PIERCETON – Whitko School Board members recognized four students of the month Monday. The students are fourth grader Nick Meadows, a student at Pierceton Elementary School; Misha Brandenburg, a fifth grader at South Whitley Elementary School; Maren Lehman, a Whitko Middle School seventh grader; and Connor Stouder, a senior at Whitko High School. Lehman and Stouder did not attend the meeting. Members of the Clean World Association presented a slide show of the expansion of the middle school greenhouse. CWA raises plants for a spring fundraiser and sponsors a dance in the fall. Life Scout Caleb Wilkinson asked permission to install bat boxes at the high and middle schools as part of his Eagle Scout project, which was approved. Wilkinson said he also has permission to install the boxes at Hagan Park and a church in Warsaw. The benefits of bats, Wilkinson said, is that they eat mosquitoes. Jamilyn PeGan talked about her administrative internship program. She is pursuing a master’s degree at Ball State University and has been interning with SWES principal Bruce Hansen this semester. Next semester she will work with WHS principal David Parker. PES Principal Eric Speicher said the school's talent show was November 9. The top skits will perform again Wednesday at 2 p.m. The school's parent-teacher organization has purchased $20,000 worth of playground equipment, a project the group has worked on for several years. Speicher said now it has to be installed. Following SWES’ example, the school is using the Accelerated Reader program. SWES Principal Bruce Hansen said the students, staff and community enjoyed the recent Veteran's Day program and the yo-yo assembly. A Title I parent-child meeting is scheduled for December 7 to promote the idea of reading together. WMS Principal Parrish Kruger said the Lego Robotics Team is going to compete at the state level. He introduced Donna Lehman who talked about the upcoming competition. WHS principal David Parker said the FCCLA group attended the Science Knowledge Bowl with the team coming in sixth of 12 teams and student De Shockney receiving an individual first-place award. The dual credit courses – receiving credit at the high school and college level – is expanding, Parker said, and today's freshman and sophomore students have the ability to graduate with as many as 24 college credits. Ivy Tech offers the classes at no cost and IPFW has a small charge, Parker said. The board approved fixed mileages for distances between schools. An emergency resolution was also approved to borrow $790,000 for the transportation fund, $243,000 for bus transportation and $1.4 million for capital projects. The loaned money will be paid when the corporation receives the next tax installment in 2013. Permission was granted to advertise for bids for two 72-passenger buses and one 48-passenger bus. Board member Jorell Tucker voted against delaying school for half an hour every Wednesday, beginning in January, for professional development. The development days were recommended by Superintendent Steve Clason. Tucker argued that many parents will have to reschedule their day or change their preschool arrangements for this staff time. But Deb Collier, Terry Eberly and Roger Boggs voted for the delay. The board approved the following resignations: Heather Fox as Title I coordinator, Mary Burelison as WMS part-time cook; Brad Clark as WMS assistant wrestling coach; Ashley Hoopingarner as girls junior varsity basketball coach; and Wayne Swender as boys head football coach. The following hirings were approved: Joni Westerberg as part time registered nurse; Brandy Veach as SWES resource assistant; Jennica Juillerat, Amanda Allenda Allender and Sherri Hoppe Sims, all as one-third position girls junior varsity basketball coaches; Bret Bailey changed from WMS assistant wrestling coach to WHS wrestling coach; James Stoddard as elementary fall sports coach at both elementary schools; Vicki Camden as PES spring sports coach; Paula Popenfoose as PES fall sports coach; Candy Sroufe as PES resource assistant; and Michelle Badskey as PES interim head cook. The next school board meeting is December 17 at 7:30 p.m. School board members are Deb Collier, Roger Boggs, Terry Eberly and Jorell Tucker. Cindy Kreger was absent.
