Wednesday, January 6, 2016
NJ-SP Elementary Has A Facebook Page
The North Judson-San Pierre Elementary School has a new Facebook page. You'll want to like it if you have children attending.
https://www.facebook.com/North-Judson-San-Pierre-Elementary-School-210309642345751/
https://www.facebook.com/North-Judson-San-Pierre-Elementary-School-210309642345751/
Local Schools Report Low ISTEP Scores
ISTEP scores released today by the state indicate a double-digit decline in the passing percentage over last year. In 2013-14, 74 percent of public school students across Indiana passed both the English/Language Arts and Math standardized tests. The 2014-15 scores indicate only 52-percent of public school students made the grade on both tests. Both percentages are slightly higher when private and charter school students are factored in.
The test administered last spring was considered more challenging, and educators have been saying for months the scores would reflect accordingly. State lawmakers are now looking for ways to shield school corporations and teachers from the drop in scores. Momentum is growing to scrap the test entirely and come up with another means of student assessment.
Area schools followed the trend of sharp declines in test scores. In Starke County, Oregon-Davis scores were down more than 13 percent over last year. Knox scores slid by more than 24 percent, and N.J.-S.P. test scores plunged by more than 28 percent compared to 2014.
Test scores also tumbled in Pulaski County. Eastern Pulaski is down more than 21 percent, and West Central posted a decline of more than 25 percent over 2014. The Culver Community School Corporation’s drop of 32.5 percent is the sharpest in the area. Only 44.8 percent of students there passed both the English/Language Arts and Math tests.
ISTEP scores for the Tri-Township School Corporation also plunged by more than 31 percent compared to 2014, while South Central saw a skid of more than 27 percent.
By the numbers, Eastern Pulaski and South Central were the only corporations with passing percentages higher than the state average, with 63.8 and 56.1 percent respectively.
Starke County Commissioners Considering Additional Budget Cuts
The Starke County Commissioners have taken a number of cost saving measures under advisement. The county has already cut more $566,000 in expenditures from the 2016 budget per orders from the state. One concern raised during the budget review process was a lack of money in the county’s cash balance. Auditor Kay Chaffins presented a list of possible cuts to the commissioners Monday evening aimed at shoring those funds up. They include suspending the highway department’s billing of labor costs to other departments for the first half of the year, charging departments like Starke County Community Corrections and WIC for information technology services and requiring employees to have their paychecks direct deposited.
Other possible savings can be realized by increasing the amount of money county employees pay for their health insurance and eliminating all clerical first deputy positions throughout county government. Some full-time employees could also be shifted to part-time in order to save money.
No action has been taken on any of those proposals. The commissioners asked Chaffins to get more firm estimates on how much money they could possibly save prior to their next meeting. President of the Commissioners Kent Danford notes none of the options are desirable but says the county is “behind the 8 ball” when it comes to finances.
Candidate Filing Opens Today
This is the first day for candidates seeking county-wide elected office to declare their intentions to run. Starke County seats up for grabs this year include treasurer and surveyor. The county commissioner district 1 and 3 seats are also on this year’s ballot. Kathy Norem currently represents District 1, and Kent Danford is the District 3 commissioner. Candidates must live within the district but are voted on county wide. District 1 includes North Bend, Oregon and Washington Townships. District 3 is comprised of Jackson, Railroad and Wayne Townships. The three county council at-large seats are also on this year’s ballot. Candidates can live anywhere in the county and are voted on by the entire county.
Democrat and Republican precinct committee representatives are also chosen during presidential election years.
Several school board seats are also on this year’s ballot, including an at-large member of the Culver Community School Board. North Bend Township is part of that district. The California-Washington and Center 2, 3 and 4 seats on the Knox School Board are also on this year’s ballot. So are the two Oregon-Davis at-large seats.
In Pulaski County, the auditor, recorder, treasurer, commissioner District 1 and 2 and county council at-large seats are all up for election.
Prospective candidates have until Feb. 5 to file the necessary paperwork in the county clerk’s office. Visit http://www.in.gov/sos/elections/2395.htm for more information.
