Business Professionals of America students dressed to impress the Centerville-Abington Community Schools board.
Centerville Senior High School adviser Bonita Klein introduced the chapter’s state finalists during the board’s April 12 meeting and reviewed their competition categories and placements.
In CSHS’ second year as a chapter, all 26 members went to state and 10 qualified for nationals, which is April 26-30 in Anaheim, California. Klein said they’ve represented their school well.
The board granted permission for Klein to accompany seven competitors, as three decided not to travel for various reasons.
Fundraisers are ongoing, and donations of $1,000 from Richmond Casting Co. and $100 from First Bank were approved.
Klein said students gain long-lasting professionalism and networking skills through BPA.
Calendars
After discussion between administrators and teachers’ union, the board agreed to change the 2023-24 calendar, removing early dismissal days for parent-teacher conferences on Oct. 18-20. Teachers will have flexibility in chatting with families via email, virtual, in-person or other conversations after the first nine weeks. With technology, parents have more frequent opportunities for communication.
The board also approved a 2024-25 calendar. A majority of educators wanted Martin Luther King Jr. Day off and for the last teacher day to be the day after Memorial Day. Students start Aug. 7 and end May 23, with vacations Oct. 21-25; Nov. 27-29; Dec. 23-Jan. 5; Jan. 20; March 24-28; and April 18.
Only a couple days vary between calendars for CSHS and Whitewater Valley Career Center that vocational students attend. Connersville will no longer have built-in snow days. Centerville has five built-in days before any would have to be added after Memorial Day.
In other business
- Member Renee Westover reported on the Rose Hamilton School Improvement Team meeting, saying that teachers are working together for a consistent reward plan for good behavior. A parent involvement team is planning a family literacy night, art fair and book sales. Parents and mentors have begun volunteering again after COVID.
- A robotics club for second graders is going well. Rose Hamilton educators also would like to have a lab for science, technology, engineering and math activities. They are considering converting a computer lab for that purpose now that Chromebooks are being used instead of desktop computers.
- Approved donations: $1,000 from Koechlein Family Fund at Wayne County Foundation for French Club; $100 from American Heart Association for elementary physical education equipment.
- Footers are done for the new transportation center and the building is going up relatively quickly.
- The board rescheduled its annual tour of each building for the evening of May 16.
- Member Todd Dooley asked if Centerville has a shortage of school nurses as some Indiana districts do, noted in a regional newspaper article. McCoy said CACS is in good shape because it has 2 ½ nurses for 700 students, compared to 1 for 700 in those schools. Whenever the district has a nursing position available, it receives several applicants.
All votes were 3-0 with Brad Lambright and Andy Wandersee absent.
A version of this article appeared in the April 19 2023 print edition of the Western Wayne News.