
SCH Weekly
Scott E. Miller, Superintendent
Issue 3 - January 21, 2020
Dear SCH Family,
It was my sincere pleasure to take part in the MLK Memorial Event yesterday which included the lighting on the eternal flame at MLK park. Dr. King’s life and legacy remind us that though progress has been made, we still have a long way to go as a society to provide equity and opportunity to all people groups. I hope your desire for SCH is the same as mine, to be a reflection of Dr. King’s values in how we relate to the children and how we treat each other. We can be the difference in a child’s life and model for them the beauty that comes from diversity.
Thank you for being a light and providing hope to all of the kids you have influence over.
-Scott
Buildings & Grounds
The Buildings and Grounds Department wishes everyone a productive, thoughtful, and inspiring year! The beginning of the year brings a renewal of annual tasks:
- Procurement of Quotes for Materials to Obtain Best Prices
- Inspections for Generators, Pumps, Mechanical Equipment, Bleachers, Etc.
- Updating Spreadsheets to Reflect 2020
- Review of Budgets
Our goal is to create the best teaching and learning environment possible. We take pride in maintaining SCH buildings and perform to the best of our ability.
Food & Nutrition
On Friday the USDA announced a proposed rule aimed at increasing flexibilities for school meals. Rather than reading articles written by non-K12 food service operators that often can have a political spin to them - we suggest that everyone read the statement below put out by the United States Department of Agriculture:
"Based on the feedback received directly and consistently from those who operate the program on-the-ground day in and day out the USDA has announced a proposed rule aimed at increasing flexibilities for school meals. After more than 2 years of listening to its stakeholders, proactively seeking input through roundtable events and dozens of visits to schools across the country, the proposed rule offers reforms to reduce administrative burden and food waste, and empower schools to serve meals children are eager to eat.
USDA’s School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study found that children are throwing 25 percent of nutrients straight into the trash can. This is not serving children well. The changes in this proposal would increase flexibility and decrease administrative burden for local districts, while continuing to ensure that children receive wholesome, nourishing meals they want to eat.
You may have heard: The rule proposes to lower the amount of fruit required in breakfast outside of the cafeteria.
In reality: The rule would align the minimum requirements of what children are served outside the cafeteria with what must be taken inside the cafeteria. Schools are empowered and encouraged to serve larger quantities both inside and outside the cafeteria if that best meets the needs of their students. It defies common sense to allow schools to serve elementary children one banana in the cafeteria, but force them to serve two in the classroom even when they know one goes in the trash.
You may have heard: The rule allows schools to replace fruit at breakfast with potatoes.
In reality: The rule proposes no changes on this issue. Under explicit direction from Congress since the law was enacted in February 2019, USDA has allowed schools to substitute vegetables, including potatoes, for fruit in meeting school breakfast requirements. This continues to be the current law. The proposed rule requests comment on this and other flexibilities not in the proposal.
You may have heard: Under the proposal, pizza, burgers, and fries could be served to students every day.
In reality: This mischaracterizes the proposal, which makes only limited changes to existing requirements. The current standards allow burgers, pizza, and other entrees to be available a la carte on the day of reimbursement and the day after. The proposal released makes only a small change in that it adds an additional day’s flexibility for schools that wish to serve lunch entrees as a la carte foods in an effort to reduce food waste. This proposal would therefore allow service of an entrée item the day it was served, the day after, and only 1 additional day, not for all 5 days in the school week. Further, the rule makes no changes to side dishes sold a la carte (such as French fries), but requests comment on such flexibilities.
You may have heard: The proposal changes “vegetable subgroup” requirements so that schools will no longer have to serve greens and will instead always serve potatoes to meet these requirements.
In reality: This is incorrect. The proposal would continue to require every vegetable subgroup to be served and the amount of dark green vegetables that must be served each week did not change. It would, however, change the serving sizes for some subgroups to make them consistent, provide more flexibility to operators, and reduce waste. Operators would then be required to provide additional vegetables, from any of the subgroups, to meet overall vegetable requirements, but they would still have to ensure that every subgroup is served each week, ensuring children receive and consume nutrients available from all vegetable subgroups.
USDA looks forward to continuing to work with school nutrition professionals to serve America’s children well. These proposed changes respond directly to the needs of nutrition professionals who look these children in the eye every day."
Hammond Academy for the Performing Arts
The Hammond Academy for the Performing Arts will have our annual LEGENDS concert this Friday! Come out and see our decade match-up 2009 versus 2019! See you there!
