School Corporation

An update to a story we've been following: Riley High School's athletic director tells WSBT he has been cleared of any wrongdoing and is back on the job. A former employee filed a sexual harassment complaint against Walt Ballard last month. After a five-week investigation, Ballard told WSBT the school corporation found there had been no violation of the corporation's policies and he was reinstated last week. The school corporation said because it was a personnel matter officials had no comment.

Two LaPorte High School employees accused of not reporting a volleyball coach's sexual activity with a player now face two Class B misdemeanor charges. Girls volleyball head coach Mary Beth Lebo and the school's athletic director Ed Gilliland will be arraigned at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 26 before Judge Jennifer Koethe in LaPorte County Superior Court 3. LaPorte County Prosecutor Bob Szilagyi said the charges allege that Lebo and Gilliland failed to report child abuse or neglect despite having knowledge of such acts by Bob Ashcraft, who had been an assistant junior varsity girls volleyball coach at the school.

A South Central school teacher allegedly showed up for work drunk. That's according to LaPorte County police, who were called to the elementary side of the K-12 building on Tuesday. Just after 10 a.m., Deputy Michael Disbrow in his report said he responded to a complaint from the school that a teacher might have been drinking. Disbrow said he met with school principal Alicia Schnick and school corporation superintendent Chris Smith. They told the officer that Matthew Rhodes admitted drinking a half pint of vodka before school.

MISHAWAKA - School City of Mishawaka says it may have to cut some workers' hours next school year. Federal law now requires employers to provide health insurance for anyone working 30 or more hours per week. Superintendent Dr. Terry Barker says the district cannot afford to start providing benefits for workers like lunch room attendants and classroom aides. As a result, Barker says the district may be forced to cut those employees' hours below 30 per week. In a letter to staff, he writes: "School City Mishawaka's budget cannot absorb the additional costs associated with providing health care coverage to all employees who work an average of thirty hours or more per week.

A 13-year-old boy in LaPorte is facing charges this morning after police found a half-pound of marijuana in his locker. LaPorte County police said they found the marijuana in a backpack in an eighth-grader's locker at Kesling Middle School after they were called to the school to investigate.  The boy is charged morning with a felony and was taken to the LaPorte County Juvenile Services Center. The school corporation won't tell us if the boy is suspended or expelled.

Monday, WSBT told you about a Granger couple who is outraged, claiming a school bus driver left their 12-year-old son in the cold, nearly a mile from home, and on Tuesday, the South Bend School Corporation responded by releasing a statement. Here is the original story as reported by WSBT's Kelli Stopczynski: A Granger couple is outraged and the South Bend Community School Corporation is investigating after the couple said a school bus driver left their 12-year-old son in the cold, nearly a mile from home.

A Lakeville school bus driver's job is in limbo after she refused to drive a 6-year-old child with a peanut allergy to school. Union-North United School Corp. officials say they could end her employment contract, but Thursday night, school board members tabled that decision. Kelly Carrico is an independent contractor with the school district, working as a bus driver. The student's family said they're innocent bystanders caught between the driver's decision to not drive their child and the school's decision to possibly fire the driver.

LA PORTE -- A sex scandal at LaPorte High School has the school board looking for answers. Last month, police arrested former assistant volleyball coach Robert Ashcraft on charges of sexual misconduct with a minor and child seduction. Tuesday night, in a meeting that lasted just over five minutes, the board voted unanimously to hire an attorney to do an internal investigation. The board would not say why it took so long to start an investigation, but on Jan. 11th, the Indiana State Police announced that it would investigate the school corporation.

SOUTH BEND - Riley High School Principal Edward Bradford is on paid administrative leave. Sue Coney, spokeswoman for South Bend schools, said today that since it's a personnel issue, she could not comment on why Bradford is on leave, nor how long the leave, which began today, will last. Coney also would not say whether Bradford himself requested the leave or it was mandated by Carole Schmidt, interim superintendent. Francois Bayingana, an assistant principal at Adams High School and formerly an assistant principal at Riley, will serve as interim principal at Riley, Coney said.

MISHAWAKA ‒ The Indiana State Teachers Association says up to 20 Mishawaka teachers could soon be out of work. Like nearly every other school district in the state, Mishawaka is facing a major budget crisis. By 2011, the district has to cut more than $4.5 million from its budget. And, according to the school corporation, when dealing with that much money it's impossible to save every job. The teacher's union is working with the school corporation to figure out the best way to deal with this situation.

