Blog Bits

Weekend for Champions
This Friday and Saturday, 35 speech students from Plymouth High School will be participating in the State Speech Tournament at Southport High School. At the same time, our boy’s basketball team will take on Evansville Bosse for the Class 3A State Basketball Championship. Our students are able to participate consistently at the championship level because of the preparation and hard work of our Speech and Basketball staff and students with great support from the community. Go Pilgrims!

Future Thoughts
Next year’s Kindergarten class will graduate in 2020. Our task is to prepare students for the future. As a result, schools are undergoing changes. These changes reflect our changing world and the impact of technology. The magnitude of this challenge is presented in a short video prepared by Karl Fisch and updated by Scott McLeod. Please view, “Did You Know”. https://breeze5.umn.edu/didyouknow/ Please share with your thoughts with us after viewing the clip.

Congratulations BPA

Congratulations to BPA for an outstanding performance at State Leadership Conference. The entire club performed well in their competitive events and continued to carry on the excellent PHS Business Professionals of America tradition. Two students advanced to National Leadership Conference May 9-13 in New York City.

Financial Math and Analysis Medalist- Bailey Capper-8th Place
Payroll Accounting- Kami Pfledderer-8th Place
Extemporaneous Speech- Mat Tinsley-4th Place
Prepared Speech- Kayla Dalton-8th Place
Interview Skills- Bailey Capper-State Finalist-4th Place
Small Business Management Team- Bailey Capper, Alex Eads, Alex Starr, Tom Young (All Sophomores)-State Finalist-5th Place
Web Design Team- Brian Kunze, Michael Roach, Joe Scott, Bryan Towne-State Finalist-7th Place-State Finalist-7th Place
Parliamentary Procedure Team- Keshia Carnegie, Paschina Carnegie, Devan Garcia, Ashey Gyberson, Brandon Himes, Chad Montgomery-7th Place
Advanced Accounting- Mat Tinsley-4th Place (Advances to National Leadership Conference)
Desktop Publishing- Bre Britten-16th Place, Alex Starr-11th Place, Bri Garland-1st Place (State Champion by a landslide, Advances to National Leadership Conference)

2007 Kindergarten Round-up

Plymouth Community School Corporation will host the annual Kindergarten Round-up on April 11, 2007 in all Plymouth Elementary Schools.

There will be two sessions. Parents and children need only attend one session. The 1st session is at 1:30 p.m. The 2nd session is at 6:00 p.m. Each session should last no longer than one hour.

Please bring an original copy of your child’s birth certificate, immunization records, and a social security number. The schools will make copies of the originals. For Spanish speaking Kindergartners and parents, interpreters will be available. During the hour-long Round-Up, parents will meet with administrators and fill out registration forms; children will meet with Kindergarten teachers for screening.

In order to be eligible for Round-Up this year, your child needs to be 5 years old on or before August 1, 2007.

For those unsure of which building their child will attend, please call (574) 936-3115 and ask for the transportation department.

Requests for morning or afternoon sessions of kindergarten can also be made at this time.



Las escuelas de la Corporación de Plymouth van a tener su junta annual este 11 de abril, para los padres de los proximos niños que van a entrar a kinder en todas las primarias de Plymouth..

Habrá dos sesiones. Los padres y los niños solo necesitan asistir a una sesión. La primera sesión es a la 1:30 de la tarde. La segunda sesión es a las 6:00 de la tarde. No durará más de una hora cada sesión

Por favor traiga una copia original de la acta de nacimiento, los registros de la inmunización, y el número del seguro social del niño. Las escuelas harán copias de las originales. Intérpretes estarán disponibles para los padres y niños que solo hablan español. Durante la junta de una hora, los padres conoceran a los directores y llenarán formularios de inscripción; niños estaran con maestros de kinder para un examen pequeño.

Para ser elegible para la junta de padres e hijos este año, su niño tiene que haber cumplido 5 años en o antes del 1 de Agosto de 2007.

Si usted no sabe a cual escuela su niño asistirá, por favor llame al (574) 936-3115 y pregunte por el departamento de transporte.
Las solicitudes para sesiones de la mañana o de la tarde de kinder se pueden hacer también en este momento.

Two Hour Delay

Plymouth Schools and St. Michael's will operate on a two-hour delay on Friday, March 2. The alternative schedule will be used for Kindergarten. High winds and snow starting around 6:00 AM created a need for this delay.

Blog Bits

Three Art Show Winners Named

Vickie Cook and Judy Harness are proud to announce three Plymouth art students that have been named finalists in the Symphony in Color contest. They are: Alexsia Ramirez, Jefferson, Caleb Bunton, Washington, and Shawnee Buchert, Webster.

Students listened to the music performed by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and created artwork that illustrates the rhythm and movement of the music. The 100 finalists work will be on exhibit at the Indiana State Museum from March 31-May 15, 2007.

Each year, more than 35,000 elementary school children throughout Indiana participate in Symphony in Color, an enrichment program offering a unique blending of two disciplines: symphonic music and visual art.

The program culminates in a juried exhibition in both the Hilbert Circle Theatre and the Indianapolis Museum of Art. The 2007 exhibit will be at the Indiana State Museum due to construction at the IMA. There are 100 finalists and 36 blue ribbon winners selected each year. One entry will receive the Pacini Award and will be displayed in the Hilbert Circle Theatre for an entire year.

Under the direction of a teaching professional, children interpret recorded selections of symphonic music through their personal artistic creations. For additional information on this contest, see the following website, http://www.symphonyincolor.org/.

Blog Bits

Lilly Teacher Creativity Fellowship Program Winners

Recently, Lilly announced four Plymouth teachers as recipients of the Teacher Creativity Fellowship Program. Michele Holloway and Deb Wise were announced as first-time winners. Judy Harness and Vickie Cook were announced as second-time winners.

The Teacher Creativity Fellowship Program began in 1987 and is committed to help Indiana become an even more rewarding arena for seasoned teachers and other education professionals. The program supports creative projects that are personally renewing and intellectually revitalizing. While personal renewal is the main goal of this program, applicants are encouraged to demonstrate how their proposed projects will affect their students' engagement in the learning process.

Michele Holloway and Deb Wise wrote a proposal entitled, "O-Live! Live Strong! Live Well! Live Long!" They describe it as a study of the Mediterranean diet and Italian lifestyle. They plan to spend most of July in Italy investigating olive oil production, taking cooking classes, hiking in the Dolomites, and seeing the sights. Viva Italia!

Judy Harness and Vickie Cook’s proposal was entitled, “Both Sides of the Santa Fe Trail!” They will travel the Santa Fe Trail to examine the westward expansion from the pioneer woman’s perspective as she endured the trek west for new beginnings, from the American Indian woman’s perspective as settlers invaded and seized her land, and how the two cultures modified each other’s art and traditions.

Congratulations Michele, Deb, Judy, and Vickie! Enjoy your summer adventures! We are all very proud of you.

Principal for a Day

Greg Jaggers was Principal for a Day with Cathy Deardorf at Plymouth High School Greg is a business consultant and a motivational speaker.

If you would like to be involved in Principal for a Day next year, contact Dan Tyree at dtyree@plymouth.k12.in.us.

Plymouth Schools are Closed Today

The conditions have not improved enough to transport students this morning. Plymouth Schools are closed today.

Plymouth Schools on 2 Hour Delay

Due to the fog, Plymouth Schools will be on a 2 hour delay. Kindergarten will be on the delay schedule. Conditions will be re-evaluated at 8:00 AM.

