This summer’s above average amount of rainfall has been ideal for mosquito breeding. According to state health officials, West Nile Virus has been confirmed in almost 10 Indiana counties. The virus has only been spotted in mosquito samples and no avian or human infections have been reported or confirmed thus far. Continue reading
N.J.-S.P. Board Discusses Salaries
Administrative and non-instructional North Judson-San Pierre School Corporation employees will not be getting pay raises this year after action last week by the school board. That move is in response to budgetary constraints. Superintendent Lynn Johnson says there will be no increase to any salaries. Every year the board is required to take action on a resolution about Teacher’s Credit Union. The board was in agreement about continuing to use the company for payroll deductions. Continue reading
North Judson-San Pierre School Board to Discuss Salaries
The North Judson-San Pierre School Board could set administrative and non-instructional salaries employees salaries when they meet this evening. Both are on the agenda for their 7 p.m. session at the school corporation office. Continue reading
North Judson – San Pierre Superintendent Discusses Referendum Details
The North Judson School Board unanimously approved a resolution requesting a property tax levy referendum during their most recent meeting. The board has recently received some criticism about doing this now rather than during a regular election year.
NJ-SP SB Brainstorms Ideas for Political Action Committee to Assist with Referendum
Following their meeting Monday evening, the NJSP School Board held a work session to discuss the formation of a Political Action Committee. They considered various community members who could potentially be contacted to assist the school with the referendum process. The P.A.C would be responsible for making sure community members are registered to vote and spreading the word about the corporation and why the referendum is needed. Continue reading
N.J.-S.P. School Board Reaffirms Support for Title 1 Program
The North Judson-San Pierre School Board this week reaffirmed support for the federal Title 1 program. It provides resources to schools with high percentages of students from low-income families to offer extra academic help. Superintendent Lynn Johnson says the corporation will be able to add more grant-funded assistance for students. Continue reading
N.J.-S.P. Officials Prepare for School Funding Referendum
North Judson-San Pierre School officials are preparing to ask taxpayers within the corporation to support a $1.5 million tax increase over the next seven years to fund school operations. The school board will formally authorize the process during their July meeting. Continue reading
North Judson-San Pierre School Corporation Prepares for Referendum
Voters who live in the North Judson-San Pierre School District will be asked to consider a tax increase to support the corporation. The measure will be on the November General Election ballot. Continue reading
North Judson-San Pierre School Board Prepares for Upcoming Year
Summer vacation just started, but the North Judson-San Pierre School Board is already preparing for the coming year. Tonight’s school board agenda includes discussion of Title I participation, textbook fees and student handbooks for the 2015-16 school year. Continue reading
Summer Food Service Programs Soon to be Available at Local Schools
Students are typically thrilled when summer break finally begins but individuals who rely on school meals for breakfast and lunch could be feeling bitter sweet about the end of the school year. Luckily, the Summer Food Service Program has a mission to make sure no Hoosier goes hungry.
Starke County Youth Club Honors IU Health Starke Hospital
IU Health Starke Hospital’s investment in the youth of the community has earned them recognition from the Starke County Youth Club. Executive Director Irene Szakonyi presented IU Health Starke Hospital President Craig Felty the Aim High Award in recognition of the hospital’s top pledge of $5,000 during the recent radiothon. The daylong fundraiser on WKVI raised $41,000 for the club. It provides after school and summer enrichment programs for students from Knox, North Judson-San Pierre and Oregon-Davis schools at sites throughout the county. Continue reading
Area Academic Team Gathers State Championship
North Judson-San Pierre Middle School students participating in the Social Studies Academic Team has a seventh state championship.
The eight-member team recently competed in the Indiana Academic Super Bowl Junior Competition at LaPorte High School on May 2 and answered 21 out of 25 questions correctly. The topic was “The Grandeur that was Rome” which included questions in the areas in Math, Science, Social Studies, and English.
North Judson-San Pierre Superintendent Addresses School Funding Rumors
North Judson-San Pierre School Corporation officials are eying a local property tax hike to cover operating expenses. A combination of state funding cuts and declining enrollment have cost the corporation a significant amount of money. Superintendent Lynn Johnson says they are not planning to consolidate.
“This is North Judson-San Pierre. It needs to stay North Judson-San Pierre. We’re not going to be absorbed into Knox. That is not true,” Johnson said. Continue reading
North Judson-San Pierre School Officials Propose School Funding Referendum
North Judson-San Pierre School Corporation officials will ask voters to approve a property tax referendum this fall to help fund day-to-day school operations. Superintendent Lynn Johnson says a combination of declining enrollment and state budget cuts have forced the corporation to cut $2.5 million since 2010. She stresses there are no plans to close schools or consolidate with another corporation, despite rumors to the contrary. Continue reading
O-D Stages Mock Crash, Teachers Talk Candidly About Drunk Driving
You are free to choose, but you are not free from the consequences of those choices. That’s the message Oregon-Davis Middle School language arts teacher Angie Radke shared with high school students there after a mock drunk driving crash in the school parking lot. Radke’s best friend, Brooklyn Boo, was killed by a drunk driver in 1998, a week after their junior prom at North Judson-San Pierre High School. Continue reading
North Judson-San Pierre Officials to Discuss Budget Cuts, Funding Challenges Tonight
The North Judson-San Pierre School Board is looking at painful budget cuts to close the books on the current year and make ends meet next year. Superintendent Lynn Johnson and other officials will explain those in detail during a “fight for public education” forum tonight at the high school auditorium. Johnson says declining enrollment means N.J.-S.P. will not benefit from additional money in the new state budget. Continue reading
Starke County Youth Club Programs Help Bridge Achievement Gap
The Starke County Youth Club’s after-school programs help bridge the achievement gap for students. Executive director Irene Szakonyi says that’s disparity in performance levels among groups of youngsters. Research indicates children who come from low-income homes don’t perform as well on standardized tests as their more affluent classmates, nor do they get as good of grades. Szakonyi says 60 percent of children served come from low-income homes and start kindergarten behind their peers as a result. Continue reading
Starke County Youth Club Programs Benefit Children and Parents
The Starke County Youth Club’s after-school programs offered at sites around the county benefit more than just the students who take part in them. Executive Director Irene Szakonyi says they serve as a bridge between school and home for youngsters, for whom the most critical hours of the day are between 3 and 6 p.m. School is out, but parents aren’t home from work yet. Szakonyi says that’s the most common time for a child to be the victim of or the perpetrator of a violent crime. Continue reading
Starke County Youth Club Executive Director Elaborates on After-School Offerings
The Starke County Youth Club provides a strong mix of academic and enrichment activities to youngsters who take part in after-school programs at sites across the county. Executive Director Irene Szakonyi says the day begins with a little bit of decompression time and a healthy snack.
From there she says the focus shifts to homework. Continue reading
North Judson-San Pierre Students Ready to Rock the ISTEP
Students at North Judson-San Pierre Elementary are ready to rock the ISTEP. Exams begin this week. On Friday teachers took a break from instruction for fun activities like movies, healthy snacks and class parties. The day was capped off by a rock concert on the high school football field from the ISTEP Crüe. The band consisted of principal Mike McBride, aka James Michaels, on guitar and lead vocals, drummer Tommy Lee Wilbanks, better known to many students as computer teacher Bob Wilbanks, and guidance counselor Chuck Rebeck, moonlighting as Crüe bassist Chucky Sixx. They jammed out to tunes like “Born to Take ISTEP,” “Keep on Testing Me Baby,” “Rock ‘n Roll All Nite (and ISTEP Every Day) and the always popular “Takin’ Care of ISTEP Business.” Continue reading
