Letter from Dr. Remington, County Health Officer for Kosciusko County

The following is a letter from Dr. Remington with the Kosciusko County Health Office. The letter is an update on the North American Human Influenza A (H1N1):

The experience with North American Human Influenza A (H1N1) – previously known as “Swine Flu” –is growing, including a case at Notre Dame.

At this writing there are no documented cases in Kosciusko County, although it is very likely that we will see cases here in the next several days. Fortunately, at this juncture, the cases have been relatively mild and not life threatening. They typically resolve in a few days without any formal medical care required.

The symptoms of North American human influenza A (H1N1) are similar to the symptoms of regular seasonal influenza and include:
Fever over 100 degrees
lethargy
lack of appetite
coughing
Some people have also reported runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea

I believe, at this juncture, it is important to convey the importance of “social separation” of those who may be ill with this influenza. People who have a fever with a prominent cough and achiness, should try to stay home until the fever is gone, and are feeling much better. They should not go to work, go to school, or enter crowded community settings. This simple step will help more than anything else. If someone is “worrisomely” quite ill, they should seek medical care.

The role of masks, antivirals (such as Tamiflu or Relenza), and hospital medical care are quite secondary to the simple interventions of “social separation” and are not needed for the vast majority of people with suspected influenza.

If this new strain eventually demonstrates to cause a high rate of very severe cases and/or death, then our public health directive may change. We all need to stay tuned to the developing story with this outbreak in the days and weeks ahead...

...Your health department remains strongly connected to our Kosciusko County emergency planners and expertise of the Indiana State Department of Health, and the Centers for Disease and Control. We are very tuned in with this outbreak.


Sincerely,

William L. Remington Jr., M.D.
Kosciusko County Health Department

Good News

Congratulations to the Wawasee High School Academic Super Bowl Social Studies team which qualified for state competition by placing third in their class at regional competition. They will compete at the state level on May 9th. Team members are Andrew Anker, Krista Bornman, Brandon Cox, and Cassady Palmer. The team is coached by Mary Lou Dixon.

Congratulations are also in order for members of the Wawasee High School Band and Mr. Fred Elliott who competed at Warsaw High School in the Indiana State School Music Association's Organizational Concert Band Contest and earned two gold ratings - one for their performance and one for sight reading.

We know many hours of preparation went into earning these honors. We are proud of all of you!

Information on North American Human Influenza A (H1N1)

Federal, state and local officials are closely monitoring reported cases of the swine flu virus – officially known as North American Human Influenza A (H1N1) – in the United States, including one confirmed case in northern Indiana.

Symptoms and How It Spreads:
The swine flu symptoms appear to be similar to the symptoms of regular human seasonal influenza, including fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing. Some people with swine flu also have reported runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.


The spread of this virus is thought to be happening in the same way that seasonal flu spreads, mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing of people affected. Swine influenza viruses are not transmitted by food. You cannot get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork and pork products is safe. Cooking pork to an internal temperature of 160°F kills the swine flu virus as it does other bacteria and viruses.

What Schools {Students & Parents} Can Do Now:
As a precautionary measure, schools {students and parents} are encouraged to take the following steps to prevent or contain the spread of the swine flu virus:

1) Practice good personal hygiene.

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.

2) Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

• Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.
• If you get sick, stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
  

3) Get credible information.

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: www.cdc.gov/swineflu/index.htm
• Indiana State Department of Health: www.in.gov/isdh

Post Prom - Second Edition

The Wawasee Post Prom will be held at the WHS. Please disregard the earlier announcement.

New Post Prom Location

The Wawasee Post Prom Party location has been changed from the WHS Auxiliary Gym to the South Shore Golf Course Clubhouse. Security will be added to watch all exits, and the bar area will be made alcohol-free. Attendees are encouraged to share rides.

Junior Achievement Fun Run

On Saturday, May 23, 2009, the Junior Achievement Fun Run will take place as a part of Milford Fest 2009.

The 5K Run/Walk will begin at 9 a.m. from the Waubee Lake Park Pavilion on Camp Mack Road. There will be prizes, door prizes, and goodie bags plus refreshments after. Awards will be given for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each category with awards for best overall man and woman.

