This article appeared in The Post & Mail Wednesday, April 19, 2006
New H.S. recommended
by
Jenica Schultz, Staff writer
Columbia City High School needs to be replaced, according to a feasibility study.
The CCHS Task Force, a committee of community members evaluating the high school's future, recommended to the Whitley County Consolidated Schools school board Tuesday that it buy land in another location for new facilities.
The task force has been meeting since October to study and debate the building's future.
CCHS was built in 1958 and has had several additions throughout the years. It is landlocked at its current location.
While the task force presented an option of expanding the high school at its current site, it showed the expansion was not practical. In order to obtain enough land, WCCS would have to buy at least 10 adjacent properties from homeowners. Parts of the existing school would be demolished and rebuilt while classes continued in the building nearby.
“It would be a very long process that we felt would be very difficult on the students and the teachers,” said Martin Klimek, a task force member. “This was not the option the task force would recommend.”
The task force recommended building a high school that would accommodate 1,200 students, with expansion possibilities for 1,600 students. While the enrollment number at the school has been consistent the last decade, Klimek pointed out that a new high school may draw more citizens to the school district.
Klimek said the high school was in need of expanded athletic facilities and a swimming pool, something the current site could not accommodate.
A new high school would need approximately 65 acres at a new location. The task force had talked about building it on the Indian Springs Middle School campus, but more land needs to be acquired.
The task force found the current high school cramped and outdated with few expansion possibilities. A new high school would allow for space and technology infrastructure.
“We'd have all the new nice things we'd like to have in a new school,” Klimek said.
Mark Gareiss, another task force member, told the school board WCCS could afford a new high school without affecting its interest rates.
“It needs to be structured in such a way that's not as big a burden to the taxpayers,” Gareiss said.
A new high school could cost as much as $80 million. Owners of $96,000 homes, the median home value in the school district, would have their property taxes increase by approximately $211 a year for $80 million borrowed.
Gareiss said the tax rate would even out in the future as other school loans are paid down.
“I hope we do the right thing for our children,” Gareiss said.
Representatives from Educational Services, an educational company facilitating the school's evaluation, said the school needs major renovations. On a national scale rating school facilities, CCHS earned a score of 50 out of 100 points. Schools with scores below 45 should be completely replaced.
“We looked in every corner,” said Don Dyck of Educational Services. “Basically it needs major improvements and is close to ... needing to be replaced.”
WCCS last evaluated the high school 10 years ago, and nothing was done. With rising construction costs and a decaying school, Klimek said something has to be done now.
“We said we can't do (nothing) because that's what was done 10 to 12 years ago. We have to do something now,” he said.
The school board will review the task force's 41-page feasibility report over the next month and reconvene to discuss the findings. If the school board is in agreement with the task force, it will still be some time before construction begins. Cost studies must be done on the construction. A quick timeline would have the new high school completed in 2010.
“I think it's important to think of this whole process as a very first step,” said Superintendent Dr. Laura Huffman.
In other school board news:
● The elementary schools gave an interactive presentation on Connecting Learning Assures Student Success, a method of teaching focused on brain-based learning. Teachers demonstrated the method through three hands-on demonstrations.
● The school board adopted new textbooks and fees.
● The school board adopted new software for extracurricular accounting.
● The school board accepted a bid on Washington School from Terry Hollenbaugh, who bought one tract of the property for $25,000 and the other for $3,000. Hollenbaugh plans to turn one part of the property into a business, and the other into a park.
