Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
SYRACUSE — Wawasee Community School Corporation Board of School Trustees welcomed new leadership, recognized retiring educators and celebrated student accomplishments during its regular meeting Tuesday at the Wawasee Professional Learning Center.
The meeting marked the first appearance of Kent Myers as superintendent. Although his official start date is Wednesday, Myers led the evening’s recognition portion and shared reflections on his introduction to the district.
“As I mentioned, tomorrow is my first day, and so I’m very excited about that,” Myers said. “Everyone has been so welcoming.”
Among the evening’s recognitions were four Wawasee students who were named National Math Stars nominees after scoring in the top 2% of Indiana third-graders on the ILEARN math assessment. Honorees included Bo Beasley of Syracuse Elementary, Sydney Beer and Amelia Griepentrog of Milford Elementary and Kaz Toller of North Webster Elementary, who was unable to attend.
Athletic achievements were another highlight. Myers recognized state qualifiers from the Wawasee girls and boys track and field teams. Mia Hodgson advanced to the state finals after winning a sectional championship in the 1,600-meter run and later finished 30th at the state meet. The boys 4x800-meter relay team of J.D. Stoffel, Ivan Waikel, Mason Worrell and Jude Hively also qualified for the state championship after winning a sectional title and placing fourth at regionals.
Looking ahead, boys track coach Chase Pinion said the relay team could return to state competition next season.
“We got three juniors and a freshman, so maybe next year we might be able to do kind of the same thing here,” Pinion told board members.
The board also formally approved the hiring of Nicole Veidt as the next principal of Syracuse Elementary School. Myers said Veidt most recently spent 10 years leading Whispering Meadows Elementary in Southwest Allen County Schools. Her official start date is scheduled for June 27.
“Thank you for your trust in me to lead Syracuse Elementary,” Veidt said. “I am so excited to become a part of the Wawasee community.”
Board members and administrators also recognized Interim Superintendent Diane Woodworth, whose final day with the district was Tuesday. Board President Andy Cripe credited Woodworth with helping guide the district through a period of transition.
“It means a lot to our community,” Cripe said. “There’s people in the community that don’t even know how important (what) you did for us was.”
Woodworth thanked district staff and the community for their support during her tenure.
“I’m leaving with a full heart, though, full of admiration for Wawasee,” Woodworth said. “You have a wonderful community and a great school district.”
The board also honored retiring employees whose combined service represented over 300 years in education. Those recognized included Deborah Connett, Dianna Allen, Heather DeSomer, Lori Dixon, Kim Jones, Kerry Murphy, Christine Noel, Susan Scheidt, Brenda Stiver, Kevin Taylor and Lori Thomas. The district also recognized the late Amy Miller, a longtime teacher and coach who died in May following an extended illness.
In other business, trustees approved revised language in the corporation’s health insurance plan document. Chief Financial Officer Dr. Brandon Penrod said the changes were intended to remove ambiguity regarding how long departing and retiring teachers remain on the district’s insurance plan.
“We’re trying to take out the ambiguity and the interpretation of that,” Penrod said while explaining the clarification language.
Other Items
The board recognized several recent grants awarded through Kosciusko Endowment Youth Services, including $400 for Milford Elementary, $500 for Wawasee High School’s English learner program and $1,000 for positive behavior incentives at Wawasee Middle School. In addition, Wawasee band director Tony Pawlicki was recognized after being named Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber Educator of the Year.
The board also approved a career and technical education equipment purchase agreement, accepted the monthly financial report and approved an overnight trip request for the high school boys and girls cross-country teams to attend camp at Pokagon State Park in July.
