SYRACUSE — The annual Miss Kosciusko pageant is almost here. The there will be seven vying for the Miss Outstanding Teen title and four seeking the Miss Kosciusko title.

The 2016 Miss Kosciusko Siera Updike and 2016 Outstanding Teen Emma Tarkington will pass their titles on to the respective winners.

The pageant will be held at 5 p.m. Jan. 14, at Wawasee Middle School. There is an admission fee.

The event is sponsored by the Miss Kosciusko County Scholarship organization, part of the Miss Indiana/Miss America Scholarship Program.

The two divisions the girls are competing in are: The Miss Outstanding Teen division, with 13 to 17 year old participants; and the Miss Kosciusko division, with contestants 17 to 24 years of age.

Contestants for Miss Outstanding Teen include:

Kiera Hilts, 14, Newburgh. Her platform is “Lending a Helping Paw” and she will be dancing for the talent portion.

Shaylee Barnes, 14, Zionsville. Her platform is “Mental Health Awareness” and she will be singing.

Caroline Murray, 13, New Albany, with a platform of “Paws for a Cause.” She will be dancing

Kala Bailey, 16, Milford, with a platform of “Bettering Health Care in Underdeveloped Countries.” For the talent portion of the contest she will be performing a contortion routine.

Hanna Malaise, 16, Spencerville. Her platform is “Volunteer To Make a Change” and she will be twirling baton and doing acrobatics.

Abby Gibson, 16, Zionsville, will have a platform of “Special Needs Awareness.” She will be singing for her talent portion of the competition.

Malana Pashea, 16, Avilla, will have a platform of “Empower Today’s Youth through Philanthropy.” Her talent presented will be tap dancing.

Contestants for Miss Kosciusko will be:

Tori Vandiepenbos, 20, Syracuse, with a platform of “Therapeutic Horseback Riding.” She will be dancing in the talent portion of the contest.

Katelin Vogel, 21, Wabash, with a platform of “Beautiful Minds.” Her talent will be tap dancing.

Mikayla Findley, 19, South Whitley, has a platform of “Food Waste Sustainability” and she will be performing a belay demonstration.

Gale Immel, 19, Goshen, has a platform of “Breathe Easy Cystic Fibrosis Awareness” and she will be playing the violin.

The winner of the Miss Kosciusko contest will receive $750 plus $250 toward a dress from Ashley Rene’s. The first runner-up will receive $400.

Miss Outstanding Teen will receive $75 plus $100 toward a dress from Ashley Rene’s. The first runner up will receive $75 and the second runner up will receive $50.

One contestant in the Miss Kosciusko competition and one contestant in the Miss Outstanding teen will each get a $50 People’s Choice award for the most money raised.

SYRACUSE — The annual Wawasee Kiwanis Hot Shot Basketball Contest and Syracuse Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship will be held Saturday, Jan. 21 at Wawasee Middle School starting at 12:30 p.m.

The Kiwanis Hot Shot contest is open to all first through sixth grade students of the Wawasee Community School Corporation and is completely free of charge. Trophies will be presented for first, second and third place.

The Knights Free Throw Championship is open to all boys and girls ages 9-14. Winners will advance to the district level where they will have a chance to advance to further levels. This contest is also completely free of charge. For more information, those interested are asked to contact the event organizer at 574-529-2086.

SYRACUSE — “It feels great. This is a wonderful opportunity for me to represent not only my home town, but surrounding counties. I’m so excited. It’s just a great feeling.”

Katelin Vogel, Wabash, left, was crowned the 2017 Miss Kosciusko County and Malana Pashea, Avilla, was crowned the 2017 Miss Outstanding Teen Saturday evening. (Photos by Deb Patterson)

Those were the thoughts of Katelin Vogel, 21, Wabash, who was crowned the 2017 Miss Kosciusko County Saturday evening, Jan. 14, at Wawasee Middle School. “I was first runner up last year to Siera Updike, very well deserving, so this year it just feels great to be back, enjoy the atmosphere … I’m glad I came back. It just worked out.”

Vogel is the daughter of Tim and Kerry Vogel and a student at IPFW.

The new Miss Outstanding Teen is Malala Pashea, 16, daughter of Jason and Kristy Pashea, Avilla.

First runner-up in the Miss Kosciusko competition is Tori VanDiepenbos, 20, daughter of Jeff and Joy VanDiepenbos. She attends IPFW majoring in hospitality and management.

In the Miss Outstanding Teen contest, second runner up is Hanna Malaise, 16, Spencerville, and first runner up is Kiera Hilts, 14, Newburgh.

