MSD OF DECATUR TOWNSHIP

Dear MSD of Decatur Township Families,

As we ended our first nine weeks of school on September 29th, I want to share that we have had a great start to the 2024-25 school year! Parent-Teacher conference day is on Wednesday, October 2nd. Students will not be in attendance on that day so our teachers are able to meet with parents and guardians to discuss student progress during the first quarter of the school year. This is an important opportunity to develop and maintain strong home-school partnerships and I hope that you are able to meet with your child’s teacher.

I would like to share with you information about a recent event that our students at Decatur Central High School (DCHS) participated in with me. I was asked to attend and speak at the Westside Chamber of Commerce Superintendent Forum in late September. We had nine of our students, who are seniors at DCHS, attend and have an opportunity to speak. Our students made such a great impression on all of the attendees and represented Decatur Township so well! It was so great to hear about their successes and to hear about their future plans upon graduation.

As we start the month of October, fall break is only a few days away. This year, fall break begins at the end of the school day on October 4th and continues for two weeks. Students will return to school on October 21st. There are also some fun events sponsored by our schools this month. These include the Decatur High Ability Academy (DHAA) Fall Festival and Haunted House, which will be held on October 26. There is a flyer included with this letter for your reference.

Another event is the DCHS Safe Halloween Celebration which will be held on October 30th. This trick or treat event will be held at the high school and it is hosted by the DCHS student council, student organizations, and athletic department. More information will be shared in the coming days. I hope that you are able to support these two events sponsored by DHAA and DCHS.

As we begin the second grading period, I want to thank you for your support of our schools. We have outstanding students who represent Decatur Township each day and dedicated teachers and staff members who support and educate our students each day. I am proud to serve as superintendent of schools in a district where we Prepare Students to be Tomorrow Ready!

Respectfully,

Dr. Scott Collins

Superintendent

At the regularly scheduled meeting of the MSD Decatur Township School Board of Education on September 10, 2024, Assistant Superintendent Mr. Chris Gearlds led the Decatur Proud recognitions.

For the first recognition, Mr. Gearlds introduced those who contributed their time, business resources, donations, and talent to our 2024 Backpack/School Supply Drive. By partnering with the Decatur Township Fire Department and with the help of our community partners, we were able to provide 1,500 backpacks, donated by the Indianapolis Airport Authority and Patterson Horth, filled with school supplies to our Decatur Township students! This event and your generosity truly have a great impact on our families, helping to equip students to have a successful school year. Emily LeMay, Director of Student & Family Engagement, who coordinated the event, then recognized the following community partners:

• Decatur Township Fire Department

• Patterson Horth, General Contractors

• The Excel Center

• Indianapolis Airport Authority

• Veregy

• Chalet Rehab Healthcare

• Culver's of Kentucky Ave.

• MSD Decatur Township Transportation Department

• Meijer of Camby

• Performance Stoneworks

• Costco of Avon

• Los Patios

• Applebee's

• Casey's

Many thanks also to MSD Decatur staff members, administrative assistants, administrators, and district leaders for their invaluable support in fundraising, filling and distributing the backpacks.

L to R: Scott Collins, Emily LeMay, Rick Anderson (Veregy), Chief Brandon Wood (DTFD), Chief James Halleck (DTFD), Callie McCune (Airport Authority), Larry Taylor

Next, Mr. Gearlds introduced the Decatur Central High School Cheer Team, with coaches Sara Gibson and Ashlee Buzcek. The Decatur Central cheerleading competition squad earned first place in the traditional category for High School Cheerleading at the Indiana State Fair. Not only did they place first, they earned the highest overall score for the category of a traditional routine for all school sizes. This is an outstanding accomplishment and a true testament to the dedication and hard work by these athletes, as this portion of their competition season occurred over summer break. They practiced for hours during the summer to be prepared for this competition. Congratulations!

The “Tomorrow Ready” Award recognizes staff members (nominated by peers, supervisors, parents, or community members) who go above and beyond to exemplify our beliefs of equity, teamwork, and excellence, positively impacting our schools and students.

Congratulations to Brandy Coulombe, Clerical Assistant at Lynwood Elementary, nominated for going above and beyond each day with dedication, kindness, professionalism, and customer service. Mr. Jay Lovell, Principal of Lynwood Elementary shared, “Brandy is the heart behind Lynwood. She works effortlessly to know all of our students and their families by name. Brandy has amazing organization and keeps meticulous notes, always staying on top of all items needed for our students. She is extremely reliable and loved by students, families, and staff. Brandy is always giving her all for Lynwood. We are so fortunate to have her here.”

Pictured (L to R);Scott Collins, Brandy Coulombe, Larry Taylor