By Phil Smith

Area students had a chance last week to explore a myriad of possible post-high school paths while attending an event at Wabash High School.

The Wabash High School College and Career Fair, held Wednesday, Feb. 23, gave middle school and high school-aged students from throughout Wabash County a chance to talk to representatives from a variety of trades, the military, law enforcement and emergency services, as well as academia.

By Phil Smith

Wabash City Schools’ board of trustees voted unanimously last week to change its Covid-19 protocol to allowing students and staff to decide on their own whether or not to wear a mask.

“Last week, the Indiana Department of Health announced changes in Covid-19 guidance for K12 schools, based on declining cases statewide,” WCS Superintendent Dr. Amy Sivley said at the board’s regular meeting Feb. 22.

By Phil Smith

While the conflict in the country of Ukraine is thousands of miles from Wabash County, a local professor has provided insight into the issue, giving perspective and clarity to what seems like an escalating struggle that has world-wide implications.

“The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has a fairly long history, so it is not new,” said Dr. Gabriela Ramalho Tafoya, assistant professor of political science at Manchester University. “What is new is this recent escalation.”

By Phil Smith

The Metropolitan School District of Wabash County features a staff member twice each month in a feature known as the Staff Spotlight, held during the board of trustees regular meeting. During the final meeting of February, one staff member was honored who enjoyed not one, but two nominations.

Northfield Jr/Sr High School Resource Officer Eric Kirlan received the staff spotlight, having been nominated not only by student Asia Miller, but also bus driver and paraprofessional Amy Powell.

The Metropolitan School District of Wabash County will have its 33rd Academic Awards Banquet at the Honeywell Center Legacy Hall on March 8, 2022 at 6:30 pm. Seniors who maintained a grade point average of A-, or better, for their high school career will be honored.

This year's guest speaker is Dr. Alyssa Richter.

By Phil Smith

During the regular meeting of the Metropolitan School District of Wabash County’s board of trustees, the five-person panel heard a report from Chief Academic Officer Tim Drake on recent standardized testing results from students within the district.

“It looks at kids’ test scores from Winter of ’21, through Winter of ’22,” Drake said of the tests conducted through the Northwest Evaluation Association. “This data is actually specific to the kids who took the test.”

By Joseph Slacian

Bids received for the expansion of the Wabash Carnegie Public Library were rejected by the library board of directors.

Bids, received Feb. 9, ranged from $3.8 million to $4.5 million.

“While we are disappointed that the bids came in as high as they did, we intend to move forward with our plans,” Library Director Ware W. Wimberly III told The Paper of Wabash County in an email. “In the coming weeks, we will review the project, revising our timeline and our approach to funding.

By Joseph Slacian

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management, in conjunction with state and local health officials, hoped to launch free drinking water well tests this week at 65 homes located within 300 feet of Treaty Creek.

The tests are needed, according to Ryan Clem, IDEM director of communications, because of elevated levels of Perflorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and Perfluorooctanic acid (PFOA) in Treaty Creek.