SYRACUSE — To borrow a phrase used by George Gilbert of the Wawasee school board, it was only the first day of school and there was already a student learning report.

During the regular monthly meeting of the Wawasee school board Tuesday, Aug. 11, in Syracuse, Joy Goshert, director of instruction and curriculum for the Wawasee Community School Corp., said 284 students participated in summer school programs in Wawasee schools. That is higher than a normal summer number, she noted. At Wawasee High School, 91 students took courses through the Center for Academic Progress and 29 participated in the ECO (expanded career opportunities) Challenge.

Thirty-one students participated in summer school classes for grades one to three at Milford School, while 15 participated in IREAD-3 remediation. At North Webster Elementary, 25 students were in summer school classes for grades one to three and 14 in IREAD-3 remediation.

And at Syracuse Elementary, 42 students participated in classes for grades one to three and seven were in IREAD-3 remediation. In addition, 30 students participated in the first Kindergarten Countdown funded by the United Way of Kosciusko County and held at Syracuse Elementary.

Goshert noted it will now likely be at least December before ISTEP+ results for the 2014-15 assessments will be released by the Indiana Department of Education. Apparently the delay is because of field tested items and also the various ways students could answer questions. This will also mean a delay in letter grades being issued for schools.

In other business, the school board approved the hiring of Don Ritter to be director of corporation facilities. Essentially this is a position carved out of the duties previously held by Bob Lahrman, who oversaw both transportation and facilities for the school corporation. Lahrman will remain as transportation director, but will now be assisted by Ritter. Dr. Tom Edington, Wawasee superintendent, noted Ritter will especially oversee the building of the new Syracuse Elementary.

Ritter’s position is administrative and will begin effective Aug. 24. He will receive a salary of $65,000. He is a 1987 graduate of Wawasee High School, lives at Camelot Lake and for nearly the last 24 years has been the heating and air specialist for Warsaw Community Schools.

Also on the agenda, during his report to the board Edington noted it is more difficult to hire qualified teachers now because the candidate pool is smaller. Positions that once had in excess of 30 or even more applicants may now have as few as seven or eight. “We are fortunate to live in an attractive area with the lakes and more,” he added.

Other agenda items included:

• Edington noted testing scores are generally higher for students participating in the Geometry in Construction program at the high school.

• Shopko was thanked for donating $149.27 to WHS as part of the Give Back To Your School campaign.

• The mileage reimbursement rate for Wawasee employees is now at 53 cents per mile, up from 52 a year ago.

• Board member Mary Lou Dixon was granted level two status by the Indiana School Board Association.

• Wawasee elementary schools are participating in a campaign to encourage parents of kindergarten through second grade students to enroll their children in a 529 college savings plan.

• The school board approved several policy revisions and updates triggered by the newest state laws.