DuneNews
Duneland School news for parents, students and teachers
Thursday, November 4, 2021 Vol. 56 No. 15
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS
Girls Cross Country finishes third place at IHSAA State Championship
The CHS Girls Cross Country team competed in the IHSAA State Cross Country Meet this past Saturday where they finished 3rd out of 24 teams. The last time the Lady Trojans finished in the top 5 at the IHSAA State Meet was in 2003 when they finished 2nd in the State Meet.
The following girls competed in the State Meet.
Bailey Ranta – 12th earning All-State
Catherine White – 52nd
Grace Carpenter – 63rd
Alyssa Dunlap – 69th
Ciara Bonner – 133rd
Bree Gentry – 136th
Bella Smith – 158th
CHS had 12 girls compete throughout the season and it was a total team effort to finish 3rd. Our 8-12 runners included: Ali Sierazy, Addison Leady, Liz Hibshman, Anna Johnston and Caroline Mills.
CHS Trojan Guard earns 4th Place at State Competition
On Saturday, October 23, the Chesterton High School Trojan Guard Marching Band competed in the 2021 Indiana State School Music Association Scholastic Finals competition held at Franklin Central HS in Indianapolis. Out of 21 bands in performance at the event, the Trojan Guard earned a 4th place finish, marking one of their highest placements since competing in Scholastic Class beginning in 2013. In addition to finishing in the top five of the class, the Trojan Guard scored among the top two in our region of Northwest Indiana with their highest score of the season.
This great finish is the culmination of a five-month long competitive season beginning with summer camp rehearsals in June and July and contests throughout the fall across northern Indiana. In addition to Scholastic Finals, the ensemble performed at the Goshen, Concord, and Penn invitationals, earning 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place finishes respectively. The Trojan Guard earned a 2nd place finish at the ISSMA Scholastic Prelims contest, qualifying them to compete at the Scholastic State Finals event.
Congratulations to all members of the 2021 Trojan Guard: Melanie Allison, Samantha Ames, Frank Augustyn, Katie Billings, Jillian Boster, Phoenix Bridegroom, Kristen Britzke, Caden Brum, Madison Buckley, Nathaniel Carpentier, Rebecca Carpentier, Abigail Casias, Addison Cole, Emma Comfort, Lydia Comfort, Theresa Connors, Giovanni DePasquale, Abbi Didonna, Adrian Dooley, Chloe Eash, Abigail Elliott, Ethan Elliott-Halinski, Makayla Erickson, Hannah Estridge, Elsa Estridge, Thomas Fadell, Cormac Fallon, Noah Fletcher, Evelyn Gardiner, Vanessa Godinez, Timothy Goldsberry, Brayden Gray, Chloe Hall, Matthew Haubold, Seamus Heneghan, Max Houghteling, Toby Ison, Addison Kellogg, Evelyn Kelly, Meagan Koutsopanagos, Kara Lahaie, Natalie Leensvaart, Hailey Leohr, Del Livovich, Michael Livovich, Haley Martinez, Ellie Martz, Kelsey Mason, Dexter Matthew, Abigail McCarthy, Troy McCormick, Brody Mehling, Isabella Muzzalupo, Ally Novreske, Jimmy O’Connor, Sophia Palmer, Kyle Pazdur, Skylar Peffers, Aiden Peschke, Dominick Pilla, CeCe Post, Katie Radliff, Ellen Rath, Avary Robinson, Peter Rodriguez, Ashton Rospierski, Lucy Rutkowski, Rosalie Salentine, Krystina Santiago, Soren Schott, Mike Schwab, Danica Sessions, Nicholas Shade, Logan Snyder, Jacob Spence, Joshua Spence, Connor Stadler, Landon Stojakovich, Mady Street, Bowen Summer, Olivia Sundquist, Mary Toms, Addisyn Torres, Madysen Vergon, Olivia Vogel, Addy Weitzel, Samantha Williams, Bridget Wisdom and Alaina Wring.
CHS Debate: Three Strong Performances in October
The CHS debate team has been looking to shake off last year’s results and it appears (at least through October) that they have done so. The team finished the month of October with three strong performances at an individual and team level.