Kala Bailey, 16, Milford, received the People’s Choice award for the Miss Outstanding Teen. Mikayla Findley, 19, South Whitley, was named the People’s Choice winner for Miss Kosciusko. The People’s Choice winners were chosen based on the contestant raising the most money.

The evening pageant for the outstanding teen competitors included an active wear and fitness demonstration, talent and evening wear. Each contestant was asked an on-stage question. For Pashea, her questioned focused on her thoughts of drug testing all students in high school. Pashea responded “I think that the high school should be able to drug test all students to make sure that kids are in a healthy direction and that they are willing to live a fulfilling life.”

For Miss Kosciusko contestants, the pageant included swimsuit, talent and evening wear competitions. These contestants were also asked an on-stage question. For Vogel, her question dealt with the four points of the crown: Scholarship, service, style and success. She was asked which one was the most important to her and why.

Vogel responded “The most important one would be service to me. I think it is so important that as a title holder, that you go out and speak about your platform and also raise awareness to it … to let them know what your giving to them and what you’re willing to stand for. That’s the most important thing you can have as a title holder.”

The talent for the evening ranged from various types of dancing, singing, violin playing and a demonstration by all contestants.

Prior to the naming of this year’s winners, Emma Tarkington, Miss Kosciusko County’s Outstanding Teen 2016 and Siera Updike, Miss Kosciusko County 2016, recapped their experiences in the state competition and what the year had been like for them. They also gave impromptu speeches, thanking those who supported them during the competition.

Vogel received $750 and VanDiepenbos received $400. Findley, as People’s Choice winner, received $50.

Pashea received $75. As first runner-up, Hilts also received $75 and as second runner-up, Malaise received $50. Bailey received $50 as People’s Choice winner.

SYRACUSE — Indiana schools are required to have improvement plans and during the regular monthly meeting of the Wawasee school board Tuesday evening, Jan. 17, in Syracuse, the board heard a report on North Webster Elementary’s plan.

First-year principal Lee Snider said the school has 481 students, 48 percent of whom are receiving free or reduced price lunches. Twenty-three percent are considered special needs students.

Snider noted the data shows growth has been steady when considering Northwest Evaluation Association testing results. He said one goal is to increase the number of students passing ISTEP+ by at least 3 percent this year in both math and language arts.

Another goal is to use technology more effectively to engage students in learning and also to enhance learning.

Several steps will be taken in order to meet goals, such as building relationships. He noted he is in his first year as principal at the school and the student services coordinator is also new this year. They also want to utilize support more from Deb Gaby, instructional coach, and focus more on the instructional framework while establishing clear expectations.

Among other steps to be taken will be using the electronic devices to equip staff members more effectively.

Also during Tuesday’s meeting, the board heard a report about the Recycling Warrior Time at Wawasee Middle School. Teacher Heather Griffith leads the recycling program involving sixth-graders during their Warrior Time.

Students Asia Herd and Lea Wysong shared with the board they have collected 2,603 milk jugs so far to be recycled. The milk jugs are then given to Polywood through a partnership and recycled into benches. Polywood, which has its own recycling facility, has so far provided two benches to WMS (1,200 jugs must be collected for a single bench).

In other business, the board heard from Dr. Tom Edington, superintendent, construction work at the new Syracuse Elementary is still on track and walls are being painted.

Other agenda items included:

• North Webster Elementary fourth-graders raised more than $500 to buy toys for families for Christmas, while the fifth-graders raised $600 for Heifer International to purchase animals and a well for a Third World country.

• National Honor Society and Key Club at Wawasee High School together raised $2,341.47 for the annual penny pitch, used to provide Shopko gift cards for families for Christmas.

• Two boats were donated to the marine and powersports program of the Pathways cooperative. One is a Starcraft boat and the other is a Sea Ray.

• The board approved a donation of $500 from the Dekko Foundation in honor of Kim Conrad.

• Several WHS art students won nationally juried Scholastic Art Awards. Their work will be displayed at the Fort Wayne Museum of Art Feb. 12 to April 9. Winners included Jade Baugh (silver), Taylor Bontrager (gold), Brianna Haessig (silver), Gabbi Harris, (gold and honorable mention), Brittney Jackson (two golds), Riley Kunkle (gold), Paige Miller (gold), Wynter Rhoads (two golds), Kara Schrock (honorable mention) and Madison Coy (two silvers). Gold Key winners are also nationally recognized at Carnegie Hall in New York.

• Several out of state or overnight trips were approved including WHS choral classes to New York City in 2018, WMS sixth grade and Milford fifth through eighth grades to the Bittersweet Ski Area in Michigan, Wawasee FFA to Martinsville, Ind., for leadership training and WHS English as second language students for a leadership conference in Chicago.

