SCH Weekly
Scott E. Miller, Superintendent
Issue 16 - July 16, 2020
Greetings SCH Family,
Tuesday night, the district leadership team presented a re-entry plan that respected the input of our parents to have both school open and have a viable e-Learning option. The parents surveys indicated 51% of parents wanted their children to return to school and 49% preferred a full-time eLearning option. I believe we have done our due diligence in preparing for both, but I also acknowledge that if the COVID numbers do not improve, that full-time eLearning for all students may be a reality for the foreseeable future.
We will continue to monitor the situation, in cooperation with the Lake County Board of Health, and adjust the plan and the recommendation accordingly. Thank you for your grace and understanding as we work together through these challenging times.
Take care,
Scott
Adult Education
Registration for the Adult Education Program for in-class sessions will be from Monday, August 3rd through Thursday, August 13th. Orientation will take place the week of August 17th, and In-class sessions will begin Monday, August 24, 2020.
- Morning classes run Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
- Evening classes run from Monday through Thursday from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Enrollment Requirements:
- You must be an Indiana resident with a current Indiana Driver’s License, State ID or Matricula Card
- You must be 17 years of age with a current Exit Review Form from the last high school attended
- Original Birth Certificate and Social Security Card or IRS Individual Taxpayer ID Number
For more information, please call the Adult Education office at (219) 933-2419.
Area Career Center
The Summer Bridge program at the ACC kicked off this week!
We’re working on recouping skills we missed out on while staying safe and following CDC guidelines. We have students from our programs in Cosmetology, Certified Nursing Assistant, Early Childhood Education, Emergency Medical Technician, Multimedia Broadcast Academy, and Welding here.
Food & Nutrition
Did you know that our department was featured on the Today Show with Hoda & Jenna?! If you didn’t – here’s a link to the video and article!
Hammond Academy for the Performing Arts
HAPA is proud to announce our 2020-21 Season. In addition to our annual events, cultural celebrations, art galleries, and smaller get-togethers, this year is sure to be an adventure..
Stay tuned for our plans to socially distance, live stream, and be 'Covid-ready' in bringing the creative gifts of our students to the forefront. Check out hammondapa.com for more information. We hope you are enjoying you summer!
Head Start
The preliminary results are in and support the focus and purpose of the very first Head Start Summer School! The majority of responding parents indicated that they think their children are better prepared for kindergarten due to their participation in Head Start’s Virtual Summer School. It was evident from the parents’ responses that the children’s relationships with their teachers played a major role in the learning and summer school success. Parents reported that they and their children liked the Virtual Small Group experiences and viewed the reinforcement of skills as beneficial. Kudos to the SCH Head Start Teachers for providing a positive and productive summer learning experience!
Health Services
Is Your Child Protected?
The start of the school year is quickly approaching. When preparing your child’s back to school list, don’t forget to include immunizations. Immunizations are recommended throughout your child’s life to protect against serious, sometimes deadly diseases. The best way to treat diseases is to prevent them in the first place. If you have not immunized your child, now is a good time to talk to your health care provider so that they can be protected against the many childhood diseases. Remember that children should have the required immunizations before the start of the schoolyear.
Human Resources
Wishing a very Happy Birthday to all the staff members who had/have birthdays in June and July!
Theresa Abeyta, Gregory Adkins, Eric Allen, Jennifer Allen, Sasha Armstrong, Lavonda Arnold, Julie Bahena, Virginia Bonales, Faith Bothwell, Carol Burrow, Cynthia Castrejon, Ana Contreras, Robert Cook, Charles Corbin, Leslie Darlin, Debarshi Das, Rhonda Davies, Mary Eggers, Myriah Hernandez, Jerame Hicks, Melaine Kaminsky, Lara Maiah, Crystal Martin, Jaime Mattel, Theresa Mayerik, John McDonald, Larral McGee, Patricia Mesarina, Ellie Michalski, Robyn Milausnic, Joyce Miles, Tityana Miller, Sandra Mireles, Dana Morgan, Tyler Niven, Adam Noel, Sarah Paloma, Gina Palumbo, Lorraine Peterson, Aaron Richardson, Kristen Schaack, DaLita Scott, Christine Sokolowski, Andrianna Valdez, Erika Vazquez, Raymond Velez, Brian Webber, Eric Yarbrough, and Amy Yoos.
