This week's column is from the Superintendent's office

The end of every school year marks a turning point for Perry Township Schools and its students, and we look forward to what the future holds for the district and its scholars.

Last week we watched our graduates receive their diplomas at commencement ceremonies. Perry Meridian graduated 530 seniors, while the Southport senior class was 478 strong. 

It is incredible to watch the children that we’ve known and encouraged for years as they begin their journey into adulthood. It is an honor to share this special moment. We wish them well as they move on to impressive universities like Notre Dame, Purdue, Indiana, Ball State, Butler and the University of Indianapolis, embark on exciting job opportunities, or enlist in our treasured armed services. Each one of these students has special gifts to offer the world.

The end of the year is also an important moment for underclassmen who will return to school after the summer break. There’s always something exciting about starting fresh, meeting new teachers and friends, and possibly trying new activities. The thrill of a clean slate can inspire everyone – young and old – to dream big and achieve greatness.

As a district we are looking forward to the future as well. In July we will open four new kindergarten academies, which are equipped to welcome 1,400 students. The academies at MacArthur, Homecroft, Jeremiah Gray and Rosa Parks will help our newest students become acclimated to classroom culture and routines before advancing to their home school.

We welcome all of the Perry community to visit our grand openings during the week of Aug. 14. Keep an eye on our website and social media for details. Our older students will also enjoy much-needed renovations in nearly every elementary school.

At the high school level we will celebrate the opening of Perry Meridian’s outdoor instructional and athletics facilities, which will be home to Skillman Family Field at Falcon Stadium. On July 18 the Falcons will play their first football game on their home turf. 

Though we will always cherish the memories of watching the Cardinals and Falcons play at Perry Stadium, it will be special to watch the Falcons make a mark at their school. While Perry Meridian begins a new chapter, Southport will honor its field’s history by renaming it to Skillman Field at Cardinal Stadium on Sept. 22.  

Because this is the end of the school year, our “Perry Perspective” column will take a brief break before returning in early August, after school is back in session.

What a time to be a Southsider! We hope to see you in the coming months as we celebrate our upcoming milestones.

From the Superintendent's office

Perry Township Schools is home to more than 900 teachers who educate nearly 16,000 students. These teachers exercise their unique gifts and philosophies to instruct our children. We value them all and what they bring to the table. 

Every year we ask the staff at each of our 18 schools to nominate a standout educator who goes above and beyond in our district and community. As the nomination criteria indicates, ideal candidates should be “exceptionally skilled and dedicated. They should have the respect and admiration of students, parents and colleagues. They should play active and useful roles in their communities as well as in their schools, often distinguishing themselves as leaders.”  

From the pool of nominees, a special committee chooses one educator to be named Teacher of the Year. This year the committee gave Mary Bryan Elementary teacher Lori Williams that special honor.

Mrs. Williams is deserving of this title for a number of reasons. First, she cares for her students as though they are her own. She has raised donations for coats, gloves, shoes, uniforms and overdue lunch accounts. She even keeps mittens and gloves in her desk for students to use at recess. She treats every child as if he or she is her own.

Mrs. Williams’ ability to inspire lifelong learning is undeniable. She infuses movement, dance, rhymes and video clips into her lessons. She teaches math and reading in small groups so students are able to set their goals to improve fluency and comprehension. She also hosts “Lunchtime Laughs” on her own time, where first-graders retell their favorite knock-knock jokes into a microphone.

Mrs. Williams’ kindness extends beyond the students. She serves her peers, as well. She is a mentor teacher and serves on the school’s leadership team. She helps new teachers with classroom management and lesson planning. She is also co-chair of the staff social committee that helps to plan morale-boosting activities like staff breakfasts and challenges. She also works closely with members of the English learning, special education, and deaf and hard of hearing teams to plan effective lessons for children that they share. She also attends Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol training to stay abreast of current practices to be effective when working with E learning students.