The full team competed in person for the first time at the Concord debate meet on Saturday, October 9. The team had winners in both divisions of Policy debate in the form of Mark Jewison and Milena Veltri as the champions of varsity and Gwen Lester and Katerina Markwart taking home the title at the novice level. Freedom Eiden and Riley Hawksworth took 5th place in varsity and the team of Brayden Blouir and Jonathon McClure came in 7th. In the novice division the team of Patrick Hansen and Rian Goins came in 3rd and Evan Hibshmen and Lucas Koch were 6th. Ronnie McLemore won the novice division for Lincoln-Douglas; which served to continue to strong start for CHS students in the event. Emily Fleischhacker was 3rd, Andrew Julian came in 6th, and Marley Mayer rounded out the places in 8th. At the varsity level, Gretta Burke was 3rd and Sophia Worden (7th) and Katie Pampalone (8th) also placed.
The team’s fourth champion came in the form of novice Congressional debater Payton Whalen. Seniors Savannah Hutchinson, Ethan Kroft, and Brody Gorski came in 3rd, 4th, and 8th respectively at the varsity level. Finally, the team of Emma Ekblaw and Sidney Pittman finished in sixth place in Varsity Public Forum and the team of Greenlee Black and Cailyn Hilliar were the fifth best novice team.
Chesterton won the next tournament (although it was a limited event due to the size of the host school. At Bethany Christian, the team accumulated 67 points to defeat the defending state champions of Munster by 16 points. Nathan Osborn went undefeated and took second place in the Varsity Lincoln-Douglas division. Burke was 6th and Worden came in 8th. Fleischhacker once again took 3rd place in novice Lincoln-Douglas and Julian improved his placing to come in 4th. Tilon Woodard was 5th and Cadey Oleck came in 6th overall.
The team took four of the top five places in the Varsity Public Forum division with the team of Saanya Agarwal and Zander Fish winning their first event of the year. They were followed closely by Riste Miroski and Sam Burris (2nd), Hamza Sahli and Megan Nowka (4th), and Darek Shatat and Joshua Fieffer (5th). Kroft improved on his prior performance and was the runner-up in Varsity Congressional debate while Hutchinson once again finished in the top three. Moneice Johnson placed 8th in the novice division.
The team’s third and final meet once again proved that this ‘get back to normal’ year will still have some oddities. Unable to host its traditional tournament this year due to building commitments from Purdue, West Lafayette jr/sr High School hosted an ‘all Worlds School’ tournament. While Chesterton does not regularly compete in this event, the team felt that it was important to seize every opportunity for in person competition this year. World School teams are made up of between three to five debaters. While there are two rounds on a prepared ahead of time topic, this event requires students to prep on two topics without access to their coaches or the internet.
After discussing private space exploration for two rounds, students were presented with the following resolutions: This House regrets Tik Tok and This House would change the age of adulthood to 16. One of Chesterton’s five teams went undefeated on the day and took third place. That team was made up of a mix of its policy debaters (Jewison and Veltri) as well as its Public Forum team (Shah, Agarwal, and Fish). Additionally, a team made up entirely of Lincoln-Douglas debaters (Burke, Osborn, Julian, Worden, and Ethan Markwart) finished with a 3 -1 record to take home fifth place.
Duneland School Corporation 1st Quarter Honor Rolls
Click the link below to view:
Westchester Intermediate School
Chesterton Middle School - Coming Soon!
SCHOOL/STUDENT ACTIVITIES
CHS Trick or Treat Event Fun for the Community
Last Thursday, CHS Student Government team hosted their annual Halloween Trick-or-Treat. Some 40 CHS and community clubs, sports, and organizations eagerly decorated tables and passed out candy to 560 families (about 2,200 people) who excitedly sported some very spooky costumes! However, the spookiest one was posted under the account @RaveFlor (right photo) and won our Twitter costume contest.