MISHAWAKA - School City of Mishawaka says it may have to cut some workers' hours next school year. Federal law now requires employers to provide health insurance for anyone working 30 or more hours per week. Superintendent Dr. Terry Barker says the district cannot afford to start providing benefits for workers like lunch room attendants and classroom aides. As a result, Barker says the district may be forced to cut those employees' hours below 30 per week. In a letter to staff, he writes: "School City Mishawaka's budget cannot absorb the additional costs associated with providing health care coverage to all employees who work an average of thirty hours or more per week.

SOUTH BEND - When the 2010 election swept John Stancati and two other new members onto the South Bend school board - signaling a public hunger for change - he didn't seem a big name in the world of education. Yes, he was a public servant, having just retired after 21 years as director of South Bend Water Works. But the Democrat was a political force, effective at raising money and influencing voters, say former mayors Stephen Luecke and Roger Parent, who benefited from his help.

SOUTH BEND - Celebrating excellence in teaching, the South Bend Community schools have given Sue Panzica the Teacher of the Year Award. She teaches kindergarten at Swanson Primary Center. Panzica has been teaching for 37 years. “Thank you very much,” replied a much-appreciative Panzica. “It really is an honor to be chosen and to represent South Bend Community Schools. It's a wonderful school corporation. We have wonderful families here.” For her efforts, Panzica will get a $1,000 professional growth grant, a plaque and a golden apple.

SOUTH BEND - It's been nearly two months since the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut. That mass shooting caused schools across the country to look again at their safety procedures. "I think a police officer would make all students feel safe," said mother Kathleen Staton-Neubauer. "Don't have to worry about kids going to school," said father Richard Gonzalez. It's a plan to put parents, teachers and students at ease. And the presence of a police officer could do just that.

Monday, WSBT told you about a Granger couple who is outraged, claiming a school bus driver left their 12-year-old son in the cold, nearly a mile from home, and on Tuesday, the South Bend School Corporation responded by releasing a statement. Here is the original story as reported by WSBT's Kelli Stopczynski: A Granger couple is outraged and the South Bend Community School Corporation is investigating after the couple said a school bus driver left their 12-year-old son in the cold, nearly a mile from home.

A Granger couple is outraged and the South Bend Community School Corporation is investigating after the couple said a school bus driver left their 12-year-old son in the cold, nearly a mile from home. The sixth-grader's parents said he walked home along a stretch of Grape Road during the Monday morning rush hour.  It was supposed to be Kage Hurteau's first day back to class after winter break. He's bused to Edison Intermediate Center in South Bend even though he lives in the Penn-Harris-Madison district because he's a special needs student. He takes medication for ADHD and bipolar disorders and has a 'short fuse,' his parents said.  But they don't believe there's any excuse for his bus driver to react the way she did.  “I wouldn't sit down and stop getting out of my seat,” he said. “She wouldn't let me sit with my friends and I got mad at her.” “I'm assuming he got irate and from what he says, she told him to get off the bus. Basically vacate,” said the boy's father, Brian Townsend.  Kage said he chose to get off the bus but when he turned around to get back on board, the bus driver left - and he was stranded in a neighborhood off Grape Road, just east of the JC Penney Home Store.

SOUTH BEND - In the wake of the Newtown shooting, South Bend's Common Council president believes there should be an armed officer at EVERY school. Students at Riley High School in South Bend are used to seeing police officers around, not only after school, but all day long. After the Columbine High School shooting in 1999, South Bend and many other school districts hired officers to be in the high schools each day to promote safety and security. South Bend has a total of 7 school resource officers who spend their time in the high schools and middle schools.

A 13-year-old boy in LaPorte is facing charges this morning after police found a half-pound of marijuana in his locker. LaPorte County police said they found the marijuana in a backpack in an eighth-grader's locker at Kesling Middle School after they were called to the school to investigate.  The boy is charged morning with a felony and was taken to the LaPorte County Juvenile Services Center. The school corporation won't tell us if the boy is suspended or expelled.

If your kids go to public school in South Bend, today (Friday) is an important day. Their attendance plays a key role in deciding how much state funding the school corporation gets. The count is the average attendance from the start of the year until today to gauge how many students are enrolled this year. It's important because South Bend schools face dropping enrollment, which means less state funding. That can lead to cuts in jobs and school programs. Last year South Bend School lost 617 students and more than $1 million in state funding.

SOUTH BEND -  Welcome back. Now get ready to work hard. That was the message from State Superintendent Dr. Tony Bennett, who spoke to the students at Xavier School of Excellence in South Bend, a public charter school.  Bennett continued his pep talk to schools around the state and right here in our area, but he also talked to the students about something else: CHOICE.  "The great American society we...