SCI Shark Bytes Newsletter

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Dear SCI Families,

We invite you to our annual first semester Academic Showcase on November 7th from 5:30-6:30.

We are thrilled to open our doors to celebrate the achievements and hard work of our students. This showcase is a testament to their growth, creativity, and dedication, and we are honored to share it with you.

As you explore classrooms and presentations, we hope you see the incredible learning happening each day at SCI. Our students and teachers have put in tremendous effort to create a space where you can witness firsthand the joy and passion they bring to their studies.

The evening is also a celebration of the partnership between home and school. Your encouragement and involvement play a crucial role in your child’s success, and we thank you for being a part of this journey with us.

Please come enjoy the evening as you experience the many ways our students are growing as thinkers, creators, and problem-solvers.

Thank you for being here and supporting our wonderful school community. Together, let’s make the night a memorable celebration of learning!

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Also, next Monday we honor Veteran's Day. Let’s take a moment to reflect on the incredible courage, commitment, and sacrifice shown by the men and women who have served in our armed forces. Veterans are individuals who have put the well-being of our nation above their own, working to protect our freedoms and ensure a safe future for all of us.

Whether they served during times of war or peace, at home or overseas, their contributions are invaluable, and today we celebrate their dedication, bravery, and sacrifice. Let's also remember that freedom isn’t free—it’s a gift preserved by those who have served.

I encourage each of you to take a moment today to thank a veteran if you know one or to simply pause and reflect on the blessings of freedom and security we often take for granted.

Thank you, veterans, for all that you have done!

Warm regards,
Mrs. Michelle Bunnell

Principal

mbunnell@hse.k12.in.us

@MichelleBunnell

S- SAFE

Rio Aoto - Mr. Michael

• Always does a good job in PE!

Annabella Macias - Mrs. Talty

• Great job asking about an adult on the playground when you didn't see a badge

Audrey Davisson - Mr. Walden

• Audrey was helpful for the Guest Teacher today and set a positive example for others

Lincoln Ainsworth- Mrs. Tolle

• Awesome listener during Body Safety program today

Tyler Schneider- Mrs. Tolle

• Safe during the Fire Drill

Zephyn Bentley- Miss Turner

• Making sure the floor is clean

C-Caring

Kyler Houston - Mrs. Tolle

• Participated during principal read aloud

Macy Gardner - Clarice Nolan

• Always being a kind, caring friend. When others have big emotions she helps calm them down

Lily Derbyshire - Mrs. Hicks

• Thanks for sharing your charger without being prompted!

Ava Manzella- Mrs. Tolle

• Always on task

Emmy Graves- Mrs. Walden

• Emmy helped a student in need in class today

Adalyn McQuern- Ms. Meyer

• Always checking on students if they are having a bad day.

I- Inspiring

Sebastian Cordero - Mr. Michael

• Great Leader in PE!

Carson Ealy - Brooks/Boykin

• Great job with your student led conference!

Blessing Brown-Faulkner

• Great job with your student led conference!

Bahr Johnson- Mrs. Jackson

• Working hard during Shark Time... great effort, Bahr!

Elias de la Torre- Ms. Wellington

• Thanks for always being so inspiring!

Damia Ammarkhodja- Mrs. Whalen

• Your kindness club lesson was amazing :) Way to go!

November 7th:

• 5:30-6:30 SCI Academic Showcase-Please Join Us-See Above!

November 11th:

• Happy Veteran's Day-(see information below)

November 27th-30th:

• Happy Thanksgiving Break

This breakfast is only for those who have RSVP'd for the event. We are providing breakfast for the Veteran and his/her student. Thank you for your understanding!

We would like to honor our Veterans by inviting them to a breakfast with their SCI student. If your student has a Veteran in their life that they would like to invite to breakfast at SCI, please kindly fill out the form below. Please fill out the form by November 1st.

https://forms.office.com/r/J45izYshpL

We would like to show a mini movie while your Veteran and student enjoy a breakfast treat. We recognize there are Veterans near and far. If you have pictures of any veterans in your family or family friends, please send them to rstout@hse.k12.in.us to be included in our movie. Movie will also go out via ParentSquare later for all to enjoy and to say thank you!

If you have any questions please reach out to Principal Michelle Bunnell at mbunnell@hse.k12.in.us or Librarian Robyn Stout at rstout@hse.k12.in.us if you have any questions.

