The Connection
Connecting you to the School District of Indian River County
Welcome to The Connection!
Welcome to The Connection, our new weekly newsletter connecting you to important news, events, and activities happening in the School District of Indian River County. This newsletter will highlight events throughout all grade levels and include district news. We are looking forward to your input in The Connection and hope that you will submit important news and information to be considered for publishing. Please email socialmedia@indianriverschools.org to submit potential highlights.
Justin Walker and Brian McCluney
As most of our community is aware, there are two boaters that launched out of Cape Canaveral last Friday 8/16, and did not return. One of the missing boaters, Justin Walker, is from Vero Beach. Justin was a 2004 graduate of Indian River Charter High School and attended Citrus Elementary and Vero Beach High School. Justin's sister, Jessica, is a wonderful 4th grade teacher at Imagine of South Vero. Extensive search efforts have taken place by the Navy, Coast Guard, Fire Departments from all over the State, and private civilian boats and airplanes. Yesterday, 8/22, the Coast Guard called off the search, but their friends, family, and thousands of others did not. The family is asking for funds to help support the civilian search efforts that are now taking place along the East Coast. Below is a link that will allow you to help support the tremendous search efforts that are currently taking place. Please keep Justin and Brian's family in your thoughts during this very difficult time! 100% of donations go directly toward search efforts:
Special Casual for a Cause on Wednesday, August 28th!
'Kona Days' in support of Justin Walker and Brian McCluney
Thank you, Kona Ice!
Vero Beach High School (Main Campus): Tuesday, August 27th, during lunch time in the bus loop.
Imagine of South Vero: Tuesday, August 27th, during aftercare.
Indian River Charter High School: August 29th, 11:30-12
Reflecting on the first day of the 2019-2020 school year
Thank you for sharing your #SDIRCback2school memories!
SDIRC Back to School Safety Message
fortifyfl suspicious activity reporting app
We are pleased to announce that the FortifyFL app is LIVE. Now, any student, educator, parent, or member of the public can report school safety concerns directly to law enforcement and school administrators anonymously and easily through the FortifyFL app or www.getfortifyfl.com. The app, which is available for download on Apple and Android mobile devices, is critical to ensuring all Florida schools are safe environments where students and educators can experience and share the joy of learning without fear. We hope that you will become familiar with this tool and help us spread the word about it with our students and their families. Please note that the official app’s logo will look exactly as it does in the graphic above.
IRCSO School tips hotline and email
Community Corner with Pelican Island Elementary Principal, Rachel Moree, and Wabasso School Principal, Chris Kohlstedt
back to school teacher classroom gallery
Take a look at some of our amazing classrooms! Several teachers worked for weeks to turn an empty space into MAGIC for their incoming students! Check out our Open House schedule, posted below, so you can visit your student's classroom and see it for yourself!
Ms. Stull's 4th grade classroom at Treasure Coast Elementary
Ms. Kennedy's classroom at Treasure Coast Elementary
Mrs. Fletcher's VPK classroom at Vero Beach Elementary
Ms. Santiago-Wymer's classroom at Sebastian River Middle School
Mrs. Segroves 2nd grade classroom at Citrus Elementary
Ms. Kolb's 4th grade classroom at Dodgertown Elementary
Mr. Kinkle's choir room at Sebastian River Middle School
Mrs. DeGraeve's 1st grade classroom at Dodgertown Elementary
Ms. Daniele's 2nd grade classroom at Fellsmere Elementary
Mrs. DiPardo's music classroom at Fellsmere Elementary
Mrs. Borchardt's Math Lab at Vero Beach Elementary
Mrs. Keeler's Resource Room at Citrus Elementary
Mrs. Patterson's 3rd grade classroom at Vero Beach Elementary
Mrs. Merritt's kindergarten classroom at Rosewood Magnet
Mrs. Lewis' kindergarten classroom at Rosewood Magnet
Mobile Library introduced at vbe!
Kate Fiori, the new librarian at Vero Beach Elementary, is taking her books on the road! Kate set up a mobile library to travel the halls of VBE, in the morning before school, to check out books to students. Ms. Fiori is passionate about book access and finding the right fit so that all students see themselves as readers.
Thank you, Encore!
