Innovative Learning

This week, we were honored to have Brenda Stallings, CEO of Matrix Integration, and Curt Trainer visit Perry Central.  Both individuals are very well known entrepreneurs in Indiana and Ms. Stallings has been recognized with many awards across the state.  Their visit reminded me of the book we are reading, What School Could Be, as we start rethinking our learning environments to prepare students for the Innovation Era. Curt and Brenda were both VERY excited to see what we were doing at Perry Central!

Their visit came at a good time as many of our students shared some of the current projects happening in our CTE courses.  Ag Power, Construction and Civil Engineering are working on designing a set of stairs in the ag building.  They are utilizing strengths from each class, including learning how to lay out stairs, creative design, computer aided drafting, and creating a bill of materials.  This week, they will present their project to the Health Science and Biomedical classes in hopes that the medical teams can help them learn more about safety.

Carol Schwoeppe's Entrepreneurship class has been using their creative juices to find ways to use different types of fabrics.  They have developed prototypes of phone cases, hot dog holders, table mats, bracelets and more.  Our goal is to take a field trip to encourage more creative thinking and to help students see that they can be successful!

Vanessa Johnson's class has been working on brainstorming ways that additive manufacturing (3D Printing) can be used in the medical industry.  Already, there are filaments that can be used to 3D print skin and other organs.  They shared their ideas with our guests.

And off course, our Commodore Manufacturing students shared their projects.  They have been working with the engineering class to find a way to week vinyl stickers for American White Tail.  The company would like to pay our students for producing 60,000 stickers.  Right now, the process takes too long so our students are finding innovative ways to produce the stickers quicker!  As students learn about materials, they are finding very creative ways to make this possible, including how to possibly utilize an air hockey table and a vacuum cleaner!  :-)

Ms. Stallings told the students that, "If you have a passion for knowledge, the world is full of opportunity."   As Dr. Dintersmith tells us, we are in a uniquely exciting time in education.  We have to find ways to engage students, provide them with real-world challenges, have them work in teams, and teach them how to communicate!  Project Based learning is how students will work in the real world and we need to help them be ready for the Innovation Era that awaits them!

These type of visits always leave me filled with energy as I see our teachers and students working together to re-create the classroom and our learning environments.   Keep up the great work!


Important Information: 

ISTEP - This week, we will be starting our ISTEP retester exams.  The students who are retesting have to take both parts of the exam in the same window.  We are going to give math on February 12 & 13 and then February 19 & 20 for English.  We are very fortunate that many of our students are going to meet graduation requirements through the Graduation Pathways, so many do not need the test.  I will send out a list of students tomorrow.  Thank you!


Farewell - As many of you are aware, we will be saying our good-byes to Hilarie this Friday.  She is going to take an opportunity to move to Missouri.  We feel so fortunate to have had Hilarie on our team for the past few years.  We wish her the very best!!    It will take a team to fill her shoes for the rest of the semester.  Stephanie Walsh, Carrie Guillaume, Seth Gehlhausen, Dana Harris and Greg Gibson will all have a hand in helping cover her classes.  We thank all of them for their willingness to help and doing it with a happy heart. 

Valentine Treats -  As a special treat for all of our Valentines, Janet has arranged for some sweat treats Thursday morning!  Save your calories this week as the cake pops and cupcakes will be waiting for you!!  Happy Valentine's Day!

Welcome - We would like to welcome Robyn Templin this week!  She is going to take Kelly Field's place as an assistant.  She is also working on her Master Degree in Special Education and will be teaching a few lessons there.  She is Toni LaGrange's sister.  We are happy to have her!

Important Dates:

Monday, Feb 11 - School Board Meeting 6:30 p.m./ Special Education PD

Wednesday, Feb 13 - Math PLC Meeting - 2nd WIN

Thursday, Feb 14 - Valentine Treats

Friday, February 15 - Senior Night Varsity Basketball/ Senior Breakfast Friday morning

Monday, February 18 - President's Day will be a virtual day for students and a work day for teachers