Birthdays from June 21st through June 30th:
Chantel Bennett, Mandi Bridgeman, Monica Brown Hartlerode, Sarah Camel, Iesha Carson, Lawrence Chase, Christina Cisneros, Holly Cook, Elisa Cookshott, Gayle Cory, Lynett Croyle, William Danko, Diana Del Rio, Valerie Ensign, Michael Exum, Adrienne Gamble, Gail Giles, Julie Gintzler, Mary Henderson, Jennifer Hepler, Marie Herring, Kimberly Hoskins, LaToya Johnson, Jessica Jones, Kimberly Kennedy, Pamela Kiel, Lisa Kristina, Margaret Lopez, Mercedes Lopez, Kelly Lorenz, Laurie Mahmet, Christy Markovich, Karen McCoy, Heidi Moore, Osiris Morales, Christina Munoz, Laquienta Nolberto, Laura Oakley, Brian Page, Rogelio Perez, Robert Pruzin, Jon Pupillo, Vera Richards, Erica Robinson, Monica Sajn, Rebecca Saliwonczyk, Micaela Sanchez, Jamie Schassburger, Suzanne Sheridan, Steven Siar, Mary Simko, Christopher Sojka, Jill Taylor, Angelica Torres, Mary Wagner, Marcia Witherspoon, Jennifer Wolf, Marcella Zajac, and Nelly Zurlis.
Birthdays from July 1st through July 31st:
Damaris Abreu, Becky Abshire, Vaidehi Agrawal, Mary Alger, Michael Allman, Franchesca Angotti, Michelle Avakian, Nichole Bahena, Nancy Batliner, James Bell, Cyndee Belsky, Denise Benson, Heidi Bianco, Kathleen Blount, Brad Brown, Megan Brown, Shirley Bryant, Paul Buck Sr, Juliet Bustos, Joseph Cailles, Nadia Caporale, Jennifer Castillo, Benjamin Cherry, Robert Chicvara, Kathleen Clavin, Michelle Clifford, Terri Clinton Childers, Anna Cortes, David Cross, Arlene Cryer, Rocio Cuevas, Benjamin Daniels, Janet Darrar, Teresa Davis, Hannah Denys, Barbara Detloff, Debra DiAnni, Shirley Dixon, Roberta Dobrzeniecki, Tracy Dragos, Amy Dudzik, Brandon Egebrecht, Constance El-Amin, Donna Elliott, Stephen Elser, Lindsay Farmer, Samantha Ferry, Zachary Fields, Cynthia Fogleman, Kathryn Gaines, Elizabeth Garcia, Maria Garcia, Jasmin Gardner, Patricia Gerstenberg, Louis Gikas, Kathryn Gilmore, Miriam Giron Martinez, Polly Griffith, Regina Grohar, Janice Grose, Misael Gudino Armenta, Kristin Halloran, Karen Hanlon, Kyla Hanson, Kimberly Hardy, Thomas Hargrove Jr., Emma Haro, April Harris, Kathleen Hayes-Wilkins, Marci Hendricks, Maria Hernandez, Christopher Herrera, Emily Hobson, Edward Hofferth, Desiree Jackson, Florence Jackson, Mary Jarrett, Draymon Jefferson, Francisco Jimenez, Yolanda Johnson, Cheryl Jones, Deborah Jones, Debra Jones, Christine Kiepura, Jasmine Knowles, Kevin Kolczynski, Janet Kopischke, Leslie Kovacik, Kameela Lacy, Celia Leahu, Melody Lewis, Ana Lopez, Elia Lopez, Angel Lozano, Elida Lozano, Kenneth Malone, Therese Markanich, Gregory Massack, Kathryn McArdle, Mary McFarland, Carol McKechnie, Bryson McMillen, Charlene McMillion, Janelle Melendez, Alicia Miller, Janet Mischka, Jacob Mollenkopf, Nicholas Moore, Natalia Mundo, Patrick Murphy, Stephen Nestich, Monique Nowak, Lamika Obichere, Justin Ochall, Brandi Odom, Andrew Oloffson, Leatha Oloyede, Michelle Ondas, Angela Padilla, Angela Patterson, Kathleen Pawlowski, Aaron Payonk, Benjamin Perez, Joy Perkins, Walter Peterson Jr, Katie Pieta, James Pintor, Jaclyn Plant, Raymond Pleasant, Gail Postulka, Cynthia Pramuk, Robert Prieboy, Lilliana Prince-Vandas, Joel Putman Jr, Audrey Randle, Ana Rodriguez-Chavez, Jessica Rodriguez, Leroy Rogers, Maria Rohrman, Robert Ross, Michelle Rushing, Brian Rycerz, Mary Rykiel, Araceli Salazar, Tiffany Saldivar, Cristina Sanchez, Maria Santos, Colin Scheub, Timothy Schultz, Malanie Schulz, Monica Seren, Timothy Skalba Jr., Serena Smith, Tami Smolen, Michael Sohacki, Maribel Solano, Mariela Sosa, Doris Soto, Adriana Springsteen, Ashlee Stanley, Keonte’ Stringer, Anthony Strle, Ashley Taylor, Susan Taylor, Karin Therrien, Janice Turner, Barry Tyler Jr, Jose Urbano, Magaly Uribe, Sarah Van Der Weide, Dawn Velez, Lucinda Villanueva, Christopher Wadkins, Janet Wagner, Jordan Warren, Linda Watson, Albert Watts, Kimberly Webb, Terry White, Heather Wieser, Yolanda Woods, Michael Worosz, Fan Yang, Daniel Zaragoza, Matthew Zembala, Laura Zepeda, and Rebecca Zimmer.
