Oregon-Davis Schoolhouse (Spring 2015)

Publication of Oregon-Davis School Corporation SPRING 2015
Redesigning Education in Starke County
What’s Inside:
Student Selected for Leadership Program
Elementary Students Get Involved in Physical Education
Project Based Learning Enhances Sixth Grade
Superintendent’sMessage
After winter, it is great to see the world come alive
again as spring arrives. Flowers bloom in brilliant colors,
while animals can be seen, diligently building their nests.
Similarly, our students have been busy with projects as the
school year progresses, striving after excellence, providing
a head start to the next step in their
academic careers.
I’m proud to be the
superintendent of this outstanding
school corporation. We have great
students and parents. Our students
are excelling in the classroom and
in extracurriculars. Our outstanding
staff goes above and beyond to reach
every student that walks through
our doors. We’re excited about our
success, yet will continue to work
hard to make Oregon-Davis School Corporation one of the
best school districts in Northwest Indiana.
One emphasis of Oregon-Davis School Corporation is
to develop a well-rounded student. Our goal is to build not
only students who will score well on state test, but are also
successful in school and most importantly, in life. As you
will read in this issue of “Oregon-Davis Schoolhouse,” our
teachers are building confidence, social skills, work ethic and
many other attributes that are not measured on state test, in
addition to integrating Project-Based Learning and STEM
Education into their classes.
Educating the children and young people of our
community is truly a group effort of our schools, parents and
community. Numerous businesses, service organizations,
employees, parents and individual patrons provide support
in so many ways for our students and their activities each
year. The strong community support is greatly appreciated
and helps foster student success in many different areas.
We here at Oregon-Davis School Corporation are ready
to soar into Spring and finish the year strong!
-Greg Briles, Superintendent, Oregon-Davis School Corporation
Continuing a long tradition at Oregon-Davis, it is the fourth year in
a row a member of either the boys or girls basketball team has won the
W.B. Hawkins Award. This year’s recipient is junior Riley Trott.
Student Athlete Receives Prestigious Scholarship
Riley Trott, member of the defending state champion Lady Cat
basketball team, was named the 2015 recipient of the prestigious
W.B. Hawkins Award at this year’s Bi-County Basketball
Tournament. She was recognized for her athletic and academic
achievements, as well as her community activism. Riley, a junior,
is an Honor Roll student who hopes to pursue a business and/
or photography degree in college. She maintains a 4.25 GPA
while participating in varsity track and basketball, and also gives
back to her school system by volunteering with Oregon-Davis
first graders. In addition, Riley is involved with the Color Run in
Plymouth to assist in building Freedom Park, a park designed for
handicapped children. She is the No. 1 ranked student in her class
and is a member of the National Honor Society.
Elementary Students Get Involved
in Physical Education
Oregon-Davis School Corporation thanks you for the opportunity to
journey with students as they soar through through this school year. The
rest of the school year is sure to be a great one at Oregon-Davis!
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Aubrey Minix is getting her students more actively involved
in physical education classes. Through fun and challenging
activities and a weekly swimming day, Minix is striving to
promote higher interest and engagement in her classes. She
focuses on students moving and being active, rather than level of
skill. She also emphasizes teamwork, encouragement and helping
classmates create a positive class environment.
Her class is also unique because it integrates skills from
the classroom, such as spelling words and math facts. Minix
often changes the physical and intellectual skills she focuses
on in class to keep things new and interesting. Recent activities
include Fitness Bingo, PinBall, Scooter Relays and Minute to Win
It activities.
Oregon-Davis School Corporation believe physical education
is extremely important to develop a well-rounded student and
applaud Minix’s efforts to keep her students engaged. Keep up
the good work!
Oregon-Davis Junior
Selected for Leadership Program
Hannah Clark is the only student from Starke County
to be chosen for the South Shore Leadership Youth for
Community Engagement program sponsored by the South
Shore Leadership Center. From a field of 70 applicants, she
was chosen to participate in this program
that allows students to learn about team
building, community involvement and service
leadership. Hannah, a junior, is an active
member of the school community and very
deserving of her selection.
Hannah hopes to represent Oregon-Davis
by showing small schools do have a part in
leadership roles just as much as the larger
schools. Some takeaways Hannah would like
Hannah Clark
to receive from this program are practicing
leadership etiquette, building relationships with others and learning
how to use effective strategies. All of the administration and
students of Oregon-Davis Jr.-Sr. High School are excited to see what
Hannah can achieve throughout her year with the SLYCE team.
Students in the Running for Lilly Scholarship
We are keeping our fingers crossed for Delaney Shively and
Blake Hurford, seniors who are finalist for the Starke County
Community Foundation’s Lilly Endowment Scholarship. This
award is based on academic performance as well as community
service. The scholarship provided a four year, full-tuition
scholarship. Delaney and Blake are both highly qualified
candidates. Delaney is still undecided in her college choice,
while Blake will be attending Butler University in the fall. Best
of luck to both!
Oregon-Davis FFA Success
The Oregon-Davis FFA Junior High Crops and Senior Crops
judging teams enjoyed great success this winter! Both qualified
for the state competition at Purdue in December. The junior
high team consisted of Shyanne Saylor, Becky Pucel and Emily
Niles, while Amanda Niles, Delaney Shively, Bobby Pucel and
Aubrey Crawford rounded out the senior team. Dalton Good
also qualified for the state competition in the forestry judging
competition. Congrats to sponsor Mr. Carlin and the students for
their success and hard work!
