Focus on Education
April 2019
We Have Distinguished PLTW Schools!
Each year the program recognizes districts and schools that are achieving exemplary results from their PLTW programs. This recognition program honors those committed to increasing student access, engagement, and achievement in and out of the classrooms. This year we are very proud and honored to say that 5 out of our 6 schools received this distinction! Not only that, but we are 5 of the 426 schools across the country that received this honor! Way to go, Brickies! Let's give a big acknowledgement to the administrators, teachers, and support staff at these five schools: The Early Learning Center at George Earle, Ridge View Elementary, Liberty Elementary, Joan Martin Elementary, and Hobart Middle School!
Want Even More Big News? SCOH Is STEM Certified!
Thanks to the inspiring students here at the School City of Hobart and our 'above and beyond' staff we are happy to announce that the Indianapolis Statehouse, on behalf of the Indiana Department of Education and the Office of Workforce & STEM Alliances, made a BIG announcement - our ENTIRE district is STEM Certified!
Maybe you are thinking, "What's the big deal? I am sure most schools are STEM Certified." Well, in the state of Indiana, there are only 60 schools who have received this distinction and we have SIX of them! This means that 1 out of 10 schools in Indiana who are fully STEM certified are in the School City of Hobart! Truly amazing!
To become certified, each applicant went through a rigorous application and review process.
Schools are chosen to receive certification based on their commitment to teaching the STEM disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and math throughout the entire school. STEM Certified Schools exemplify a highly non-traditional approach to education, employing a great deal of inquiry, project based learning, community engagement, entrepreneurship, student centered classrooms, integration into humanities and related arts, and out of school STEM activities. STEM Certified Schools accomplish this while following educational policies set by the state and excelling under the system of accountability.
Without the sustained leadership of faculty in the School City of Hobart - our students would not have the opportunities to partake in these STEM activities and courses. If not for our Brickies and their families, however, all of this work would be in vain. Our students are our X factor. Our students are our WHY. At each of our schools, you will notice banners that celebrate this accomplishment. Way to go, Brickies!
Our Brickies Can Innovate WithIn & Are Heading To The Finals!
"Indiana High School Students to Showcase
Ideas at Innovate WithIN™ State Finals
INDIANAPOLIS (March 27, 2019) – Eleven teams of Hoosier high school students will gather in Indianapolis on April 4 for the final round of the 2019 Innovate WithIN™ pitch competition, a statewide initiative hosted by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), Indiana Department of Education and Ball State University.
"Innovate WithIN™ empowers Indiana's young entrepreneurs to draw upon their creative thinking and problem-solving skills to develop, execute and present an idea for a business, product or venture," said Elaine Bedel, president of the IEDC. "We're overwhelmed by the support and encouragement expressed by Hoosier students, parents, school administrators and teachers throughout this process, and can't wait to watch as our finalists showcase their innovative ideas during the state competition."
After submitting video pitches for the first round of the competition, more than 65 teams were selected to pitch their entrepreneurial ideas at regional competitions across the state. The nine regional finalists, who each received a $1,000 cash prize and qualified for the state competition, are:
- LyfePack, led by Cameron Klein, Colten Mouzin and James Hancock at Rivet High School in Vincennes, developed a tech-integrated, kevlar backpack that promotes energy efficiency and improves student safety.
Region One (Southwest Indiana)
- Kolt Electronic Solutions, led by Koltan Hauersperger and Brooks Wathen at Jennings County High School in North Vernon, plans to create a power line monitoring system that tracks voltage and detects obstructions and damages.
Region Two (Southeast Indiana)
- Urban Harvest, led by Jesse Kogge at the Academy of Science and Entrepreneurship in Bloomington, plans to utilize indoor hydroponic farms and a vending machine-style distribution system to combat food deserts.
Region Three (West Central Indiana – Terre Haute)
- 3D Printing Filament Waste, led by Steven Bass, Austin Robinson and Daniel Joven at Greenfield-Central High School in Greenfield, developed a cost-effective recycling method for polymers used in 3D printing.
Region Four (East Central Indiana)
- Calm Balm, led by Kaleigh Newton and Allison Santa Rita at Noblesville High School in Noblesville, created and marketed all-natural lip balms utilizing essential oils to relieve stress.
