BY MICHAEL ANDERSON, Times-Union
Outgoing Warsaw Community Schools Board of Trustees President Jennifer Tandy left a legacy that will be hard to replace, according to Superintendent Dr. David Hoffert.
Tandy announced her official resignation at a Warsaw Community Schools Board work meeting session Tuesday. She served on the board for six years, most recently as Board President.
Tandy is stepping down October 1 as she and her husband, Brad, are moving to San Diego for Brad’s new job.
“She came to us at a time of transition and she really stepped it up,” Hoffert said.
Hoffert said when Tandy first came on the board, it was a time of changes in Warsaw and in education as whole.
“She was open to new ideas and new ways of educating people,” said Heather Reichenbach, board member.
Some of Tandy’s most notable work on the board includes pushing for a science, technology, engineering and math academy at Washington Elementary and the mobile STEM lab to expose more students to STEM.
“She looked at what the top schools in the country were doing and decided Warsaw could accomplish that as well,” Hoffert said.
Tandy’s was also the driving force behind was increasing technology in the classroom, including iPads for all students in fifth through 12th grade.
Reichenbach remembers once incident when representatives of Warsaw Community Schools were traveling to tour a STEM academy in Minnesota, the flight got delayed and school officials could only send one person ahead. Officials sent Tandy.
“That should show how much we thought of her,” Hoffert said. “She was the one we sent to represent Warsaw Community Schools.”
Hoffert also pointed out Tandy’s work ethic and said she would never accept failure.
In 2008, Warsaw’s graduation rate was 74 percent. Last year, it was 94 percent. Hoffert said Tandy’s focus was big reason for the increase.
Reichenbach said even before she became a board member, Tandy reached out to her and met with her as soon as soon as she found out Reichenbach was interested in coming on the board. “She brought a level of professionalism that won’t be easy to replace,” she said.
Hoffert said Tandy’s last act on the board will be to help it put together the next five-year plan.
The board is currently accepting applications for a candidate to serve the two years remaining on Tandy’s term. Hoffert said he has already received two applications.
Current board Vice President Matt Dick will step in as board president.