2016 Indiana Festival Guide - Celebrating Indiana's Bicentennial
The 2016 Indiana Festival Guides have arrived at the North Judson-Wayne Township Library. Pick one up today so you can start planning trips to take with the kids during their breaks.
Monday, January 4, 2016
New Program Aims to Curb Truancy
The Starke County Prosecutor’s Office, juvenile probation department and child protection services are joining forces with local schools in an effort to address truancy issues. Prosecutor Nicholas Bourff says this is becoming a significant problem in some schools, where students have anywhere from 30 to 40 unexcused absences. Beginning with the new semester that starts this week, he says the new program will offer a step-up approach.
“When a student has three unexcused absences, there will be a phone call to the parents or guardians of the child. That will be noted. This will be done by the school. They’ll be sent a letter of the school attendance policy, and the school’s attendance officer will place them on a watch list,” Bourff said.
If a student’s attendance problems continue and five unexcused absences are recorded, Bourff says a next step is another phone call from the school, followed by a certified letter sent to the child’s home. They will also have to sign an attendance agreement and meet with the school attendance officer. At that point the juvenile probation and prosecutor’s offices will also be notified.
After seven unexcused absences, Bourff says the parents will be referred to Project Attend. At that time a meeting will be scheduled between the parents, school administrators, juvenile probation, the prosecutor’s office and a DCS family case manager. He says the goal is to figure out what is keeping the child from getting to school.
“They’ve been running this program in LaPorte County. And they said in some of these meetings they’ve discovered that it was simply a matter of the family didn’t have an alarm clock. DCS helped them get one, and for them it solved the problem in this one case,” Bourff said. “For other cases it’s been a transportation issue, the timing of the parent’s work schedule, and DCS has helped with that. The goal is to figure out what the problem is there and try to find a solution that works for everybody.”
Bourff says if the problem lingers and the student gets to 10 unexcused absences, the matter will be referred to his office for review and possible criminal charges of educational neglect against the parents.”
“The goal is not to punish parents. We’re not trying to set traps for anyone. We’re trying to set it up to where parents have every opportunity to address the problem. The goal is to get kids to school. It’s becoming a problem, and we’re hoping this is a solution to fix the issue.”
Bourff says attendance records will zero out at the start of the new semester for the sake of this program. He also notes the guidelines only apply to unexcused absences.
FAFSA Forms Now Available
Students interested in going to college this fall can start applying for financial aid. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid for next school year is now available.
Ancilla College Director of Financial Aid Marcy Hopple says there’s no obligation to attend college but students who may be thinking about it need to start filling out the form soon to be eligible for the most money if they decide to go. “They need to be completing it by the March 10 deadline, which is the Indiana state filing deadline and they need to include at least one Indiana school on their application in order to be considered for Indiana grants,” she says.
She recommends that all prospective college students file the FAFSA, whether they think they need financial aid or not, “The form is free to file. You’re still eligible for aid. There is aid available for students that don’t have need. That would be available in the form of a student loan or a parent loan. So there are other resources that are available for those that think their income’s too high.”
In order to fill out the form, students and their families should have their financial information and tax forms ready, or they can complete the FAFSA by estimating what their income is going to be. To fill out the FAFSA or to find more information, visit fafsa.gov.
Additionally, Hopple says Ancilla is planning a few events to provide additional information to prospective students, “On Wednesday, January 20, we will be at Knox High School starting at 6 p.m. Central Time. We will be giving a more in-depth presentation. And again in March, we will have the FAFSA Filing Workshops free on-campus. We will post those on our website.”
For more information on those events, visit Ancilla.edu.
Saturday, January 2, 2016
1/12/2016 Magical Moments with Tabitha
Painting fun on an 8x10 canvas for $10. Fee includes all materials, instruction and light refreshments.
The 2nd Tuesday of each month, 6-8 p.m. CST.
RSVP to the North Judson-Wayne Township Public Library at 574-896-2841 or call Tabitha Dillner at 219-314-2030.
Class size is limited.
The 2nd Tuesday of each month, 6-8 p.m. CST.
RSVP to the North Judson-Wayne Township Public Library at 574-896-2841 or call Tabitha Dillner at 219-314-2030.
Class size is limited.
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