DuneNews

The Duneland community came out in droves for the annual CHS Homecoming Parade featuring over 60 groups/organizations and 70 floats celebrating the impending football game against the Portage Indians. Please enjoy the video below featuring photos from this past Friday's parade.

Duneland School Corporation and the Chesterton High School's Internship Program were featured in this week's Sept. 30 issue of EducationWeek®. Take a look at the great program and opportunities for Chesterton High School students. Articles are linked below:

Duneland School Corporation celebrated Custodial, Maintenance and Grounds Appreciation Day this week on Wednesday, October 2. Please take a moment to thank DSC personnel in and around your school building this week for all they do to keep everything clean, manicured and running smoothly inside and outside of your buildings.

The Duneland Exceptional Learning Department will host its first quarterly Parent Ambassadors meeting for the 2024-2025 school year on Tuesday, October 22 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the DSC Administration Center, 601 W Morgan Avenue, Chesterton. This free, informative meeting is open to all Duneland School parents.

This first meeting, Mental Health in Our Schools, will focus on mental health issues impacting students as well as local resources and district initiatives that are in place to support students with mental health needs. District leaders will also present district data from the school counselors; provide information about district and community resources; and discuss the new state law regarding the restriction of personal device use during the school day and allowable accommodations. CHS School Counselors, Amy Snyder and Gretchen Arthur, will join in this presentation.

Congratulations to all the Duneland Schools for their commitment to those who have served our country in the armed forces and their family members!

This past July, the Town of Dune Acres gifted Chesterton High School with a donation towards drug awareness and education for students and families. Duneland School SROs have worked closely with Chesterton administration to cultivate educational opportunities, using materials purchased through Human Media Relations, to help students who may struggle with vaping and drug pressures.

Deferment course materials, in tandem with family conferences, are aimed towards giving students more knowledge about the dangers of vaping and controlled substances, as well as establishing trusted working relationships between the school, SROs, and families.

The first grading period will end on Friday, Oct. 18 and report cards will be available on the Skyward Family Access Parent Portal on Tuesday, October 29 at 3 p.m. Parents have the option of printing out their student's report card. Parents needing access assistance to their Parent Portal on Skyward, should contact their child's school directly.

There will be no school for all Duneland School students on Thursday and Friday, October 24 & 25 for fall recess. Classes will resume on Monday, October 28.

• Come check out the Duneland Early Learning HUB!

  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

  Multipurpose Room Open Play

  
  

Happy fall y’all! The HUB started our fall books, centers, songs, etc. this week. We will continue learning about apples, pumpkins, Halloween, 5 senses and more with our HUB families for October.

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

• Early Learning Preschool - October 8 (Day 1) and October 9 (Day 2)
  

• Brummitt - Oct. 16
• CHS - Oct. 22
• Liberty Elem. - Nov. 6
• LIS & WIS - Nov. 8
• Jackson & Yost Elem. - Nov. 14

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.

Chesterton High School will again host their annual inside Trick or Treat event at the school on Tuesday, October 29. Mark your calendars for this annual tradition!

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