LT Inside Out 12 2017

A Message from the Superintendent

DECEMBER 2017

Dear Lawrence Faculty & Community Members, A heartfelt thank you for a tremendous year of success for our school district in 2017!

We have witnessed massive changes in our buildings, with multiple renovations and additions occurring in our school facilities. We have celebrated the opening of our new stadiums, as well as the renovation and expansion of Mary E. Castle and McKenzie Center for Innovation and Technology. In addition, construction at Indian Creek, Skiles Test, Harrison Hill, and the Lawrence Central Auditorium Follow Dr. Smith on Twitter continues. This is an example of the commitment from our community to build first class facilities for our students and faculty members.

On behalf of the Board of Education and myself, I want to thank our educators and faculty members who build up our students with excellence every day through tireless commitment to educating and supporting the 16,162 students of the MSD of Lawrence Township. We are committed to the power of public education. Our local school district is transforming the lives of children daily.

As we close out the year, please know that we value the heroes and leaders within our schools. We want to honor and thank you for your commitment to the children of Lawrence Township.

Have a restful Holiday and Happy New Year.

Sincerely,

Dr. Shawn A. Smith Superintendent of Schools

The District of Destination MSD of Lawrence Township

Lawrence Education and Community Center 6501 Sunnyside Road Indianapolis, IN 46236 317-423-8200 Visit us on the web at www.LTschools.org

LECC & Welcome Center Winter Break Hours Winter Break for LT Schools is December 22nd through January 8th. Classes resume Tuesday, January 9th.

Lawrence Education and Community Center and Welcome Center The Lawrence Education and Community Center and the Welcome Center will be CLOSED on Monday, December 25; Tuesday, December 26; Monday, January 1 and Tuesday, January 2. We will resume regular hours on January 3rd.

There is no school and our offices are closed on Monday, January 15 th in observance of Martin Luther King Day. If you need to meet with someone at LECC over Winter Break you are advised to call ahead, as many people will be taking vacation during this time.

First Semester Report Cards First Semester report cards will be available online January 12. You can access report cards through Skyward Family Access. A paper copy can be obtained from your child’s school upon request.

Dr. Smith and Board of Education to Present at National Conference Congratulations to Dr. Smith and the MSDLT Board of Education for being selected to present at the National School Board Association’s annual conference in San Antonio, Texas in April. The topic of their presentation is A System of Servant Leadership—An Effective School Board/Superintendent Partnership.

Julliard trained musician, Drew Alexander Forde, AKA That Viola Kid, conducted a series of workshops recently at Lawrence Central High School and Belzer Middle School.

Profiles of Excellence Shelia Allen Patterson and Connie Sivertson Co-Chairs of the Lawrence North High School Counseling Department Shelia Allen-Patterson

Connie Sivertson

Shelia serves the MSD of Lawrence Township as the Co-Chair of the Counseling Department at Lawrence North High School. She and Connie Sivertson have shared this role for the past four years. Her previous work experiences include service to both the Indianapolis Public Schools and to the MSD of Warren Township. Prior to serving in education, she worked in the business world at both Electronic Data Systems (Subsidiary of General Motors) and Mays Chemical. Shelia is from Ann Arbor, Michigan.

She attended the University of Michigan for her Bachelor’s degree and Indiana University for her Masters in Counseling and Counselor Education.

Connie serves the MSD of Lawrence Township as the Co-Chair of the School Counseling Department at Lawrence North High School. She has spent twenty-two years serving the district, fourteen at Craig Middle School and eight at LN. A graduate of the University of North Dakota. Connie moved to Arizona to teach math prior to earning her Master’s degree in Counseling from Northern Arizona University. Honored three times as the “Educator of the Year,” she serves as an adjunct professor in the IUPUI School Counseling program.

In addition to her role at Lawrence North, Shelia serves graduate students at IUPUI as an adjunct professor in the School Counseling program. She is the mother of two children. Kayla is a 2017 graduate of Lawrence North and now attends Indiana University. Camryn is currently a junior at Lawrence North. She has two other “bonus” children, as she likes to call them, Amber (LN Class of 1998) and Greg (LN Class of 2001). Her favorite activities include music, travel, reading, exercise, and spending time with family & friends.

