SCCF Lilly Endowment Scholarship Application Available Online

 
 

Applications for the Starke County Community Foundation’s Lilly Endowment Scholarship are due next week. The application is available online at www.ncif.org and must be turned in by Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2015.

The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program offers a four-year, full-tuition scholarship to one local high school senior who will start college in the fall of 2015. The recipient must intend to be a full-time student and pursue a baccalaureate degree at any accredited public or private Indiana college or university. Prospective applicants must currently live in Starke County and be high school seniors graduating by the end of June 2015 with a diploma from an accredited Indiana high school. Continue reading

Oregon-Davis School Board Looking Toward 2015

Oregon-Davis-Jr_Sr-BuildingThe Oregon-Davis School Board looked ahead to 2015 during their meeting this week. Superintendent Greg Briles told WKVI News that they will hold a reorganization meeting on Monday, Jan. 19 at 6:30 p.m. The board has to reorganize by Jan. 30 so that will be complete prior to the board’s regular meeting. Christopher Lawrence is the current board president. He was just re-elected to the board in the General Election.

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Starke County Schools Considering Balanced Calendar

CalendarThe Knox and Oregon-Davis School Boards could vote tonight to adopt a balanced school calendar for the 2015-2016 school year, and the North Judson-San Pierre School Board will consider one when they meet tomorrow. A balanced calendar still features the state-mandated 180 classroom days. The school year starts earlier in August and includes longer breaks in the fall and spring. They can be used for either remediation for students who are struggling or enrichment for higher-achieving pupils. Continue reading

Oregon-Davis Students Honor Veterans

Oregon-Davis-Jr_Sr-BuildingOregon-Davis Junior/Senior High School students hosted 38 local veterans on Tuesday for breakfast a brief program to acknowledge their service to the nation. Principal Tim Pletcher says the 9th grade bio/ag class prepared breakfast, and the 10th grade English U.S. History class researched various wars. Their group projects were compiled to create a single presentation for the veterans.

Links to the slide presentation and the entire program are posted below:
Veterans Day Presentation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GL3o5Jb0kU&feature=youtu.be
Veterans Day Program: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8WjUUE9lF8&feature=youtu.be

Oregon-Davis Teacher Sentenced in Michigan on Drug Charges

 An Oregon-Davis teacher will serve 18 months on probation in Michigan after pleading guilty to numerous felony offenses. Eric Christopher Baierl, 31, of South Bend, was sentenced Friday in Cass Circuit Court, according to the “South Bend Tribune.” He pleaded guilty to bringing contraband into the Cass County Jail, possession of narcotics, possession of marijuana and an open container violation. Baierl was also ordered to pay $1,046 in court costs. Continue reading

Public Balanced Calendar Presentation Scheduled Tonight at Culver

CalendarSeveral area school corporations are considering the adoption of a balanced school calendar for the 2015-2016 school year. The Rochester Community School Corporation already has one in place. Officials from that corporation will present information during a community meeting this evening at 6 p.m. EDT at Culver Community High School. North Judson-San Pierre Superintendent Lynn Johnson says the proposed schedule would still provide the state-mandated 180 instructional days with more breaks during the school year. Summer vacation would be eight weeks instead of 10 due to the proposed earlier start of school. Continue reading

North Judson-San Pierre Board Questions Balanced Calendar Alignment

Michael Shireman, Jim Menis, Larry Lambert Marsha Reimbold and Patricia Goin
Michael Shireman, Jim Menis, Larry Lambert
Marsha Reimbold and Patricia Goin

North Judson-San Pierre School Board members raised a question about the balanced calendar during their meeting last night. The proposed calendar moves the start of school to the first of August, adds longer breaks in the fall and spring that can be used for remediation if necessary and ends the school year the first of June. The first semester would still end in December before the two week Christmas break as it presently does.

Board members wondered what the earlier start to the school year would do to high school students who work for Pioneer detassling corn during their summer vacations. Continue reading

Oregon-Davis School Board to Consider Balanced Calendar

Oregon-Davis-Jr_Sr-BuildingThe Oregon-Davis School Board will be considering a balanced calendar during their meeting tonight.

During their last meeting, Superintendent Greg Briles gave the board a couple of different calendars to study. Briles stated that the calenders are very similar in that they have 180 days of student instruction and 184 says for staff which is outlined in their contract. The calendars would include a break in the fall and an intersession to be coordinated with the Starke County Youth Club for remediation purposes. The first day of school would be Aug. 1 and last day would be June 1.

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Oregon-Davis Schools Considering Active Shooter App

O-D school resource officers Kyle Hinds and Frank Lonigro discuss the School Guard app and program with marketing consultant Tim Guy.
O-D school resource officers Kyle Hinds and Frank Lonigro discuss the School Guard app and program with marketing consultant Tim Guy.

The Oregon-Davis School Corporation is considering the addition of a smartphone app to quickly notify law enforcement of an active shooter or other emergency. School Guard creates a direct link between teachers, staff and nearby law enforcement officers. The app has a panic button that speed dials 911 and instantly sends an alert directly to nearby law enforcement officers with the companion free Hero 911 app on their phones. Continue reading

Hamlet Firefighters Teach O-D Students about Fire Safety

Fireman Kyle Hinds, Frank Lonigro, Dave Aquino and Brad Hazelton teach students a fire prevention class
Fireman Kyle Hinds, Frank Lonigro, Dave Aquino and Brad Hazelton teach students a fire prevention class

Firefighters have been educating students on fire safety during Fire Prevention Week.

Hamlet Fire Department members were at the Oregon-Davis Elementary School on Wednesday morning where the students were taught basic prevention skills. The students were also given a demonstration of the extrication tool.

The firefighters challenged the students to remind parents to change the batteries in smoke detectors and to discuss a meeting place outside of the home in the case of a fire. Fire drills should be practiced and a back up plan in place in case of emergency situations.

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Three Starke County Schools to Take Part in Manufacturer’s Day

  
 

The Knox Middle School is hosting Manufacturer’s Day tomorrow. A total of 15 local companies will have booths set up for 7th graders from Knox, Oregon-Davis and North Judson-San Pierre to visit and learn about what they do. Students will also learn what qualifications are necessary to work there. Knox Middle School Principal Joshua Pugh says hands-on learning like this really helps students think about their futures.

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Another Vocational Program in the Works

  
 

The Starke County Economic Development Foundation (SCEDF) is looking to bring life back into the vocational building on the Oregon-Davis school campus to begin an automation robotics and equipment maintenance program as an extension of vocational programs through the SCILL Center.

According to Ron Gifford, the SCEDF will assist in seeking a way to fund the program full-time and to acquire equipment. A pilot program started this year with several students in the eighth grade through the tenth grade enrolled in the program.

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