SCH Weekly
Scott E. Miller, Superintendent
Issue 5 - February 3, 2020
Hi SCH Family,
This week is National School Counseling Week as we recognize and honor all of the hard work our school counselors put into student success. Our counselors help with academics, college and career preparation, social/emotional learning and a myriad of other areas that add up to healthy, successful, stable young people. Please make them feel special this week and join me in thanking them for everything they do for our kids.
Sincerely,
Scott
Area Career Center
The Area Career Center hosted the annual Regional SKILLS USA competition this past Saturday. SkillsUSA is a national partnership of more than 365,000 students, teachers and industry working together in more than 19,000 local classrooms to ensure America has a skilled workforce.
Students enrolled in nine of the 16 Career and Technical Education Pathways offered at the ACC competed in Saturday’s events. The top five students in each category qualify for the State Competition held April 17 and 18, 2020. Our congratulations to all competitors for a job well done!
Buildings & Grounds
The Buildings and Grounds Department is busy getting ready for summer projects already!
Listed below are important dates to start process of awarding contractors specific projects:
- Pre-Bid Meeting – Thursday, February 13, 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. - Administration Building, Room 118
- Bid Opening – Thursday, February 27, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. - Administration Building, Room 118
Listed below are some of the projects to be completed during the summer:
- Security enhancements at several buildings
- Roofing replacements at 3 buildings
- Replace domestic water booster pump systems at 8 buildings
- Replace parking light poles and lighting at various locations
- Replace boiler at 2 buildings
- Replace PA system at 5 buildings
- Refeed hot/cold water supply at various locations
Food & Nutrition
On February 13th 2020 the Department of Food & Nutrition would love to have all our schools participate in ‘No One Eats Alone’ day. Nationally No One Eats Alone Day will be celebrated on Friday February 14th – but since we have an eLearning Day that day we will be celebrating the day before. Below is information from the organizers of the day.
No One Eats Alone® Day teaches everyone how to make friends at lunch, often the most difficult part of the school day. Created and organized by students, this is our most popular program where schools in all 50 United States participate!
There are two important things to know about having a No One Eats Alone Day at your school:
- The students are in charge. We have found that when you empower teens to make these changes, they do so enthusiastically and, most importantly, the changes stick.
- Make it local. Each school has its own traditions and its own charm. Let this show through.
Will you join us? Sign up today to request the 2020 National No One Eats Alone Day backpack full of materials to launch your very own No One Eats Alone Day at your school. One backpack per school. Each backpack comes with a copy of the No One Eats Alone Teacher Guide, wristbands, stickers, posters, balloons and supplies for a community art project. Backpacks will be shipped in January.
No One Eats Alone is a Positive Prevention Initiative that works to prevent bullying before it starts by teaching students to lead the movement to change the culture of middle school! Our curriculum is aligned with Common Core ELA standards and CASEL competencies.
Sign up today to immediately access all of our No One Eats Alone materials online! For even more information here’s a short YouTube video explaining the program.
Hammond Academy for the Performing Arts
HAPA will Sponsoring a World Premier Musical - Working with producers and writers from throughout the nation, this workshop production gives students the chance to do a show from the ground up and change it nightly. Come see us explore and discover.
Please visit HAPA on Social Media: Hammond Academy for the Performing Arts or our website HammondAPA.com. This month we celebrate the contribution of African-American artists on our society and artistic culture!
Health Services
Human Resources
Wishing a very Happy Birthday to all the staff members who have birthdays this week!
Noreen Arduino, Luz Avila, Juan Barboza, Patricia Barnes, Kenneth Benich, Jeanetta Berry, James Bigham, Adam Blomquist, Diana Brown, Cassandra Carey, Angelita Christensen, Emilyn Cisneros, Sandra Clark, Daisy Cortez, Catherine Dilbeck, Christina Drechsel, Diane Dudzik, Felecia Ellis, Karen Farrer, Rhonda Fehr, Audry Franklin, Ellen Gibbs, Andrew Glidewell, Esther Goodes, Juanita Hamlin, Roshawnda Hubbard, Kimberly Jackson, Connie Jeka, Dayvis Jimenez, Casey Johnson, Gayle Johnson, Cynthia Jones, Donyetta Jones, Iris Kelly, Laura Laboy, Anais Ledesma, Kelly Lupo, Teresa Maciel, Ruth Malave, Cheryl Maman, Kirsten Marusic, Petra McMullen, Rosemary Mendoza, Alejandra Morales, Noemi Moreno, Jon Moskovich, Sarah Mureiko, Abigail Ogrentz, Keisha Peyton, Heather Pickens, Connie Ramirez, Colleen Sanchez, Ana Santos, Kenya Savage, Myoshia Scott, Kelly Shanks, Kyle Stephens, Tiffany Strickland, Jeffrey Swisher, John Taylor, Melissa Timm, Christopher Tokarski, Monique Vaughn, Cynthia Warner-Lowe, Monica West, Terrence Williams, and Richard Wood.
