Bainbridge Elementary School is excited to announce a generous donation from State Farm Insurance, thanks to local agent Brad Tucker, to support fire safety education at the school. The donation includes an array of educational materials such as firemen hats, stickers, posters, banners, plush dolls of Sparky the Fire Dog, and coloring books with crayons. These resources will be used to enhance the Bainbridge Fire Department’s fire safety classes for students.

This contribution will help equip students with essential fire safety knowledge in an engaging and interactive way, ensuring that they are better prepared for emergency situations. The fire safety materials will play a vital role in making learning both fun and memorable for students.

A special thanks to Lani Guerrettaz from State Farm Insurance for her assistance in coordinating this effort and bringing these valuable resources to Bainbridge Elementary.

“We are incredibly grateful to Brad Tucker, Lani Guerrettaz, and the entire State Farm Insurance team for their generosity,” said Mr. Brandon Wagler. “The safety of our students is a top priority, and these materials will go a long way in helping our teachers and the Bainbridge Fire Department educate our children about fire prevention and safety.”

Pictured in the front row accepting the donated materials are members of Mrs. Char Coffman's Class. Back row, left to right: Dr. Dustin LeMay, Mrs. Char Coffman, member of Bainbridge Fire Department Nathan DeLong, Principal Mr. Brandon Wagler, State Farm Insurance Agent Brad Tucker, and Lani Guerrettaz.

The North Putnam High School Athletic Department and the Town of Roachdale recently joined forces to send special birthday wishes to Cody Adams, a proud North Putnam alumnus and former Roachdale resident, who has made his mark as an on-air TV personality.

The initiative began when Roachdale Town Clerk Debbie Sillery reached out to North Putnam, asking if the school could help Cody celebrate his milestone 30th birthday. Eager to show support, North Putnam Athletic Secretary Ricki Campbell and Athletic Director Bart Jochim played key roles in designing a personalized birthday card and collecting special gifts for Cody.

We would like to extend our warmest birthday wishes to Cody Adams and let him know how proud we are of his accomplishments!

On Saturday, September 28th on a wet morning, your North Putnam Cougar harriers completed the clean sweep of all four county titles. The morning started off with the Varsity Girls Team competing first and scoring five of the seven all county positions (Jacy Huffman 2nd, Barbi Fuchs 3rd, Brooke Hensley 5th, Erica Zatorski 6th, and Kaylee Hoover 7th). The Varsity Boys Team then scored 34 points on the legs of Jeremiah Miles, 3rd; Elijah Harless, 4th; Corbin Conner, 6th; Thomas Nelson, 10th; and Kaleb Walton, 11th.

In the middle school division the Middle School girls were two points away from a perfect score dominating the remainder of the county. Their top five finishers were: Chanlie Busch, 1st; Brooklyn Sutherlin, 2nd; Natalynn Franklin, 3rd; Natalia Grajewski, 4th; and Rowan Moore 7th.

In the middle school boys race they won with a team total of 19 points, 4 points away from a perfect score. Their top five finishers were: Isaac Garriott, 1st; Carson Chew, 2nd; Marshall Wireman, 3rd; Harrison Young, 4th; and Eli Hreno, 8th.

Congratulations to all four Cross Country Teams!

We are excited to announce the launch of the NP Reading Crew, a group of dedicated community members who are volunteering their time to read in classrooms at Bainbridge Elementary and Roachdale Elementary. These volunteers bring stories to life for our students, sparking imagination and fostering a love of reading.

The presence of readers in our schools is invaluable—not only do they share wonderful books, but they also inspire a culture of learning and engagement. It’s a simple yet powerful way to show our students that reading is fun, important, and a lifelong skill.

We invite more community members to join the NP Reading Crew. If you enjoy reading and want to make a meaningful impact on our students' education, we would love to have you! Let’s continue to build strong relationships between our schools and the community, one story at a time.

To get involved, please complete this form and one of our dedicated educators will be in touch!

Bainbridge Elementary recently held their annual Career Day where they bring in a variety of different careers for students to be exposed to, and to learn about a variety of different types of careers. We would like to thank all of our guests for coming out and sharing their experiences with our students. We would like to thank Mrs. Lisa Costin who dedicated a substantial amount of time and effort in order to organize this event.

