Published: March 14, 2008 11:43 am      

Administrator named New Paris principal

BENTON, Ind. — An assistant principal at Fairfield Junior-Senior High School was named principal of New Paris Elementary School.

Lisa Litwiller was given the nod Thursday evening during the Fairfield School Board meeting. Litwiller will replace Charles Richards who resigned earlier this year.

She will take her place July 1 with a starting annual salary of $79,573.

A committee of five members, representing staff and administration of Fairfield Community Schools, reviewed 20 applications for the post in recent weeks.

“I have to say that it was an overwhelming majority that recommended Lisa,” Superintendent Tom Tumey said.

“That will be a very good fit,” board member Brent Welty added.

Litwiller looks forward to her job, and the position within the corporation.

“I’m going to miss everyone at the junior-senior high school but I’m very excited to make the move,” Litwiller said.

The board also approved the resignation of Roger Zentz, administrative assistant for business.

“This is the sad news,” Tumey said. “I have to tell you Roger’s been approved as the new Business Manager for Wa-Nee Schools. We’ll hate to see him go.”

Board member Dave Thwaits agreed.

“As an accountant, I pay more attention to what Roger does than maybe a lot of you, but I really appreciate all he does and he will be missed,” Thwaits said.

Varsity head cheer coach Stephanie Weldy also submitted her resignation in writing to the board.

School redistricting

Superintendent Tom Tumey had originally intended to present a recommendation for redistricting at Thursday’s meeting but instead asked board members for a few more weeks to collect data and to conduct staff meetings in the corporation.

”I feel very strongly that this should be tabled until the April 24 meeting, giving the committee time to analyze kindergarten enrollment and to have meetings with the staff,” Tumey said. “This would be very beneficial and helpful until we come to a decision.”

The board tabled the recommendation until April 24 and president Jonathan Graber thanked Tumey for his desire to collect more information.

“This is something we don’t want to do twice,” Graber said.

“The last thing we want to do is to make a recommendation and then have to come back and make adjustments. We don’t want to do that,” Tumey said.

Other business

The board approved the purchase and placement of a second baseball batting tunnel. Due to sport participation, the need for additional practices are at a premium.

The tunnel is expected to cost between $2,000 and $2,500 and will be paid for by the Diamond Club, with labor coming from the coaching staff and the club members.

“I’d like to thank the Diamond Club and parents groups that exist that support our kids,” board member Dave Thwaits said.

Driver’s education will be provided to students within and outside the Fairfield Community again this summer after the board unanimously approved to continue the service which is entirely funded by students taking the course.

The cost of enrollment is $315 per student with a $20 fee for testing, which is optional. Currently there are 84 students enrolled, a figure that outlines the need for the program.

“This is a program we want to keep looking at, but I feel as long as we can keep the costs to us below the cost of private companies and there is a need, I feel we should do it,” Tumey said.

Board member Brent Welty asked if the Fairfield program was open only to corporation students, and found out that any student who meets class criteria is welcome.

“We allow outside students at the same price because we’re not underwriting the course with corporation funds,” Fairfield Junior-Senior High School Principal Phil Hoskins said.

The board approved a silent auction to be held at New Paris Elementary on March 15 during their PTO Fish Fry. All proceeds will go to support the programs sponsored by the PTO, including the outdoor classroom.