The event raised $1634. CHS Student Government will be donating $500 to Northwest Indiana Cancer Kids and $100 to the Westchester FOP. Overall, the Trick-or-Treat was a massive success, but it wouldn’t have been one without all of the help Student Government received from sponsors and supporters. A special thank you goes out to all of the following people/organizations:
Class sponsors: Mr. Scott Smith, Miss Roberts, Mrs. Walton, Mrs. Hufford, Mr. Starkey, Miss Kaczmarski, Ms. PennyJo Morris, and Mrs. Jendrzejczyk
CHS Football Boosters
Duneland Chamber of Commerce
First Trust Credit Union
Mr. Nallenweg and CHS National Honor Society
WDSO Radio
CHS Custodial and Grounds Staff
CHS Administrative Staff
DC Communications
School Resource Officers
Mr. Bakaitis and Mrs. Scheiber
Mr. Moodie
Mrs Micchia and Family and Consumer Sciences Dept.
Mrs. Dardeau
Mrs. Faroh
RED RIBBON WEEK ACTIVITIES
Liberty Intermediate Red Ribbon Week Contest Winners
Liberty Intermediate School celebrated Red Ribbon Week with many festivities including a coloring contest, Red Ribbon decorating, and a yearly Drug Free poster Contest. Over 100 students submitted posters this year. The school had five (5) winners and a grand champion.
Congratulations to winners, pictured above, left to right, Dilynn Mahoney, Addison McMahan, Oliver McEvoy, Brynn Law, Macie Pack - Grand Champion, and Madison Robertson.
Westchester Intermediate Red Ribbon Week Celebrations
Monday - Super Hero Day: You Have Power to be Drug-free
Tuesday - Crazy Sock Day: Sock it To Drugs
Wednesday - Neon Day: My Future is Too Bright to Do Drugs
Thursday - Twin Day: Pair Up Against Drugs
Friday - School Gear: Drug-Free till the Finish Line
On Friday, culminating the week-long Red Ribbon Week Celebrations, several 5th and 6th grade WIS teachers were seen sporting outfits bearing remarkable similarities to the characters in Mario Kart (pictured above), which provided a bit of inspiration -- and fun -- for WIS students.
After a quick photo, the game was on! Teachers fueled up with coffee, revved their iPads, and raced back to their rooms in order to run dry erase markers a few laps around the white boards before launching lessons from their presenters.
Teaching throughout the day was well-paced, and students could be seen gearing up for passing assignments in many classrooms-- even the lunchroom pit stops were clean. Few students were seen spinning their wheels, and all marks were positive.
In language arts, students utilized drafting skills as they fine-tuned their projects, and in math, teachers and students collaborated to calculate what needed to be accomplished in order to Zoom to a successful second semester. By the time the 3:05 p.m. finish arrived, it was determined that everyone was a winner.
Westchester Intermediate Kicks Off Robotics Season
Westchester Intermediate School robotics teams A, B, and C attended their first competition of the season on Saturday, October 30. They traveled to Crown Point and competed with 34 elementary, intermediate, and middle school teams from across northern Indiana.
Team C won the Excellence Award-- the highest award presented in the VEX IQ Challenge! This Excellence Award is given to a team that exemplifies overall excellence in creating a high-quality VEX robotics program. This distinction qualifies them for the State of Indiana championship in March of 2022 in Indianapolis. Team members (pictured at right) are Eva Capodice, Rosemary Hundt and Danny Cain (absent from photo).
Team B qualified for the finals by finishing in 9th place. Team B was paired with the 10th place team from South Newton Elementary School. Together they had a strong showing and ended up in 5th place. Team B members are Matthew Balhoff, Michael Ward, Roland Wagner, and Ryan Bradford.
Team A also had a good day and placed 26th overall . Unfortunately, their team pairings were not advantageous, and they also ran into a few robot problems. Team A members are Finn McCready, Liam Crum and Adam Tenbarge.
The coaches and the students learned a lot at competition, and they plan to share this knowledge to help the other eleven teams make improvements. The next competition is less than three weeks away. Masking guidelines -- optional or required -- will be determined by the contest host.
Family Friendly Schools Survey for Duneland School Parents
In keeping with our Core Values, Duneland School Corporation is committed to fostering partnerships to improve the quality of life in our community. One of our most important partnerships is with our families. As we strive to continue to build upon and strengthen our family partnerships, DSC is applying for distinction from the Indiana Department of Education as an IDOE “Family Friendly Schools” corporation. In doing so we will continue to “focus on addressing students' academic, physical, emotional, and social needs while providing the needed resources and fostering the active involvement of their families through schools and the community.” (Indiana Department of Education Family Friendly Schools Handbook)
Please help us as we continue to support our students and community by completing the IDOE online survey by November 19, 2021.
