Seussical to be Presented by the Knox High School Drama Department

Posted on Author WKVI

Knox High School’s Drama Department has decided to switch things up a bit this year compared to years past. They will be presenting their musical in the fall this year instead of in the spring as they usually do.

This year’s musical of choice is “The Seussical,” which is based on Dr. Seuss stories. The musical centers around Horton with The Cat in the Hat as a narrator. Director Terril Hahn says that this is a great show that should be an enjoyment for adults and students alike.

Rehearsals for the musical are currently underway. The musical will take to the stage on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. CT and on Sunday, Nov. 8 at 2 p.m. CT.

Knox Football Players Commended For Storm Clean-up Efforts

Posted on Author WKVI

Dave Bullock from the Knox Park Board appeared before the Knox Community School Board Monday night to thank high school football coach Chris McGowan and the entire football team for helping to pick up debris at Sandy Acres Park after the July 24 storm.

Bullock said 45 members of the team took their time out of practice to help the park members who were swamped with all the wreckage after the storm. The team spent several hours picking up branches and limbs and tiding up the park for regular patrons. He added that some of players remarked that it was some of the hardest work they’d done so far this season.

The board thanked Bullock for his comments and also commended the team for showing great community spirit in a time of need.

Knox High School National Honor Society Honored By School Board

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox Community School Superintendent A.J. Gappa

The Knox High School National Honor Society was spotlighted during the school board’s recent meeting. Superintendent A.J. Gappa says the members were involved in a great fundraising effort.

“Dr. Ratliff, the principal at the high school, brought to the board a letter from the Pennies for Patients fundraising effort,” said Gappa. “Our National Honor Society at the high school raised over $1,200 in pennies to support that fund. The whole nation raised over $600,000.”

Knox High School Continues To Offer Free Breakfast and Lunch

Posted on Author WKVI

A few Knox High School students are involved in the second session of summer school, and High School Principal Dr. Elizabeth Ratliff said summer school has been going well.

“We have a lot of classes going on at the high school,” said Ratliff. “We also want to remind you that we do have free lunch or breakfast for any individual under 18 going on at the high school. They can come in and get a complimentary lunch or breakfast. If you have visitors in town, we’d welcome you here.”

Breakfast and lunch will be served at the high school Monday, July 23 through Thursday July 26. Breakfast is served from 7 to 8:30 a.m. and lunch from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CT.

Knox High School Graphics Department Receives Flexo Press Machine

Posted on Author WKVI

The Knox High School Graphic Arts Department has received a flexo press machine to help expand the many programs in that department.

The Mark Andy 830 flexo press comes from Bettylyn Kraft from the Phoenix Challenge. Knox High School is the only school in the state to add a flexo press to the print education program, allowing students to print packaging and other labels.

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Registration Schedule For Knox Schools Released

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox Community School Superintendent A.J. Gappa

Knox Community School Superintendent A.J. Gappa announced that the school registration schedule has been released this week.

“The high school, middle school and the elementary school released registration dates for the upcoming school year,” said Gappa. “I know it seems like the old school year just ended, but that information will be posted on the website and we will get that information out so everyone is aware of the registration times for the upcoming school year.”

The registration days will be Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, July 31 through Aug. 2, at the Knox elementary and middle schools, and Aug. 1 and 2 at the Knox High School. To download a full schedule, click here.

Freshmen registration is Thursday, Aug. 9 from 8 to 11 a.m. Back to School Night is Monday, August 13 from 4 to 6 p.m. at all schools, and the first day of school for Knox students is Tuesday, August 14.

Knox High School Teacher Wins Department of Education Essay Contest

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox Community School Superintendent A.J. Gappa

The Department of Education issued a unique challenge to the teachers this spring. They presented a contest in which a staff member was asked to write a six-word essay about a colleague or about the school. Knox Community School Superintendent A.J. Gappa said one of the teachers at Knox was selected as a winner in the contest.

“Mary Kleinfehn, one of the teachers at the high school who is actually going to retire at the end of the year – she’s taught Special Ed here for many years – wrote her six-word essay about Curriculum Director Peggy Shidaker. She has worked with her for many years. Two weeks ago, the Department of Education picked six winners from around the state and Mrs. Kleinfehn’s essay was selected as the winner from the Northwest region of the state,” said Gappa.

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Plymouth Assistant Superintendent Announces Retirement

Posted on Author WKVI

A 1963 graduate of Knox High School, Dr. Rodger Smith has announced his retirement, effective at the end of the school year at Plymouth. He has been the assistant superintendent of the corporation since 2008. He was superintendent of the John Glenn School Corporation for five years before his employment at Plymouth.

Smith still makes his home in Knox.

Knox Community Schools Laptops Benefit Students, Teachers

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox Community School Superintendent A.J. Gappa

Knox Technology Coach Chris Ross gave a laptop usage update to the Knox Community School Board members this week. Superintendent A.J. Gappa says it has been a learning experience for teachers and students.

“We talked about how the staff has transformed from the beginning of last year where they were all entry level and how they’ve progressed throughout the school year – some more rapidly than others because they’re handier with technology,” said Gappa.

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Knox High School Honor Day Program Held Friday

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox High School Top Ten

The Knox High School Honor Day program was held Friday, May 18th.

Approximately $318,000 in scholarships were distributed to the graduating seniors. The Ben Bowen Award recipient was Elliott Coad, Hannah Folkers won the Bonnie Taylor Award and Shelby Gilbert and Logan Short were named winners of the Robert Hanselman Award. Some other notable scholarship winners were Sierra Brooke of the Roger Laramore Scholarship, Chelsea Whitcraft won the George W. Burkett Scholarship and Thomas Clem won the C. Slisher Scholarship.

