DuneNews
Duneland School news for parents, students and teachers
Thursday, January 26, 2023 Vol. 57 No. 23
STUDENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Trojan Virtual Academy Mid-Year Graduates 2023
Trojan Virtual Academy has announced that four (4) students will graduate mid-year this January 2023. Congratulations to the following graduates:
Kobe Galligan
Joshua Gunter
Kyle Hartley
Abigail Wodrich
DSC Robotic Teams Qualify for State
Over the last two weekends, two more Duneland School Corporation teams have qualified for the state robotics competition.
Westchester Intermediate School robotics teams B, C, and D attended their third competition of the season at Franklin Elementary School in Logansport, Indiana on Saturday, January 14, 2023. All three teams made the finals, with team D winning in an alliance with a team from Flora, Indiana. Team D, the Balon Bots, made the finals and finished in 1st place. This qualifies their team for the State Championship in Indianapolis at the end of March. Team D also won the Skills Award for having the top skills score at the competition. Team D members, pictured above, are Adam Nicksic, Kaiden Roy, and Roland Wagner. Absent from photo is team member Ryan Seaman.
Chesterton Middle School robotics teams A, B, C, D, E, F, H, and J attended a competition at Crown Point High School this past Saturday, January 21. They competed with 66 teams from Syracuse, Plymouth, Crown Point, Winamac, Portage, Valparaiso, Elkhart, Chicago Heights Illinois, La Porte, Dyer, Union Mills, Lockport Illinois, St. John, Nappanee, and Chesterton High School and Middle School. Team J won the highest award of the middle school competition, the Excellence Award, which qualified them for State in March. Team J members are, Colton Beckwith, Jacob Anderson with robot gLiTch, Mina Arulandu, and Rosemary Hundt.
CMS Girls Basketball Teams Sweep Invite Championship
Chesterton Middle School Girls' 7th grade A basketball team won their first game of the season against East Chicago Block Middle School hosted this past Saturday at CMS with a final score of 41-8. In addition, the team also won the championship invite game against LaPorte with a final score of 30-28. CMS A team members above are, front row, left to right, Paige Clancy, Bella Rebac, Isabel Torres and Ruby Dudek. Back row, Lindsi McGuffey, Brenley Bonez, Kenzie Bonez and Addison Pack.
Chesterton Middle School's Girls' 7th grade B basketball team won their first game of the season, hosted at Plymouth Middle School this past Saturday, against Northwood with a score of 26-8. The B team also won the Plymouth Tournament Championship with a 19-14 victory over Lincoln. Girls B team members above are, front row, left to right, Naomi Rodriguez, Julia Whitenack, Peyton Hicks and Hannah Haring. Back row, Adriana Gorbea, Alise Rodriguez, Emerson Glossinger, Kylie Bagwell, Zoey McKee and Natalee Bachman.
CHS Show Choir Season Kickoff Successful
The Drifters and their band The Business
The Sandpipers and their band The Business
The 2023 Show Choir Competition Season is underway and the CHS Show Choirs have already achieved great success!
On Saturday, January 14 the Drifters, Sandpipers and their band The Business travelled to Muscatine, IA to participate in the River City Classic. The Drifters captured 1st Runner-Up in their Division with an incredibly strong performance to start their year. The Sandpipers also captured 1st Runner-Up in their division and their scores qualified them for the evening finals which consisted of the six highest scoring groups of the day. In the evening Finals, the Sandpipers and their band The Business captured 1st Runner-Up Overall honors and improved their scores from the daytime round.
On Saturday, January 21, the show choir program again hit the road - this time for Milton, WI where they competed at the Rock the Rock competition. This weekend was a tremendous success for the CHS Show Choir Program. During Preliminary Awards, the Drifters captured the Unisex Division Grand Champion and also was the 5th highest scoring from the entire day (15 competing show choirs). The Business was named The Best Band and the Drifters earned the award for Outstanding Stage Crew for their work with the Sandpiper show.
Junior Luke Housman took home 2nd Place Honors in the solo competition for his rendition of "Oh What A Beautiful Mornin" and Freshman Karleigh Pawlyszyn sang "I Didn't Plan It" and was awarded 1st Place in the solo competition. The Sandpipers captured 1st Runner-Up in their division and earned a spot in the Finals. During the Final Awards Ceremony the CHS Sandpipers and The Business were named Grand Champion of the day and awarded the award for Best Vocals. This is the first program Grand Championship since the 2019 season!