Your ongoing support in educating the children of our community is greatly appreciated!
Survey Link and Instructions:
Website: https://form.jotform.com/210636394920961
School Name: choose your school from the drop-down list
School Corporation: 6470 Duneland School Corporation
School Liaison Name: JENNIFER BYE
School Liaison email: jbye@duneland.k12.in.us
School Codes for your convenience:
6928 - Bailly Elementary School
6819 - Brummitt Elementary School
6817 - Jackson Elementary School
6823 - Liberty Elementary School
6941 - Newton Yost Elementary School
6821 - Liberty Intermediate School
6927 - Westchester Intermediate School
6930 - Chesterton Middle School
6925 - Chesterton Senior High School
For Trojan Virtual Academy - "Choose Other - TVA
Duneland Schools to Kickoff New Early Learning HUB
Duneland School Corporation (DSC) will kickoff their new Birth to School initiative in January.
The DSC Birth to School initiative, now coined ‘Duneland Early Learning HUB’, is a hub of resources for Duneland’s zero to five year old children and their caregivers. The term ‘HUB’ refers to the program’s vision to Help, Understand and Build connections and relationships between families, educators and the community.
Duneland School Corporation recognizes that learning begins at birth and early learning is critical to the future success for children. Based on research and findings during the district’s strategic planning process, a Birth-to-School initiative was developed and an action team was created.
Two dedicated individuals will oversee this new initiative. The Duneland Early Learning HUB is led by co-coordinators Amy Curtis and Tonia Kitchel, and under the direction of Chrisy Jarka, DSC director of Grants, Assessments and Special Programs. This past August, Amy Curtis and Tonia Kitchel came on board to serve as Duneland’s Early Learning HUB Co-Coordinators. Amy is currently completing her masters’ degree in educational policy and leadership, and has eight years of experience as a classroom teacher. Tonia has over 20 years of experience as a school psychologist, behavioral specialist and intake coordinator in Northwest Indiana. So far this school year, they have been busy collaborating, researching, analyzing and developing opportunities for children and their families.
"I couldn't be more proud of Duneland Schools for taking this initiative and being a part of its development. “The Early Learning HUB will be the first of its kind in Porter County,” said Kitchel.
The mission of Duneland’s Early Learning HUB is to empower caregivers with knowledge, resources, and opportunities for early childhood development. The goal is to create outreach opportunities that will help children and their families build relationships, access information, foster school readiness, and increase awareness of available resources. The program will assist families in preparing their children to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
“Amy and I are very excited about the vision, the learning opportunities and the resources we have been preparing for our Duneland families,” Kitchel added. “We cannot wait to connect with the families to learn more about their needs and to offer another social and learning opportunity for the infant to preschool population."
For the 2021-2022 school year, the Early Learning Department office and activities are located in The Trojan Learning Center at CMS in room G151. Two kick off events are scheduled in January 2022. These events will allow the community, families, and school personnel to see the Early Learning spaces and learn more about what opportunities will be available. The Early Learning HUB is not a preschool where families drop their children off for childcare. Instead, it will be a place for caregivers and their children to learn while playing together. Ultimately, the HUB will be the place for Helping, Understanding and Building positive relationships with children 0 to 5 and their families.
For more information, please visit the Duneland Early Learning HUB website at https://www.duneland.k12.in.us/earlylearningHUB and follow the HUB on Facebook and Instagram.
Don't Miss the Annual Fall CHS Musical
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is a nonstop laughfest in which Pseudolus, a crafty slave, struggles to win the hand of a beautiful, but slow-witted, courtesan named Philia for his young master, Hero, in exchange for freedom.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for students and senior citizens. Tickets will be available at the door and for presale at: www.showtix4u.com
CHS Madrigal Dinner Online Ticket Sales Begin November 12
The Chesterton High School Music Department will present its 49th annual Madrigal Dinners on December 3, 4, and 5, in the school cafeteria. All seats are reserved, and tickets will be on sale for $30 per person. Ticket sales will be online only and begin on Friday, November 12. General public sales will start at 5 p.m. Ticket sales will be held until sell out or Friday, December 3rd, whichever comes first. There will be no exchanges or refunds. To purchase tickets, visit www.showtix4u.com
Performance times are as follows: Friday, December 3, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, December 4, at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 5, at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.
