DuneNews

The third nine weeks grading period ended on Friday, March 14. Student report cards will be available at 3 p.m. on Friday, March 21.

SPRING BREAK - March 24-28

There will be no school for all Duneland School students on March 24-28 to observe Spring break. Classes will resume on Monday, March 31.

Congratulations to Sammie Boster on winning the IHSAA State Championship with her Beam routine on Saturday. Sammie finished her Beam performance with a score of 9.675 which was the best score of the day by all gymasts by two tenths of a point. In addition, Sammie finished the day in eighth place in the all around with a score of 37.200 with scores of 9.425 (Vault), and 9.050 (Floor and Bars). As only a sophomore, Sammie has continued to grow and improve on her gymnastics routines and the “Beam Queen” of 2025 will look to add to her IHSAA State Finals medal total over the next two years as her future looks bright for the maroon and gold.

The 2025 Show Choir Competition season came to an end on Saturday at Norwell HS in Ossian, IN. To cap off an already exciting season, CHS had their best performances of the season and walked away with numerous accolades to add to the trophy case BUT even more importantly, memories to last a lifetime!

The Chesterton Drifters with their band The Business took home 1st Runner-Up honors in the Treble Division, as well as taking home the Best Crew caption award. Senior Annette Ruiz-Moreno was named the group's Outstanding Performer! Senior Kathleen Coleman earned the Treble Division's Outstanding Soloist Award!

The Chesterton Sandpipers with their band The Business took home 1st Runner-Up award of the top 6 show choirs! Freshman Talan Lipka was named the group's Outstanding performer.

The Business took home TWO best student band awards (one for the Treble Division and one for the Large Mixed Division), giving them three best band awards this season!

We also celebrated our amazing solo competition participants who have been representing CHS Show Choirs all season long. It was an incredible day to cap off an incredible season!

We cannot thank all of our Do Dads, KidDOS, Chaperones, Sew Squad moms, Choreographers, arrangers, and fans enough for helping us achieve all that we can! The community will have one final chance to see the Show Choirs award-winning competition shows in action at the CHS Spring Revue on May 16.

Solo competition participants, front row, left to right, Ryan Gray, Jane Maddex, and Emme Curran. Back row, Sam Smith, Antonio Unpingco, Karleigh Pawlyszyn, Hannah Loving, and Ava Cunningham.

The CHS Winter Guard competed in their class state finals and came home on Saturday as Regional A Medworth Division Champions! This amazing group of performers dominated the circuit for the last few weeks and came out on top of the Medworth Division of the Indiana High School Color Guard Association.

Congratulations to: Abigail Demsich, Makayla Erickson, Ava Garland, Vanessa Godinez, Madison Jackson, Abigail Krueger, Allison Lopez, Brianna Manning, Addison Mason, Morgan Millis, Natalie Newman, Kaylin O'Daniel, Kenzie O’Daniel, Baylee Parrott, Lilyanne Peschke, Lucy Rutkowski, Alina Summer, Caryss Vandiver, and Caprie Wilson.

The Chesterton Winter Guard’s 2025 show is entitled “Let it Pour”, and preaches “a little rain never hurt anybody”. Dancing and twirling to “Singin’ in the Rain” by Gene Kelly and a rendition of Rhianna's “Umbrella” by The Baseballs, the group's performance has been described as "visually striking" and "joyous". Members worked hard to expand their skills by twirling flags, rifles, sabers, umbrellas, and even beach balls!

Huge thank you to Robert Mueller, who has been in charge of building and maintaining our amazing props. Prop Crew members include: William Newman, Elsa Estridge, Miles Gast, Cohen Parrott, and Natalie Leensvaart. CHS Winter Guard Director Jeffory DeHenes is assisted by Katie Radliff.

Left to right, Lana Glazer, Suzanne Adent, Zoe Komp and Georgia Peterson

The Chesterton Dance Team closed out their season bringing home another championship in the IHSDTA Solo & Ensemble State Competition. This Small Ensemble routine, comprised of dancers Suzanne Adent, Lana Glazer, Zoe Komp and Georgia Peterson was choreographed by Krystal Kaszuk showcasing the dancers athleticism and artistry. Congratulations to these dancers.

In addition, three dancers, Senior Amelia Kelly, Junior Suzanne Adent and Sophomore Lana Glazer qualified to compete at state. Glazer earned the impressive 4th place finish for her solo choreographed by Krystal Kaszuk.

Congratulations to all on closing out the CDT 2024-2025 season with such success.

