INSIDE THIS ISSUE Classifieds............................................................ A6 Community Calendar ......................... B13, 14, 15 Harvest Times .....................................................B7 Healthy Times ............................................. A10, 11 Discover Roanoke.......................................... B2, 3
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October 4, 2013
Band backers ‘go above and beyond’ By Garth Snow gsnow@kpcmedia.com
Before the Homestead Spartan Alliance Band takes the field, dozens of volunteers contribute on about 20 committees ranging from first aid to fundraisers. Kim Brown is in her second year as band manager, which also is a volunteer position. “Our parents are wonderful. They’re happy to help,” Brown said. Lori Motz serves as guard manager, John Motz serves as pit crew chief, and Jill O’Leary serves as uniform manager. High school band parents also support the music boosters, an umbrella organization for all Southwest Allen County Schools music programs. That group operates seven concession stands at about 200 events in all seasons at Homestead High School and Summit and Woodside middle schools. “The parent organizations at our school are
essential to our programs,” said band director Steve Barber. “They are very supportive and there are a lot of hardworking parents that go above and beyond the cause to help out students and our programs, and we’re very proud of our programs here.” Brown said the music boosters provide about 15 percent of the band’s income. Band parents raise the larger share through events such as the annual car wash, band nights at area restaurants, scrip sales, the Audrey’s Cake Rolls sales, and sales of spirit wear. The Homestead Fall Festival of Bands, on Oct. 5, and the ISSMA Scholastic State Prelim and Open Contest on Oct. 12 also will add to the band boosters’ income. Another major fundraiser is the chicken-and-dumplings sale at the Johnny Appleseed Festival. This year’s two-day sale was very successful, Brown said. Band supporters cooked and sold See BAND, Page A13
By Garth Snow gsnow@kpcmedia.com
PHOTO BY JANE SNOW
Homestead High School band boosters served a record 82 kettles of chicken and dumplings at the Johnny Appleseed Festival. Nicole LeBlanc, left, a color guard member, and Allie Nelson, right, a Key Club member, help prepare the dumplings. Both are juniors at Homestead.
Yager co-chairs state panel eyeing A-F school grading Southwest Allen County Schools Superintendent Steven Yager is serving as co-chair of a committee that will recommend changes to the Indiana schools review process. Indiana state Sen. David Long Yager appointed Yager to the A-F Review Panel, which Yager co-chairs along with Indiana Department of Education Superintendent Glenda Ritz. “It’s been quite interesting,” Yager said of recent meetings. “I’ve been very thrilled to have been a part of that, and I’m so impressed with the appointees on that panel.” The panel will report to
legislators on Nov. 1. “Our assignment is to give a recommendation for a clear and transparent A-F grading system for all school districts and schools in Indiana,” Yager said. He explained that Indiana schools serve many different age groups, such as kindergarten to grade two or kindergarten through grade nine. “There are 95 different configurations,” he said. “So we have to come up with some sort of a grading system that applies to everything that’s in the state, every type of configuration.” The school grades reflect school performance. The committee is tasked with establishing measures of performance. “We’re moving forward as quickly as we can,” Yager said. “We have a short window. We are to be done by Nov. 1.
Our internal goal is to be done by Oct. 28. We’re excited with where we’re going with this. It’s really too early to tell what the recommendation will be.” Long, of Fort Wayne, is the Indiana Senate president pro tempore. He made four appointments to the 17-member commission. Long also appointed: Melanie Park, a teacher at Riverview Middle School, Huntington County Community Schools, and 2012 Indiana Teacher of the Year; Steve Baker, principal, Bluffton High School; and Derek Redelman, Indiana Chamber of Commerce. “Each of these individuals brings an exceptional background that qualify them to assist the State Board of Education as they move forward with See STATE, Page A4
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By Garth Snow
Top 10 teacher says everyone deserves to tell their story Homestead High School visual arts department chairwoman Sarah Shatto-Jones said she is interested in helping others to tell their stories. She found her own story in the news recently, when she was chosen as a Top 10 finalist for Indiana teacher of the year. Shatto-Jones was the Homestead High School teacher of the year for the past Shatto-Jones school year, and also the Southwest Allen County Schools’ nominee for the state award. She participated in the final round of interviews on Sept. 13. “It’s incredible. It’s been very humbling,” she said. “It’s kind of
hard to be the center of attention of all this, and I’m overwhelmed with the response and the congratulations — that acknowledgement.” “Really, I come to school every day, I engage with kids, I talk about what I love,” she said. “It’s neat to be recognized for something that comes so naturally for me.” Park Ginder, who became Homestead’s principal this school year, said honor was deserved. “To see Sarah teach, you’re seeing emotional and intellectual commitment,” he said. “She loves loves her students and people in general, and it comes out in all she does.” Shatto-Jones said she was not among the three finalists for the state honor, which will be awarded at a banquet in Indianapolis. See STORY, Page A4