Tippecanoe Valley High School’s Wade Jones, center, will play in the Indiana Football Coaches’ Association North-South Football All Star Classic on July 12 at Decatur Central High School in Indianapolis. He was recognized at the Tippecanoe Valley School Board meeting on Monday, March 18, at TVHS. With him are TVHS Principal Brandon Kresca, left, and head football coach Steve Moriarty. InkFreeNews photo by Leah Sander.

By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

AKRON — The Tippecanoe Valley School Board has heard an update on two of the Tippecanoe Valley School Corp.’s schools.

Due to inclement weather at its regular meeting in January, the board was unable to hear an update on Burket Educational Center. That update was given instead at the board’s meeting on Monday, March 18, at Tippecanoe Valley High School along with one on TVHS.

Teacher Micah Lukens gave the update on Burket, TVSC’s alternative school.

There were 53 students who attended Burket in the fall, with 22 there currently. Twenty-four students have graduated so far.

Lukens noted students earned 255 credits during the fall semester, one of the most successful semesters in the school’s history.

Burket’s graduation will be 10 a.m. Thursday, May 16.

He and TVHS Assistant Principal Dayna Kolanowski, who helps oversee Burket, recognized five students for their achievements: Riley Holden, Dylan King, Denzil King, Brianna Evans and Tressalynn Witham.

TVHS Update

TVHS Principal Brandon Kresca gave the update on TVHS.

The school had 544 kids during the first count day and 518 during the second count day. TVHS has 35 teachers, with 12 of them in their first five years of teaching and 16 having 15 or more years of experience.

Regarding academics, Kresca said the school had seen improvements in SAT scores, with the test required by Indiana law for students.

Kresca had agriculture teachers Mike Jones and Hope Slagle speak, with Jones noting the class he teaches using drones.

Students Kaylynn Miller and Colton Crabb also mentioned the new club they lead, called Voice, which works to encourage students not to smoke or vape.

Kresca also recognized Wade Jones, who will play in the Indiana Football Coaches’ Association North-South Football All Star Classic on July 12 at Decatur Central High School in Indianapolis. He’s the sixth-ever All Star from TVHS and will play football and run track for Taylor University after he graduates.

In other business, the board:

• Approved hiring Tippecanoe Valley Middle School Family and Consumer Science teacher Charles Eichman and instructional assistant Sara Daggett; Mentone Elementary School instructional assistants Jaida Conley, Amy Hughes and Trista Sherman; and Mentone-Valley Early Learning Academy instructional assistant Jerrica Marshall.
• Approved Thomas Cody and Erika Enyart as TVHS assistant track coaches, Wes Melanson as TVHS assistant baseball coach and Eric Ocock as TVMS soccer head coach.
• Accepted the resignations of TVHS math teacher Wes Melanson, TVMS soccer head coach Denzil Mason, assistant track coach Thomas Cody and media club sponsor Bradley Williams and Mentone special education instructional assistant Kelli Thornburg and instructional assistant Joy Hazard.
• Accepted an REMC Operation Round Up grant for $2,500 for the TVMS Viking Vittles program, which provides food to TVMS students in need.
• Accepted donations of $6,300 and $2,400 from Mill Creek Missionary Church in Rochester. Those monies respectively will be used for the TVHS Boomerang Backpack program, which provides food to TVHS students in need; and buying one book for all the students at Akron and Mentone elementary schools.
• Accepted a $9,055.89 Early Literacy Achievement grant from the Indiana Department of Education to pay for stipends for those teaching reading.

The board’s next regular meeting is 6 p.m. Monday, April 15, at Mentone.