The CHS Show Choirs are under the direction of Choral Director Kristin Morris, Assistant Heather Lewis, and Instrumental Director Matt Christensen. They are choreographed by Ellie Jordan and Randy Sage, supported by an incredible group of stage dads, The Do-Dads, amazing chaperones and incredible parents and fans!
The students involved in the CHS Show Choir Program have put in countless hours of work preparing for the competition season and cannot wait to continue to perform and compete this season.
STUDENT ACTIVITIES
Student leaders from Chesterton, Morgan Township, Boone Grove, Portage, Washington, Wheeler, Kouts, and Valparaiso High Schools will be meeting on Feb. 13, 2023 for the Porter Country Leadership Conference (PCLC).
The theme for this year's leadership conference is, "If you can connect people, you can create the future." One of the goals this year is to collect gently used puzzles, board games, or new coloring books along with crayons, markers, or colored pencils for several organizations in the Porter County area. These organizations include the Hilltop House, the Caring Place, local nursing homes, and the VA clinics.
This leadership conference is the only student government conference in the region. We are proud to be able to bring all of these schools and student leaders together to connect and make change.
Those community members who are interested in contributing to the effort, may drop donations off at the Chesterton High School Main Office at Entrance 1 from January 31 - February, 10, 2023
Brummitt Elementary Recognized as Common Sense School
Common Sense, the national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping kids and families thrive in a world of media and technology, has recognized Brummitt Elementary as a Common Sense School.
Brummitt Elementary has demonstrated its commitment to taking a whole-community approach to preparing its students to think critically and use technology responsibly to learn, create, and participate while preparing them for the perils that exist in the online realm, such as plagiarism, loss of privacy, and cyberbullying. With the right support, kids can take ownership of their digital lives, engage with real issues, and change their communities for the better. The recognition acknowledges our school's commitment to creating a culture of digital citizenship. Read more...
TEEN MENTAL HEALTH
Program Provides Information for Parents with Teens
The Chesterton High School Counseling Department hosted an informational session about Teen Mental Health last Wednesday at CHS. Over 60 parents/guardians attended the session where Mrs. Amy Snyder, CHS counselor, and Dr. Angelina Valente from Duneland Counseling Center presented on Teen Mental Health.
Mrs. Snyder led the conversation about common signs and symptoms of depression and anxiety in teens as well as shared some recent statistics. According to the Centers for Disease Control, one in three high school students experienced poor mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the pandemic, suicide was the second leading cause of death among youth ages 10-24. The CDC notes that CDC notes that ER visits for mental health emergencies rose during the pandemic. For example, Emergency Department visits for mental health emergencies increased 31% for children ages 12-17 between March and October 2020 and ER visits for suspected suicide attempts for girls age 12-17 increased nearly 51% in 2021 compared to 2019.
"The School Counseling Department plays a unique role in the school community," said Mrs. Snyder. "The counselors often have their finger on the pulse of what is happening in our school and with our students. We have noticed a large increase over the past few years in the number of students who are experiencing anxiety and depression and who are having suicidal ideation. We thought that it was important to provide our students' parents and guardians with the opportunity to learn more about the mental health struggles of teens and also how to get help if needed."
Dr. Valente, a licensed clinical psychologist in the State of Indiana, has over 20 years experience working with children, adolescents, and adults in the areas of trauma, grief, depression, and anxiety. She has served as a Disaster Mental Health Responder and first responder in Emergency Management in the State of Indiana for the past 14 years; and has been deployed to a variety of traumatic situations for disaster mental health response including tornado, active shooter, flood, and other critical incidents. Dr. Valente has presented on a variety of topics related to trauma and mental health over the course of her professional career. She shared risk factors and warning signs of suicidal ideation with the audience. She believes that it is important for parents and guardians of teens to be aware of warning signs so that they can intervene as early as possible. Four out of five teenagers who make a suicide attempt display warning signs. She also shared that it is a common misconception that talking about suicide might increase the chances of someone attempting suicide. The opposite is actually true. Talking about suicide in an open, and honest way can actually serve as a protective factor to help prevent suicide.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please know that help is available. Please contact 911 or visit your local Emergency Room if you need assistance.