Special Education
The Crisis Center Gary, IN (Miller Beach)
Businesses cooperate with the Crisis Center to help youth to safety. Businesses display a Safe Place sign indicating they are willing to assist children who are in unsafe environments. Crisis Center staff retrieves youth from the site and transport them to safety at Alternative House.
Alternative House is an emergency shelter for boys and girls, ages 10 to 18, who are runaways, homeless, abused or neglected and need help to resolve problems and successfully return home or to an alternative, safe living situation. The maximum state regulated stay is 20 days.
Teen Court is an intervention program for young people who have committed an offense for which they have been referred by their school or local police department. Youth appear before a court of their peers who determine the appropriate sentence that may include restitution, essays, apologies, community service or other creative sentences. Over 20 years of outcome determination indicates that 87% of youth do not re-offend. Teen Court is currently held at the Lake Superior Court, Crown Point, Hammond City Court and Portage City Court.
Crisis Contact is a fast, free telephone response to problems. Trained staff responds with kindness and concern for callers who may be seeking information on resources or who are lonely or upset and just need a friendly voice. 219-838-0900.
Crisis Contact is also linked to the National Suicide Prevention telephone lines. Crisis Contact may be reached at 800-519-0469. Runaway Hotline: 800-RUNAWAY.
Technology
When dealing with all of the phishing email, spam, and stresses that occur day-to-day, it’s easy to forget that physical security is one of the most important aspects to uphold. Don’t prop doors open or allow others to “piggyback” (holding the door and letting others in) when entering or leaving buildings. Make sure all visitors are routed through the main office, and challenge unknown visitors if you see them. A simple “can I help you?” will go a long way toward determining someone’s purpose in your building. If you see something, say something!
SCH Events
Monday, February 3rd
- Clark MS/HS - Boys Basketball vs. Highland - 6 p.m.
- Edison ES - Cheerleading - 3:15 p.m. to 4:45 p.m
- Gavit MS/HS - MS WIDA Testing - 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
- Irving ES - YMCA Childcare Begins
- Irving ES - Facebook Read Aloud - 6 p.m.
- Irving ES - PTA Candy Gram Sale Begins
Tuesday, February 4th
- Administration Center - School Board Meeting - 6 p.m.
- Clark MS - Girls Basketball @ Gavit - 5 p.m.
- Clark HS - Girls Basketball @ Calumet - 7:30 p.m.
- Edison ES - Fair Haven Presentations
- Edison ES - Chess - 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Edison ES - Soccer Game (Students vs. Staff) - 3:15 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- Edison ES - Chorus - Black History Celebration Rehearsal - 3:15 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Franklin ES - IREAD 3 Parent Meeting - 9:30 a.m. & 3:30 p.m.
- Gavit MS/HS - HS WIDA Testing - 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
- Gavit MS Boys Basketball vs. Clark - 5 p.m.
- Irving ES - Purdue Nutrititon Class for Parents - 9:15 a.m.
- Irving ES - Art Club - 3:15 p.m.
- Lincoln ES - Family Reading Night - 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- O'Bannon ES - Art Club - 3:15 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Wednesday, February 5th
- Edison ES - Fair Haven Presentations
- Edison ES - Dance - Black History Celebration Rehearsal - 3:15 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Edison ES - Cheerleading - 3:15 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.
- Edison ES - Girl Scouts - 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- Gavit MS/HS - MS WIDA Testing - 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
- Morton HS - Boys Basketball vs. Bishop Noll - 6 p.m.
- Morton HS - Girls Basketball vs. Merrillville @ Lake Central - 6 p.m.
Thursday, February 6th
- Clark MS - Girls Basketball @ Gavit - 5 p.m.
- Clark HS - Boys Basketball @ Hammond HS - 5:30 p.m.