With a heart for the community, Mrs. Williams recently encouraged students to make scarves that were donated to LifeBridge, which serves needy Southeastside families. She even organized a Thanksgiving food drive through her church and donated a traditional meal to two families. She has also taught Sunday school for the five past years at The Creek.

Mrs. Williams has a heart to love and serve the children and staff of Perry Township. Congratulations to her and all of our educators who make a positive difference in the lives of our students. 

In Perry Township we value our relationship with students. 

Every day the board of education and administrators make decisions that we believe are in the best interest of our students. We rely on feedback from those scholars, their families and our staff to ensure that our decisions are wise. We recognize that our stakeholders have valuable insight into what is effective and what is not. Our decisions cannot be made in isolation. Input is appreciated.

As part of this ongoing, open dialogue, our district leaders like to talk face-to-face with our students. Recently, Patrick Mapes, acting superintendent, and Robert Bohannon, assistant superintendent for career preparation, arranged two working lunches with students at Perry Meridian and Southport high schools.

Students who represented all grade levels were able to speak freely about their high school journeys. They were able to talk about their positive experience and provide constructive feedback to help us make improvements for years to come. Students were encouraged to be honest about their hopes and dreams for the district, as well as their concerns. Our leaders vowed to listen without judgment.

Our scholars talked to us about the transition from eighth grade to high school, including the aspects that made them feel at ease, as well as the parts that shook their confidence. 

Then they provided insights to help make everyone feel comfortable as they learn the lay of the land in their new high school. We brainstormed unique ways to mentor middle school students and prepare them for the adventure of high school in terms of academics, extracurricular activities and social engagement. We want everyone to feel secure exploring their options when they arrive in our schools. We are proud to be a district of diversity and inclusion.

The seniors also described the support they received in filling out college and scholarship applications. They talked about researching career options in addition to their higher education plans. They expressed interest in learning about skills and certification opportunities available to supplement college education. They are taking a comprehensive approach to planning their paths.
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It was inspiring to see such well-rounded students making thoughtful decisions about their futures. Their feedback reaffirmed what we already knew: The future is in good hands and our students are destined to go far. Conversations such as these help build a better district for our community – now and for the future.

Note: This week's column is from the Superintendent's office 

Third grade is a critical time for students. It is the pivotal point where children transition from learning to read to learning through reading. 

Perry Township Schools is proud of the progress our third-graders are making in their reading abilities. Our educators understand that reading and comprehension are fundamental for learning other subjects like science, history and even math. 

That is why we are celebrating all of our students who passed the Indiana Reading Evaluation And Determination assessment, the standardized test mandated by the Indiana Department of Education to “measure foundational reading standards through grade three.” We are not only celebrating those who passed the test but also the students who received perfect scores of 650.

Ninety-nine scholars representing each of our 11 elementary schools answered 100 percent of the questions correctly. We are especially proud of these results because of the diversity of our student enrollment. We educate nearly 16,000 students who represent 73 languages and 67 countries. We are rich in culture, and our educators work tirelessly to help the entire student body learn and excel. We are proud to reflect the diversity of our community, and we want to see every student succeed.

Many experts believe that a student’s reading level in third grade provides a strong indication of future success in the classroom and in society. According to a number of studies, students who can read proficiently by the time they have finished third grade keep pace with peers or excel in later school years.

Encouraging literacy should not just happen in the classroom. Parents can also encourage reading at home by implementing a few simple strategies:

• Read every day – The more children are exposed to books, the more likely it is that reading will become part of their daily routines.
• Make suggestions – Recommend books that match your child’s interest, but refrain from reacting judgmental if they prefer a genre or title that doesn’t excite you.
• Give rewards – Consider buying your child a new book or making an extra trip to the library in exchange for earning good grades or assisting with chores.
• Surround your children with books and magazines – Children who have access to grade-appropriate reading resources at home tend to perform better on standardized tests.
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Literacy is the foundation for lifelong learning. Perry Township is committed to teaching students the building blocks of success at every grade level.