News from the Ridge
Shortridge High School News and Updates
May 23th, 2021
Dear Friends,
With the beautiful weather, spring flowers blooming, and summer vacation so close...it might be easy for many of our students to get distracted; however, let's work together to remind them, encourage them, and support their work to finish the year strong and be prepared for a new year.
If they have questions about their classes, coming projects, or assessments, encourage them to contact their teachers.
We have much planned over the next few weeks to celebrate our Seniors!
- Please use this link for the most up-to-date information.
- And if you have not already viewed last week's senior celebration watch the Senior Awards Celebration, with this link
Senior Celebratory Dinner
- Wednesday, June 2, 2021
- 600 - 1000 pm
- Shortridge Courtyard
- Students can RSVP with this link (has already been shared with seniors)
This Wednesday, we will have a Choir and Dance Concert promoting our art programs and celebrating our performers' hard work during the school day. As we still can not host guests, we will post the video of this concert along with the previous week's Cabaret in the next News From the Ridge.
Below you will find additional updates, celebrations, and important information from the Ridge.
Go Blue Devils!
Dennis Thomas
Principal
Additional Updates
BOSS Camp
Has your student ever thought about becoming their own boss? Shortridge HS and IUPUI have partnered together to provide a one-week BOSS Camp. Students will earn $10/hr and learn how to start their own business! Open to current 9th and 10th graders, BOSS Camp is June 28-July 2, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Register here! BOSS Camp Flier Questions? Email Christie Powell at powellc@myips.org
Shortridge Featured in Bookmark Indy
Bookmark Indy is a one-of-a-kind literary exploration of Indianapolis through the eyes of the writers who’ve called it home. Explore the city while encountering points of inspiration for Hoosier authors like Kurt Vonnegut, John Green, Mari Evans, Booth Tarkington, and more.
Click here to Read SHS Alice Zumbiel’s interview with Maurice Boarddus.
Use this link to access our bell schedule. This is a change from our full virtual schedule.
For updates and additional information on Shortridge's remote and in-person plan, visit our complete FAQ found here.
Click here for Important Graduation Updates with action steps and celebrations
IndyGo information for next year (school transportation)
As IPS makes changes to its transportation routes (see info here), we encourage you to consider IndyGo for your child’s 2021-2022 transportation needs.
- IndyGo is reliable and safe
- A stop is in front of Shortridge at 34th and Meridian Streets.
- Seven routes drop off and pick up within 10 minutes of our building: between Meridian Street and College Avenue and 30th Street and 38th Street. View the map here.
You can plan a sample route here. Our address is 3401 N. Meridian St.
Interested in a FREE IndyGo ID card for the 2021-2022 school year? Sign up here
ACADEMICS
All juniors have begun working on their Extended Essay (EE) or their Reflective Project (RP). While these essays are important parts of DP and CP core, they are also projects that can help students meet the employability skills requirement for the Indiana High School diploma.
The EE/RP Timeline is a document that's worth bookmarking in your favorite browser. This document contains all of the deadlines and links to the support materials that students need to chunk this task into more manageable pieces. Ask your student about their topic and what cool or interesting piece of information they have found in their research!
Each student has a faculty member that has been assigned to them as their EE/RP supervisor. Supervisors have formal and informal meetings with their students to support their journey, from finding a topic and good resources to providing feedback on their rough draft. The First Reflection Meeting was Wednesday, April 28th and the Interim Reflection Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 19th.
If your student has questions or needs further support, they are also encouraged to reach out to their program coordinator.
- DP Coordinator (Extended Essay): Mel Coryell, coryelmd@myips.org
- CP Coordinator (Reflective Project): Jessica Carlson, carlsonjr@myips.org
2021-2022 SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR
The district has released the 2021-2022 school calendar. View the calendar online here.
Key Dates:
- Aug 2- Student First Day
- Oct 11-Oct 15 - Fall Break
- Dec 20-Dec 31- Winter Break
- Mar 28- Apr 1 - Spring Break
- May 24- Student Last Day
Student Services
Schedule Classes for next year:
As we approach the end of the 2020-2021 school year, we are busy planning and preparing for the 2021-2022 school year. As shared in previous communications, your child's requested courses can be found online: powerschool.myips.org.
- Login: https://powerschool.myips.org/
- Click: “Class Registration” on the left sidebar
- A page will open with “2021-2022 Course Requests”
- 16 classes will be listed in total: 8 for first semester and 8 for second semester
- 13/16 = first semester codes
- 23/26 = second semester codes
World Changing 101
Click World Changing 101 picture below to access WC101 YouTube Channel.
Future Center
Junior College Application and Essay Bootcamp
Juniors have the opportunity to join Mrs. Harris, College, and Career Coordinator, and Mr. Speckman, Writing Specialist for a 4-hour workshop highlighting college fit, the application process, college essay support, and more.
