THE PAPER Proudly Serving Wabash County Since 1977
May 9, 2012
Wabash MSD students surpass iREAD test score goal man shot during apparent robbery May 4 The Wabash City Police Department is currently investigating a robbery that occurred May 4 at 430 Washington Street, Wabash. At approximately 10:15 p.m. on May 4, the Wabash City Police Department received a report that a male had been shot in the leg while at his residence in Wabash. Responding officers located the victim at a neighbor’s home. According to the victim, Aaron Monroe, 23, two masked men entered his residence and demanded money in an apparent robbery. When the two men were refused, one of the assailants shot the victim in the leg. The men then left the home with an undetermined amount of money. According to the Wabash City Police Department, the investigation is continuing and asks that anyone with information concerning this incident is asked to call the Wabash Police Department at 260563-1111, or their l o c a l CrimeStoppers.
by Danielle Swan DSmith@thepaperofwabash.com This year marks the first year that all Indiana thirdgraders were required to take the official iREAD-3 assessment, which is a test that assures students have the foundational reading skills to be successful past third grade. Students are required to pass this exam before being placed in fourth grade. According to the chief academic officer for Metropolitan School District of Wabash County (MSDWC), Lavonne Sparling, MSD students surpassed the administration’s goal of a 90 percent passing rate on the first attempt. “We were very proud of the children’s success and all the effort of the teachers,” said Janet Shoemaker, principal of Southwood Elementary. “The first time for anything causes you great anxiety and it’s such a relief to see how well the kids handled the test. They really showed what they can do.” Shoemaker says that Southwood
Elementary has taken action and stepped up literacy efforts. “We have all of our primary kids reading in a literacy block for 90 minutes every day. In that 90 minutes, they have 30 minutes where they are reading at their instructional level so we break them into small groups and they meet with other children who are reading at their level so they can really focus on the skills they need next in order to grow,” Shoemaker said. “An additional group of students who need a little more support meet for another 30 minutes during the day to get even more reading enrichment.” Those who do not pass the test on the first attempt may qualify for a Good Cause Exemption, which is extended to students who have previously been retained two times prior to fourth grade, students with disabilities whose Case C o n f e r e n c e Committee has determined that promotion is appropriate or English learner students whose
Individual Learning Plan Committee has determined that promotion is appropriate. “At Metro North Elementary, 74 out of 82 passed for a 90.2 percent passing rate,” Sparling said. “Of the eight who didn’t pass, six have special education individual education plans and may qualify for a good cause exemption. “At Southwood Elementary, 77 out of 84 passed for a pass rate of 91.7 percent. Of the seven who didn’t pass, five could qualify for an exemption.” Sparling was proud to add that more than a third of MSD’s special education third-graders passed the exam. The few students who did not pass the exam and do not qualify for an exemption will have an opportunity to retake the assessment in June. “With the help of Kristi Unger, literacy coach; third-grade teachers; reading teachers; and specially trained instructional assistants, we are providing a full range of customized reading interventions to help
our students be successful,” Sparling said. She went on to explain that these customized reading interventions will be tailored to fit a student’s personal needs, whether they need help in the areas of test-taking skills, comprehension, visualizing and verbalizing, phonics, fluency, comprehension, vocabulary or others. These interventions are underway now and are worked in with the student’s regular school day. At the completion of the school year, there will be a two-week summer school program to continue the intervention lessons before the re-test date on June 15. “We are elated with our iREAD-3 results!” Sparling said. “After the summer re-test opportunity and with exemptions, we anticipate that 99 percent of our third-graders will meet the Indiana Department of Education criteria for being placed in fourth grade next year.” This also marks the first year that MSD has enlisted a literacy coach, Kristi
Janet Shoemaker
Lavonne Sparling
Unger. Sparling says Unger v helped to “fine-tune” MSD’s reading program. “Mrs. Unger has trained our instructional assistants who work with small groups of students,” Sparling said. “We also have a reading specialist funded through Title I funds to help students who need the most support. “Our staff worked hard to make sure students were prepared with the basic skills, but we tried to keep the exam itself as low key as possible. While we needed parents to understand its significance, we didn’t have to create any anxiety in the students.” Although this round of testing went well, parents who have students in primary grades
should be aware and prepare their students for this third grade exam. “There is no silver bullet, but the one thing research has shown over and over again that helps children so much is just to read to them. Let them hear the language. Read with enthusiasm, ask questions about what you’re reading with your children. That helps as much as anything,” Shoemaker said. “Also, they need to try not to stress about the test, not to nag. Let the school do the worrying. They just need to enjoy their child and enjoy reading with their child.” Parents who have questions regarding this exam should contact their school principal.
Three suspects arrested after search of residence A search of a Lagro home resulted in the arrest of three individuals on various drugrelated charges. The investigation began when Deputy Ben Mota initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle in Lagro in the early morning of April 29. A short pursuit ensued and the driver exited the vehicle and fled
on foot. Officers believed the suspect entered a residence located at 200 Davis St., Lagro. A search warrant was obtained for the residence. As officers from the Wabash County Sheriff ’s Department and the Indiana State Police executed the search warrant, a subject later identified as
Jerry T. Green, 20, attempted to flee and was apprehended by ISP Trooper Michael Biggs. Green is believed to be the driver of the vehicle that fled from Deputy Mota. As officers continued their search of the residence, they located suspected marijuana, drug paraphernalia and various items and
Index Classifieds ......................27-31
Weekly Reports................13-15
D&E ................................10-11
Community News ............16-21
chemical associated with the manufacture of methamphetamine. John Green, 55, owner of the residence, was preliminarily charged with possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia and possession of chemicals, reagents or precursors. Jerry Green, 20, was preliminarily charged
with resisting law enforcement and for an active warrant for possession of marijuana t h r o u g h Huntington County. Justin Snyder, 20, was preliminarily charged with possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia and possession of chemical reagents or precursors.
In Memoriam Fred Wymer Jr., 74 Barbara Stoner, 82 Randall Reed, 59 Dean Jines, 72
Formal charges will be presented to the Wabash County Prosecutor’s Office for review. This investigation was conducted by Deputy Ben Mota, Sgt. Tyler Guenin, and Sheriff ’s Reserve Deputies Carey Babbit and Jay Smallwood and ISP Trooper Michael Biggs.
Vol. 35, No. 8 John Dale, 79 Kathy Flory, 54 Rebecca Dannacher, 66 Christene Cornell, 68
PO Box 603, Wabash, IN 46992 (260) 563-8326