• Mary Hursh was approved as an appointment to the Syracuse Public Library board of directors.

• And among the personnel recommendations was the approval of a request by Bill Eby, WHS art teacher, for a leave of absence from Dec. 27 through March 1.

From left sixth-graders Kaley Kuhaneck, Asia Herd and Lea Wysong are among the Wawasee Middle School students who empty black totes like two of them are holding. The recyclable materials are then placed in a large bin outside the school building.

SYRACUSE — A group of sixth-graders at Wawasee Middle School are learning about recycling and gaining an appreciation for what the custodial staff deals with on a daily basis.

Recycling Warriors is a program now in its second school year. It started when teachers and staff were looking for ways to branch out during Warrior Time and either benefit or connect with the community more. Heather Griffith, a teacher who manages the program, credits the students with starting the recycling program.

“They (students) were looking around for recycling bins and didn’t see we had a recycling program for the school, and they asked ‘why not here?’” Griffith said.

Griffith started doing recycling in her own classroom and from there it grew. Now her sixth-grade students, plus three seventh-graders who did recycling last year, during Warrior Time empty black totes that have been placed in each room in the building for the purpose of collecting recyclable materials.

Previously there were three large bins used by the school but since the recycling program has started, the one used for cardboard only has been eliminated because everything can be placed in the same bin now. Griffith noted teachers and staff appreciate not having to take the time to separate recyclable materials.

Students are learning what can be recycled and it has helped them to keep their school cleaner. “They will see stuff in the hall and I’ve seen them pick it up and put it in a bin,” she said. And they are gaining more respect for what the custodial staff does at the school, she added.

In addition, there is a recycling partnership with Polywood that will expire at the end of February. Milk jugs are being collected and placed in containers for each of the three grades at the school. For every 1,200 jugs collected Polywood will provide a bench to the school.

“So far we have two (benches) and we are hoping for a third by the end of February,” Griffith said.

The sixth grade won a school wide competition by collecting the most milk jugs and will get to tour Polywood and see a bench being made later in the school year.

Griffith said North Webster Elementary is hoping to begin a similar recycling program.

Shown are the containers used to collect milk jugs, which are then given to Polywood and recycled into benches given to the school.

SYRACUSE — Several of the Wawasee Community School Corporation’s string orchestra students participated in the Indiana State School Music Association’s district solo and ensemble contest Saturday, Feb. 4, at Elkhart Central High School.

From Milford Middle School, sixth-grader Josalyn Kolberg received a gold medal for her viola solo. A seventh-grade string quintet of Amber Beer, Taylor Castro, Alissa Gill and Kelsey Harper (violins) and Kaitlynn Jackson, viola, also received gold medals.

Participating in solos from the Wawasee Middle School orchestras were Kaley Kuhaneck, string bass, and Georgia Wise, violin, who both received gold medals. A trio made up of eighth-grade violinists Tess Helfers, Norah Miller and Georgia Wise received a silver medal. A string sextet of violinists Taylor Cripe, Whitney DeLong, Allyson Eppert, Mariah Hurst, McKenzie Long and cellist Brynn Jamora scored a gold medal.

From Wawasee High School, violin soloist Cassidy Cannon received a silver medal, while violinists Kaitlin Graber and Kristin Martindale earned gold medals. Two string ensembles also achieved gold medal status — a string quartet of Kristin Martindale and Jessica O’Donnell, violins; Sophia Miller, viola; and Leeann Estrada, cello, performing the Lennon/McCartney hit “Eleanor Rigby;” and a string quintet of violinists Kasey Gunkel, Sydney Jaggers, Citlali Jimenez, Kristin Martindale and violist Robert Sopher, playing the Pentatonix arrangement of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.”

SYRACUSE — In response to the visit by a team brought in by the Wawasee school board last year, a meeting will be held at each of the two middle schools in the Wawasee Community School Corp.

The team interviewed more than 1,000 students, staff members, parents and community members. Though there was a high level of satisfaction with Wawasee schools, the visit highlighted several areas needing to be addressed.

Among those was providing quality and equal educational opportunities for both Milford and Wawasee middle school students. Middle school recommendations by the team centered on curriculum offerings, class sizes, grade levels and making the transition to Wawasee High School.

As the school corporation moves forward with the middle schools, they are seeking input. Two evenings have been set aside for administrators to present ideas being proposed for middle school improvement and also to receive public input.

Meeting information is as follows:

• 6:30 to 8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 20, in the Milford School cafeteria.

