MCAS Communicator

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Our MCAS Director of Technology, Kevin McGuire, was honored by the Michigan City Chamber of Commerce as the 2022 Educator of the Year!

He was recognized for preparing our school district for a one-to-one implementation years before the pandemic; his work in outfitting schools and classrooms with up-to-date technology; his support of innovative programs such as the Compressed Air Academy and Advanced Manufacturing lab at the high school, as well as Project Lead the Way programs across the district - and SO MUCH MORE!

We value Kevin’s leadership in the technology arena and applaud him for his accomplishments.

Congratulations on this distinguished recognition!

Nicole Santana has been named our new Food Service Director! Nicole started with MCAS in 2012 as a Field Coordinator and has served as Assistant Director since August 2019. She will be taking over the leadership role from Cindy Licciardone, who has retired after 7 1/2 years as Food Service Director.

Both Nicole and Cindy have worked tirelessly to support our Food Service operations throughout the pandemic, pivoting their operations to serve students not only at school but for some periods through curbside pickup. Their team has risen above supply shortages and staffing challenges, and we truly appreciate the hard work and dedication of our food service professionals.

The Michigan City Human Rights Commission will be announcing details regarding the Black History Month "Celebrating Naomi Anderson" Contest very soon.

The contest will include an art project for grades K-3; a writing project for grades 4-8; and a short video contest for high school students. All contests will be focused on the life of Naomi Talbert Anderson - a suffragist who lived in Michigan City in the 1800s.

Materials will be posted to the city's Human Rights Commission website. We will send an email to staff to let everyone know when this is available.

Thanks in part to:

Indiana Department of Health/Indiana National Guard

When: Wednesday February 2– Saturday February 5

Where: Salvation Army (1201 S. Franklin St., Michigan City)

Time: 12PM-5PM Wednesday

CLOSED Thursday

12PM-8PM Friday & Saturday

NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY!

**Rapid and PCR Tests Available**

About the Vaccines:

- This is a FREE Vaccine!

- Pfizer is a 2 dose series, available to individuals aged 5 years and older

- Moderna is a 2 dose series, available to individuals aged 18 years and older

- Booster doses available as well on site!

Our Curriculum team is happy to report some exciting academic and instructional gains and great growth moments in the MCAS schools and classrooms, thanks to the Botvin and Second Steps programs.

CLICK HERE for a detailed report featuring spotlight stories from Joy, Lake Hills, Edgewood, and Michigan City High School!

THANK YOU to our School Counselors at Michigan City Area Schools for:

• helping our students reach their full potential
• being actively committed to helping students explore their abilities, strengths, interests, and talents
• helping parents focus on ways to further the educational, personal, and social growth of their children
• working with educators to help students set goals for themselves
• identifying community resources that complement our school counseling programs

We appreciate all that you do to help enhance the lives of students, ensuring they have the best possible educational experience at Michigan City Area Schools!

For those staff who claim mileage reimbursement, below is a link to the required log sheet for 2022. The mileage rate for 2022 is $0.585. Questions? Contact Brenda Runnels in the Finance Office.

2022 Mileage Log Sheet with Dropdowns

Attention teachers! The Feed the Children Teacher Store in Elkhart is temporarily closed due to COVID. They may reopen in March. We will keep you posted!

CLICK HERE for more information about the Teacher Store

Teachers and Staff: Do you know about "Tickets at Work"?

This is a perk provided to you as an employee of Michigan City Area Schools!

Simply visit www.TicketsAtWork.com and sign up using your MCAS email account and the company code MCAS. You will see several discount opportunities including shows, events, travel, movies, and more!

Earth Day 2022 is coming soon, and to celebrate, Porter County Recycling and Waste Reduction is hosting a "Paint the Rain" rain barrel decoration competition and La Porte County schools are invited to participate.

Teachers and schools will receive a rain barrel they can paint or decorate with environmentally-friendly materials and illustrate an environmental theme. All rain barrels in the competition will be displayed and judged between 9am and noon on Saturday, April 30, by visitors of the 2022 Northwest Indiana Earth Day Celebration at the Porter County Expo Center. The winners will be announced at the end of the Earth Day Celebration, around 1pm.

Awards will be provided across all elementary, middle, and high school entries. Schools winning first place will receive a $150 cash value prize; second place winners will receive a $100 cash value prize; and third place will earn a $50 cash value prize.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

All students in Northwest Indiana are invited to participate in the 6th annual "World Creativity and Innovation Week" Student-Juried Showcase of Poetry, hosted by The Center for Creative Solutions. Young poets from grades K-12 are encouraged to share their inspiring words with other young people across the region.