Human Resources
Wishing a very Happy Birthday to all the staff members who have birthdays this week!
Wendy Akers, David Barth, Kathy Byers, Amber Cano-Coppage, Swati Chakraborty, Scott Ciupak, Donna Cooper, Katherine Coyle, John Czulno, Catherine Danko, Keesha Dye, Scott Fehr, Claudia Fogus, Lawrance Follrad, Tara Fountain, Michelle Frost, Judith Fruth, Joann Glick, Carmen Gonzalez, Luisa Gonzalez-Hannon, Dawn Greene, Diann Gute, Taeisha Harris, Cynthia Heintz, Mary Henry, Paulina Hernandez, Maria Herrera, Dorothy Jones, Tanysha McNeil, Lydia McNeiley, Maria Miramontes, Joseph Munoz, Amanda Perkins, Jessica Putman, Esthela Quiroga, Jocelyn Reding, Brenda Ruiz Diaz, Evelyn Salazar, Maria Serros, Kenya Shaw, Florence Smith, Pamela Smith, Cynthia Tanas, Diana Vela, and Paul Wagner.
Special Education
The School City of Hammond's Special Department welcomed two new case managers this school year.
Eboni McClellan was a teacher for 7th and 8th grade emotionally disabled students in East Chicago for seven years. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the case manager position at Wallace and Scott.
Stephanie Porter was also a teacher for the emotionally handicapped students at Morton High School before making the move to case manager. She brings her expertise to the schools of Kenwood and Morton High School.
Technology
Tax season is in full swing! Criminals will go to great lengths to separate you from your money, your identity, or anything of value that is within their reach. They may offer seemingly legitimate "tax services" that are actually designed to steal your identity and your tax refund. Often times, criminals will lure you in with an offer of larger write-offs or refunds. Such scams might include fake websites and tax forms that look like they belong to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in order to trick you into providing your personal information.
When dealing with someone regarding your finances, make sure to verify their identity, and don’t give out your information to anyone that can’t prove who they are. Check here for advice on the signs and ways to protect yourself from identity theft this tax season.
SCH Events
Monday, January 20th
- Gavit Girls Basketball @ Whiting HS - 6 p.m.
- Hess ES - “Make it a Good Night Monday” live read aloud on Facebook - 7 p.m.
- Kankakee Valley Wrestling @ Gavit MS/HS - 6 p.m.
Tuesday, January 21st
- Administration Center - School Board Meeting - 6 p.m.
- Clark Girls Basketball @ Gavit MS/HS - 5:30 p.m. & 7 p.m.
- Gavit MS Girls Basketball @ Eggers MS - 4:30 p.m.
- Irving ES - Purdue Nutrition Class for Parents - 9:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.
- Jefferson ES - Think First and Stay Safe Program
- Jefferson ES - CLiCK Reading Program - 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- Lincoln ES - WIDA Testing Begins
- Morton HS - ASVAB Testing (Jrs. & Srs.) - 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.
- Morton HS Basketball @ West Side - 4:30 p.m.
- Morton HS Swimming @ East Chicago Central - 5:30 p.m.
- Morton HS Wrestling @ Lake Station - 6 p.m.
Wednesday, January 22nd
- Clark Boys Basketball @ Hobart HS - 5:30 p.m.
- EC Central HS Girls Basketball @ Morton HS - 5:30 p.m.
- Gavit Boys Basketball @ Griffith - 5:30 p.m. & 7 p.m.
- Jefferson ES - Think First and Stay Safe Program
Thursday, January 23rd
- Gavit Girls Basketball @ Hobart - 5:30 p.m. & 7 p.m.
- GLAC Conference Wrestling @ Morton HS - 6 p.m.
- Hanover Central Girls Basketball @ Clark - 5:30 p.m.
- Hess ES - PTA Movie Night - 3:25 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.
- Jefferson ES - Think First and Stay Safe Program
- Jefferson ES - Title 1 Nutrition Program - 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Lincoln ES - Professional Development for 2nd, 3rd, & 4th Grade Teachers - 8 a.m.
- Lincoln ES - Popcorn Sale
- Maywood ES - Father's Side-by-Side - 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
- Morton HS - Meeting with the Principals - 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
- Morton HS Basketball @ Griffith - 5:30 p.m.
- O'Bannon ES - Mayor's Night Out - 6:30 p.m.
- Scott MS Girls Basketball @ Gavit MS - 4:30 p.m.
Friday, January 24th
- Clark Boys Basketball @ Morton HS - 5:30 p.m.
