Combined Board Meeting Recap (July 21, 2026)
Academic Spotlight: Elementary Summer School
Assistant Principal Breydon Allen of Edgewood Middle School, who also served as the district's Elementary Summer School Administrative Intern, joined Treleen Cox, second-grade teacher at Leesburg Elementary, to present an overview of the 2026 Elementary Summer School program, which primarily focused on iRead.
They provided an overview of the IREAD summer school program, which focused foundational literacy skills through consistent daily routines, targeted instruction and research-based reading practices. Breydon and Treleen shared encouraging student outcomes from this year's program. Eighty-four percent of participating second-grade students demonstrated positive academic growth, while 66% of participating third-grade students showed measurable gains. They also highlighted an increase in third-grade IREAD proficiency from 86% in 2025 to 89% in 2026 despite serving approximately 65 more students in this year's third-grade cohort.
Dr. David Hoffert and members of the Board thanked Breydon, Treleen and the entire Elementary Summer School team for their dedication and the countless hours of work behind the scenes that contributed to another successful summer learning program.
Personnel Report
The Board approved the July 2026 Personnel Report as presented by CFO Steven Boyer, which included several new hires for the start of the 2026-27 school year.
Spring Policy Updates
Steven Boyer provided an overview of the Spring 2026 policy update process, which included approximately 40 policy revisions recommended by NEOLA. He explained that the updates are part of the regular policy review cycle and are intended to ensure Board policies remain current, compliant with state and federal requirements and aligned with best practices. The Board approved the Spring 2026 policy updates as presented.
2026-27 Employee Handbooks and Teacher Evaluation Plan
Steven Boyer reviewed updates to the district's 2026-27 Classified, Certified and Administrator Policy and Procedure Manuals, explaining that the employee handbooks are presented to the Board each July as part of WCS’s annual review process to ensure policies, procedures and expectations remain current.
Steven also presented the district's annual Teacher Evaluation Plan, which Warsaw Community Schools is required to develop each year. He noted that the evaluation plan has remained consistent for several years and that no substantive changes were recommended for 2026-27 beyond updating the applicable dates for the new school year.
The Board approved the 2026-27 employee handbooks and Teacher Evaluation Plan as presented.
Financial Report
Steven Boyer presented the June 2026 Financial Report, noting that revenues and expenditures remained in line with budget expectations. The Board also approved monthly claims, contracts and purchases supporting district operations, including service agreements and facility improvements.
Long-Term Facilities Planning
The Warsaw School Board held its second Preliminary Determination Hearing regarding Warsaw Community Schools' proposed long-term facilities improvement plan.
WCS legal counsel Randy Hesser opened the hearing by reviewing Indiana's statutory requirements for the Preliminary Determination Hearing and explaining the legal process the Board must complete before moving forward with the proposed projects.
Superintendent Dr. David Hoffert then reviewed the proposal overview, project planning process and related timelines. To begin, Dr. Hoffert recapped the engagement efforts over the past several weeks, which included numerous individual and group meetings throughout the community to gather feedback and provide additional information about the proposal. Two public tours of Lakeview Middle School gave community members, parents and staff an opportunity to walk through the building and see firsthand many of the infrastructure challenges discussed in the proposal. Dr. Hoffert also met with residents at Grace Village and continued conversations with parents, staff, taxpayers and community members to answer questions and discuss the district's long-term vision. He emphasized that these meetings provided valuable opportunities to listen, share information and refine the district's communication throughout the planning process.
Building on the information shared in June, Dr. Hoffert presented a comprehensive overview of the proposed $143 million long-term capital improvement plan. He reviewed the site map and conceptual plan while explaining that the proposal extends well beyond renovations at Lakeview Middle School, Edgewood Middle School, Gateway Education Center and the Warsaw Area Career Center. It represents a comprehensive five- to seven-year capital improvement plan that also includes roof replacements, HVAC upgrades, pool repairs, technology, equipment and other critical infrastructure improvements throughout WCS. By sequencing projects over several years, Warsaw Community Schools will be able to prioritize needs, coordinate construction efficiently and potentially reduce costs if projects can be accelerated ahead of future inflation in construction materials and labor.
Dr. Hoffert noted that Lakeview Middle School, built in 1962 as a California-style campus, is approaching its 65th anniversary. While the building has served generations of students exceptionally well, its age has made major infrastructure investments increasingly necessary. This summer alone, crews have been repairing gymnasium walls that have begun to bow, while also replacing aging pipes and addressing underground utilities to ensure Lakeview can continue operating safely and efficiently.
Jerry Rolfson, Senior Project Manager with Performance Services, then presented an overview of the proposed project concepts, including options for relocating Gateway Education Center or maintaining the program at the Lakeview campus. He explained how each option was evaluated to best support WCS’s educational goals, operational needs and long-term facilities vision. Throughout the planning process, WCS has prioritized the option that provides the greatest long-term value for both the district and taxpayers by renovating Lakeview Middle School and repurposing Edgewood Middle School.
Chief Financial Officer Steven Boyer reviewed the long-term financial strategy, explaining that the proposal represents a reinvestment in two longstanding buildings while also addressing deferred maintenance and critical infrastructure improvements throughout the district. He shared that the estimated construction cost is approximately $119 million. The overall $143 million capital improvement plan includes the major building projects as well as additional maintenance, renovations and districtwide infrastructure improvements.
Matt Schumaker, Managing Director with Stifel, then explained how the project would be financed. He reviewed the proposed bond issuance strategy, noting that bonds would be issued in phases over the life of the project rather than all at once. This phased approach aligns financing with construction schedules, allows both Lakeview and Edgewood to remain operational while work is completed, and provides WCS with flexibility as projects progress.
Dr. Hoffert, Boyer and Schumaker emphasized that the proposal is the result of years of intentional financial planning. Rather than moving forward sooner, the district strategically waited for existing debt obligations to decline before proposing this long-term facilities plan, creating additional financial capacity while demonstrating responsible fiscal stewardship. Although Warsaw Community Schools has additional borrowing capacity available, the proposal does not utilize WCS’s maximum debt capacity.
The team also emphasized that the financing plan is designed to maintain WCS's current Debt Service tax levy at its existing rate, allowing WCS to make these significant long-term investments without increasing the current debt service tax levy. As existing debt obligations continue to be retired, WCS expects the Debt Service tax levy to decrease after 2032.
Following the public hearing, public comment and Board discussion, the Board approved the Project Resolution, Preliminary Determination Resolution, Preliminary Bond Resolution and Declaration of Official Intent to Reimburse Expenditures.