Public Invited To Tour Knox Elementary School Palmer Wing

Posted on Author WKVI

The Knox Facility Study Committee met with Curt Pletcher from Umbaugh and Associates on June 26 to go over the financial feasibility of renovating or constructing a new Palmer Wing of the Knox Elementary School. Superintendent A.J. Gappa said they are trying to figure out how either project would impact the tax rate of the school district.

“The board wanted to have an idea of what direction to go,” said Gappa. “We will meet again with an architect within the next two weeks with our committee and at that point we will invite people in who came a year ago to start making more firm plans.”

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Knox School Officials Learn About New Superintendent Evaluation Model

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

Superintendent A.J. Gappa and three members of the Knox Community School Board recently attended a training session in Gary concerning the new superintendent evaluation model.

“According to the new law, it has to be implemented during the 2012 to 2013 school year,” said Gappa. “By the middle of September, we have to have an evaluation tool submitted to the State. We thought it was a valuable information session. It was information that we will need to proceed in that area.”

The session was facilitated by members of the Indiana School Boards Association.

The administration evaluation is a lot like the new RISE teacher evaluation which looks at a teacher’s professional practice and measures student learning.

Knox School Lunch Prices To Increase Slightly

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

The Knox Community School Board approved an increase in breakfast and lunch prices for the 2012-2013 school year. Superintendent A.J. Gappa says a nickel increase will be incurred across the board.

“Breakfast at all schools will be $1.15 this coming school year,” explained Gappa. “Elementary lunch will be $1.75 and the middle and high school lunches will be $2. Those have all increased a nickel from last year.”

Knox School Board Receives Update Regarding Possible Palmer Wing Project

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

Knox Community School Superintendent A.J. Gappa gave an update on the Facility Study Committee during the school board’s recent meeting. The committee will be looking at financing options and which direction to go with a possible project at the Palmer Wing of the Knox Elementary School.

“We’re going to try and meet with Curt Pletcher from Umbaugh and Associates in the next week with our committee of three of our board members to discuss how to proceed further with a possible elementary project,” said Gappa. “We’ve been giving reports on a meeting-by-meeting basis just to keep the public and the board informed. This is our next step.”

Knox School Board Discusses Elementary Palmer Wing Project

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

The Knox Community School Board got an update on the progress of the Facility Study Committee on Monday night. Superintendent A.J. Gappa said the committee is gathering figures for the possible project on the Palmer Wing of the elementary school.

“Architect Dana Wanamaker had sent some figures over to the school and to representatives from Umbaugh finance, and we still haven’t talked to the representative from Umbaugh so we are still in that planning stage of how to move forward,” said Gappa. “We will be meeting with our board committee in the near future and getting information back out to the public.”

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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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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 School Board Approves Library Board Improvement Plan

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

The Knox Community School Board members approved the Starke County Library Board’s plan for improvements that include the elementary school property. Superintendent A.J. Gappa says the plan would save the library some time and money.

“They would like to tie into our sewer line, if possible,” said Gappa. “It would save them a lot of labor and probably some costs on some materials. They need to change a sidewalk that connects our elementary property with the library property. They also want to hook into the horseshoe drive at the elementary school off Culver Road so the back parking lot of the library would have an exit into the horseshoe drive.”

The plans were submitted to the board during their last meeting.

Spotlight on Success Features Fifth Grade Teacher

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

The Spotlight on Success portion of the Knox Community School Board meeting featured fifth grade teacher Corey Bucher, who talked about a recent “Natural Disasters in Science” field trip to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. Superintendent A.J. Gappa summed up the presentation.

“Mr. Bucher also had two students, Kaitlyn Lindberg and Kevin Lovins, to show the reports that they had done and they reported to the board,” said Mr. Gappa. “They talked about their trip and Mr. Bucher was extremely happy that they were allowed to go and talk about all of the positive things that came out of the trip that the fifth grade took to Chicago.”

Library Expansion Project To Include Driveway Connection To Elementary School

Posted on Author WKVI
Henry F. Schricker Library

Representatives from the Starke County Public Library approached the Knox Community School Board members Monday night to discuss their upcoming expansion project. Superintendent A.J. Gappa explained that the library’s property is just north of the Knox Elementary School property and part of their project involves the school.

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Knox School Board Spotlights Graphic Arts Department

Posted on Author WKVI
Gary Dulin, Jerry Fletcher, Harold Welter, Mary Lynn Ritchie, Kirk Bennett, Nathan Marcum, Mike Yankauskas, Superintendent A.J. Gappa

The Knox Community School Board spotlights one positive event going on within the school corporation during the school board meetings. On Monday, Mr. Sullivan from the Graphic Arts program at the High School talked about his program and the equipment the students get to utilize while in class. Superintendent A.J. Gappa said Mr. Sullivan talked about some of the upgrades and additions to the program.

