By David Hazledine
InkFreeNews

SYRACUSE — Wawasee Community School Corporation Superintendent Dr. Stephen Troyer gave a “state of the school” report to the WCSC board of trustees Wednesday, March 3, in which he named falling school enrollment as the biggest challenge facing Wawasee schools.

Since 2015, WCSC has lost 340 students, a 10% drop in enrollment, according to Troyer, with an additional 10% expected by 2026. Since the fall of 2020, enrollment fell roughly 130.

Enrollment is also tied to funding, with 90% of the education fund provided by a basic tuition grant using enrollment as a critical component.

Although enrollment has fallen, Troyer added, staff levels have not declined. “We can’t lose kids and keep staffing levels the same.” At just under $55,000 per year, WCSC teacher salaries are also the highest in the region. However, good pay is considered critical in keeping students enrolled and becoming a “premier” school corporation, as Troyer has stated is his mission.

From 2018 through 2022, the district will have cut eight positions in administration and assistants as well as three instructional coaches, freeing up $593,907 in annual salary. “We’re almost as thin as we can get,” Troyer observed.

“Our school corporation’s strength is in our five schools,” said Troyer. “We’ve got good things in place … What we need more than anything is unity, together.” He acknowledged the work the five schools’ teachers and staff have done in recent years, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. “That’s our foundation.”

Early on in the pandemic, Wawasee schools “made a commitment” to staying open, Troyer recalled. Wawasee High School was closed three times, while both middle schools closed once for one week. Elementary schools have remained open so far. “It’s a testament to our whole organization here and especially our teaching staff.” The pandemic also highlighted the importance of in-person instruction and flexibility, he added.

In a “corporation snapshot,” Troyer reported average daily membership of 2,775 total: 445 in Milford School (K-8); 386, North Webster Elementary; 525, Syracuse Elementary; 509, Wawasee Middle School; 910, Wawasee High School. “We’re down 50 students from where we were in the fall,” he said.

Forty-five percent of students are “economically disadvantaged,” Troyer added, which has been steady since around 2008. English language learners comprise 2.4% and students with disabilities make up 17.7% of the ADM.

During his summary of student learning, Troyer stated, “We have work to do.” State and federal accountability, he said, should match up with the quality of the work.

Before the pandemic WCSC had started a long-term “Professional Learning Community Project,” which was “doing some really good things,” before being shut down in March, Troyer reported. Those priorities include curriculum alignment, development of common formative assessments, identifying responses to assessment data and implementing high-quality instructional practices.

In response to Board President Don Bokhart’s question, Troyer explained common formative assessments “determine where students are at” on the most critical content. “We are developing those assessments ourselves,” he clarified.

Recently, said Troyer, WCSC has also “solidified our elementary reading and math programs.” WCSC will also continue to explore both in-person and virtual learning options for students, building on what has been learned during the pandemic. “I think it is going to change the landscape for the foreseeable future.”

Nevertheless, the failure of the school funding referendum has also forced WCSC to find additional resources for teachers.

During his summary of special services, Troyer said WCSC is doing well with results-driven accountability. “We’re at a level one designation,” he enthused. Also, special ed graduation rates are at 85.7% compared to the state average of 71.5%.

An area WCSC “needs to grow in,” however, is ISTEP+/ILEARN special education pass rates. In English/language arts WCSC’s average is only 10.5% compared to the state average of 15.7%. In math, WCSC’s average is 11% compared to 18.6% for the state. However, board member Rebecca Linnemier questioned whether special education definitions for WCSC were the same as other school corporations around the state.

This year, WCSC started an Early Learning Center and a Wawasee Staff Childcare program, which Troyer said have been successful. “We have room to grow those programs,” he added. WCSC is also looking at ways of addressing the daycare shortage in the area with before and after-school care.

In respect to social and emotional learning and trauma informed education, Troyer said, “We’ve become a trauma-informed school across our corporation.” WCSC is also providing training to “outside entities” such as day cares in the community.

Troyer also touted C.L.A.S.S. Elementary Schools and the Five-Star program, which deal with social and emotional learning, as well as highlighting the partnership between WCSC and Bowen Center, “not only with our students but with our parents and guardians … it’s so needed with our community.”

Multi-Tiered System of Supports Leadership has been established in every WCSC building with an implementation guide as well as identified interventions, according to Troyer.

Along with virtual learning, alternative education options include middle school alternative programming for hybrid schedules, allowing students to participate in both homeschooling and alternative environments. “It could be impactful for students who genuinely need a different look to their education,” Troyer commented.

Troyer’s technology summary focused on the complete overhaul of student and teacher devices, which, though there were “frustrations,” went remarkably smoothly considering it took place during the pandemic. Other corporations, he noted, were unable to even order devices due to the breakdown of manufacturing and supply networks.

Looking to the future, Troyer hopes to implement a device repair program/class and provide more internet access for the community. “We have pockets in our community that don’t have access.” He also mentioned the need for more computer techs at WCSC buildings.

A new transportation coordinator candidate has been chosen, said Troyer, who will be introduced to the board soon. A recent shortage of bus drivers has also been solved in the short term; however, the average bus driver age is 63, and Troyer said two-tiered routing, with different starting times enabling drivers to fill more than one route, may have to be considered in the future.

As a cost-saving measure, WCSC may also need to reduce the number of field trips in the future, Troyer admitted. A routing software program is also contributing to greater efficiency, and more routes may be eliminated. Pick-up and drop-off policies and procedures may also need to be changed to cut costs. “We’re not making changes today, but we’re going to have to evaluate it.”