The 9th Annual CCHSAA Florida Brunch was held on Sunday, March 1, 2009, at the Jacaranda West Country Club in Venice, Florida, with the following in attendance: Don Adams (57) and wife Barbara; Linda Sullivan Bayman (65) and husband Jim; Joan Schang Blaine (57) and friend Ed Hudson; Ruth Ann Bowie Davis 57; Nancy Kneller Farber (61); Gregg Goewert, Columbia City High School Principal, and wife Danielle; Ted Gruver (57) and wife Sue; Bill Kettelkamp (52) and wife Sue; Jackie Kilty (57); Rosalie Farber KIeespie (57) and husband Graham KIeespie (54); Jim Kyler (57) and wife Sandra; Marilyn Binder Miller (5O); Tom Nelson (58) and wife Kathie; Richard Phend (51) and wife Marthene Wiley Phend (55); Gerri Kneller Sparks (60); Belle Jenkinson Washburn (55); Don Wineland (53) and wife Eileen; Marlin Worden (57) and wife Imgard; Greg Woodham 56); Joe Yoder (57) and wife Dee. Don Wolfe (73) was unable to attend.
Guests arrived at 11:00 a.m. and spent time reminiscing and visiting with other alumni. Founder and Past President of the Alumni Association, Ted Gruver (57) welcomed all present and the Invocation was given. Brunch was served at 12:00 noon followed by a social time. A fifty-fifty raffle was held and the winner was Nancy Kneller Farber, who generously returned her winnings of $60.00 to the Florida Brunch fund.
Richard Phend (51) gave an update on Columbia City High School Alumni Association. Richard, as Past President of the Alumni Association, indicated he is working on membership along with present President, Bob Brittain (64). Please check the Alumni Association web site for further information at www.cchsaa.org.
Greg Woodham shared his memories of spending his young years in a prisoner of war camp in the Philippines with his mother while his father served in the armed forces. His mother taught school while they were there.
Gregg Goewert, CCHS Principal, was the guest speaker. Mr. Goewert said his mission is to make Columbia City High School the "Greatest High School in America." Mr. Goewert enthusiastically told of his newly acquired position and shared his vision for Columbia City High School in the next several years. He was very complimentary of his superiors and his staff and answered questions from the floor. Mr. Goewert and wife were houseguests of Ted and Sue Gruver of Naples, Florida, for the weekend.
The tenth anniversary CCHS Alumni Florida Brunch will be held on Sunday, March 7, 2010. A possible three or four-day cruise could be arranged if enough interest is expressed. If not, it will be held at the Jacaranda West Country Club in Venice, Florida.
This article appeared in "The Post & Mail" on January 26, 2006:
High School Paper Reborn
By Jenica Schultz, Staff Writer
Columbia City High School's student newspaper has been resurrected.
In 1990, budget and technology restraints forced the newspaper, then known as The Eagle, to fold. Last year, advisor Lori Brehm started the student newspaper back up again, with the help of her student staff and the support of Principal Steve Doepker, who helped her create the school's first-ever newspaper class.
Aside from the 15-year lapse in publication, CCHS has had a student newspaper since the mid-1930s. Bob Brittain, who was the advisor when the paper folded, said having a newspaper production class makes a huge difference in creating the paper. When he was the advisor, it was difficult to create content and meet weekly deadlines when students were only able to meet after school.
“I guess maybe one of the biggest problems was students didn't have time to do it without a class,” Brittain said.
The paper switched to a biweekly print schedule six years before it folded.
Brehm asked Doepker for a newspaper class after being inspired by high school newspapers she saw at a Franklin College conference. Doepker told her she could start a class if enough students showed interest.
The new student newspaper, called The Talon, first printed last year. Money, one of the reasons The Eagle folded, has not been an issue for The Talon. The monthly paper costs $300 an edition to print, and it is entirely self-sufficient. Every issue is paid for by dollars raised through ad space sold by students. The cost production has lessened since Brittain advised the paper, in part because it is now designed on computers the school already had.
Senior Jessica Miller, Talon editor, said putting together the first edition of the paper was chaotic.
“I can remember the first paper last year. We were rushed, and you could tell that things weren't worked out. Now we have a feel for everything, and we know how things should look. It just comes together a lot easier,” she said.
Miller, who has edited the paper since it began, said her staff has learned a lot about writing and newspaper design. She has seen improvements in the paper since it started.