• 6:30 to 8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 27, in the Wawasee Middle School lecture room.

If unable to attend either session, improvement ideas can be submitted by email to Dr. Tom Edington, Wawasee superintendent, at tedington@wawasee.k12.in.us.

MILFORD — During a public meeting Monday, Feb. 20, at the Milford School cafeteria, there were questions about just how many people are concerned there are inequalities between the two middle schools in the Wawasee Community School Corp.

The meeting was held, at least in part, as a response to a “climate audit” conducted during the 2015-16 school year by two retired school superintendents. The two were hired by the Wawasee school board to see what the corporation was doing well and what needed to be addressed.

The audit did reveal some areas needing to be addressed including what was perceived to be inequality in the offerings between Milford Middle School and Wawasee Middle School. WMS has more than double the number of students Milford Middle School has and there are some differences in classes and clubs offered. WMS is also a larger school and has a planetarium and pool, neither of which Milford has.

But of the approximately 30 in attendance at Monday’s meeting, only one person said they were asked any questions during the climate audit. And the question was posed, what was the percentage of people who expressed concerns about inequality in the middle schools? There were four school board members at the meeting – Rebecca Linnemeier, Rob Fisher, Mike Wilson and Don Bokhart. Bokhart was not on the board when the audit was done, but the others said they were not told specifically how many people expressed concerns during the audit.

They were only told the inequality in the middle schools was one of the top four areas needing to be addressed.

Many of those who spoke during the meeting said they don’t have any particular concerns about inequality in offerings between the two middle schools. Amy Evans, science teacher at Milford Middle School, said things have changed even since the last school year because the students now have the 1:1 devices that have opened up new opportunities. “Those opportunities weren’t there before,” she said.

She added concerning clubs which are available, sometimes the ones offered are driven by the students. “If the students want a club and can find a staff member to lead it, then we will offer it,” she said.

After the meeting, Dr. Tom Edington, WCSC superintendent, said the message was pretty clear parents and teachers want to keep a middle school in Milford and they seemed to be happy with current curriculum and club offerings. But there will be another public meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 27, in the lecture room at Wawasee Middle School.

SYRACUSE — From the start, it was noted the middle school meeting held Monday evening, Feb. 27, in the lecture room of Wawasee Middle School was more about seeking input and suggestions to make Wawasee’s two middle schools even better. Rebecca Linnemeier, school board president, said “we are not here to close a middle school.”

Monday’s meeting was the second of two meetings held by the Wawasee Community School Corp. The first was Feb. 20 at Milford School. The meetings were offered as a way to gather public input in response to the findings of an audit conducted during the 2015-16 school year by Steve Yager and Mike Pettibone, retired school superintendents.

During the audit, where more than 1,000 parents, students or staff members were interviewed during 125 different interviews, there were four specific areas identified as needing to be addressed. One of the four was perceived inequalities in the offerings given to the two middle schools. Wawasee Middle School is considerably larger in the size of its building and enrollment compared to Milford Middle School and there are some differences in courses and clubs offered.

Joy Goshert, assistant superintendent, also mentioned the meeting Monday was not being held to close a middle school. Nonetheless, some of the comments and questions from parents and teachers indicated there is still a concern and the option has not been entirely ruled out.

One parent said test scores aside, “this is more of a culture issue” and putting all the middle school students in the same building would change that significantly. Some of the same people who attended the Milford meeting also came to the WMS meeting.

Another parent asked if there any differences in how Milford Middle School and Wawasee Middle School students perform in high school. Dr. Tom Edington, Wawasee superintendent, said there were noticeable differences several years ago, but now test scores and graduation rates are similar.

Edington said if the two middle schools were combined into one at WMS, it could save approximately $100,000 per year in staffing because a few less teachers would be needed. It could also save an estimated $50,000 in transportation costs due to fewer bus routes. But, he noted, it costs $30 million per year to educate students and though it could be a significant amount in savings it would take more than that alone to make a decision to combine the middle schools.

Edington also noted the two men who did the audit said they had received “mixed messages” about the middle schools. It was also pointed out surveys may not always be reliable or accurate.

There were a few questions posed about course offerings at the two middle schools not being clearly communicated. Some parents indicated they did not know ahead of time what courses are offered. Each middle school does have a parent night and tours of the buildings are given, but more of an effort will be made to effectively communicate course offerings to parents.

Another parent said it appears too much emphasis is being placed on encouraging kids to pick a career path “too early in life.” Edington said the state is really pushing career paths and more funding is available if students stay on those paths, but the intent is to expose kids to more opportunities. A few teachers also commented it is more about opportunities.

