SYRACUSE — During the Wawasee school board meeting Tuesday, Sept. 13, in Syracuse, the board heard a brief report from Jim Evans, director of finances for the school corporation. Evans noted about a year ago an agreement was entered into with Akeso Care Management in an attempt to try to reduce medical insurance costs for the school corporation.

He said the cost of entering the program was $8,000, but so far about $831,000 has been saved in medical costs. School district employees can contact Akeso to receive different options on medical care. For example, someone in need of a medical procedure may find it can be done at a lower cost somewhere else or a different, less costly, procedure can be done.

Also during Tuesday’s meeting Dr. Tom Edington, Wawasee superintendent, noted regular meetings will be set up to hear concerns and questions from classified employees of the school corporation. Those would include, among others, cooks, custodians and bus drivers. When the school corporation was audited by the two retired school superintendents earlier this year, one of the concerns discovered was a lack of representation for classified employees.

In other business, the board heard a brief report from James Flecker, school corporation attorney, about construction projects. Projects began in the summer should wrap up within a couple of weeks, he noted. He showed a few photos of ongoing work to the school board, including a “discovery room” at Wawasee High School where students can collaborate in a setting outside of a classroom.

Construction is progressing well at the new Syracuse Elementary School and the plan is to have the buildings sealed before winter sets in.

Other agenda items included:

• So far 135 students from Wawasee schools have had 529 College Savings Accounts started as part of the Kosciusko County Promise program.

• The board approved the donation of a boat, motor and trailer from Thomas and Diane Ellis of Ohio for the marine and powersports program of the Wawasee Area Career and Technical Cooperative.

• The board also approved a $10,000 donation from Nate Shearer to WACTC to aid the manufacturing and engineering programs.

• Wawasee bus mechanics were recognized for having an infraction free bus inspection by the Indiana State Police in July.

• The 2017 school corporation budget, which had been advertised in local newspapers Aug. 10 and 17, was adopted by the school board. There were no public comments.

• The board approved a one-year agreement with The Crossing, an alternative to Wawasee’s alternative school, in order to target school dropouts and get them reentered in a classroom setting.

• Overnight trips were approved for Wawasee FFA to Indianapolis and the high school cheerleaders to attend the state cheer championship qualifiers, as well as the cheer championships.

• There will be a homecoming parade this year for the high school prior to the Sept. 30 Wawasee-Warsaw football game.