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Knox Community School Board Approves New Data Systems Coordinator

Posted on Author WKVI
Gary Dulin, Jerry Fletcher, Harold Welter, Mary Lynn Ritchie, Kirk Bennett, Nathan Marcum, Mike Yankauskas, Superintendent A.J. Gappa

The Knox Community School Board approved the addition of a new Data Systems Coordinator position Monday night.

There are so many tests that need to be dissected every year from the ISTEP, End of Course Assessment Tests and to the NWEA testing at the lower grade levels, one person needs to be in charge of assessing the data being brought into the corporation.

Superintendent A.J. Gappa says that data is helpful to figure out lesson plans and unit plans and much more.

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Knox Community School Board Suspends Corbin

Posted on Author WKVI
Robert "Ryan" Corbin

The Knox Community School Board has taken action against a teacher accused of inappropriate behavior with a 16-year-old student.

“The Board did approve a letter of suspension with pay for Mr. Ryan Corbin, teacher at Knox High School,” said Superintendent A.J. Gappa. “Beyond that, I’m not at liberty to discuss personnel matters so I have no further comment.”

The Board approved the letter during their regular Board meeting last night.

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Preschool Program Spotlighted during Knox Community School Board Meeting

Posted on Author WKVI
Gary Dulin, Jerry Fletcher, Harold Welter, Mary Lynn Ritchie, Kirk Bennett, Nathan Marcum, Mike Yankauskas, Superintendent A.J. Gappa

The Spotlight on Success feature of the recent Knox Community School Board meeting included the preschool program. Superintendent A.J. Gappa talks about the presentation.

“We host a preschool program that is part of J.E.S.S.E. Mrs. Suseland invited in four students, two from the morning class and two from the afternoon class, and they showed the Board a beaver lodge that they had built in class as a replica in their study of wild animals. They also showed the Board some of the drawings that they had done, talked about what they do in class, and just gave an overview of how the class operates.”

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Knox Community School Board Approves J.E.S.S.E. Reorganization

Posted on Author WKVI
Gary Dulin, Jerry Fletcher, Harold Welter, Mary Lynn Ritchie, Kirk Bennett, Nathan Marcum, Mike Yankauskas, Superintendent A.J. Gappa

During the last Knox Community School Board meeting, Superintendent A.J. Gappa and Bob Wise from the J.E.S.S.E. Co-op presented the board with the J.E.S.S.E. reorganization recommendation that moves the organization from a Co-op to a Localized Educational Agency, or LEA. Gappa tells us what that information entails.

“That information includes students being where they’re going to be with as little transport as possible. Next year, most of the teachers will become employees of the local corporations instead of J.E.S.S.E. employees. The Board did approve, on their part, the reorganization. It also has to go to the other eight boards of the corporation members and we will move forward with that reorganization,” stated Gappa.

Plymouth School Corporation will remain the fiscal agent while Knox will be the main site for the Starke County schools. North Judson-San Pierre and Oregon-Davis will be in a group with Knox and can share services, if needed. The North Judson-San Pierre School Board has also approved the proposed recommendations.

Knox Community School Board Approves Band Trip

Posted on Author WKVI

Knox Band Director, Craige Phipps, requested permission from the School Board for a band trip in 2013. Superintendent A.J. Gappa talks about the proposed trip.

“The band would like to take a trip to Orlando, Florida, to visit all of the Disney World theme parks,” said Gappa. “They will do performances at different times, both marching and on-stage performances. It looks like an educational and fun trip combined. The Board did give permission for the music department to take that trip so they can start making arrangements and start saving up their money.”

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Knox School Board Discusses J.E.S.S.E. Reorganization

Posted on Author WKVI
Gary Dulin, Jerry Fletcher, Harold Welter, Mary Lynn Ritchie, Kirk Bennett, Nathan Marcum, Mike Yankauskas, Superintendent A.J. Gappa

The Knox Community School Board members discussed the J.E.S.S.E. reorganization at their meeting Monday night.

Superintendent A.J. Gappa explains the reasoning behind the reorganization of the special education cooperative.

“Some people thinks it’s to save money, but that’s not the case,” said Gappa. “It’s for the best interest of the students. We wanted students to travel less so we’ve tried to keep the students in their home schools as much as possible. If they do have to go to a different site, then we will make that travel as little as possible.”

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