Grove Gazette

Center Grove Schools looks forward to welcoming our students back to school on Thursday, August 1, 2024!

Three of our schools will begin the new year with new principals: Tracy McMahen at Center Grove High School; Lori Green at Center Grove Elementary School; and Ali Mills-Allen at Sugar Grove Elementary School. We have included information about them and our other new leaders in this newsletter.

This year will be my 27th year in Center Grove Schools and my first as superintendent. I am humbled and honored to step into this role and sincerely appreciate the School Board’s support of my vision for this school district moving forward. As some of you may know, my children are all graduates of Center Grove High School. I believe in our district’s vision to provide an exceptional educational experience for all students. It’s a goal we must work toward every day for every student. I am confident in the talents, abilities, and determination of my leadership team, our building administrators, and each of our faculty and staff members to help us achieve our district’s vision.

We are excited for this new chapter for our school district!

Sincerely,

William K. Long, Ed.D.

Superintendent

If your student plans to attend a Center Grove school in August, but has not registered, please register online as soon as possible at www.centergrove.k12.in.us/EnrollNow. A child who resides in White River Township and is at least 5 by August 1, 2024 may enroll.

QUESTIONS and ANSWERS

Do I need to re-enroll my student if he/she attended a CG school last year?

• No. If your student was enrolled in a Center Grove school for the 2022-23 school year and will return in 2024-25, you do not need to re-enroll. You will need to complete annual paperwork for your current student(s).

If we moved to a home that is within a different Center Grove school boundary, what do we need to do?

• Families who have moved to a new neighborhood should contact their child's school ASAP to ensure records are transferred and bus lists updated before school begins. You can find an interactive map to boundaries at this link. Contact information for each school is available at this link.

What do I need to do if my student is an incoming 6th or 9th grade student and will be moving up to middle or high school?

• If your student will attend the school assigned to your neighborhood, you do not need to re-enroll your student.

School supply lists for the 2024-25 school year are available on each school's website. Click on your school for a link to each supply list page.

Center Grove Elementary
Maple Grove Elementary
North Grove Elementary
Pleasant Grove Elementary
Sugar Grove Elementary
Walnut Grove Elementary
Middle School Central
Middle School North

Center Grove High School: Supplies needed for each high school course will be communicated to students by each teacher during the first class sessions.

Dates, times, and locations for all Back to School events, new parent nights, etc. are listed on our Back to School website.

The state legislature eliminated fees for educational materials prior to the 2024-25 school year. Center Grove families will not be charged textbook fees this school year. Fees may be charged for courses that earn college credit. Parents and students will still be responsible for any lost or damaged educational material.

Center Grove's Food and Nutrition Services Department provides breakfast and lunch options for all students in grades K-12.

Breakfast Prices

Elementary: $1.70, Reduced $0.30

Secondary: $1.70, Reduced $0.30

Lunch Prices

Elementary: $2.60, Reduced $0.40

Secondary: $2.80 Reduced $0.40

A La Carte Prices

Milk: $0.60

Elementary Extra Entrée: $2.10

Secondary Extra Entrée: $2.30

Premium Secondary Entrée $3.00

Meal prices are established to cover food and non-food expenses, staff benefits and labor expenses, and equipment repair and replacement. The food service department is self-supporting and does not receive money from the general fund.

Menus and nutritional information are available through Nutrislice, which is available online and via iTunes and Google apps.

Center Grove Community School Corporation participates in the National School Breakfast and Lunch Programs. A benefit of these programs is the ability to provide free or reduced-price meals to families who are eligible, according to the federal income guidelines. Families can submit the online Free & Reduced-Price/P-EBT application via Skyward Family Access when the application becomes available in late July. Only one application is required per family/household. Learn more.

Class lists for elementary students and schedules for middle and high school students will be posted in Skyward Family Access on July 25.

Remember to update your email and cellphone numbers in Skyward Family Access to ensure your child’s school has the correct contact information for your family. One-minute tutorials are available on our website at centergrove.k12.in.us/skywardhelp to show you how to use Skyward Family Access to access your child's information, including grades, food service balances, schedule, notification settings, and more. Contact information updated in Skyward will automatically update in ParentSquare.

Center Grove Schools provide transportation for every student who lives within the district boundaries and attends his/her assigned school. Bus pick-up and drop-off times and bus stops will be posted in Skyward after July 24.

Instructions to access bus info:

1. Log in to Skyward.
2. If you have more than one student, choose a name from the drop down menu at the top of the page.
3. Go to the left side of the screen and choose the "Student Info" tab.
4. On the Student Info page you will see your child's photo. Click on "View Bus Schedule" to the right of the photo.

Tracking Your Student's Bus

Center Grove utilizes an app called "Here Comes the Bus" to give parents a way to track their child's school bus. You can find instructions on how to download the app and access your child's information on our website at this link.

