By Dr. Thomas Little
Superintendent of Perry Township Schools

Communication has become immediate. Popular sites to share information include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.   Technology has created unlimited opportunities for us to share information, make comments or enter a forum to share opinions or simply just to say hello.

I bring this topic to you because I am concerned about the use of social media by students not just here in Indiana but nationwide. We read about threats of violence from coast to coast. A few students act as though they are invisible and cannot be located, thus they are tempted to post inappropriate comments. The concern became real when I read a threat on line. Thank goodness one of our students saw the posting and shared it with his parents.  

The fact that you cannot hide from your Internet trail was reinforced when our police department called me at 3 a.m. to report that they had the address of the suspect. This occurred within seven hours after the investigation began. Our officers and Homeland Security are simply outstanding. Whenever we need assistance these officers are just a phone call away and ready to take swift action protecting Perry Township Schools, students and community.

You have seen on the news the recent threats aimed toward schools, malls, even movie theaters. Most, if not all of these reports, have been made on social media platforms. These threats are taken seriously and must be to protect our students and staff.  

The tragic outcome these individuals face is being charged with a felony and disciplinary action by the school district. A few key strokes can affect their life forever. Perry Township Schools takes these matters seriously; punishments are tough.  

We are fortunate to have a close working relationship with the Homecroft and Southport police, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and the Marion County Sheriff’s Department. Indianapolis Homeland Security Chief Gary Coons and his team are just a phone call away. They all have been supportive.
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Please talk to your children, grandchildren and teens about the risks and dangers of social media. Your child’s online reputation/digital footprint is real and valuable to their reputation and future career. Comments, thoughts and emotions placed on social media can change your child’s life forever.

By Dr. Thomas Little
Superintendent of Perry Township Schools

Temperatures last week ranged from 2 to 50 degrees. We received 2 inches of snow one day, and in two days our roads were clear and dry. As we’ve seen recently, winter weather has finally made its way to central Indiana. 

During the winter months there are many times when people stop and ask me who makes the decision related to school delays and cancellations. They also want to know what factors are taken into consideration in making that decision. I will take some time in this column to answer those questions.

One of the most challenging decisions that I make as your superintendent of schools is determining if we are going to school on time, conducting a two-hour delay or canceling school due to weather conditions. The final decision rests on my shoulders. 

I drive the roads and yes, at times find myself in a ditch calling someone to pull me out. I also have assistance from the leadership of our transportation and maintenance departments. They also drive the roads at the same time while covering various sections of Perry Township. It is important that I see firsthand our road conditions; it really helps that I live in the district. We are in constant communication with one another during our survey.
   
There are a lot of factors taken into consideration between 4 and 5 a.m., before any decisions are made. The temperature and wind chill numbers play a major role. Two below zero with no wind is much different than 3 above zero with 20 mile-per-hour winds. The forecast for the day also is given consideration.
 
The amount of snow on the ground also matters, as well as the time it fell. Four inches of snow at midnight with plows on the road is different than 3 inches of snow at 5 a.m. and three more forecasted during rush hour.
 
Ice is a factor that will close school faster than any other weather event. Needless to say, the timing of the ice storm and predicted temperatures through the day also play a part in our decisions.

Building and bus conditions also play a part. Typically, if we have extremely cold temperatures, our mechanics come in at 3 a.m. to warm up the diesel engines and fix any that might not start. Buildings are also checked through the night to ensure heat is achieving adequate temperatures and that there are no frozen pipes.

I also confer with other area superintendents to gain their perspectives. I realize that road and weather conditions vary among districts, which is the reasons for different decisions made depending on the district.  
There is a great deal of time and energy put into this decision. All notifications are made through postings on our website, social media, text and voice mail.
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The safety and security of your children, our staff and the Perry Township patrons is our first priority. It is a distinct honor to serve this community as its superintendent of schools.

By Dr. Thomas Little
Superintendent of Perry Township Schools

We are proud of the activities that we offer our students ... especially those that reach beyond the traditional classroom. You may be reading about STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) programs throughout the state. There is a lot of focus on these areas because economists tell us that future career paths in high demand will fall into one of these fields.
 