Principal for a Day

During our 7th Annual Principal for a Day, Rusty Nixon spent his day at Riverside Elementary with Donna Burroughs and Jeni Hirschy. Rusty is a freelance writer and the baseball coach for Ancilla College.

Blog Bits

School Board Highlights

Last evening the board met in regular session at Jefferson Elementary. In addition to its regular business, the Board of Trustees heard a report on the Jefferson School Improvement Plan from Mr. Remenih. A great number of Jefferson staff were present and the board greatly appreciated their efforts and their presence at the meeting. The board approved summer school programs for the coming year. Course offerings will include economics, government, U.S. history, biology, algebra, geometry, credit recovery language arts, jump start language arts, and jump start math at the high school. There will be a 4 week jump start program at Lincoln, migrant jr. high and high school program at Lincoln, and 1 section jump start program for students entering grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 at the elementary. Federal breakfast and lunch programs will be offered at both Lincoln and Washington. Exact dates for summer school will not be established until there is a break in the weather. The board scheduled executive sessions for staff evaluations on March 8th, March 12th, and March 15th. The next regular board meeting will be held March 22nd at 7:00 p.m. at Lincoln Junior High.

Blog Bits

The New 3R’s

Dr. Ernest Morrell is an assistant professor in the Urban Schooling division of the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies at the UCLA. He suggests that the 3 R’s, Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic, are no longer enough. Now, schools must also ensure the fundamentals of the New 3R’s to educate all students in the Information Age. So, what are the New 3R’s? They are Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships.

Rigor is more than memorizing, reciting, and restating. Students must become adept at deep understanding, applying knowledge, solving problems, and analyzing.

Relevance includes relating to student interests and needs, involving them in real-world situations and contexts, and linking them to a global economy and democratic life.

Relationships ensure that each student feels connected, that educators care about students and provide a student-focused environment, and that there is support for struggling students.

Dr. Morrell is one of the new speakers for the HOPE Foundation’s Failure is Not an Option Institute. HOPEfully, we can all agree that in Plymouth Schools Failure is Not an Option!

Make-up Times and Dates

In discussion with PEA, children will attend school all day this Friday, weather permitting, and Monday, President's Day. A summary of make-up days is as follows: February 19, April 6, May 25, and May 29. There will be no in service day, Friday, February 16, students will attend school the entire day.

Closed on Valentine's Day

Due to the inclement weather, Plymouth Schools will be closed February 14.

Plymouth Schools are Closed Today

Plymouth Schools will be closed today. Road conditions will continue to deteriorate throughout the day. All evening activities are cancelled.

Blog Bits

School Board Highlights
In addition to its regular business last Thursday evening, the Board of Trustees honored those who volunteer their services to the school district. They also adopted the school calendar (a link below will take readers to the 2007-2008 calendars). The next regular school board meeting will be February 15, 2007 at Jefferson Elementary at 7:00 p.m.

Legislative Priorities
Each long session, several bills are introduced that will impact education. The following are priorities for our district as legislators conduct their work:
a) During the first half of calendar year 2007, there is a 95 million dollar shortfall in the appropriation for state support of schools. The impact to Plymouth Community Schools will be a $360,000.00 shortfall during the first six months. Previous legislatures have corrected the shortfall prior to building the new budget. We encourage our legislators to do the same.
b) The 2% circuit breaker goes into effect during calendar year 2008. We have viewed various studies regarding the impact of the circuit breaker on Plymouth Community Schools. One study suggests the impact will be as little as $5,000.00, while other studies put the impact near $250,000.00 shortfall each year. The $5,000.00 shortfall is based on the assumption that accessed valuation will grow at the rate of 25% per year. We believe that the actual growth factor is much less. Legislation is needed to replace lost revenues to maintain the level of services that we currently have.
c) Textbooks – there will be bills introduced to provide free textbooks for all students. We think this conceptually, is a good idea. The bill that has been currently introduced, funds textbooks at $95.00 per student; our current fees average $120.00 per student. That current level of funding would require Plymouth Schools to dip into the general fund monies approximately $122,500.00 per year. We believe the highest priority for our legislature should be to fully fund the cost of books for those students who are on free/reduced lunch. The state currently refunds the local district at 58% of the cost.
d) Increase in school support - We are a growing school district. Our health insurance, utility costs, and cost of labor are increasing. The governor has recommended a 3% increase in state funding. The Department of Education has recommended 4%. We believe we can live within those recommendations.
e) Full day kindergarten – There is a lot of discussion of full day kindergarten in the legislature. Two bills have been introduced. The one in the house requires every district will offer full day kindergarten with no corresponding funding. The one in the senate phases in full day kindergarten and its funding over a period of time. We have several students who currently participate in extended day or full day kindergarten activities. Our staff sees a great need for many of our students. We support full day kindergarten as long as the requirements are fully funded and full day kindergarten is optional for parents.

Miscellaneous
Please check out the Plymouth Speech and Debate blog. It is highly animated. Former team member Heidi Dickson is in charge of maintaining the site.

Weather Button
A weather button has been added to our blog. A double click on the weather button will lead to a site containing current weather conditions. Office Manager, Amy Pratt, installed the feature on the Plymouth Truth.

Blog Bits

2007-2008 School Calendars

The 2007-2008 school calendars for the Plymouth Community Schools are available online. Please visit the following site http://www.updatesoftware.com/plymouth/?cat=225&Type=0&ssec=0.

Blog Bits

Educator Stephen Peters has tracked the main influences for students throughout the years and his findings should have important implications for educators and parents. His findings might just explain why “kids aren’t like they used to be.” According to Peters, in the 1960’s the top five influences in a child’s life in rank order were (1) home, (2) school, (3) church, (4) peers, and (5) media.

The 1980’s brought about changes in our society and culture, and with those changes, came a new order to what influences students. The top five influences in the 1980’s in a child’s life in rank order changed to (1) school, (2) church, (3) media, (4) family, and (5) friends. Most noticeably the disintegration of the family had a major impact on our children in the 1980’s, but fortunately, school and church continued to provide strong influences on our children.

As we’ve reached 2007, we now see an even greater change in what influences children. The top five influences in a child’s life in rank order now reads (1) friends, (2) media, (3) school, (4) church, and (5) family.

So, as parents and educators, what can we derive from the changes that have taken place in the last 40 years? First, we can try our best for our families, schools, and churches to regain the major influences on our children. Second, we can’t hide our heads in the sand and wish for the good old days to return. That probably isn’t going to happen. Third, we need to recognize the powerful influences that the media and our children’s friends have on them. Since we can’t completely control our children’s lives, we need to steer them towards appropriate media and friends who will be positive influences on them.

As an educator and a parent, the importance of programs such as peer mediation, peer tutoring, and peer mentoring is very clear. If these programs aren’t in every school, they should be. If we can’t be the ones that influence our children, then let’s direct them to sources of influence that promote positive messages for them as they think their thoughts, choose their actions, and live their lives.

Stephen G. Peters speaks nationally for the Hope Foundation. He has also authored the book Do You Know Enough About Me to Teach Me? His work helps frame the research behind the six principles of effective schools in Alan Blankstein’s book, Failure is Not an Option. To read more from the Hope Foundation visit www.hopefoundation.org.

