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Serving New Haven & East Allen County
INfortwayne.com
February 21, 2014
School restores name in new home By Garth Snow
Fritcha Award to honor civic service with humility By Garth Snow
gsnow@kpcmedia.com
gsnow@kpcmedia.com
Principal Stan Lipinoga said St. Rose of Lima Catholic School wants to continue as a central part of the Monroeville community. “The community of Monroeville fought very hard to not have their community school close down,” he said. “So in a sense we’re bringing back to the entire community by reopening their school.” The parish board began working with the East Allen County Schools to buy the shuttered Monroeville Elementary School building more than two years ago. Pastor the Rev. Lourdino Fernandes first proposed the purchase, Lipinoga said. Within a month, the community gathered more than a half-million dollars in pledges. Carolyn Kirkendall was principal at the time. “I saw the beginning of the process, the inquiring
PHOTO BY GARTH SNOW
Carolyn Kirkendall was principal when St. Rose of Lima Parish began negotiating to buy the former Monroeville Elementary School. Stan Lipinoga is in his second year as principal. Three classrooms were converted into the chapel in the new building.
and going to the East Allen School Board meetings, working with Father, meeting with the diocesan offices and getting the permission,” Kirkendall said. “And actually we thought we had it, and we celebrated it, and then we
had to wait for two years.” That interval was the minimum between a public school’s closing and its sale to a private school under state law, which has since been changed, the principals explained.
School year grows longer as winter cancels classes East Allen County Schools has extended the school year through June 9 to make up for snow days. However, the district is exploring other ways to make up those missed days, said Tamyra Kelly, East Allen’s public relations liaison. The state of Indiana requires 180 classroom days each school year. Class days that are canceled must be rescheduled, even pushing the year beyond the scheduled graduation dates. Most area district have experienced 10 or more canceled school days this winter, in addition to days when classes have been postponed due to hazardous travel. Some schools have said they will extend the school year and conduct graduations, but students will receive only a binder without the formal, completed diploma. Public and private schools extended their calendars and weighed their options, even as winter continued its assault. School officials insist, though, that student safety will drive their decisions through the rest of the winter. Fort Wayne Community Schools had canceled classes 11 days as of Feb. 6.
Public Affairs Director Melanie Hall said the school calendar has been extended accordingly, through June 11. She said the district tracked snow days going back through the 1999-2000 school year. “The previous high was six closures in 2011, all in February,” Hall said. Even more snow days will not force a change in Fort Wayne’s graduation schedule. Those ceremonies are scheduled for June 21. Some school districts extended the first semester because of the storms. The State Board of Education met Feb. 6 in Indianapolis, and also agreed to extend the window for ISTEP tests. Schools now may finish the tests as late as March 21, instead of March 12. At Blackhawk Christian School, Lead Administrator Linda Pearson said calendar adjustments need to be finalized. “So far we’ve had 10 snow days, of which the state has waived two days, and we have eight that we need to figure out,” Pearson said. The Blackhawk superintendent said 800 children from preschool through high school attend the two campuses on either side of State Street. She said she talks with other administrators each morning as she weighs the twin imperatives of quality of education and student safety.
Times Community Publications
gsnow@kpcmedia.com
3306 Independence Drive, Fort Wayne, IN 46808
By Garth Snow
Today, Lipinoga is in his second year as principal. The former St. Joseph Catholic School moved into its new home in December. Kirkendall, retired from 27 years as See SCHOOL, Page A4
New Haven Mayor Terry McDonald will present the Bill Fritcha Memorial Award in conjunction with his State of the City address Monday, March 10. The evening begins with registration at 5:30 p.m. at The Orchid banquets and events center, 11508 Lincoln Highway East. Dinner tickets are $25 each, or $175 Bill Fritcha for a table of eight. RSVP by March 3 to the New Haven Chamber of Commerce. Call Sue Byrd at 749-4484 or email sbyrd@newhavenindiana.org. The award is named for construction company owner Bill Fritcha, who died in February 2011. McDonald said the extent of Fritcha’s community service was not widely known, because Fritcha did not seek credit for his work. Like the namesake of the award, the recipient must demonstrate civic engagement, must serve with humility, and must perform acts of kindness unknown to most. The nomination deadline is noon Feb. 28. Pick up a nomination form by calling the mayor’s office at 748-7070, or pick up a nomination form at City Hall, or visit newhavenin.org. “Not a single bad word could be said about this man,” McDonald said of Fritcha, a lifelong resident of New Haven. Many of his contributions were only discussed in the days after Fritcha’s death, McDonald said. “He was a darned good guy, who really cared about people, who cared about his community,” McDonald said. “When you give you should do it in quiet, not do it with great fanfare,” McDonald said. Such service awards had been presented occasionally, the mayor said, and staff members suggested that the award be named for Fritcha. See FRITCHA, Page A2