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 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
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
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
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
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
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
The animals at the Starke County Humane Society are the beneficiaries of an Oregon-Davis High School class project. Chemistry 2 students applied the principles of stoichiometry, which is the study of the amounts of substances involved in reactions, to baking. Continue reading
Enjoy the Rogers and Hammerstein classic Musical Oklahoma! this weekend at Knox High School. Director Terrill Hahn says staging such a production presents quite a few challenges.
“You have to make sure you have kids that can act, and sing and do a little dancing,” Hahn said. A 35 member cast and crew is putting on the musical. Performances are tomorrow night at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 4 at the Knox High School auditorium. Tickets are $6 each at the door.
A Knox man is jailed after reportedly making threats on a social media website that prompted a school lockdown. 20-year-old Paul J. Esparza entered Knox High School twice yesterday and was escorted from the building both times, according to police. A post on Esparza’s Facebook page led officials to believe he was in possession of a handgun. Continue reading
Head to Weinberg Gym in Knox tonight for “trick-hoops and alley-oops” courtesy of the Harlem Wizards. The legendary exhibition basketball team will take on “The Tribe” – a team comprised of local celebrities in a fundraiser for the Knox High School Band Boosters. Director Craige Phipps says general admission, reserve seat and meet-and-greet tickets are available. Continue reading
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
The Knox School Board took action Monday evening to approve a new 4-year contract for the “one-to-one” computer program for students. The computers will become the property of the corporation at the end of the contract. The lease can be shortened with early payment to the supplier. The details of the lease were extensively reviewed by the board at its last meeting. Continue reading
The last day of school for students for the spring semester of 2015 at Knox Schools has been moved forward by two days to June 1st. Superintendent A.J. Gappa told the school board last night that originally four days had been set aside for weather-related “make-up” days, but so far there have been six days of weather delay. The scheduled contingency days have already been used. Continue reading
The Knox School Board reviewed building plans and proposed budget figures for the elementary school addition project with a representative of the architectural firm of Barton-Coe-Vilamaa when it met Monday night. Bids will be considered on March 24th, Construction is expected to start at the end of April. Continue reading
Ancilla College officials will be at Oregon-Davis High School tonight to share information about applying for college financial aid. They’ve scheduled a presentation about completing the FAFSA at 6 p.m. and will remain to help parents and students complete the form. It’s due March 10 and must be submitted in order to be considered for any federal grants, low-interest loans or scholarships. Continue reading
Students at Culver Elementary hope to help a former classmate with a bit of fundraising.
The student is currently thought to be in 3rd grade at Plymouth Community Schools, but is in need of a kidney transplant due to a kidney disease which he was diagnosed with. A “GoFundMe” account has been set-up to help raise funds which will assist the student in meeting certain financial obligations, they also want to people to know how do you get kidney stones and how you can prevent them.
Continue reading
Kankakee Valley Broadcasting will present the 50th annual TCU Bi-County Basketball Tournament in its entirety for the first time. Tony Ross and his crew will have the tip-off between Triton and LaVille tonight on MAX 98.3-FM or possibly WKVI-FM and online at www.SportsToTheMax.net. They will also provide scoring updates from the other first round games during their broadcast. Argos is at Culver, John Glenn is playing host to Bremen, and New Prairie will be at Oregon-Davis. All of the games tip off at 8 p.m. EST. Continue reading
An Oregon-Davis High School student among those selected from around the region for a youth leadership program. Hannah Clark is the only student from Starke County chosen for the South Shore Leadership Youth for Community Engagement (SLYCE) program. She was among 70 applicants interviewed by a selection committee. Continue reading
Students from several organizations at Winamac Community High School took time to volunteer for the Salvation Army during the holiday season. Principal Rick DeFries says they raised a significant amount of money for the organization during their annual bell ringing campaign. Of the $5,600 raised, the students brought in $2,500. DeFries told the Eastern Pulaski School Board an estimated 10 groups raised that amount of money in 20 hours.