Requesting Alternate Bus Stops/Opting Out

If a parent/guardian plans to provide alternate transportation to school each day, he/she is encouraged to notify the Center Grove Transportation Department by completing the form linked below so that the bus route may be updated. In some circumstances, parents/guardians may need to request an additional bus stop for a co-parent or alternate address for a childcare provider. Forms for those requests are also linked below.

A new Indiana law requires schools to hold in-person meetings with the families of students in Grades K-6 who have five (5) unexcused absences within a rolling 10-week period.

REMINDER: An unexcused absence includes

1. Any absence in which acceptable verification has not been received within 15 school days after the first day back to school from an appointment to be considered excused.

2. Truancy – A student who has lost instructional time without the knowledge of the parent/guardian.

3. Pre- Arranged – Pre-arranged or unreported; i.e.: vacation.

4. National Competitions - Participation in non-school sponsored State or National Competition

These meetings are intended to help you stay on top of your child's attendance and provide an opportunity to work with your child's school to address any issues that may be affecting attendance. Detailed information on school absence policies is available in each school's handbook.

GRADES K-5

All elementary schools will use PickUp Patrol to report student absences this school year. The web-based platform also allows parents to inform their child's school when plans change for pickup. Instructions are available at this link.

GRADE 6-12

Both middle schools and the high school will use Skyward Family Access to report absences. Instructions are available at this link.

Information regarding excused absences can be found in each school's student handbook.

Center Grove continues to invest in the safety and security of our schools and campuses. Our district has its own police department and Emergency Operations Center to monitor the more than 800 cameras around the district. Centegix alert systems are installed in every CGCSC building, which includes wearable badges with an emergency button. Learn more.

Children in Kindergarten, Grade 6, and Grade 12 must provide their school clinic with proof of up-to-date immunizations for the 2024-25 school year. The deadline to provide these documents is October 1, 2024. A full list of required vaccinations is available on our website at centergrove.k12.in.us/immunizations.

Before- and after-school programs are available through Honey Grove Educational Center for Grades K-8. Call 317.887.5500 with questions or visit honeygroveeducation.com to register online.

Center Grove Schools is currently hiring for a variety of part-time and full-time positions including teaching and non-teaching positions, as well as opportunities in our transportation, food service, and custodial/maintenance departments. If you're looking for a great place to work that aligns with your students' schedules, check out the available positions at centergrove.k12.in.us/applynow.

CGCSC has several construction projects underway this summer. See what's planned and when they're expected to be completed on our website at centergrove.k12.in.us/GrowCG.

Simmers named next Assistant Superintendent
Dr. Lynn Simmers is the next Assistant Superintendent of Teaching & Learning. Dr. Simmers comes to Center Grove from Southwest Allen County Schools in Fort Wayne, Indiana where she was Assistant Superintendent. Her 30-year career in education started in Manchester Community Schools in North Manchester, Indiana where she taught 6th Grade. She has served as assistant principal, athletic director, and principal in Warsaw Community Schools, Northwest Allen County Schools, and Dekalb County Central Schools before moving to Southwest Allen County Schools. She has served as Southwest Allen’s Assistant Superintendent since 2014. Simmers holds a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Manchester College, a master’s degree in Education Administration from Indiana/Purdue University Fort Wayne, and a doctorate in Educational Administration from Indiana State University.

Brown named Executive Director of Human Resources
Khailey Brown has been appointed Executive Director of Human Resources. Brown has served as the district’s Director of Elementary Special Education since August of 2021. Brown moved to Center Grove in February 2018 when she was named the Coordinator of Special Education. Brown started her career in education as a teacher at RISE Learning Center in Perry Township. She then taught special education for grades 6-8 in Manhattan Beach, CA before moving to Noblesville Schools where she taught gifted and talented for grade 5 and behavior support and adaptive skills for grades K-5. She moved to Clark Pleasant Community Schools to serve as Program Support, working alongside administrators and teachers to support and grow special education programming, before coming to Center Grove. Brown holds a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with a dual license in Mild and Intense interventions, Director of Exceptional Needs licensure, and master’s degrees in both Special Education and Education Leadership, all from Indiana University.

Berger named Executive Director of Student Services
Christy Berger, MSW, LSW has been selected to serve as Executive Director of Student Services. Berger has served as the district’s Director of School Counseling and Mental Health since May of 2021. Prior to that she served as the Director of Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Wellness for the Indiana Department of Education. Berger previously worked in Center Grove for nine years, first as a School Social Worker at North Grove Elementary and then school counselor at Center Grove Middle School Central. Berger holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Anderson University, a master’s in social work from IUPUI, and a master's in School Counseling from Indiana Wesleyan. She is a Licensed Social Worker.

