By Tim Arnett
WABASH,Indiana – At a relatively short Wabash City Schools Board meeting on Monday night, the board approved the retirement of long-time music teacher Susan Keefer. The board mentioned how multiple generations of students have been taught by Keefer who has spent 40 years with the school district. Superintendent Jason Callahan called Keefer the “pinnacle of class”and said that when you think of music education in Wabash County, you think of her. Board member Jordan Tandy called her retirement a “big loss” for the school system.
Keefer’s retirement follows on the heels of the retirement of another long-time fixture of Wabash City Schools, Joe Kaufman. The board approved the recommendation that Special Education teacher Abby Denny be moved over to fill the seat left by Kaufman to become the high school’s guidance counselor starting next school year.
Thanks to a reorganization of the Wabash Miami Area Program, or WMAP, Wabash City Schools will take on four special education teachers from that program. Now, instead of working for the WMAP co-op, those special education employees will employed by Wabash City Schools and the school district will save $200,000 in the process, according to Chief Business Officer Matt Stone.
But the elephant in the room Monday night was today’s referendum on the primary election ballot which raises property taxes to help Wabash City School’s General Fund which pays the salaries and benefits of the school system’s teachers and staff. Every board member asked residents to vote yes on the referendum and Superintendent Callahan gave one last pitch why.
He went on to say that anyone with questions can reach out to him personally at (260) 571-6757 if they have questions today.