The South Central School District has agreed to work with churches within the school district to begin offering the LifeWise program.
The stated goal is to provide positivity through a Bible-based character program.
The initial program for first, second and third graders will be held for a half-hour one day a week from 2:30 to 3 pm separately for first, second and third graders. The churches will pick up the entire cost, including transportation, and will have a person trained in the LifeWise Academy to provide religious education.
Kinmundy Christian Church Pastor Todd Meier says they are taking advantage of a small section of a 1952 US Supreme Court decision that allows for up to a week of religious training each week during non-core instructional time.
“It’s a religious education initiative based out of Ohio that put this together a number of years ago,” Meier said. “There are almost 800 Life Wise programs in the country right now. In Illinois there are about a dozen, mostly in the Chicago area.
Meier says the program could be expanded to other grades in the future all the way through high school.
The Principal of South Central Elementary Sara Rose says parents will have to approve their children’s participation.
“It’s a partnership with our school and our community,” Rose said. “It’s going to offer our students character education, so it goes hand in hand with building good character, being a good citizen. The churches are using the LifeWise program to do the instruction for that, and they are going to provide all the resources. We just look forward to partnering with them.”
Students would be transported from the grade school to the Kinmundy Christian Church for the program one day a week.
In other action, the school board reorganized following the April 1st election. Jeremy Chasteen, Louis Daugherty Junior, Lindsey Norman and Derek Storck were seated on the board for four-year terms. Mike Vandeveer did not seek re-election after 16 years on the board. Jason Markby is leaving after 12 years and Erin Engel after two years. Chasteen was elected as the new board chair, Rob Jones as vice chair, and Danny Heistand as secretary.
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The board installation of a new phone system and switching from AT&T to Wabash Communications. Herdes says the cost of the new system will be covered by savings in the first year of service with Wabash.
In personnel news, the board hired Courtney Daugherty as Middle School Business and Computer Teacher, Hailey Jones and Dawn Snow as Elementary Teacher, and Branden Wright as High School Athletic Director.
The board accepted the resignation of Kendall Burleyson as high school assistant volleyball coach, the retirement of elementary teacher Gena Wilkins at the end of the 2028-29 school year, and Gary Payne as volunteer bass fishing coach.