Edington said the next step is to process the input received from the two meetings and at some point to report it to the school board, who will then act on it. He emphasized it is too late in the school year to make any decisions effective for the 2017-18 school year.

SYRACUSE — Every five years, the Wawasee Community School Corp. goes through an accreditation process where a team visits and thoroughly examines the school district. The school corporation is preparing for a visit from AdvancED next week for the accreditation process.

Joy Goshert, assistant superintendent, gave a report to the school board about the upcoming visit during the board’s regular monthly meeting Tuesday evening, March 14, in Syracuse. She noted the process will actually begin Sunday evening, March 19, when the accreditation team meets with the central office staff and school board.

The team will then meet with parents, community members and the assessment, curriculum and teaching committee (more commonly known as the ACT committee) Monday, March 20. During the morning of Tuesday, March 21, the team will visit Wawasee High School and Milford School and then in the afternoon visit Syracuse Elementary, North Webster Elementary and Wawasee Middle School.

An exit report will be given Wednesday, March 22. The team will visit several classrooms, Goshert noted, with a focus on what students are doing and how they are engaged in learning. “This is really all about continuous improvement for the school district,” she said.

The accreditation team will focus on five standards: purpose and direction; governance and leadership; teaching and assessing for learning; resources and support systems; and using results for continuous improvement.

Also during her report to the board, Goshert said part one of ISTEP+ testing is finished and about two-thirds of the IREAD-3 test is completed. The first part of ISTEP+ was completed with minimal issues. “We have a much better feel for how things are going unlike about the last four years,” she said.

In other business, Kim Nguyen, principal of WHS, gave a report on the school’s improvement plan. He said the school has about 945 students enrolled with the most recent graduation rate being 88 percent, just below the goal of a 90 percent rate.

The school has an improvement team and also several school quality teams covering the areas of climate, Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports, known as PBIS, college and career, literacy, academic support and professional development and technology.

Nguyen noted school attendance has dropped by about 3 percent in recent years. In addition to a 90 percent graduation rate, the school wants 25 percent of students in dual credit or advanced placement classes, which has been easily exceeded, and 90 percent of students passing end of course assessments in English and algebra.

Other agenda items included:

• WHS winter sports state qualifiers were recognized including Paige Miller (girls swimming), Braxton Alexander (wrestling), Brady Robinson (boys swimming) and Reagan Atwood (gymnastics).

• The board approved two donations of $50 each (Foyle Plumbing and Mr. Rooter) to Milford School for the courtyard, as well as the donation of a bird feeder, shepherd’s hook and bird seed from Ace Hardware in Nappanee.

• The board approved the donation of $1,004 from a pancake breakfast fundraiser held at the Knights of Columbus Hall for the Wawasee High School Leadership Committee and more specifically for the annual school Pow-Wow.

• A donation of $1,000 for the WHS Choral Department from Doug and Kristen Rassi was approved.

• A donation of two small engines from Kohler Engines to the Wawasee Career and Technical Cooperative was approved. They will be used in the small engines classroom at WHS.

• Wawasee received a 2017 digital learning grant from the Indiana Department of Education.

• Several out of state or overnight trips were approved including WHS Robotics Club to Louisville, FFA to West Lafayette and Greenwood, WHS advanced placement classes to Chicago, WMS band and choir to Muskegon, Mich., and WHS DECA to Anaheim, Calif.

• And the board approved the resolutions necessary for the summer construction projects to move forward.

From left, seventh-graders Camden Powell, Landen Dilley and Devon Kuhn were working on stories with their 1:1 devices in Shelley Kunkle’s language arts class at Wawasee Middle School.

SYRACUSE — It was one of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken by the Wawasee Community School Corporation. Putting a mobile electronic device in the hands of every student and teacher in the entire school district, not just a few grade levels as in the past.

This project, which took several months to plan and implement, came to be known as the 1:1 initiative. Now that the school year is winding down and will be finished next week, it has become clear the devices have had a significant impact on student learning, though there have been some bumps along the road.

Devices were distributed just prior to the start of the school year. Much infrastructure work had to be completed during last summer to be ready for the use of hundreds of devices. There was also a relatively short amount of time for teachers to become familiar with the devices and training has been ongoing even through the school year.

So how have the devices really impacted student learning and what have been the challenges encountered? Teachers use the devices daily and were asked how they feel teaching and student learning have been impacted, as well as the challenges faced.

“I think one of the positives of having one to one devices would be the engagement of the students,” said Nancy Rehling, sixth-grade science teacher at Wawasee Middle School. “Students enjoy researching and finding out more about some of the topics we are studying. If a question comes up in a class discussion we want to know more about, students are quick to look up the answer and share it with the class.”

