Tuesday, October 31, 2006

2006-2007 New Staff


Elaine Hebert is our new Kindergarten teacher at Washington Elementary. She is a graduate of Louisiana State. She and her husband, Wayne, have two children, Derek and Alex. Both of her children attend Plymouth High School.

Elaine feels that she is blessed to be a part of the Plymouth Community School Corporation. She has been welcomed by all of her co-workers and the administration.

Friday, October 27, 2006

2006-2007 New Staff


Shannan Hildebrand is our new 3rd grade teacher at Jefferson Elementary. She is a graduate of Indiana University. Shannan is married to Chris Hildebrand.

Shannan is looking forward to working for with a wonderful school system and a very friendly staff.

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

2006-2007 New Staff


Derek Bowen is the new Instrumental Music teacher at Lincoln Junior High and Riverside Intermediate. He is a graduate of Indiana University. Derek and his wife, Danielle, have two children, a daughter, Megan, and a son, Matt.

Derek is looking forward to teaching in Plymouth because there is a level of educational excellence that he wants to be a part of.

Monday, October 23, 2006

2006-2007 New Staff


Rogelio Guzman is our new Spanish Instructor at Plymouth High School. He is a graduate of IUSB.

Rogelio is glad to be at Plymouth High School because they provide an excellent program for all the students. He also feels that he can acquire the proper tools to be an effective teacher.

Thursday, October 19, 2006

2006-2007 New Staff


Rachell Davis is our new Special Ed teacher at Lincoln Junior High. She is a graduate of Ball State University. She and her husband, Nate, have been married for a year and are expecting their first child in December. They also have a dog, Dude, and a cat, Miles.

She is excited to be working for Plymouth Community Schools because of the amazing school system and the friendly community environment. Rachell is also a former graduate of Plymouth High School.

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

2006-2007 New Staff


Kerry Johnson is our new 2nd Grade teacher at Jefferson Elementary. She is a graduate of Purdue University and Bethel College. She is married to her husband, Bruce. They have 3 boys.

Kerry is pleased to be teaching in Plymouth because it is a great school corporation with a lot of positive momentum driving the staff, students, and parents. The corporation is very up to date and has a lot of opportunities to offer the students, their families, and staff.

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Blog bits

Update of Buildings
The base coat of asphalt on Elm Street and the auxiliary parking lot have been completed at Menominee Elementary School. The application of the final coat and the installation of the street lights will take place as soon as weather permits. Contractors are wrapping up the punch list. The folding door between the gymnasium and the music room and a second folding door in the conference room are scheduled for delivery and installation by the end of the month. The soccerplex field has been reconditioned and reseeded. The Plexiglas has been installed on the railings at each end of the H.S. gymnasium to provide for the safety of small children.

Wellness Policy
We appreciate the many comments we have received regarding the wellness policy. We invite all of our constituents to read the policy and the guidelines. We think a reading of those will answer many of the rumors and misconceptions that persist. We are both willing to meet and discuss the policy and guidelines and how they are being implemented at Plymouth. When there are concerns about the lunch program, please direct those to the building principal so the situation can be investigated.

United Way
Our employee United Way campaign has concluded. This year, the employees of Plymouth Community Schools have donated and/or pledged $12,903.00 to Marshall County United Way. This is a 10% increase over last year. Our employees see first hand the benefits and services member agencies offer our students and our student’s families. Our student campaigns will continue for the next few weeks. We are anticipating that our students will break the record of $6,024.00 in giving from last year.

Riverside
The Riverside staff had prepared diligently for the last 18 months in anticipation of the implementation of the 5th and 6th grade program. We now see students and staff excited about Riverside. Our sincere appreciation is extended to the Riverside staff for their preparation and enthusiasm. Go Rockets!!

2006-2007 New Staff


Cory Duncan is our new ENL teacher at Riverside Intermediate. She is a graduate of Bethel College. Cory has a son that will be attending Washington Elementary.

Cory graduated from Plymouth and is looking forward to giving back to the School Corporation that gave so much to her.

Friday, October 13, 2006

Wellness Policy

The Wellness Policy and associated guidelines were developed to educate our students about healthy lifestyles. Please take the time to view the Wellness Policy and the Guidelines .

Thursday, October 12, 2006

2006-2007 New Staff


Michael Edison joins the Plymouth High School Staff as the new Social Studies teacher. He is a graduate of Bethel College. Michael and his wife, Emily, have two children.

Michael is pleased to be working for Plymouth because it is a great community. He is excited to be a part of such a great school system.

Blog bits

Wellness Bit, Pieces, and Responses

We’ve been writing this blog for several years now and this is the first time we’ve gotten some good responses. So, for those who took the time to write thoughtful responses, I would like to thank you. First, I would like to address several of the responses and then I would like to share information from the Wellness Advisory Board.

