“Project Attend,” a plan to improve school attendance of truant students, was discussed by the Knox School Board last night. Under the plan, school officials can inform the court of the student’s attendance records, grades, behavior and what they view is the problem as to why students are not attending regularly. Continue reading
Knox School Board Reorganizes
Kirk Bennett was elected president of the Knox School Board when it held its 2016 organization meeting last night. Gary Dulin and Wendy McInire were elected vice president and secretary respectively. Sherry Fort was named corporation treasurer. Other appointments and memberships were made in various areas of administration. Continue reading
Students Share Science Knowledge With School Board
The Knox School Board was delighted to see and hear a dozen of Mrs. Woods’ Elementary Science students explain their Science Fair projects Monday night. The assignment was “the Solar System.” The students brought and explained many imaginative and detailed displays. Continue reading
Knox Students Prepare for Homecoming
“Homecoming” activities were the focus of reports from the principals of the Knox Community School Board earlier this week. The Homecoming Parade will begin in the Knox downtown area about 1:10 Friday afternoon, ending at the Weinberg Gymnasium for a pep session. The football game, Knox vs. North Judson, begins at 7 p.m. Continue reading
Knox Schools Budget Shrinks
The proposed 2016 budget for the Knox Community School System, according Superintendent A.J. Gappa at last night’s board meeting, is $12,805,868. That’s significantly less than the approved budget of $13,219,575 last year. The Board reviewed the 2016 budget in detail. A public hearing is scheduled for September 21st; adoption is expected on October 19th.Knox School Board Reaffirms Support for Programs
With the meeting room packed with parents, teachers, and band and athletic fans, the Knox School Board, late yesterday afternoon, assured those patrons it had no intent to “do away” with any particular extracurricular activity in its 2016 budget cutting efforts.
Social media had been reporting all day that budget support of certain programs was scheduled to be drastically reduced or completely removed from the schedule of activities at the scheduled work session.
That didn’t happen. Continue reading
Knox School Board Approves Reductions In Force
The Knox School took “reduction in force” action Monday night, giving notice to five employees. Before the action Kindra Hunt, president of the Knox Federation of Teachers, gave a presentation asking the board to review and reconsider the “rif” decision. Continue reading
Knox School Board Announces Elementary School Construction Timeline
Construction of the addition to the Knox Elementary School is expected to begin within 30 days, Dana J. Wannemacher, vice president Barton Coe Vilamaa, architects and engineers, reported to the Knox School Board last night. Weather and scheduling were cited as contributing to about a month’s delay in breaking ground. The board approved details of the kitchen and cafeteria area and equipment. Continue reading
Students Report to Knox School Board about Unique Experience
A new experience for 8th grade Language Arts students was reported on the Spotlight on Success agenda item at the recent Knox School Board meeting.
Mrs. Cotto arranged for her students to speak by live video with a survivor of the Nazi holocaust. The elderly survivor of the Auschwitz concentration camp told of hiding in the countryside with other teenagers only to be arrested and confined. He told them he knew Ann Frank, whose similar WWII experiences have been documented in a book, on stage and in a movie.
Knox School Board Approves New Computer Plan
Knox School Superintendent A.J. Gappa discussed with school board members recently a plan to provide students and teachers with new personal computers for the school’s completed four-year one-to-one computer program. The warranties are expiring on the current computers. He reported the cost for the next four years may be less than the last four years.
He said students who have had personal use of computers leave high school with technical knowledge that translates into many areas of life and they are better prepared for a college education.
ISTEP Testing Delayed at Knox Schools
The icy conditions yesterday, causing cancellation of a school day, also delayed the start of ISTEP testing in the Knox Middle School. Testing there was scheduled to start Tuesday.
At Monday’s meeting of the Knox School Board, Superintendent A.J. Gappa reviewed the constant changes in the ISTEP provisions by the State. In a visual presentation, he compared last year’s testing plan with the current year.
Knox School Board Reorganizes
Before the Knox Community School Board met for its first meeting of the new year, Monday, Knox City Court Judge Charels F. Hasnerl administered oaths of office to members selected in the November 2014 election. Taking oaths of office were Mary Lynn Ritchie, Gary Dulin and Mike Yankauskas.Longtime Knox School Board Attorney Retires
The Knox School Board’s attorney for the past decade, William Satterlee, of Valparaiso, Monday night attended his last meeting in that role. In an emotion filled statement, Satterlee expressed his gratitude for the opportunity of working with the Knox School Board. Each of the board members and the administrators responded with complimentary remarks about the legal work done for them. Continue reading
KMS Teacher Resigns, No Charges Filed in Connection With Scuffle
Criminal charges will not be filed against a Knox Middle School teacher involved a shoving incident last month with a sixth grade student. A video camera at the school captured the scuffle, which police say occurred when the teacher got between two children running in the classroom and pushed one into a table. Continue reading
Knox School Board Approves Bus Purchase
Knox School Board Spotlights Tech Tribe
Members of the Knox Elementary School’s “Tech Tribe” were in the “Spotlight” portion of the agenda at Monday’s Knox School Board meeting. The students, under the direction of Laura Barnes, who meet in weekly after school sessions, displayed their work in video production, showed board members and the Superintendent one of 13 that they have produced. Continue reading
Knox School Board Considering Elementary School Renovation, Expansion
A public hearing was held by the Knox School Board Monday evening for the renovation and addition being planned for Knox Elementary School. The project is designed to expand the kitchen and cafeteria areas by about 5,500 square feet. A final hearing is scheduled for November 3rd.
Superintendent A.J. Gappa presented a detailed summary the 2015 budget, expressing a concern about the effect of reduced revenues on operations. The board will hold the final hearing on that budget on October 20th.
The purchase of a 78 passenger bus was approved, as was the hire of four substitute teachers and substitute personnel for food service and custodial work.
Raelyn Binkley was approved for the position of Middle School Treasurer, effective October 20th, subject to the customary criminal history report.
In the “Spotlight on Success” portion of the agenda, Middle School Principal Josh Pugh and three students made presentations on the successful Manufacturer’s Day event, attended by 7th grade students from Knox, North Judson and Oregon-Davis schools last week.
Enrollment Down at Knox Schools
The first tally of the fall 2014 student enrollment at the Knox schools shows a drop of some 50 students from the previous year at the same time. Superintendent A.J. Gappa reported to last night’s meeting of the school board the loss of student attendance was across all grade levels. An officiall tally is scheduled later this month which will determine the state’s financial reimbursement to the schools.
Knox Community School Board Meets Tonight
The Knox Community School Board is doing things a little differently this time around and is holding their second bi-monthly meeting on a Tuesday. Tonight the board will meet at 6:30 p.m in the administrative office in the Palmer wing of the Knox Community Elementary School.
Knox School Board Reorganizes for 2013
The Knox Community School Board met for the first time this year on Monday night. Before the meeting convened, Superintendent A.J. Gappa said the elected school board members were sworn into office.
“City Judge Charlie Hasnerl came in and administered the oath of office to the four elected members,” said Gappa. “The returning members are Kirk Bennett and Jerry Fletcher and two new members to the school board are Wendy McIntire and Kurt Kemble.”