- Edison ES - Fair Haven Presentations
- Edison ES - Soccer - 3:15 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- Edison ES - Brownies & Daisies - 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- Gavit MS/HS - MS WIDA Testing - 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
- Gavit MS Boys Basketball @ Clark - 5 p.m.
- Lincoln ES - Professional Development - 8 a.m.
- Lincoln ES - Backpack (Junior Achievement) - 9 a.m.
- Lincoln ES - Preschool side-by-side
- Lincoln ES - Popcorn
- Morton HS - Girls Swimming Sectional @ Munster - 5 p.m.
- Morton HS - Boys Basketball @ Whiting - 5:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
- O'Bannon ES - Parent Workshop (ADHD) - 12:15 p.m.
- O'Bannon ES - Girls Basketball - 3:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.
- O'Bannon ES - Chess - 3:25 p.m. to 4:25 p.m.
Friday, February 7th
- National Wear Red Day
- Edison ES - Basketball Practice - 3:30 p.m.
- Irving ES - Art Club - 3:15 p.m.
- Irving ES - Dental Hygiene Presentation (Kdgn. & 1st)
- Gavit HS - Girls Basketball @ Calumet - 6 p.m.
- Lincoln ES - Yearbook pictures
- O'Bannon ES - PTA Popcorn Day
Saturday, February 8th
- Clark MS/HS - Wrestling Regionals @ Hobart - 9 a.m.
- Gavit HS - Winter Formal - Andora Banquets - 6 p.m.
- Morton HS - Girls Swimming Sectional @ Munster - 9 a.m.
SCH Highlights of the Week
Clark MS/HS
Lincoln ES
Morton ES
Do you help a friend, or even someone you don't know, in need? Do you hold a door open for someone, or stop and help a classmate tie a shoe? Here at Morton Elementary, we are putting in place some interventions and supports to encourage positive behavior in our students. When a student is caught being good, he/she receives a ticket which is brought to the office and placed in red cups according to grade level. Then, on Friday of every full week, Mrs. Rykiel and Mr. Walczak pull tickets and those students are called to the library to receive rewards and thanks for their good deeds. At Friday's whole school assembly, pink ticket holders in all grades got to participate in our celebration. The whole school watched as students and staff competed in fun games and activities, and everyone cheered when Mrs. Rykiel and Mr. Walczak got slimed!
Morton HS
National “Black Lives Matter at School Week” Feb 3-7.
Please see the link below for more info about BLM at School Week, along with numerous teaching materials and resources you can use in your classroom this week or throughout February for Black History Month (or any time). https://blacklivesmatteratschool.com/teaching-materials/ There was also an article about “BLM at School Week” in Teaching Tolerance: https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/black-lives-matter-week-of-action Athletics - Over the weekend Morton High qualified 3 wrestlers from sectionals to regionals. These individuals were Nicholas Vargas 2nd place, Justin Lee 3rd place and Ezekiel Gomez 3rd place. They will compete in Regionals at Hobart High School Saturday, February 8th starting at 9 a.m.
Morton High School's DECA Chapter has 10 students who have qualified to compete at the State Career Development Conference in Indianapolis on March 1st - 3rd. Those qualified for the conference are: Diana Araiza, Elaiza Araiza, Yisrael Austria, Cashmere Booker, Yasmine Booker, Igancio Cipres, Valeria Gonzalez, Diego Ibarra, David Ruiz, and Angelina Tuazon. DECA is advised by Charlene McMillion.
O'Bannon ES
O’Bannon Teachers and Staff received hearts from our students with their monthly quote for February. They were placed in teacher and staff mailboxes as nice surprise to start off this new month. The students made these during indoor recess in January. Thanks Miss Jackie, Miss Jovita and Miss Shelly and Mrs. J. Denny for organizing and planning this surprise! #obannonproud #weloveourteachersandstaff
Scott MS
40 of our 8th grade students had the opportunity to spend the afternoon learning about manufacturing jobs and do a 3D tour of ArcelorMittal.
Even our Principal, Mr. Hicks, experienced the 3D fun!
We are grateful to ArcelorMittal and their volunteers for providing our students with this amazing opportunity.
Stay Informed
An update from the Superintendent is distributed at the beginning of the week.
View previous weekly updates from Mr. Miller here.
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Email: schadmin@hammond.k12.in.us
Website: www.hammond.k12.in.us
Location: 41 Williams Street, Hammond, IN, USA
Phone: (219) 933-2400
Facebook: facebook.com/SchoolCityofHammond/
Twitter: @SCHK12