Warsaw Schools Thanked By Chicago High School Hockey Game
Warsaw Schools Thanked By Chicago High School Hockey Game
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Jackie Gorski-jgorski@timesuniononline.com
Warsaw Schools Thanked By Chicago High School Hockey GameWarsaw Community Schools and Warsaw first responders helped a Chicago high school hockey team celebrate its first game back on the ice Sunday after a school bus accident in November.
WCS Superintendent Dr. David Hoffert told the School Board Monday that a couple staff members attended Chicago’s St. Ignatius College Prep's junior varsity hockey game Sunday. Also attending were several first responders.
On Nov. 12, a semi-trailer-tractor, driven by Victor Santos, 58, of Brooklyn, N.Y., hit the school bus at the intersection of U.S. 30 and Center Street. Santos is charged with four counts of causing serious bodily injury while operating a vehicle, Level 5 felonies; and 22 counts of criminal recklessness (while armed with a deadly weapon), Level 6 felonies.
In the probable cause affidavit, it stated Santos had a blood alcohol content of .13% and he was driving erratically on U.S. 30. He was followed by two cars, one from as far as Columbia City, that alleged Santos almost drove them off the road.
The hockey team was staying at a Warsaw hotel and dining in the city for a weekend tournament in Culver.
All but three students were able to return to the team.
There was a ceremony before Sunday’s game and the entire rink was packed.
Prior to the game, those on the scene of the accident were recognized on the ice. A hockey jersey with notes from the team members were presented to each Warsaw department or organization that responded to the bus accident, including WCS who provided a bus for the students.
St. Ignatius won 5 to 0. Alicia Mediano, director of operation clinical management for Lutheran EMS, dropped the puck at the beginning of the game.
“It was a great comeback for them,” Hoffert said.
There was a special reception after the game.
Members of the Lady Tigers basketball team had sent multiple get-well cards, Hoffert said. The notes were prominently displayed in the arena hallway.
St. Ignatius, at some point, plans on playing Culver again and staying in Warsaw.
Earlier in the meeting, Dr. Susan Brudvig gave the board a demographic report for the school corporation.
From fall 2012 to fall 2022, WCS saw its enrollment decline from 7,016 to 6,705 students. Brudvig said she saw a decline in enrollment in other school districts throughout the state, as well. In about 10 years, Brudvig said the school corporation will be at 6,600.
She also brought up county births. In 2000, there were 1,199 county births, while in 2020, there were 921 births.
“What we see is a 20-year decline,” she said. She said the downward trend of births is a statewide trend.
However, there has been an increase in housing. According to the 2020 census, the number of households and housing units did go up by 10%. During that same time, the adult population went up 10%. However, the child population went down 2%. One thing that could account for that is that a family comes into the area and the children go off to college or move out and the parents stay in their house.
To compensate for the issue, the area would need more housing turnover or more housing development, she said.
Board member Brad Johnson asked how this report compared to nationwide trends. Brudvig said it matched with nationwide trends. She didn’t see anything from WCS’ report that was divergent with nationwide trends.
In other business, the Board:
• Held a reception for Dr. David Robertson, outgoing assistant superintendent of secondary education.
• Learned Tracy Horrell, the new assistant superintendent of secondary education, held a meeting with all of the school resource officers and had a discussion on their current practices and duties.
• Learned Horrell met with WCS Chief Technology and Analytics Officer Kyle Carter and a Raptor representative.
• Recognized board Vice President Randy Polston for being on the board for 10 years and for his service.
