Wawasee Community School Board member Steve Baut shares his thoughts on consolidating Milford and Wawasee Middle Schools. Photo by Deb Patterson.

By Deb Patterson
InkFreeNews

SYRACUSE — “It’s a difficult, difficult decision. Trust in your hearts, the board is making this decision with the students best interests at heart,” commented Don Bokhart, president of the Wawasee Community School Corp. board of trustees.

This comment preceeded a vote by school board members Tuesday night, May 9, to consolidate Milford Middle School with Wawasee Middle School at the start of the 2023-24 school year.

Each board member gave a statement prior to a motion being made by Andy Cripe. A unanimous vote followed.

Administrators will be working with staff at both schools and transportation to work out details.

Dr. Steve Troyer notified staff and parents following the meeting of the board’s decision.

Cripe noted making such a decision “is not a fun thing .. it’s not a topic that’s fun. It’s an issue against declining enrollment. It is not something fun for anyone on this board … For me this is hard. It’s a hard topic. There’s a lot of fun stuff to talk about. This one isn’t fun.”

Mike Wilson, who has served on the board since 2007 recalled several prior discussions on merging the middle schools. “When the decision time came .. data showed it was still viable to have two schools through shifting resources, realigning staff and altering some opportunities, it would be possible to offer a reasonable education experience for all middle school students.” He noted during those time, the cost per student was similar between the two schools and the board decided to keep both school’s open.

“This time it’s different. We are being advised, and the data reflects the enrollment at Milford Middle School has declined to the point that providing equal educational opportunities for all our middle school students has become unsustainable. The cost per student between the two schools has become significantly skewed.”

Steve Baut, who has been on the board since January, noted this decision was personal for him as his two older children attended Milford schools and his youngest is in fourth grade at Milford. He noted it was good to see the discussion with the community engagement committee and hear the consensus. “This is not easy. It is hard. It is the hardest one of my personal experience here,” he said of making a decision. “We all take this very seriously .. benefit for the whole is so important. This is the best opportunity for our students … this is what we are here for. To give the greatest benefit for our students.”

Neil Likens, who has also been on the board since January, noted the engagement committee discussions were weighed hard and was heart felt. “It’s not a popular decision, but it is what is best to keep moving forward.”

Bokhart concluded before calling for a motion a comment Dr. James Halik had stated to the board, which he paraphrased. “All of us on the board … you’re elected to do what is best for the students.”

Troyer issued this statement, in part, to the staff and parents in the school corporation:

“Earlier this evening, the Wawasee Board of School Trustees unanimously voted to merge Milford Middle School with Wawasee Middle School for the upcoming school year. This consolidation is an exciting opportunity for us to bring together two great schools and create an even stronger learning community for our students.

“While this process may bring about some uncertainty, please know that we are committed to making the transition as smooth as possible for everyone involved. We will be seeking input from stakeholders throughout the remainder of the school year to help us understand their concerns and idea about how to make this process successful.

“Planning at the administration level will continue throughout the summer, with a focus on ensuring that students, families and staff members have the resources they need to adjust to the changes that will come with the merger. We understand that you may have questions or concerns about this process, and we encourage you to reach out to us with any thoughts or feedback you may have. Our goal is to keep you informed and engaged throughout the consolidation process and we appreciate your partnership as we work to build a strong and supportive learning community for our students.”