The Tippecanoe Valley School Corp. honored retiring Tippecanoe Valley High School industrial tech teacher Dan Franklin on Monday, March 15, at the regular TVSC Board meeting. The corporation also had a reception before the meeting for Franklin, left, shown here with his wife Becky Franklin. Photo provided.

By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

AKRON — The Tippecanoe Valley School Corp. recognized a teacher who is retiring after 29 years in the school corporation.

The TVSC School Board on Monday, March 15, honored Dan Franklin, who teaches industrial tech at Tippecanoe Valley High School, at its regular meeting at TVHS.

TVSC Superintendent Blaine Conley noted that Franklin is a military veteran. He served more than 20 years, including leaving his teaching job for a little more than a year of deployment.

Conley read a statement by Franklin in which he discussed his retirement plans and reflected on his time teaching.

“I wouldn’t want to teach anything else,” Franklin said about the classes he taught. “I think it’s great that Valley values classes that teach … hands-on skills. I’m proud to have been a part of this, teaching students skills that will serve them both professionally and personally their entire lives. I’m so grateful to have worked with a great bunch of educators; I’ve learned much from them through their guidance and example. I’m proud to be part … of the Valley family.”

Before the meeting, there was a reception for Franklin at TVHS.

TVHS update

TVHS Principal Brandon Kresca and his staff gave the board their annual update on the high school.

Kresca started the talk with a quick summary of health measures the school has implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There’s no doubt this has been an extremely challenging school year, but I’m extremely proud of the way our students, our staff and really our community have just come together and said, ‘You know what, this is not going to be exactly real fun and things, but we’re going to get through this,'” said Kresca.

Students have been spaced three feet apart in classes for social distancing purposes and the school has started a cleaning regimen between classes.

Kresca said he hopes the latter continues post-COVID-19.  The school also is doing three lunch periods to cut down on the amount of students together at one time.

“We’ve had to make some tough decisions,” said Kresca. “It’s been really great at the high school level because you can get some input from student leaders and try to do that.”

“Really that’s been a goal of ours is to continue to try to have all the important events and things that make up a school year, so we have been committed to trying to do that,” he said.

TVSC mental health therapist Kristi Smith talked about the Bring Change To Mind club that has started at the high school. It comes from the “national organization whose mission is to end the stigma and discrimination around mental illness.”

Valley’s is one of 45 clubs in Indiana and 320 in the U.S.

In other business, the board:

• Approved hiring Mentone Elementary School cook Angela Black and instructional assistant Evelin Alarcon and Tippecanoe Valley Middle School cook Lori LaFollette.
• Approved Tiffany Krotke and Chris Secrist as TVHS assistant track coaches, Hunter Ackerman as TVHS assistant baseball coach, Bree Baldini as TVMS eighth grade volleyball coach, Kevin Paxton as TVMS assistant track coach and Amy Brown as TVMS seventh grade volleyball coach.
• Accepted the resignations of Mentone ECA treasurer Pamela Wainscott and instructional assistant Kara Yates, TVHS custodian Leanne Markley, NHS sponsor Kristen Ekhoff and assistant track coach Lichelle Parker and TVMS seventh grade volleyball coach Jade Hoffman.
• Accepted the retirements of Franklin, Akron Elementary School reading recovery teacher Debra Lee and Mentone fourth grade teacher Lee Ann Rock.
• Accepted an $800 donation of pulled pork from Jonesy’s Junction in Akron. Owner Tim Jones donated the meat for the annual FFA Community Appreciation Supper.

• Heard a report on high school activities from student representatives Mackenzie Costello and Jaeda Carpenter.

Next week is Riley Week, put on by student council, during which students will work on raising money for Riley Hospital for Children.

The board’s next regular meeting is 6 p.m. Monday, April 19, at Mentone.

Members of Boy Scout Troop 782 led attendees at the school board meeting in the Pledge of Allegiance. From left: Braedon Wallace, Ayden Yaprak, Dale Fore, Evan Bolinger and Porter Rich. InkFreeNews photo by Leah Sander.