All proceeds benefit Junior Achievement serving Wawasee area programs and impact over 1000 students in Wawasee Community School Corporation.

You can register online by May 15, 2009, with the cost being $10. Registering by May 15th guarantees you a t-shirt.

You can also register the day of the fun run between 8:30 and 9 a.m. with the cost being $12.

April 28-May 1: ISTEP+ Testing

Tuesday, April 28-Friday, May 1, Wawasee Community Schools' third through eighth graders will be taking the ISTEP+ multiple-choice assessments. This is the final part of the spring 2009 ISTEP+ testing.

For more information on the spring 2009 ISTEP+ testing, please read the press release from the Indiana Department of Education.

Thanks, DEKKO Foundation!

Milford and Syracuse Schools were fascinated by the African Drum Ensemble a few weeks ago, and on Friday had the opportunity to see Synergy Brass Quintet live in concert. Synergy Brass Quintet performs more concerts than anyone in classical music today, averaging nearly 300 engagements a year. They have traveled to every corner of the globe and are internationally recognized as one of the world's premier brass ensembles. They have been on NPR, NBC, ABC, the Hallmark Channel and performed with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Boston Pops. To have them stop in our own "corner of the world" was an amazing experience for our students and left them wanting more classical music. Who would have guessed classical music could be so exciting?!?! Again, thanks to the DEKKO Foundation for helping us make it happen!

written by Peg Zimmerman, Milford School

Notes from School Board Meeting on March 10, 2009

The Wawasee Community School Corporation Board of Trustees met on Tuesday, March 10, 2009, at 5:30 p.m. in the North Webster Elementary School Library.

Donations were accepted for the WHS choral department from the Knights of Columbus ($1150.00), a sound system from Mr. And Mrs. Walter Palmer, and the Academic Super Bowl from Wawasee Kiwanis ($500.00). The WHS Student council sponsored a Winterfest for Riley Hospital, with the total of Riley donations for the year at $8000.00.

All-NLC Frosh Brittany Robinson swam to an 8th place in the state championships in the 50 freestyle and a 7th place in the 100 butterfly. Along the way, Brittany won both events at the NLC and sectional championships and established school, pool, conference and sectional records.

All-NLC swimmer Senior Jake Garner placed 14th in the 100 butterfly in the IHSAA state championships. Jake established the WHS record for this event at the Concord sectional. Also swimming in the state championships were Junior Robert Smith, 31st in the 50- freestyle and Warrior 200 yard medley relay swimmers Garner, Smith, Caleb Buyer and John Kirkwood, finishing 27th.

The Warriors are coached by Julie Robinson, Lenore Stump and Kevin Hite.

Minutes of the February meeting were approved, as were claims for payment.
Personnel recommendations, including the retirement this year of WHS assistant principal Alan Frank, were acted upon. Mr. Frank's knowledge, compassion, and work hours will leave a hard-to-fill void!

Dr. Bob Cockburn presented data relating to the changing demographics of our district and the Wawasee community. Free/reduced lunch numbers are double ten years ago, and English as a second language student have increased markedly.

Mr. Phil Metcalf, Vocational Director, and Ms. Shannon Fry, WHS counselor, discussed dual-credit opportunities for our high school students. Dual-credits are a way of awarding college credit for certain high school courses. WHS has been involved with dual-credits in several vocational areas. Advanced Placement, dual-credit classes for an Academic Honors Diploma are now being investigated.

The WCSC is piloting a full-day kindergarten program this school year. Teachers in that program presented preliminary results from this year. Full-day students are spending much more than double the ½-day students in learning activities. The teachers recommended continuing the program at least at the present levels for 2009-2010.

Mr. Jim Evans, finance director, reported to the Board on levels of the various funds. The Board approved a resolution to appropriate the construction funds to be used during the next two summers. A new copier lease was approved, too.

Dr. Edington, superintendent, reported about reading level (vocabulary) issues with the mathematics story problem portion of the recent ISTEP tests. District school nurses were thanked by the Board for their efforts. The status of planned summer facility work was discussed.