Language Development Program
Irving ES Dual Language Spanish Immersion
Educational Resources for Teachers and Staff
WIDA is offering six FREE self-paced eWorkshops for K-12 classroom teachers, K-12 EL teachers & school leaders—go to ►https://www.doe.in.gov/sites/default/files/elme/wida-flyer-e-learning-6-workshops.pdf for more information.
2.) Doing & Talking STEM
3.) WIDA Writing Rubric Series
4.) Leading for Equity: Classroom Walkthrough
5.) Classroom Educators: Engaging Newcomer Multilingual Learners
6.) Developing Language for Learning in Mathematics
Bilingual Educators Summit, July 20-24th to register, go to ►https://bilingualeducatorsvirtualsummit.com/
The Equity Leader & Anti-Bias Educator July 8th recorded YouTube webinar ►https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4UJRct4f7M
Free Live Webinar for Dual Language and World Language Teachers—to register for the July 24th webinar, go to ►https://t.co/i0RrtHwvJo?amp=1
Special Education
Technology
Indiana Connected Educator’s LIVE Conference
We wanted to remind you of the AWESOME FREE event taking place next week! ICE, the Indiana Connected Educators, has LIVE taking place online from July 20-24th (there are two sessions every hour for five days)! They have managed to gather some great presenters – some of whom have been at our South Shore Conference (Buddy Berry, Matt Miller, Ken Shelton) for this event. We would love to have a huge SCH presence for the conference.
Here is the information and registration website - https://bit.ly/ICELive. Just a reminder – all times on the website are EASTERN! You can pick and choose what sessions to attend (you don’t have to go to all of them) and they are going to be recorded and be able to be viewed for a short time following the event.
Phishing Emails
With the start of Summer and the relaxation of lockdown protocols, phishing emails have actually increased in number and severity. Please be mindful of all email communications! A few tips to help keep everyone safe:
- If the sender of an email is an SCH employee and the red and yellow “EXTERNAL MAIL: This email message originated from outside SCH" banner shows in the body, be very suspicious. That banner should never show when an SCH staff member e-mails another SCH staff member.
- Always take note of the *actual* sender of the e-mail. In Outlook, this shows at the top next to the “friendly” name of the external sender (someone not employed by SCH).
- Watch for obvious grammatical errors or anything that seems out-of-sorts.
- Never reply to or act on a suspicious e-mail. Call the sender if necessary or wait for a reply from Technology to verify that it’s legitimate.
- Never give any personal information through email uness you are 100% sure that the sender is legitimate and they MUST have the info.
- Report any suspicious e-mails to Technology – someone will look over them and get back with you.
Transportation
Transportation Shop
Congratulations and welcomes are due for our mechanics. The Transportation mechanic shop is fully staffed for the first time since 2018. Joseph Horn takes over as shop foreman, replacing John Arenas (retired). Joe, has worked as a shop mechanic for the last 10 years and is ready to transition into his new role.
Joining him are new hires, Douglas “DJ” McCotter and Oehm Nhol. DJ, comes to us after working as a bus mechanic for Hyles Anderson College, while Oehm worked for the former Coach USA. Both will work as shop mechanics to ensure that the 100+ vehicles that are within SCH stay operational.
New Legislation in Transportation
New Laws are in place effective July, 1, 2020 regarding transportation. A brief summary of the new statutes are below:
1)HEA 1066 - Transport of CTE Programs, permits transport of students using a specialized vehicle enrolled in CTE programs from the home school to the approved CTE program. The following conditions must be met:
(1) is owned by the school corporation or contracted for by the school corporation; and
(2) has a seating capacity of not more than eight (8) passengers, including the driver.
(b) The term includes a car, truck, sport utility vehicle, or minivan.
2) HEA 1070 – Distracted Driving, prohibits holding or using a telecommunication device while operating a motor vehicle. Exceptions allow for usage if using a hands-free or voice operated technology and to communicate with 911 in the event of an emergency
3) HEA 1225 – Public Safety, removes requirement of black reflective tapes on school buses.
The new statute changes will have a minimal impact on day to day transport to and from school, however, allows for greater flexibility in transport of CTE students to and within the Area Career Center.
SCH Highlights of the Week
Hammond HS
Joshua Coggins, who just finished his freshman year and has played flute for two years, learned how to play John Philip Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever" March and submitted a video for consideration to be included in the United States Marine Band's "The Stars and Stripes Forever: A Virtual Playalong." Please join me in congratulating him! This is a challenging piece that he practiced a lot.
Stay Informed
An update from the Superintendent is distributed at the beginning of the week.
View previous weekly updates from Mr. Miller here.
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Email: schadmin@hammond.k12.in.us
Website: www.hammond.k12.in.us
Location: 41 Williams Street, Hammond, IN, USA
Phone: (219) 933-2400
Facebook: facebook.com/SchoolCityofHammond/
Twitter: @SCHK12