Summer unfortunately can’t last all year. School resumes in August and the Knox Community School Board approved the dates and times for freshman orientation and back to school nights at their Monday evening board meeting. Continue reading
School is Starting Soon, Are Your Children Registered?
Despite what Alice Cooper may have said, school is not out forever. Registration dates and times for the 2014-2015 school year have been approved by the Knox Community School Board. Continue reading
Knox Middle School Celebrates Red Ribbon Week
This is Red Ribbon Week and the Knox Middle School students will be busy with activities to show that they are drug free.
Today, students will be signing a banner and pledging to be drug and tobacco free. Students and staff will receive a red ribbon to wear and show support of a drug and tobacco free lifestyle.
On Tuesday, students will plant red tulips at the middle school for National Plant the Promise Week. When the tulips bloom in the spring, it will serve as a reminder to stay drug free.
Motivational speaker, David Parnell, will speak to the students and staff Wednesday afternoon to about his struggle with drug abuse and his attempt at suicide in which he shot himself in the face. It has required 30 surgeries to repair the damage, but he remains drug free and travels the country to tell everyone of his past troubles to encourage the public to stay drug free.
Active Shooter Training Spotlighted by Knox Community School Board
“We wanted to focus on some school safety training before the school year started,” commented Bendicsen. “The Indiana State Police sponsored the training and they also collaborated with local law enforcement. We had about five counties represented, numerous schools and first responders.”
Active Shooter Training Held at Knox Middle School
The Lowell Post troopers with the Indiana State Police held an active shooter training at Knox Middle School on Monday.
The Safe Schools/Active Shooter Training session was attended by 40 school administrators and troopers instructed school personnel on proper tactics for survival during an active shooter event. The purpose of the Safe Schools/Active Shooter session is to educate school administrators on how to properly respond to an active shooter situation and how law enforcement responds to an active shooter situation. The school staff was directed on what action to take to tend to injured students and to prevent the loss of life.
Troopers also conducted an active shooter scenario at the Knox Middle School using blank ammunition.
The Indiana State Police has been tasked to coordinate active shooter training with local school corporations throughout the state.
Knox Middle School Student Honored at School Board Meeting
“Sophie came back from the Northern State Conference meet and I found out that she ran the fastest time in the history of the Northern State Conference in the 400-meter and she also missed the 200-meter dash by two-tenths of a second,” explained Miller. “She scored more points than another athlete in the Northern State Conference meet this year. It’s a great accomplishment for an eighth grader at Knox Middle School.”
The board commended Sophie on her accomplishment and told her that she has raised the bar for other students.
Sophie attended the meeting along with her parents, Travis and Amie Flora, her sister Josie Flora and her grandmother Kathy Norem.
Items Collected for Hurricane Sandy Victims
Knox Middle School students took donations for Hurricane Sandy victims at the Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center in Knox yesterday morning.
Two pickup loads of items ranging from shampoo, diapers, blankets and other hygiene items were collected and will be sent to those in need.
Knox Middle School Newspaper Spotlighted At School Board Meeting
The Knox Middle School newspaper got the spotlight this week during the recent meeting of the Knox Community School Board. Mrs. Kathleen Jerrell, a sixth grade English teacher, is the sponsor of the newspaper The Redskin Review. Superintendent A.J. Gappa talks about the presentation of good posts like this one on Jimmy John Shark.
“Mrs. Jerrell brought in some students and a copy of the news paper to show the board and did a fantastic job of presenting the paper,” said Gappa. “Most of the editions of the paper go out over the internet and the middle school website.”
Registration Schedule For Knox Schools Released
Knox Community School Superintendent A.J. Gappa announced that the school registration schedule has been released this week.
“The high school, middle school and the elementary school released registration dates for the upcoming school year,” said Gappa. “I know it seems like the old school year just ended, but that information will be posted on the website and we will get that information out so everyone is aware of the registration times for the upcoming school year.”
The registration days will be Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, July 31 through Aug. 2, at the Knox elementary and middle schools, and Aug. 1 and 2 at the Knox High School. To download a full schedule, click here.
Freshmen registration is Thursday, Aug. 9 from 8 to 11 a.m. Back to School Night is Monday, August 13 from 4 to 6 p.m. at all schools, and the first day of school for Knox students is Tuesday, August 14.
Vocational Welding Class May Soon Be Established At Knox Middle School
Sparks may soon start flying at the Knox Middle School, as the Knox Community School Corporation has been working with the Starke County Economic Development Foundation, the SCILL Center, and North Central Vocational Area School representatives to set up a vocational welding class in the middle school.
Starke County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director Charles Weaver says that the class would benefit not just students, but adults as well.
