Everyday when I turn on the news, talk to a family, or just listen to struggles that our families are dealing with, I am reminded about the tough times that we are all living in. Worries about a pandemic, loss of jobs, loss of family members, etc. creates a world full of anxiety, depression and hopelessness. At school we are trying to balance on-line learning, in-person learning, wearing masks, schedule changes and more. It can be an overwhelming time!
During this time, I think it is important for all of us to lean on each other. We must show our vulnerability by reaching out when we need help and communicating our needs to others. As a community, we all have something to give (time, talents, treasurers) to others and we can all rise out of this time together with hope about our future.
I am so grateful to live in a community that supports each other during times of trial and stress. There are times in our lives where we all need someone to sit next us and help lift us up. Please know our doors are always open when you need something.
Don't forget self-care this week! Yoga, walking, turning on your favorite radio station and singing at the top of your lungs! We all need it! :-)
Important Information:
Counselor Requests Forms: Please remember that all counselor requests need to run through the principals in the high school office. You can do this by filling out the Counselor Request Form that is on the school website or speaking/emailing one of us. We appreciate you reaching out when you are concerned about students. If students need help, please continue to encourage them to fill out the Counselor Request Form as well. If you have students that are crying or just struggling to stay in class you are welcome to send them to the office and we will help them from there.
Checking Email: Please remember to check your email. For assistants, please check it at the beginning of each period. For teachers, please check your email at least once a day. With our COVID schedules, communication is difficult so this is a great way to keep us all connected!
Digital Citizenship Week: This week is National Digital Citizenship Week. You can find a link to some great classroom activities and conversations HERE. If you have a few minutes in your classrooms to talk about digital citizenship and safety, this is a great week to do this! We are also working with the Indiana State Police to allow them to present a lesson to all students grades 7-12 sometime this semester as well.
RTI Requests: If you have any students that you are concerned about, please fill out this quick RTI form. Our RTI leadership team will be meeting this Thursday to discuss some of these students. Your feedback is valuable in ensuring that our students are successful in school! :-) Here is the link to the form: https://forms.gle/V86TG98gKM5chLsd7 (Thanks to all of you who have already filled it out!)
Learning Lunch/8th Period - Just a reminder of our Learning Lunch/8th Period Protocols:
Junior High Students: We are mainly utilizing 8th period for Junior High Students. Students who are entered after 9:30 a.m. will be asked to stay the next day. Students that do not get their work completed will be asked to stay in Lunch Detention the next day (if there is room).
High School Students: Students can be signed up for Learning Lunch and 8th Period and will stay in that cycle until the work is completed.
Around 10:30 a.m. there will be an email that goes out to all assistants/teachers about who is in Learning Lunch/Lunch Detention for the day. We are going to try to deliver slips to students to let them know they should report to Learning Lunch/Lunch Detention as well. We are trying not to make announcements so classes do not get interrupted. Students who are signed up should get their lunch in the cafeteria.
Thank you for continuing to use these resources for students. 8th period has been very full and so has Learning Lunch! It is working! :-)
Faculty Meeting Change: Due to a scheduling conflict, we are moving the Lunch and Learn opportunity to Wednesday, September 16th. Lunch this week will be Subway sacks (Sandwich, chips and cookie). Junior High Lunch teachers will each in Stephanie Walsh's room and High School Learn and Lunch will be in the Teacher's Lounge. Lunch will be provided for assistants. Assistants can pick up their lunches in the High School Office.
Early College Update: This year our Early College Program is up for renewal, so we have been pulling data to fill out the required forms. It is always interesting to look at outcome data because it helps tell the story of our programs and if they are working. Here are a few things that stuck out to me:
* 88% of Class of 2020 left with 6 dual credits or more.
* 48% left with 30 or more credits (8 left with 57 credits)
* 28 earned the Ivy Tech Core 30 Certificate (official first year of college) for free
* 2018 data shows that students who left with 15 or more dual credits had a larger likely hood of attending college and they completed courses with the most success.)
* The gap between our free and reduced lunch students and regular students continues to lessen as more of our Free and Reduced lunch students are finding success in the classroom beyond high school.
These positive numbers are because of all of you - believing that all students can learn and achieve greatness. We believe at Perry Central that all students need something beyond a high school diploma and with enough supports can be successful. Thanks to each of you for making a difference each and every day!
Thanks to the following teachers who are going back to earn their dual credit teaching credentials:
Debbie Dauby: Math
Bo Gibson: Physics
Ty Guillaume: History
Dana Harris: Biology
We welcome others to join this cause! Perry Central will pay for 18 hours of a Master Degree (courses needed to teach the class) and a $500 Stipend for completing a course.
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