DuneNews

The Duneland School Corporation will participate in a scheduled eLearning day on Tuesday, May 6 and will follow the 2024-2025 eLearning Guidelines for a scheduled Online eLearning day - PLANNED ASYNCHRONOUS.

Student Enrollment is the one-time process of arranging to attend Duneland School Corporation. Once a student is enrolled with Duneland School Corporation, they are eligible to proceed with registration.

Registration is the yearly process of reviewing and updating student information completed electronically prior to the start of school.

The 2025-26 online registration has opened earlier this year so that ALL DSC students are registered by the end of the 2024-2025 school year. To register your children online visit: Parent Access Portal through Skyward. Thank you for your time in reviewing and editing this vital information regarding your student(s) for the schools.

Incoming Kindergarten students who enrolled at 2025 Kindergarten Round Up should also complete the registration process.

NWIOS Online School Application

CHS Biology Teacher Katie Mueller with Indiana Academic All Star recipient Alaina Welsh McGrogan.

Congratulations to CHS Senior Alaina Welsh McGrogan who was named an Indiana Academic All-Star on Thursday, April 24. Alaina was named was one of the top 40 students in Indiana for her academic accomplishments. Alaina chose her biology teacher, Mrs. Katie Mueller, as her most influential educator:

Achievements:

National Merit Commended Student, Rising Star of Indiana, AP Scholar with Distinction, National German Exam Bronze Medalist.

Activities:

Academic Spell Bowl, Academic Super Bowl, Team Captain of the Speech and Debate team, Team Captain of the Science Olympiad team, Team Captain of the Cross-Country team, Track and Field member, Natural Helpers, Hospital Volunteer, Sending Sunshine Chapter Leader, and Indiana Youth Advisory Council for District 4.

Alaina plans to attend the University of Chicago in the fall and study to become a Neurosurgeon. Congratulations Alaina!

Congratulations to the CHS Wind Ensemble students for their Gold With Distinction winning performance on April 25 at ISSMA Organizational Contest! The group traveled to Penn High School where they performed their program of Pastime (A Salute to Baseball) by Jack Stamp, The Promise of Living (from The Tender Land) by Aaron Copland, and Metroplex (Three Postcards from Manhattan) by Robert Sheldon, as well as put their sight-reading skills to the test. The group is under the direction of Jonathan Flodder.

Members of the Wind Ensemble include: Gabriela Aden, JJ Ames, Samantha Ames, Jenna Bircher, Adelyn Booras, William Brizendine, Alexander Brown, Lyric Brown, Madison Buckley, Tyler Cichocki, Holly Decker, Giacomo Depasquale, Makayla Erickson, Elsa Estridge, Rylan Fields, Elijah Fletcher, Collin Gallagher, Miles Gast, Vanessa Godinez, Sierra Grant, Liam Gray, Chloe Hall, Lillian Hardwick, Addison Huffmaster, Jayden Hughes, Raymond Hundt, Aleks Kantowski, Jasper Kniola, Lexie Lauzon, Natalie Leensvaart, Will Liles, Archer Lohman, Kira Lopez, Rowen Love, Elizabeth Navarro, Katherine Newbanks, Lilyanne Peschke, Cecilia Post, Elian Rodriguez, Ashton Rospierski, Lucy Rutkowski, Zavier Santiago, Hazel Ann Santos, Soren Schott, Carmen Stark, Madelyn Street, Alina Summer, Olivia Sundquist, Gage Teso, Claire Thomas, Abigail Vidt, Andria White, Tiara Wilkerson, Aubree Williams, and Destiny Williams-Najzer.

On Tuesday, April 29, students from Chesterton High School’s Show Choirs were honored for their outstanding achievements and performances during the spring season. After traveling to four states, the groups came home with an impressive array of top awards this season including winning three Solo Competitions and three Best Band Awards. The students, parents, and staff consistently put forth great effort and were frequently rewarded with supplementary awards such as Best Show Design, Best Choreography, and Best Crew. Honors for this year’s Show Choir members include:

Most Improved Freshmen: Caitlin Brosas and Brayden Wallen

Most Improved Sophomores: Addison Deal and Carter Willis

Most Improved Juniors: Sophia Higgins and Lilly Koziczynski

Most Improved Seniors: Niyelli Estrada and Jodie Geenen

Most Improved The Business Member: Gavin Torok

Outstanding Vocal Contribution, Drifters: Kathleen Coleman and Bella Schirripa

Outstanding Vocal Contribution, Sandpipers: Karleigh Pawlyszyn and Antonio Unpingco

Outstanding Visual Contribution, Drifters: Jolie Cleveland and Ava Cunningham

Outstanding Visual Contribution, Sandpipers: Cooper Fowler and Bella Kelly

Exceptional Membership, Drifters: Emma Bondra, Maddie Prince, and Mackenzie Vogwill

