North Central Parke Board Hears High School, Career Coaches Updates

By Mark Spelbring

Sentinel Reporter

Updates from Parke Heritage High School Principal Bruce Patton and Three Career Coaches working with high school students highlighted the March 15 meeting of the North Central Parke School Board.

Financial business was routine with Superintendent Mike Schimpf reporting healthy balances for $3.5 million in the Education Fund, $3.7 million in the Operations Fund, $1.1 million in the Rainy Day Fund and over $200,000 in the School Lunch Fund, which is high because of the USDA School Lunch Program.  The board accepted donations of $11,481 and thanked multiple donors for the funding.

Corporation Nurse Audra Long updated the board on medical equipment she has been purchasing with grant funds, including LifeVac Choking Rescue Devices, and additional AED devices that will be added so they will be accessible more quickly in each building.

Principal Bruce Patton reported on the dual credit program through which 48 students have earned 50 certificates from Ivy Tech, with 27 earning Indiana common core credits and the others in multiple programs.  He discussed growth in vocational programs, including the new CDL program now has one instructor and seven students, and said they are now using the new simulator. Patton noted they have had a “signing day” for students going into a Nucor program, similar to the signing days often held for students signing for college athletic scholarships. He also said the grant funded career coaches are doing a good job.

For the full article, see the March 22 edition of the Parke County Sentinel.