MCAS Communicator

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Be sure to stop by the opening reception for "Inspired to Inspire" at Lubeznik Center for the Arts. This exhibit features art work by our very own art teachers, including Holly Beadles, Sue Vigen, Melissa Jongkind, Kelly Tokoly-Rothermel, Sue Cleveland, Cheri Whitler, Matt Raney, Sarah Quartuccio, and Erin Ledyard.

The opening reception is Friday, March 4 from 5pm to 8pm at Lubeznik Center for the Arts, 101 W. 2nd Street, Michigan City. The exhibit will be on display through March 29.

For more information visit LubeznikCenter.org/exhibitions/inspired-to-inspire or call 219-874-4900.

It’s almost spring! Time for the annual Michigan City St. Patrick’s Day parade! All MCAS staff are invited to march along with our unit for the parade on Saturday, March 12. We will be holding signs and passing out pencils and other goodies to kids. Look for our decorated minibus and the MCAS food truck in the lineup along Washington Street at 12:30pm. The parade begins at 1:00pm. Wear your favorite school logo wear along with your own touches o’ green.

Last Friday (February 25) the CDC announced that it is no longer requiring that people wear masks on school buses or vans. The CDC is making this change to align with updated guidance that no longer recommends universal indoor mask-wearing in K-12 and early education settings in areas with a low or medium COVID-19 community spread.

The MCAS COVID Response plan indicates that we will follow federal rules on this issue; face masks are now optional on our buses.

Teachers: please remind your students about the “Celebrating Naomi Anderson” contest, sponsored by the Michigan City Human Rights Commission. This is this year’s Black History Month Contest – which is centering on Michigan City suffragist Naomi Bowman Talbert Anderson. (Also perfect for Women’s History Month, which is March!). Visit the MCHRC Website for the contest rules, entry form, and resources that teachers may find helpful in giving students background information.

In addition, below is a link to a video created by the MCHRC, which is designed to introduce Naomi Anderson to younger students.

https://alc.viebit.com/player.php?hash=6bmlF0qRwvav

The deadline for entries is March 14. (This is always a great contest- students are typically honored at City Hall and will win VISA gift card prizes!)

MCAS would like to acknowledge our many dedicated Student Success Coaches and School Social Workers, who are being celebrated across the country during National School Social Work Week.

THANK YOU for the vital role you play in helping our students as they overcome academic, social, and emotional challenges.

Michigan City Area Schools will have "Kindergarten Roundup" through March 31st.

For families with children who will be age 5 by October 1, 2022 -- it's time to enroll! Enrollment takes place online; families are asked to visit the link below to complete the online request for enrollment. They will then receive an email with additional instructions for completing enrollment.

Elementary schools will be open TODAY (March 1) from 12-6 and by appointment anytime in March for those needing assistance or needing to drop off documents (please call in advance).

For much more information visit http://educateMC.net/kindergarten

MCAS Summer School will begin on June 6 for secondary students and June 8 for elementary students, with both levels concluding on July 1st. Elementary programs will be held at Lake Hills, while the high school and middle school (entering grade 7/8) programs will be at MCHS.

Elementary summer school will run 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.; high school programs will run 7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. and there will be two 10-day sessions. Middle school will be 7:30-Noon. All programs are at no cost to families and include lunch.

Elementary programs will include a Kindergarten Countdown program funded by the United Way. To support learning in reading and math, in grades 1-6 students will be immersed in a “case study” or a deep dive into a specific topic that varies by grade level. A computer science camp will also be offered at the elementary level this summer. Middle school programming will once again offer the DJ turntabling lab that infuses math, computer science, & English Language Arts through hands-on STEM opportunities for middle school students. High School courses will include English, Math, PE, and credit recovery.

Special Education will offer two programs for elementary and secondary students. The GOALS Program will provide academic and life skills support for the moderate/severe population and the Behavior Support Program will provide academic and social skills support for the behavior and emotional disabilities population.

Teaching and support positions will be posted in early March.

Much more information will be posted on our website soon!

Our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is now offering a new service ... Virtual Support Groups, which are specific to MCAS employees. This is a place you can go if you are feeling anxious, burnt out, or not feeling yourself.

A Franciscan EAP Therapist will facilitate these anonymous support group conversations. Meetings are held on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Microsoft Teams meeting links are embedded in THIS FLYER.

For more information about these Virtual Support Groups contact Franciscan at FRANCISCANEAP@franciscanalliance.org; or 219-662-3730.

"Working Well" offers information on wellness programs and how they can help us reduce healthcare costs and improve employee well-being. Franciscan publishes a monthly "Working Well" newsletter, and there are some great topics in the February 2022 edition.

• Importance of Stretching
  
• Understanding Trauma
  
• Repurposing Leftovers
• Apps for Healthy Living
  

CLICK HERE to check it out! If you're interested in reading previous issues of "Working Well" visit FranciscanHealth.org/WorkingWell

If you are looking to eat healthier, but don't know where to start, Franciscan Health offers this informative webinar about incorporating more plant-based foods into your eating plan. It will discuss:

• What is a plant-forward diet?
• What are the health benefits?
• How to seamlessly transition to a more plant-forward approach with your diet.

CLICK HERE to view the webinar. It is a 13 minute video that is available until March 15.

Franciscan Health and urologist Dr. Robert Korsch have provided the following presentation, "This One's For The Guys," focusing on men's health.

It will discuss:

• Enlarged prostate and urinary symptoms

• Erectile dysfunction and sexual performance

• Low testosterone

CLICK HERE to access the presentation.

The Unity Foundation of La Porte County is now accepting applications for the 2022 cycle of scholarships and awards. The deadline for submission is Friday, March 25, 2022. Scholarship awards average over $2,000 each. In addition to graduating high school seniors and continuing college students, many of the scholarships are also open for adults looking to get a professional certificate or associate, undergraduate, graduate or doctoral degree. For the 2021-2022 school year, Unity awarded more than $330,000 in scholarships to approximately 150 students.

To learn more visit uflc.net/scholarships today!

Keep Indiana Learning has released a brand-new Engagement Center! Click the video below to learn more about how it works. This center was designed by educators for educators and offers free, high-quality professional learning.

It includes:

• An engaging learning experience for educators
• Free, searchable live events
• OnDemand events that can be streamed instantly
• One-time registration to access all content
• Personalized favorites list of videos
• Easy-to-share content
• Fewer clicks to get where you want to go
• Expansive and relevant topics
• Ever-growing library of events and videos
• Immediate access to PD in your pocket!

Are you looking for continuing education, recertification, or professional development? University Southern Indiana has partnered with VESi (Virtual Education Software) to offer online, self-paced courses on a variety of topics and growth points.

CLICK HERE for more information, or feel free to contact VESi at info@virtualeduc.com or call 1-800-313-6744.

La Porte County Symphony Orchestra is now accepting audition applications for Hoosier Star!

This vocal competition is open to Indiana residents and South West Michigan residents. Adult and Youth first place prizes are $1,000 and the second place is $500. However, just being able to perform with the La Porte County Symphony Orchestra is an experience of a lifetime!

CLICK HERE to learn more about Hoosier STAR and the La Porte County Symphony Orchestra.