Suicide Hotline Information:
1-800-273-8255
Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor
988 Suicide and Crisis Helpline
Call 988
STAFF RECOGNITION
Nomination Process Opens Monday, Jan. 30
The Duneland School Corporation believes in celebrating the outstanding teachers and employees that make up this district. DSC will continue recognizing excellence in education by selecting a Teacher of the Year at both the elementary and secondary level and a classified staff member as Employee of the Year.
Nomination information for 2023 will be released on Monday, January 30. This LINK to nominate will not be available until Monday morning. Duneland students, families, employees and the community are encouraged to submit nominations recognizing the outstanding employees of DSC.
Chesterton High School’s Music Department will host its annual Big Band Bash on Saturday, February 4. An evening of music and dancing will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the CHS Cafeteria. Visitors will enter through Door 31 and are able to partake in raffles, enjoy beverages and appetizers, and dance the night away to music performed by Chesterton High School’s Jazz Ensemble.
The “Big Band Bash” offers the public a nostalgic dance reminiscent of those held during the 1930’s and 40’s. The musical selections will include melodies from the “Great American Song Book” arranged in the style of the dance tunes from the Big Band era. In addition to the well-known melodies from the Glenn Miller, Stan Kenton, Louis Prima, Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Woody Herman bands, the CHS Jazz Ensemble will fill out the evening’s dance book with some familiar offerings from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s.
Hors d’oeuvres are available as part of the ticket price, with coffee and soft drinks available for a nominal fee. All seats are reserved. No tickets will be sold at the door.
Tickets are now available for purchase, costing $15 each at: www.showtix4u.com/event-details/70655. Proceeds from the Big Band Bash go toward the upcoming 50th Anniversary, All That Jazz performance on May 13 with special guest artists to be announced.
DSC Second Quarter Honor Rolls
Duneland Early Learning HUB
We've been busy at the HUB! Talking is Teaching launches this week and reminds us that learning begins at birth! We had special guests last week to help us talk about the importance of talking, singing, reading and playing and making the most of everyday experiences. Special thanks to Dr. Mary Jane Eisenhauer and Laura Green from First Things First Porter County and Abbie Thompson, Asst Professor at VU (Psychology and Language).
You can learn more about Talking is Teaching here: https://www.firstthingspc.org/talkingisteaching
This week was all about independent and self-help skills; Kidworks joined us at PALS to discuss the importance of self-help skills and strategies for helping kids achieve them. Special thanks to Kathleen Miller and Erin Mooneyhan for guest hosting!
Kidworks guest hosts Kathleen Miller and Erin Mooneyhan
Abbie Thompson, Assistant Professor at VU
Dr. Mary Jane Eisenhauer and Laura Green from First Things First Porter County
Want to see for yourself what we are all about? Check us out at https://www.duneland.k12.in.us/earlylearninghub.
See you at the HUB!
SCHOOL MEALS:
No Longer FREE For ALL Students
School meals are no longer free for all students during the 2022-2023 school year unless you qualify for free meals through the free or reduced-price meal benefit.*
Please note: Parent/Guardians who owe money for their child(ren)’s meals, will receive an email each day with the amount owed. Those emails will be coming from the cafeteria computer software and will show up with Solana as the sender. Excessive negative balances can be turned over for collections.
Current Meal Prices:
Elementary/Intermediate Breakfast Price - $1.45
Elementary/Intermediate Lunch Price - $2.55
Middle/High Breakfast Price - $1.60
Middle/High lunch Price - $2.95
Parent/Guardian’s can also put money on their child’s meal account through the following link: MyPaymentsPlus
*To see if you qualify for free or reduced price meals you must fill out an application. Applications can be found on the DSC Child Nutrition webpage or by calling your child’s school.
Check out the NEW
OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS
The goal of the Duneland School Corporation district school newsletters is to inform students, parents and the school community about school-related information.
This year, the Duneland Schools will share information that pertains to opportunities our students may be interested in outside of school on a special page on our website. These available opportunities are offered by not-for-profit partnerships and organizations within our school district boundaries and local communities. Follow this link to Community Opportunities.
