NORTH MANCHESTER – Andrew Zimmerman, a sixth-grade teacher at Manchester Intermediate School, is asking to reclaim his teaching position after resigning last month. A community of students, parents and teachers spoke on Zimmerman’s behalf during Tuesday’s Manchester Community School Board meeting. The board listened intently to the concerns of the parents and co-workers. The board met Monday to discuss the situation. Members would not say why Zimmerman resigned, citing confidentiality for personnel matters during an executive session. No decision was made.
Transitional Kindergarten Manchester Community Schools will be starting a pilot transitional kindergarten program. Manchester Elementary School has wanted to begin a pre-K option to better prepare incoming children for a school environment. Transitional kindergarten would essentially be the first year of a two-year kindergarten program. In that first year of kindergarten, children would be able to learn academic and social skills. Flexibility in schedules would allow students to explore intentional interests; students would participate in music, art and physical education classes once a week; and they would be offered transportation by school bus. School Principal Joseph Rogers said, “It is a way to get students in school and get them ahead. It’s a great way to encourage MES.” Twenty students will be accepted into the pilot program on a first-come, first-served basis. There will be advertisements in the community and an application process. If the program is successful, an expansion will be considered.
Homeschool Athletes Manchester Jr./Sr. High Principal Dr. Jon Lippe and Athletic Director Jeremy Markham invited homeschooled students to participate in Manchester Community School’s athletics. Indiana High School Athletic Association policy requirements state that the student must: • live in the school district. • be homeschooled for at least three years. • provide a record of their grades. • take one class daily at the high school. Administrators had considered requiring two or three classes, but Lippe said he is content with the one-class requirement. Lippe and Markham said they believe that when students interact with the teachers and students of their school, they will want to become full-time students. This was the first reading of the policy, which still needs to be approved by the board attorney. The policy may be expanded to include extracurricular activities such as marching band, choir and musicals.
ISTEP Testing ISTEP testing will begin next week for students in third through eighth grades and high school sophomores. Seven hours of testing will be broken down over two weeks. Students will take the test online in their Chromebooks. Manchester Intermediate Principal Randy Self says that though the test results are important, he is hoping that his teachers are creating problem solvers and thinkers rather than good test takers.