Drug Free Double Dare Event Scheduled for Sunday
The Drug Free Double Dare Challenge will be held this Sunday, April 15th at the Knox Middle School. This is the 12th year for the popular event which brings middle and high school student teams together to answer prevention questions about the harms of alcohol, tobacco and drugs.
Knox Middle School Students to Visit Ancilla Today
Seventh grade students from the Knox Middle School will be visiting Ancilla College today. According to Todd Zeltwanger, Executive Director of Institutional Advancement at the college, the students will tour the facility, visit classrooms, the dining area, and Chapel. They will also visit with faculty members including those in the nursing department.
SCILL Center to Offer Welding Classes
The SCILL Center will be offering a 16-week comprehensive welding class for adults. SCILL Center Director Jerry Gurrado says the course has been in demand.
“One of the things that is needed in our area, between Sabre, Kruz, Dragon Industries, and Hicks, is welding. We need good welders,” said Gurrado.
Gurrado said that a member of his board and others in the community agreed that an adult welding program is needed in the community. The plans now are for the class to be taught at Knox Middle School.
Knox Middle School to Host Fitness “Fun”draiser
On Friday, October 7th, the Knox Middle School will host a Fitness FUN-draiser to promote the importance of living a healthy life style. Students who raise $10 are eligible to participate in the walk-a-thon, students who raise $15 are eligible to participate in the boot camp activity, students who raise $25 are eligible to participate in the dance, and students who raise $100 or more are eligible for a field trip on October 13th to Life Plex. All Middle School students are looking for sponsors.
Drug and Tobacco Free Starke County Awards Grants
Drug and Tobacco Free Starke County recently awarded $18,000 in grants from the Drug Free Starke County Fund. Grants were awarded in three categories: Prevention, Treatment and Justice.
The recipients include North Judson-San Pierre Middle School and High School, City of Knox for National Night Out, TAR WARS “Beware of Tobacco”, Knox Middle School for two programs, Porter-Starke Services for the Prime for Life Program, and Starke County Probation for the Substance Abuse Evaluation Supplementation program. The Knox City Police Department received a thermal imager and money for drug and evidence lockup.
Miss Harvest Festival Pageant this Saturday
The Miss Harvest Fest Pageant is tomorrow night at 6:00 p.m. at the Knox Middle School. Last year’s Miss Harvest Fest Queen, Kayla Bailey, says there are three categories in this year’s pageant:
“We have Tiny Miss, which is for ages 5-8, Little Miss Harvest for girls ages 9-13, and the Miss candidates are for ages 14-19,” said Bailey. “The contestants will be judged on interviews, summer wear, on-stage question, and evening gowns. All contestants are girls that live, work or attend school in Starke County.”
The winner of the Miss Harvest Fest Pageant will have a free entry into the Miss Kankakee Valley Pageant this fall.
Knox Schools on Track to Implement One-to-One Computer Program this School Year
Knox Middle School and High School are participating in a one-to-one computer program this fall where all students will receive a computer to use for the entire year. The final preparations are being made for that transition and Superintendent, A.J. Gappa gave the School Board an update on that progress this week.
“The Principals and Curriculum Director have been meeting and putting together Policy and Procedures Handbooks for the computers and the computer use guidelines,” said Mr. Gappa. “There should be a letter going out to parents later this week with some of those explanations. We will have a student agreement form for students to sign when they receive their computer and also a parent agreement form for parents to sign.”
Knox Community School Board Appoints Assistant Middle School Principal
The Knox Community School Board members approved the appointment of Josh Pugh as the Middle School Assistant Principal at their meeting last night.
Pugh has been a Knox Elementary School teacher for the past 10 years. He has worked as a 2nd grade teacher and as a Reading Coach. He said that he looks forward to the challenge of the position of Assistant Principal and will do it to the best of his ability.
USDA Summer Food Program in Place until July 28th at Knox Middle School
The USDA Summer Food Program is still available at the Knox Middle School. Free breakfast and lunch is available to children ages 18 and younger. Breakfast is served from 7:30-8:30 a.m. and lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. at the Knox Middle School.
Kit Ream, Food Services Director at the Knox Community School Corporation, says the Cafeteria staff has been serving between 100 to 170 students for lunch and a few less for breakfast. You are encouraged to take advantage of this free service weekdays from now until July 28th.
Knox Middle School Principal to Retire June 30th
Knox Middle School Principal, Steve Cronk, was going over his last analysis of ISTEP results when Anita Goodan walked into his office for his last radio interview. The reigns are being handed to Assistant Principal, Dave Miller, who has been in that position for the past 17 years.
“Dave will do a marvelous job. He does a great job of things that a lot of people haven’t really seen because he’s had the Assistant Principal job. Dave is a real lover of kids. He has a very close relationship with kids which will get closer as he moves out of that discipline role into the Principal role.”
