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.

Blog Rules

Comments should be respectful and pertain to the topic posted. Comments about personnel matters should be made directly to the administrators responsible. Blog moderators reserve the right to remove any comment determined not in keeping with these guidelines.

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Criteria for Accepting Cash Transfer Students

At the November school board meeting, a policy for accepting cash transfer students was adopted that goes into effect on January 1, 2009. This policy describes the process a student and parents must go through in order for the student to be considered for being an out-of-district transfer student to Wawasee Community School Corporation.

The first criteria listed in the policy reads, "A student requesting transfer shall complete the Application for Transfer of Non-Resident Student and submit it to the Wawasee Community School Corporation Superintendent's Office prior to July 1. Transfers will be considered on a yearly basis. Transfer students will be responsible for any applicable tuition payments including full tuition if the student enrolls after state enrollment count day."

Friday, December 26, 2008

T’is the Season to Earn Credits

With a new director and a new staff member, Wawasee Academy has a new flavor. The classroom has a fish theme. In the Academy, FISH stands for “Fresh Ideas Start Here.” Students are motivated with fish-themed quotes and fish-shaped chips they collect and redeem for treats when they are “caught” being good. First trimester at the Academy was an enormous success. Students earned 62 credits, and we celebrated our first graduate! This trimester, students have already earned twelve more credits with several awaiting approval.


In October, the Academy sent out numerous emails and letters to members of the Wawasee corporation, business owners, and non-profit organizations asking for a “hand up.” We have been scouring the community for donations of equipment, educational materials, and monetary gifts to sponsor GED candidates.


We have been overwhelmed by support! Cindy Pierce of North Webster Elementary donated a full truck load of equipment for our gym. We have new machines and a “ton” of new weights. Now everyone can get “buff”!


We are thrilled by the generosity of our area service clubs. The Sons of the American Legion donated $100 for our GED candidates. The Lakeland Eagles donated $120. Most recently, the Milford Kiwanis Club offered to sponsor our Milford-native GED candidates. The North Webster Women’s Auxiliary donated $500. The GED test costs between $50 and $60 depending on the testing site. We have all of our current GED candidates covered!


During this seasonal time of generosity, the staff and students at the Academy cannot thank our community enough. It really does take a village to raise a child, and we feel like a great big happy family here! All in all, the “new” Academy has had a tremendous start with very driven, serious students who are getting caught up to grade level and many at the brink of graduation.



-Anne Rackely, Director of Wawasee Academy

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

December 23, 2008 Boys Basketball Game Postponed

The Wawasee Warriors boys basketball game scheduled for Tuesday evening, December 23, at Columbia City has been postponed to a future date due to poor weather conditions.

Friday, December 19, 2008

Felicidades – Happy Holidays from the ESL Department!

The school year started off with our English as a Second Language (ESL) staff attending the Fall 2008 Title III Administrative Workshop where they learned about administering the LAS Links Placement test (a test used with new ESL students to our corporation and ESL kindergarten students to find out what their level of English proficiency is). In October, ESL staff and a number of teachers attended a training session staged by the Indiana Department of Education on Indiana's English Language Proficiency Standards. The meetings were very informative and helpful.

Syracuse Elementary School's ESL students invited the third grade students to attend and enjoy an educational program on “Bats.” The presentation was very interesting, and the children were able to observe several taxidermied bats. In addition, the students even had the opportunity to hear a recording of a bat using echolocation to find its food!

This fall we held our first Reading is Fun (RIF) book distribution meeting at Milford Elementary School. Our theme this year was “Family Science Night.” There were over 100 parents and students in attendance. Students and parents were able to observe and/or participate in various science demonstrations. The students' involvement with the experiments and distribution of books helped encourage the families to attend. Great job everyone!

At the North Webster Elementary School, we are working on reading, math and a “Word Tower.” Any new vocabulary words acquired by the student are pasted onto a paper and placed on the wall. We hope to fill all the walls with new words by the end of the school year!!!

Middle school students have engaged in reading poetry and writing in language arts. Students have also rehearsed speeches on various topics. The students researched the topics, created a list of questions and facts, then put together their speech. We worked on intonation, facial expressions, and delivering the speech with credibility. Other subjects we work on include science and social Studies, as time allows.

The high school students have been working hard on English, math, history and Chem/Phys, making new friends, and participating in researching topics in the classroom, when their school work is complete. In particular, they have researched successful and prominent multicultural individuals who have contributed in one way or another to the arts, music, science, politics, etc. The goal is to help students envision their own dreams and to pursue them.

On behalf of the ESL Department, have a safe holiday, and may the true beauty of the season fill your hearts with peace, joy and laughter.

- Maria Waltz, Director of ESL Programs

Make-Up Day - January 19, 2008

The day of school at Wawasee missed due to inclement weather on December 19, 2008 will be made up on Monday, January 19, 2008.

School Closing - December 19, 2008

Wawasee Community School Corporation will be closed due to weather on Friday, December 19, 2008.
Have a great Christmas break!

Friday, December 12, 2008

Congratulations to Marion Acton

At the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame's Annual Men's Banquet on Wednesday, March 25, 2009, Marion Acton will be receiving the Center Circle Officials Recognition Award.

According to a press release from the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame, each year they recognize up to three outstanding basketball officials for their outstanding officiating ability and for their contributions and promotion of the game. Marion Acton worked as an official at 20 sectionals, 15 regionals, 9 semi-states and called four state finals. He served numerous years, 15-20, as an observer in both boys and girls basketball. He also helped organize and begin the Mississinewa and Northern Indiana Officials Associations.

Mr. Action is a former physical education teacher, assistant principal, principal and school board member for Wawasee Community Schools. He served as an educator/administrator for us from 1971-1994 at three buildings: Milford Junior High School, Syracuse Junior High School, and North Webster School. He served as a school board member from 1995-2006.

The Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame's Annual Men's Banquet will be held at the Primo Banquet Hall located on the south side of Indianapolis. Tickets will be made available in early 2009. You can call 765-529-1891 for more information.

Girls Basketball Hall of Fame Classic

Wawasee High School is pleased to announce the Lady Warriors will participate in the 2008 City Securities Hall of Fame Basketball Classic on December 29th. This prestigious basketball event is held at New Castle High School – the largest high school basketball arena in the nation. The Warriors will play in the second morning game –vs- Oak Hill (12 noon) and again that evening against Ben Davis or Connersville.

Tickets are now available – great for you or perhaps for you to purchase as a Christmas Holiday gift. Fans will see some of Indiana’s best basketball and have an opportunity to visit the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame located across the street from New Castle High School.

Presale tickets are a great deal! Ticket prices that day at the door will be $10.00 for each session, morning and evening. Presale tickets at Wawasee are $10.00 for the entire day. Tickets will be available at all home girls’ basketball games and school hours in the athletic office through Friday, December 19, 2008.

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

Fundraiser for Van Laeken Family

On Saturday, December 20th from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in the Lowe's parking lot next to Walmart in Warsaw, there will be a Port-A-Pit chicken sale and bake sale in order to help with expenses the Van Laeken family has incurred over the past weeks.

Wawasee graduate Cheryl (Grady) Van Laeken is a fifth grade teacher at Milford School. She and her husband Mike had baby girl Makenna on October 22, 2008. Sadly, after weeks in hospitals, Makenna died on December 3, 2008. Our hearts go out to the Van Laekens.

It is not necessary to order tickets for the Nelson Port-A-Pit chicken; however, if you want to order tickets, you can email Christie Holst at cholst@wawasee.k12.in.us.