This Week at Jackson

In keeping with our Core Values, Duneland School Corporation is committed to fostering partnerships to improve the quality of life in our community. One of our most important partnerships is with our families. As we strive to continue to build upon and strengthen our family partnerships, DSC is applying for renewal from the Indiana Department of Education as an IDOE “Family Friendly Schools” corporation. In doing so, we will continue to “focus on addressing students' academic, physical, emotional, and social needs while providing the needed resources and fostering the active involvement of their families through schools and the community.” (Indiana Department of Education Family Friendly Schools Handbook)

Please help us as we continue to support our students and community by completing the IDOE online survey by November 21, 2023.

Your ongoing support in educating the children of our community is greatly appreciated!

SURVEY LINKS AND INSTRUCTIONS:

Survey Links:

• 2024-2025 Family Friendly Survey Questions for Families

• 2024-2025 Family Friendly Survey Questions for Families-Spanish

School Name: choose your school from the drop-down list

School Corporation: 6470 Duneland School Corporation

School Liaison Name: MICHELLE PALKO

School Liaison email: mpalko@duneland.k12.in.us

School Codes for your convenience:

6928 - Bailly Elementary School

6819 - Brummitt Elementary School

6817 - Jackson Elementary School

6823 - Liberty Elementary School

6941 - Newton Yost Elementary School

6821 - Liberty Intermediate School

6927 - Westchester Intermediate School

6930 - Chesterton Middle School

6925 - Chesterton Senior High School

6926- Trojan Virtual Academy (TVA)

This week, we read Millie Fierce by Jane Manning. Mrs. Tarnowski's class joined us as the live studio audience, and led the school in the singing of "Onward, Trojans."

On Tuesday, November 7th, we will have a scheduled, asynchronous eLearning day. We will also be shifting the teacher work day to 11am-7pm so that we can hold parent-teacher conferences at times more convenient for parents.

Our teachers will hold office hours to assist students and parents with assignments 11:00-11:30am and 2:00-2:30pm that day. In the remaining time, teachers will be available to meet for optional conferences.

We ask that parents reserve their spots for conferences with the classroom teachers as soon as possible. We ask that no one ask for an unscheduled conference the day of the event; although our teachers want to meet, it is unfair to the parents that scheduled conferences to deviate from the planned schedule. If parents need to make alternate arrangements for a phone conference on another day, they can reach out to the individual teacher.

Conferences with related arts teachers are drop-in; parents do not need to reserve spots to speak with a related arts teacher.

We will have a check-in desk at the main entrance so that we can respect everyone's time.

At this point, teacher calendars should be closed for scheduling additional appointments so that they have time to prepare materials for the day of the event.

The Department of Teaching and Learning has created this Standards-Based Grading Parent Handbook for K-4 families as they navigate the new structure of the report cards this year.

Standards-Based Grading strengthens the family-school connection at the K-4 level by making it easier for families to understand how their children are improving academically and giving students the time they need to grow as learners. Traditional grades are averages of student performance in multiple skills and concepts. With Standards-Based Grading, families have access to the levels of mastery students have achieved on every individual priority standard. It is easier for families to support their children’s academic growth because the information shared is more specific, timely and actionable.

We are already seeing the benefits of standards-based grading in terms of the specific feedback teachers are able to provide to students about their learning. That said, we know this shift is a large paradigm shift for students, staff, and parents. Our experience has taught us that students are the first to adapt to major changes in their lives; it can take us, as adults, much longer to get used to the changes.

The great majority of us grew up experiencing only traditional grading using the A-F scale. If you think about it, many of our teachers, even those without many years experience, are likely bringing at least two decades experience--including their time in the K-12 education system, their college degree, and their years as a teacher--with traditional grading. The same is true for most of our parents: it is likely the only system of grading we have ever known.

To help us all become more comfortable with standards-based grading, we are sharing the following documents that show, in greater detail, what it means to use standards-based grading at each grade level.

Our rules are: be safe, be respectful, and be responsible. A copy of our rules and how they apply in different school contexts is below. Because it is designed to be printed on 11x17 paper, the font is very small in this format.

