Several Warsaw Community Schools’ bus drivers were recognized at a Board of Trustees meeting on Wednesday, June 7. Pictured are the recognized bus drivers alongside school board members, WCS Superintendent Dr. David Hoffert, Transportation Director Mark Fick,and Assistant Director of Transportation Kristy Newton.

Text and Photos
By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Several of Warsaw Community Schools’ bus drivers were recognized for years of service and perfect attendance, among other reasons, during a June 7 WCS Board of Trustees meeting.

WCS Director of Transportation Mark Fick and Assistant Director of Transportation Kristy Newton presented plaques and flowers to bus drivers who have extensively worked for the school corporation; drivers with perfect attendance; those who drive special needs buses, putting in extra mileage to pick up those students; and its three retiring bus drivers, Kim Grubbs, Terrie Good, and Linda Haughee.

Drivers with 20+ years of service to WCS include Donna Castle and Kevin Jones. Lisa Wallen, Sally Johnson, Clelda Benning, Jackie Clase, and Colleen Fritcher were all recognized for 30+ years of bus driving service.

Mark Tracy and Gina Keener were both recognized for perfect attendance.

“These are hardworking individuals who will work when they’re sick, who will work when the roads are bad, who take care of the equipment we give them, and that’s very, very powerful,” said Fick about the bus drivers.

“There are many thankless jobs, and I know this school district would not function without each and every one of you, and I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart,” said Board Member Brad Johnson.

During the meeting, Kristin Sederberg was officially approved as Claypool Elementary School’s new principal.

Fick also briefly discussed school bus stop arm violations for the 2022-23 school year. There were a total of 289 stop arm violations, with 127 of those being sent to the Kosciusko County Prosecutor’s Office. The majority of the violations not sent to the prosecutor’s office were due to being unable to identify the drivers who committed them.

In other business, the board officially approved the hiring of Kristin Sederberg as the new principal of Claypool Elementary School. She is replacing Melissa Rees, who retired at the end of the school year after 33 years of service to WCS.

Sederberg said she was really excited and honored to have the position.

The board’s next meeting is at 4 p.m. Monday, July 10, and will be a combined work session and regular meeting.