Barkey named new WACC director

Madison Elementary principal Ben Barkey will replace Ronna Kawsky as principal and director of the Warsaw Area Career Center effective July 1.

The Warsaw School Board approved the replacement on Tuesday. After Tuesday’s meeting, Superintendent Dr. David Hoffert said Kawsky announced his retirement two years ago. During the reunion, Hoffert said Kawsky was leaving “after a storied career” and leaving at the top of his game. Community schools in Warsaw look forward to celebrating Kawsky over the coming weeks, he said.

Kawsky, has taught at Warsaw Community High School since 1998 and became director and director of WACC in 2010, according to a press release provided.

WACC staff said they wanted someone who could interact with the business and education communities, as well as interact with the state, Hoffert said.

During Tuesday’s meeting, Hoffert said, “We went through quite a process at the start of this spring. Yesterday we had the opportunity to share the recommendation with the career center of the Warsaw region. »

Barkey “was a product of” WCS, Hoffert said. He was a teacher at Edgewood Middle School, state championship golf coach, STEM coach at Washington STEM Academy, and vice-principal at Warsaw Community High School. Barkey has been Madison’s manager for five years.

Barkey graduated from Manchester College with a bachelor’s degree in biology and an honors in education. He went to Ball State University where he earned his Master of Arts in Education in the field of Educational Administration and Supervision. Barkey also earned an Indiana Administrative License in Administration and Supervision for K-12. In May, Barkey will complete his Education Specialist Diploma in Educational Administration, Superintendent’s License, according to the press release.

Hoffert said he recommended the Board vote on replacing Kawsky with Barkey on Tuesday so WCS can begin the interview process to find a new manager in Madison.

Barkey said he was “eternally grateful” that WCS “raised him like a child” and gave him opportunities as an educator. He feels “severely blessed” by all the great people he works with and continues to work with.

Board Chair Heather Reichenbach said he will be missed at Madison.

In other cases, counsel:

• I learned that at this point, lunches and dinners had been free for a year and a half. This is part of the federal lunch program which is due to expire on July 1. As WCS understands, Hoffert said, the program will expire, so there will again be lunch fees for the 2022-23 school year unless something changes in the next two weeks.

• Grants and Special Projects Coordinator, Krista Polston, spoke about an in-house website created specifically for students at www.pickyourpathway.org. It was designed to help students choose a career path in their studies.

She said Rob Parker, CEO and President of the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce, and the Chamber is working on making videos for the website about different career paths by talking to different businesses in the area.