Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
MENTONE — Ninety-five percent of Tippecanoe Valley School Corp. students taking the Indiana Reading Evaluation and Determination 3 test (IREAD-3) passed it in spring and summer 2025.
TVSC Superintendent Blaine Conley shared that news with the Tippecanoe Valley School Board at its regular meeting on Monday at Mentone Elementary School.
IREAD-3 is mainly taken by third-graders, with Indiana requiring that students pass it to advance to fourth grade.
Conley noted the school corporation had reached the state's "early literacy goal two years ahead of schedule." He added Valley's passing rate was around 8% higher than the statewide average.
Conley said TVSC Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Inga Omondi and building administrators worked with teachers to achieve the goal. He cited "frequent progress monitoring," as well as teachers being trained "on effective phonics instruction" and reading interventionist Hayley Whitaker assisting teachers as helping Valley reach the 95% rate.
Conley said Valley would continue a partnership with a national literacy consultant, maintain needed reading interventions and continue "staff development," among other things, to achieve a high passing rate in the future.
Conley also updated the board on the construction of the corporation's new administration and child care building near Tippecanoe Valley High School.
"On the administration side, framing of the exterior walls and the exterior wall panel installations are almost complete," he said. "Electrical layout work is ongoing, and roof installation is set to begin soon. Windows are expected to be installed within the next three to four weeks to allow the structure to be fully enclosed."
Conley said the child care side's "concrete slab was poured last Friday." As of now, the project is on time for a planned August 2026 opening.
In other business, the board:
• Accepted an anonymous donation of $1,280 for the corporation and $500 one from the Mentone Alumni Association for Mentone Elementary School. The latter will be used for helping feed and clothe students in need and for special events at the school.
• Approved the hiring of Valley Early Learning Academy instructional assistants Alexis Brazo and Erica Hall; TVHS social studies teacher Steve Caudill; and Akron Elementary School special education instructional assistants Jacob Kiefer and Jerzey Conley, instructional assistant Kendra Hester and custodian Cassie Elder.
• Approved Derek Miller as the Tippecanoe Valley Middle School cross-country coach and Rebecca Stewart as the Akron girls volleyball coach.
• Accepted the resignations of TVSC bus driver Jennifer Orduno; Akron instructional assistants Tracy Murphy and Kennan Denniston; Mentone instructional assistants Aisha Cooper and Christy Evans; and TVMS cafeteria worker Kathy Smith.
The board's next regular meeting is 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 8 at Mentone.
