Valparaiso Community Schools

Valparaiso Community Schools will likely get a fourth school resource officer. The school board last week approved a memorandum of understanding with the Valparaiso Police Department.

Energy-saving upgrades are coming to Valparaiso Community Schools. The school board voted Thursday to seek proposals for work outlined in the district's energy management plan.

Some Valparaiso officials want more police officers in schools, and they hope the school corporation will pay for them. City council member Jack Pupillo says Police Chief Andrew McIntyre and Valparaiso Community Schools Superintendent Dr. Jim McCall have begun discussions about adding two more school resource officers.

Longtime support staff at Valparaiso Community Schools could get be getting more vacation days. Currently, the most vacation days that year-round classified staff can get is 20. A change approved by the school board Thursday will increase that to 25, for those with at least 20 years of service.

Restructuring of special education is moving forward at Valparaiso Community Schools. The school board Thursday officially hired 34 special ed teachers who already work in the district's schools but are technically employed by the Porter County Education Services cooperative.

Valparaiso school officials are reacting to the arrest of a suspect in a series of phone threats. Police announced Thursday that a 16-year-old Ohio boy had been taken into custody, in connection with three recent threats of violence against Valparaiso High School.

Porter County high school students will soon be able to earn a veterinary technician certification. The Valparaiso School Board officially added a veterinary science program to its career and technical education offerings last week.

Valparaiso Community Schools is offering the use of its buses during potential emergencies. Superintendent Dr. Jim McCall says he's been working on a policy for months, but the recent incident in Warsaw highlighted its importance.

The Valparaiso School Board has finalized the 2022-2023 teacher contract.

Valparaiso Community Schools is touting its highest graduation rate in recent memory. The graduation rate for the 2021-2022 school year was 98.53 percent.