Kindergarten Round-Up
If your child will be 5 on or before Aug. 1, 2015, please
plan to attend the Kindergarten Round-Up to be enrolled in
kindergarten for the 2015-16 school year. Round-Up will take
place at the elementary school on Wednesday, April 15, 2015 from
8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Parents, please bring child’s official birth certificate and
child’s immunization records. It is very important your child
attend round-up with you. The kindergarten teachers will be
conducting a basic skills assessment with each child. Please call
the Oregon-Davis Elementary School at 574-867-2711 to schedule
an appointment before April 15, or if you have any questions
concerning kindergarten.
We will also be registering children for preschool at this
time. There is no sign-up before April 15 for preschool. A child
is eligible to attend preschool if he or she is 4 or 5 years old and
will be entering kindergarten during the 2016-17 or 2017-18 school
year. Preschool has a limited number of openings and is filled on
a first-come, first serve basis. There is a fee for children to attend
preschool. Parents of preschool children are also to bring birth
certificate and immunization record when they come to register.
As we continue to implement Project Lead the Way, a science and
technology curriculum, we continue to look for ways to enhance our
facilities and technology. We have recently added FESTO electronic
equipment and a 3-D printer to further outfit our modular lab with the
latest technology applications. This equipment allows students more
opportunities to gain hands-on experience with technology that they
will encounter in the real world.
Learning Comes Alive in Project Based Learning
Allison Stone has been using Project Based Learning and
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Education in
her sixth grade science class.
In Project Based Learning, students learn by focusing on a
real-world problem and demonstrate learning throughout the
entire unit, not just at the end. Sixth grade students are currently
studying ecosystems in science class. By researching what is
needed to help an ecosystem thrive, they have created a selfsustaining Terraqua column. A Terraqua column is a terrarium
that contains two ecosystems: an aquatic ecosystem in the lower
portion with goldfish and aquatic plants, and an upper portion
with dirt, worms, plants and crickets. The sixth grade students
have kept these ecosystems thriving!
The next steps in science class are for students to research
a limiting factor that has been detrimental to an ecosystem
(such as an oil spill, deforestation, over cropping, hurricanes,
droughts, fires). They will then develop a prototype to help
those ecosystems recover, or a method to prevent the disaster
altogether. Then, they’ll present these to the school and several
judges in a science fair.
Project Based Learning also coordinates projects between
subjects; subject matter often overlaps. In language arts, students
are writing a report about the Dust Bowl so they can gain
background knowledge before reading the book “Out of the
Dust.” After reading this book, they will discuss what it was like
to live in Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl. In math class, the
students are learning about surface area and volume. All of these
skills will be used in science class later on.
Ms. Stone uses STEM Education daily in her classroom. For
example, when studying buoyancy, students will learn all about
buoyancy and its causes, and then build a boat using a limited
amount of supplies, money, and time. These boats will be put to
the test by seeing how much weight they can hold. Students will
also need to find the volume, mass and density for their boats.
Without the help and support of all teachers at Oregon
Davis, these projects would not be possible. We are challenging
students not only with subject content, but with real life problems
that require problem-solving skills. These projects are meant for
students to learn through trial and error, with hands-on activities
that promote engagement of the students.
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Non-Profit Org.
US Postage
PAID
Milford, IN
Permit No. 2
You’re Invited!
The Oregon-Davis School Board meets
on the third Monday of each month at 6:30
p.m. at the Administration Building, 5998
North 750 East, Hamlet, IN. You are invited
to attend these meetings.
Board of Education
Kurt Hayes................................................President
Andrea McIntosh............................ Vice President
Shirley Budka...........................................Secretary
Chris Lawrence..........................................Member
Lee Nagai....................................................Member
Oregon-Davis School Corporation
5998 N. 750 E.
Hamlet, IN 46532
ECRWSS
POSTAL CUSTOMER
Feedback Is Welcome
We welcome our readers’ letters,
comments and critique. Write to us at Editor,
Oregon-Davis Schoolhouse, Oregon-Davis School
Corporation, 5998 N. 750 E., Hamlet, IN 46532,
or call (574) 867-2111.
Contact Us
Jr.-Sr. High School..................................(574) 867-4561
Elementary..............................................(574) 867-2711
Administration Office........................... (574) 867-2111
Fax...................................................(574) 867-8191
Our Principals
Mr. Timothy Pletcher.... Jr.-Sr. High School Principal
Mr. William Bennett.................Elementary Principal
Our Website
www.odschools.org
Our defending state champion Lady Cat basketball team is rolling again! After a regular
season that had a few bumps, the team put together another solid season, finishing the regular
season at 14-7. Coach Terry Minix and his young squad are making another deep run in the
state tournament, beating South Central for O-D’s 11th sectional title and then defeating
Kouts for a third regional title. Good luck to the Lady Cats in their pursuit of a third semi-state
title, and hopefully a third state title.
All School Calendar, 2015
April 10...... Progress Reports Sent Home
May 1...........................................No School
May 25.........................................No School
May 26 – 27.................. Semester II Exams
May 28.............................Last Student Day
June 5...............................Commencement
The Oregon-Davis boys basketball team had their first sectional victory in eight years! Great
job, Bobcats!