The Chesterton High School Super Bowl team competed in the Valparaiso High School area competition on Monday, March 17. The CHS Math team, above, placed 2nd (seniors Quinn Fleming, Sam Macker, Luke Sparks) and the English team, below, placed 3rd (Jane Lewis, 9; sophmores Callum Webb and Sophia Sylvester).

CHS Jazz Strings with award

Chesterton Music Department sent six groups to the ISSMA Jazz Contest hosted last weekend at Portage High School, where they all had fantastic performances and earned Gold ratings!

CHS Jazz Strings and the CHS Intermediate Orchestra, earning two of the top six scores, both earned Gold ratings and the additional “With Distinction” Honors at ISSMA Jazz Festival. String musicians Kayla Willis, Avi Burke, Declan Ringler and Carly Decker earned Outstanding Soloist Awards with the Intermediate Orchestra. Noah Roberts supported both groups on drumset and received much praise from the panel of judges.

The LMS GOLD Jazz Band earned a Gold Rating after performing pieces such as “When Johnny Comes Struttin’ Home,” “Tango for Jam Jam,” and “Bubbert Takes the Train.” Three soloists earned Outstanding Soloist awards in the LMS Jazz Band: Lucas Torres, Callum McKiddy, and Kevin Landers twice.

The WMS GOLD Jazz Band earned Gold after performing “Come out Swinging,” “Step Right Up,” and “Drama for your Mama.” Matzen Finck and Thomas Moore were recognized as Outstanding Soloists.

The CHS Jazz Program sent two bands to ISSMA festival this year. The extracurricular Maroon Jazz Band and the advanced CHS Jazz Ensemble.

CHS Maroon Jazz Band members with award

The CHS Maroon Jazz Band pieces “Shout, Stomp, and Swing!,” “Gringo,” and “Back Online” earned a Gold rating. Maroon Jazz soloists Alex Brown, Tyler Cichocki, Archer Lohman, and Claire Thomas earned Outstanding Soloist Awards.

CHS Jazz Ensemble members with award

The CHS Jazz Ensemble performed Benny Goodman’s “Swingtime in the Rockies,” Count Basie’s “Jamie,” and “Night Walk.” The band earned a Gold rating. Soloists Claire Thomas, Evans Frassine, Andria White, and Tiara Wilkerson earned Outstanding Soloist Awards for their performances throughout the evening.

Front, left to right, Yost Principal Josh Huwig, father Joel Crots, brother Joseph, recipient Matthias Crots, mother Abigail Crots, sisters Violet and Cynthia Crots, and Duneland Exchange Club representatives Bob Capehart and Jackie Ruge-Perkins.

The Duneland Exchange Club recently presented fourth grader Matthias Crots of Yost Elementary School with the Young Citizenship award. This award is given to a student who is an all-around good citizen. The club presents this award to one fourth grade student at each of the five Duneland elementary schools, at the sixth grade level at each of the intermediate schools and at the eighth grade level at each of the middle schools and NWI Online School.

Above, left to right, Duneland Exchange Club representative Bob Pawlik, recipient Veronica Wilgocki, sister Kaya and parents Agata and Pawel Wilgocki

The Duneland Exchange Club recognized CHS Senior Veronica Wilgocki as its Youth of the Month. Veronica is the daughter of Agata and Pawel Wilgocki.

A dedicated two-sport athlete, Veronica has competed in Track and Field for four years, twice representing CHS at the IHSAA State Championship; and is a recipient of the prestigious Larry James CHS Cross Country Award. Beyond athletics, she is a member of the National Honor Society, serves as a Tutor Lab volunteer, and participates in the Work Ethic Certification program.

Veronica’s community involvement extends to her role as a Student Liaison for the Board of Directors of Rebuilding Together Duneland, where she recruits volunteers and assists in selecting homes for renovation. She has also contributed to local 5K races and helped with the Polish Folklore Dance group at her church.

An accomplished student, Veronica has maintained a 4.10 GPA, earning a place on the Principal’s Honor Roll every semester. She will attend Evansville University in the fall, majoring in Psychology, Athletic Training, and Spanish.

Exciting News from Brummitt Elementary!

Brummitt Elementary 3rd and 4th grader students joined forces to help support the dogs at Lakeshore PAWS!

The 4th-grade students put their talents to great use working hard on their persuasive writing skills. The students wrote essays encouraging people to adopt dogs from Lakeshore PAWS—a cause they were truly passionate about. They were excited and motivated knowing that their words could make a real difference in the lives of these lovable pups. We are so proud of their efforts to use their voices for good!