In its first year of production, The Talon won awards at Ball State University's High School Journalism Day for graphics and advertising.
“Basically we were all just a bunch of novices trying to see what would happen, and it worked,” Brehm said.
Brehm said she loves the chaotic, creative environment of the student newsroom.
“Kids tend to procrastinate. They all need to do something last minute, but they've always pulled it off. I think that's what it's like in a real newspaper room,” she said. “I love working in a busy atmosphere, and it's not your typical structured environment.”
Every other year, Brehm, who is also the yearbook advisor, takes her publication staffs to the Columbia Scholastic Press Association workshop at Columbia University in New York City. The student publication staffs are currently trying to raise $500 a piece for the trip this March. (Note: CCHSAA contributed $100 for the trip, which was made.)
The workshop includes lectures on various journalism and newspaper production topics, from writing to design to advertising. Students will be in classes from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. They will also have the opportunity to explore some of New York City's cultural sites... (Ed. Note: Alumni wanting to make a donation to support the new school newspaper, should make checks out to CCHSAA & mail to 600 N. Whitley St., Columbia City, IN 46725 with a note that it's for the school newspaper.)
The article below was submitted by Teddy L. Gruver, CCHSAA President, and appeared in the April 2006 issue of the CCHS newspaper "The Talon" and in "The Beacon", the CCHS administrative team's newsletter.
COLUMBIA CITY HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
The Columbia City High School Alumni Association, also known as CCHSAA, was formed on June 15, 2005 by CCHS alumni Teddy L. Gruver, class of 1957.
The CCHSAA mission statement is to promote school spirit, loyalty and fellowship among alumni, students, faculty and staff of CCHS through a variety of activities.
The CCHS Alumni Association has a free web site located at www.cchsaa.org on the Internet. CCHSAA webmaster Brenda Reeg Robison, (‘60) created the user friendly site, whose interesting and useful features make it worth visiting the web site often.
The CCHSAA web site has a CCHS alumni database for all classmates and past students to enter their personal profile information. The site provides a forum for staying in touch with teachers, classmates and friends of CCHS.
All Officers and Board of Directors, are listed on the CCHSAA website, along with alumni news, class reunions and message board. You can click on the CCHS Fight Song, school history, by-laws and other important CCHSAA information. You can also listen to CCHS radio station 91.5 FM.
Steve Doepker, Principal of CCHS, and Jim Huth, Assistant Principal, have been appointed to the CCHSAA Board of Directors. The association will work closely with school officials through out the school year.
There are currently about 15,000 CCHS alumni from 1881 to 2005 in the CCHSAA alumni database. CCHSAA Class Coordinators for each class school year are selected to keep the CCHS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION informed of class news, reunions, and class events throughout the year. CCHSAA class coordinators encourage classmates to enter their personal profiles to the alumni database and to participate in alumni activities.
CCHSAA ambassadors will be visiting class reunions held each year in Columbia City to talk about the association and gather alumni information.
Programs in the works by the Officers and Board of Directors include “Alumni Day” to be held with the “CCHS Homecoming” and “130th CCHS ANNIVERSARY” the first weekend of October 2006. Long-term suggestions include an Academic Hall of Fame, Athletic Hall of Fame, Administrative Hall of Fame, scholarship programs and items needed within the school system.
Donations to the CCHS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION are tax deducible (IRS 501 C) and will be handled by the Whitley County Community Foundation. All donations should be made payable to the CCHS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION and mailed to the association‘s address, 600 North Whitley Street Columbia City, IN 46725.
An anonymous alumni recently donated $1,000 to the CCHS Alumni Association to help with continuing support of the association and the free alumni web site www.cchsaa.org
A CCHS student can easily move between the CCHSAA web site and the school web site by clicking on connecting links posted on each site.