DSC SCHOOL FUNDRAISERS / CAMPS / ACTIVITIES
Chesterton High School will host a Middle School Athlete Development Camp to help develop and improve Athletic Development in current 7th & 8th grade boys and girls who are interested in participating in sports at Chesterton High School. Student athletes will learn techniques associated with strength training and speed/agility training to develop athletic skills needed to compete at the highest level. Click the image to learn more. Follow this link to sign up for the camp.
THIS SATURDAY!
Alley Oop for Awareness
CHS Accepting Nominations for Athletic Hall of Fame
The Chesterton High School Hall of Fame Committee has developed a program of recognition designed to honor those individuals who through their commitment, sacrifice, and dedication to the Chesterton High School Athletic Program have brought pride and distinction to our school community as a player, coach, administrator, or active supporter.
If you are interested in nominating someone for the CHS Athletic Hall of Fame, please download and complete the form below or submit the online form below.
The deadline for nominations is Monday, February 27. The 2023 Hall of Fame Class will be announced in June and honored at halftime of the Trojan football game against Warsaw on Friday, August 24. In addition there will be a dinner banquet held on Saturday, August 25, 2023 to celebrate these outstanding individuals and their success.
All submissions must be completed and submitted via this form below and submitted to the Chesterton High School Athletic Department or completed online with the link below.
IMPORTANT INFO FOR PARENTS
2022-2023 Procedures for Delaying/Closing Schools
Please review the DSC Procedures for Delaying/Closing Schools in case of inclement weather.
2022-2023 eLearning Guidelines (UPDATED 12/19/22)
Guidelines for Students 2022-2023 School Year
Follow the links below by grade level to find the appropriate Unplanned (Virtual - Synchronous) eLearning Day Plan for your student.
DSC 2022-2023 Calendar
The REVISED 2022-2023 Duneland School Corporation Calendar is available on our website. Click on the link above to open or visit our website at Resources > Documents and Forms
👀 Looking for dates for NEXT school year? Here is the NEW DSC calendar for 2023-2024
CHS Maroon & Gold Calendar/Bell Schedules
Parent Observer Account
Parents are encouraged to set up their Canvas observer accounts to monitor their students' progress.
Parents can click this link to view how to set up their Parent Observer Account
Link to the Canvas Log In
LONG-TERM CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS
Yost Campus
Liberty Campus
Westchester Campus
At the DSC School Board meeting on Monday, January 9, school board members and the public were updated by Chris Muvceski of The Skillman Corporation on the work that has been completed in the last four weeks at each of the current worksites, as well as what will be happening in the upcoming weeks.
The most current information regarding the DSC Long-Term Capital Improvement projects, such as current concept drawings, information and preliminary timelines, are available on the DSC website. The information on the website will be continuously updated as we move forward with the process.
Community members may review the current Long-Term Capital Improvements information that will be continuously updated on the DSC website.
DSC Strategic Plan
The Duneland School Corporation Strategic Plan provides the focus and alignment for the school district over the next 3-4 year. These timelines were revised as of June 2022 to reflect the necessary adjustments to the plan.
DSC NOW HIRING!
The Duneland School Corporation is seeking candidates for the following positions:
CHILD NUTRITION
Child Nutrition associates provide nutrition services to students and staff. Benefit-eligible positions available. Click to apply online
CUSTODIAL
Duneland School Corporation Custodians are required to clean and sanitize all corporation facilities. This position has a highly responsible role in providing custodial services and dealing with students and staff on a regular basis. Custodians interact with individuals both inside and outside the corporation and therefore, must have the ability to present a professional and organized image at all times. Custodians may be required to work in other Duneland School Corporation facilities. Benefit-eligible positions available. Click to apply online
TRANSPORTATION
Duneland School Corporation Transportation positions (Bus Drivers, Sub Bus Drivers) require eligible persons to operate all school vehicles or (Sub Bus Aides) to assist in the transportation of all special students needing additional attention. These positions are highly responsible roles in transporting and dealing with students and staff on a regular basis. Transportation personnel interact with individuals both inside and outside of the corporation and therefore, must have the ability to present a professional and organized image at all times. Benefit-eligible positions available. Click to apply online
SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS
Seeking substitute teachers for all grade levels. To apply for a substitute teaching position, please apply in person at the Duneland Administration Center, 601 W Morgan Ave. in Chesterton to complete an application.