Region Five (West Central Indiana – Lafayette)
- RearVue, led by Andrew Romes, Alex Termini and Faith Spencer at Hobart High School in Hobart, seeks to improve bicycle safety through a distance measurement sensor harnessing LED technology to warn cyclists of approaching vehicles.
Region Six (Northwest Indiana)
- Empathy Easel, led by Kristina Rea at Adams High School in South Bend, designed and packaged custom art kits allowing its customers to express their emotions through artwork.
Region Seven (North Central Indiana)
- Millie & Mabel, led by Lillian Herrmann at Manchester Jr.-Sr. High School in Manchester, created a line of homemade jewelry aimed at empowering Hoosier women and helping boost their confidence.
Region Eight (Northeast Indiana)
- Other Side, led by Kaikeyi Paxton and Karissa Nielsen-Baker at Purdue Polytechnic High School in Indianapolis, developed custom office supplies for left-handed individuals.
Region Nine (Central Indiana)
New to this year's program, the runners-up from each region competed in a Wild Card round, which allowed the public to vote for two teams to advance to the state competition. Receiving 2,339 out of the 7,608 total votes, the two Wild Card teams are:
- Student Services, led by Isabel France, James Booth and Kallen Kelsheimer from Wabash High School in Wabash, started a business specializing in lawn care and other services for homeowners in northeast Indiana.
Region Eight (Northeast Indiana)
- Puma Sips Coffee Shop, led by Zoey Lewis and Dawnyai Jones from Indianapolis Metropolitan High School in Indianapolis, launched an in-school, student-run coffee shop.
Region Nine (Central Indiana)
These 11 teams will compete at the 2019 Innovate WithIN™ state competition for the chance to win $10,000 cash prize, $10,000 toward one year of in-state tuition, internship opportunities and mentoring services.
About IEDC
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) leads the state of Indiana’s economic development efforts, helping businesses launch, grow and locate in the state. Governed by a 15-member board chaired by Governor Eric J. Holcomb, the IEDC manages many initiatives, including performance-based tax credits, workforce training grants, innovation and entrepreneurship resources, public infrastructure assistance, and talent attraction and retention efforts. For more information about the IEDC, visit www.iedc.in.gov."
Brickiebotics Compete At STATE!
Chess Teams Head To STATE And Brought Back Some Hardware!
Congrats To All Of Our National Honor Society Members!
Lady Brickies Wrestle Their Way To NATIONALS!
What an accomplishment is right! Our HMS Brickie, Joy, brought home a 5th place finish. Our Liberty 3rd grader, Julianne, brought home an 8th place finish, and our Ridge View 2nd grader, Corabella, brought home a 4th place victory! With the rise of girl wrestlers, we are proud that these lady Brickies are stepping up and making a name for themselves! If you see these young ladies, give them a shout out! #GoBricks
Corabella and Joy also got a call from Team Indiana and will be wrestling for them at the Heartland National Duels tournament in Iowa next month!!! Best of Luck, Bella and Joy!
*What resources are available to help prepare my child for ILEARN?
• Indiana’s Released Items Repository allows students to interact with released items and try some of the tools and features at: https://www. doe.in.gov/assessment/ilearn-sample-items-and scoring.
• Indiana’s ILEARN Portal provides information and resources for understanding the assessment at: https://ilearn.portal.airast.org/.
• The ILEARN for Families website answers questions about ILEARN at: https://www.doe.in.gov/assessment/ ilearn-families.
Share with Parents and Educators! Short Assessment Videos
Our office is developing several three-minute videos to share with parents and educators about assessment systems and transitions to support assessment literacy. Please share these valuable resources via newsletters or parent messages.
- How is Indiana building a system of assessments?
- How is Indiana assessing with technology?
- How does ILEARN dig deeper into knowledge and skills?
- NEW! You Nailed It! Writing on the ILEARN Assessment
Check out our School City of Hobart Parent/Student Learning Center at the link below!
Get Ready for the PSAT and SAT!
Are you ready? Game Day is just around the corner!
Just like athletes prepare for their upcoming games, musicians prepare for concerts, and actresses prepare for performances — students prepare for exams! Why? Because practice puts brains in your muscles like Sam Snead once said.
