WARSAW — Students enrolled in Warsaw Community Schools will be making up winter cancellation days in a new way in the coming months. During the Feb. 20 Warsaw Board of School Trustees meeting, the board unanimously approved a motion to modify the 2016-2017 school year calendar to include two eLearning days to make up for winter cancellation days.

During the current school year, WCS has experienced four winter cancellation days. All Indiana schools are mandated by law to have a calendar of 180 instructional days. The Indiana Department of Education has approved eLearning days as a method to make up missed instructional days.

Superintendent Dr. David Hoffert stated that WCS has spent time in the last couple years researching and preparing  to make eLearning days an effective way to make up school days.

During the board work session last week, Hoffert noted the eLearning days will not negatively affect individuals of a lower socioeconomic status. The school corporation has found a way for all students to have internet access during the make-up days by making use of public libraries and other resources.

The 2016-2017 eLearning days will take place on Saturday, April 22, and Saturday, May, 6. Students will have until the following Thursday to submit assignments for the day. Due to the approved calendar modifications, the last student day is currently scheduled for May 31.

Teachers will practice with students during a traditional school day in preparation for the eLearning days.

During the meeting, Amy Sivley gave the board an update on how Lakeview Middle School has been using their improvement grant from the Indiana Department of Education.

The school is currently in the second year of the five year improvement grant. They have $229,500 left in funds from the grant. Sivley indicated the school has used some of the funds to pay for teachers to receive additional certification. Ten staff members are on their way to receiving TESOL certification this year. Four individuals are also taking high ability certification classes.

“I think what we’re doing with certification classes is huge,” said Sivley.

In addition to giving staff resources, the grant has also allotted $1,900 funds to give students incentives for positive behavior. Silvey noted the school wants to not just acknowledge poor behavior of students, but also the positive things students do. These incentives include holding fun events for students.

Other News:

• Students from Jefferson Elementary demonstrated a game they created for the Jefferson carnival that will take place on May 5.
• Chief Academic Advisor David Robertson thanked several school safety officers for their service.
• The board approved accepting RFQ’s bid to become the corporation’s energy service company.
• The board approved the February financial and personnel reports.
• The board approved a Lilly Endowment Counseling initiative planning grant.
• The board gave permission to advertise Harrison Elementary School and Eisenhower Elementary School summer cafeteria projects.
• The board approved out of state conferences and a WCHS choir donation.