We did some research on how snacks would improve ISTEP scores. We found nothing. We did find that insuring that students ate a good breakfast was very important to their success. I would like to applaud Webster’s PTO for providing breakfast for all students during ISTEP week. We feel fortunate to serve breakfast in all of our schools and hope in the future that the school, PTO’s, and parents can all partner to insure that our children eat a good breakfast, either at home or at school.

I do have to apologize for one of the statements I made in my last post. After the post I got a call from one of our kitchen workers. She said that during the first week of school she did go through a student’s lunch and talk to him about the drink he had in his lunch. So, to the parent who wrote that response, please accept my apology. I will do everything in my power to insure that something like that doesn’t happen again.

There are no pop and candy machines in the elementary schools with the exception of the staff lounges. The pop and candy machines at the junior high contain 50% “Better Choice” items and are turned off thirty minutes before school starts through thirty minutes after school ends. The pop and candy machines at the high school also contain at least 50% “Better Choice” items. The “Better Choice” items can be sold until school starts and then after school ends. The machines that do not contain “Better Choice” items have to be turned off thirty minutes before school starts through thirty minutes after school ends. It has taken a while for the companies to comply with our policy because they had to retrofit their machines with times and / or key switches.

When the high school’s cafeteria was renovated, the Red Rock Café took the place of the salad bar. The Red Rock Café serves subs, salads, fruit, hot and cold sandwiches, grab-n-go lunches and a variety of “Better Choice” ala carte items. If we can insure an appropriate seat time during lunch periods at the high school, we may see the return of soup.

Our lunches have to meet the requirements of the Federal Hot Lunch Program including a caloric limit of 700 – 800 per lunch. We have not changed the portion sizes of lunches at the high school or any other school for that matter. Two weeks ago we did ask students who wanted a double lunch to eat their first lunch, and then get in line again to buy a second lunch. This was to insure that all students standing in line were able to get appropriate seat time for eating their lunch. We have observed the lunch period several times over the last two weeks. Our students are getting through much faster now and for those who want additional food, they have plenty of time to get a second lunch.

Based upon our consultations with doctors and nutritionists, we are confident that we are on the right track. The school’s wellness mission should be to educate students about good nutrition and exercise. Our policies should reflect that mission. Then, the choices students make outside of the school day should reflect what they’ve learned in school and at home.

Our Wellness Advisory Board met October 3, 2006 to organize the Wellness Summit to be held on October 27, 2006. During the summit we will focus on the following:

1. Wellness Education for students, staff, and parents
a. Aligned Curricula in health, PE, and FACS
b. K-12 Nutritional Unit
c. Parent Education
2. Wellness Program for Staff Members
3. Breakfast and Snacks in Elementary Schools (ISTEP)
4. Celebration Guidelines
5. Daily Physical Education for Students
6. Measurable Wellness Objectives

In addition, we plan to hold educational meetings this year where doctors and nutritionists can talk with teachers and parents about health concerns linked to nutrition and exercise. We also plan to hold open forums where parents and teachers can express their opinions concerning nutrition and exercise at the school. Until then, I invite you to talk to a member of the Wellness Advisory Board if you have questions or comments. The advisory board is made up of the following:
Community Representatives
Karen Richey, Purdue Extension
Lisa Jones, Holm Medical Group
Parents
Lisa Poczik, Elementary Parent
Val Carlberg, Secondary Parent
Other
Kelly Skirvin, SJMC Nurse
Frank Brubaker, PCSC Board
Gloria Burnam, PCSC Food Services
Eleanor Danielson, Dietician
Administrators
Dan Tyree, Chair
Jeni Hirschy, Assistant Principal
Students
Brendan Fox, Senior
Rebecca Moberly, Sophomore
PCSC Staff Members
Aimee Portteus, Secondary
Alyssa VanVactor, Elementary

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

2006-2007 New Staff


Lisa Mattke is our new 1st grade teacher at Jefferson Elementary. She is a graduate of Northern Illinois University. Lisa has a sister, Amber, that is a senior at PHS.

Lisa grew up in Plymouth and is looking forward to the opportunity to teaching in her home town so that she can give back to education and her community.

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

2006-2007 New Staff



Lori Ann McClellan will be teaching Earth Space Science at Plymouth High School. She is a graduate of Indiana University. Lori and her husband, Jim, have three children, Robbie, a junior, Sean, a freshman, and Sommer, 5th grader.

Lori is excited to teach in Plymouth as it is her home. Her children have attended Plymouth Schools and she is pleased with the job Plymouth Community School Corporation has done educating them.