The CHS Cafeteria will be transformed into a “Greate Hall” complete with Elizabethan settings and costumes for “Ye Olde Madrigal Christmas Feasts.” The Madrigal is set in the 16th Century and represents the traditions of the Christmas season through spoken and musical offerings. The cast of approximately 100 CHS music students dressed in medieval costume sing, play, juggle, amuse and serve throughout each of the five performances. The students and their directors: Vince Arizzi, Adam Bess, Brian Grenier, Kristin Morris, and Laura Alonzo work each year to present a quality performance.
Included in the Madrigal along with the music and drama is a complete dinner. The dinner includes a relish tray, chicken breast, mashed potatoes, green beans, salad, wassail, and dessert. A nut-free plate or vegetarian plate including dessert will be available with your request at the time of ticket purchase. The meal is prepared each year by the CHS Cafeteria staff.
DSC Enrollment Equity Committee to Create Balance at Intermediate/Middle School Campuses
In the fall of 2023, the Duneland School Corporation (DSC) will serve students in grades 5-8 at renovated Liberty and Westchester campuses. Each school will serve 900-1,000 students. Without making any adjustments to current school enrollment boundaries, Westchester would have close to 1,000 students and Liberty would have just over 700 students. In order to provide maximum opportunities for all students, DSC will look to establish enrollment equity at each of the two schools.
In an effort to develop an equitable enrollment plan, DSC will form a committee consisting of parents, community members, teachers, principals, district administrators and one or two school board members. This committee will be responsible for developing options regarding possible elementary, intermediate and middle school attendance boundary adjustments for the DSC. Ideally, the goal is to have the same elementary school students matriculate to the same intermediate and middle schools as they do currently; however, the change will impact some of the elementary school boundaries as the committee strives for enrollment equity in these new 5-8 schools.
The committee will be charged with developing a proposal in the Fall of 2021 to be sent to the Superintendent for consideration and ultimately, to the DSC School Board for approval. Robert McDermott, Assistant Superintendent, will serve as the facilitator for the committee. The committee structure is as follows:
Facilitator -1
District Administrators – 2
Building Principals – 5
Teachers – 4
Parents – 15 (three per elementary school)
Community Members – 2
School Board Members – 1 or 2
Committee Responsibilities - The Enrollment Equity Committee is charged with developing options regarding possible elementary, intermediate and middle school attendance boundary adjustments for the DSC.
The committee will recommend boundary adjustments that conform to the following parameters:
Each school should have a total student population consistent with the number of classrooms planned to serve the general population, exclusive of rooms set aside for other uses.
When possible, recommended boundaries should take into consideration space to accommodate anticipated enrollment growth.
Consideration should be given to all schools’ demographic profiles during the attendance boundary development process.
Changes from the present attendance boundaries should be minimized.
Students with disabilities should be placed in accordance with applicable laws with consideration given to appropriate services, specialized spaces, and sound educational practices that meet students’ identified needs.
All students within the new attendance boundaries shall be required to attend their assigned school except when approved through the pre-defined DSC transfer processes where transportation is not provided.
Student travel time on school transportation should be considered.
The committee will make progress reports to the Superintendent periodically as they work toward the goal of bringing forward a final enrollment equity recommendation by December 31, 2021.
If interested in participating in this process, please email Bridget Martinson, director of Public Relations and Marketing.
Inclement Weather Information - School Closing/Delay Procedures
As we approach the winter season, please review the procedures for school closings and/or delays that may occur due to inclement weather. The decision to close school and engage in an eLearning day or alter the school day is done after collaborating with multiple district personnel, local, state departments and agencies, including: law enforcement, national weather service, highway/street departments, and transportation. In addition, other Porter County school districts are consulted due to partnerships that impact special education and career-technical education students.
