Lantern Road Media Specialist Receives Golden Apple Award

Lantern Road Elementary’s Lori Silbert was recently honored as an IPL Golden Apple Award winner with a $2,000 award for her and $1,000 for her school. One of the most prestigious teacher recognition programs in Indiana, Golden Apple winners are selected based on an educational project they complete that integrates math, science or technology and shows improved student achievement.

Silbert created a DVD, Indiana Proud, to motivate students, teachers and others to learn about the Hoosier state. Each grade studied a different facet of Indiana; then students wrote and recorded songs about what they learned about Indiana. They worked with Randy Beard, an educator and musician, to create the songs.

Using Roxio Media Creator™, Lori incorporated the original music with pictures that she took across the state and assembled into a visual, musical and informational tribute to the state.

Lori “has exceeded all others with her Indiana Proud project,” a parent wrote. “The time and effort that Lori must have put into the planning and development of this DVD goes above and beyond what my parental expectations are of Lori and her position at Lantern Road.”

Scott Spitz Takes Top Honors at Second Annual Geist Half Marathon

Two familiar faces were among the top finishers at Saturday’s second annual Race Around the Reservoir.

Scott Spitz, who finished second last year, captured first place this time around at the Geist Half Marathon with a 1:12:19 finish, edging out last year’s winner, Chris Swisher, who came in third with a time of 1:16:06. Brad Robinson took second place, finishing the 13.1-mile race with a time of 1:15:04.

Spitz, who lives in downtown Indy, also competed in the 500 Festival Mini Marathon earlier this month, where he recorded a 17th place finish. Spitz says he likes the Geist course because it is scenic, with more hills and less congestion.

“I enjoy the challenge of running hills,” said Spitz, who was cheered on by his girlfriend, Michelle Craig, and her son, Noah. Spitz added, “ The post-race environment is really cool.”

Although Swisher would like to have kept his title, he also competed very well considering this was his only half marathon of the year.

“I didn’t train as hard this year,” admitted Swisher, who lives in Fishers.

For the women’s competition, Jane Daniels of Bloomington took the top prize with a time of 1:23:42. She finished well ahead of second-place winner Erica Watson (1:26:14) and third-place runner Sarah Baysden (1:27:09).

It was beginner’s luck for Daniels, who signed up for her first half marathon at the insistence of running mate Tim Street.

“She was totally non-competitive about it,” Street said with a laugh, adding that his running partner left him in the dust a couple miles into the race. Both Daniels and Street are grad students at Indiana University.

All six of the top finishers were presented with genuine gold, silver or bronze medals from Geist Jewelers.

Congratulations to everyone who ran in the the St. Vincent Geist Half Marathon & 5K Race Around the Reservoir. You are all winners!

Fifth Grader’s Challenge Culminates in Mass Donation to Locks of Love

Indian Creek Elementary 5th grader Alexa Austin initiated a challenge in September, 2007 to all Indian Creek students and their families to join her in the Indian Creek Locks of Love Challenge. There are 30 students, teachers, “moms”, and siblings participating in the Challenge. They all pledged to grow their hair during the last 18 months preparing for a group donation to Locks of Love.

A celebration and cutting event took place Friday, May 8, at Hair Dooz Salon, 6427 Oaklandon Road.  Heather Hewitt, owner, donated her time to the project as well as the salon.  She and a team of stylists cut and styled all 30 participants’ hair after school.

Locks of Love is a public, non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children under the age of 18 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis.

“I’ve thought about doing Locks of Love for a few years, but I didn’t want to do it by myself. I finally decided to challenge my school.  It’s been so fun doing it together. It’s an easy way to help others,” said Alexa, 11.

The group met after school every two months to measure their hair growth progress and to also learn how to properly take care of their hair in preparation for their donation.  They also learned about the causes of hair loss and had a 15-year-old cancer survivor come and talk to them about her journey after being diagnosed with osteosarcoma.