Alison Weaver, visual arts teacher at WMS, said students have been given the opportunity to be more independent about their education. “Students can check their own grades, email teachers and work on assignments all on their own wherever they are,” she noted.

Feedback from Milford School indicated teachers can give more individualized attention to each student. Software allows teachers to see what each child is learning and to assess daily their instruction. Their lessons can then be adjusted accordingly for the next day.

Apps and online programs allow for different types of instruction, research information is “at our fingertips,” much time is saved and students and teachers can collaborate more often.

Mariah Roberts teaches agriculture at Wawasee High School and said the use of Google Classroom keeps students and teachers in constant communication. “There are no excuses for students to not know what is going on in class or what is due and when,” she commented.

Jordan Sharp is a health and physical education teacher at the high school and said the devices have allowed for more and easier access to educational content for students.

With a project this large in scope challenges and difficulties were expected and they have occurred. Some devices simply failed to work properly or were broken, some students failed to charge them before bringing them to school and internet access at home is not available for all students.

Another challenge has been getting some students to understand the wise and proper use of the devices and the fact assignments given digitally are graded and just as important as paper and pencil assignments.

Certainly there has been a learning curve for both teachers and students, but professional development will be offered during the summer and through the next school year to increase the effectiveness of the use of the 1:1 devices in classroom teaching and learning.

From left, seventh-graders Jossie Coy, Jayden Rolston, Cadin Kessler and Ethin Norris use their 1:1 devices for cancer research in Lindsey Gunderson’s science class.

Dirt from the football field at Wawasee High School is being loaded in a Don & Sons Excavating truck to be hauled away. The formerly grass field will be converted to artificial turf this summer.

SYRACUSE — Wawasee Community School Corporation’s “wish list” of construction projects and renovations is occurring, in part, this summer, but other items won’t be finished until the fall or will wait until next summer.

One of the big projects being done and already underway is removing the grass field of Warrior Field at Wawasee High School and replacing it with artificial turf, more specifically the CrossFlex Turf system of the Cincinnati-based The Motz Group.

The approximately $800,000 project will involve laying limestone for drainage, then a concrete pad and topping it off with the turf. Don Ritter, director of facilities and maintenance for the school corporation, said the concrete pad is important because it will extend the life of the field considerably.

He said the field will no longer be referred to as just a football field, but will be a multi-purpose field. “Before we had to wait for the field to recuperate after a football game,” Ritter said. But now, said Cory Schutz, athletic director for the high school, all home football and soccer games will be played on the field and practices can be held on it daily.

In addition, middle school football and soccer teams, bands, physical education classes and more will be able to use the field. The turf does not hold water and will be cleaner because no mud will be tracked back into the school on days where it has rained.

Ritter noted no more lines will need to be painted on the field and no more weeding, mowing and manicuring will be needed. Some maintenance will be required, such as leveling off the rubber infill and replacing the rubber as needed.

The project is expected to be finished by the second week of August. It may require the home opening football game to be rescheduled to another location.

Another major project this summer is renovating the former Veterans of Foreign Wars building on Chicago Street in Syracuse. The building will be gutted and transformed into classrooms and welding stations. There will be a gone boarding class where boards of all types such as skateboards, wakeboards and others will be put together.

Students in the Pathways cooperative will utilize the facility for welding classes and the plan is to also eventually offer classes to the public in the evenings.

Also this summer, North Webster Elementary is getting surveillance upgrades in the parking lot and glass and aluminum frames will be installed at the front entrance to direct all visitors through the main office instead of having immediate access to side hallways. The gym roof is being replaced, new carpeting is being installed in the hallways, office area and media center and painting is being done in many rooms.

A high efficiency water heater and boiler are both being installed, technology boards are being updated in classrooms, LED lighting is being installed, there will be a fenced in lot for bus parking and the nature trail is being paved.

Technology boards are also being updated at Milford School, along with the gym bleachers being replaced, the tennis courts being renovated and LED lighting being installed. At Wawasee Middle School, the tennis courts are being renovated, the bus fuel tank is being removed and new pool starting blocks are being installed. LED lighting is being installed where needed and technology boards are being updated.

Also at the high school, LED lighting is being installed at the varsity baseball and softball fields, soccer fields and tennis courts and in the school where needed. Technology boards are being updated, water heaters are being replaced, the B wing air conditioning chillers are being renovated, a trail is being installed along Kern Road to connect the high school with the new Syracuse Elementary and signage is being improved on the high school campus.

