Supporters of the Woodlan kindergarten-through-12th-grade campus project turned in more petition packets than their opponents by Tuesday’s deadline, according to voter registration officials.Fort Wayne Community Schools officials reiterated their displeasure with Gov. Mitch Daniels’ budget proposal Monday, saying he is misleading the public about the money schools will receive.
Superintendent Wendy Robinson and Chief Financial Officer Kathy Friend relayed to the FWCS board what they told legislators during a budget hearing last week.
Daniels says his budget plan will increase school funding by an average of 2 percent, but Friend said it’s only a 1.5 percent increase in 2010 and a 0.7 percent decrease in 2011.
And both percentages include money allocated to school districts through President Obama’s federal stimulus package for low-income schools and special education, Friend said.
Under Daniels’ plan, which the General Assembly will begin discussing in a special session starting Thursday, FWCS will see a 1 percent increase in 2010 and a loss of 1.6 percent in 2011, Friend said.
FWCS board President Mark GiaQuinta encouraged the public to contact legislators to fight for more money for education.
In other business, the board approved administrative hires and shifts:
•Deborah Watson, former principal of Woodlan Junior-Senior High in East Allen County Schools, will be the new principal of Snider High. It has not been determined where current Principal Steve Simmons will go, spokeswoman Krista Stockman said.
•Snider football coach Russ Isaacs was named the school’s new athletic director. He replaces Mike Hawley, who retired.
•Tim Rayl will be the new principal of Memorial Park Middle; he was assistant principal at Portage Middle. Memorial Park’s principal, Brian Smith, was named superintendent of North Newton Schools in Morocco.
•Administrative intern Robin Peterman, who taught adult education in Elkhart Community Schools and Smith-Green Community Schools for 28 years, is the new principal of Abbett Elementary.
Current principal Leslie McClung is moving to a new assignment.
•Irwin Elementary Principal Jeff Cline will move to a principalship at Fairfield Elementary. He replaces Sherry Britt, who moved to Whitney Young Early Childhood Center. Cline is being replaced by Ingrid Laidroo-Martin, assistant principal of Northcrest Elementary.
•Weisser Park Elementary Principal Carolyn Sleet will shift to principal of Harris Elementary. She replaces Renee Beaman, who is leaving the district.
•John Key, principal of Pleasant Center Elementary, will replace Sleet as principal of Weisser Park. He will be replaced by Carrie Kennedy, an administrative intern and former teacher.
•Richelle Miller, assistant principal of Forest Park Elementary, was named new principal of Washington Center Elementary. She replaces Debra Casey, who is retiring.
