New GHS administrators announced

Jul. 12—GOSHEN — Three new administrators for Goshen High School were announced during Monday night's Goshen school board meeting.

PJ Wolf was named GHS dean of students. Wolf, a Goshen High School science teacher and moderator of the @GHSWeather Twitter account, has been with the district since August of 2011.

Wolf received his bachelor's degree from Purdue University in earth/space education and is anticipating completing his masters in school administration from Indiana Wesleyan University in October of 2023.

He received certification to teach International Baccalaureate Physics in 2017, and in 2018 was trained through the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching to be a mentor teacher and a certified evaluator.

Wolf has coached freshman baseball, led a GHS trip to the Boundary Waters, taught students on the Marine Biology trip, was a leader and coach for the Be the Best Leadership Conference, taught students in the Merit on the Move credit recovery program, and has been the liaison for Maple City Kiwanis Tools4Schools since 2017, according to a provided news release.

"PJ is a dedicated and talented educator who has served our students well since he first joined Goshen schools," Goshen Community Schools Superintendent Steven Hope said. "He has demonstrated the ability to engage students in innovative ways while staying focused on academic excellence, and he will be a great addition to the leadership team at Goshen High School."

Lexa Magnuson, an English teacher at Goshen High School, was one of two new GHS assistant principals named during the meeting.

Magnuson received her bachelor's degree in English secondary education from Goshen College in 2017 and will complete a Master of Education and Urban Educational Leadership from Davenport University this fall.

She began her tenure with GCS in August of 2020 and has served as a mentor teacher and an assistant volleyball coach. Magnuson is also certified by the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching as a teacher evaluator and was a Teach Elkhart Academic Coach through Goshen College.

"Ms. Magnuson is an emerging educational leader for our schools, teachers and students," Hope said. "Her vision of working toward each student's individual version of success builds a student-centered learning environment where all students are encouraged to reach their highest capabilities."

Darin Holsopple, who joined GCS in August of 2021 as a master teacher, was also named as an assistant principal of Goshen High School.

Holsopple graduated from Manchester University in 2002 with a bachelor's degree in elementary education, from Western Governors University in 2016 with a master's degree in mathematics education, and from Bethel University in June of 2020 through the School Administration Licensure Program.

A former Elkhart County Special Education Cooperative teacher for the emotionally disturbed, Holsopple was a New Paris Elementary School counselor, a math teacher and head football coach at Tippecanoe Valley High School, and a math teacher, assistant football coach and head girls track coach at Fairfield Jr.-Sr. High School.

In 2015, he was selected as a semi-finalist for the Indiana Teacher of the Year.

"Mr. Holsopple had a highly successful first year in our school district as a master teacher at Goshen Intermediate School," Hope said. "We are pleased to give him the opportunity to use his gifts with our older students. He has experience teaching a range of students from exceptional learners to high ability students, so we feel confident that he will be able to make good connections with the diverse student body at GHS."

NEW TECH LEADERS

The school corporation's technology leaders are changing this school year, too.

Hope announced Monday that Phillip "Jeff" Rudd has been hired as the new GCS director of technology, and Tim Drescher as assistant director of technology.

New to the district, Rudd has over 20 years of technology experience working in medical and manufacturing environments, most recently employed with the Elkhart Clinic as the director of information technology.

Drescher, formerly the district's student data systems coordinator, has been with the GCS technology department since October of 2001.

OTHER BUSINESS

Other items to come before the board Monday included:

—The board held a moment of silence for two staff members who passed away within just weeks of each other: Tracy Walesa, a special education teacher at Goshen High School; and Rachel Alcala, a Goshen High School secretary.

—The board recognized Tommy Claxton, a student at Goshen High School, who qualified for the IHSAA track and field meet in the 3200-meter run. Cole Johnston, Luis Loera, Tommy Claxton and Drew Hogan were also recognized for qualifying for the IHSAA State Track and Field meet in the 4x800 meter relay.

—Max Johnson, band director for Goshen Community Schools, was honored for being named Michiana's Outstanding Music Educator for the 2021-22 school year.

—The board approved the first school meal price increase in three years. The increase still leaves the school corporation with some of the lowest school meal prices in the area both regionally and demographically, according to Chris Dixon, school nutrition superintendent for GCS. The change does not impact reduced meal prices, which remain at 30 cents for breakfast and 40 cents for lunch. Board members questioned how the district has been able to maintain such low costs, to which Dixon attributed it to their coordination with the Northern Indiana Educational Services Center.

—GHS Athletic Director Jim Pickard announced that all GCS K-12 students will be able to attend the high school's athletic events for free with a Goshen Community Schools ID.

—Lauren Grant, an incoming senior at GHS, was welcomed to the board as student ambassador for the school year.

Dani Messick is the education and entertainment reporter for The Goshen News. She can be reached at dani.messick@goshennews.com or at 574-538-2065.