By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Warsaw Community Schools’ Superintendent Dr. David Hoffert commended the community’s flexibility amidst the recent two-day closure of four WCS buildings.

Leesburg Elementary School, Jefferson Elementary School, Lakeview Middle School, and Warsaw Community High School were all closed on Dec. 15 and 16 due to high absenteeism of students, teachers, bus drivers, and support staff. Students within those schools had synchronous e-Learning days during that time.

At a WCS Board of Trustees meeting on Dec. 19, Hoffert said the absenteeism rate at those buildings was close to 20 percent.

“Under state code, we have to inform the Indiana State Health Department and our local health department of the illness,” said Hoffert. “Between COVID, RSV and the flu, there were normal colds as well.”

Hoffert said the sickness wave greatly impacted the district’s bus drivers, with 11 drivers absent.

“This gave us the opportunity to only close a couple of our schools, and not our school system district-wide,” said Hoffert. “Anytime we can have our schools open, we believe that it’s critically important to have our schools open. Kudos to everyone in our community.”

In other business, WCS Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Education Dr. David Robertson provided the board with a safety update on a door replacement project.

Robertson said an audit on WCS drills was completed in the fall. The audit identified 89 high-need areas within the school district for door replacement, particularly within Harrison and Eisenhower Elementary Schools.

The primary material used in a majority of classroom doors at Harrison and Eisenhower is glass, which Robertson noted as not aligning with WCS safety procedures. The current doors will be replaced by full-slab doors, with a glass cutout for visibility.

Nine doors at Washington STEM Academy will also be replaced.

The board also listened to a video update by Leah Sprunger, Class of 2023 principal; and Rhonda Graney, Class of 2023 counselor, on new graduation requirements for students.

Sprunger said the district’s goal is to have a 96% graduation rate for the Class of 2023, to keep with the 2022 class’s rate of 96%.

The three requirements for students to graduate are earn credits for a diploma, learn employability skills, and complete post-secondary ready competencies.

Graney said the employability skills aspect is a new requirement but is easy to complete as this typically occurs naturally during a student’s high school career. This requirement can be fulfilled through a project-, service- or work-based experience.

“If (a student) participates in sports, JROTC, orchestra, things that have after school commitments or have a service project to them, we can use that (for the requirement),” said Graney. “It’s almost impossible for a student to go all their high school career and not complete one of these experiences.”

Post-secondary ready competencies focus on ensuring students are college or career-ready upon their graduation. There are currently 448 students in the Class of 2023, with 248 students on track to earn an Honors diploma.

The board also:

• Thanked outgoing board members Jeremy Mullins and Mike Coon for their years of service. “Your wisdom, your guidance, we appreciate both of you greatly,” said Hoffert.
• Announced Tracy Horrell as WCS’s new assistant superintendent of secondary education, as Robertson is resigning from the position.
• Approved a donation of $500 for winter coats for students in need from the Builders’ Association of North Central Indiana – Kosciusko County.

The board’s next work session is at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 10, with the next regular meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 16. Both meetings will be held at the WCS central office.