SYRACUSE – The Wawasee Community School Corporation met Tuesday evening for its regular monthly meeting preceded by a special half-hour work session.
School board members, Superintendent Tom Edington, administration and school staff and principals were on hand to discuss future facility needs, after which the group moved on to the night’s regular schedule that included adoption of the 2013 budget.
Budget details, notices and pertinent legal requirements had been advertised earlier this summer, and hearing no objections, the budget was unanimously approved.
Dr. Larry Allen of Syracuse Family Practice presented an update on the Direct Care program, a joint family practice/school corporation venture available to WCSC insured staff and dependents. Now in its 10th month, surveys show the program serves almost 70 percent of its potential patients. This includes doctors’ services, labs and testing, and wellness programs. A survey distributed among 250 or so staff showed a high rate of satisfaction and use. “The good news is people are using it,” stated Dr. Allen.
Another kind of update showed data on students performing very well on state tests and their subsequent performance. “Stat of the Month” was presented by Dr. Bob Cockburn whose research on ISTEP results for students grades 3 through 8 shows some ambiguities in the data.
Studying the “pass plus” students, those who not only pass the test but do so with high scores, shows a slowdown or leveling in growth in subsequent years. Cockburn did stress, however, that such information indicated by this data should be used only to start investigation and discussion, not to reach any conclusions.
The Women of Today’s Holly Tuttle presented a $1,000 check to be split among elementary and middle schools. Tuttle explained how the group of local women has been aiding the schools for more than 20 years, and for the past 16 years has presented a $1,000 scholarship to a senior girl. TWOT is sponsoring a Halloween season fund-raising event at the Sleepy Owl Supper Club Oct. 27 called “Howl at the Owl.”
Another $3,000 was accepted in the form of a Dollar General Literacy Foundation grant. The librarian at Wawasee High School was credited with writing a grant application that resulted in the award. The money will be used to support reading initiatives at the high school.
Superintendent Edington was pleased to report he had received complimentary phone calls since the last meeting. One was from a parent who reported excellent service by a bus driver, and the other was from a visitor from a competing school. Here for a girls’ soccer game, the caller told Edington that the team exemplified “great sportsmanship.”
In other business, the board approved a contract with Tippecanoe Township to install an emergency warning signal device on the North Webster Elementary school building. WCSC attorney David Cates assured the board that there would be no interference with the school’s systems.
FFA students were granted permission to travel out of state in order to participate in soil judging competitions, and changes to this year’s lunch program were reported. Meals now include fresh fruits and vegetables and less fried and fatty items.
WCSC will meet again Tuesday Oct. 9 at 5:30 p.m. in the Warrior Room.
