Courtney Barr
Story 5 Word 389
Community, Education
On Mar. 12 Marion High School held a school board meeting to honor McCulloch Junior High School band and choir students, budgets and closing on the Tucker building.
The state reevaluates money given to schools every odd year. In 2019, the state is giving more money to the schools in poverty.
Dr. Bob Schultz, assistant superintendent of Marion Community Schools, said, “The state average cost for a student is $91. In Marion it will cost parents $66 dollars per child.”
As the state evaluates money given to schools, the cost of each child would be different.
McCulloch Junior High School had Indiana State School Music Association solo and ensemble contest on March 1. The students started preparing for the ISSMA contest in January.
Christina Huff, McCulloch Junior High music teacher, said, “My choir students worked so hard that we had to come in on Saturdays to prepare for Indiana State School Music Association.”
The seventh and eighth grade choir groups participated and received a gold rating. Huff said over two hundred students participated from both band and choir.
The jazz band received a gold with distinction. The rating of gold with distinction is higher than gold.
Ron Ways, McCulloch Junior High band teacher, said, “This is our third year in a row the jazz band has received gold with distinction. It is one of the highest honors and I did not hear of any other band receiving the rating.”
Twenty-seven band students all received gold ratings. While choir had 7 ensembles and 6 solos. Out of the total performances all except 2 received gold ratings. The other 2 received silver ratings.
Lynn Gosser, McCulloch Junior High principal, said, “I am so proud of all our band and choir students because they have put in so many hours to accomplish what they did.”
Indiana Wesleyan University closed on the Tucker Building located on 107 S. Pennsylvania St., Marion, Indiana on Thursday.
Marion schools used the Tucker building as a vocational option for high school students wanting to pursue a career in automotive technology, collision repair or construction trades. IWU has not started using the building and offered to let Marion community school to use it as storage.
The next board meeting is on Apr. 9 at Marion High School at 7 p.m.