“I am very proud of the students and adult members of the Indian Creek community for their support of Locks of Love over the past 18 months,” said Indian Creek Principal, Dennie Brooks. “This initiative is one they or the children who are on the receiving end will never forget. This gift of hair is truly an example of a caring community.”

Photos by Brenda Staples Photography

Mary Castle Elementary Receives Grant for Outdoor Fitness Circuit

Mary Castle Elementary has received a $5,000 Lowe’s Toolbox for Education grant for the implementation of an Outdoor Fitness Circuit.

We are thrilled to announce that Lowe’s has awarded the Mary Castle Elementary School funding for the Fitness Circuit. Our grant application was based on the goal of providing a fun opportunity for the students, as well as the community, to increase their physical activity and improve their overall health. We look forward to sharing the Fitness Circuit with the students of Mary Castle and surrounding neighborhoods.

With this outdoor fitness area, children and families will be able to add strength training to their physical fitness routines. Mary Castle is privileged to have abundant school grounds that lend themselves to this important initiative. As a state, Indiana has a very high obesity rate. Governor Mitch Daniels has created the INShape Indiana Program to encourage all Hoosiers to get in better shape and this project will honor that concept. “We feel that it is important to instill these priorities in our children during their elementary school years to encourage them as lifelong habits,” said Kim Earl.

“We are looking forward to teaming up with Lowe’s and members of the community. This is a perfect opportunity to build this project together, and in the end it will be something that the students will be able to enjoy for a very long time,” said Joe Garner.

All K-12 public schools in the United States are eligible for the Toolbox for Education program.  More information is available at www.ToolboxforEducation.com.

$9 Million Infrastructure Project Signals Beginning of Lawrence Village

A 55-acre, village-style community planned for Fort Harrison may help link what has historically been a bipolar city of Lawrence. Ground was officially broken May 5 on a $9 million infrastructure project which will “pave the way” for Lawrence Village at the Fort.

This “live, work, play” community is planned for the area bordered by 59th Street, Post Road, 56th Street and Lee Road. It will include new homes, retail shops, restaurants and parks, and already houses the Lawrence Government Center, YMCA and the Ivy Tech Lawrence campus.

“We are setting the stage for developers and office users to invest in Lawrence by becoming part of the Lawrence Village at the Fort community,” explained Kris Butler, executive director of the Fort Harrison Reuse Authority (FHRA). “That’s what we are all about promoting here in Lawrence – a strong sense of community and a place to call home for families and businesses.”

After the former military base closed in 1996, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources converted 1,750 acres into the state park and The Fort golf course. The remaining 550 acres given to FHRA for redevelopment were so dilapidated that the land was appraised at negative $9 million.

Thanks to the efforts of FHRA and more than $250 million in local investment, just one-sixth of that land now appraises for $10 million, and the historic homes along Lawton Loop boast an average selling price of $650,000. This remarkable turnaround has earned Lawrence a nationwide reputation as a model for successful redevelopment of a military base, Butler said.

The most recent activity at the Fort is sure to increase its popularity even further. The infrastructure project will add new parks, bike paths, sidewalks and landscaping. Hundreds of new trees and other plantings will line the streets, along with benches, street lamps and bike racks. In addition, streets will be widened and utilities buried.

“Starting today and ending by the end of 2009, the Lawrence community will see a flurry of activity here on this property,” Butler said.

In addition to the activity at the Fort, Monarch Beverage is constructing a 547,000-square-foot facility on Pendleton Pike, just about a mile down the road. As development continues, Lawrence is building not only new structures but also its sense of community.

“This will tie the old city of Lawrence and the Oaklandon area together,” Mayor Paul Ricketts said at the groundbreaking ceremony.

As the planned amenities take shape at the Fort, Geist residents may have a new reason to head down to the city center. With phase one of the infrastructure project wrapping up this fall, FHRA is now courting developers who are interested in this hot property.

For more information, visit the FHRA website at www.fhra.org.