When: June 7 and June 8 from 10:00am to 2:00pm
Where: Shortridge Future Center
Space is limited and registration is required
Register here
Questions? Reach out to Mrs. Harris at harria@myips.org
21st Century Scholars
Is your student a 21st Century Scholar? If so, check out the below link and click on the High School Scholars section for information about the requirements and other frequently asked questions.
21st Century Scholar Requirements While In High School
Shortridge Scholarship Blog
Scholarship resources and opportunities can be found on the Shortridge Scholarship Blog. Check it out at this link
FAFSA Deadline Extend–
State funding will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis. We continue to work with our students to complete their FAFSA’s ASAP.
Do you have a senior attending a 2 or 4-year college? If so, the FAFSA must be completed to receive state and federal aid. Resources to support completing this document are below.
INvestEd Indiana – Expert knowledge and advice available to Hoosier families. rt advice.
Phone – (317) 715-9007
Email – Outreach@INvestEdIndiana.org
Shortridge Future Center
Reach out to Mrs. Harris by email harria@myips.org or by phone 317-426-8423
Andrea Harris – Future Center Coordinator – harria@myips.org – 317-426-8423
Christie Powell – Future Center Resource Associate – powellc@myips.org – 317-732-5088
Chris Speckman – Writing Specialist – speckmanc@myips.org
Athletics
First off...all student athletes, parents and coaches should be extremely proud of themselves for making it through this year. People ask how Shortridge has done through all of this and my response is always "great!" because everyone bought in and made an effort to tough through such an unprecedented situation that is more difficult than anything we have been through together. So thank you! I am honored to work with and for so many great people.
We are very excited to ring in next year with some very exciting varsity head coaching changes. We welcome:
1) Becca Mimms - Varsity Volleyball
2) Will Russell - Varsity Girls Golf
3) Rory Priest - Varsity Boys Soccer
4) Jes Wright - Varsity Girls Basketball
There is a sense....a feeling...that with these hires and our returning coaches, Shortridge Athletics is taking a turn. A turn towards a rise in student-athlete attendance. A turn towards a much more competitive balance. A turn in creating a culture that is exciting for the athletes to get behind!
The athletic department will be working with the staff over the summer to implement a cohesive direction, a solid brand to rally behind, a well-rounded sense of communication, and a solid foundation to build our future on.
An immediate change will be in how we engage and efficiently communicate. While Teamsnap has been helpful, we have found that it is not perfectly aligned with how we operate. For that reason, we will be transitioning from Teamsnap to the Band app. This transition will be long-term and will be implemented over the next month. Each sport will be receiving an invite from their coach or from me. I urge you to join soon.
I am a parent and I fully understand the onslaught of apps and communication that can be overwhelming. My goal is to reduce and keep it consistent.
We will narrow down our communication to three vehicles:
- Band app - immediate communication for student-athletes and parents between coaches and admin. Practice schedules, calendars, notifications, events, uniforms, quick internal alerts, etc...
- Shortridge Athletics App (download available at the Apple Store and Google Play) - This is a good tool for parents, friends, fans, outside family members, athletes and community members to see exact contest schedules
- Twitter @Blue_Devils_SHS - Fast Communication of events, changes and upcoming opportunities for all to see
I understand constant change is difficult and frustrating. My goal is to alleviate that and solidify a solid future for our athletic program. I am unbelievably excited for the future of Shortridge Athletics! Our coaches and myself are ready for change, for a new Blue Devils experience, and for a great future for our student-athletes.
We are wrapping up a great spring season and heading into our state tournaments. Ahead of that, I wanted to say thank you to all for a great Shortridge Athletics year! Without all of you, we never would have come close to what was accomplished.
New physical to participate in athletics for this school year
Starting June 5th, all student-athletes will need a new physical to participate in athletics. This Physical will have to have been completed after April 1, 2021. To help achieve this, Shortridge will be offering one night of free physicals in our New Gym. The details are:
- When: May 25th at 5:00 pm
- Where: New Gym, Shortridge HS through Door #1
- Who: All high school and middle school kids are welcome
Sign Up: Upon Arrival – It is best if a parent comes with the student so that we can get all the parents signatures completed then. Please reach out to our Athletic Trainer, Sha Howard, ahead of time with any questions at rhoward8@IUHealth.org
Forms to be completed prior to participation: https://indianapolispublicschools.rankonesport.com/New/NewFormList.aspx
Danville Community College has scholarships available for female golfers that wish to continue golfing at the collegiate level. If interested, please contact: Debbie Toler at dtoler@dacc.edu
The 3rd Annual Shortridge Golf Scramble is coming up on June 5th! This wonderful event put on by the booster club is a great way to support them, support SHS athletics, meet some new people and have a great Saturday morning!