Stay Tuned for Tommorrow's Announcement

Current forecasts show the snow ending at 12:00 PM this evening. The highway departments should have ample time to open the roads. In addition to monitoring temperatures, our transportation team will be driving the roads in the morning. If an announcement is needed, it will be on the TV and radio stations shortly after 6 AM.

Make-Up Days

The two cancelled days will be made up on April 6 and May 25. All future cancelled days will be added to the end of the year. Thank you for your patience.

Plymouth Schools Closed

Plymouth Schools will be closed today.

Feb. 6, Plymouth will be on a 2 Hour delay

Projected wind chill is -20 tomorrow morning. Plymouth Schools will be on a 2 hour delay. The 2 hour delay Kindergarten schedule will be followed. Please monitor tv channels (16 and 22 ) and local radio stations for further updates.

Blog Bits

Do Students Just Want to Have Fun?

In a perception survey conducted by Victoria Bernhardt, ten thousand students were asked, “What has to be in place for you to learn best in the classroom?” Overwhelmingly, the top three answers included, (1) the teachers show that they care for me as a person, (2) the teachers make sure I learn, and (3) the teachers assign work that is fun.

So, what does fun mean? Does it mean that teachers have to be a stand-up comedian to reach children? Do teachers have to dress up in costume to teach a Civil War unit? Or maybe fun means that the only successful teachers are ones that play fun games in class.

Fortunately, Bernhardt was forward-thinking enough and also surveyed students’ on their perception of what fun meant. According to Bernhardt’s survey, fun had two distinct definitions. First, fun is a class where the teacher provides rigorous work for his/her students to be engaged in every day. Secondly, fun is a class where each student can point to, touch, or hold a product as the direct result of the rigorous work that was assigned by the teacher.

So, if that’s all it takes, let our children have fun.

Victoria Bernhardt speaks nationally for the Hope Foundation. Her work is part of the research that supports the six principles of effective schools in Alan Blankstein’s book, Failure is Not an Option. To read more from the Hope Foundation visit www.hopefoundation.org.

School is Closed Today

Plymouth Schools are closed today.

2Hour Delay

Due to the wind chill factor, Plymouth Schools is on a 2 hour delay. Kindergarten will run on the 2 hour delay schedule.

Early Dismissal

Due to deteriorating road conditions, Plymouth Elementary Schools and Riverside Intermediate School will dismiss at 12:45 PM. Lincoln Junior High and Plymouth High School will dismiss at 1:00 PM.

2 Hour Delay

Plymouth Schools are on a two hour delay. Kindergarten will run on the alternate schedule.

Could Video Games Become the Latest Teaching Tool?

Indiana University is receiving a grant to enhance student learning through video games. After reading the article , please share your thoughts.

Why Wellness Programs?

Please read: A Supersize Problem , to gain insight into the need for wellness programs in our schools.

Blog Bits

School Board Meeting
The Board of Trustees met in regular session on January 18, 2007. In addition to their regular business, the board heard a report on the Menominee Elementary School ISTEP scores and the implementation of the school improvement plan. The board approved the offering of an Advanced Life Science Plant and Soil course at the Plymouth High School. This course will be offered through the Ag Dept. but qualifies for the Core 40, the Core 40 with academic honors and the Core 40 with technical honors diplomas as an elective and as a directed elective course. It will also be recognized as a career academic sequence, a career technical program, or flex credit course. The conflict of interest statements were signed by administrators and school board members and were approved for certification with the state board of accounts. The board heard first reading on the revision of board policies or new board policies. The next regular scheduled board meeting is February 8, 2007 at 5:30 p.m.

Winter Board Member Academy
School board members and administrators from around the state, including representatives from the Plymouth Community School Corporation, attended the Winter Board Academy at downtown Indianapolis Westin Hotel on January 19, 2007. This seminar sponsored by the Indiana School Boards Association introduced new school board members to the many facets of boardmanship ship along with reinforcing these principles to numerous veteran board members and school administrators who attended. Topics, including school budgeting, policy development, boardmanship, collective bargaining, conducting effective meetings, legislative process, and legal aspects, such as the Open Door Law, and the General School Powers Act, were presented by the ISBA staff. Dr. John Ellis, Executive Director of the Indiana Association Public School’s Superintendents, brought an update on the changing role of the public school superintendency. A panel of experienced board members shared their views on the functions of the school board. Local board member and administrator attending were Melissa Christiansen, and Dr. John Hill. The ISBA is a non-profit organization with 290 member schools, including every school board in the state.

Blog Bits

The Indiana Legislature is now in session. It is critical for all of us to know the activities of that body. Two valuable sources of activity in the legislature are the Indianapolis Star and “taking down words”. We suggest you spend a few minutes each day reviewing those sites for information.

Blog Bits

Business Professionals of America are Successful at Competition

The PHS Chapter of Business Professionals of America (BPA) once again turned in a championship performance at District Leadership Conference this past weekend in Warsaw. The team had 10 first place winners, 8 second place winners, 1 third place winner, and 6 fourth place winners.

1st Place winners include the following: Mat Tinsley (2 events), Sam Faulstich, Bri Garland, Bailey Capper, Brian Kunze, Bryan Towne, Paschina Carnegie, Keshia Carnegie, and Brandon Himes.

2nd Place winners include the following: Kami Pfledderer (2 events), Alex Starr, Nick Houin, Kayla Dalton, Josh Knill, the Administrative Support Team (Kayla Dalton, Sam Faulstich, John Montgomery, and Evan Skirvin), and the Small Business Management Team (Bailey Capper, Alex Eads, Alex Starr, and Tom Young).

The 3rd Place winner was Kelsey Heisler.

4th place winners include the following: Joe Scott, Alex Eads, Bre Brettin, John Montgomery, Nick Houin, and Mike Houin.

The PHS chapter also had 15 members receive medallions for their scores in Open Events. A total of 22 members will now advance to State Leadership in Competitive Events.

BPA is coached by Chad Miley, Shari Bloom, and Janice Curtis.

Textbook Adoption

Plymouth Schools will adopt textbooks in reading and handwriting this year to be used for the next six years. A committee of 12 teachers and 8 community members will evaluate the state-approved textbooks and then submit a recommendation to the school board. Tentatively, the public will have the opportunity to review textbooks from April 7 through April 19. Tentatively, the board is set to act on those recommendations April 20. Specific dates will be set by the board as the committee advances through the process.

Teacher representatives and community members on the committee include the following:

Teacher
Janet Marshall
Alice Huff
Cathy Szklarek
Angela Becktel
Julie Good
Tami Greenlee
Hillary Hopple
Carla Lange
John Premetz
Patty Welch
Fay Smith
Kelly Reinholt

Community
Marie Dylag
Lara Bachtel
Stacy Hildebrand
Karen Barden
Tammy Houin
Ida Martin
Erin Houser
Greg Jaggers

Blog Bits

PHS Principal Selection
We thank all of those staff members and community members who have either participated in the focus groups or have sent emails and letters providing input for the characteristics of the new principal at Plymouth High School. You have provided hundreds of characteristics. We have synthesized those into the following:

Plymouth Community Schools seeks candidates who -

1. Can lead and motivate staff and students.
2. Has a vision for the future of educational pursuits and can sell that vision to the school community.
3. Communicates with various audiences in both the written and spoken word.
4. Has a heart for children as exhibited in his/her interest in their lives and concern for their well being.
5. Possesses moral character beyond reproach.
6. Is positive.
7. Understands curriculum and instruction, the primary business of the school.
8. Possesses a strong work ethic.
9. Understands the role of technology as a teaching and learning tool in the future.