Director of Curriculum and Instruction Mrs. Joy Goshert discussed Fall ISTEP test results which impact our school designations. Wawasee Schools passing No Child Left Behind this year are Wawasee High School and Syracuse Elementary School. Wawasee passed as a district.

The School Board adopted new policies which have been researched and discussed during the past year. The policies officially begin on August 1.

The next Board meeting is set for 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 21, at Milford School.

Dr. Bennett Announces Changes to 180 Instructional Day Policies

The following is a March 17, 2009, press release from the Indiana Department of Education. Wawasee Community Schools will need to work on options to respond to this new directive, which may cause a change in our board adopted 2009-2010 corporation calendar.


"(Indianapolis) – Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Tony Bennett announced changes in Department of Education policies designed to ensure students receive at least 180 days of instructional time each year, the minimum number required by state law.


“As President Obama said last week in unveiling his education agenda, ‘the challenges of a new century demand more time in the classroom,’ and I couldn’t agree more,” Bennett said. “The academic achievement of students is an urgent state priority and we should begin by ensuring students are in class at least the full number of days required by state law.”


Bennett announced a change in the way the Department of Education will handle waivers of the financial penalty for canceled instructional days due to severe weather. Last week the Department of Education adopted an emergency policy establishing guidelines for school corporations to apply for waivers of the financial penalty for canceled instructional days during the 2008 – 2009 school year only.


However, beginning in the 2009 – 2010 school year, the Department of Education does not intend to adopt such emergency policies.


“In the past, the Department of Education has occasionally allowed school corporations not to make up all the days that were canceled due to weather,” Bennett said. “Going forward, we believe this practice does not meet the needs of Indiana’s students. School corporations have it in their power to create academic schedules that build in the necessary flexibility that will allow them to ensure their students receive at least the minimum number of instructional days. The Department of Education stands ready to assist schools in planning their calendars and seeking creative solutions to guarantee students receive the 180 days of classroom instruction.”


After comprehensive review of the statutory language authorizing the waiver of a financial penalty by the Department’s legal staff and independent experts, the Department concluded that the practice of allowing eligible schools to schedule up to six half-days professional development during the school day was outside the scope of the waiver statute that authorizes the Department of Education to grant waivers only when instructional days are “canceled” due to “extraordinary circumstances.”


Beginning in the 2009 – 2010 school year, the Department of Education will no longer permit schools to use half-days for professional development activities within the 180 full instructional day requirement.


Additionally, parent-teacher conferences must be conducted outside of the 180 day requirement. A one or two hour delay due to weather-related conditions will still be considered an extraordinary circumstance. The school day will still be counted as an instructional day with this type of delay.

Use of WHS Computers to File Unemployment Benefits

Beginning the week of March 16, community members will be able to use the computers in the Wawasee High School media center to file their unemployment benefits.

The media center is located directly inside the front door of the high school and will be open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 3-5 p.m. to enable patrons to use the computers.

If you have any questions, please contact the high school. This is Wawasee High School's opportunity to give back to the community for the support that has been shown over the years to our students and staff.

written by Ellen Stevens, Principal of Wawasee High School

School Delay on March 11, 2009

Wawasee Community Schools will be delayed 2 hours on March 11, 2009, due to high water on roads.

Alternative to Suspension & Expulsion for Middle School Students

The Alternative to Suspension and Expulsion Program, otherwise known as ASE, provides placement for students in middle school who have been suspended or expelled from school. Prior to the ASE program, a student who committed a major infraction of the school rules was suspended or expelled to home for some period of time. The result was that the student returned to school further behind than when he or she left, and nothing was done to address the behaviors that led to the suspension. The ASE program was created for this need.

Students that are sent to the ASE now have the opportunity to attend alternative school for half a day. During this time the students work on their academics, as well as the reasons why they were sent there in the first place. A licensed teacher provides personal instruction to help the students keep up on current assignments, catch up on late work, as well as assess the students' academic abilities. The students also work with a licensed mental health therapist to work on behaviors and conflict management. For students who are assigned there for three or more days, they are required to meet with the school, parents, and ASE staff members to help communicate the students' needs and discuss preventative measures to reduce repeated offenses.