SYRACUSE — Online registration opens at noon Tuesday, July 18, for the Wawasee Community School Corp. This is for those students who were in a Wawasee school at the end of the 2016-17 school year and are returning.

Registration for new students and those who need to come in for online access is the following:

• Noon to 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 3, for Milford School, North Webster Elementary and Syracuse Elementary

• Noon to 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 7, for all schools

• Noon to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8, for Wawasee Middle School and Wawasee High School

For more information, call (574) 457-3188.

SYRACUSE — During an unusually brief meeting Tuesday evening, July 11, in Syracuse, the Wawasee school board awarded two construction bids.

R. Yoder Construction’s bid of $536,942 was accepted to transform the former Veterans of Foreign Wars building in Syracuse into spaces to be used for vocational purposes including welding and gone boarding classes. R. Yoder Construction is based in Nappanee.

Another bid was awarded to Niblock Excavating & Asphalt in the amount of $959,000. Niblock will renovate the tennis courts at Wawasee Middle School, Milford School and Wawasee High School. In addition, the track at WMS will be renovated and the long jump relocated, the fuel tank will be removed at WMS, additional visitor parking will be added in front of WMS and the bus garage parking lot off Kern Road in Syracuse will be paved.

Also during Tuesday’s meeting, Joy Goshert, assistant superintendent, reported to the board for the first time in many years a middle school summer school class was offered at both Milford and WMS focusing on improving math and language arts skills. Changes in summer school reimbursement options from the state allowed for the class to be offered.

Wawasee again partnered with United Way of Kosciusko County and offered Kindergarten Countdown with a total of 33 students participating. All Write Consortium, which provides professional development in literacy and is made up of school districts in northern Indiana and southern Michigan (including Wawasee), is going through changes as director Mindy Hoffar will retire at the end of the 2017-18 school year. Ruth Ayres has accepted the director’s position and will split her time during the coming school year between Wawasee and the consortium.

In other business, textbook rental fees for 2017-18 will increase by about $16 to $18, depending on the grade, for grades kindergarten through fifth. The increases are due to insurance costs for 1:1 devices and the adoption of a new math curriculum. The fees are $139.70 for K through second grade, $137.80 for third grade, $139.20 for fourth grade and $133.50 for fifth grade.

Insurance for 1:1 devices is provided and parents will not have to get it on their own this year.

Also during the meeting, James Flecker, director of personnel and legal services, noted the school corporation took occupancy of the new Syracuse Elementary School July 5 and began moving in Friday, July 7. Contractors are still in the building in order for the punch list items to be completed. Mary Lou Dixon, board member, stressed it is important everything is done right because, as she noted, WMS was “not done right” and there have been problems since the building opened.

Other agenda items included:

• Kosciusko Endowment Youth Services members from the high school and middle schools were recognized including Alex Fiscus, Elizabeth Kleopfer, Nyla White, Jared Krugman and Jairus Boyer.

• The high school softball team coached by Mike Barger was recognized for winning the regional tourney for the first time ever in school history. Ten of the 22 roster players were seniors.

• State track meet competitors Luke Griner, Alexis Manges and Hannah Marie-Lamle were recognized.

• The mileage reimbursement rate for employees of 50 cents per mile was approved by the board, the same rate as last year.

• Due to federal requirements for the National School Lunch Program, lunch prices will be raised by 10 cents bringing the total to $1.80 for grades K through five and $2 for grades six to 12. The adult lunch price will remain the same at $3.50.

• Personnel changes included Ryan Connor, assistant principal at Milford School, transferring to physical education teacher at North Webster Elementary at least temporarily and Josh Ekovich resigning as health and physical education teacher at the high school effective June 30.

From left are Elyse Sabin, Leah Freeman, Charlie Krull, Jake Wilkinson, Jackson Templin and Adam Beer. The four students to the left are middle school students in FFA getting tips from high school students on how to use a slope finder to determine the slope.

SYRACUSE — Middle school students interested in learning more about natural resources, how plants and animals work together, food science, food safety and more agriculture related topics can now get a head start. Because an agriculture class is now being taught at a middle school in the Wawasee district, middle school students are allowed to join the high school FFA.

Mariah Roberts, high school agriscience and business teacher, as well as FFA advisor, noted FFA policy requires an ag class to be taught at the middle school level in order for middle school students to join FFA. She said in years past, middle school students were connected to FFA through 4-H, but on a more limited basis.

Beginning with the start of the 2017-18 school year, Roberts began teaching an agriscience class to eighth-graders at Milford Middle School. Those in the class can earn two high school credits. She uses the curriculum for agricultural science education, or CASE.