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Knox Swim Coach Resigns Following Alleged Inappropriate Behavior

Posted on Author WKVI
Robert "Ryan" Corbin

After previously being suspended with pay, Robert “Ryan” Corbin filed his resignation with the Knox School Board, who approved it at their recent meeting. Corbin, a Knox High School gym teacher and boys and girls varsity swim coach, was suspended after being accused of inappropriate behavior with a 16-year-old student.

Police had previously interviewed both the student and Corbin and they both allegedly admitted to having conversations with each other. Inappropriate Facebook messages were sent, and conversations were also held via telephone and texting.

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Knox High School Football Team to Host Relay For Life Dodgeball Tournament

Posted on Author WKVI

“If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball!” That advice will come in handy at the Inaugural Starke County Dodgeball Tournament, hosted by the Knox High School football team. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Relay for Life Foundation.

Brady Jones of the high school organized the event, and he told WKVI that he chose to benefit the Relay for Life Foundation to give back to the community with the help of the Knox football team.

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Jerry Nenycz Named Indiana Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year

Posted on Author WKVI
Jerry Nenycz

A 1999 Knox High School Graduate is the Indiana Non Commissioned Officer of the Year. Staff Sergeant Jerry Nenycz, of Plymouth, won the honor in head-to-head competition with eight other soldiers. Nenycz was asked about the competition.

“I went through a preliminary a month ago, then last weekend I went to state competition and won the right to represent my state at Regional at Camp Grayling, Michigan,” Nenycz said.

We asked Nenycz if he wins at the Regional would it mean going on to the national competition.

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Bond Set in Knox Swim Coach Arrest

Posted on Author WKVI

Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall set a $15,000 bond for Knox Community School swim coach Robert R. Corbin, who is charged with two counts of Attempted Child Seduction as Class D felonies. Corbin, 27, is also prohibited from making any contact with the victim.

In the affidavit in support of probable cause filed today in circuit court by Starke County Prosecutor Nicholas Bourff and prepared by Knox City Police Department Detective David Combs, it is alleged that on Wednesday, March 28, Knox Police Department Officer Chad Keen responded to a call and went to a residence in Knox. He was informed by the victim’s father that his sixteen-year-old daughter had been receiving inappropriate messages from a Knox teacher, and Officer Keen took printed pages of Facebook messages between his daughter and Corbin.
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Knox Gym Teacher Arrested on Child Seduction Charges

Posted on Author WKVI

The Knox City Police Department continues to investigate an alleged improper internet contact incident between a Knox High School gym teacher and a student.

Police investigated a complaint last week where a parent reported the act. Robert “Ryan” Corbin, 27, of Knox, was arrested Sunday as a result of the preliminary investigation. He faces preliminary charges of Child Seduction and Attempted Child Seduction, both Class D Felonies. He is being held in the Starke County Jail under no bond.

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Knox City Council Commends Officer, Fireman in Rescue

Posted on Author WKVI

Mayor Rick Chambers passed out praise at the Knox City Council meeting this week. Chambers thanked Knox City Police Officer, Chad Dulin, and Knox-Center Township fireman, Wayne Noah, for quick action in saving the life of a child in an accident that occurred Saturday at 200 East and State Road 8. The car went into the ditch and began filling with water. The pair arrived on scene and helped get the child out of the car. The fire department then arrived on the scene and extricated the driver out of the car.

The Mayor also praised the Knox High School Girls basketball team who brought home the first Sectional crown since 1995.

Emergency Services Organizations to Conduct Training Exercise

Posted on Author WKVI

Local emergency services organizations will be conducting a training exercise on December 10th. The exercise will take place at the Knox High School between the hours of 9 a.m. and 12 p.m.

The training will consist of various departments including the Knox Police Department, Starke County Sheriff’s Department, Hamlet Police Department, and the Knox Fire Department. Also participating in the training will be Starke County EMS, Starke County Emergency Management and IU Health Starke Hospital.

Again, when you see all of the emergency personnel at the high school Saturday, this is only a training session.

Students Honored for Spotlight on Success Achievement Surprised by Guest at Knox School Board Meeting

Posted on Author WKVI
Tim Watts

The Knox Community School Board had a special Spotlight on Success agenda item this week. The students in Mrs. Kleinfehn’s high school class have been corresponding with Tim Watts, a 2004 graduate of Knox High School, and a member of the National Guard. He has a special email account so the students can email him and those letters are monitored by Mrs. Kleinfehn.

The students appeared before the School Board Monday night for the Spotlight on Success presentation and Superintendent A.J. Gappa said they got a surprise.

“It just so happens, Tim was home on leave this week so he was able to show up in person at the board meeting and the kids didn’t know he was coming,” said Gappa. “The Board thought that it was really special for a graduate of Knox High School to come back and take the time, especially when he’s got limited time left before he goes overseas, to talk to these kids and show some samples of emails they’ve already sent.”

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Dick Wagner Retires from Knox Community School Corporation after Teaching 40 Years

Posted on Author WKVI
Dick Wagner and this year's business class

The Knox Community School Board members accepted the retirement of a high school teacher at their meeting this week.

“Dick Wagner had submitted a letter of retirement. He had some personal issues that developed so he felt that it was in his best interest at this time to retire. Mr. Wagner was a business teacher at Knox. Over the years, he’s done other extra-curricular activities. I believe he, at some point, did the Yearbook at the High School, he’s also been a tennis coach, and he was involved with the Knox Federation of Teachers where he has been the past President, a position he held for the last number of years until this past May. He got in forty-and-a-half years. We want to thank him for all he’s done for the Corporation and the time he’s put in,” commented Superintendent, A.J. Gappa.

Photo provided.