Exceptional Membership, Sandpipers: Mia Larimer, Jeremy Schmidt, and Aubree Williams

Outstanding Overall Contribution, Drifters: Olivia Evans

Outstanding Overall Contribution, Sandpipers: Ryan Gray

Outstanding Overall Contribution, The Business: Rowen Love

Member of the Year, Drifters: Annette Ruiz-Moreno

Member of the Year, Sandpipers: Mara Huneryager

Member of the Year, The Business: Soren Schott

Spirit of Show Choir Award: Jane Maddex

Section Leaders: Irene Camacho, Isabelle Cain, Kathleen Coleman, Ryan Gray, Jane Maddex, Ella Taylor, and Antonio Unpingco

Dance Captains: Emma Bondra, Cooper Fowler, Bella Kelly, Caramia Larimer, Annette Ruiz-Moreno, Jeremy Schmidt, and Mackenzie Vogwill

Program Assistants: Olivia Evans and Mara Huneryager

Dynamic Double: Emmersyn Curran (Drifters & Sandpipers), Ava Cunningham (Drifters & Sandpipers), Hannah Loving (Drifters & Sandpipers), Hailey Loving (Drifter Dreamer), and Blythe Curran (Drifter Dreamer)

Outstanding Section of the Year, Drifters: Soprano 1

Isabella Bigman, Ireland Carnahan, Kathleen Coleman, Jessica Dahlin, Addison Deal, Kendall Doede, Olivia Evans, Anna Holmes, Macey Mauke, Kayla Rees, and Emma Wahl

Outstanding Section of the Year, Sandpipers: Soprano

Ava Cunningham, Emme Curran, Jodie Geenen, Paige Hancock, Sophia Higgins, Elli Hinton, Mara Huneryager, Allie Longacre, Hannah Loving, Jane Maddex, Karleigh Pawlyszyn, and Aubree Williams

Senior Recognition: Sam Ames (The Business), Madison Buckley (The Business), Emma Bondra, Kathleen Coleman, Niyelli Estrada, Olivia Evans, Cooper Fowler, Jodie Geenen, Ryan Gray, Paige Hancock, Bella Kelly, Jane Maddex, Soren Schott (The Business), Gavin Torok (The Business),and Annette Ruiz-Moreno

Grand March for prom will take place this Saturday, May 3, promptly at 4:00 PM in the CHS Field House. Students and families will enter through Door #31; doors open at 3:30 pm.

Students will make their way to Duneland Falls Banquet Center for prom, which will take place from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM. No students arriving after 6:00 PM will be admitted; dinner will be served promptly at 6:00 PM.

This past Wednesday, April 23, The Chesterton High School SAVE Promise Club hosted a mental awareness event during Student Resource Time (SRT) in the Media Center. Each SRT teacher received two passes for students interested in attending. The event included resources, presentations, and demonstrations on stress reduction. This was the Club's first year hosting this event.

The Yost first grade team is hosting a Carnival theme this week for their students to review the priority standards from this school year. Students are circulating through Carnival games that are all a review of the learned skills from this school year. "The teachers put in a lot of work to make review activities fun and exciting for the kids, and they are loving it," said Principal Josh Huwig.

This past week we celebrated Administrative Professionals Day. Please show your appreciation to all of the Administrative Assistants in our school buildings. Administrative Professionals Day (also known as Administrative Assistant Day, Secretaries Day or Admin Day) is a day to highlight the important role of secretaries, assistants, receptionists, and other administrative support personnel. This year, Administrative Professionals Day was celebrated on Wednesday, April 23, 2025.

All next week, May 5-9, the district will celebrate Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week! This is an opportunity to recognize the dedication and commitment of Duneland teachers and staff as they inspire, engage and empower our students to succeed.

On Wednesday, May 7 the district will celebrate National School Nurse Day. This has been set aside to recognize school nurses and to thank them for all that they do for our students. National School Nurse Day was established to foster a better understanding of the role of school nurses in the educational setting.

The "Something to Smile About" Scholarship aims to support Duneland students aged 10-18 who need braces but face financial challenges in obtaining them.

Initiated through the collaboration of a local family and orthodontist, this scholarship provides an opportunity for parents or guardians to ensure their child receives professional orthodontic care, ultimately enhancing their confidence and promoting a positive self-image through a healthy smile.

General Eligibility Requirements:

• Your child is between 10 and 18 years old.

• Your total family income is 200% of the poverty level or less.

• Your child receives regular dental care and has good oral hygiene.

• Your child is not currently in orthodontic treatment or in between phases of treatment.

• Your child has not received previous orthodontic treatment.