HSEHS Concert Bands Earn ‘Gold’ Ratings from ISSMA

Two Hamilton Southeastern High School concert bands received “gold” ratings at the ISSMA State Organizational Contest at Pendleton Heights High School.  The chamber ensemble and wind symphony performed three selections each for a panel of three adjudicators and earned consistent high ratings.  Both bands also earned “gold” ratings in the sight-reading category of the contest, where the band is evaluated on learning a new piece of music. Michael Niemiec and John Cook direct the two groups.

15 LC Seniors Inducted into Journalism Honor Society

Fifteen Lawrence Central students were recently inducted into Quill and Scroll, the international honor society for high school journalists.

They are seniors Kevin Gardner, Madeline Harrison, Casey Jones, Reagan Justice, Amber Leonhard, Clinton Miller, Stephanie Price and Caroline Strobel; juniors Caroline Hall, Sean Jordan, Thomas Myers, Laura Russo and Hannah Torres; and sophomores Alexandra King and Gregory Price.

Each is in the top third of his class and was recommended for membership by the advisers of LC’s newspaper and yearbook, Elizabeth Granger and Ed Poe, respectively.

Audra Egenolf to Dive at World University Games

Audra Egenolf, a collegiate diver from Geist, has qualified for the World University Games in Serbia this summer.

Southern Methodist University sophomore Audra Egenolf competed at the 2009 Speedo U.S. Spring Diving National Championships held April 25-26, 2009 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  Egenolf posted exceptional performances earning bronze on platform and silver in synchronized platform, qualifying her to represent the United States at the World University Games in Belgrade, Serbia from July 2-13, 2009.
Audra is a two-time NCAA All-American Diver who has also achieved top academic distinction with a 3.96 GPA.  Egenolf is a member of Delta Gamma Sorority and Campus Crusade for Christ.  A graduate of Heritage Christian School and 2007 State Diving Champion, she is the daughter of Patrick & Christi Egenolf who have made Feather Cove 1 their home for the past 22 years!

Cathedral Couple ‘Stuck at Prom’

In pursuit of scholarship money, some students slave away at the books. Others hone their athletic skills. Cathedral seniors Steve Arduini and Farah Doxey wore Duck Tape to the prom!

Centered around the theme of Cathedral Irish, the two students designed and crafted a dress and tux made out of green, yellow and orange Duck Brand duct tape. Their creation garnered rave reviews at the Cathedral prom April 25.

Aside from the fun of wearing duct tape to the prom, the couple aims to be in the running for a $3,000 college scholarship each. If they win, Cathedral would also receive $3,000. Arduini plans to attend Georgetown next fall, while Doxey is headed to Indiana University.

Duck Brand sponsors the “Stuck at Prom” contest each spring to promote their brand, as well as promoting higher education.

“Once they came up with the theme, which was Cathedral Irish,  they were off and running,” said Diane Doxey, Farah’s mother, who adds, “You would be amazed to see how many colors of duck tape is out in the world.”

The contest ends June 8, and if Arduini and Doxey are selected as one of the 10 finalists, their photo will be posted for online popular voting at www.ducktapeclub.com on June 19. The final winning couple will be announced July 9.

Good luck to our Cathedral Irish couple!

Changes Impact Lawrence Teachers, Students

Several changes are ahead for those of us with children in the Lawrence Township school system. Some — like losing up to 41 teachers — are a direct result of the economy, while other changes seek to strengthen our children’s education.

Fewer Teachers, Larger Classes
Just as the depressed economy has crimped personal and business budgets, it’s also squeezing funds for education.

It doesn’t help that the school district has been operating without an approved budget for 2008, making its 2009 budget uncertain as well. Because of the property tax debacle in Marion County, the Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF) has not certified any school budgets in the county as it waits for reassessment results, which are expected any day.

When it’s all said and done, the Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township (MSDLT) is expecting to be about $4.2 million over budget, according to Dr. Nikki Woodson, director of staff development and communications.

The district has already sent out Reduction in Force notices to 41 first-year teachers, informing them that they may be out of a job next year. The district also will not replace 27 teachers who are retiring.
“All average class sizes will go up,” Superintendent Michael Copper told Lawrence Township constituents during a public meeting April 13.

