Mike Wilson asked questions to Interim Director of Finance Dr. Brandon Penrod if alternative fuel options were considered in the bus replacement resolution. Dr. Steve Troyer explained that alternative fuel options are not being considered because of costs. Board members from left are Andy Cripe, Mike Wilson, Don Bokhart and Steve Baut. Photo by Marissa Sweatland.

By Marissa Sweatland
InkFreeNews

SYRACUSE — During the regular October Wawasee Community School Corporation’s board meeting, members voted to adopt a 2024 budget and bus replacement resolution. The budget workshop was held in August and the hearing in September.

The board passed a budget of $750,000 rainy day fund; $12,707,600 debt service fund with a $12,500,279 adopted tax levy and 0.3420 adopted tax rate; $21,732,994 education fund; and $10,551,638 operations fund with a $7,955,177 adopted tax levy and 0.2833 adopted tax rate. The total adopted budget is $45,742,232 with a $20,455,456 adopted tax levy and adopted tax rate of 0.6253.

“These are advertised high, even though the levy is capped, just to protect the school from any weird things that might happen with appeals,” Dr. Brandon Penrod, interim director of finance, explained to the board.

Each year, school corporations produce a 5-year bus replacement plan. Buses have an average life span of 12 years, so once they age out of service they are replaced. Mike Wilson, board member, inquired if alternative fuel options were being considered, but Dr. Steve Troyer mentioned the cost takes the option off the table for now.

During the learning report, Troyer presented on behalf of Dr. Shelly Wilfong. He informed the board NWA testing for the fall testing window has wrapped up. NWA testing is a benchmark assessment that is used two to three times per school year for kindergarten to eighth grade students to measure proficiency and growth in reading and math. The next waiver day is Monday, Nov. 9. Waiver days are for staff members to engage in professional learning, and no e-learning is required for students.

During his superintendent’s report, Troyer informed the board that both projects, the PAC and Milford Elementary School, “are going well” and “are firmly in the design stage.” Project leads have been meeting biweekly to make decisions related to location and design of the new facilities. A public meeting is being held 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12, in the Milford Elementary School cafeteria, 611 W. Emeline St. The meeting will include project overview, community engagement feedback session and an open forum to give project feedback to the design team.

In other news, Troyer informed the board of the many donations that have been made this past month. Donations to the WHS student council for homecoming included $300 from Shipley Dental Innovations; $150 from Derry Electric; $150 from Pat’s Chicago Dogs; $150 from The Papers; $150 from AAC Distributing; $150 from BDR Designs; $150 from Northern Lakes Realty; $300 from NexGen Epoxy; $150 from KNB Detailing; $1,000 from Travel Star; and $200 from the Wawasee Community Bible Church.

Bison LLC donated $250 to WHS Robotics; Northside Galleries donated $4,000 to the WHS art gallery; Maple Leaf Farms donated $240 to WHS FFA; Tom Farms & Partners donated $400; Kosciusko County Community Foundation donated $339.40 to WHS FFA; Knights of Columbus 6323 donated $1,740 to WHS boys soccer, $350 to girls golf and $600 to WHS boys and girls track; Lions Club of Syracuse donated $495 to the WMS nurse account; North Webster Church of the Brethren Women’s Fellowship donated $200 to the NWES Angel Fund and Richard and Debra Camden donated $500 to the NWES Angel Fund.

For the third year in a row, the Wawasee Marching Warrior Pride has qualified for Scholastic Class state finals. The band is undefeated at 14-0 this season. State finals are being held Saturday, Oct. 14, at Franklin Central High School in Indianapolis. The Warrior Pride band is the first band to perform at 11 a.m.

Wawasee e-sports brought home the “W” against Wabash on Tuesday, Oct. 2, when they defeated them during their first group competitive match in Overwatch 2. The team has five games in which they are competing: Valorant, Overwatch 2, Fortnight, RocketLeague and Minecraft.

The board approved the employment of Kathy Schuetze, WMS cafeteria worker; Jeffrey Carey, WMS eighth grade boys basketball coach and Jason Conley, WMS eighth grade boys basketball coach.

The board approved the appointment of Katy Stoller to a full 4-year term to the Milford Public Library board. The said term began on August 1, 2023, and will conclude July 31, 2027.

The board approved an overnight trip for the Wawasee FFA from Tuesday, Oct. 31, to Thursday, Nov. 2, to attend the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis.

The next regular Wawasee Community School Corporation board meeting will be 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 14, in the Wawasee High School Warrior Room, 1 Warrior Path Building 1, Syracuse.