The Wawascene was created by Dr. Mark Stock, former Superintendent of the Wawasee Community School Corporation. Due to its local popularity, Dr. Stock has left the blog site to future Wawasee administrators.

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Wednesday, August 13, 2008

School Board Meeting

The Wawasee School Board met in the board room at the Central Office on Tuesday, August 12. North Webster Elementary School principal Kris Woodard led the Pledge of Allegiance, and Curriculum and Instruction Director Joy Goshert provided the invocation.

A Wawasee parent and patron, Mr. Mary DeGood, addressed the Board with concerns about the volleyball program in particular and athletic program in general. A letter was distributed to the Board by Mrs. DeGood.

Bob Lahrman, support services director, shared good news about progress of the transportation/maintenance building going up on Kern Road behind the school campus.

Hired for the coming school year were Jeff Spicher, ISTEP remediation at WHS, and Sara Harrison, part-time One on One coach at WHS. Jared Kingrey will teach social studies at WHS, Scott Schermerhorn will be in PE/health at Milford School, and Valerie Leininger will fill in at 3rd grade at Syracuse Elementary during a month's leave.

Leaving us (kind of) are Jaimi Andrew, 1/2 day Reading Recovery at Milford (She'll remain as 1/2 day Kindergarten.) and Janie Leach in Family and Consumer Science at WHS for a trimester leave.

Director of Curriculum and Instruction Joy Goshert updated the Board on full-day kindergarten, NWEA testing, new teacher orientation, summer teacher training, and next week's beginning of the school year.

A donation to the Teen Parents Succeeding program was made by the Board.

The meeting lasted an hour.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mrs. DeGood was way out of line last week at the volleyball scrimmage. I have never been so embarrassed and disgusted. And to single out athletes to vent her frustrations about her daughter not making the team was ridiculous. The athletes have no say in who is on or who is off the team. Did she actually think that this behavior would in any way help her daughter? I hope that this does not go any further and she apologizes for her actions.

Anonymous said...

Sports should never be so important that a parent totally loses control.

Anonymous said...

Hearing what really has transpired in this case, leads me to believe this mother has an inflated sense of her own importance. This mother is furious that the whole world does not see things from her selfish point of view. This is an example of our American freedom to say whatever we want, to a degree, and to look foolish and selfish while doing it. Her claim to be concerned about the state of sports and the administration, is transparent. This mother is only concerned about her ego, otherwise she would not act in a threatening manner to girls on the team, who work hard, and made it on the team, fair and square. Please, Mrs. DeGood, stop your verbal attacks and harassment before something bad happens to someone.

Anonymous said...

While sports and other extracurricular activies can be good learning experiences, the central focus of school should be learning that prepares young people to contribute, be employable, and be positive members of a community. The type of fanaticism shown in this case is terribly misguided and harmful. Lessons ,this mother is teaching, are preparing a young person to be self-centered, disrespectful, and to have priorities way off base.

Anonymous said...

How sad that the lessons she is teaching her daughter are how to be selfish, throw a fit when you don't get your own way and always blame someone else. Everyone, child and adult alike, has to learn to live with disappointments and setbacks in life. How much better would it be if she used this experience to teach her daughter about picking yourself back up and moving on after a disapointment. Her attacks on the school, the girls on the team and the coach are inexcusable. She should be ashamed of herself!

Anonymous said...

No coach is perfect, but NO student athlete deserves to be harrassed at a match or game by ANY PATRON. It is bad enough that this lady "blew" on a kid, but her daughter is selling tee shirts that slam WHS and the volleyball team online! Who DOES that? I agree that the first amendment is a powerful tool, but it is a hurtful weapon in the hands of people like this disgruntled and disappointed mom. The only lesson her daughters seem to have learned is that they are entitled to do and say whatever they want! I hope it is a closed book by now for the team and their coaches.

Anonymous said...

What I would like to know is where was the administration during this game and/or why was this behavior tolerated? There should have been an administrator or school employee supervising this event, as they do with all sports events. Why didn't a coach or referee step up and warn this woman that she could be escorted from the building?

Ellen Stevens, WHs Principal said...

Regarding the volleyball incident at Churubusco - Alan Frank, Assistant Principal and Steve Perek, Dean of Students, were at the game for about 40 minutes. Assessing the situation, everything seemed very calm and in line. They then chose to return to Wawasee. They observed the parking lot as they left and felt it was safe to leave the area. We cannot speak regarding Churubusco's administration or officials for the evening.

Anonymous said...

Sports are an emotional subject at best, but when it involves your child even the most-reserved parent is tested to the limit! Let's cut Mrs DeGood some slack, she probably feels like a momma tiger defending her cub! Not defending her actions, but can appreciate the frustrations & disappointments that go along with parenting an athlete!

Anonymous said...

Seriously, you can empathize with yelling at the kid who made the team that she was taking her kid's spot....in public...at a vb scrimmage? I get that it's difficult...I have parented some athletes myself, but I have NEVER placed blame on another kid or tried to ruin the reputation and career of a coach! That seems to be less like a mamma tiger and more like a shark!

Anonymous said...

Mrs. DeGood's behavior was disgracedful and she should have been immediately escorted out of the building.

Maybe you should pay your property taxes, Mrs. DeGood, which are currently delinquent.