DuneNews

Front row, left to right, Emmalise Adcock, Savannah Grant and Alaina McGrogan. Back row, Carmen Thomas, Nicholas Carpentier, Samuel Macker, and Quinn Fleming.

Chesterton High School is proud to announce that seven outstanding students have earned the prestigious recognition of being named 2025 National Merit Commended Students. The students who have achieved this honor are: Emmalise Adcock, Nicholas Carpentier, Quinn Fleming, Savannah Grant, Samuel Macker, Alaina McGrogan and Carmen Thomas.

These students are part of a select group of about 34,000 Commended Students across the nation who are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the 2025 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, their performance on the 2023 PSAT exam places them among the top 50,000 students nationwide.

"These students have demonstrated remarkable academic achievement, and we are incredibly proud of their hard work and dedication," said Brent Martinson, Principal of Chesterton High School. "Their recognition as Commended Students is a testament to their commitment to excellence and their bright futures ahead."

The National Merit Scholarship Program is one of the most prestigious academic honors in the country, and being named a Commended Student highlights the significant academic potential of these students.

The CHS Trojan Guard Marching Band gave another strong performance this past weekend at the Concord Invitational. The competition featured 18 talented bands from across Northern Indiana. The Trojan Guard competed well, capturing 3rd place in Open Class A while scoring higher than ever before at the Concord Invitational!

This year’s show “¡VIVA!” focuses its music and design on representing a wide variety of Latin American and Spanish culture and heritage, combining many unique dance elements with some incredibly talented soloists. Featured musicians in “¡VIVA!” include: CHS sophomore Lyric Brown, juniors Holly Decker, Will Liles, Katie Newbanks, Cameron Pace, Lillyanne Peschke, and seniors Sam Ames, Makayla Erickson, Elsa Estridge, Vanessa Godinez, and Soren Schott.

Bassuba Section Leader, senior Madison Buckley, has enjoyed the early season audience and judge reception. “We seem to be the judge’s favorite show each week,” she commented. “The show is super fun to watch and listen to, and the judges can tell we love performing it!” The Trojan Guard’s new Color Guard Director Jeffory DeHenes agreed, “¡VIVA! is thrilling to watch from start to finish, I love it! And the best of it is coming with our fourth movement, so stay tuned.”

The Trojan Guard’s competition season keeps pushing forward as the band competes next at Penn High School’s Carnival of Bands on Saturday, September 21. The Trojan Guard will also host its annual Community Night Performance at 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, at the CHS Stadium. The event will be free and open to the public.

For additional information regarding the Trojan Guard or any band activity, please contact the CHS Music Department at (219) 983-3758.

Click on the image below for more information on Homecoming 2024

The HUB is Duneland's birth-to-school program free to any family with 0-5 year olds that live within the Duneland School Corporation district.

We have the following classes:

• Music and Motion
• Trojan Tykes
• Mini Movers
• Calm Crew
• Kinder Kids
• Young Explorers
• PALS
• Trojan Time
• Open Gym
• Kinder Kids
• Multipurpose Room Open Play

In September the HUB will be teaching the following themes in our classes: back-to-school, family, and Fall.

If you have children ages 0-5, come join in the fun M-F at the HUB. Check out this FREE program at our DSC website.

https://www.duneland.k12.in.us/programs-services/duneland-early-learning-hub

• Jackson Elementary - September 26
• Yost Elementary - October 2
  
• Early Learning Preschool - October 8 (Day 1) and October 9 (Day 2)

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

The Duneland Schools share information that pertains to opportunities our students may be interested in and 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.

Want your event/activity/camp posted on this page? Submit a request by email with the flyer/information to the Duneland Schools Administrative Center to ahicks@duneland.k12.in.us and bmartinson@duneland.k12.in.us.

Ready to make a difference in the lives of students? Interested in a fulfilling and rewarding position with no required evening or weekend work? Looking to enjoy the same summer and holiday schedule as your kids? The primary responsibilities of Exceptional Learning (EXL) Instructional Aides range from sharing smiles, making connections, building confidence, encouraging learning, supporting students with instruction in & out of the classroom, and assisting children with self help & self management skills.

DSC is currently searching for select individuals to serve as EXL Instructional Aides. Available positions can start at $19.00, $17.00 or $15.00 per hour. Opportunities exist at elementary, intermediate and secondary levels and can:

• be full-time/benefit-eligible
• be part-time and follow the student school day
• involve sharing the day with a single student
• involve engaging with multiple learners in a classroom setting
• 
  

The Chesterton High School Alumni Association is seeking nominations from the community to be considered for the CHS Alumni Association Hall of Fame for 2024.

“Many accomplished and dedicated individuals are not necessarily in the public eye; they are the unsung heroes and quiet warriors among us impacting students and staff every day,” said Mike Anton, CHS Alumni president. “The 2024 recognition committee invites alumni, community members, parents and others throughout the Duneland community to submit their nominations.”

Please consider nominating a candidate for Alumnus, Teacher, Administrator, and Support Staff based on the following qualities:
Excellence
Leadership
Respect
Exceptional Contributions
Citizenship
Giving Back
Collaboration
Courageous Acts
Advocacy

The CHS Alumni Association is accepting nominations for 2024 now through Friday, November 1 at 3 p.m.

Learn more about the past Hall of Fame recipients and about the CHS Alumni Association at the CHS Alumni Association website.

Did you know that Duneland Schools has an online Spirit Wear Stores where you can buy your Duneland all school spirit wear? Check out our Spirit Wear Store platform at: https://dunelandschoolsopenstores.itemorder.com/shop/home/

To make an appointment please call 219-763-8112. Let NorthShore know you are a Duneland School student or staff member and that you would like to make an appointment at the Duneland School Clinic located at the old CMS.

The DSC Child Nutrition Department utilizes NutriSlice as its menus program. This app is available for iPhone and Android through your mobile app store. Parents can also access the full website for Duneland Schools on a computer via this NutriSlice link.

This app will allow parents and students to view the menus as well as the nutritional info for each menu item at any of the Duneland Schools. This program will be developed further incorporating images of the actual food items being served at each of the Duneland schools.

Menus will be posted on Thursday, Aug. 1

In the Fall of 2023, a strategic planning team was formed to review and update the current four-year strategic plan into a five-year plan that will be used to guide the Corporation from 2024-2028. The new Strategic Plan will guide DSC for the next five years in the areas of Student Achievement, Safety & Operations, People & Culture, and Finance & Facilities.

Contact the Duneland School Corporation IT department via one of these methods:

1. Open a IncidentIQ ticket by sending an email to: helpdesk@duneland.k12.in.us
   
2. Log into IncidentIQ and submit a request duneland.incidentIQ.com

Families without internet due to financial hardship have access to programs from two local providers.

Comcast Internet Essentials:

• Families that qualify for public assistance programs such as the National School Lunch Program, Housing Assistance, Medicaid, SNAP, SSI and other programs may also qualify for the Internet Essentials program from Comcast.

• This program offers internet at a low cost per month.

• Additional options and services are also available

• More information is available at this Comcast link

Frontier Lifeline Program:

• Families that qualify for public assistance programs such as the National School Lunch Program, Housing Assistance, Medicaid, SNAP, SSI and other programs may also qualify for the Lifeline Program from Frontier.

• More information is available at this Frontier link

Email: bmartinson@duneland.k12.in.us

Website: www.duneland.k12.in.us
Location: 601 West Morgan Avenue, Chesterton, IN, USA
Phone: 219-983-3600
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dunelandschools/
Twitter: @dunelandk12