The robotics program in our high schools is popular among our students and incorporates all four subjects into one activity – creating a robot. The success of programs like this is dependent upon corporate sponsors to not only financially fund the projects but provide in-kind support through personnel working side by side with students as they build robots for competition. 

Perry Meridian’s Cyber Blue team, for example, began with about 15 people in 1999. The group has grown to more than 40 people volunteering hours and hours to produce a quality product. Southport’s Cyber Cards have about the same number of team members and eight mentors and a myriad of corporate partners.
Members from both teams learn important life skills that will help them be successful, regardless of their career selections. Technical skills such as computer programming and design, electronics and manufacturing are introduced throughout the program. 

Becoming a member is a competitive process. Prospective members complete an application, submit a resume and interview for each season. Returning members also interview and participate in a performance review to discuss the previous year’s accomplishments and suggestions for improvement. This rigorous application process helps students prepare for real-world interviews and work interaction.

Cyber Blue and Cyber Cards could not exist and compete without strong community partners. Rolls-Royce, Allison Transmission and Morris Machine serve as mentors and offer internship opportunities for Perry Meridian students. Southport’s sponsors include Renaissance Electronic Services, IndianaFIRST, AndyMark Inc. and Rolls-Royce. Students are able to explore potential career paths through these unique experiences.
 
Both teams have developed opportunities to do demonstrations at several unique events. One project that Cyber Blue embraced was building a robot to throw out the first pitch at an Indianapolis Indians game. 

Cyber Blue also discovered the chance to provide a forum for girls to compete and be responsible for all aspects of a team at a recent event. The squad developed and hosted the IndyRAGE (Robotics All Girls Event) for 14 area teams and recruited female volunteers and role models from several businesses and universities in the area. The event was a huge success and is being planned again for this year. 

The good news is that students who participated in these programs had a 100 percent graduation rate; nearly all pursue a four-year college degree. 
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Perry Township prides itself in offering opportunities for students to become actively engaged in their high school experiences. Your high schools are busy day and night – six days a week – filled with students who are in pursuit of their dreams. We welcome and encourage that kind of student involvement and are proud of all of their accomplishments. Perry proud!

By Dr. Thomas Little
Superintendent of Perry Township Schools

The Perry Township Education Center serves as the administration building for the school district and is home to the alumni offices for Perry Meridian and Southport high schools, the Perry Township Education Foundation, the Perry Township/Southport Historical Society and the PTA Council. It also hosts various community meetings.
 
There is also something special about this building. For the past three years it has been transformed from a high school setting to a learning center for more than 250 
3- and 4-year-old children.
 
We are so fortunate here at the center to have a gym that used to host basketball games. Now tricycles are peddled around the facility, with the riders following the “streets” outlined on the floor. Every day you can hear voices of children expressing their love of learning and excitement to come to school each day. There are are classrooms here with two additional preschool classrooms at Jeremiah Gray-Edison Elementary. The presence of youngsters in the administration building serves as a constant reminder why we get up in the morning, and brings us all back to the beginning of our careers when we were responsible for classrooms filled with young minds.
 
The day runs from 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. and is packed with activities and instructional lessons that establish a foundation for reading and mathematics skills. The morning is spent in what we call “work time.” The children also participate in a whole group circle time in which they learn how to work with others in a class setting. They also work independently, during which time the teacher works on specific preschool standards. The classroom assistant also works with children on a variety of pre-reading and math concepts.
 
All students have two physical education activities during the day. The afternoon session includes an art activity, story time, singing nursery rhymes and dancing.

We have seen the impact of what a quality structured preschool program can have on future learning. We’ve had great success showing that students arrive for their first year of school with important knowledge and skills that include knowing numbers, colors and shapes, recognizing letters and their sounds and knowing how to recognize and how to write their names.
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It is vitally important to us that our youngest students have a positive school experience and that they develop a love for learning. Though we are here to teach, our school is also a warm and supportive place for children. Our teachers truly love the work that they do, and the students benefit from that every day. 
Perry Township again finds an unusual way to use available space to the fullest extent possible.