Student Spotlight: Time Capsule Project

The WCS school board welcomed six Lincoln Elementary Gifted and Talented students from Mrs. Wallen's class who participated in the Kosciusko County Freedom Fest Time Capsule Project, part of the celebration of America's 250th birthday.

Krishna Puthudode, Nora Bean, Josiah Burden, Ellie Macke, Elise Ward and Radley Phillips each read their letter beginning with "Dear 2076 Warsaw," sharing what life is like in Warsaw today and imagining what the community may look like 50 years from now when the time capsule is opened as part of the nation's 300th anniversary celebration.

The students reflected on their experiences in school, what they enjoy most about living in Warsaw and their hopes for the future of their community. Their letters will become part of a time capsule that will be sealed during the Main Street Downtown Hoedown this summer and remain unopened until 2076.

Edgewood Welcomes New Leadership Team

The Board officially welcomed Jason Culver as the new principal of Edgewood Middle School. Jason, who has served the past nine years as Edgewood's assistant principal and has dedicated 21 years to Warsaw Community Schools, introduced his family and reflected on his excitement for the opportunity to lead the school.

Jason shared his appreciation for the strong foundation that has been built at Edgewood and expressed his commitment to building on that success alongside students, staff and families. During the presentation, Jason also introduced Breydon Allen, who has been selected as Edgewood's new assistant principal and was approved by the Board during the meeting. 

Spring Policy Updates

Board members received the first reading of the Spring 2026 policy updates and approved revisions to the district's Personal Communication Devices policy. The updates align Warsaw Community Schools with recently adopted Indiana legislation and will help guide expectations for student device use beginning with the 2026-27 school year.

Preliminary Determination Hearing: Long-Term Facility Investments

The Board held the first Preliminary Determination Hearing regarding Warsaw Community Schools' proposed long-term construction and improvement projects. The hearing provided an opportunity for the public to learn more about the proposal and offer comments before the Board considers moving forward.

Dr. David Hoffert began the presentation by reviewing WCS's ongoing 10-year facilities planning process. He shared that over the past three years, WCS has worked with multiple architectural and construction firms, visited comparable schools across Indiana and evaluated several options to determine the most efficient and sustainable path forward.

Dr. Hoffert explained that the recommended long-term option is to combine both middle schools at the Lakeview campus. He shared that the proposal would improve operational efficiency, expand academic programming opportunities, provide a permanent home for Gateway Education Center and the Warsaw Area Career Center, revitalize the surrounding corridor and leave room for future growth.

Chief Financial Officer Steven Boyer explained that the proposal represents a long-term modernization plan designed to address aging facilities and infrastructure across Warsaw Community Schools over the next five to seven years. He shared that WCS has intentionally prepared for these investments by responsibly paying down previous debt, allowing the entire project to be financed under the current tax levy. Boyer emphasized that the proposal does not require a referendum, which would have increased taxes.

Steven also explained that while the current plan includes improvements at Lakeview Middle School, Edgewood Middle School, Gateway Education Center and the Warsaw Area Career Center, the proposed maximum bond amount also provides flexibility to address additional long-term facility needs. Those projects include future HVAC renovations at Harrison and Eisenhower elementary schools, restroom renovations at Eisenhower, potential HVAC improvements at Warsaw Community High School and a future roof replacement at the high school.

Matt Schumaker, Managing Director of Public Finance at Stifel Institutional, then reviewed the financial impact of the proposed plan. Schumaker explained how years of responsible fiscal planning have positioned WCS to modernize its facilities while maintaining long-term financial stability and completing the work within the current tax levy.

Community members are encouraged to continue learning about the long-term facilities planning process by visiting the Long-Term Facility Planning page on the WCS website, which includes project information, frequently asked questions and a community input form. WCS will also host public tours of Lakeview Middle School on July 6 at 12:00 p.m. and July 15 at 7:00 p.m. for those interested in learning more about the proposed plans. Tour registration information can be found on the Long-Term Facility Planning page.

Chamber of Commerce Recognition

Ryan Christner from OrthoWorx recognized WCS for our contributions towards Kosciusko County’s 2025 Indiana Chamber of Commerce Community of the Year, and presented Dr. Hoffert and Warsaw Schools with an award as part of this recognition.  The award recognizes communities that demonstrate exceptional economic growth, workforce and talent development, quality of life investments and strong public-private partnerships.

Ryan shared that the recognition reflects the collaboration between local businesses, education, government and nonprofit organizations that continues to make Kosciusko County a place where people want to live, work, learn, invest and thrive. He also thanked Warsaw Community Schools for its continued partnership in preparing students for future careers and strengthening the local workforce.

Annual School Nurses Report

Nurse Coordinator Kennedy Wagner presented the annual School Nurses Report. She highlighted the role school nurses play in supporting student health, safety and academic success. As part of her report, she also reviewed health services provided throughout the school year, including medication administration, chronic health condition management, emergency response, health screenings and partnerships with families and healthcare providers. Kennedy also highlighted the important work school nurses do every day to help keep students healthy, in class and ready to learn.

Summer Construction Update

Director of Facilities Jim LeMasters provided an update on summer construction projects taking place throughout Warsaw Community Schools. Work continues across multiple buildings as crews complete maintenance, infrastructure improvements and renovation projects while students are away for the summer. These improvements are designed to prepare facilities for the start of the 2026-27 school year while supporting WCS's long-term facilities plan.