“I’m very pleased that through all of the adversity the students in our elementary performed exceptionally well and our junior high students performed average,” said Briles. “As the same with the elementary school, there’s always room for improvement.”
The Oregon-Davis School Board held a public hearing on the 2014 annual budget Monday night. The budget covers several funds including the General Fund, Capital Projects Transportation/Bus Replacement, Referendum, Rainy Day, Debt Service, and Retirement/Severance Bond Fund.
Interim Superintendent Greg Briles stated that this is free event for the community and several tents will be set up in the parking lot so parents or any resident can learn more about the school and activities.
A 2009 Oregon-Davis graduate has written a book and donated several copies to the school corporation.
Karly Keiper, who was recently chosen as the State of Indiana’s “Student Teacher of the Year,” has written a book with others entitled, “He Huffed and He Puffed But…”. It tells a tale of Tim BurWulf and his taste for pigs, but he can’t blow the pigs’ houses down because he suffers from asthma. He eventually learns about the symptoms and treatments of asthma.
Bonnie Guse was honored for her 40 years of service to the Oregon-Davis Corporation. She was a 1969 graduate of Oregon-Davis and later graduated from Indiana Central in 1973. From there, she began her teaching career at O-D.
Free lunch will be offered to students 18 years of age and younger Monday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to noon ET at the Oregon-Davis Elementary School. All students are welcome without residential or financial stipulations.
If adults aged 19 and older would like to have a nutritious lunch, the cost will be $2.
No students will be turned away. Oregon-Davis is prohibited from discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.
The Oregon-Davis School Board approved the purchase of a bus for special education students. Superintendent Dr. Steve Disney commented that the deadline was approaching for the purchase of these buses before the prices go up.
“If we waited a new more weeks on it, the prices probably would have gone up about $1,500 per bus,” explained Disney. “It’s a 66-passenger special education equipped bus with harnesses and a lift. Our bus was nearing 145,000 miles and we did not have a backup special education bus. This way we will have a backup when needed.”
Disney added that it’s important that the school provide properly equipped state required transportation for special needs students.
“It’s been a terrific experience here at Oregon-Davis,” stated Disney. “A lot of thought has gone into this with my family. I have two children that are in seventh grade and fourth grade and being a superintendent takes away a lot of the time as a father and as a husband. I’ve always had a dream of teaching at higher education and have decided to accept a professorship with Indiana University and be close to home and have more time to be family person and still stay within education.”
The board members will be discussing off-campus cooperative programs including Auto Tech I and II, Construction, Criminal Justice, Early Childhood Education, Graphic Imaging, and Health and Science Education. The School-to-School and School-to-Work Programs will also be presented for discussion.
The Oregon-Davis School Board recently named a new high school principal to take the place of Greg Briles.
Tim Pletcher has been in education for the past 19 years and has spent his entire career at South Bend schools – mainly at Washington High School. He completed his undergraduate work at IUSB and he got his Master’s Degree from the University of Illinois. He also completed a doctorate at the University of Illinois and licensing at Indiana Wesleyan.
Oregon-Davis students will be collecting money for the American Cancer Society and walking in a mini-relay event at the school.
The mini-relay will be on Friday, May 10 beginning at 7:20 a.m. CT and the students will be walking during school for one class period to help raise money in the fight against cancer and learn about ways to stay healthy.
The Oregon-Davis School Board members approved the employment of a new high school principal during their meeting Monday night.
Superintendent Dr. Steve Disney said a search team was formed which consisted of faculty members, administrators and the superintendent and they all reviewed 26 applications that were submitted for the position. They screened the applicants and chose 10 to return for the first round of interviews. From there, four were selected to present plans to the committee that pertained to leadership of the Oregon-Davis High School and its future. Three were then selected to present those plans to the committee and the school board.
Plymouth High School’s recently hired agriculture instructor is working to develop combined science and agriculture classes for the School of Inquiry.
Jacob Riley plans to keep the traditional agriculture course offerings as well and says he hopes to expand the school’s existing program. He starts his new job with the Plymouth school system in July. He will also serve as the faculty adviser for the school’s Future Farmers of America program at Plymouth High School.
Parents of incoming kindergarten students may register their child for kindergarten on Tuesday, April 16 from 8 to 11 a.m., and from noon to 1 p.m., as well as Wednesday, April 17 from 1 to 6 p.m. CT.
To be eligible for enrollment, the child must be five on or before Aug. 1, 2013. You are urged to make an appointment for your child’s screening. Screening will take 15 minutes per child.
Nothing came of the alleged threats that were made on a boys restroom wall at the Oregon-Davis schools.
School officials were notified of graffiti in the bathroom that reportedly appeared threatening in nature over the weekend after an event was held at the school. Superintendent Dr. Steve Disney said police officers were at the school throughout the day and officials will remain on alert at the school on Tuesday. The threat level will be a yellow which indicates a moderate threat and not an emergency situation as experienced Monday.
A local school is on lockdown today after officials discovered some disturbing graffiti in a boys restroom over the weekend after a basketball game. Oregon-Davis Superintendent Dr. Steve Disney says school officials met yesterday with officials from the Starke County Sheriff’s Office and are taking the incident very seriously. He says officers from the sheriff’s department are at the school and all students are remaining inside the building.
Disney says the campus will remain on lockdown throughout the day. He stresses that school officials cannot take any threats lightly in this day and age. Disney adds that he wants parents to be aware of what’s going on and says he understands if they want to keep their children home today. The graffiti incident remains under investigation by the Starke County Sheriff’s Office. Stay tuned to WKVI throughout the day for more on this developing story.
A local high school will soon be looking for a new agriculture teacher and FFA coordinator. Jacob Riley is leaving Oregon-Davis at the end of the school year to take a job with Plymouth Schools. Riley has taught a number of agriculture classes at O-D for the past nine years including courses in the school’s new tech model for the past two years. He holds three degrees from Purdue University. Riley will begin his teaching duties at Plymouth in June with summer agricultural experience classes.
The Oregon-Davis School Board has approved the NEOLA School Board Policy Manual.
Superintendent Dr. Steve Disney said the public should have access to that manual soon.
The Oregon-Davis School Board held a public work session Monday night before their regular meeting to discuss capital projects and the final budget order.