The ASE program is in its 5th year, and each year helps provide new insight as the program continues to grow and evolve to help best meet the needs of Wawasee’s students.



-written by Mark Mitchell, Mental Health Therapist

Friday, March 20, 2009

This is a reminder that Wawasee Community School Corporation will be in session on Friday, March 20, 2009, as a snow make-up day. Students will be dismissed at their building's regular dismissal time.

Spring ISTEP+ Testing

Next week, Wawasee Community Schools will begin testing students in grades 3-8 on the spring 2009 administration of ISTEP+. According to Dr. Tony Bennett, Indiana superintendent of public instruction, this "marks Indiana's official move to spring ISTEP+ testing."


The spring 2009 ISTEP+ will be administered during two testing windows at grades 3-8, an applied skills (writing items) testing window in March and a multiple choice items testing window at the end of April-beginning of May. Students need to take all sections of the test. According to Dr. Bennett, "Results of the spring 2009 ISTEP+ will be released in late August after cut (passing) scores are set and adopted by the State Board of Education. Results each year thereafter will be available to students, parents and educators before the end of the school year."


At Wawasee, we will test students in grades 3-8 on the following days:

• Applied Skills (writing items) will be given on March 3, 4, 5, and 6.
• Multiple Choice items will be given on April 28, 29, 30, and May 1.

We encourage you to make sure your student gets a good night's sleep each night and eats a healthy breakfast each morning. Keep in mind each school serves breakfast. For students who qualify for free lunch, there is no cost. For students who qualify for reduced lunch prices, the cost of breakfast is 30 cents. For students who do not qualify for free or reduced lunch prices, the cost of breakfast if $1.

The Indiana Department of Education has released information on what parents can do to help students prepare for ISTEP+:

• Stay connected. Cramming for a test rarely results in the type of learning that will stay with your child throughout his or her life. The best preparation is to provide consistent support for your child throughout his or her education.
• Know what's expected. Read Indiana's Academic Standards so you know what your child should know and be able to do; reinforce these expectations at home and stay connected to your child's academic performance through the year.
• Check grades. Your son or daughter may say things are "fine" at school, but don't stop checking report cards, progress reports or, if available, your child's online grades or class progress.
• Talk to the teacher. Teachers know how hard students are working, how well they are behaving, quality of their homework and what areas need improvement. Collect email addresses or phone numbers of all your child's teachers and check in periodically.
• Don't buckle on homework. If your child is not studying at home, ask why, and double-check with teachers. It's tough to hold the line, but making sure your child does his or her homework is important for academic success.
• Ask for help. Students who are struggling in a particular class may need extra help after school or with a tutor. Find out from your school where you can go for help and make sure your student gets the help he or she needs. Catching a problem area now can make a big difference.
• Go to parent meetings. Most schools offer parent nights or teacher/parent sessions that provide great information. Check your school's calendar at the beginning of the year and plan to attend.
• Get involved. Nothing will have a bigger impact on your student's success than your involvement in his or her education.

U.S. Students Move Up in Math and Science

Critics who argue that the United States lags behind its international peers in the education rankings might find some evidence to the contrary in recent results of a major international assessment, which shows fourth-and eighth-graders making strong gains in math and modest improvements in science.

“The message for the country is that we're improving in mathematics, particularly at the 10th percentile,” or the lowest performing students, says Patrick Gonzales, the U.S. coordinator for the test, the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), at the Department of Education. “In science, there are more mixed results.”

U.S. fourth-graders scored 529, on average, in math, which is higher than the TIMSS scale average of 500, and they scored 539 in science. Eighth-graders scored 508 in math and 520 in science.

Some experts, while supportive of the results, say the devil may be in the details. Mike Cohen, president of Achieve, a nonprofit education organization, cautions that the U.S. results are relative. More developing countries participated in TIMSS this year than in previous years, and so while the results are heartening, “there is still much work that needs to be done,” he says.