A panel of experts will evaluate submitted works and choose the most creative poems and award first, second, and third-place honors in each grade level. A live celebration is planned to take place at The Nest, 803 Franklin Street, on April 23. Top poets will read their work on-air at WIMS, will be printed in The Beacher, and will be published in a booklet featuring all submitted poems.

Poems can be humorous, thoughtful, fantastical, or serious; can be any length in any form (narrative, dramatic, lyrical, haiku, etc.). Submissions must be made by midnight on Wednesday, March 31 at thenestmichigancity@gmail.com.

For more information, contact Bill at william.halliar@gmail.com or Ester at thenestmichigancity@gmail.com.

EAP Webinar February 16, 11:30 am - 12 pm

How to be Mindfully Present
&
Fight Stress with your Diet

Register HERE

Change One Thing: How small changes can make a positive difference in your health

Becoming healthier can feel overwhelming at times when you don’t know where to start. Learn about some small changes that you can work on “one at a time."

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE WEBINAR

Resiliency: Build Your Mind's Strength

According to a recent article in the Harvard Business Review, resilience has been shown to positively influence work satisfaction and engagement, as well as overall well-being. Resilience isn’t just a kind of solitary internal “grit” that allows us to bounce back. New research shows that resilience is also heavily enabled by strong relationships and networks. These interactions can help us to alter the magnitude of the challenge we’re facing. Tune in to learn strategies to build your mind’s strength and increase your resilience capacity.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE WEBINAR

Franciscan Health recently opened a Senior Health & Wellness facility (PACE) at their newly renovated site where the previous Michigan City hospital was located on Homer Street. PACE: Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly programs offer healthcare services and socialization opportunities for individuals who are eligible for nursing home care but would prefer to live at home. These programs are funded through a combination of Medicare, Medicaid and private pay sources.

Here's a flyer that outlines some of the key points about the PACE program.

Feel free to contact the staff at the PACE program with any questions. You can also schedule a tour of the new facility in Michigan City.

Unity Foundation of La Porte County is now accepting applications for the 2022 cycle

of scholarships and awards. The deadline for submission is Friday, March 25, 2022. Scholarship awards average over $2,000 each. In addition to graduating high school seniors and continuing college students, many of the scholarships are also open for adults looking to get a professional certificate, or associate, undergraduate, graduate or doctoral degree.

The Unity Foundation General Scholarship Application simplifies the application process by allowing students to apply for many different scholarships through one application form. The application form, eligibility requirements, and additional information are available on Unity’s website, uflc.net/scholarships. Applicants are encouraged to begin the process early.

Unity Foundation is also accepting nominations for the Jan Nona Environmental Stewardship Award. This award honors students or "teachers inspiring students" in the Michigan City area who, like Jan Nona, move beyond being an ordinary citizen and become involved in environmental issues in the community. The recipient must be a resident of La Porte or Porter counties. The award will be paid to the recipient or college or university on behalf o the recipient; or to a charity of the recipient's choice. Visit uflc.net/scholarships for more information.

The Salvation Army of Michigan City is tackling hunger - and you can help! On Saturday, February 12, The Salvation Army will host a drive-through food drive to help restock the pantry shelves. Simply drive up to the door at the rear of the building at 1201 Franklin Street between 9 am and noon to make your donation. Most needed items: spaghetti sauce, cereal, jelly, and dish soap.

The City of Michigan City is searching for help at the City Kids Day Camp, which will take place at Lake Hills Elementary School this summer. Camp typically runs from the 2nd weekend in June through the end of July, although director and supervisors usually work the week prior to camp for set-up.

Leader $15/hour

Supervisor $16/hour

Director $17/hour

Anyone interested should contact Shannon Eason (Assistant Superintendent, Michigan City Parks and Recreation Department) at (219) 873-1506 or season@emichigancity.com.

Lubeznik Center for the Arts (101 W. 2nd Street) is hosting a fun FREE family day on Saturday, Feb. 12 from 1pm to 3pm. Gallery tours will begin at 1pm followed by art-making and refreshments.

For more information visit LubeznikCenter.org or call 219. 874.4900.

Attention, teachers! Our friends at the Michigan City Office Max/Office Depot have shared these Discount Coupons for educators. Note that these offers expire 2/12 and 3/26.