
SCH Weekly
Scott E. Miller, Superintendent
Issue 17 - August 24, 2020
Dear SCH Family,
Corporation wide, we had an excellent start to the school year. Though COVID has impeded many of our plans and continues to be a disruptor, we still found a way to show our students and community that we were up to the task. I was personally able to visit every school site last week and was so impressed by the quality of what I witnessed in the virtual classrooms. I was also extremely impressed by everyone bending and growing to meet the many varied needs of our parents and kids.
Stay encouraged, we have started well!
-Scott
Food & Nutrition
BIG NEWS from Food Service. We are partnering with Transportation and starting the week of September 8th will deliver 5 days’ worth of breakfast and lunch to the homes of students who live within the city of Hammond. Please reach out to your students, neighbors, friends, and make sure they complete this form by Thursday August 27th. Check out www.schlunch.com for more information! Please let families know that we would like ALL households to complete the form – even if they do not want the service.
Hammond Academy for the Performing Arts
Our Theme This Year is "Finding Home" - Our First play of the year auditions below:
Ready to get the school year started off on a high note? Join us this Wednesday 8/26 or Thursday 8/27 to audition for the first play in HAPA's season, SHE KILLS MONSTERS. Some students may be asked to attend callbacks starting at 5:30 on THURSDAY, so if you sign up be sure to keep that time free just in case. You do not need to prepare anything for the audition. Cuttings will be posted on Tuesday morning.
Sign up for a time slot using this link. The time slots are only 20 minutes so PLEASE arrive on time and ready to roll.
The auditions are taking place via zoom so we have access to breakout rooms during the auditions. The zoom link is available on the sign up sheet, but email Ms. Ogrentz at AROgrentz@hammond.k12.in.us if you have any questions.
About the show:
She Kills Monsters tells the story of Agnes Evans as she leaves her childhood home in Ohio following the death of her teenage sister, Tilly. When Agnes finds Tilly’s Dungeons & Dragons notebook, however, she stumbles into a journey of discovery and action-packed adventure in the imaginary world that was Tilly’s refuge. In this high-octane dramatic comedy laden with homicidal fairies, nasty ogres, and 90s pop culture, acclaimed young playwright Qui Nguyen offers a heart-pounding homage to the geek and warrior within us all.
Head Start
Head Start Virtual classes begin Thursday, August 27. Anyone interested in applying for Head Start can complete the form connected to the link below. Classes will include a live daily Class Meeting, live Small Groups and individual student sessions, video-recorded lessons, weekly activities and video-recorded story readings. Parent engagement is embedded in the lessons as the parent or another involved adult will be the teacher's "hands" during virtual lessons.
Health Services
Human Resources
Wishing a very Happy Birthday to all the staff members who have birthdays this month!
Latosha Alcox, Douglas Andrews, Leticia Arredondo, Melissa Arredondo, Jennifer Astor, Alvanetta Bailey, Cindy Bailey, Karen Baltrushaitis, Leslie Beckham, Lauryn Belton, Melinda Blandford, Lori Boback, James Brilmyer, Joy Broadwell, Thomas Brooks, Elaine Brown, James Bryant, Barbara Butcher, Melissa Calabrese, Theodore Cano, Ceetter Carpenter-Stevens, Regina Cassoday, Cristina Chavez, Gerald Childers, Jason Chorba, Candace Clayton, Laura Clifford, Roger Coan, Deborah Conner, Mary Cruz, Alicia Daniel, Frank Delgado, Kerri Dhlamini, Cynthia Dixon, Wilma Dragoo, Kelly Dumaresq, Nicole Dunn, Cary Eckard, Lawrence Fallon, Daniel Friel, Douglas Friend, Raymond Garivay, Denise Gibson, Cynthia Gil, Kaitlin, Inita Hall, Tiffanny Hammond, Angela Hardy, Sara Hebble, Joseph Hegyes, Michelle Hendrix-Cruz, Christine Hernandez, Sierra Hernandez, Trinidad Hernandez, Shanell Hightower, Rina Horgan, Joseph Horn, Richard Howard, Tosha Hudson, Rebecca Janik, Kathleen Jazyk, Santina Johnson, Mary Kelly, Sarah Kilander, Amanda King, Nicolle Kinzel, Sarah Kopf, Dawn Kreczmer, Denise Kustka, Eva Lawrence, Tina Lazzarine, Rachel Lee, Angelica Lemus, Scott Lush, Daniel Lyza, Martha Maclin, Suzanne Maginot, Kathryn Mahns, Betsaida Maldonado, Megan Mann, Sue Anne Mathewson, Donna Maurice, John McClure, Samantha McGuire, Marsha Meade, Juana Mendez, Adrian Mercado, Kimberly Montero, Christopher Moore, Karyssa Morgan, Mary Moriarty, Barbara O’Drobinak, Kathryn Osan, Karen Osborne, Deborah Overage-Markward, Lisa Owens-Korba, Michele Parsley, Jazmine Perez, Todd Peters, Antewan Poindexter, Tabitha Poland, Regina Polovina, Patricia Portes, Robert Pustek, Brianna Quintero, Colette Raymond, Xavier Reillo, Eric Richard, Kevin Richards, Denise Robinson, Cedric Rodgers, Collise Rodriguez, Rivian Ross, Robert Ruelas, Gregory Ruiz, Christina Saenz, Veronica Sanchez, Michelle Sanders, Jon Sarlea, James Scott, Debra Simmons, Tangelica Soto, Jessica Stark, Olivia Steffel, Jenna Stokes, John Suarez, David Sutkowski, Amy Sweeney, Dawn Szany, Sienna Taylor, Davina Tomczak, Makaena Toodle, Erika Torres, Luis Torres, Angela Tratta, Adam Trevino, Christy Trombetta, Leticia Vasquez, Victor Vazquez, Elizabeth Vega, Marlene Villanueva, Mark Volk, Tony Wakefield, Adam White, Cassandra Zacny, Neftali Zelaya, and Martha Zepeda.
