Two middle school students give a robotics demonstration while in the background, from left, are Mary Lou Dixon, Rob Fisher, Joy Goshert and Jim Evans.

MILFORD — Joy Goshert, assistant superintendent, gave her student report to the Wawasee School Board Tuesday evening, Nov. 13, and noted 27 high school students took the ACT test in 2018. ACT is a test used to determine college readiness of students.

Goshert also noted Cory Howard with Curriculum Associates is returning this month to provide follow-up professional development to teachers for Ready Math, the math curriculum used by the school corporation. He was the main trainer for Ready Math during the summer.

Howard will be at Milford School Nov. 14, North Webster Elementary Nov. 15, Syracuse Elementary Nov. 27, Wawasee Middle School Nov. 28 in the morning and Milford Middle School the afternoon of Nov. 28.

Goshert also gave reports on ISTEP+ and Northwest Evaluation Association, or NWEA, results. Wawasee administrators believe NWEA results are more accurate and give a better representation of student growth. ISTEP+ results were not good overall, but NWEA results were more promising.

The new ILEARN test will be administered for the first time this school year for grades three through eight. Goshert said the Indiana Department of Education is providing more resources than ever before to help teachers be prepared for the test. “We are seeing more transparency with this test than we’ve seen in previous years,” with ISTEP+, she said.

Other agenda items included:

• Approval was given by the school board for a $1,400 donation by Brunswick Leisure Boats to the Wawasee High School robotics team.

• Wawasee schools donated children’s books with a total value of more than $14,000 to Feed the Children.

• Eighth grade students who went on the fall break trip to Washington, D.C., were complimented for their behavior by the bus driver and also eighth grade students attending the Manufacturing Week activities in Kosciusko County were given a thumbs up for their participation and being engaged in the process.

• Byron Oswald, who retired at the end of September and was the maintenance supervisor at WHS, was honored with a plaque and lifetime pass to athletic events. He had been employed by the school corporation since 1991.

• A tentative contract agreement from July 1, 2018, to June 30, 2019, was reached with the Wawasee Community Educators Association. Pay raises for teachers are included in the agreement and vary depending on several factors including tenure, student performance and more.

• Training will be provided soon on how to utilize the School Guard smartphone app designed to immediately alert authorities of a serious incident in a school.

• Grace College’s women’s soccer team utilized the turf field at WHS for practice and may use it for an upcoming match.

• The sale of bonds is expected to close in early December for the solar energy installation project approved earlier by the school board.