Students at Roachdale Elementary and Bainbridge Elementary recently had the exciting opportunity to take part in a hands-on 4th-grade science project, thanks to a collaboration with The Castle, a nonprofit organization based in Greencastle. Dr. Jim Benedix, a professor of biology at DePauw University, met with the students to share his expertise on squirrels and their habitats. Dr. Benedix not only taught students about squirrels' natural environments but also invited them to contribute to his ongoing research. By capturing images of squirrels and sending them along with location details, the students are helping him update a GIS map that tracks habitat segregation in tree squirrels.

During his visit, Dr. Benedix also explored topics like the life cycles of plants and animals, predator-prey relationships, habitats, and the role of camouflage in nature. His engaging discussions sparked the students' curiosity, encouraging them to observe and appreciate the world around them. This project is a wonderful example of how partnerships with community organizations like The Castle and DePauw University can enrich students’ learning experiences and connect them to real-world science.

North Putnam Athletic Director Bart Jochim is proud to announce that, thanks to the generous efforts of those who donated blood this summer, North Putnam has been awarded the "Most Improved" honor by Versiti Blood Center, as well as the 2024 Colts Leadership Challenge award. Bart extends heartfelt gratitude to everyone who participated and gives a special shout-out to the North Putnam Touchdown Club for their incredible support in promoting and encouraging blood donations.

This recognition comes on the heels of several other accolades received by our athletic department and football program this fall. Recently, North Putnam Athletics was honored with a $1,000 check from the Indianapolis Colts Foundation as part of their Hometown Hero program. Additionally, head football coach Scott Moore was named Region 6 Coach of the Week for Week 3 of the Indiana High School Football season.

It's a great day to get a book from the NPMS Follett Book eFair! The book fair is a great way to acquire new and exciting reading materials for your student or personal collection. The book fair also helps to support the middle school classroom libraries and various student programs. Every purchase made, NPMS earns 20% back in rewards. If you would like to shop the Book Fair, click the link below.

At the Homecoming Football Game on Friday, October 4th, Hometown Dental presented a special award to North Putnam High School educator, Mrs. Brandy Dickson. The Hometown Dental Team serves like professionals, cares like family, and delivers smiles daily. Dr. Dennis Knuth and Dr. Tess Funke were proud to deliver some smiles to North Putnam Dollars For Scholars on behalf of our Homecoming Hometown Hero, Brandy Dickson! Brandy was been recognized by North Putnam Schools and Hometown Dental as this year’s Homecoming Hometown Hero. Brandy is a JAG teacher at North Putnam High School. She sponsors our Champions Together programs and coaches at the high school and middle school levels. She also runs our community food pantry and runs the concession stand at our athletic events. Hometown Dental and North Putnam Schools would like to thank Mrs. Dickson for all she does for our community. On behalf of Mrs. Dickson and all her work, Hometown Dental donated a thousand dollars to North Putnam Dollars For Scholars on her behalf.

North Putnam Schools would like to thank Hometown Dental for their partnership and recognizing Mrs. Dickson in this way. Thank you and congratulations Mrs. Dickson!

As filmmakers, critics, and film lovers from across the globe gather for the 33rd annual Heartland Film Festival, our very own community of Putnam County will take center stage. The documentary "North Putnam," directed by acclaimed filmmaker Joel Fendelman, offers an intimate portrayal of a year in the life of North Putnam schools and the vibrant rural community they serve.

This compelling film, produced in collaboration with locals like Beth Benedix and Anthony Mullis, highlights the crucial role that schools play in community development and the interconnectedness between education and the broader social fabric.

You won’t want to miss the chance to see "North Putnam" on the big screen. Two screenings are available:

• Friday, Oct. 18, 7:45 p.m., Glendale’s Landmark Theatre, Indianapolis
• Sunday, Oct. 20, 4:45 p.m., Emagine Theaters, Noblesville

Tickets are available both virtually and in person at www.HeartlandFilmFestival.org. Join us in celebrating our community’s story!