Brummitt 3rd graders put their math skills to the test making over 300 dog treats to donate to Lakeshore PAWS. Using their knowledge of fractions, multiplication, division, and measurement, they carefully mixed and shaped each treat, applying what they learned in a fun and meaningful way.

The hard work and generosity from both grade levels will bring joy to the dogs, proving that learning can make a real difference in the community!

Please help spread the word and support the Brummitt student mission—Adopt, don’t shop!

On March 10, the CHS Principles of Early Childhood Education classes created stations for preschoolers at the Trojan Learning Center. The children had a blast exploring hands-on STEM stations designed with early childhood development in mind. From building simple structures to experimenting with electricity and water, each activity sparked curiosity and encouraged playful learning. The interactive stations allowed little learners to explore science, technology, engineering, and math in a fun and engaging way. It was a fantastic day of discovery, creativity, and problem-solving for our youngest scientists!

The Duneland School Corporation (DSC) celebrates excellence in education by selecting a Teacher of the Year at both the elementary and secondary level and a classified staff member as Employee of the Year.

The outstanding teachers and employees below were nominated for recognition by students, parents, colleagues and Duneland community members in the month of February. In March, finalists were selected from those nominated by principals, supervisors and the Duneland Teachers Association.

A selection panel representing students, parents, community members and district administration will interview and then select the Teachers of the Year and the Employee of the Year from those recognized as finalists during the month of April.

The 2025 winners will be recognized at the May 5, 2025 School Board meeting, beginning of the Year Programs in August, in DSC publications, website, and social media and on a plaque displayed at Central Office. Winners will also receive a classroom/office door banner along with a monetary stipend of $500. In addition, both the elementary and secondary winners will represent Duneland teachers in the Indiana Department of Education’s statewide Teacher of the Year Program.

Above, Jackson Elementary teacher Kate Conway administers compressions as school nurse Jo Graff readies the AED machine with Principal Sam Marshall during the heart safe school drill at the school on Monday. Below at right, Brummitt Elementary Asst. Principal Justin Jenks administers compressions with the help of school nurse Jenna Applegate.

On Monday, March 17, both Brummitt and Jackson Elementary received a heart safe school designation from Project ADAM. Chesterton High School, Liberty and Westchester Intermediate/Middle School campuses received their designation earlier this school year.

Project ADAM (Automated Defibrillators in Adam’s Memory) is a nationally recognized program dedicated to preventing sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in schools. Named in honor of Adam Lemel, a high school student who tragically lost his life to SCA, the initiative focuses on raising awareness, training staff, and providing schools with necessary tools to respond effectively to cardiac emergencies.

CHS Nurse Brittany Smith coordinated the program at Brummitt and Jackson Elementary. The initiative was supported by the school district to be implemented throughout all Duneland schools in the next two years. Smith stated, “Implementing this initiative throughout the district promotes cardiac awareness and provides a strategic plan in the event of a cardiac emergency for Duneland’s staff, students, and community.” Nurse Smith reported, “We are currently ahead of schedule with our initiative and will have all of the district certified as heart safe schools, placing the district one full year ahead of the initial projected timeline.” Liberty, Bailly and Yost Elementary Schools are scheduled to conduct their heart safe school designation drills on May 5.

New directional signs have been placed at both elementary campuses to guide visitors and staff to AED locations. Teams have been trained in cardiac awareness and staff will have ongoing education regarding sudden cardiac arrest.

Separate invitations will be provided for families interested in KinderCamp, our Pre Kindergarten Program.

Need Skyward Support? If you need support in registering for summer school within the Skyward Arena Scheduling please call your child’s school and the Skyward/Office Administrative Assistant can provide support.

Should you have any questions about summer school programming please contact the following:

Grades PreK-7 - Call the Department of Teaching & Learning at 219-983-3656

Grades 8-12 - Contact the CHS Counseling Office at 219-983-3730

Help VOTE Chesterton High School 'Best Public High School' for the 3rd year in a row! Voting opened TODAY. Participants may vote one time daily in each category today through March 23. Click on the image below of this link to vote: https://www.nwitimes.com/exclusive/readerschoice/best-of-the-region-ballot-2025/

Dear Families,

We are excited to announce that we have adopted a new form of school-to-home communication at called ParentSquare for the 2025-2026 school year. This unified communications platform is designed to keep parents and guardians informed and encourage greater engagement and connection with Duneland School Corporation. It provides a safe way for district administrators, school principals, teachers, staff, and parents to:

• Send and receive school and class information

• Share pictures and files

• See calendar items

• Sign up to volunteer

• Schedule parent-teacher conferences

• and much more . . . all in one centralized place!

