MCAS Communicator
an e-newsletter for the staff of Michigan City Area Schools
DECEMBER 2021
Annual FOOD DRIVE is December 11th!
Donations will be accepted at a "drive-through" event held at the Ames Field parking lot on Saturday, December 11 from 9am to noon. (See flyer below).
How can you help?
1) Encourage donations at your school!
2) Clear out your cabinets with non-perishable food donations!
3) Volunteer! Come lend a hand at the drive-through event!
#OneCityOnePack
One City One Sound Virtual Performance
THANK YOU to the staff that made this virtual event possible!
Wolf Pack Roundup Time!
- Take a tour; meet counselors and principals
- Learn about classes, athletics, and clubs;
- Find out about Honors College, Early College, Core Academy, and P.A.C.K. Academy
- Get info on the Michigan City Promise Scholarship
Barker Middle School Roundup is set for Thursday, December 9 at 5pm at Barker, 319 E. Barker Road. Sixth-graders and their families are invited to learn about what BMS has to offer!
- Meet the principal, counselors, and current students; tour the building and learn about us!
- Get the scoop on the 21st Century Scholars and Promise Scholarship programs!
- Find out about our Indiana-certified STEM program!
(Krueger will have a Roundup in the spring!)
Afterschool Positions with Boys & Girls Club
Program Leaders - Rates start at $15/$16 per hour. These staff members work directly with youth, facilitating programs and activities. Positions are available at the Pine, Springfield, and Westcott Clubs. Club hours run from approximately 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM daily.
Activities Specialist - Rates start at $18-$19/hour. This staff member will support the Clubs through a combination of programming and administrative responsibilities across all three Michigan City sites. Activities Specialists will work approximately 15-25 hours per week, including core Club hours of approximately 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM daily.
Visit https://www.bgclpc.org/join-our-team/ for details and to print an application. Questions? Please contact Michelle Shirk, Chief Executive Officer at mshirk@bgclubmc.org or (219) 873-2298. Thank you for all you do to make a difference for our community's kids!
Nicole Bormet, Rotary Club Teacher of the Year!
Way to go, Nicole. Thanks for being a great representative of MCAS!
United Way Employee Campaign 2021
Together we raised more than $10,000 for United Way ... THIS is how we Live United!
Franciscan Webinars: Surviving the Holiday Season
Happy December! 'Tis the season for winter sniffles and holiday stress.
Our friends at Franciscan Alliance have shared the following health information with our team. Click below to watch these short webinars to keep your health and sanity during the holiday season. We hope you find this information helpful!
Tips for a Strong Immune System: 10 minutes.
Your health is one of the most valuable things you have. Today more than ever, people across the world are being vigilant about protecting their health. There are ways to give your health the right priority it needs no matter what age you are. This webinar will highlight the everyday lifestyle habits you can focus on to help your immune system stay strong. CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE WEBINAR.
Finding Sanity in Surrender: 11 minutes.
What is insanity? Where is your clutter? The clutter in your environment and the clutter in your mind. How to clear your space and the practice of surrender. CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE WEBINAR.
Healthy Eating in the Workplace: 15 minutes.
Webinar by Rosa Hernandez, Certified Health Coach, Personal Trainer & Diabetes Prevention Specialist, Franciscan Health
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE WEBINAR.
Cultivating Calm for the Holidays: 13 minutes.
Holiday Stress! It’s a real thing. Many worry about budgets, about seeing family, and creating that overall “perfect” holiday for those they love. Sprinkle in the ongoing pandemic and well, it’s a new kind of stress. However, we learned last year that we are resilient and creative and found new ways to still celebrate despite the pandemic.
You’re invited to watch the webinar presentation that talks about 5 key things to help cultivate calm during the holidays, along with some mindfulness and grounding exercises. CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE WEBINAR.
Get your Wolves gear here!
Wolves Basketball Gear on Sale
The Wolves Basketball Team now has a variety of logowear and spirit items on sale. Sale ends Dec 6th. (Hint: Makes great gifts!)
CPR Resources for Teachers/Certified Staff
Need CPR Certification? Here are two options to consider!
OPTION 1: Val Skwiat, Trainer/Safety Manager, MCAS Transportation Department has provided the following information:
Go to elearning.heart.org and complete your course.
Send Val an email or call/text to schedule the "hands-on" portion.
If you live near, she can come to your house, or meet at your school.
She will need a copy of your course completion certificate.
The cost is $15 and she will have the certification card for you.
vskwiat@mcas.k12.in.us - Cell: 219-874-1716
OPTION 2: David Sanders, EMT Instructor at AK Smith, has provided this info about his company, Crash Course CPR:
Go to IneedaCPRcard.com for information
A simple CPR Card refresher class is $30. This is an all-inclusive class including an online quiz and skills test out.
Takes approximately 1 hour to complete (also available through Zoom)
Appointments available - Monday through Friday 10:00 am - Noon, plus after school and evening hours.
Bring your friends: We have enough CPR equipment to provide individual or up to 40 students at a time.
Payment can be made at the time of service or online at www.IneedaCPRcard.com
Questions? Contact David Sanders (812) 821-0433
Online Resources for Students with an IEP or ILP
Are you looking for ways to make online assessments more accessible for students with an IEP or ILP? Do they have an accommodation that you are struggling to make happen in your classroom? We have a few extensions/sites that are available to help with this:
Snap and Read - a Text reader (TTS) that simplifies vocabulary, translates text, reads inaccessible text (OCR), and captures and cites sources.
Co-Writer - Co:Writer Universal (for Google Chrome and iOS) uses grammar-smart and vocabulary-smart word prediction, translation support, and speech recognition to help unstick ideas and get them to flow in writing.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day Essay Contest
Students in grades 4-12 are invited to take part in an essay contest celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. and his work during the civil rights movement and how his legacy impacts us today. This essay contest is provided thanks to the Corydon Capitol State Historic Site in partnership with the Leora Brown School.
Submissions will be accepted through Dec. 17, 2021. CLICK HERE for more information about this contest.
EAP Webinar - December
The Best Ways to Help Yourself or a Loved One Who
is Coping with a Mental Illness
&
Clean Beauty: What’s in Your Products?
Wed, Dec 15, 2021 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM CDT
One Who is Coping with a Mental Illness
Holiday Ringers Needed
Save the Date! COVID Vaccine Clinics Ahead!
Save the date! MCAS will partner with HealthLinc to provide two COVID vaccine clinics in December -- on Thursday, December 16 from 3:15-6:15pm at Joy Elementary School and on Saturday, December 18 from 9am to 1pm at Knapp Elementary School. Pfizer vaccines for both children ages 5 and older and for adults will be available at these clinics. Sign-up information will be available for families soon!