During the annual update on Tippecanoe Valley High School to the Tippecanoe Valley School Board at its meeting on Monday, March 21, TVHS Principal Brandon Kresca had students and staff speak about how the school is allowing student input in academics. From left: Sarah Finney, Rachel Luce, Andie Schwenger, and TVHS business teacher Aaron Engbrecht. InkFreeNews photos by Leah Sander.

By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

AKRON — Tippecanoe Valley High School staff are working to encourage student input regarding academics.

This was discussed during TVHS Principal Brandon Kresca’s annual update to the Tippecanoe Valley School Board during a meeting on Monday, March 21.

Kresca said TVHS staff all received the book “Empower: What Happens When Students Own Their Learning” by John Spencer and A.J. Juliani through a grant. He said the staff had been working to implement principles from it into the way they teach.

“The whole idea … is that you move from students who are compliant, you know simply rule followers, obedient … to engage students, so students who are on task, completing work and things, to empowering students to learn,” he said.

He then had several teachers and students share how students have worked to implement their own ideas for classroom projects and such.

Student Porter Rich gave the presentation on cryptocurrency he created as a project of his own for a math class to the board. TVHS business teacher Aaron Engbrecht and his students Sarah Finney, Rachel Luce and Andie Schwenger, also shared how students have made choices regarding learning in his classes.

NG3 program

Also as part of the update, Darren Parker talked with the board about the new NG3 program at TVHS. Parker is a former TVHS teacher and coach.

According to provided literature on it, “NG3 is a non-profit, faith-based organization that invests in the lives of high school students through intentional relationship building, character development, serving the community and mentorship-style small groups known as ‘CORE Groups.'”

NG3 stands for “Next Generation: Character, Community, and Change.” Leaders in the program help mentor students and invite them to participate if they choose to in weekly, off-campus, faith-based CORE Groups. No school funding goes toward the program; it’s funded by outside donations.

Parker noted TVHS is only the fourth school in Indiana to have a NG3 program, with it having started originally in Georgia.

In other business, the board:

• Approved hiring Tippecanoe Valley Middle School instructional assistant Breeana Baldini; Akron Elementary School instructional assistant Tonya Engle; and Mentone Elementary School instructional assistants Courtney Eaton, Monica Crace, Wanetta Estep and Miquel Ruiz.
• Accepted the resignation of Akron instructional assistants Serena Smith and Jennifer Brown, custodian Scott Kruger and cook Nicole Keckler; TVHS cheer coaches LeeAnn Ogle and Stephanie Shepherd and JV softball coach Anna Yates; TVMS soccer coach Joshua Shafer and cook Kathy Smith; and TVSC maintenance director Don Ritter.
• Accepted the retirement of Mentone instructional coach Patricia Newman.
• Accepted a $2,500 Kosciusko County REMC Operation Round Up grant, which will be used for TVMS’ Viking Vittles program that provides take-home meals for students in need.
• Accepted a $520 Kosciusko Endowment Youth Services grant, which will allow Akron guidance counselor Deb Miller to buy books and materials.
• Heard an update on TVHS activities from senior representative Jaeda Carpenter and junior representative Abby Bowers. Among them: The student council raised more than $7,000 for Riley Hospital for Children through its annual fundraising week.

The board’s next regular meeting is 6 p.m. Monday, April 18, at Mentone.

Porter Rich gives a presentation on cryptocurrency that he created as a project for a math class at TVHS.