Centerville completing required state testing

It’s a busy season of mandated statewide testing at Centerville-Abington Community Schools, administrators told the district’s school board at its March 6 meeting. 

Second and third graders completed IREAD-3 tests last week to check basic reading skills and comprehension. Statewide, nearly 82% of public and private school students passed IREAD-3 in 2023. 

Indiana lawmakers just sent Senate Bill 1 to Gov. Eric Holcomb that would require some schools starting in 2024-2025 to offer summer school for students who aren’t reading proficient or are at risk of not being proficient. 

Some students could be retained in third grade if they don’t pass the test. State Sen. Jeff Raatz (R-Richmond) is an SB1 co-author.     

Centerville Senior High School juniors completed the Scholastic Aptitude Test on March 6.

Indiana requires juniors to take the SAT as the statewide accountability test for math, reading and writing skills. 

Indiana requires grades 3-8 to take ILEARN tests between April 15 and May 10. 

Multilingual learners finished World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) a few weeks ago. 

Assistant Superintendent Sean Stevenson said principals, testing coordinators and technology coordinators Jordan Bentlage, Cris White and Doug Ford have worked hard to make sure everything is ready and goes smoothly. 

In other business 

• Board member Brad Lambright has tracked education bills through the legislative session, which ended before the next CACS board meeting. 
  Once Gov. Holcomb signs or vetoes bills, Superintendent Mike McCoy and others will begin determining how new laws affect district operations.
  CACS officials are watching whether House Bill 1137 advances from the conference committee. Raatz is a co-sponsor of the bill to allow students to leave their campus during school hours for up to two hours of religious instruction weekly if parents request it. 
  CACS administrators previously declined a local request from local churches to let students leave for LifeWise Academy instruction. A key concern was insurance/liability. Another part of the bill says chaplains could fill in as school counselors but could only serve in a secular role unless parents approve their child receiving spiritual guidance.   
  Another bill they’re watching is SB 30, on enforcement of bus stop-arm violations.
• The board conducted a final reading and approved policies related to superintendent evaluations, board-superintendent relationship, Teacher Appreciation Grants, use of credit cards, unpaid meals, collection/forgiveness of debt, travel expenses, crowdfunding and investment income. 
• Rose Hamilton Elementary’s annual Ready, Set, Go! summer program will return from May 28-July 19. It aims to accept 14 incoming kindergartners and first graders who need an educational boost.
• Donations: Bill and Ruth Ann Carter, $1,000 for Centerville Senior High School’s French Club 2025 European trip; Jamie and Chad Brummett, $100 to Centerville-Abington Elementary; Robert and Marla Mitrione, $100 for Stop the Bleed kit supplies. CSHS student Jennings Rusznak is assembling kits and distributing them to all Centerville classrooms as a Boy Scout project.
• Next meeting is 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 20, at the administration building, 115 W. South St., Centerville. It’s one week earlier because of spring break. 

Personnel updates

Pending hire: Christopher Stephens, CSHS night custodian

Departures: Valerie Hood, speech-language pathologist; Mary Lainhart, junior high special education assistant

Volunteers: Nicholas Carrizales, Kendrick Villanueva and Wade Lambright, CSHS baseball 

Rehire: John Lickfelt, CSHS girls assistant track coach