Directions to enter personal profiles to the CCHSAA database are as follows:
1. Go to www.cchsaa.org
2. On the opening page, left side click “alumni database”
3. Scroll down to “Class Roster”
4. Click on your “ School Year”
5. Find your name under class members
6. Click on your name
7. In the upper left hand corner of your profile, click “Update Entry”
8. Fill out the CCHSAA personal data form
9. Answer the privacy option questions
10. Click “submit” at the bottom of the page
11. In about 48 hours you will receive a confirmation if submission is approved by the webmaster.
The Columbia City High School Alumni Association
600 North Whitley Street
Columbia City, IN 46725-0527
Telephone: 260-244-6136, extension 3459
More information may be obtained by sending e-mails to
From The Post and Mail, Thursday, December 15, 2005:
By Jenica Schultz, Staff Writer
The Columbia City High School girls' varsity soccer team's strengths went beyond the field this year. The team did so well academically that three of the athletes did something no one at CCHS has ever done before.
Seniors Stephanie Smith, Kendra Reimer (ed. note: Granddaughter of Brice & Shirley Zink (1957) Reimer) and Sherri Hoppe placed on the 2005 National Soccer Coaches Association of America/Adidas Girls High School All-America Team, an academic honor in girls' soccer. Only four Indiana athletes made the team, which is composed of 35 students nationwide.
On Dec. 5, CCHS academic success was the lead headline on the NSCAA Web site. CCHS had more students achieve the honor this year than any other school in the United States. (emphasis added)
“They have brought honor to Columbia City High School, and we're just awfully proud of them,” said girls' soccer coach Bill Duffy, a biology teacher at CCHS.
The athletes needed above a 3.75 cumulative grade point average on a four-point scale to qualify for the honor. A committee evaluated students' excellence in soccer, academic performance and community involvement. Duffy said many soccer coaches are lucky to place one student on the Girls High School All-America Team in a career, but he has three in one year.
“We have been blessed to have the opportunity to have these girls on our team,” Duffy said. “These are girls who could have excelled at any sport they tried.”
For the past three years, the soccer team has done especially well academically, qualifying for the NSCAA High School Team Academic Award this year for the third time. The team academic award requires an overall team cumulative GPA of 3.25. This year the 18 girls on the soccer team had a combined GPA of 3.61. Duffy credits part of the team's academic success to Hoppe, Smith and Reimer. The team started winning the award after the girls joined the team.
“We never qualified for that until these seniors showed up. "People have come to take it for granted because these kids make it look easy,” Duffy said.
He said continuing to earn the team award was going to be a challenge he hopes future classes are able to meet.
“That's a pretty special award because everybody's part of it,” he said.
Smith, Reimer and Hoppe also excelled on the soccer field. Smith, a defender, and Reimer, a forward, both made all-state, all-district and all-conference two times. Hoppe, a defender, had to skip the 2005 season due to an injury but made all-state and all-conference as a junior. Reimer tied for second place at CCHS on the all-time goal scoring list with 2000 graduate Katie Stroup. Both scored 57 goals.
The girls' soccer team had a 9-5-3 record this year. They lost in sectional semifinals to Homestead High School, 3-0.
“He wants us all to come back as fifth-year seniors, but that can't happen,” Hoppe said.
Duffy said the girls put all of their energy and effort into soccer while on the field, then studied on the bus on the way to and from each game.
“These are kids who have affected every activity they've come in contact with,” he said. “This is a remarkable group of young girls who are going to succeed at whatever they do.”
Smith said a lot of the girls on the team had the same classes and studied together.
CCHS Principal Steve Doepker said the girls' achievement is indicative of a larger pattern at the school, where athletes are achieving highly academically.
“If you look at the data we've been keeping the last four years ... if you look at the athletes, they've had a higher GPA than the rest of the student body,” Doepker said.
Assistant principal James Huth said the three young women were a good example for the rest of the school, as they are academically, physically and socially sound.
“I'm always telling kids they have to be the complete package. These kids are,” he said.
The girls will be honored at the NSCAA All-America Luncheon, part of the 2006 NSCAA Convention, Jan. 21 in Philadelphia.
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