When asked about her important role at LN, she shared: I absolutely love being a school counselor and believe it to be the best job in education.

Connie is married to husband, Chad Sivertson, who is a math teacher and coach at Lawrence Central.

Together they have three children: Sydney - a senior at University of Notre Dame, Alex – a senior in high school, and Lily – a seventh grader. In her free time, Connie enjoys travel and photography. She is currently planning a trip in 2019 to visit Norway and the Arctic Circle.

When asked, Connie shared: I love my job. I love working with teenagers. Hands down, they are the best part of my job. I am humbled to be a part of their journey through high school and into to the world of college and work. I treasure those connections and feel like a proud momma when they reach their goals. I’m so proud to be a counselor at LN. I work with the most incredible people, students, and families.

Profiles of Excellence—continued Bill Dreilbelbis, Director of the Office of Exceptional Learners Mr. Dreibelbis has dutifully served the MSD of Lawrence Township as the Director of the Office of Exceptional Learners since 2011. He is a graduate of Indiana University South Bend, holding a Bachelor’s Degree in Special Education. He earned his Master’s Degree in Special Education Administration from Butler University. Bill has spent the past 33 years in different roles, all of which educate, advocate for, and serve the special needs student population. He has worked as a classroom teacher (Warsaw, Indiana & Perry Meridian High School), Educational Consultant for the Indiana Department of Ed, Special Education Department Chair at Lawrence North High School (1993-1995), District-wide Special Education Supervisor (Carmel Clay Schools), Associate Director of the Hamilton-Boone-Madison Special Services Cooperative, and Director of RISE Special Services. His favorite activity is spending time with family. He and wife, Linda, have three children. The oldest is Chelsea, who works in the insurance industry. Their middle child, Kaitlyn, is a graduate student in Special Education at Ball State University. The youngest, Gabe, is a senior at the University of Alabama. He also enjoys playing golf and watching football, especially the Fighting Irish. The MSD of Lawrence Township thanks Mr. Dreibelbis for his servant leadership to the district, and wishes him the best in his upcoming retirement.

School Board Approves New Chief Technology Officer The School Board of the Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township approved the appointment of Mr. Michael S. Bottorff to the position of Chief Technology Officer. Mr. Bottorff transitions to this new role from that of Director of Technology for Nineveh-Hensley-Jackson United School Corporation. Before that time, he was the Technology Administrative Manager for Hamilton Southeastern Schools. Prior to moving into technology, Mr. Bottorff was a high school teacher in Tacoma, Washington.

Click here to read the entire press release.

Mr. Franklyn Bush Named Principal at Lawrence Central High School The Board of Education of the MSD of Lawrence Township has approved Mr. Franklyn Bush as the principal at Lawrence Central High School, effective Monday, November 13th. He has served as the interim principal since the beginning of the school year. Mr. Bush came to Lawrence Central from Lawrence North High School, where he served as Assistant Principal over the Freshman School.

As the instructional leader of Lawrence Central High Schools, Mr. Bush is committed to providing leadership to faculty, staff, students, and families.

Click here to read the entire press release.

School Board Approves New Director of Exceptional Learners The School Board of approved the appointment of Mrs. Karen Niemeier to the position of Director of the Office of Exceptional Learners. Mrs. Niemeier will transition on December 18th to this new role from that of West Learning Community Director for the Indianapolis Public Schools. Before that time, she served as the Executive Director of Special Education for Hancock Madison Shelby Educational Services. She also has extensive classroom experience with students receiving special education services.

Click here to read the entire press release.

Weather Related School Closings Moving into the winter months there may be mornings when it is necessary to cancel or delay the start of school. It is rarely an easy decision and is one that is made with a great deal of thought.

The Superintendent and the Board of Education hope that school can be open every day; however, to ensure student safety, schools may be closed some days during the school year due to dangerous weather and road conditions. The safety of our students is always a top priority.

The documents below outline our procedures in the event that school is delayed or closed due to inclement weather:  Weather related school closing procedures  Inclement Weather Parent Letter from Dr. Smith  Inclement Weather Guidelines  Weather related school closing procedures for Early Learning Centers and Before and After Care Programs

District Feasibility Study and Plans for Continued Growth On October 17th and 19th, Assistant Superintendents, Dr. Steve Goeglein and Dr. Kathy Rieke hosted two community forums to discuss outcomes of the District Feasibility Study.