• The family contribution is $500.

Downloadable Something to Smile About Application

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

Dear Families,

We are excited to announce that we have adopted a new form of school-to-home communication 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.

This summer, K-4 playground renovations and replacements are slated at Bailly, Brummitt, Jackson, and Liberty Elementary Schools. The equipment at Yost Elementary was recently updated as part of new construction at that school site. The playground equipment at the other four elementary schools is dated and has to be refurbished regularly to meet safety standards. The equipment is well past its intended lifespan and in need of a refresh. The design of the four playgrounds will look to mirror the new playground at Yost. Below are renderings of the replacement playgrounds at the four other Duneland elementary schools.

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.

Link to Duneland Summer Tennis Camp

Trojan Volleyball Camp 2025 Link to registration

CHS Girls Basketball Camp 2025 Link to registration for girls in grades K-8

CHS Boys Basketball Camp 2025 Link to registration for boys in grades K-8

Link to K-6 Little Trojan Football Camp

Link to (A) Summer - Position Skills Camp Grades 5-8

Link to (B) MAY Football Skills Camp Grades 5-7 (as of spring of '25)

Join us for the 52nd Annual All That Jazz on Saturday, May 10! Chesterton High School's annual jazz festival will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the CHS Auditorium. Enjoy an evening of music performed by Chesterton High School’s Jazz Ensemble, with special guests BONZO SQUAD! Tickets can be purchased at Chestertonbands.org

Mark you calendar for this informational evening for incoming Westchester Middle School students and parents.

Come get a better night's sleep AND support the 7th annual Chesterton MS & HS Band Program MATTRESS SALE FUNDRAISER!

Over 30 styles of quality name brand mattresses like Simmons, Beautyrest, Purple, Helix, and Therapedic are carried and priced below retail. There are also adjustable bases, pillows, sheets and more, all at discount prices and for a great cause!

This is a ONE DAY ONLY event, so help SPREAD THE WORD by inviting all of your family and friends. There will be an entire mattress store set up at CHS. Every purchase benefits the Band Program.

This event will be held in the CHS Cafeteria. Please use Entrance 31.

WHEN: Saturday, July 12, 2025

WHERE: Spa Special Events Center - 333 N Mineral Spring Road, Porter, IN

TIME: 6-10 p.m.

Click for more details on the Class of 1990 Reunion

CHS Class of 1974 is turning the page on the big reunions of the past…mark your calendar for the third Saturday in July this year and every year after!

Who: CHS Class of 1974, Spouse/Guest
What: First Annual Reunion
When: Saturday, July 19, 2025 at 5pm
Where: Gelsosomo’s Pizzeria
371 Indian Boundary Rd.
Chesterton, IN 46304
(A collection for the buffet will be taken day of)
Reach out to the Class email with contact information updates and/or questions at: chestertonclassof1974@gmail.com

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 children can come together to learn, play, and grow.

If you have children ages 0-5, we invite you to join us Monday through Friday at the HUB for some fun and engaging activities!

Don’t miss out on this FREE program—visit our DSC website to learn more and get involved!

DSC Duneland Early Learning HUB

The Trojan Learning Center (TLC) provides a variety of educational opportunities designed to support young children and their families. Here’s a glimpse of what we offer:

• 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: Duneland Early Learning HUB.
• Preschool Programs
  Tailored 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, expanding learning options and enhancing the educational experience.

Our preschool programs are grounded in a research-based curriculum that promotes children’s social skills and emotional development. At TLC, we ensure every child is immersed in a nurturing, engaging 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
• 
  

Did you know that there are more than just teaching jobs at DSC? Have you ever wondered what it’s like to drive a school bus, or work in a school kitchen?

The Duneland School Corporation will host a job fair event featuring classified (non-teaching) support staff positions in Transportation and Child Nutrition on Saturday, May 10 from 7-10 a.m.; and Saturday, May 17 from 8-11 a.m. Both events will be hosted at the Duneland School Transportation Center, 1012 N Old State Road 49 across from the Coffee Creek Preserve.

The Transportation Department will offer an opportunity to drive a bus around the parking lot with one of Duneland School’s bus trainers and enjoy a cup of coffee and a donut while you speak with Transportation staff members. Personnel will be available to answer your questions and provide information on hours, benefits, and other opportunities within the Duneland School Corporation.

In addition, staff members will also be available from Duneland’s Child Nutrition Department for those attendees who may be interested in a job opportunity in the school kitchens. Child Nutrition positions have flexible schedules, allowing parents to be home with their family and earn while their children learn.

Have little ones and no babysitter? Not a problem, bring them along. DSC staff will provide a coloring station and staff members to watch over the little ones as you learn more about these Duneland School employment opportunities.

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