We will be accepting applications from candidates until February 2, 2007 or until a candidate is chosen for the position.

Again, we thank all of you for your input.

Blog Bits

Wellness Advisory Board Reports

Monday, January 8, the Wellness Advisory Board met and heard reports on youth obesity and diabetes from Dr. Joel Schumaker, non-food rewards from Karen Richey, cultural nutritional needs from Julie Morgan and friends, exercise in the classroom from Lisa Jones, and the state requirements for the hot lunch program from Gloria Burnam.

The statistics given by Dr. Joel Schumaker were staggering. We all agreed that a partnership between parents, school, and the medical community is the only way to address this problem. To get an idea of the national concern for youth obesity and diabetes you can click and read: www.obesity.org/subs/fastfacts/obesity_youth.shtml

The Wellness Advisory set their activities for the rest of the year.
February: PASS is working on a community meeting with the focus on wellness.
March: Evaluation of the policy and guidelines.
April: Revision to the policy and guidelines.
May: Mrs. Letsinger is tentatively planning a Wellness Fair.

Future publications will feature a summary of information presented by Julie Morgan, Karen Richey, Lisa Jones and Gloria Burnam.

Blog Bits

Graduation Rates
The state of Indiana has redefined the method for calculating the graduation rate. Based on the new formula, the graduation rate for the class of 2005-2006 at Plymouth High School is 81.3%. 3.4% of the class of 2005-2006 earned a GED diploma, however, under the rules, those students are not counted in the graduation rate. In addition, .4% of the class earned a special education certificate. The completion certificate does not count in the graduation rate. .4% of the students have completed all the courses for graduation, but have not passed the qualifying exam. 2.6% of the class of 2005-2006 are still involved in school. 11.9% of the class of 2005-2006 were drop-outs. The department of education has also provided a breakdown of 2005-2006 graduation rates by sub-groups at Plymouth High School. 89.1% of those students on paid lunch graduated, while only 69.7% on free/reduced lunches graduated. The district is working on a plan to improve graduation rates over time. If we wait until the high school years to intervene, it is too late. This is why our staff is working hard to help all students be at reading level by the end of their 3rd grade year. At other levels, there is a focus on our reading to learn, writing, and problem solving skills.

Blog Bits

Board Highlights
The board of trustees met in regular session to conduct its organizational meeting last evening. Amy Pratt administered the oath of office to Melissa Christiansen and Larry Pinkerton. Todd Samuelson was elected President of the Board, Frank Brubaker Vice-President, and Ron Gifford Secretary. Kandi Tinkey was appointed Treasurer and Lori Vanderweele Assistant Treasurer. The board established blanket bonds for its school employees. The board compensation was set at $2,000.00 for 2007. Larry Pinkerton was appointed to the Superintendents Advisory Committee. Joe Morris was appointed as the legal counsel for the Plymouth Community School Corporation. The legislative liaison for the board of trustees is Ron Gifford. Frank Brubaker will serve as the board member on the Student Services Committee. The board adopted a schedule of meetings for the 2007 year. (That schedule will be posted on the corporation website next week.) A report on standardized test scores was given by Dan Tyree. The board approved donation reports for the buildings. Dr. Hill provided a facility update. The board approved affidavits for payments for the building projects. The next regularly scheduled will be held on January 18th at Menominee Elementary. Dr. Hill provided the board a report of the end of the year transfers, updates on the selection of the high school principal, and the review of human resources policies and procedures. The board also reorganized as a board of finance. Todd Samuelson was elected President, Ron Gifford was elected Secretary. During the 2006 calendar year, the corporation earned $461,163.29 on its investments. Prior to adjournment, the board of finance reviewed the corporation’s investment policies.

AED’s
Prior to the Christmas break, the district purchased AED’s (defibrillators) for each building. Principals, head custodians, and nurses received initial training. Other staff members will be given the opportunity for CPR certification and re-certification during the coming months.

Legislation
The legislative session is coming up. Please watch this website to see how proposed legislation will impact the Plymouth Community Schools.

2nd Community Focus Group

Plymouth Community Schools will hold its 2nd Community Focus Group on January 10, 2007 at 6:00 p.m. in the board room at 611 Berkley Street, Plymouth. The purpose of the community focus group is to seek input from community members on the development of criteria for the selection of the new high school principal. A similar community focus group was conducted last month. The selection process began January 2, 2007 and will conclude in April, 2007. Patrons who cannot attend the meeting and would like to contribute to the process can mail comments to Plymouth Community School Corporation, 611 Berkley Street, Plymouth, Indiana 46563 attention Dr. John Hill, or may email comments to jhill@plymouth.k12.in.us.

Winter Break for Plymouth Schools

On Monday, December 25, 2006 through January 5, 2007, school will not be in session due to winter break.

On January 8, 2007, the elementary schools, Riverside, and Lincoln Jr. High will not be in session due to a teacher work day. Plymouth High School students WILL have school that day.

2006-2007 New Staff

Charles Ratliff is our new ENL teacher at Lincoln Junior High. He attended University of Arizona and Grand Canyon University. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and a Master’s degree in Journalism. He and his wife, Elizabeth, have a daughter, Rebecca.

Charles is glad to be in Indiana. He has visited numerous years during summer vacations. He looks forward to living and working in Plymouth.

2006-2007 New Staff

Steven Boyer is our new 8th grade language arts teacher at Lincoln Junior High. He is a graduate of Manchester College. Steven has a twin sister, Sara. He also has an older sister, Lindsey and a younger brother, Kevin. He is the son of Kevin and Ruth Boyer.

Steven is looking forward to teaching at Plymouth because of the size and location of the city.

Thank An Educator 2006

What is it?“Thank an Educator 2006” is being launched to give students (present and past) and parents an easy way to show their appreciation for school employees who have made a difference. It’s a simple idea: send a thank you note to someone who has helped you.

How do you thank an educator?

Complete the form and send it to:

Plymouth Community School Corporation
611 Berkley St.
Plymouth, IN 46563

2006-2007 New Staff

Shari Bloom is our new business teacher at Plymouth High School. Shari is a graduate of Manchester College. Shari has a daughter, Jia (5), that she adopted from China four years ago.

Shari is pleased to be teaching in Plymouth because Plymouth has a great school corporation. Shari is also excited to be teaching in the same building that she graduated from.

2006-2007 New Staff

Jennifer DeMont is our new AM Kindergarten teacher and PM 2nd grade ENL teacher at Menominee. She is a graduate of Ancilla College and Indiana State University. Jennifer has two daughters that attend Webster Elementary.

Jennifer grew up in the Plymouth community and is also a PHS graduate. She believes that Plymouth has an excellent school system.

2006-2007 New Staff

Emily Kershner is joining the staff at Jefferson as the A.M. Kindergarten teacher. She is a graduate of Butler University. Emily and her husband, Mike, have a son, William. Mike is a teacher at Menominee Elementary.

Emily is a Plymouth native and is thrilled to be giving back to her community.

2006-2007 New Staff

Stacy VanDerWeele is teaching 5th grade science at Riverside. She is a graduate of Ball State University. Stacy and her husband, Todd, have 3 children, Spencer, Alexis, and Madilyn.

Stacy is pleased to be teaching for Plymouth because it is a hardworking school corporation. She is excited to be teaching again. She did her student teaching for Plymouth 11 years ago.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 .

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

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.