- Clark Girls Swimming @ Morton HS - 5:30 p.m.
- Irving ES - PTA Dress-down Day Fundraiser
- Irving ES - WIDA & US Census 2020 Parent Workshop - 9:30 a.m.
- Kenwood ES - Coffee & Conversation with the Principal - 9:45 a.m.
- Morton HS - HAPA - Legends Concert - 7 p.m.
- Morton HS - GLAC Conference Meet - 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, January 25th
- Clark Girls Basketball @ Morton HS - 5:30 p.m.
- Gavit HS Boys Basketball @ Hammond HS - 12 p.m. & 1:30 p.m.
- Lake Station Super 8 Wrestling Tournament - 9 a.m.
- Hess ES - State Chess Tournament (Indianapolis)
- Morton HS Wrestling @ Hobart - 9 a.m.
SCH Highlights of the Week
Franklin ES
Mr. Miller and Christine Clarahan were guest readers at Franklin Elementary last week. They read books to the 1st and 2nd grade classrooms! The students love when we have guest readers and hope they come visit us again soon!
Gavit MS/HS
Chess Team
Congratulations to our Gavit Chess Team! Louis Combs, Nathan Kreczmer, Ryan Manning, Ryan Salazar, Maxwell Wolf, Nicholas Medrano and Walter Gaitan represented our school in the High School division of the largest section in the State of Indiana. Qualifying to compete at the State Finals are Ryan Manning, Maxwell Wolf and Walter Gaitan. In the 8th Grade and under section all 4 players Aaron Nunez, Jessica Polovina, Justin Nunez and Gabriel Salazar qualified to compete in the Finals. In the 6th grade and under section Omar Padilla gets an Honorable mention by just missing out on qualifying while Collin Nunez will join his brothers in Indianapolis on the 25th of January representing Gavit Middle School.
Hammond Sports Hall of Fame
Gavit High School 2019 Graduates Dawn Pawlak and Noah Maravilla have been named the winner of the Hammond Sports Hall of Fames Anderson Peterson Award as the top female and male student/athletes in the City of Hammond for the 2018/2019 academic/athletic season. The Anderson/Peterson Award is provided to a student/athlete in the City of Hammond who exhibits the qualities and attributes for which the Hammond Sports Hall of Fame was established and based upon: Dedication, Contribution, Citizenship, Ability and Service. The selection committee based their decision from Principal and Athletic Director recommendations from all four School City of Hammond High Schools, Hammond Academy of Science and Technology, and Bishop Noll Institute.
Dawn, Noah and their families will be recognized at the Hammond Sports Hall of Fames Induction Dinner and Ceremony on Tuesday, March 10, 2020 beginning at 5:00 p.m. at the Hammond Civic Center. The cost is $25.00 and tickets may be purchased in the Gavit Athletic Office beginning on January 28, 2020. Please refer to the link down below for further details.
Morton HS
SOCCER
Paul Bogarin has accepted a scholarship to play soccer at Xavier University. He is the first Division I athlete in the history of our soccer program. Please see attached picture of Paul Bogarin with Morton Soccer Coaches Juan Soto & Christopher Jagadich.
CHESS
We had 8 students compete at last weekend's Regional chess tournament and of those 8, five of them qualified for state!
Gabriel Springsteen qualified with a total of 2.5 points! Two wins and one draw!
Mihai Poeana, Daniel Castillo, and Kaleb Grauvogl each netted a total of 3 points!
and,
the tournament's champion, Noel Vera, swept the entire tournament earning a perfect 5/5, defeating many students, some of which had ratings over 1000!
The state tournament is at Pike High School in Indianapolis on the 25th of January and we're all very excited to see how they perform!
I'm very excited to tell you that this is a very young team with a significant percentage of Freshman and Sophomores. I'm looking forward to the future where we have even more students who are going to qualify and be successful as the years go on!
Secondary Curriculum
The secondary principals attended the 5th Annual Indiana STEM Education Conference on January 15th at Purdue University. This conference is sponsored by Purdue and IDOE. With the increasing and continuous interest in STEM, our administrators were exposed to a variety of resources and strategies that will enhance the academic experiences of our students. IDOE also did a thorough job of presenting the state's Strategic Plan for STEM.
Scott MS
Scott Middle School scholars enjoyed a wonderful afternoon of talking, learning, and laughing, with Mayor McDermott at his "Lunch and Learn with Mayor Tom" Our scholars would like to thank him for a very memorable experience!
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