SYRACUSE — During an unusually short Wawasee school board meeting lasting less than half an hour, the board heard a brief report about the student count for the school district from Joy Goshert, assistant superintendent. The regular monthly meeting of the school board was held Tuesday, Oct. 10, in Syracuse.

As of Sept. 15, the first official head count day for the school year, Wawasee had 3,031 students in the entire school corporation. That is down from 3,195 two years ago and 3,045 a year ago.

The number of cash transfers, yet to be officially confirmed, is 107 coming in to Wawasee and 50 leaving the district. North Webster Elementary has 436 students, down from 479 a year ago. Syracuse Elementary has 548, down from 551 last year. Milford School showed a slight increase with 556 students, up from 552 last year.

Wawasee Middle School is at 553 students, up from 509 last year. And Wawasee High School has 919 students, down from 954 last year.

Goshert also noted during her report to the board American Institutes for Research has been chosen by the state to be the vendor for the new state assessment, set to replace ISTEP+ beginning with the 2018-19 school year. The test is supposed to be computer adaptive and “is designed to be fully accessible by students,” she said.

In other business, the board approved the new collective bargaining agreement between the Wawasee Community Educators Association and the school corporation. Teachers will receive a 3 percent pay increase. The WCEA had ratified the agreement a few hours before the board meeting.

Other agenda items:

• Milford School donated 608 books to Mitchell Elementary School in Houston.

• The Motz Group, builders of the turf field at the high school, donated $2,500 in giveaway items during Turf Day Sept. 10.

• Wawasee High School DECA received donations of $2,000 anonymously and one for $2,500 for a leadership conference in New York City. The club will know today, Oct. 11, if it has been accepted for the conference.

• WHS teacher Traci Henn is acting as a group leader in a leadership development program for Purdue University.

• The WHS volleyball team was recognized by a Concord school board member for outstanding sportsmanship during a volleyball match.

• WHS girls and boys golf coach Steve Coverstone was recognized for being inducted in the Grace College Athletic Hall of Fame.

• Out of state or overnight trips were approved for WHS students for hospitality and tourism marketing in Chicago, WHS cheerleading to Greenfield, Ind., and WHS DECA to New York City, assuming they are accepted to the conference.