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.

2006-2007 New Staff

Chad Miley is the new Business Education teacher for Plymouth High School. He is a graduate of Indiana University and Ball State University. Chad is a newlywed as of June. His bride is Christine.

Chad is excited to work for Plymouth Community Schools because of its reputation. Plymouth is a great community with at school corporation that is respected statewide.

2006-2007 New Staff

Brooke Busse is our new Title I/Reading Teacher for Washington Elementary. She is a graduate of Valparaiso University. Brooke is married to Ryan.

Brooke is pleased to be teaching in Plymouth because it is a very successful school corporation that is up-to-date with all of the new teaching strategies.

Wellness Myths

Wellness Myths

There are several myths in the community concerning the Wellness Policy at Plymouth Community Schools. There may be more than the ones presented today, so we would be honored by your questions.

Myth 1

Portion sizes have decreased at the schools. Actually, the portion sizes for all buildings have stayed the same. We’re not serving as many dessert items and we’ve removed some of the ale carte items at the junior high and high school. The removed items such as the Twix Bars were removed because they did not fit into the definition of “Better Choice” items as described by state law.

There will also be a change in double-trays at the high school starting next week. In order to provide adequate time for all students to get through the lunch line, students will need to get their first tray of food and then return to the line for a second tray of food if they are still hungry. We hope this will give all students the opportunity to sit, relax, and eat their lunch.

Myth 2

We are searching lunches and taking out non-nutritious choices that parents send. Once again, this is not true. We encourage parents to send nutritious food in their lunches, but we have no brown-bag police. There are two items that we will not allow in school only if we see them in the lunch room. First, we don’t want students to bring soda pop in their brown bag lunch. Second, we do not want fast food bags or pizza boxes brought into the cafeteria. Allowing this type of competition with the Federal Hot Lunch Program is not allowed.

Summary

During the first two weeks of school, we sold nearly 400 hundred more breakfasts and 1,500 more lunches than we did last year during those same two weeks. Our commitment is to continuously look at ways to make school lunches nutritious, tasty, and a relaxing experience. Our students work hard and our teachers have high expectations for them. It’s important that their lunch time is a time when they can relax and eat a good lunch.

2006-2007 New Staff

Brandi Brennan joins Lincoln Junior High as their new Choir Director. She is a graduate of Manchester College. Brandi and her husband, Jason, have two children, Joseph (10 yrs old) and Brooklyn (2 yrs old).

Brandi is impressed with Plymouth’s high sense of community and looks forward to working with the wonderful staff at Lincoln Junior High.

Corrected Kindergarten Schedule for Parent Teacher Conferences

The kindergarten schedule for parent teacher conferences was incorrect in an earlier post.

The schedule is as follows:

Oct. 16 - Normal schedule for AM/PM Kindergarten (Parent Teacher Conferences in the evening)

Oct. 17 - Normal schedule for AM/PM Kindergarten (Parent Teacher Conferences in the evening)

Oct. 18 - AM Kindergarten only goes to school.....PM Kindergarten does not go to school

Oct. 19 - PM Kindergarten only goes to school.....AM Kindergarten does not go to school

Oct. 20 - No School - Fall Break

2006-2007 New Staff

Kendall Hoover is our new 4th grade teacher at Washington Elementary. She is a graduate of Creighton. Her husband, Dave, grew up in Plymouth. Kendall has been a Plymouth resident for 14 years.

Kendall believes Plymouth Schools and Plymouth teachers are incredibly strong. She is extremely proud to live in Plymouth and now teach for Plymouth Schools.

2006-2007 New Staff

Jyll Shemberger is the new FACS teacher for Plymouth High School. She is a graduate of Ball State. Jyll and her husband, Will, have been married for two years.

Jyll is looking forward to sharing her enthusiasm for Family and Consumer Science with the high school students in her classroom.

Improving the Equity Gap

Douglas Reeves, noted scholar and researcher, has identified the following strategies for closing the equity gap:

1. “Treat them like they are rich” – We don’t let rich kids fail. Rich kids have high expectations, intensive assistance, and immediate intervention when they are in trouble, and every student from every ethnic and socioeconomic group deserves the same.
2. Equity is not equal – Equity is meeting the needs of each individual student.
3. Challenge, not sympathy – Listen to the elders of every culture. They do not ask for sympathy. They demand challenge and a chance for their children and grandchildren to have a better opportunity and greater achievement than previous generations.
4. The “culture of success” for every student – Define what successful students and adults do and then model these successful behaviors and insist on them every day in every setting.
5. Time and project management – Keys to effective self-discipline.
6. Balanced extrinsic and intrinsic motivation – Yes, it really is OK to reward students for great academic performance and superior behavior.
7. Resilience – Multiple opportunities for success. When students are playing sports, we tell them “It’s not how you start the season that counts, but how you finish.” We encourage them to rebound from every disappointment and failure. Great scientists, mathematicians, writers, and readers do the same.
8. Appropriate consequences – The consequence for failing to turn in work is neither a zero nor an F, but the appropriate consequence is DOING THE WORK.
9. Nonfiction writing – One of the best ways for students to engage in the lifelong skills of thinking, reasoning, and analysis. Specifically students at every grade level must write to inform, persuade, and analyze.
10. Relentless teachers – The refrain of teachers and leaders who close the equity gap is, “We just don’t let our kids fail.”
How do we match up?

2006-2007 New Staff

John Premetz is our new 5th grade science teacher for Riverside Intermediate. John graduated from Saint Joseph’s College. John is married to his wife Beth. They have two goats and a dog.

John is looking forward to teaching 5th grade. He is excited to be in Plymouth.

All-Day Kindergarten

Members of the Education Roundtable are discussing the merits of all-day kindergarten. What do you think of the concept?

2006-2007 New Staff

Angela Mills is our new Title I/Reading Coach at Menominee. She is a graduate of Indiana University. Angela has a B.S. in Elementary Education with a Reading Minor.

Angela is looking forward to the opportunity to help all students become better readers.

Blog Bits

Congratulations Jane Nelson

Jane Nelson was inducted into the Indiana High School Forensic Association Hall of Fame Friday evening in Indianapolis. Jane, in her 12th year of coaching high school speech, has been a part of 9 State Championship teams, numerous state champions, and nearly 40 national finalists. She is also a member of the Plymouth High School Speech Hall of Fame for her accomplishments as a student. Jane is the fourth Plymouth coach to be inducted into the IHSFA Hall of Fame. Dan Tyree, Charlotte Tyree, and Dave McKenzie are also members.

Thank You

The new drop-off procedures at Jefferson Elementary went very well this morning. The traffic at Klinger and Fairbanks was minimal. Thank you for your cooperation!

2006-2007 New Staff

Alyssa VanVactor is our new 2nd grade teacher at Jefferson Elementary. She is a graduate of Ball State. Her husband, Jeff, works with his father at the family business, VanVactor Construction. Alyssa and Jeff also have a dog named Chaney.

Alyssa is eager to learn more about the community and school corporation. She also looks forward to meeting her students and their parents.

2006-2007 New Staff

Allison Hargrove joins Plymouth High School as a new Social Studies teacher. She is a graduate of Purdue University. Allison and her husband, Michael reside in Warsaw. Michael is a police officer. They also have a Bassett hound named Molly.

Allison is looking forward to growing and learning as a teacher for Plymouth. Plymouth is a fantastic school that places true value upon academics.

