Friday Message

In the five months that I have had the privilege of serving as Superintendent at Tipton Community School Corporation, one thing that this pandemic has not changed is the corporation’s ability to create an environment that engages learners, fosters creativity, and puts responsibility for learning where it belongs – with our students.

Early on I knew there was something special about TCSC and the Tipton community. It’s something you can see and feel every single day and in every way. The corporation, deeply rooted in tradition and tightly woven into the fabric of our local culture, radiates with a type of integrity and character known as Blue Devil pride. This pride, which has transcended the test of time, is what bonds us together. Tipton’s instinctive ability to come together, to take care of each other, for the benefit of all who call Tipton County home, is a way of life. It’s the Tipton way.

On the pandemic front, we are closely monitoring the situation and are in constant communication with our partners at the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) and the Tipton County Health Department. Both of which have been invaluable resources in helping us to navigate this exceptional journey since March. Because the positivity rates are increasing in our community, a change in the county color code from orange to red could occur and with short notice. The color determination for Indiana counties is updated every Wednesday at noon on the ISDH website. For the week ahead, we expect Tipton County to remain at orange. The corresponding K-12 recommendations based on county color codes can be accessed here.

For now, even if the color changes to red, we believe we can safely keep in-person classroom instruction as an option with the ability to transition to E-Learning if mandated. Our staff and students have proved they have the tenacity to pivot between our in-person and virtual learning models and back again – individually, as a building, or currently, an entire corporation. We look forward to reopening our buildings and welcoming students and staff back to in-person instruction on Monday, November 30.

We continue to press ahead with a full plate of activities and accomplishments including our Blue Devil Football team wrapping up a great season and bringing home the Class 2A Sectional Championship. There is also a flurry of activity taking place behind the scenes as our leadership team works on transitioning the schedules at the middle school and high school for the 2021-22 school year. We are enriching our curriculum by adding new STEM courses, Project Lead the Way (PLTW) computer science and robotics; and offering additional agriculture and career technical education classes at the high school. At the middle school, we are adding a world language class and preparing for college and careers (high school credit class) among others. It’s a work in progress and we are excited about the ultimate student outcomes ahead.

This pandemic has forced all of us to think more deeply about loss, what that means, and rethinking our priorities. With Thanksgiving right around the corner, let’s take pause and give thanks even for the smallest measures of providence in our lives. This spirit of gratefulness will go a long way in helping make this unusual holiday season a little brighter. #TiptonPride

Wednesday, November 25th-Virtual Learning Day

Thursday, November 25-27-Thanksgiving Vacation

Monday, November 30-Students Return from eLearning