On April 9, students in grades 7, 8, and 9 will be taking the PSAT! The PSAT — long known for being a Practice Exam — plays a much different role nowadays. PSAT scores are used to predict college, and career readiness AND are used to fulfill prerequisite requirements so students can earn college credit for classes they are already taking while in High School.
If you haven’t already heard, Hobart University — at HHS— now offers a ton of programs and courses for students to earn free college credit! BUT, they have to qualify!
Also, juniors will be taking the SAT. The new legislation in Indiana requires that current high school students either pass their graduation qualifying exam (ISTEP+) or opt into the Indiana Graduation Pathways. By earning a qualifying score on the SAT, students can fulfill the third graduation pathway requirement thereby demonstrating postsecondary ready competency.
Whether taking the PSAT or SAT in April — Game Day is quickly approaching.
For those taking the PSAT, a 26+ in English, Reading, Writing (ERW) and a 24.5+ in Math is the cut score needed for many dual credit courses. For those taking the SAT in need of fulfilling the postsecondary ready competency requirement, a 480 in English Reading, Writing (ERW) and a 530 in Math are needed to fulfill the SAT College & Career Readiness Benchmark!!!
Go to www.khanacademy.org/sat to diagnose skills, take full-length practice tests, familiarize oneself with instructions, and work on differentiated practice based on precisely what each individual student needs! Parents / Guardians, there’s even a way to monitor progress - go to www.khanacademy.org/sat to get started!
HHS's "Careers In The Trades" Newsletter!
Did you know …
There are a lot of workers who spend five years or less in every job they take on? In January 2016, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the average employee tenure was 4.2 years, down from 4.6 years in January 2014.
So what?
It’s more important than ever for you to make sure you have options for what skills you develop and what credentials you earn so that you are marketable.
What will it take for you to be successful?
The successful worker is one who is up-to-date on trends in their industry and who is always learning and refining skills and abilities.
What can you do now to prepare for the future?
By taking dual credit classes while in high school and working to earn a certificate, technical certificate, or associate's degree - you can save a lot of time and money while working towards finding and keeping your dream job. Talk to your counselor and see what HU can do for you!!!
"10 Benefits of Reading: Why You Should Read Every Day" by Lana Winter-Hébert
When was the last time you read a book, or a substantial magazine article? Do your daily reading habits center around tweets, Facebook updates, or the directions on your instant oatmeal packet?
If you’re one of countless people who don’t make a habit of reading regularly, you might be missing out.
Reading has a significant number of benefits, click the link below or watch the video for the top 10 reasons as to why reading is beneficial.
Tech Talk And Your Family
ReThink App For Tweens, Teens, And Everyone!
With ReThink™, our goal is to conquer the silent pandemic of cyberbullying that is affecting millions. When cyberbullying occurs, children are often advised to block the bully and tell a parent or guardian. Research has found that 9 out of 10 children suffer in silence - they do not tell anyone. Cyberbullied victims suffer from depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and more likely to drop out of school. Several solutions that are in place today address bullying after the damage is done. ReThink is the first ever solution to proactively prevent cyberbullying before the damage is done. ReThink stops cyberbullying at the root of this issue, before hurtful messages go out on the internet.
ReThink™ provides an important opportunity for adolescents to change their minds and not post hurtful messages online. With a moment to pause, review and reconsider their decisions online, adolescents learn to make better choices on and off of the internet.\
Parents, ReThink™ is a free app that is available for download on Android and iOS devices. Empower your child to make positive decisions online with ReThink. With ReThink, children can learn to think before posting or sending any offensive content that may later regret. Encourage your child to become a responsible digital citizen while enjoying peace of mind.
To install ReThink on an Android Device click here
To install ReThink on an iOS Device click here
To find out more about how you can help, please watch the video from founder Trisha Prabhu below!IMPORTANT! Please Read!
HHS Performing Arts WOW Us With "The Crucible"
In 1953, The Crucible, was first performed on stage and this year, our Brickies brought it to life with their unbelievable performances in our theatre. This play, written by Arthur Miller, is a dramatized and partially fictionalized story of the Salem witch trials that took place in the Massachusetts Bay Colony during 1692-1693. If you attended any of our Hobart High Schools performances of the play, you would have been taken back to the 1600's and experience a show unlike any other. The cast members were real and moving, the crew was on point and never faltered, and the Directors did a great job with the production encouraging our students along the way. It was overheard, as many left the theatre, simple yet powerful words of "Wow", "That was great", "They were each SO good", and "Brilliant performance"! Outstanding job to ALL that helped make this production one of the best!