Decisions about school delays due to inclement weather will be made as early as possible. In some instances, a school cancellation may follow a two-hour delay. In the event of a two-hour delay followed by a cancellation, we will do our best to make the decision to cancel school before 9:00 a.m. Delay or cancellation information will be delivered through the Skylert notification system. These notifications are based on the contact information provided in the General category within your Skylert notification system. Please review and update (if necessary) your contact information to receive these notifications. School closing/delay information will also be posted on the DSC website (www.duneland.k12.in.us) and sent to the following media outlets:
Radio: WAKE 1500 AM; Indiana 105.5 FM; WEFM 95.9 FM; WDSO 88.3 FM; WGN Radio 720;
WBBM Newsradio 780
TV Channels: 2, 5, 7, 9, 32, CLTV news
Websites: www.cancellations.com; www.emergencyclosingcenter.com
The following options will be considered during weather emergencies:
Option 1: Start of the school day will be delayed 2-hours. Delayed start times are:
Elementary - 10:00 a.m.
Intermediate - 10:15 a.m.
Middle School - 9:50 a.m.
High School - 9:40 a.m.
Option 2: Students will not report to school; students will participate in inclement weather eLearning day
Option 3: Schools will dismiss early
DSC COVID-19 Support Center
COVID-19 Dashboard
The DSC administration has established a COVID-19 dashboard that can always be found on our COVID-19 Support Center webpage. The COVID-19 dashboard (below) will now be updated once per day with all active cases reported, and/or will include cases removed from active status (conclusion of the 10-day isolation period). Daily dashboard emails will not be sent to families and/or staff members this school year. Below is the COVID-19 Dashboard with the latest update available at time of this publication. Please visit the COVID-19 Support Center for the most up-to-date posting.
DSC Response Plan 2021-2022
Help us Nominate DSC Teachers of Excellence today!
Kenneth J. Allen Law Group supports Northwest Indiana teachers who go above and beyond for their students and honors them for their outstanding contributions to education. To learn more about the educators who are Teachers of Excellence or if you know of someone who should be recognized as a Teacher of Excellence, please nominate him or her by following this link.
View DSC Teachers of Excellence on our website.
LONG-TERM CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT UPDATES
At the DSC School Board meeting on Monday, October 4, school board members and the public were updated on the progress of site plans and floor plan concepts for Liberty and Westchester Intermediate/Middle Schools.
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.
Yost Elementary and the two 5-8 buildings (LIS/WIS) will be the first locations to begin construction in early 2022.
Community members may review the current Long-Term Capital Improvements information that will be continuously updated on the DSC website.
DSC Strategic Plan Timelines
OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS
DSC Winter Card Contest for Grades K-8
The Duneland School Corporation will again host a Winter Card Contest for Duneland School students in grades K-8. Contest submissions are due on Friday, November 12. Winners from each grade level will be notified and invited to the Dec. 6 school board meeting to be recognized and awarded. Eligibility and rules for the contest are listed under district announcements on the Duneland website and are posted in the district’s newsletter DuneNews. Students will be returning their submissions to their respective school’s main office or they may bring their Winter Card entries to: Duneland Administration Center, 601 West Morgan Avenue, Chesterton, Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. by Nov. 12.
CHS Dance Team Kiddie Camp
Chesterton Wrestling Club
IMPORTANT INFORMATION PARENTS NEED TO KNOW
Winter Sports and Final Forms
Winter sports are right around the corner. Students planning to try out, please make sure…
1. You have a FinalForms...Link to Final Forms
TIP LINE
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
Skyward Family Access Quick Guide
SCHOOL MENUS/MEALS
*SCHOOL MEALS UPDATE*
Due to ongoing effects of the COVID Pandemic, many industries are suffering from labor shortages which is causing disruptions and shortages in the food chain. At present, Duneland School's Child Nutrition Department is experiencing unprecedented food order shortages causing many last minute changes to the breakfast and lunch menus. In an effort to communicate these changes to families in a timely manner, we ask that you please check this website daily for any changes to the menu.
Thank you for your patience as we work through these setbacks!
Visit the DSC Child Nutrition page for links to the menus for the Week of Nov. 1-5 or click the menu links below.
SCHOOL PICTURE INFORMATION
2021 Hall of Fame Nominations
The Chesterton Alumni Association is seeking nominations for the 2021 Alumnus, Teacher, Administrator, and Support Staff Hall of Fame. Plans are to honor recipients at an annual Alumni Association Dinner Banquet in May 2022.