Parents—Getting Started Video

All district and school, grade level and classroom information will now be sent to your computer or phone via email and/or text. For even more convenience, download the ParentSquare app (available for free for iOS and Android devices).

Have questions? Click the question mark in the top right corner of the desktop version or the Help tab on the app (tap the triple bar icon at the top left) to find answers to most of your questions.

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.

Click on the image below to register

Click on the image below to register

Chesterton High School students in the International Baccalaureate Advanced Art program will showcase their artwork at their annual Exhibit Opening on Wednesday, April 2 from 5:30-8 p.m. The exhibit will continue Thursday, April 3 between 5:30-7 p.m. Admission is FREE.

This exhibit is the culmination of a year’s journey of independent research that fueled the student’s creative resolve. Each student was challenged to explore, experiment and express individual themes. Each chose diverse media to narrate their ideas and developed individual styles in the process, and will all design their own spaces to present their work. Please join us and share in the achievements of seniors Andrew Adams, Ben Aitchison, Hannah Armstrong, Elena Clark, Isabelle Connors, Bethany DeLong, Elsa Estridge, Audrey Hopkins, Marley Mayer, Chloe-Joi Pablo, Juliana Perez, Alison Piskula, Aubriana Pulsoni, Jasmine Santos, Elizabeth St.Marie, Dex Trzaska, and Kennedy "Liz" Williamson, and juniors Mila Beale, Jolie Cleveland, Calypso Dutro, Katherine Newbanks, Baylee Parrott, Cecilia Post, Jamie Roser, Karina Vasquez, Lily Ward, and Lauren Yarosz.

Their exhibit will be displayed in the CHS Upper Gymnasium. Visitors should use Entrance 31. Elevator or stairway access is available.

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Join the Duneland Education Foundation for an enchanting evening of masquerade, silent auctions, and celebrating another year of giving.

The Duneland Education Foundation is the foremost philanthropic partner of the Duneland School Corporation. DEF grants and scholarships ensure ALL Duneland students have access to a high-quality, exceptional educational experience.

Chesterton High School will host its 6th annual Porter County Disability Resource Fair on Thursday, April 24, 2025, from 5-7 p.m. The 2025 Porter County Disability Resource Fair, featuring over 40 vendors from Northwest Indiana, will offer information and feature local support services for people of ALL ages with disabilities. Chesterton High School is located at 2125 S. 11th St., Chesterton, IN. Attendees are asked to use Door#31 on the north side of the building. For additional information, contact Ezra Burke at eburke@duneland.k12.in.us.

The Duneland School Corporation Early Learning HUB is proud to be the first birth-to-school initiative in Porter County. It's a special place where caregivers and their children can learn, play, and grow together.

This March, the HUB is exploring exciting topics like Dr. Seuss, weather, spring, and much more with our families. If you have children ages 0-5, join us Monday through Friday at the HUB for some fun!

Don’t miss out on this FREE program—head to our DSC website to learn more!

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

Discover Duneland School Corporation’s Trojan Learning Center (TLC)!

The Trojan Learning Center offers a variety of educational opportunities for young children and their families. Here's a glimpse of what we provide:

• Duneland Early Learning HUB: A FREE program for children ages 0-5 and their caregivers, offering birth-to-school educational experiences. Learn more about this exciting initiative here: https://www.duneland.k12.in.us/programs-services/duneland-early-learning-hub.

• Preschool Programs: Tailored preschool programs for children ages 3-5 with developmental delays and Individualized Education Plans (IEPs).

• Duneland Family YMCA Partnership: In collaboration with the Duneland Family YMCA, we offer two additional preschool classrooms to enhance learning options.
  
  Our preschool programs are built around a research-based curriculum that fosters children’s social skills and emotional development. At TLC, we ensure that every child is immersed in a nurturing, fun learning environment with activities designed to bring all preschoolers together!

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
• 
  

Click on the image below for more information and to apply TODAY!

Do you want to earn money but still be home with your family?

Does the cost of childcare hinder your plans to work?

Does your child participate in the many afterschool opportunities?

Would you like to spend quality time with your kids during spring, summer and winter breaks?

https://www.applitrack.com/dune.../onlineapp/default.aspx...

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/

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.

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 Board of School Trustees for the Duneland School Corporation approved the new DSC Strategic Plan at its December 4, 2023 regular meeting. The plan will guide DSC for the next five years in the areas of Student Achievement, Safety & Operations, People & Culture, and Finance & Facilities.

These timelines were revised as of December 2024 to reflect necessary adjustments to the plan and to ensure the continued success and growth of our educational community.

Click this link to view the new 2024-2028 Strategic Plan

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