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SYRACUSE — Tension over communication, finances and leadership continued to dominate discussion during the Wawasee Community School Board’s regular meeting Tuesday at the Wawasee Professional Learning Center.
The evening opened with required hearings on collective bargaining and the district’s 2026 budget. Superintendent Dr. Steve Troyer explained that negotiations with the Wawasee Community Educators Association are scheduled through early October, with the goal of a tentative agreement by mid-November. Several patrons pressed for details on bargaining dates and raised concerns about teacher access to sessions held during the school day.
Budget matters also drew sharp criticism. Community members questioned the district’s reported debt load of more than $200 million and pressed administrators for clearer breakdowns of obligations and interest payments. Corporation Chief Financial Officer Brandon Penrod estimated annual interest at roughly $6.5 million, while patron commenter Alex Wild argued that the public presentation of numbers was confusing to non-specialists.
Several patrons took the microphone to voice frustration over leadership and finances. Kim Jones, Wawasee Community Educators Association president and a 33-year teacher, said staff concerns were repeatedly ignored.
“For the past four years, concerns have been raised about poor communication from the top down,” Jones told the board.
She cited a recent safety issue where “the lack of structure and communication delayed the response and ultimately created an unsafe environment for both students and staff.”
Jones also questioned the rollout of the recently-announced “Warrior Experience” culture initiative, saying it emphasized appearances without input from staff.
“Our teachers, parents, bus drivers, and support staff are exhausted,” she said. “Meanwhile, they watch administrators receive financial rewards … This creates the perception of inequity that is both disheartening and demoralizing.”
She added that many staff fear retaliation for speaking up, an assertion supported by resident Rob Chalk.
Other speakers echoed her concerns. Chalk, who spoke at the previous meeting, pressed the board on enrollment figures and superintendent benefits. He pointed to rising administrative salaries and asked, “Please explain how and why this could happen … We have poor leadership, that’s the bottom line.”
In his superintendent’s report later in the meeting, Troyer attempted to frame the issues within broader financial realities. He noted Wawasee has lost more than 600 students since 2016, a 20% decline that directly affects state revenue. While demographic shifts are the primary factor, he said, the administration has implemented staff reductions and operational savings to keep expenditures aligned with enrollment.
“Schools don’t choose our revenue,” he said. “We simply have to work within the funding formula we’re given.”
He said the district saved more than $800,000 through retirements, reassignments and administrative restructuring this year, though he acknowledged the cuts “create understandable frustration.”
Other speakers had questions about Troyer’s contract, administrative pay increases and the district’s handling of executive sessions. Some accused leaders of lacking transparency and urged the board to publish clearer organizational charts and financial documents. The meeting echoed similar frustrations voiced earlier in the year, when residents criticized declining enrollment and the elimination of the school radio station and gymnastics program.
Board members defended their oversight role but acknowledged the tension. President Don Bokhart noted the difficulty of responding to lengthy, prepared public statements in the moment. Troyer said he would be open to a public work session to allow for more in-depth discussion outside of the board’s regular business meeting.
Despite the contentious exchanges, the board moved through several items of regular business:
• Donations were approved for athletics, band, cross country, cheerleading and FFA, with contributions from local businesses, alumni and civic groups totaling tens of thousands of dollars.
• The board also established a designated fund for school supplies through the Kosciusko County Community Foundation, approved continued participation in the Bashor Alternative Program, and authorized HANDS in Autism training for staff.
• In her learning report, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Shelly Wilfong highlighted the rollout of new English language arts curriculum and specialized training for teachers working with students with challenging behaviors. She praised early collaboration among grade-level teams and said the district’s first professional development day of the year would involve all employee groups.
The next regular meeting of the Wawasee Community School Board is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Oct. 14 at the Wawasee Professional Learning Center.