This study aimed to provide possible direction as the district plans for continued growth as depicted in the graph on the right. These events were held at LECC and Lawrence Central High School, and were open to the public.

Click here to view the Facebook Live stream of the event.

Click here to view the slides presented at the Building Capacity Community Forum.

Congratulations to the Marching Pride of Lawrence Township for a phenomenal season!

MPLT finished 11th out of 68 bands at the Bands of America Super Regional and fourth in the ISSMA State Championship!.

In keeping with our Strategic Plan Goal of Attracting and Retaining Talent, for the 2017-2018 school, Certified Staff will be receiving a flat $1,200 added to their base salary. Administrators and Classified Staff will receive a 1.5% raise.

Strategic Plan Update Excellence is not by chance. it requires a vision and a plan. In 2015, the Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township began a strategic planning process to provide direction for the school district through the year 2020. More than 150 members of our community came together over the course of five months to provide input in nine focus areas, representing curricular, business, and operational aspects associated with serving almost 16,000 students and 2,500 employees.

The resulting Strategic Commitments and Strategic Priorities underscore the district’s commitment to excellence.

Click here for the update of the Strategic Plan as presented to the Board of Education on November 13, 2017 Visit the website to learn more.

Be a Bear, Wildcat, Bruin or Bearcat For a Day! Find out what it's really like to be a Lawrence Central Bear or Lawrence North Wildcat. Eighth graders and potential transfer students are invited to spend a day in the life of an LC or LN student with your personal tour guide and experience our environment, tour our state of the art facility, meet students and teachers, enjoy a complimentary lunch, and experience high school life first hand.

Likewise, sixth graders and potential transfer students are invited to spend a day at Belzer or Fall Creek Valley Middle Schools.

Click here to request your personal Shadow Day at Lawrence Central.

Click here to request your personal Shadow Day at Lawrence North.

Click here to request your personal Shadow Day at Belzer Middle School.

Click here to request your personal Shadow Day at Fall Creek Valley Middle School.

Distinguished Alumni The MSD of Lawrence Township is accepting nominations for distinguished alumni from Lawrence Central and Lawrence North High Schools. With this award, we recognize those outstanding alumni who have displayed extraordinary gifts of leadership, achieved recognition for their professional expertise, attained success in their field of endeavor, and provided service to their community and/or LT Schools.

Each fall, a committee representing the MSDLT and LT School Foundation submits final recommendations to be approved by the superintendent. In early April, the newly selected honorees are invited to address the top seniors of the current graduating class at the annual Top 30 Banquet. Once an applicant is submitted he/she remains on the list, so there is no need to submit again.

Click here to nominate a distinguished Lawrence Central graduate.

Click here to nominate a distinguished Lawrence North graduate.

Blue Ribbon Facilities Plan Dr. Smith and the Board of Education were pleased to unveil the newly renovated Mary Evelyn Castle Elementary School at a community ribbon cutting December 3 rd. As part of a $127M Blue Ribbon Facilities Plan, Mary Castle recently completed a $6M renovation, with the addition of four new classrooms, a new media center, and new cafeteria space. This the second renovation on the building. Built in 1970, Mary Castle Elementary is named after former educator and Lawrence Township Curriculum Director, Mary Evelyn Castle.

Click here to see the report on WTHR. Extensive work continues at Indian Creek, Skiles Test and Harrison Hill Elementary Schools, exterior athletic upgrades to Belzer Middle School, and a full renovation of the Lawrence Central auditorium.

Click here for the update to the Board at the September 25 BOE meeting

MSDLT Celebration Snapshot Celebration Snapshot for November 2017

Board of Education Recognitions—Celebrating Excellence Each month the Board of Education recognizes individuals and groups for outstanding achievement and for going “Above and Beyond.”

November 27, 2017 Board of Education meeting recognitions

Lawrence Live!

In this edition of Lawrence Live, Dr. Smith introduces the 2017 Design Challenge winner, Belzer Middle School teacher, Mr. Jeff Mann. We also meet cheerleaders and dance team leaders from both high schools and learn about what goes in to their impressive performances. We invite you to listen in.

Video Recording by Communication Studies Students at Crestview Elementary. Editing by Mr. Randy Tomes, Communication Studies Teacher, Crestview Elementary.