NorthShore Clinic for DSC Students
Duneland School Corporation has partnered with NorthShore Health Services and has established a school-based health clinic that is now located in Chesterton Middle School.
This partnership provides access to healthcare for ALL Duneland School students.
Some of the services include:
- Strep Throat
- Ear Infections
- Immunizations
- Sports Physicals
- Treatment for pink eye
- Rashes
- Behavioral health services and referrals
Duneland parents interested in using the school-based clinic for their child will need to have a signed consent form on file. Consent forms are available from your Duneland school nurse or can be obtained at the NorthShore clinic where the visit is scheduled.
Currently Open:
Mondays and Thursdays - 6:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Tuesdays and Fridays - 7:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Wednesdays - 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Thursdays - 6:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Fridays - 7:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
(Closed on holidays)
Call: 219-983-3776 x7020 -or- the call center at (219) 763-8112 to schedule an appointment
601 W Morgan Avenue
Enter using CMS Door #7
CONTACTING IT SUPPORT
The Duneland School Corporation IT department is committed to making hybrid and remote learning models as successful as possible. To get your problems solved as fast as possible:
- Open a new Freshservice ticket:
- AV number is typically located on a sticker on the back/bottom of the device
- Serial number is also acceptable
- AV number is typically located on a sticker on the back/bottom of the device
- Open a Freshservice ticket by sending an email to: helpdesk@duneland.k12.in.us
- Please be sure to include email address, student or staff name, and a description of the problem
- Please use the above best methods to contact the DSC IT Department.
Device Repair
In some cases there will be issues that cannot be resolved remotely. If you have a device that has sustained physical damage (i.e. cracked screen, broken keyboard), please fill out the form below. After submitting the form, a member of the IT department will contact you to schedule your service appointment.
Internet Connectivity
Families without internet due to financial hardship have access to programs from two local providers.
Comcast Internet Essentials:
Families that qualify for public assistance programs such as the National School Lunch Program, Housing Assistance, Medicaid, SNAP, SSI and other programs may also qualify for the Internet Essentials program from Comcast.
This program offers internet for as low as $9.95 per month.
Additional options and services are also available
More information is available at this Comcast link
Frontier Lifeline Program:
Families that qualify for public assistance programs such as the National School Lunch Program, Housing Assistance, Medicaid, SNAP, SSI and other programs may also qualify for the Lifeline Program from Frontier.
More information is available at this Frontier link
JANUARY REFERENDUM SPOTLIGHT
School Resource Officers
On May 7, 2019, residents living in the Duneland School Corporation boundaries voted to continue a twenty-two cents ($0.22) tax levy originally approved in 2012, for the purposes of maintaining the current educational and operational programs of the Duneland School Corporation. This general operating referendum will expire in 2026. Each month, the DuneNews will highlight a different initiative or program being funded by referendum dollars. The Duneland School Corporation thanks the community for their support, and in turn, pledges to be innovative and responsible stewards. This month, DSC highlights School Resource Officers.
In partnership with the Chesterton Police Department and the Porter County Sheriff's Dept., the DSC is currently served by six (6) School Resource Officers (SRO) each school day.
SROs are highly skilled law enforcement officers who undergo extensive training to work within the school setting.
For students to achieve their full potential, safe schools are fundamental. Students who report feeling safe in school are more engaged in class, have higher academic achievement, and have lower rates of absenteeism and behavioral issues. Our SROs help foster a positive climate by establishing solid relationships with our students and staff. In addition, they help provide a safe environment in all our schools.
For more referendum information, visit: https://www.duneland.k12.in.us/domain/367
NEW!
Did you know that Duneland Schools has an online Spirit Wear Store where you can buy your Duneland all school spirit wear? Apparel for all ages, stadium seats, accessories and more.
Duneland School Corporation
Email: bmartinson@duneland.k12.in.us
Website: www.duneland.k12.in.us
Location: 601 West Morgan Avenue, Chesterton, IN, USA
Phone: 219-983-3600
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dunelandschools/
Twitter: @dunelandk12