Special Education
The SCH Special Education Department would like to welcome all of our students,parents and families back to school, although in a virtual classroom, we still look forward to providing a high quality experience for all students. Since all of the students in Hammond are receiving their education through a virtual instruction platform, special education supports and services will also be provided virtually. In this process, all of the special education systems remain intact, they will just take place virtually.
Students will have contact with their special education teacher and support staff. Depending upon the student needs, provisions, services and supports within the students Individualized Education Plan (IEP), some students may need to spend more time with their special education teacher.
All students in special education who receive the services of Speech, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy and Social Work will still receive those services, but in a virtual Google classroom or Google Hangout type setting. The Speech Pathologists will be using a virtual platform called BLINK to provide virtual speech therapy services.
Although, we will face challenges, as long as we work together as a team,collaborate and proactively communicate we will keep the focus on the students' needs.
Technology
Helpful Information
- SCH has many options for Technical Support available to both students and staff. You can fill out a form, send an email or call (219) 937-1680. Our Live Technical Support will be available Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Teachers please make sure you put in a work order for any technology need as we are actively processing all requests; you should hear back from us soon.
- If you have a student that still has a need, please have them submit a request form on our on our site.
- We are working on getting hot spots to our students. If you have someone that is not connecting due to lack of internet, please make sure they fill out the request form on our site.
SCH Highlights
Clark MS/HS
#LastDance 2020-2021 t-shirts for sale $15.00 each.
If you would like to order one please email EJKolat@hammond.k12.in.us
Secondary Curriculum
18 SCH Grads Admitted to PNW Honors College; College Bound Students Participate in Transition ‘Bootcamp’ at PNW
We are proud that 18 of our Blueprint graduates from June have been admitted this fall to the Purdue University Northwest Honors College—far and away the largest Blueprint number to become Honors College enrollees.
For the first time at PNW, decisions for this fall about Honors College admission were based exclusively on high school GPA and not SAT/ACT scores. Given a 98 percent retention rate (freshman to sophomore year) within the PNW Honors College, this year’s admission decision came to fruition after heavy thought and contemplation—and, also, in response to the challenges of our coronavirus environment.
PNW Honors College students are helped along a rigorous retention and degree persistence track by the support of two academic advisors—one, within their major; the other from within the Honors College. Honors College freshmen also benefit from the mentoring of an upper class Honors College student.
In the future, the hope for all Hammond high schools is to increase the visits and presentations by college/university admission and other representatives across Northwest Indiana. Inviting college-enrolled, SCH Blueprint graduates to speak to classes and share their perspective of high school-to-college transition, success, failure and just figuring it all out can be especially enlightening to our current students.
Additionally, seven recent SCH graduates and incoming seniors participated in the four-day, PNW Summer Bootcamp, Let The Games Begin: Champions for College! The program took place July 20-23 at PNW’s Hammond campus.
Scott MS
The Kids Caring for the Community Grant program is hosted by the United Brotherhood of Carpenters Locals # 599,1005,1076,1485. The program recognizes schools and students each quarter which give back to their communities throughout the school year. One school from each county in NWI is chosen as the winner for the work they have done for their community.
We are very excited to announce that Scott Middle School is the receipt of this award for Lake County. The Carpenters Local will award Scott Middle School with a $500 award. This past school year, Scott Middle School hosted a blood drive with Versiti Blood Centers. As part of the blood drive students and families were encouraged to bring in canned foods for our local food pantry. A Versiti representative also visited Scott MIddle School and talked to students about the importance of giving blood.
Congratulations Scott Scorpions for your commitment to our community!
Transportation Department
Stay Informed
An update from the Superintendent is distributed at the beginning of the week.
View previous weekly updates from Mr. Miller here.
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Email: schadmin@hammond.k12.in.us
Website: www.hammond.k12.in.us
Location: 41 Williams Street, Hammond, IN, USA
Phone: (219) 933-2400
Facebook: facebook.com/SchoolCityofHammond/
Twitter: @SCHK12