Blog Bits

School Delay and Closure Announcements
School delays and Closures are made on the following stations:
WNDV (V93) 92.9 FM
WKVI 99.3 FM
WTCA 1050 AM
WZOC 94.3 FM
WNDU TV Channel 16
WSBT TV Channel 22
Please note: Channel 16 was notified at 5:45 AM and did not make an announcement until after 8:00 AM this morning.

Alternative Kindergarten Schedule
When there are delays, kindergarten students are required to attend school. The following schedule will be used on those days:

1 hour delay—Schedule as is
2 hour delay—AM (10AM-12PM)
PM (1-3PM)

In-Service Days—AM (8:15-10:15AM)
PM (10:20-12:20PM)
Parent/Teacher Conference Days:
Day 1: AM Kindergarten only goes to school…PM Kindergarten
does not go to school
Day 2: PM Kindergarten only goes to school...AM Kindergarten
does not go to school
Day 3: AM Kindergarten only goes to school…PM Kindergarten
does not go to school
Day 4: PM Kindergarten only goes to school…AM Kindergarten
does not go to school

Fog Delay

Plymouth Schools is on a 2 hour fog delay. Kindergarten will be on a special schedule today.

2006-2007 New Staff

Michael Dunn is the new principal of Menominee Elementary. He is a graduate of IU Northwest. He holds a Master’s degree.

Michael is excited to be in Plymouth. He is looking forward to working with the staff of Menominee.

Blog Bits

Construction Updates
The rain has slowed construction on the Elm Street extension. The installation of curbs, gutters, and sidewalks is now pushed back one to two weeks depending on the weather, Paving of the street and remaining parking lot will take place shortly thereafter.
The carpet is installed in the media center. Contractors will begin working on the casework next week, The carpet will be instated m the music room tomorrow,

The rehabilitation of the Soccerplex will be completed as soon as weather permits.

At PHS, the gymnasium will be Available as soon as the railings are installed. This is scheduled to take place next week.

Thank You
Thank you for your patience during construction.

Bus Route Adjustments
The transportation department will continue to make adjustments in routes to balance busloads. If you have any questions, please contact Rick Scott (936-3115).

The full day kindergarten and ENL mid-day routes will begin next Wednesday.

2006-2007 New Staff

Bob Remenih is the new principal at Jefferson Elementary. He is a graduate of IUSB. Bob is married to Mary Ann.

Bob is looking forward to working in Plymouth because it is a wonderful community with great people.

2006-2007 New Staff

Elizabeth Ratliff joins our administrative staff at Plymouth High School as our new Assistant Principal. She is a graduate of University of Phoenix Western Pacific. Elizabeth and her husband Charles have a daughter, Rebecca. Charles is also a teacher for Plymouth Community School Corporation.

Elizabeth is a native of Indiana. She loves the town of Plymouth.
Elizabeth has extended family throughout Starke, Pulaski, and Marshall counties.

2006-2007 New Staff

Blog bits
New Staff

Carrie McGuire is the new principal for Webster Elementary. She is a graduate of Purdue University and received her Masters from IPFW. Carrie and her husband, Mike, have two children, Lee Ann and Logan.

Carrie is looking forward to working for Plymouth. Plymouth has a reputation for its dedication to students and the educational process.

Blog Bits

Board of Trustee Highlights
The Board of Trustees met in regular session last evening. In addition to their regular business, the board:
-established the transfer tuition rates for the 2006-2007 school year. Those rates are $223 per month for students in grades 4-12; $165 per month for K-3.
-appointed Eleanor Danielson to the corporation Wellness Committee.
-granted approval for the Blueberry Festival committee to conduct the Hot Air Affair balloon launch at Riverside Intermediate School,
-approved a transfer tuition student, conducted hearings of the 2007 budget, the 2007 capital projects plan, and the 2007 bus replacement plan,
-authorized Elizabeth Ratliff and Carrie McGuire as signatures on school bank accounts,
-and reviewed donation reports.

The next regular board meeting will be held September 7, 2006 at 6:00 p.m. in the board room. On the agenda will be consideration of the 2007 budget, the 2007 capital projects plan and the 2007 bus replacement plan. The board will hold an executive work session with Dr. Ron Barnes following the regular meeting.


Facility Update
Three areas were not available at the new Menominee school on opening day:
- the media center (the ceiling pads are being installed, the floor area will be cleaned, carpet will be installed with the installation of book cases to follow).
-the music room (the contractors are currently installing the sound deflectors with the installation of carpet to follow).
- the gymnasium(the contractors are installing bleachers. The gym should be available in another week).

Over the weekend, carpet will be installed in the hallways. Weather permitting. the construction of the extension of Elm Street will continue next week with the installation of sidewalks, curbs, and paving.

At the Soccerplex, the contractors have removed the top soil and sand base in preparation for rehabilitating the field.


The Opening of School
Due to the hard work of the teaching staff, custodians, transportation staff, cooks, assistance from parents, relatives, and PTO members, the school year has gotten off to a very good start. During the next two week period, continual adjustments will be made to the bus routes.

Preliminary enrollments at the end of the second day:
Kindergarten-314
Grade 1 – 269
Grade 2 – 269
Grade 3 – 265
Grade 4 – 284
Grade 5 – 266
Grade 6 – 277
Grade 7 – 245
Grade 8 – 292
Grade 9 – 302
Grade 10 – 243
Grade 11 – 261
Grade 12 – 266

Total preliminary enrollment – 3,553 students. This number will decrease as no-shows are removed from the rolls. The official count day is the third Friday in September. For some comparison, the enrollment on count day 2005 was 3,457.

The Neglected R

Recently, Purdue University sponsored a Writing Summit for the top 100 experts in writing in the state of Indiana entitled "The Neglected R". The summit was by invitation only and Plymouth Schools had three attendees. Anne Liechty, Kathy Richter and Dan Tyree were heavily involved in the day-long summit. Other attendees were from Purdue University, Indiana University, Ivy Tech, Indiana Department of Education, Indiana Arts Council, various Indiana Service Centers, and other high schools throughout Indiana.

Topics covered included the following: Believes about Writing Instruction, Effective P-16 Writing Practices, Expectations for Graduating High School Students, Writing across the Curriculum, Pre-service Education for Future Teachers, Effective Professional Development, Writing Assessment Data, and Writing Digitally.

It was quite clear that Plymouth Schools are ahead of most schools in the state as we are not only turning out students who are comfortable in technical writing and college writing situations. Plymouth teachers deserve a pat on the back for the hard work it has taken to implement a K-12 writing program.

Plymouth attendees made important new contacts that will help provide the necessary network to turn out students capable of meeting and exceeding the expectations of Indiana’s universities and Ivy Tech.

Shakescenes at Notre Dame

Regina Warren, Lincoln Junior High Drama Director, took eight students to the Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival Sunday, August 13. The students performed a 15 minute scene from Romeo and Juliet. The students also took part in three workshops, and watched the last dress rehearsal of Notre Dame’s summer Shakespeare show.

Ready for School?

An article on the Indianapolis Star's editorial page discusses the role of parents in preparing students for school. What is your opinion?

Blog Bits

We thank all the school employees and volunteers who assisted with registration at the elementaries and Riverside. The turnout was heavy. We have many new students. The principals are following up on no shows. For those who filled out Preference Forms, the meeting is scheduled for the afternoon of August 8th to review the forms. A principal will be getting in contact with parents letting them know of the decision shortly thereafter.