Community Corner with the Veterans Council of Indian River County
Veteran of the Month: Ben Humphries
Ben served in the US Army as a Staff Sgt. from 1967-1971 and the US Army Reserve from 1973-1975. During his time in the army, Ben was stationed in Vietnam. Along with his military service, Ben has also served our community as the President of America Serving Veterans Foundation, President of Vero Recovery Inc., Past President of Vietnam Veterans of America Florida State Council, Past President VVA Chapter 1038 Vero Beach,
Director, Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation 2014-2015, Toys for Tots Coordinator in Indian River County (2011), Vietnam Veterans of America National Election Committee, Dogs for Life, Director (2012-2014), and as a Deacon at First Presbyterian Royal Palm (2012-2015). Thank you, Jim, for all that you have done for our country and our community!
Dads Take Your Child to School Day...SAVE THE DATE!
We encourage all of our schools to participate by planning a unique and meaningful event for fathers and students. Dads Take Your Child to School Day highlights father and male role model engagement and provides a platform for schools to inform fathers and male community members about resources available and ways to support children in our schools throughout the year.
We will post more information regarding individual school events/schedules as the date approaches!
Community Needs Assessment Survey
Our district is hosting a Community Needs Assessment for the Indian River Community Foundation, who has joined with the United Way of Indian River County, the Florida Department of Health in Indian River County, and the Children’s Services Advisory Committee to produce a comprehensive community needs assessment for Indian River County. This participatory survey will be conducted through September 3, 2019, with findings reported to the community in the spring of 2020. Anyone 18 years and older that resides in Indian River, for any duration of the year, is welcome to participate in this survey. The survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete, and should only be completed once by each respondent.
English: https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/5099115/749937d98074
Spanish: https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/5099115/727e37caad7b
Creole: https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/5099115/60990aebb8a2
School Accountability Report
register for the veterans council golf tournament by saturday, october 5th
Introducing our NEW SDIRC Mobile App!
Introducing our new SDIRC mobile app, designed to enable parents, staff, students, and the community to stay informed and up-to-date on important issues, information, and activities underway within our school district. The free app, which proudly displays the SDIRC logo, provides the most used resources from our website directly on your mobile device; including, lunch menus, maps, event calendars, social media updates, school contact information, and notifications from the school(s) of your choice!
Download for Apple iOS at: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sdirc/id1451344822?mt=8
Download for Android at: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.relianceco.cma.SDIRC
support education with a fresh, new look!
Click below to order your Support Education license plate!
The Support Education specialty tag has a fresh new look! For the first time in 25 years, the tag has undergone a total makeover.
Since its introduction in 1994, more than $13 million has been raised through the collaborative efforts of the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations (CFEF) and local education foundation members across the state.
While the look has changed, one thing remains the same – when Florida residents purchase or renew their Support Education specialty tag, $20 goes directly back to support education programs in the county where the tag was purchased or renewed. Funds support programs like classroom innovation, education enrichment programs, supporting and recognizing teachers, extra help and mentoring for at-risk students, school supplies, and school scholarships.
Visit www.LicenseToLearnFL.com to learn more, purchase, or trade in your current Support Education tag today!
The scholarships are worth $500 each and can be used for reimbursement for the following:
*Tuition and fees for part-time tutoring provided by a person who holds a valid Florida educator’s certificate, a baccalaureate or graduate degree in the subject, an adjunct teaching certificate, or has demonstrated mastery of the subject area knowledge.
*Fees for summer education programs designed to improve reading or literacy skills.
*Fees for after-school education programs designed to improve reading or literacy skills.
*Instructional materials and curriculum related to reading or literacy.
Click to apply: https://www.stepupforstudents.org/for-parents/reading-scholarship/how-the-scholarship-works/
School information
Posting of flyers does not imply endorsement or recommendation by the School District of Indian River County.
School District of Indian River County's Strategic Plan
Click below to see our District's Strategic Plan
Follow Us!
The School District of Indian River County
Email: cristen.maddux@indianriverschools.org
Website: www.indianriverschools.org
Location: 6500 57th Street, Vero Beach, FL, USA
Phone: 772-564-3000
Facebook: facebook.com/SchoolDistrictofIRC
Twitter: @IRCSchools