If interested, there are various ways to support this event:
- Want to play? Register here: https://my.cheddarup.com/c/shortridge-scramble3
- Want to volunteer? Email: rhett.perkins@gmail.com and jlangdev@langstondev.com
- Want to sponsor a hole or know a company that would? Link here: https://myips.org/shortridge/wp-content/uploads/sites/179/2021/04/2021-Golf-Sponsor-Request-2-1.pdf
There are still a few open spots for our youth basketball camps this summer! Our very own varsity boys head coach and staff have various spots open. Please see sign up and schedule at: https://forms.gle/TgL4kA1hubuaXon1A
Attention all Alumni and Graduating Seniors: Shortridge Athletics is in the process of purchasing 40 new sideline chairs for our new gym. All athletes and coaches will use these chairs during indoor events. With your donation, you will be able to provide one chair, and we would like to thank you by putting your name and graduation year on the back to recognize such kindness. If interested, please see the following flyer: https://myips.org/shortridge/wp-content/uploads/sites/179/2021/03/Shortridge-Alumni-Sideline-Chair-Donation.pdf and online purchasing document: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdKw-Xv3R7eiuk3gxSn7n51gug2ii98ACjtxIUcV1sQ868zjA/viewform
Please reach out to Craig Huljak at huljakc@myips.org with any questions.
Shortridge Letter Jackets are always available! Varsity student-athletes gain patches and pins throughout their time with us, and this is a great way to show them off! If interested, please contact Randy Wintner at Randy.Wintner@jostens.com to find out more.
Craig Huljak
Athletic Director
FACE -- Family and Community Engagement
INVITATION - IPS Academic Focus Group
IPS Chief Academic Officer, Dr. Warren Morgan with an invitation to virtually participate in an upcoming Parent/Guardian Academic Focus Group next week to get feedback from parents/guardians on 2020-2021 school year experiences. I have chosen Bernade Flournoy and Shael Weidenbach for the Academic Focus Group virtually participate.
Strategic Plan 2025 - Indianapolis Public School
https://myips.org/strategic-plan-2025/
We are excited to announce a COVID-19 vaccine clinic at Arsenal Technical High School on May 1 (shot 1) and May 22 (shot 2) for IPS staff, students, and families ages 16 and older. If you have not received a vaccine appointment yet, you can take advantage of this great option (thank you Walmart!) on an IPS campus. Please see attached and below for details!
- First clinic is Saturday, May 1, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Arsenal Technical High School West Gym, 725 N. Oriental St.
- A parent or guardian must accompany anyone under 18.
- Only the Pfizer vaccine will be provided.
- The vaccine is free.
- Insurance is not required.
- This is a 2-dose vaccine. The first shot will be administered on May 1. The second shot will be scheduled for May 22 at the same location.
- An appointment is required.
- Call 1-833-886-0023 to schedule your appointment.
- Select Option 4.
- Reference the Indianapolis School District Clinic when making your appointment.
- On the day of your appointment, bring the following:
- Your ID
- Insurance card, if you have one
We hope you’ll use this opportunity to take your shot for the protection of yourself and our community. For more information, go to www.myips.org.
Parents, I sent out our Shortridge Compact Policy form last year. I would like for every parent to please return this form to me either by mail, drop it off at the school, or email the form back to me if you have already sent in your form "KUDOS" to you. All my information is below. If you need anything or have concerns about something that I am sending out, please contact me, and I will do my best to help you.
P-EBT Cards for 2021
A change was made, and the new P-EBT cards will be issued on February 28th. Each K-12 student should receive their own card. This card should be kept as future payments will be made as long as the Federal Public Health Emergency exists. When the FPHE ends, the P-EBT ends. The school-based determines the benefit amount upon the number of days the Student participated in virtual learning, was in quarantine, or was out of school due to COVID-19 illness for at least 5 consecutive school days, or the school had a delayed start or closure for five consecutive days or more.
Future payments are scheduled:
- P-EBT eligible months/Issuance month
- October - December 2020 /February 28, 2021
- January - March 2021 /April 30, 2021
- April - June 2021/ July 31, 2021
- July – September 2021/ September 30, 2021
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Please contact our office to update your mailing information as well.
For full information on P-EBT, click here: https://www.in.gov/fssa/dfr/dfr-policy-changes-and-actions/pandemic-ebt/
Thank you 🙂
Malinda Scott
Family and Community Engagement Liaison
3401 N. Merdian Street
Indianapolis, IN 46208
317-226-2810
PTSA
Join the PTSA! Your partnership and support are critical for our work at Shortridge!