the PTO. If the school board can budget items like improving the high school track, why can't playground equipment be budgeted? Henn asked.
Wawasee Superintendent Mark Stock said in the six years he has been with the corporation, he doesn't remember school board money being budgeted for playground equipment with the exception of the new North Webster Elementary School because it had nothing. The school board did not pay for all that cost. In the past, PTOs at the school bought playground equipment as a way to help the schools.
"We can do a little more history on it," said Stock. He said Henn's funding request is the first one made for playground equipment.
Henn said the PTO spent approximately $16,000 on three pieces of equipment for the front playground. She said she knows funds are tight and is not asking for help overnight.
"I just need to know ... if this is something you are willing to discuss" with the committee, Henn said,
Board member Dallas Winchester said safe playground equipment is important to him. He asked if funding for new equipment could be included in the Syracuse Elementary improvement project budget.
Stock said he and the principals can discuss and review the history of money expenditures for playground equipment at the next principal's meeting.
School board vice president Carol Swartzendruber told Henn she appreciates her bringing the issue to the school board's attention. "We'll look into it and see if we can come to at least some understanding."
In other business, the school board:
• Approved Stock's recommendation not to renew the contracts of four first-year teachers due to the dropping student enrollment in Wawasee Schools.
Those teachers are Cathy Laker, Dan Gause, Brian Larson and Lori Hickman.
Stock said the enrollment news is not good. Enrollment for the third nine weeks in Wawasee Schools is the lowest it's been since 1990. North Webster Elementary School enrollment is up 20 students, Milford's has dropped "a couple," Syracuse Elementary has dropped 50, the high school has dropped about 70 and the middle school is down 50.
"We've got some problems with enrollment," Stock said, adding he will keep the school board informed on enrollment figures. Enrollment figures determine how much money Wawasee School Corp. receives from the government.
• Approved a resolution employing Hilliard Lyons to refund the school corporation's refunding participation certificates at the earliest possible date and authorizing Hilliard Lyons to underwrite a refunding issue for the certificates on behalf of the school corporation.
Stock said anytime the school board gets a chance to refinance and save money, it should take that opportunity. The rates are such that by refinancing the middle school project bonds, which the certificates are for, the school corporation can save money.
• Approved the schools' handbooks changes, the 2002-03 calendar and summer school courses and instruction.
Summer school will begin June 7 and end July 9.
• Had the first reading for a change to the expulsion process. The change would begin with the 2002-03 school year.
Currently, expulsion hearings are scheduled and information is sent to the parent and student, who often do not let the administration know if they plan to attend. Administrators prepare for and go to the hearing, which often is not held because the parent and student don't show.
The proposed change follows the law and would place more responsibility on the parent and student to request a hearing.
• Heard the Committee for Assessment for Curriculum and Teaching decided to implement two grading scales corporationwide at the start of the 2002-03 school year.
For grades K-8, the cutoff for an A is 90 percent; B, 80 percent; C, 70 percent; and D, 60 percent.
For grades 9-12, the grading scale is 93 percent for an A; 85 percent for a B; 73 percent for a C; and 65 percent for a D.
• Heard reading and language arts textbooks that will be recommended for adoption in May will be displayed at the central office until the May board meeting. Patrons are invited to come in to look at them.
• Heard reports on each of the Wawasee schools' Public Law 221 School Improvement Plans.
School board members are president Brian Dawes, Swartzendruber, secretary Marion Acton, Jeff Wells and Dallas Winchester. The next meeting is at 7 p.m. May 14 at Wawasee Middle School.
