Friday Message

As this week draws to a close, it still seems a little surreal. These have been remarkable times. COVID-19 started a chain of events that touched all of our lives in some way and ultimately, changed life as we knew it in almost every way. While this year presented everyone with challenges, TCSC was able to succeed, thanks in part, to the continued support and flexibility of students, staff, parents/guardians, and the community.

Through all of this, one thing is clear, our students, our families, and our community have shown extraordinary resilience. We have seen amazing acts of kindness and connectedness throughout our school community. The work that our staff has done to provide the best possible education for all of our students during this historic time in our professional lives is a strong testament to public education at its best.

As we plan for this fall, we are also taking the opportunity to learn from the events over the past year. We continue to examine how we can incorporate new learning models and innovations that engage students by their individual strengths and needs. We are also seeking ways to be more impactful, inclusive, and equitable than before to ensure the best educational experience for every student. Our plans will prioritize the health and safety of our students and staff, focus on our collective and individual social-emotional well-being, and accelerate learning for all students.

We expect to receive guidance from various local, state, and national agencies this summer regarding masks, social distancing, and other health and safety protocols. We’ll keep you informed when we know more. I’ll also check in again a couple of times over the summer to keep you in the loop with news and the start of school information. The first day of school for the 2021-22 year is Friday, August 6.

This is #MentalHealthAwareness Month. We know that mental health and school success are closely linked, and untreated mental health challenges can create significant barriers to academic, social, emotional, and career success. We also know schools are an amazing place to de-stigmatize mental health concerns by starting conversations and increasing understanding about mental illness. Among our longstanding goals is to support our students’ academic and social/emotional growth every day. Our school counselors work with our staff to provide opportunities, activities, and resources for students to help address and improve mental health and overall well-being. Let’s make it a point to focus on good practices for our mental health every day.

Congratulations to the Boys Golf Team who brought home this year’s Hoosier Conference Championship title! In other exciting Blue Devil news, the THS Band received its adjudication sheets from the Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA) and received a "Gold with Distinction" while performing in the most challenging literature category of Group 1. In addition, our THS Band Department has once again earned the prestigious All-Music Award from the ISSMA. Check out the really cool trailer for the new marching band show titled Phoenix Rising at www.facebook.com/TiptonHighSchoolBands.

Thank you for helping to make this a successful year. We’re stronger by working together. Have a wonderful summer, stay safe, and continue to look after one another. #TiptonPride.

Speech/Language Pathologist work with students on a wide range of skills to increase their ability to communicate! Check this out!

• Speech sounds. He may have trouble saying sounds. He may not speak clearly and be hard to understand.
• Language and literacy. Your child may have trouble understanding what she hears. She may not follow directions or answer questions well. It may be hard for her to tell others about her thoughts. She may not say the correct words or say only short sentences. Language problems can also make reading and writing harder.
• Social communication. Your child may have trouble talking with other children. He may not make friends easily. He may not understand what others think or how they feel.
• Cognitive communication. These are the thinking skills your child needs to remember, solve problems, and use her imagination. Learning disabilities and brain damage can cause these types of problems.
• Feeding and swallowing. It may sound strange to think of eating as a school problem, but it can be. Feeding and swallowing problems can make it hard for your child to eat and drink enough during the day. This can make it hard to learn. It can also make social times, like lunch or snack, harder for your child.
• Stuttering. Your child may have trouble speaking smoothly. She may repeat sounds or words or have long pauses when she talks. Stuttering can make it hard to answer questions or give speeches in class. It can also make it hard to talk to friends.
• Voice. Your child may sound hoarse or lose his voice. He may sound like he talks through his nose, called nasality. His voice may be too loud or too soft. Voice problems can make it hard to talk in class or with friends.