Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
NORTH MANCHESTER - In Manchester Community Schools' continuing effort to recover funding from a loss of nearly $1.2 million in a wire fraud, the corporation has now recovered $403,000, as reported in an update during Tuesday's meeting.
Ahead of the regular meeting, the Manchester School Board held a public hearing for the 2024 budget. There were no comments.
The board also held a public hearing on collective bargaining with the teachers' association, led by Jeff Huber. The district can bargain on salaries, wages and benefits but cannot bargain on evaluations, work hours, grants, class sizes, hiring assignment transfers, student disciplines, school calendar, curriculum and some funding.
During public comments, the board heard from several community members including Brooke Vanderpool, Raju Shah and Luke Pinkerton.
Vanderpool asked the board members to go into the schools, especially in grades K-6.
"We shouldn't have class sizes the size we do ... the teachers are struggling," Vanderpool said.
Pinkerton spoke on the new position made for former Superintendent Kyle Wieland.
"We don't just want Kyle at MCS, we want him the superintendent of Manchester Community Schools," Pinkerton said.
Manchester Junior-Senior High School Principal Jon Lippe recognized Kelsey Pressl, who has been the Performing Arts Center technical director since 2012.
In other business:
• Hagerman Construction presented an update on the construction project.
• Lippe presented various diplomas and their requirements.
• MJSHS science teacher Greta Miller presented a request to take AP Biology students on a trip to study the ecology of Florida.
• Manchester Intermediate School principal Thomas Baldwin presented on eLearning protocols. More information on eLearning will be coming to parents soon.
The board will next meet at 6 p.m. Oct. 10.
