Last week’s Starke County Fair turned out to be a successful recruitment event for local schools. Area school corporations set up booths, to try to attract some out-of-district students.
Two Oregon-Davis Teachers Take Retirement Incentive
Two Oregon-Davis teachers are accepting the school corporation’s retirement incentive, according to Superintendent Dr. Don Harman. “We had in our master teacher agreement that if a teacher retired and was qualified for this incentive, then the corporation would pay their single insurance until they turn 65,” he explains. “We had two teachers who retired and have qualified for the retirement incentive.”
O-D School Board Hires Assistant Principal/Athletic Director for Junior/Senior High School
Oregon-Davis High School has a new administrator. Chris Matthys has officially been hired as the junior/senior high school’s athletic director and assistant principal, according to Superintendent Dr. Don Harman.
Oregon-Davis Superintendent Reviews Professional Development Plans
Oregon-Davis teachers will be brushing up on their skills, when it comes to technology and school safety, among other topics. Superintendent Dr. Don Harman says he updated the school board last week on the corporation’s plans for professional development over the next year.
Oregon-Davis Plans to Adopt ALICE Procedure, As Part of Revised Crisis Plan
The Oregon-Davis School Corporation is moving forward with updates to its crisis plan. The revised plan was presented on first reading during last week’s school board meeting, according to Superintendent Dr. Don Harman. “We’ve been working the past year, revising and updating our crisis plan, and we have really put safety at the forefront at our corporation,” he says. Continue reading
Donations to Help Update Restrooms, Offset Cost of Caps and Gowns at Oregon-Davis
Some athletic facilities at Oregon-Davis will get a fresh coat of paint, thanks to some local community members. “We had two ladies from our community that are going to donate paint and their time to paint the two restrooms that are at the track,” says Superintendent Dr. Don Harman.
Oregon-Davis School Board Adopts Handbook for Administrative, Classified Staff
Oregon-Davis School Corporation staff members will soon have a clearer idea of what their positions entail. Handbooks for administrative and classified staff were approved by the school board last week.
Oregon-Davis School Board Approves Bus Purchase
The Oregon-Davis School Corporation is getting a new school bus. Last week, the school board approved the purchase of a 72-passenger Bluebird bus for just under $92,000, according to Superintendent Dr. Don Harman.
Oregon-Davis School Board Removes eLearning Days from School Calendar
The Oregon-Davis School Corporation is doing away with eLearning days. Superintendent Dr. Don Harman says the decision was made after talking to teachers, parents, and community members. “We firmly believe we want students here at school to get direct instruction, and there’s really no research out there that supports students’ achievement will increase with eLearning days,” he says. Continue reading
Oregon-Davis School Board Cuts One Teaching Position, Accepts Athletic Director’s Resignation
The Oregon-Davis School Corporation is cutting one teaching position. A reduction in force was approved during Monday’s school board meeting, according to Superintendent Dr. Don Harman. “Due to projected enrollments and due to projected revenue and expenditure concerns, we did reduce one position in our corporation,” he says.
Knox, Eastern Pulaski School Boards Approve Homeless Education Plans
Oregon-Davis School Board Transfers $75,000 into Rainy Day Fund
The Oregon-Davis School Corporation was able to put some unneeded money into its Rainy Day Fund this week. Superintendent Dr. Don Harman says a fund transfer resolution was approved by the school board Monday. “We transferred $75,000 from our Transportation Fund to our Rainy Day Fund,” he explains.
Oregon-Davis School Corporation Replacing One-to-One Devices
Oregon-Davis students will soon be getting new digital devices. The school board Monday approved a lease with Apple that will provide new iPads to students at all grade levels, according to Superintendent Dr. Don Harman. “We’re just in that rotation that we’ve had our devices for four years,” he explains, “and now the lease is up and we need to redo a lease for another three to four years.”
Oregon-Davis School Board Updated on Elementary School’s Minds in Motion Program
The Oregon-Davis School Board learned about a physical education initiative taking place at the elementary school. Board members got an update Monday on the school’s Minds in Motion program, according to Superintendent Dr. Don Harman. “It really is what the title means, ‘Minds in Motion,'” Harman says. “The students do different activities before they go into their PE class. It’s how they start the PE class, is doing different activities related to balance, coordination, and things like that.”
Oregon-Davis School Board Approves State-Mandated Homeless Education Plan
Making sure homeless children have access to education is the goal of a plan adopted by the Oregon-Davis School Board this week. Superintendent Dr. Don Harman says school corporations are required to submit a homeless education plan to the state by May 21. “The state did provide a sample plan, so we utilized that sample plan, and the board approved that,” he explains. “And then we also have to have that posted on our corporation website.”
Oregon-Davis Schedules 2018 Jump Start Program
The Oregon-Davis School Corporation has finalized the dates for summer school. Superintendent Dr. Don Harman says the Jump Start program will take place from July 23 to August 3 from 8:00 a.m. to noon. “Both building principals will be getting information out to those parents very soon, so that parents get that information about Jump Start.”
Oregon-Davis School Board Adopts Five-Year Strategic Action Plan
The Oregon-Davis School Board has finalized a document that will guide the school corporation through the next five years. A strategic action plan for the years 2018 through 2023 was formally approved during Monday’s school board meeting, according to Superintendent Dr. Don Harman. “The whole idea is that we have a plan of attack, if you will, for where we want Oregon-Davis to go in the next five years plus,” he explains. “And we’ll be reviewing this strategic plan every year, to look at the academics and also our facilities for the corporation.”
Oregon-Davis Plans Makeup Days, Changes to School Board Meeting Schedule
The Oregon-Davis School Corporation is alerting families to a few upcoming schedule changes. Friday, April 20 will be a planned eLearning Day. Students will be working from home to make up for the cancellation of class on February 15.
Oregon-Davis School Board Updated on After-School Enrichment Program for Elementary Students
Oregon-Davis Elementary School students are learning some engineering and science skills, while having fun at the same time. The school board got an update on the After-School Enrichment program Monday, from two teachers and two students.
Personality-Based Substance Abuse Prevention Program Coming to Knox, Oregon-Davis High Schools
Preventing substance abuse by identifying those who are most at risk before they develop an addiction is the goal of a program coming to two Starke County high schools. This week, the Knox and Oregon-Davis school boards learned about the PreVenture program. Indianapolis-based nonprofit Overdose Lifeline received funding from the Division of Mental Health and Addiction to offer the program in seven Indiana counties, including Starke, Pulaski, and LaPorte.