Rodman named next Director of Elementary Special Education

Kristin Rodman is the district's next Director of Elementary Special Education. Rodman previously served as principal of Sugar Grove Elementary, a position she had held since May 2020. She served for three years as assistant principal for Center Grove Elementary. Prior to that, she was at Center Grove Middle School Central where she was a special education teacher and later dean of students. Rodman holds a bachelor’s degree in Exceptional Need-Severe Interventions and a master’s degree in Education Administration and Supervision, both from Ball State.

Amy Selby named next Director of Secondary Special Education

Amy Selby is the next Director of Secondary Special Education. Selby comes to Center Grove from Hamilton Southeastern Schools where she served as the Executive Director of Exceptional Learners since July 2021. She started her education career as a special education teacher. She taught in both the MSD of Pike Township and Mooresville Schools before moving into administration. She has served as Director of Special Education for Crawfordsville Schools and West Central Indiana Special Services Cooperative.

McMahen named next CGHS principal
Tracy McMahen will serve as the next principal of Center Grove High School. Mrs. McMahen's appointment is pending approval by the CGCSC Board of School Trustees at their July meeting. McMahen has served as an assistant principal at CGHS for the last eight years. She has also served as a dean at CGHS. Prior to becoming an administrator, McMahen taught for 15 years at Center Grove Middle School Central and was named a building Teacher of the Year in 2012. This year, McMahen was named the Region 9 Assistant Principal of the Year. McMahen holds a bachelor's degree in English Education from Franklin College and a master's degree in Administrative Leadership from Ball State University.

Lori Green appointed next CGES principal

Lori Green is the next principal of Center Grove Elementary School. Ms. Green just completed her 29th year as an educator. She started her career as a middle and high school English teacher for Caston School Corporation in Rochester, Indiana. She has also taught in Tippecanoe Valley Schools in Akron, IN, Plymouth Community Schools in Plymouth, Indiana, and Indianapolis Public Schools where she was also an instructional coach. Green moved into an administrative role 15 years ago as a middle school principal. She has also served as a junior high principal, high school assistant principal and athletic director. Most recently, Green was the principal of Dunloe Elementary School in Groveport, Ohio. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education from Indiana University South Bend and a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Olivet Nazarene University in Kankakee, IL. She also holds a certificate from the Ohio State University Superintendent Licensure Program.

Ali Mills-Allen named next SGES principal

Ali Mills-Allen has been appointed as the next principal of Sugar Grove Elementary. Mrs. Mills-Allen is in her 20th year as an educator. She spent 14 years teaching 3rd Grade, first at Arlington Elementary School in Arlington, TN, and later at North Grove Elementary and Maple Grove Elementary. She was named the Maple Grove Teacher of the Year for 2017-18. Mills-Allen has served as Maple Grove’s assistant principal for the last six years. Mills-Allen holds a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Franklin College and a master’s degree in Elementary Administration & Supervision from the University of Memphis.

Krukemeier named Coordinator of School Counseling

Meaghan Krukemeier will be joining the Student Services team at ESC as the new Coordinator of School Counseling. In this role, she will provide support to school counselors K-12. Mrs. Krukemeier has served for 5 years as the Director of Guidance at CGHS. Prior to that, She spent four years as a counselor at CGHS. She started her career in education as a high school Biology and Chemistry teacher in Belleville, IL. In 2023, she was one of two educators in the state to win an Indiana Department of Education Collaborative Educator Excellence Award, which recognizes educators for their collaboration with partners to improve opportunities for students. She holds a bachelor's degree in Biology from Southern Illinois University and a master's degree in professional school counseling from Lindenwood University.

Jenifer Prenatt named next Academy Coordinator

Jenifer Prenatt has been selected as the next Academy Coordinator overseeing the CGCSC Developmental Community Preschool and Bridges Academy. This is a return to Center Grove for Ms. Prenatt. She spent eight years in Center Grove serving in the special education department as a special education teacher and as a program support teacher. She was named the district’s Teacher of the Year for 2015-16. Most recently, she served as the Assistant Director of Special Education for Clark Pleasant Schools. Prenatt has also taught special education in Clarksville, TN; Marcellus, NY, and Killeen, TX. She brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to this position which will only continue to grow The Academy. Prenatt has a bachelor’s degree in special education from Mansfield University and a master’s in Literacy from Canisius University. She also holds a Director of Exceptional Needs certification from the University of Indianapolis.

Latrice Johnson appointed next MGES Assistant Principal

Latrice Johnson will be the next assistant principal of Maple Grove Elementary. Her appointment is pending approval by the CGCSC Board of School Trustees at its July meeting. Ms. Johnson comes to Center Grove from the Hazel Crest School District in Hazel Crest, Illinois where she served for the last three years as principal of the Jesse C. White Learning Academy. She started her career in education as an elementary school teacher in the Kankakee, Illinois school district. She has also served as a middle school teacher, instructional coach, and assistant principal. Johnson received her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, IL. She also holds a master’s in Principal Administration from Governors State University in University Park, IL.