Tri-Creek Schools E-Newsletter January 2023

Tri-Creek schools ring in 2023 with an exciting list of celebrations and endeavors for our school community. The work of our strategic plan is in full force as our guiding principles lead working together in a collaborative, supportive, and positive way – making our schools and our community even better.
Great Community, Great Schools. Tri-Creek Proud!

Mr. Andy Anderson
Superintendent

While fiscal responsibility was the spark that initiated the idea, a “kids first” philosophy drove the discussion to pave the way for a teaching and learning community exclusive to the unique needs of kids in grades 5 and 6.

Since the 2010 opening of the current Lowell Middle School (LMS) campus, classroom spaces have gone, and continue to go, unused despite housing grades 6-8, current Lake Prairie 5th graders, a special education preschool program, the high school opportunity center, and the Tri-Creek School Corporation administration center. A building with two driveways, two entrances, an identity crisis, and valuable unused spaces sparked a comprehensive look at how the school district should respond to the projected enrollment growth in our community.

Enrollment projections are slated to rise. Instead of spending millions of dollars to add on more classrooms, expanding the cafeterias, and adding additional gymnasium space at Oak Hill and Three Creeks elementaries, the focus began shifting to how to maximize tax-payer dollars by utilizing the unused spaces at LMS. Being cognizant, though, of having in mind of what is best for kids at the center of decisions and being sensitive to parent concerns of grades 5-8 together, the conversation shifted to the creation of a teaching and learning center exclusive to fifth- and sixth- grade students, separate from seventh- and eighth- grade students while utilizing a building structure that was originally built in 2010 to house grades 5-8.

After exploring intermediate schools in other communities, dialogue among administrators, teachers, parents, the teachers union, and hosting school town hall meetings on the topic, the Board of School Trustees approved the recommendation to create a Lowell intermediate school to open with the 2024-2025 school year. Work has already begun to enlist teachers, parents, administrators, and board representation to create the models of learning, curriculum, building layout, extracurriculars, transportation details, and overall programming that promises to be even better than what we currently offer students in these two grade levels, not to mention a cost savings to the district.

As for the preschool program and the district office administration, the special education preschool will be rerouted to the elementary building setting where it is better suited, and the administration center will be rerouted to underutilized space at Lowell High School. By shifting all fifth-grade classrooms to the intermediate school, Lake Prairie, Oak Hill, and Three Creeks will be available to take on enrollment growth as well as possible preschool for all. (Note: Possible preschool for all children is currently in the planning stage for potential launch for the 2024-2025 school year with funding being a determining variable.)

SCHOOL TOWN HALL MEETINGS TO FOCUS ON SCHOOL REFERENDUM

DATES: Wednesday, February 8 and Tuesday, March 7, 2023

LOCATION: Lowell Middle School Cafeteria

TOPIC: School Referendum

Tri-Creek Schools is at a pivotal crossroads that will impact the greater Lowell community. There will be two opportunities to learn more in a face-to-face meeting of conversation educating the public on the details about what a referendum means, the purpose, and what the community can anticipate.

School personnel are “making the rounds” educating people face-to-face on a very important topic. Group presentations began with school board meetings in November and expanded to each employee group. The next phase is to extend the conversation to the greater community.

If your community group would like to get on the list for a visit, please contact Superintendent Anderson at andy.anderson@tricreek.k12.in.us or call 219-750-1281. In the meantime, check out the Referendum tab on the Tri-Creek homepage for more information.

Congratulations to our Oak Hill Science Bowl team! They placed FOURTH in the state in the orange class for the 2023 Indiana Academic Science Bowl. The Science Bowl was held right after school on January 26, 2023. The team missed third place by ONE point with a tie-breaker question. We are so proud of their hard work and accomplishment!

See below for the names of Oak Hill’s Science Bowl team:

Allison Kahler
Amelia Oresik
Bailey Osburn
Maverick Alexander
Ashlynn Taylor
Mason Rakoczy

Coach Amanda Montez

Jaxson Hinson
Jackson Denton
Athena Fry
Katie Richardson
Lily Morningstar
Benjamin Ohm

Coach Brandie Burns

Mrs. Katie (Arnold) Kimbrell (LHS Class of 2001), Mr. Bobby Hayden (LHS Class of 2005), and former Tri-Creek assistant superintendent Dr. Nathan Kleefisch were sworn in on January 12, 2023, to join returning members Mr. Kyle Mitsch (LHS Class of 2005) and Mrs. Debra (Ballas) Harden (LHS Class of 2002). January is School Board Recognition month. Please extend your appreciation to these folks who truly give much to their civic duty. More information about school board members can be found on the district’s school board member webpage.

Safety and Security Coordinator Stacey Heams along with Police Chief Woestman partnered together to implement an off-duty school resource officer program to integrate police officers into the elementary schools as a layer of protection, to deter threats, and to develop a school-community relationship as a part of the “Tri-Creek Proud” initiative.

Police officers who complete school resource officer training have the opportunity to sign up for shifts in schools when they are not working for the police department. This results in increased school safety, affords officers the opportunity to understand school building layouts, and allows for positive relationships to develop between police, the school, and the community.

Recently a Tri-Creek principal shared the following story. It is a testament to the positive impact beyond school safety and warms the heart.

"I have a new kindergartener who started yesterday. The student had not started school due to spending the last year in a behavioral therapy program. Due to the new environment, the first few days had been difficult because the student needed someone at all times.

Officer Nowocin was in my building today and had a presence at kindergarten lunch. After talking to one of the assistants, Officer Nowocin followed the kids out to recess. He spent the entire recess pushing this little guy on the swing. After this, he followed the class to gym class and participated in the activities and supported this student. While most of his time was spent with this one student, his impact was on the entire class. The joy on their faces as they watched him participate was priceless."

A DECEMBER MOMENT WITH THE
ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING PROGRAM

In case you missed it, here’s a Blog Link to the ELL blog which includes a summary of a field trip day with photos!

Click here to access the Red Devils' athletic calendar!

Student & Family Newsletters
2022-2023 School Year

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JANUARY 2023 NEWSLETTER

SUPERINTENDENT'S MESSAGE

INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL:
MAKING LOTS OF SENSE, SAVING A LOT OF CENTS

SCHOOL TOWN HALL MEETING

SCHOOL OPERATING REFERENDUM

OAK HILL SCIENCE TEAM EARNS 4TH PLACE IN STATE COMPETITION

TWO LHS GRADS AND PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATOR JOIN SCHOOL BOARD

SCHOOL SAFETY, OFFICER NOWOCIN, AND A STORY OF INSPIRATION

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

ACADEMIC CALENDAR

RED DEVIL ATHLETICS CALENDAR

VACANCY

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