Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
PIERCETON - Salaries for nonteaching staff and administrators for next school year were approved Monday by the Whitko School Board, with a 3.5 percent pay raise.
Superintendent William Worl will be paid $89,643; business manager Philip Menzie, $59,202; technology coordinator Joel Yeager, $56,173; curriculum director Diana Showalter, $71,853; Whitko High School principal Larry Stoner, $74,837; Whitko Middle School principal Jerry Klausing, $69,000; high school athletic director John Mohr, $55,339; and elementary principals Ruth Jones and William Hoppus, $62,331 each.
Hourly rates for noncertified staff ranged from a low of $7.25 for summer grounds workers to $15 for the school nurse. Certified substitute teachers will make $67.50 per day; the maintenance director, $46,763; food service manager, $24,253; transportation director, $45,205; deputy treasurer, $30,876; and executive secretary, $34,087.
The board approved all salaries with no discussion.
Members of Whitko High School's FFA and their sponsor, Roger Carr, were recognized Monday for state honors they received at the Indiana FFA convention June 14.
Carr received the prestigious FFA Honorary Degree, Worl said, and four students - Cara Badskey, Nathan Rhoades, Stacie Warner and Jewel Wise - were awarded the FFA 2000 Hoosier Degree.
"I think this really speaks well for what's happening with FFA in our high school," Worl said.
FFA member Liza Moore was named the new FFA state vice president, and won first place in state competition for extemporaneous public speaking and champion female ambassador.
The board also heard a report from high school history teacher Jeff McCracken on the 1999 summer field trip with 15 students to Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, South Dakota and Iowa to study the Native American cultures and the conflict between the Indians and the American cavalry.
This year, McCracken will take 15 students on a 10-day trip to the east coast, visiting Gettysburg, Mt. Vernon, Baltimore, Harper's Ferry and Washington, D.C.
In other business, the board:
• Recognized board members Richard Deckena and Marie Trump, who will be leaving the board. Deckena served one four-year term and Trump was on the board for two terms.
The board also recognized former member Mark Skiles, who died last year, for his contributions to the school corporation. "We all miss Mark and we appreciate the many good things that he did for the school district," Worl said as he presented a plaque to Lisa Skiles.
• Approved school meal prices for the 2000-01 school year. Breakfast and reduced prices were not changed, but lunch prices increased. Student lunches will cost $1.35 in elementary school next year, an increase of 15 cents, and $1.50 in middle and high school, a 20-cent hike for middle school and a 5-cent raise for high school. School lunches for adults will cost $2.50 at all schools, an increase of 50 cents, and adult mini-lunches were raised from $1 to $1.25. Milk prices will stay at 25 cents.
The next board meeting will start with an organizational meeting at 4 p.m. July 13, followed by the public meeting. An executive session will be held at 5:30 p.m. July 13 in Warsaw for board training.
School board members are Richard Deckena, Marie Trump, Deb Collier and Larry Long. The board meets at 7:30 p.m. on the third Monday of each month at the administration building.