"Maybe all one can do is hope to end up with the right regrets" - Arthur Miller
SpringFest Was A Blast!
Nurse's Corner for April!
Flu- This is not an April Fool’s joke…. Get your flu shot today! Its flu season! Please contact your healthcare provider or make an appointment at our Brickie Clinic 219-945-9383.
Vaccinations- All students should be up to date on their vaccinations. Indiana state law requires you to have up to date immunizations. If you have any questions or concerns please contact your school nurse.
Health Conditions- If your student has a specific health condition or needs special care during the school day such as medication, treatments, or monitoring, please inform your school nurse and provide your nurse with a care plan. Individual health care plans help keep your student safe and healthy.
Sick students- Please keep all sick children home from school- this includes fever greater than 100 degrees, vomiting or diarrhea. If you are unsure, please call your healthcare provider or school nurse for advice. Please do not send your student to school and instruct them to go directly to the nurse before the school day begins. If your student is sick, please follow the call off procedures. Again, if you have any questions or concerns please contact your school nurse. Please see attached chart to assist you in knowing when to keep your student home.
Head Lice- It’s that time of year where our students break out their coats, scarves and hats. Please encourage your child not to share such items as hats, scarves, brushes or any personal items. Lice is not a danger to your child’s health, it is simply an annoying problem that comes around this time of year, so no need to panic. Please know that anyone and everyone can get lice. Getting lice has nothing to do with you being clean or dirty, it only has to do with the fact that you are human. It is very important to check your family for lice this time of year regularly. If you find any live lice or eggs, it is absolutely necessary to treat each “infected” person, but more importantly, you must notify the school so that we can effectively and confidentially assist you with monitoring. The school nurse can assist you with proper treatment options as well as identify and demonstrate for you what to do.
CLOTHING- Please make sure your student has an extra change of clothing in his/her backpack incase needed for unseen circumstances that may arise during the school day.
If you have any questions, please call your school nurse or visit our school web page at http://www.hobart.k12.in.us for more information on student health, school forms, and other helpful links
Help ALL Brickies Get A Lunch!
Here Comes The Bus App
Hobart University College and Career Open House
Wednesday, Apr 3, 2019, 05:30 PM
Hobart High School, East 10th Street, Hobart, IN, USA
FAFSA Completion Workshop
Thursday, Apr 4, 2019, 04:00 PM
Hobart High School, East 10th Street, Hobart, IN, USA
Chasing Dream's Prom
This experience is open for individuals with disABILITIES ages 14 & older from local and surrounding communities and people without disABILITIES ages 16 & older who attend Hobart High School.
See the flyer above in the newsletter for registration link!
Saturday, Apr 6, 2019, 05:30 PM
Hobart High School, East 10th Street, Hobart, IN, USA
Kindergarten Kick-Off
Monday, Apr 8, 2019, 06:00 PM
The Early Learning Center at George Earle, 400 North Wilson Street, Hobart, IN, USA
Annual Brickie Makers and Innovators
Wednesday, Apr 10, 2019, 06:00 PM
Hobart High School Field House
Middle School and High School Talent Shows!
Thursday, Apr 11, 2019, 07:00 PM
Middle School and High School
Too Good For Drugs Graduation
Monday, Apr 29, 2019, 06:00 PM
Hobart High School, East 10th Street, Hobart, IN, USA
6th Grade Orientation!
Tuesday, May 14, 2019, 06:00 PM
Hobart Middle School, East 8th Street, Hobart, IN, USA
Class of 2031 Graduation - Save the Date!
Wednesday, May 29, 2019, 06:00 PM
Hobart High School, East 10th Street, Hobart, IN, USA
Class of 2019 Graduation - Save the Date!
Thursday, May 30, 2019, 06:00 PM
Hobart High School Brickyard
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The School City of Hobart does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, sex, color, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, marital status, genetic information, or disability, including limited English proficiency.