WEST BRANCH Goshen school principal to retire

The new field house will be dedicated tonight.
By JoANN JONES
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
BELOIT -- Leonard Slack of Alliance, a 35-year veteran of the West Branch school system, will retire at the end of this school year.
West Branch Board of Education accepted his July 1 retirement at its regular meeting Thursday.
Slack has served the last 12 years as principal of Goshen Center Elementary School and in administrative duties throughout the district.
He spent the first 11 years of his career at West Branch High School, beginning in 1969 as a science teacher and football and wrestling coach. For the next seven years, he served as assistant high school principal before spending five years there as the principal, then moving to Goshen Center.
He said he plans to continue working for Habitat for Humanity and to devote more time to his church, Union Avenue United Methodist in Alliance.
"I've known a lot of building administrators, and he's the best," said Louis Ramunno, district superintendent. "I've not come across anyone who cares for kids more than he does."
Board President Larry Romigh said Slack made an impact on a lot of students. "Kids always remember him when they talk about teachers," Romigh said.
Ramunno said the board will look internally for Slack's replacement, noting there are many good candidates within the district who could fulfill his responsibilities.
New field house
The board also announced a dedication ceremony for the new field house tonight at the high school, around 7:15 p.m. between the boys junior varsity and varsity basketball games against Carrollton. The new field house includes a parquet playing court, locker room facilities, a trainers room, and a mezzanine that will serve as a training-fitness center.
The board accepted a $12,500 donation from the West Branch Athletic Boosters for the facility's parquet floor. The board also accepted donations of $1,400 for the fund to place an electronic community sign at the high school, $900 for scholarship funds and $845 for the high school cheerleaders' trip to Florida.
The 2004-05 school calendar was set, with Sept. 7 being the first day of classes. Christmas break will be from Dec. 20 to Jan. 2, and students will get only Good Friday for spring break. Graduation was set for June 5, and all other students will finish classes June 9.
Board members changed the current year's calendar to reflect Jan. 26, 27, and 28 as well as Feb. 6 as inclement weather days that forced school closings.
The board changed its regular meeting next month from March 18 to 7:30 p.m. March 16 in the new media center at the high school. The board usually meets the third Thursday of each month.