Hamilton Southeastern Schools is seeking public input on a Title IV Ed-Flex Waiver. To learn more about this waiver, how it will be used by the district, and to provide public comment please visit hseschools.org/publicnotices and click on IDOE Title IV Ed-Flex Waiver.

2-part series on anxiety, school refusal, and parenting strategies (These sessions do not require registration. You can simply join on the date/time using the TEAMS link below. Recordings will be posted to our website).

Part 1: Tuesday October 29th, 12-1p Virtual on TEAMS

"Handling your Child's Anxiety without going Crazy Yourself"

Sally Groff, LMFT, Mental Health Therapist and Owner of Groff & Associates

Sally Groff is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Registered Play Therapist with Groff & Associates. Sally is an AAMFT approved supervisor and Clinical Director of Groff & Associates. Sally specializes in mood disorders, anxiety disorders, trauma focused care and working with couples and families in a variety of family systems.

This session will focus on the following:

1) Brief understanding of the brain and how it works.

2) The different types of anxiety.

3) How to identify if your child is struggling with an anxiety disorder.

4) What to do when your child is anxious.

5) When it's time to get a therapist involved.

Part 2: Thursday November 7th, 12-1p Virtual on TEAMS

Control vs. Influence: Supporting our Children on Their Educational Journey

Rob Evans, Facilitator, Coach, and Founder of Parenting Solutions, LLC

Rob graduated from Indiana Wesleyan University with a bachelor's degree in Addictions Counseling. He was employed by the Hamilton County Department of Probation Services in Indiana for 23 years as a juvenile probation officer working with youth and their families. Rob has been teaching the Parent Project® programs for over 10 years and is currently employed by Parent Project®’s national office to train trainers nationally. In 2023, he founded Parenting Solutions to focus solely on supporting parents who struggle raising children in today's modern world.

Session Description:

There is no doubt our children are growing up in a world different from past generations. In The Anxious Generation, Jonathan Haidt states that from 2010 to 2020 the suicide rate, in youth ages 10-14, rose 167% in girls and 91% in boys. Over 95% of teens, ages 13-17, have access to a smartphone device. Creating a doorway to influences which often clash with our values as parents. When it comes to parenting children with today’s modern problems many parents feel lost and hopeless. Yet, parents are the most uniquely positioned to influence their children in a way no one else can. During this session parents will learn about the power of influence and how we can increase our influence in the lives of our children.

Preparing Our Kids for Success (This is a structured program that we will be offered 3X this school year. It is free to parents, but registration is required. There is flier attached to this email that you can share as needed).

Rob Evans, Facilitator, Coach, and Founder of Parenting Solutions, LLC

One-time, 2.5-hour virtual session, offered free to parents/guardians (funded by Fishers Health Department)

REGISTER HERE! (choose one of the dates listed below)

Thursday, November 14th 6-8:30pm (Register by 11/8!)

Tuesday, January 28th 6-8:30pm (Register by 1/22!)

Thursday, March 20th, 6-8:30pm (Register by 3/14!)

This 2.5-hour truancy intervention parent class is “Trauma Informed” and specifically designed to help school districts support parents in intervening in absenteeism, truancy, and school performance. Like all Parent Project® programs, this class is based on cooperative learning norms, activity-based instruction, and uses behavior modification techniques. When parents engage in getting their children to school and support learning in collaboration with teachers and school officials, attendance and grades go up.

Preparing Our Kids For Success helps parents:

• Rekindle their dreams and wishes for their children;
• Better understand and recognize the signs of trauma;
• Recognize the necessity of creating structure for children;
• Identify effective strategies for getting kids to school;
• Discuss successful methods to increase home/school communication;
• List strategies for improving school performance; and
• Implement the Homework Assignment Sheet, or use an online homework information system.

Engagement in the classroom is of highest priority to ensure students have the maximum opportunity to learn. Having said that, communication from outside the school must occur between families and adults in the building, not with students.

Among the many reasons why it might be best to avoid texting your child during school hours, consider the following:

1. Distraction: Texts distract students from engaging with classroom instruction and activities, impacting their focus and academic performance.
2. Student Handbook: Cell phones, Smartwatches, and Airpods/headphones are not to be used by students in the classroom and silenced unless explicitly stated otherwise by the teacher, substitute teacher, or administrator. Students using their cell phones or headphones inappropriately and/or against classroom procedures may be subject to progressive discipline. [HSE intermediate handbook]
3. Independence: Allowing your child to manage their own time and responsibilities during school hours can help foster independence and self-discipline.
4. Privacy: Constant communication may undermine your child’s ability to manage personal interactions on their own.

