By HOLLY GASKILL
Looking at the graduation rate from the Bluffton High School Class of 2023, district school board president Bruce Holland remarked, “The facts don’t lie.”
Principal Steve Baker reported a 100 percent graduation rate during the board’s opening 2024 meeting Monday night. BHS is one of 10 schools in Indiana to accomplish this, Baker said. Students are technically permitted until October to finish the requirements for graduation, meaning this data was only recently available.
There were 106 students who graduated in the class, over half of whom completed a Core 40 diploma or more, which has more comprehensive requirements than a general diploma.
Baker noted that the state recently permitted the inclusion of “alternate diplomas” for special education students in these statistics. “I really want to applaud our special education department — that’s a lot of work,” Baker said. “They have to go through the same process as students that are going for general diploma, Core 40, in that they have a lot of requirements to meet. It’s not something that they’re just handed.” One student earned an alternate diploma from BHS in 2023.
Baker and the board additionally emphasized that these statistics embody a districtwide success, recognizing that the work toward graduation begins at the elementary and preschool levels. The district has a 98-percent graduation rate over the last 10 years.
Superintendent Brad Yates also advised that the district is looking into possible improvements to its special education programming considering Norwell’s withdrawal. A committee has been meeting about the matter and a parent meeting will be held Jan. 25.
“Do you anticipate any major problems with the changes in special ed,” asked Bruce Holland. Yates replied, “No, I think we’re well-equipped. We may need to adjust our staffing depending on parent choice in terms of enrollment for coming up in August, but we really won’t know that until we get a little farther down that timeline.”
Later, the board unanimously agreed to change Monday, April 8, to an e-learning day due to the timing of the solar eclipse and the potential for increased traffic within the area. The e-learning day will end at 2 p.m. to allow families to observe the eclipse. Southern Wells has also decided to hold an e-learning day in light of the eclipse.
“I appreciate the foresight to keep our students safe,” added board member Julie Thompson.
In the board’s annual reorganization, Holland retained his position as president, Angie Sheets took over from Mike Murray as vice president, and Trent White took over from Thompson as secretary.
Also during the meeting, the board:
• Celebrated Jim Bueter, the district’s Teacher of the Year. “I’m very honored to (receive) this award, (it’s) very unexpected for me. But I have been very fortunate to be surrounded by a lot of great students who really want it to be great, and that’s what it takes to build the department so I’m very appreciative,” Bueter said.
• Approved a contract with Church, Church, Hittle, & Antrim for a legal review of the district’s policies.
• Recognized Jodi Leas, BHS counselor, who has submitted her intent to retire at the end of the 2023-24 school year after 25 years of service with the district.
• Received resignations from Estefania Rangel, former elementary school mild intervention instructional assistant, and Candice Narvaez, former preschool childcare supervisor.
• Approved the following teaching recommendations: Felicia McElveen as preschool parent liaison, Paris Davis as elementary mild intervention instructional assistant and Candice Narvaez as a substitute teacher.
• Approved the following coaching recommendations: Lauren Brinneman as BHS softball assistant coach; Jason Pierce as BHS boys’ baseball head coach, with Tim Garrett, Adam King, Todd Morgan, Mike Jefferson and Jeff Blair as assistant coaches; Brent Kunkel as BHS boys’ track head coach with Michael Vanderkolk and Bob Dahl as assistant coaches; Spencer Schwartz as BHS girls’ tennis head coach and Ashlee Xayyachack, Hunter Cunningham and Dharma Dynes as assistant coaches; Sebastian Baxter as BHS girls’ track head coach and Tara Cocanower as assistant coach; Allison Harter as BHMS girls’ track coach and Erin McKinley, Abby Steffen and Tiffani Tonner as assistant coaches; Luke Petty as BHS girls’ softball assistant coach volunteer Erica Bluhm as Unified Track head coach; Ben Sprunger and Nick Krinn as Bluffton-Harrison Middle School boys’ wrestling coaches and Ryan Thomas and Elliott Jimenez as volunteers; Justin Upgraft and Caleb Geimer as BHMS boys’ swimming coaches; Kristi Searles and Jenny Boyd as BHMS girls’ swimming coaches; Robert Vanderkolk as BHMS tennis coach and Spencer Schwartz, Hunter Cunningham, Jared Grandlienard and Ashlee Xayyachack as volunteer coaches; and Ashlie Campbell, Danielle Kunle and Bethany Clem as BHMS boys’ track assistant coaches. Stephanie White was approved as the middle school boys’ track coach 4-0, with board member Trent White abstaining.
• Announced an intent to employ middle school diving and golf coaches and a summer school administrator.
• Accepted donations of $200 from Farmers and Merchants, $200 from Green Contracting, and $200 from Travis Brown of Raber Electric to the wrestling program, specifically new mats and singlets. Family Ford of Bluffton also donated $500 for BHS students in need.
holly@news-banner.com
