Elkhart Community Schools

Elkhart High School government teacher Linda Fine says letting Premiere Arts Academy use the newly closed Osolo Elementary property would let Elkhart Community Schools retain some of the new charter school's per-pupil state funding. But the district could still have to pay to maintain the building and would have no say over how the school is run.

Under a new law taking effect July 1, schools must either prohibit students from bringing wireless communication devices to school – or require them to be stored and inaccessible throughout the school day, with few exceptions.

“Unfortunately, to right the ship, to have a cost reduction, the option really is in wages and benefits,” said April Fitterling with Policy Analytics.

Elkhart Community Schools Supt. Michele Wiise says staff had already started moving things out of Mary Beck Elementary but reversed course this week after the school board decided to send Monger students to Mary Beck this fall because of water damage at Monger.

The former Hawthorne Elementary building, the Elkhart Community Schools' oldest elementary building, built in 1929, is one of five closing this year because of declining enrollment.

Elkhart Community Schools' enrollment is currently a little more than 10,200, but there are still more than 13,000 students living in the district whose education is being funded by the state.

"This day means everything to me," said Osolo Elementary first grade teacher Annette Hines. "I’ve been here almost 30 years. This fall would’ve been 30 years since I student taught at this building."

Elkhart Community Schools received a national award for its partnership bringing dental exams, cleanings and treatment to students at school.

Elkhart Community Schools trustees will vote at their April 21 meeting on whether to make Michele Riise's promotion to superintendent effective immediately, rather than on July 1 as initially planned.

"We want to keep our kids in Elkhart," said Director of Secondary Schools Cary Anderson. "We want to provide them with an equitable online solution, and we think that we have the people in place and the programming already in place to be able to establish this virtual school."