The federal economic stimulus package may provide a glimmer of hope. The state has received $820 million earmarked for education, and it’s up to Governor Mitch Daniels to decide how it is to be spent. Local K-12 schools are hoping the bulk will be used to inject more cash into their General Funds.

However, since this is a one-time benefit, it likely will be used for nonrecurring expenses — such as educational supplies, teacher training and technology updates — rather than ongoing expenses like teacher salaries.

Summer Pay in Jeopardy for Teachers
Teachers may lose their summer pay, and the district could lose up to $56 million if a lawsuit filed by the teacher’s union goes forward, according to information posted on the MSDLT website.

A little known lawsuit was quietly filed back in October after contract negotiations stalled between the Lawrence Education Association (LEA) and the MSDLT School Board. Four teachers — Rebecca Crum, Veronica Embry, Ronald Klene and Kent Jackson — filed the lawsuit on behalf of district teachers.

The suit alleges that the board failed to abide by the Indiana Wage Payment Act, which requires employers to pay wages no more than 10 business days after the date those wages were earned. Crum, who is the LEA president, says first-year teachers often do not receive their first paycheck for up to a month from the beginning of the school year.

Crum and her cronies did not expect the school board’s response, which was to threaten elimination of year-round pay for teachers. The current teacher contract (which was approved by the LEA) states that teachers could be paid every two weeks with a total of 26 payments annually, thus allowing them to be paid throughout the summer.

“We clearly paid them as we were asked to pay them,” Board Secretary Adam Goldstein said. He and the rest of the board were unwilling to settle the claim for the $5 million in damages the LEA sought.

The good news here is that current legislation at the state level may make this lawsuit moot and spare the district from spending an estimated $56 million to defend it. Interestingly, the MSDLT and the LEA both support the Indiana State Teachers Association legislation, which would more clearly define the Wage Payment Act and keep summer pay for teachers.

No More Half-Days
The new Superintendent of Public Instruction wants to see Indiana rise to the top of the class when it comes to test scores, graduation rates and overall quality of education. With that in mind, he abruptly ended half days slated for teacher development. Students will be required to attend 180 full instructional days.

To address the teacher development issue, Lawrence Township administrators proposed “Modified Mondays” which called for every Monday to begin an hour later for students so that staff could participate in training. The outcries from parents citing childcare issues quickly caused the board to dismiss this idea.

Now it’s uncertain how and when teachers will gather for training. The most likely scenario is that substitutes will be employed to cover for teachers during the day while they attend staff meetings.

New Elementary Districts & Shuttles
The School Board has approved new boundaries for elementary schools as part of its efforts to balance enrollments and leverage educational opportunities.

All elementary students will be assigned to a school near their residence. However, starting with the 20010-11 school year, families will be given free reign to choose any of the five elementary schools on their side (East or West) of the school district. Forest Glen Elementary, at 6333 Lee Road, will remain the only true magnet school, offering a Dual Immersion program which features classroom instruction in English 50 percent of the day, with Spanish instruction for the other half.

Students not attending their assigned school will be shuttled to their school of choice. Shuttling begins for the 2009-10 school year for all students in special programs, which is projected to save the district an estimated $800,000 in transportation costs.

Many details of the elementary redesign are still uncertain, including whether all schools will have a unique area of focus (like science/technology or international studies) and what those school-wide focuses might be.

New Superintendent
While the district is in the midst of a complete overhaul of the elementary school design, Dr. Copper is preparing for retirement. Copper has been at the helm of the demographically changing district for the last seven years.

The School Board is currently searching for a new superintendent, with plans to hire our next leader by June 30. However, finding a qualified candidate may prove difficult with 12 other school districts in the Indianapolis metropolitan area also searching for a superintendent.

Board Member Goldstein told community members during the April 13 meeting that the school board will hire an interim if necessary until the right candidate is found.

“We will not put someone in this job that is not great,” he said.