As we approach the winter season, please review the procedures for school closings and/or delays that may occur due to inclement weather. The decision to close school and engage in a virtual-synchronous eLearning day (see below) or alter the school day is made after collaborating with multiple district personnel, local, state departments and agencies, including: law enforcement, national weather service, highway/street departments, and transportation. In addition, other Porter County school districts are consulted due to partnerships that impact special education and career-technical education students.

Decisions about school delays due to inclement weather will be made as early as possible. In some instances, a school cancellation may follow a two-hour delay. In the event of a two-hour delay followed by a cancellation, we will do our best to make the decision to cancel school before 9:00 a.m. Delay or cancellation information will be delivered through the Skylert notification system. These notifications are based on the contact information provided in the General category within your Skylert notification system. Please review and update (if necessary) your contact information to receive these notifications. School closing/delay information will also be posted on the DSC website (www.duneland.k12.in.us) and sent to the following media outlets:

• Radio: WAKE 1500 AM; Indiana 105.5 FM; WEFM 95.9 FM; WDSO 88.3 FM; WGN Radio 720; WBBM Newsradio 780

• Local TV Channels: 2, 5, 7, 9, 32

• Websites: www.cancellations.com; www.emergencyclosingcenter.com

The following options will be considered during weather emergencies:

Option 1: Start of the school day will be delayed 2-hours. Delayed start times are:

• Elementary - 10:00 a.m.

• Intermediate - 10:15 a.m.

• Middle School - 9:50 a.m.

• High School - 9:40 a.m.

Option 2: Students will not report to school; students will participate in an unplanned inclement weather eLearning day (virtual-synchronous-see Guidelines for Students)

• Students will take part in Google Meet sessions with their teachers to receive face to face instruction. Teachers will post schedules by 9:00 A.M. Please click on the link above for more information.

Option 3: Schools will dismiss early

Guidelines for Students 2023-2024 School Year

Follow the links below by grade level to find the appropriate Unplanned (Virtual - Synchronous) eLearning Day Plan for your student.

Grades K-4 Synchronous Plan

Grades 5-6 Synchronous Plan

Grades 7-8 Synchronous Plan

Grades 9-12 Synchronous Plan

Link to DSC eLearning info and help for Students & Parents

Jackson Families,

Our school is participating in a creative fundraiser with Art to Remember that allows you to purchase keepsake products customized with your child's art. Your child should be bringing home a personalized order form this week to access the Art to Remember website which allows you view and purchase your child’s art projects. The deadline to order items for FREE shipment to the school is Monday, November 20, 2023. The items that are ordered by this deadline will be shipped to Jackson Elementary in advance of the Holiday Break. You can access the website and order after November 20th, but you will need to pay for shipping and they will be shipped directly to your home or an address of your choice.

There are over 60 products and many are less than $15. These make great holiday gifts and a percentage of every purchase goes right back to our school. Click on the link below and enter the online order code shown on your child's order form or to search for your child's artwork. Then, have fun shopping!

https://arttoremember.com/school/G7PWLK

If you have any questions, please contact Shawna Burke at burke@burkeshome.net

Thank you for continuing to support the efforts of the Jackson PTO.

With the exception of the first four days of school, our students rotate through their related arts classes every two days. The below charts will help you to know what is happening with your child each day.

Information regarding student bus transportation for the 2023-2024 school year is available on DSC website under the Transportation Department.

The DSC Transportation has My Stop available for our families.

My Stop is a web-based application which allows parents to access live bus GPS information using a smartphone, tablet, or computer and securely view the current location of your child’s bus on routes. The system also provides the bus’s estimated time of arrival at your child’s bus stop.

Please read the attached letter to parents for more information on how to use My Stop to track your child's bus.

Need to add money to your students school meal account on MyPaymentsPlus? Click on the image below to access

The goal of the Duneland School Corporation district school newsletters is to inform students, parents and the school community about school-related information.

This year, the Duneland Schools will share information that pertains to opportunities our students may be interested in outside of school on a special page on our website. These available opportunities are offered by not-for-profit partnerships and organizations within our school district boundaries and local communities. Follow this link to Community Opportunities.