The Cardinal Way

Last year, out staff members of the week were selected by our students. This year, we are looking for our staff members to nominate each other. If you think there is a staff member who deserves to get recognized, please be sure to fill out this Google Form. The form will be open throughout the year so please remember to nominate our amazing staff members when they go above and beyond!

The start of the year is always filled with excitement, anxiety, joy, and frustration; and this year is no different. No matter how much we try to prepare it always feels overwhelming as we try to remember the things that we only setup once a year, to prepare for the new legislative changes on schools, to figure out how we are going to meet the needs of our students AND get them grade level access to standards, how to create a classroom environment that will be yours and your students' home away from home, and everything in between.

I know it's hard.... being an educator always has been and alway will be HARD. As Duke coach, Kara Lawson says, we can't wait for things to get easier.... "it will NEVER get easier." We have to figure out how to handle the hard stuff better. And you know what, I believe that WE know how to do that. The key is to remember our purpose (serving our diverse community by developing independent thinkers who excel in an ever-changing world) and to CONNECT and rely on each other for support as we go through the hard stuff together.

We are a Title I high school with over 75% of our students receiving free/reduced lunch, almost 700 students are English Learners, over 15% are students with exceptional needs, and many of our students are not reading on grade level in our building. With all of that, we have created new graduation pathways, developed mentorship programs, implemented high quality instructional practices, developed proactive support programs, and found ways to motivate students so we can boast an almost 90% graduation rate year after year.

We always figure out how to handle hard better.... and I know this year will be no different!

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Being a teacher is not just a profession or WHAT you do - it's a calling that requires passion, dedication, empathy, and a commitment to making a positive impace on the lives of others.

Thank you for all that you do for our students, staff, community, and each other!

Ignite-Connect-Empower

• All of our staff members who presented during the opening day meetings.
• Austin Lundsford for making sure the auditorium was up and running for our orientation activities and open day meeting.
• Joe Horvath for all of his work with building the schedule this summer.
• Our athletic department, trainers and coaches for hosting the physical night for students and their families.
• Alicia Tasker for coordinating our opening days pizza, food truck, and ice cream social.... and so much more!
• The entire staff for going above and beyond to help students and each other the first few days of school.

Thank you to everyone who presented and participated in the opening day meetings! It was a great few days of learning from, with, and alongside each other.

We had a great time welcoming the Class of 2028 during the orientation activities. The student volunteers, staff members who gave of their time, and all who were there made it a huge success!

Conner McNeely took some of our BSU leaders on a trip the week before school started. They started with breakfast downtown at Lincoln Square, where they got to chat with a SHS grad who offered them tons of advice on internship opportunities and other networking opportunities.

They then had a meeting with Senator Andrea Hunley and had a tour of the statehouse. They spent over an hour with the senator. She asked them a lot of questions, and they asked her a lot of things too! One of the students was encouraged to come intern for them in the fiscal office once she gets to college.

Students then had a Zoom call with Jerell Blakeley, Director of Government, Community, and Racial and Social Justice for the Indiana State Teachers Association. The students were so inspired and empowered, and when they got off the call, they had nothing but goals and ideas of how to grow BSU and positively impact all of SHS!

They then went through a True Colors workshop to learn about their leadership style, what that means, and how to work with others who are different than you. They culminated the day with a scavenger hunt around downtown. It was a great day!

Perry Township is excited to announce that we are offering Heritage Chin as a world language class this year. The Chin Community of Indiana celebrated the partnership, and are grateful that we are providing students the opportunity to continue to learn their culture and language.

Sui Tial has been integral in allowing this class to take place at SHS and PMHS. She planned the curriculum and is teaching the class at both high schools.

Website: https://www.perryschools.org/sh/
Location: 971 East Banta Road, Indianapolis, IN, USA
Phone: 317-789-4800
Twitter: @SHS_Cardinals