“Many accomplished and dedicated individuals are not necessarily in the public eye; they are the unsung heroes and quiet warriors among us impacting students and staff every day,” said Jim Hall, CHS Alumni president. “The 2021 recognition committee invites alumni, community members, parents and others throughout the Duneland community to submit their nominations.”
Please consider nominating a candidate for Alumnus, Teacher, Administrator, and Support Staff based on the following qualities:
Excellence
Leadership
Respect
Exceptional Contributions
Citizenship
Giving Back
Collaboration
Courageous Acts
Advocacy
The CHS Alumni Association is accepting nominations for 2021 year through Wednesday, December 15 at 3 p.m. Those that wish to submit one nominee for each category must use separate nomination forms.
Nomination forms will also be available for pick up at the Duneland School Corporation Administration Center, 601 W Morgan Avenue, weekdays from 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Completed nominations may be submitted electronically to CHSalumniassociation@duneland.k12.in.us; by mailing to CHS Alumni Association,
PO Box 1063, Chesterton, IN 46304; or by dropping off the at the Duneland Administration Center, 601 W Morgan Avenue, Chesterton.
NEW! - Online Nomination Form
Link to fillable nomination form (Just fill-out and print)
DSC Now Hiring..
The Duneland School Corporation is seeking candidates for the following positions:
NEW!!!
Chesterton Middle School is seeking candidates to fill the following long-term sub positions for entire second semester of 2021-2022.
- Foreign Language Teacher – Maternity Leave
- Math Teacher – Maternity Leave
These positions and more are available on the Duneland School Corporation employment website. Apply online at Click to apply online
CHILD NUTRITION
Child Nutrition associates provide nutrition services to students and staff. Benefit-eligible positions available. Apply online at 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
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
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.
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
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.
TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR TROJAN VIRTUAL ACADEMY STUDENTS DURING THE DAY:
Mrs. Bye, TVA'S administrative assistant, can assist TVA students with technical issues during the school day. Please email jbye@duneland.k12.in.us or call our new line at 219-983-3743. Mrs. Bye will answer and then work with the IT Department to find a resolution.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
District events are available on the Duneland School website at www.duneland.k12.in.us. Click on CALENDAR at the top of the page for a month by month calendar. You can even customize the calendar to see events for the schools your students attend.
NOVEMBER REFERENDUM SPOTLIGHT
Library Media Specialists
Library Media Specialists play an integral role in providing a comprehensive 21st Century education to our students. As both licensed teachers and certified library media instructors, our Library Media Specialists have the experience and expertise to develop and deliver curriculum that works in conjunction with the classroom. This curriculum, which is aligned to the standards set forth by both the state and the American Association of School Librarians, covers the areas of Literature Appreciation, Digital Citizenship, Research and Information Literacy, Making and Design Thinking, and Computer Science and Coding. Our Library Media Specialists also take on leadership roles, frequently collaborating with classroom teachers, administrators, our technology department, and the wider community.
For more referendum information, visit: https://www.duneland.k12.in.us/domain/367
NorthShore Clinic for ALL DSC Students located at CMS
Duneland School Corporation has partnered with NorthShore Health Services to establish a school-based health clinic that is now located in Chesterton Middle School.
This partnership will provide 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:
Monday-Friday from 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Call: 219-983-3776 x7020 to schedule an appointment
Pictured at right is nurse practitioner and Chesterton resident Shawn Kroft taking a student's blood pressure at the clinic.
Duneland Schools Spirit Store
Did you know that Duneland Schools has an online Spirit Wear Store where you can buy your Duneland spirit wear?
Purchase your CMS/CHS student P.E./Strength Training uniforms (shorts and t-shirts) online and arrange to have them delivered to your home or pick up at the store.
DuneNews
The DuneNews is emailed each Thursday afternoon to all Duneland families through their school related email address. It is also posted on our website at www.duneland.k12.in.us/dune-news along with all archived issues; and on the DSC Facebook and Twitter. If you are not receiving your emailed issue of the DuneNews each week please email Bridget Martinson.
Duneland School Corporation
Inspire | Engage | Empower
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