The contractors at Menominee have done a wonderful job of getting the building available for registration. Carpeting is being laid in the hallways and instructional areas. The finish work on the cabinetry in the instructional areas is in progress. Teachers will be able to work in their classrooms no later than August 14th. School will open on August 16th for students.

Blog Bits 07-31-06

We are back! We have taken most of the summer off from communicating on the blog. As the beginning of school approaches, we will be writing regularly to update everyone on the events and issues impacting the school district.

Construction
Over the weekend, contractors installed the binder coat for the driveway and main parking lot at the new Menominee school. The office area is nearly completed and the new office furniture is installed. The cabinetry and carpeting is currently being installed in the classrooms. Furniture is scheduled to be delivered during the next 10 days. We expect school to open on time.

Registration will be restricted to the office and main entry at Menominee. Please see the information below for dates and times.

Registration
Registration for elementary and intermediate school will be taking place on: August 2 and 3.
August 2nd 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. / 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. / 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
August 3rd 11:00 am to 3:00 p.m. / 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

If you have questions about bus routes, please contact school officials during registration or call the transportation office and ask for Rick Scott at 574-936-3115.

Wellness Plan
Our district has worked very hard at designing the required wellness plan. Implementation will begin with registration. Information sheets will be available for parents at the elementary, intermediate, and junior high schools, and for parents and students at Plymouth High School. The board will be appointing a Wellness Advisory Committee at their meeting this evening. One of the committee’s functions will be to constantly review the implementation of the wellness policy.

Walking Areas
As part of the legislation that requires district to adopt wellness policies, each school district is to encourage students to walk and/or ride bicycles to school. The Plymouth Community School Corporation has always had walking areas assigned to each building. With the redistricting and with the construction of the new Menominee school, those walking areas have been revised. The maps for those walking areas are below. For those students who are riding bikes to school, we encourage students to lock the bicycle to the bike rack.

Please use link to website to view walking areas.
http://www.updatesoftware.com/plymouth/?cat=225&Type=0&sec=0&ssec=0

New Staff Members
Plymouth Community School Corporation will have over 25 new staff members as the school year begins. In our blog a new staff member will be featured daily. Last week the new staff members participated in an induction program. As part of that program, they learned about the procedures in their home buildings and corporation procedures. Many hours have been spent in the selection of new staff and we are extremely pleased with the new members who will be joining us.

First Student Day
Our first student day is August 16, 2006.

George "Galileo" Cox

The Plymouth School Corporation is proud to have a staff member's product for sale in the Sargent-Welch 2006 Catalogue. A long-time science teacher at Lincoln Junior High, George Cox recently announced that his invention entitled "Galileo's Experiment Apparatus" can be found on sale now at http://www.sargentwelch.com/product.asp?pn=WL0855&ss=wl085//. Cox has used the device for demonstration purposes in his 8th grade science class.
Mr. Cox expects another invention, "Mystery Springs" to be on sale soon. He also expects to receive a patent on the Galileo invention in the near future. He has been invited to demonstrate these inventions at the state science teacher's conference to be held during the 2006-07 school year.

Class Happenings

Tara Sharp has developed a new blog for her classes at Riverside. Double-click Class Happenings to the right to access the blog.

Blog Bits

Student Awards
It was a pleasure for both of us to attend the high school student award program last Monday and see the large number of students who have received both monetary and recognition awards. Congratulations to all of those award winners and a special thank you to all the patrons and community organizations that contribute to the various scholarship funds in our community. We are blessed.


Construction Update
At Jefferson Elementary the site work has been completed. The base asphalt coat has been installed on the playground. The cement workers have been notified to mobilize and install sidewalks and stoops. The exterior wall panels are now in production. The aluminum entry systems are in fabrication. The classroom vinyl tile and carpet has been installed. The hallway carpets will be installed upon completion of the parking lot. Construction Control and the architect have created the first punch list and distributed it to contractors. Final clean-up at the Jefferson site is projected for June 5th.

At the new Menominee, contractors are mobilized to begin site work on the floor for the mechanical enclosure throughout the building has been poured. The cement on the gym floor is being ground in preparation for the installation of wood flooring. The media center stoop is in place. The vestibule at the main entry to the building will be poured after the installation of the roofing material. The masons have completed the work in the special needs area. The window openings have been in-filled. The sealing of the brick is underway. The new sign base along Discovery Lane has been completed. The stairs to the mezzanine in section B will be installed this week. The doors and hardware are on site for future installation. The basketball backstops have been installed in the gym and the trim for the second floor display boards is being installed. The installation of the metal wall panels above and below the windows has begun. The ceramic tile has been completed in the kitchen area, the restroom area off the commons, and the restroom on the second floor of the instructional wing. Contractors are now installing tile in the first floor restroom.

The carpet and vinyl floor covering for the building is in transport and the installation will start shortly, in the Kindergarten rooms. The installation of carpeting in the hallways will be held until all sidewalks coming into the building have been completed. The sound panels above the stage have been installed. The wood floor installation in the gymnasium is scheduled for the month of June. The walk-in cooler/freezer installation is near complete. Kitchen equipment has arrived and has been installed.

The next delivery of casework will be in June for the special needs area. The delivery of the casework for the instructional area is scheduled for July. The temp specs heating and air conditioning room units have been installed in Unit A. The units have been set in Unit B. The installation of the air handling units in the mezzanine area in Section B will take place next week. The cable tray system in the building has been completely installed. The light fixtures are 90% installed in Unit A. The wire has been pulled in the second floor of the instructional wing and installation of light fixtures will follow. The installation of ceiling grid which is currently taking place on the second floor.

A tour for the Menominee staff will be held at 3:15 on Friday afternoon. Other staff members are welcome to attend.

Head custodians and building principals are reviewing punch list items at Webster, Washington, Lincoln, and Plymouth High School. That review will be forwarded to Construction Control.

At Plymouth High School the installation of the equipment in the TV studio is underway. Projected finish date is early June. The demolition of the bleachers in the main gym will begin next Tuesday or Wednesday.


Soccerplex
Work on the rehabilitation of the soccerplex is scheduled to begin in late June or early July. Seeding will take place during the first two weeks of August. During this season, home games will be played either on the practice field or at Lincoln Junior High.


Thank You
All members of our staff have worked extremely hard this year to provide quality services to our students. Each building re-wrote its School Improvement Plan for the next three-year period and has prepared for a site visit from the North Central Association people next fall. The elementary staff has sequenced the topics to be taught in Language Arts and mathematics and has piloted benchmark tests to track the growth of our students. A reading initiative has been implemented for the second year at the elementary level. A reading initiative is also underway in the junior high and the high school. In addition to all of this work, staff members have been planning for the moves between and among the buildings. Many staff members have spent countless hours before and after school in preparation and in service to our students. We express our appreciation to all staff members for their efforts during the past year and hope that they have a relaxing and refreshing summer.

Blog Bits

Teacher Appreciation Week
The week of May 8 is Teacher Appreciation Week. If you have an opportunity, please let a current teacher of your children or one of your former teachers know how much you appreciate what they have done for you or for your children.

Tomorrow evening, the corporation will be holding its annual Teacher Appreciation Dinner from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. at Washington Elementary. At 4:45, students under the direction of Mary Pat Glaub will provide entertainment. Awards will be presented to retirees after the entertainment.


