Many will miss the junior
high, however, there are increased opportunities for our students due to less
miles for shared staff to travel. With the sixth grade returning to the
elementary, a newly formed student academy will provide leadership opportunities
for them under the direction of Mrs. Michelle Dormann. They will also receive
Spanish via DL from Gordon-Rushville, with Mrs. Dorene Paisley assisting them
throughout the semester. Increased exploratory course offerings for the seventh
and eighth graders will be provided at the high school, with the high school building
now serving grades 7-12.
Several new staff members
have joined our team. Mr. Tony Hoesing will be teaching 7-12 mathematics. Adam
Hill will be the elementary custodian. Kelly Davis will assist in cooking and
custodial work at the junior/senior high. Tara McColloch will be the
administrative assistant at the junior/senior high. New Para-professionals are:
Mila Abbott, Tracey Boren, Katie Epp, Brandi Koppman, and Morgan Wiant. Ms. Lauren
Olson will now be teaching full time, including teaching classes at the
junior/senior high. We are excited to welcome these new folks to the staff and
know they are equally dedicated to helping our children be successful.
An interlocal agreement
with the county now provides a Safety Resource Officer to help keep our
students safe and allow officers to get to them on a more personal level.
Fresh paint, new carpet, new
windows, freezers, and several facility updates were completed over the summer.
Hats off to the custodial and maintenance crew for all their hard work and
dedication! The facilities have never looked better.
Increased technology was
added, particularly at the elementary site. All students will now have access
to their own iPad or laptop for learning activities and assessments throughout
the day. The Kindergarten class was made bigger due to opening a wall. With 25
KDG students enrolled this year, the space will certainly be utilized!
Last week, teachers
returned for workshops, trainings, and to get their rooms ready for students to
and begin lesson planning. The professionalism of these folks is incredible!
Many attended workshops and trainings over the summer. Four teachers earned
enough graduate credit to move on the salary schedule! Congratulations to Mrs.
Courtney Johnson, Mr. Brandon Marquez, Mrs. Dorene Paisley, and Mr. Mike Wesch!
The School Improvement Steering Committee met to review the continuous
improvement process and discuss innovative ways to gather and review student
data.
Informational meetings,
technology boot camp, and building tours were provided at both sites. Students
had the opportunity to meet their teachers and see their classrooms. Thank you
to all parents who took the time to attend and also to Mrs. Dana Fischer and
the food service bunch for providing the meal at the elementary.
On behalf of our entire
staff, welcome to the 2014-15 school year. We are excited to begin our
educational journey together and look forward to helping our students grow and
learn! We sincerely appreciate all our community does to support Garden County
Schools.
-Dr. Paula Sissel
[email protected]
Garden County Schools
Superintendent/Elementary
Principal