SYRACUSE - Wawasee School Board granted an easement to the town of Syracuse Monday.
The school is allowing an extra 20 feet along the Syracuse-Webster Road to accommodate water and sewer line construction. A grant of easement has been presented to the town by the school corporation. The only condition is that the school has asked the town to waive any additional tap-on fees.
Superintendent Dr. Tom Edington announced Syracuse Elementary School has received status as an accredited school. This accreditation is granted by a commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation, and is through the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. All state requirements are adhered to as well.
A kindergarten through 12th grade Career Awareness Plan was presented to the board. This plan revolves around developing career awareness for students, ranging from high school down into the lower grades.
Various opportunities offered for high school students include job shadowing (9th and 10th grades) at several area locations where students get to view work day procedures. Internships at several area businesses are offered to 11th- and 12th-graders, and cadet teaching (11th and 12th grades) at Syracuse Elementary, Wawasee Middle School and Milford Middle School also is offered as a chance to experience the teaching profession.
For middle school students, sixth-graders are involved in a Junior Achievement program for eight weeks, known as Exchange City.
Seventh-graders participate in Drive For Your Life, where they are given the opportunity to explore career fields, and learn to fill out an application and prepare an resumé.
For eighth-graders in the "Get A Life" program, students compare possible life scenarios with a real situation, and learn what it would take to be involved in either.
Throughout the lower grades, the emphasis is on the importance of thinking ahead. Through the Career Awareness Plan, even kindergarten students are given the opportunity to see different career choices by taking walking field trips to places such as the post office, public library, police and fire departments, and even around the school grounds to see what goes on outside of the classroom.
For the upcoming 2008-2009 school year, the Career Awareness plan has created a new class, law enforcement, in partnership with Ivy Tech in Warsaw and the Warsaw Area Career Center. Agreements are also in place with Ivy Tech in Fort Wayne, Vincennes University and Northwestern College in Ohio.
New teacher orientation has been announced for Aug. 5-8. The Northwest Education Association will conduct training for MAP testing for grades K-9. A training session for building principals and representatives from each building will be Aug. 1. An early release in-service training for all staff will be conducted Aug. 19.
Full-day kindergarten screening for all kindergarten students will be Aug. 7 noon to 7 p.m. at the students' home school. Kindergarten teachers have created the screening process and will be conducting the screenings. Information can be found on the school's Web site at www.wawasee.k12.in.us
Wawasee School Board members are George Gilbert, Dallas Winchester, Becky Linneneier, Mary Louise Dixon and Mike Wilson.