Bob Wise, president of the Alliance for Excellent Education, offers another perspective: If the United States were in the international education emergency room, our vital signs would now be stable. “However, all the other patients are getting better faster. It's time to ask, “What do we need to do to catch up with the others?”

Top 10 Average Math Scores of Eighth Graders
China - 598
Republic of Korea - 597
Singapore - 593
Hong Kong - 572
Japan - 570
Hungary - 517
England - 513
Russia - 512
United States - 508
Lithuania - 506

School Delay 2-26-09

Wawasee Community Schools will delay the start of school on February 26 for 2 hours due to fog.

Swimming Success

Congratulations to Brittany Robinson who competed in the IHSAA Girls' Swimming State Finals on February 13 and 14 and earned a 7th place finish in the 100 Yard Butterfly and an 8th place finish in the 50 Yard Freestyle.

This week on Friday and Saturday, Wawasee has boys' swimmers competing in the IHSAA Boys' Swimming State Finals. Jake Garner will be competing in the 100 Yard Butterfly, and Robert Smith will be competing in the 50 Yard Freestyle. The 200 Yard Medley Relay team comprised of Jake Garner, Robert Smith, Caleb Buyer, Nicklas Thystrup, and John Kirkwood will also be competing.

Congratulations to Kristina Long!

Syracuse fourth grade teacher Kristina Long has been selected to receive a 2009 Teacher Creativity Fellowship grant funded by Lilly Endowment, Inc. She is one of 129 Indiana educators selected to receive a Teacher Creativity Fellowship grant.

Mrs. Long will receive $8000 from Lilly Endowment, Inc. to use for her project "The Three R's - Rebuild, Revive, and Renew." Mrs. Long applied for the grant because it "would afford [her] the opportunity to impact the lives of hurricane victims from Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Ike..to spend six weeks [this summer] involved with the rebuild and recovery efforts in three key areas impacted by these hurricanes. In addition, [she] would like to do a comparison study of the rebuilding efforts of New Orleans, Louisiana, and Galveston, Texas."

In her proposal, Mrs. Long wrote, "Life is full of ups and downs. Nietzsche once said, 'That which does not kill us makes us stronger.' Heartache can be brought to us by unforeseen tragedies that can turn our lives upside down. Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Ike have been these kinds of tragedies. The impact from these hurricanes could be felt throughout our country. Being married to a native Texan and having lived and taught for five years in the Houston area, my heart ached for the people of Louisiana and Texas as their lives were uprooted. My heart has a mission to help these individuals recover from this devastation, bless their lives with encouragement, and help build a new and brighter future for them. Beyond the goals of home reconstruction and the comparison study, my additional objective is to help the adults and children of these areas. I want to give back to the people of Texas and Louisiana and provide hope by forming life-long relationships with these individuals. Most importantly, I am hoping this experience will humble me and give me a greater appreciation for the good fortune I have been blessed with as an educator. I want to have a heart of compassion and desire to understand life in a new and meaningful way...

"A Lilly Endowment would provide me some welcome challenges, both personally and as an educator. It would also give me the resources to impact the lives of three different areas of our country by being part of three different rebuilding teams. I would work alongside a team to rebuild homes, schools, and lives that have been devastated by Katrina, Rita, and Ike. It is my goal that these rebuilding efforts will not only make a difference to those I help, but also renew my spirit by humbling me to have a greater appreciation for good fortunes that are bestowed upon me.

"As a follow-up, I would use this experience to provide real-life stories and examples of weather-related devastations to my students back in Indiana. I would also be able to provide key teaching illustrations for linking learning to schemata in real situations. Additionally, I believe these experiences will change my inner spirit to be a more compassionate person and teacher."

Mrs. Long, Wawasee applauds you, and we are truly blessed to have you as teacher for our students!

Vaccination Update

There were not enough vaccines for all of the high school students who were planning to be vaccinated. The Kosciusko County Health Department has arranged to return to Wawasee High School on Thursday, February 12 from 12:30 p.m-2 p.m. to finish vaccinating those high school students who were not able to receive vaccinations today. Students need a signed consent form in order to be vaccinated.


If parents have had their children vaccinated at another health care provider site, please let the school nurse know so the information can be posted to the students' school records.