Brook Park Nurse, Rebecca Caban, Demonstrates Proper Technique For Hand Washing for Community Health Network Video Germs spread fast, especially during cold and flu season!

Click here to watch Nurse Rebecca Caban and the first graders at Brook Park show us how to stay healthy by singing a favorite song as they washing their hands.

The Art Departments at Lawrence Central and Lawrence North High Schools were invited to create holiday greeting cards for “Christmas Card Lane� on the Lawrence Civic Plaza at the intersection of Otis Avenue and Wheeler Road just north of 56th Street. Drive by and enjoy the artwork by our talented students and other local businesses!

Students from Lawrence Central and Lawrence North High Schools, accompanied by teachers and chaperones, participated in a trip to visit seven Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), Clark Atlanta, Spelman, Morehouse, Alabama State, Tuskegee, Xavier and Southern. The week-long trip was sponsored in part by the Lawrence Township School Foundation.

Forest Glen School of Spanish Immersion was recently recognized by the Indianapolis Urban League and the American Federation for Children for its Educational Excellence. Dr. Smith, Superintendent and Mr. Omar Lahlou, Forest Glen Principal, are pictured below accepting the award.

The Advanced Nutrition and Wellness class at Lawrence North hosted a Soul Food Day! Dr. Smith enjoys sampling some of the dishes they made.

The Oaklandon E-STEM Club was honored to welcome Lawrence Mayor Steve Collier. Students in the E-STEM Club are devoted to promoting a healthy, clean environment in the community.

Skiles Test Received Indiana Outdoor Lab of the Year Award Skiles Test received the Indiana Outdoor Lab of the Year award sponsored by the Indiana Tree Farm Committee.

It was determined that Skiles Test has the best, most educational outdoor lab in the state of Indiana for 2017.

The school will receive a check for $500 from the Indiana Hardwood Lumberman’s Association (IHLA) and a letter of appreciation from an Indiana Senator, as well as a plaque to display. The award will be given at the HASTI (Hoosies Association of Science Teachers, Inc.) conference in February, where Mr. Shafer will present the highlights of the Skiles Test Lab to attendees.

Skiles Test is the first Marion County winner in 22 years. Mr. Dave Shafer, Skiles Test STEM teacher, is pictured with the award.

Sunnyside Received 3D Printing Lab from Purdue University Students at Sunnyside Elementary will now have access to a Wonderlab 3-D Printing Lab, thanks to a grant made available through the Purdue University Department of Art & Design. The Industrial Design Department received a grant from IN-MaC, Indiana’s Next Generation Manufacturing Competiveness Center, allowing them to bring the lab to the school.

In April of 2017, approximately 140 Sunnyside students participated in a 3-D printing workshop, demonstrating that Sunnyside was a great fit for a permanent 3-D printing lab, as a part of the IN-MaC grant.

Sunnyside will also be participating in a two-year research study on its implementation of the lab. A curriculum is being developed to support use of the Wonderlab, with the objective of expanding this type of opportunity to schools across the state. According to Sunnyside Elementary principal, Mrs. Tierney Anderson, We are both grateful and excited for these 3-D printers! It is one aspect that we are putting into place that will have our students prepared for careers in the new economy.”

LT Students Selected for All-State Choirs In October, hundreds of LT students auditioned for the 2018 Indiana Music Education Association’s All-State Elementary and Middle School Honor Choirs. Twelve of the 14 students representing East Central Indiana are from Lawrence Township!

Learn more

BRAG officers (left to right), Audrey Abner, Kim Mathews, and Mark Flanary thank Dr. Shawn Smith, MSDLT Superintendent and Rodger Smith, MSDLT Executive Director of Operations for hosting the Market on Hague at Lawrence North for the past three years.

Mr. Tim Harshbarger, Executive Director for Human Resources welcomes 33 teachers to our fourth Teacher Leadership Academy (TLA) Cohort. TLA provides learning experiences, resources, and support to prepare teachers for leadership roles.

Current administrators who have successfully completed the Teacher Leadership Academy include Jane Ann Giles, Forest Glen Assistant Principal; Justin Linch, Fall Creek Valley Assistant Principal; Valencia Williams, Indian Creek Assistant to the Principal; Adam Korengel, Crestview Assistant Principal; Ayanna Williams, Lawrence North Assistant Principal; Brian Atkinson, Lawrence North Assistant Principal Click here for a list of current participants.