JESSE ABCD Awards – April 27th
JESSE held it’s Above and Beyond the Call of Duty banquet at Christo’s Banquet Center. Persons from each school district were honored for their efforts with the children of the co-op. Plymouth’s honoree this year was Meg Schnieders from Webster Elementary. Meg was nominated by Donna Burroughs. Congratulations and thanks to Meg for all the work that she has provided to the students at Webster.


Construction Update
Site work is being completed at Jefferson. At the new Menominee, the cabinetry and lighting has been completed in all of the Kindergarten rooms and art room. Ceramic tile has been installed in the kitchen area and the restrooms in the commons area. Block fill has been completed in the upper floor of the instructional wing. Some of the rooms in the office area have been wallpapered. Non supporting walls are being constructed in the Special Education suite. The oak framework for the tag boards in the Kindergarten rooms and commons area have been installed. The next construction meeting is Thursday, May 12th.

Thank You Marshall County Community Foundation

The Marshall County Community Foundation awarded a grant of $2400 to Plymouth Community School Corporation to purchase a special evacuation chair for safely moving persons in a wheelchair down a staircase in an emergency. Thank you to the Foundation and to Kelly Skirvin who completed the grant application.

Blog Bits

School Board Meeting
The Board of Trustees met in regular session on April 20, 2006. In addition to its regular business, the board: Heard a report on the School Improvement Plan at Webster Elementary from Donna Burroughs. Reviewed the elementary, junior high, and high school handbooks. The next board meeting will be on May 11th. The board will meet in Executive Session to conduct interviews at 5:00 p.m. with the open board meeting to commence at 7:00 p.m. The meeting will be held in the board room

Construction Update
Jefferson Elementary site work is scheduled to begin this week. Once the sidewalks and pavement have been installed, the carpeting in the building will be installed.

At the new Menominee Elementary, all cement floors are now in place. The building is entirely under roof. The stairways connecting the first and second floors at the south end of the instructional wing are installed and in use. Casework installation is underway in the north wing of the building. Plumbers, electricians, and sheet metal workers continue the installation of their respective equipment. The laborer’s union has established informational pickets against Hagerman Construction at the site. The other trades are continuing their work.

Soccerplex
The bids for the rehabilitation of the soccerplex are due at the administration office on May 8th.

Fog Delay

Due to the fog, Plymouth Community Schools will be on a 2 hour delay this morning.

Blog Bits

Board Update
The Board of Trustees met in regular session on April 6, 2006. In addition to its regular business, the Board:
Heard a report on the planning for activities at Riverside Elementary from Mrs. Burroughs.
Reviewed the Intermediate School handbook.
Appointed Rick Ruud and John Hill to the Wage Committee.


Construction Update
The contractors continue to address items on the punch list at Webster, Washington, Lincoln, and Plymouth High School. Payments to contractors at those locations are now being held until punch list items have been completed.

At Riverside Intermediate School, there is some seeding that will be completed during the spring season. Signage will be installed over the front door.

At Jefferson Elementary, casework and the H-vac system has been installed. Ceiling grids are in place with the new light fixtures installed. The ceiling pads will be installed during the next two weeks. The building is ready for carpet. The installation of the carpet will be put on hold until sidewalks into the new area are installed.

At the new Menominee, the second floor masonry work in the instructional area has been completed. Masons are now focusing on the main entrance canopy and the canopy located by the dining room. The veneer brick on the east elevation has been completed. The stairway for the instructional area was delivered during the week of April 10. The basketball backstops will be delivered for the gym the week of April 17th. The entire building is now under roof. The parapet and counter flashing materials were delivered on the 3rd of April. Installation will begin next week. Panel deliveries will take place at the end of April. The installation of the dining room windows has begun. The installation of ceramic tile in the kitchen and restroom areas began on April 10. Ceiling grids have been installed in the art room and four kindergarten rooms and kitchen area. The gypsum board has been installed in the office area. The hood for the kitchen area was delivered on 4-13. The unit ventilators for the building are scheduled for delivery on April 17th. Case work was delivered for the art room, kindergarten rooms, and office area during the week of 4-10. The Unit A lights and wiring are 90% complete. The lights are installed in the gymnasium area.

Riverside PTO
The next organizational meeting of the Riverside PTO will be on Tuesday evening, April 25th at 6:30 p.m. at Webster Elementary. That evening, members will elect officers. Anyone interested in becoming an office in the Riverside PTO should plan to attend.


Webster Celebration
On April 7, the Webster staff celebrated being selected earning 4-Star school status for two years and nomination as a national Blue Ribbon school. Congratulations to the Webster staff on those outstanding achievements.

Blog Bits

NCA Conference
April 2, 3, and 4, 2006, 10 teachers and administrators from Plymouth Community Schools attended the NCA national conference in Chicago, Illinois.

The attendees had a choice to attend over 100 sessions on problem solving, writing, reading, and various other school improvement sessions.

As always, the teachers and administrators came back with helpful ideas to use for the school’s improvement plans.


Problem Solving Summit
On Thursday, April 6th, 20 principals and staff members held the first annual Problem Solving Summit.

A full day of research and discussion led to a consensus on the following. What should problem solving look like in Plymouth Schools for the next four years? What instructional strategies need to be made to make ourselves better teachers and make our students better problem solvers? How do teachers and administrators establish an accountability system for the professional staff as they work towards problem solving skills? What formative assessment and formative data should be completed in order to focus on improving problem solving skills? And finally, what summative assessment and summative data should be used to show the gains that we will make in the next four years?

The schools now have clearly defined parameters to take back to their committees and complete the school improvement plan for problem solving.


Marshall County Home Show
Over the weekend, thousands of people enjoyed the Marshall County Home Show in the Plymouth High School’s multi-purpose room. This is the first major event to take place in the multi-purpose room and we hope this area will be used by the community many times over.


Dinner and Play
On Saturday night, nearly 100 people enjoyed Alpha Delta Rho’s madrigal dinner and play. The Crimson Connection sang and those who were in attendance were welcome to a tremendous meal and well-written and well-acted play. Hats off to Alpha Delta Rho and the Crimson Connection.


Crimson Connection
And finally, Sunday afternoon, a large contingent watched the Crimson Connection sing in their last concert of the year. Mrs. Glaub said a tearful goodbye to her seniors in the chorus and the crowd was treated to an excellent concert. This may be the last concert for the year but we look forward to what the Crimson Connection brings us next year.

Blog Bits

Welcome back! We hope you had a relaxing spring break.

Health Savings Accounts
Some employees have asked if we have a Health Savings Account (HAS) program. We do not have an HSA program at this time. MASE has an insurance option that qualifies for a HAS program.

The district is exploring the possibility of an HAS with PEA. The following link: Health Savings Account Answers , has information regarding the concept.


Special Education Pre-School Payments
We were informed this week, by the Department of Education, that the pre-school program costs for distribution are $15,768,551 for the entire State of Indiana. The State of Indiana has only appropriated $11,315,435 resulting in a deficiency of $4,453,120. The Pre-Special Education payment to each school district will be reduced by $325.59 per pre-school student. The JESSE Board faces the challenge of providing services with reduced resources. It seems to us that discussions at the state level might be better focused on the neediest of our children rather than some of the topics that were in the spotlight.

New High School Course and Credit Requirements
The Indiana State Board of Education has adopted new course and credit requirements for earning a high school diploma. These new requirements go into effect for students entering high school in the fall of 2006. The State Department of Education has prepared a FAQ regarding this topic. The Frequently Asked Questions link is a valuable resource for parents.