5. Disruption: Notifications can be disruptive to the class, both for your child and their classmates, affecting the overall learning environment.

6. Illness: Your child must first communicate with the school nurse if not feeling well, not call or text you. This provides your child an opportunity to advocate for themselves and how they are feeling. The nurse will then contact the family, partnering with them on next steps.

7. Emergency Protocols: If there is an urgent issue, contacting the school directly will be more effective than texting your child, who might not be able to respond immediately. They will get the information to your child and the classroom teacher as appropriate.
8. Building Resilience: Allowing your child to handle school-related situations without constant parental input can help them build problem-solving skills and resilience.

Our office staff is ready and available to assist with any transportation changes or earlier dismissals that occur at the last minute. Please email your child's teacher, our front office staff, or call our office at 317-915-4230 so we may assist.

Your partnership to increase engagement during the school day is greatly appreciated!

Do you know of an HSE staff member who deserves a shoutout? Someone who consistently goes above and beyond to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

Give them a R.A.V.E. Review and share your appreciation! It’s simple to do - just complete a quick online form here: hseschools.org/rave

You can send as many reviews as you’d like throughout the school year.

R.A.V.E. stands for Recognizing All Valuable Employees, and it’s our way of celebrating the incredible staff who make Hamilton Southeastern Schools a fantastic place to learn and grow.

Have some words of wisdom to give? Motivation for students?

Click on the ink below to send a positive message to our students and staff! All messages are displayed on the screen in the hallways closest to our cafe.

Mark your calendars...

Saturday, November 9th will be the 21st Annual Carrie Colglazier Scholarship Workday. Students from FFA, National Honor Society, Girls Soccer and Girls Track will be available to work. For more information and to sign up to hire workers go to carriecolglazier.org/;

In the summer of 2003, Carrie Colglazier a 2002 Hamilton Southeastern graduate was tragically killed by a drunk driver. Carrie was a two sport All-State athlete in soccer and track and was very involved in the FFA program here at HSE. Carrie was extremely passionate about her family, friends, teammates and her teachers and coaches. She took a great deal of pride in being a Royal.

Workday is Saturday, November 9, 2024.

Dear HSE School Corporation Students and Families,

Football season is here, and we're excited to see our community come together to support our teams!

To ensure the safety and enjoyment of everyone at our sporting events, please note the following policies:

- Students in grades K-8 must be accompanied by an adult (aged 18+) to enter. This policy, which was introduced last year, has significantly reduced disciplinary issues.

- No alcohol is allowed on campus.

- Outside food and drinks are not permitted, except for clear water bottles.

- No pass-outs: once you enter the stadium, you will not be allowed to leave and re-enter.

- Tailgating must conclude before entering the stadium.

We appreciate your understanding and continued support. We recognize these policies may impact your plans, but our primary goal is to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all.

Best of luck to our student-athletes and coaches in their upcoming games!

Sincerely,

HSE Schools Administration

Winter Recreational Basketball Registration is Open

• Boys Basketball - Registration for the Mudsock Boys Basketball rec season (K - 8th) and (New) Mudsock Elite (formerly Rec+) is open at myathletics.com. Please note, Mudsock Elite will be separate from the rec league; players who register for Mudsock Elite will NOT be required to register for rec basketball. Learn more.
• Girls Basketball - Registration for the Mudsock Girls Basketball rec season (K-8) is open now at myathletics.com. Save-the-date for the November 2nd Recreational Opening Day Jamboree. Learn more.

(New) esports - Registration for our brand-new esports league is just around the corner, and it’s open to gamers in the 10U-14U divisions. Team play kicks off this winter. Information will be updated here soon.

Volunteer of the Month Nominations – Fall sport families, has a coach or a board member gone out of their way to make your experience great this season? We would love to hear about it! Thank you for emailing info@myathletics.com to nominate them.

Join Mudsock Youth Esports in our inaugural winter 2025 season! We are currently offering opportunities for players in grades 2-9 and assistant coaching opportunities for students in grades 9-12. Players and assistant coaches must reside in the Hamilton Southeastern School District. All esports players must be registered through the Mudsock Youth Athletics Office.