Save the Date! “Light Their Future” Celebration—Friday, March 9, 2018 Creative Impact Grants This Lawrence Township School Foundation program provides funding for creative and innovative projects that would otherwise not be supported by tax dollars. Any MSD of Lawrence Township teacher, teacher group, school personnel, administrator, student or parent is eligible to apply.

This year 17 grants totaling $25,000 were awarded! Congratulations to theses teachers!

Click here for more information and a complete list of teachers and projects.

Also, visit our photo gallery on Facebook for award pictures.

Honor An Educator The Honor An Educator program is a great way to personally thank the teachers, administrators, coaches, bus drivers and staff members who have encouraged, influenced, and inspired your students to be the best they can be. When you make a gift to the Honor An Educator Fund, the Foundation sends the recipient a custom designed card with your special sentiment and notifies his/her supervisor of the recognition.

All proceeds benefit Foundation programs in Lawrence Township Schools that empower children to tap into their unlimited potential. To Honor An Educator, click here, or pick up and fill out a hard copy form from any Lawrence Township School's main office and return to the Lawrence Township School Foundation.

Recognitions will be accepted until December 8, 2017, so that the honored educators receive their cards before the end of the semester. For more information visit the Foundation’s website at msdltf.org.

Click here to download the paper form Legacy Study Trips supported by the LT School Foundation unleash the power of learning by doing. Amy Beverland Elementary School third grade students enjoy hands-on learning as they explore The Children's Museum of Indianapolis.

Visit LTSF to learn more or click here to donate.

Click here to check out the LTSF’s 2016-2017 Impact Report and see the many ways your gifts to the Foundation support MSD of Lawrence Township Students.

Board of Education News Go to BoardDocs to access board meeting agendas and minutes.

The Board of Education will meet on December 11, 2017 at 5:30 pm at the Lawrence Education and Community Center, 6501 Sunnyside Road.

Click here for a complete listing of Board of Education Meetings and Work Sessions.

Information from current and past School Board meetings can be found at our MSDLT public BoardDocs site below.

Audio Recordings from regular Board of Education meetings are available in BoardDocs, however, for easy access, they can also be found on their own webpage. From the School Board section of the website, just click on the link to Board Meeting Audio on the left side of the page.

Click here to access the Board Meeting Audio Recording webpage.

Food Service Holiday meals are coming to a school cafeteria near you! Choices include fried chicken, sweet potatoes, and collard greens in addition to a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Cafeteria managers (pictured left below) learn to operate new equipment allowing them to prepare more fresh fruits and vegetables quickly and efficiently.

Fall Creek Valley Boys Basketball Marion County Champions!

Fall Creek Valley 7th and 8th grade boys’ basketball teams both went undefeated this season (10-0) and both won their Marion County tournaments!

8th Grade Team

7th Grade Team

Click for the 8th Grade Stream -Full Game

Click for the 7th Grade Stream -Full Game

For more MSDLT News: Be a Fan on Facebook, Follow Dr. Smith on Twitter Follow MSDLT on Twitter Follow MSDLT Human Resources on Twitter Stay in touch with LT School Foundation MSDLT Social Media Directory Check out our Blog!

Follow us on Instagram!

Watch Lawrence Live! On YouTube!

Check out the Community Opportunities and Information page on our website for a list of local cultural and civic events, scouting opportunities, academic opportunities, youth sports teams and camps, and music and performing arts classes.

The Lawrence Township Schools post this information as a community service. We do not necessarily endorse any of the programs, services, events listed. Bookmark this site and visit it often to get the latest news!

Visit our Community Opportunities and Information webpage to learn more.

LT Inside Out is our electronic newsletter designed to share information about our school district with parents, community members, and stakeholders.

Parents who have registered their email in Skyward will be included in our electronic mailing. We are working to build an email list of community members and friends of MSDLT. Interested parties can sign up by going to our homepage, https://www.LTschools.org. Click on List Serves on the right side of the screen and select LT Inside Out. Or click here to go directly to the listserve webpage.

Before printing this newsletter, please think green and conserve paper.