“They (students) learn by discovery with materials and it is very hands-on curriculum,” Roberts said. The broad scope of agriculture is covered including food science and safety, natural resources, how plants and animals work together and more.

An agriculture class for middle school students had been discussed for a while but scheduling was an obstacle. Middle school and high school schedules are not the same and the schedule had to be adjusted to allow Roberts to go from the high school to teach everyday at Milford.

Allowing middle school students to join FFA should be a positive step. “Kids will learn the content of judging events at a younger age,” she said. “It should help the teams be more successful.” Students will also be traveling to judging events or other contests and will learn how traveling fits into the overall process.

Motivating middle school kids more is another aspect to consider. “It could get some kids more invested in their school community,” Roberts commented. “It will extend their learning,” and give them more reason to study academics.

There are 24 middle school students in FFA thus far and most are from Milford. About a half dozen or so are Wawasee Middle School students. They have already participated in a county soils judging contest Tuesday, Sept. 12, and the area soils judging contest is Thursday, Sept. 21, near Claypool.

Although the agriscience class is only taught to eighth-graders at Milford, those in grades six through eight at either middle school can join FFA. The number may increase from 24 because some students aren’t interested in soils judging and may join after those contests are finished.

Roberts said she would like to have as many middle school students as possible committed to FFA by Oct. 1, but that does not necessarily mean latecomers will be turned away. FFA meetings are held the second Thursday evening of each month.

A few other local school districts including Warsaw, Whitko and Fairfield have had middle school students in FFA for a while, she added.

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.

Katelin Vogel, Wabash, left, was crowned the 2017 Miss Kosciusko County and Malana Pashea, Avilla, was crowned the 2017 Miss Outstanding Teen. (Photo by Deb Patterson)

KOSCIUSKO COUNTY — The Miss Kosciusko Scholarship Program is now accepting applications to be a contestant in the 2018 Miss Kosciusko Pageant.

This is not just Kosciusko County. Any girl from the ages of 13-24 who lives or goes to school in Kosciusko, Wabash, Huntington, or Whitley counties can compete for scholarship money. Winners can win anywhere from $50-$1,000 in scholarship money.

Girls will compete in five categories: Interview, talent, fitness, evening gown and on-stage question. The winner will go on to the state competition in June. The deadline for getting information in to the director is the weekend before Christmas. Resumes/entry forms can all be emailed — no postage or U.S. mail is necessary.

The competition is Saturday, Jan. 13, 2018, at Wawasee Middle School in Syracuse. Email the director of Miss Kosciusko Amy Miller at amiller@wawasee.k12.in.us for information and instructions on how to enter.

Keyanna Clevenger uses a circular hand saw to cut lumber for building a house in Enchanted Hills.

KOSCIUSKO COUNTY — Plan B became plan A for the Wawasee Building Trades project.

Originally the plan was to build a house beginning with the start of the school year in August. But that plan fell through when the property owner wasn’t able to secure financing for the home.

To keep the building trades students busy, metal was put on a pavilion to seal it up so residents at Camelot Lake could use it. Then some charity work was done for a couple of days and for about three weeks Wawasee students helped Fairfield Building Trades students put a roof on a house they are building on CR 44 in Elkhart County.

In the meantime, Ed Waltz, building trades instructor, was asked by Brian Peshel, a math teacher at Wawasee High School, to help him build his house on Goldilocks Lane in Enchanted Hills near Lake Wawasee. The lot is located by a channel of the lake and when Peshel stands in his front yard and looks to the south, he can see Lake Wawasee.

Work began on the house Monday, Oct. 16. “We started that first week by putting some walls up in the basement,” Waltz said. “It will be a walk out basement.”

Then first floor framing and work on exterior walls began and the next step will be to set the beams for the second floor. It will be a two-story, contemporary type house as described by Waltz.

The house is “a little different” with steeper roof lines than normal. Because of that, Waltz chose not to have his students work on the roof and will instead find another crew to do the roof. Work will continue during the fall and winter months through the drywall stage including hanging the drywall.

Sometime in the spring building trades will team up with welding students for a project at the Wawasee Middle School soccer fields, which is part of the original plan for the school year. They will put up a steel building to be used for a restroom, concessions and storage.

There are 20 junior and senior students in building trades for the 2017-18 school year, 10 in the morning and 10 in the afternoon. But the balance will likely change during the next trimester due to class schedules.

Fifteen of the 20 are first-year building trades students. That certainly presents challenges, Waltz said, but some of the students have previous construction experience through the Geometry in Construction class.

Waltz is in his 25th year as Wawasee Building Trades instructor.