Website: https://www.myathletics.com/Default.aspx?tabid=1952638&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3WESSo5lptbPWoYCGsxr_f6psZsGpwKz6UFemQDKDD2QAX6wkE9_fR-Aw_aem_A_b3atXq3m-Vjldf0elmJg

Dear HSE Families,

On behalf of the Food Service team, we look forward to offering your student well-balanced, nutritious meals (breakfast and lunch) throughout the 2024-2025 school year! Meal pricing did not change from last year’s rates and was recently approved by the Board of School Trustees.

2024-2025 School Meal Prices

• Breakfast Meal $1.50
• Student Lunch K-6 Meal $2.80
• Student Lunch 7-12 Meal $3.00

As a reminder, Hamilton Southeastern participates in both the School Breakfast Program (SBP) and the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) to provide free or reduced-price meals to qualifying students. To utilize this benefit, families must apply each year (even if you qualified previously). Applications and participation is confidential.

Free and Reduced Applications

• Log into your Skyward Family Access account. Be sure to use your parent login and not your student’s login. The application is only available with a parent Skyward login.
• Select a student.
• Click on ‘Food Services’ on the left-hand side of the screen.
• Click on the ‘Applications’ link located towards the top of the screen, then click ‘Add an Application.’
• The system will take you through a series of steps, including a Parent Letter, Instructions, Federal Income Chart, Privacy Act, and Non-Discrimination Statements.
• For complete instructions, click here.

You can also download an application from the Indiana Department of Education by clicking here.
If you have any questions or need additional assistance, please contact Food Service Director Karen Ogden at kodgen@hse.k12.in.us.
Thank you and we look forward to serving your child this school year!

Sincerely,
HSE Schools

At Hamilton Southeastern Schools, our primary goal is to ensure every student receives a high-quality education, but we can't do it alone. Frequent absences hinder academic progress, adding stress for students, families, and teachers. That’s why we’re asking families to partner with us in ensuring regular attendance, so together, we can support every student’s academic success. Click the link to learn more: https://www.hseschools.org/posts/~board/district-news/post/present-for-success-attendance-matters

SCI uses ParentSquare for our mass communication platform. We invite you to go to https://www.parentsquare.com/signin to activate your account.

After you create your account, we recommend downloading the ParentSquare app from the Apple or Google Play store. With the app, you can enable push notifications on your phone for alerts as well.

ParentSquare has more features than Skylert that can help with streamlining communication to our students and families!

Congratulations and thank you to the parent volunteers who were recently elected to serve as PTO officers:

• President: Amber Lance,
• Vice President: Amber Wender, Misty Baker
• Treasurer: Cindy Sendejas
• Staff Appreciate: Cheri Greenbaum, Jessica Read
  
• Concessions: Emily Weible
• After School Events: Stacey Johnson
• Shark Party Chair: Angela Stoecker & Jezlia McVay
• Member At Large: Sara Konopka

All HSE Schools student handbooks (K-12) are now online for easier access. The 5/6 handbook is available via this link:

https://www.hseschools.org/about/student-handbooks

We encourage you to review it at your earliest convenience. Should you have any questions, please contact the SCI main office at 317-915-4230. Our staff is available to assist you.

All students in HSE Schools deserve to come to school free of fear and to feel safe to be their authentic selves. Discrimination of any type is strictly prohibited and will not be tolerated at HSEHS Schools – this includes sexual harassment (Title IX) and discrimination based on disabilities or race (Titles II and VI).

If students ever experience any type of harassment, we ask that they report this immediately to an administrator, school counselor or trusted adult. Beyond reporting directly to building officials, HSE Schools has an entire support system in place for filing concerns and complaints, which can be located on our District website. https://www.hseschools.org/about/legal-notes

Hamilton Southeastern Schools has created the Community Insider to provide HSE families and community members with information about local happenings. This webpage is intended to spotlight school and community activities of interest to students, staff, parents and those residing within the boundaries of HSE Schools. To visit the Community Insider page, click the link below

Community Insider

Principal: Mrs. Michelle Bunnell (mbunnell@hse.k12.in.us)

Assistant Principal: Mr. Brice Willey (bwilley@hse.k12.in.us)

Follow us on Twitter at: @SandCreekInt / @MichelleBunnell

School address:

11550 E. 131st Street

Fishers, IN 46038

School hours: 9:15 am - 4:00 pm

Building hours: 8:45 am -4:30 pm

School website: https://sci.hseschools.org/

Main Phone: 317-915-4230

Main Fax: 317-915-4239