Back to Back to

School Trustees by the Indiana School Boards

Association.

We struck gold at the end of year three! It came

in the form of the world’s largest educational

community, AdvancED - Advancing Excellence in

Education Worldwide. This organization consists of

over 23,000 schools in the United States and sixty-

five foreign countries serving more than 15 million

students. Besides providing research-based,

performance standards in a unified and rigorous

accreditation process, AdvancED uses internal and

external review teams of experts to monitor and

report on continuous improvement strategies of

already high performing school systems. The

extensive bibliography of references and services

provided were exactly what our school corporation

needed to facilitate our search for a Gold Medal.

So, during year three we decided we were ready

to formally apply for admission to this illustrious

organization. This process involved considerable

“slogging” (…and then some) on the part of

everyone in the school corporation to ensure that

we could, indeed, qualify as an elite school

corporation. All of this work culminated in a

formal Quality Assurance Review conducted by the

AdvancED review team from April 19-22, 2009.

On April 22, the Crown Point Community

School Corporation merited the Gold Medal of

National School District Accreditation by

AdvancED, official recognition that our school

corporation had joined the elite class of only some

6% of school corporations in the nation. The

chairman of the AdvancED external review team

acknowledged our accomplishment by saying,

“This is a great school corporation. One of the best

I’ve ever seen.” Indeed, our teachers and students

are top performers (...and then some).

Year four of our commitment to our community begins now. To fulfill that commitment we have

defined our goals and challenges and will use our

strategic plan to address them. We have formally qualified as an elite school system by virtue of our

District Accreditation. Our focus now is to continue

our expectation of continuous improvement in an effort to become not only one of the best, but the “best

of the best” - the premier school corporation in

Indiana. Our strategic plan and AdvancED provide us with the standards for quality school systems needed

to focus our efforts to attain this goal. But it remains

for us (the people) to carefully work toward a vision of the future, together. It is with and through people that

childhood dreams come true. Shh! Shh! The secret of

our success is the people of this community, and our motto – Schools of Choice in a Community of

Character – is real.

Later in this newsletter, enjoy a poem (slightly modified to fit my article) by Carl Holmes who says

this very well.

In appreciation for you (the people),

Dr. Teresa A. Eineman

...and then some

Hello again. Last year, same time and same

place, I promised to let you know how we are doing after a year of “slogging” (…and then some).

We made extraordinary progress toward becoming

the premier school corporation in Indiana, if not the country. So let us start with a progress review

for the past three years, and make audacious

commitments for year four. After all, iconoclasts

are abundant in our schools.

Year one, I was asked to move my family to a

place with good family values; a place with a good

school system poised for greatness; and a place where the community embraces the notion of

heritage preserved while fearlessly becoming the

best place to live, work, and raise a family in the twenty-first century. As an outsider looking in, it

was love at first sight – my dream was coming

true.

Year two, as an insider now, I had the

opportunity to evaluate our school corporation and

identify our strengths and areas in need of attention. To build on these strengths and address

these needs, I proposed that we incorporate the

concepts described in Jim Collin’s book, Good to Great, in our approach to placing our school

corporation at the top of our elite, comparable

school corporations. This concept focused on the strategy of implementing small, incremental

improvements in “a predictable pattern of buildup

and breakthrough,” kind of like a flywheel. Throughout the past few years, I believe we have

embarked on a program to do exactly this.

At the end of the second year, I had to ask myself what is the defining difference between a

good and a great school corporation. What does it

take to be the “best of the best” schools? I found the answer in a research-based theory outlined by

Florida State Professor Anders Ericsson as

presented in a recent Time magazine article. In that article, “slogging” is defined as a positive,

dedicated, solitary exertion; repeatedly practicing

the most difficult tasks until higher and higher levels of performance are attained. In other words,

slogging is to work hardest at learning to perform

the new, the difficult and the least familiar; much

like skater Kristi Yamaguchi perfecting a new jump

thus guaranteeing an Olympic Gold Medal. I believe this theory put into practice is the answer.

So, I realized it would require every person in our

school corporation to become a Gold Medalist by slogging away in this Olympian sense. Let us all

slog away at the most difficult challenges and slog

our way from Olympian Silver Medalist to

Olympian Gold Medalist.

In the book, 212 Degrees The Extra Degree, the

author dwells at length on how much can be

accomplished with just a little bit of extra effort from elite performers by describing what incredible

things happen when water temperature rises just

one degree to the boiling point. At that point an amazing transformation takes place as water

changes from liquid to vapor, which in this state powers a train. One degree made the difference! I

believe that by combining slogging with the

concept of improvement by small degrees we can accomplish a similar amazing transformation by

elevating CPCSC as a “Silver” educational

institution to pure “Gold” (just like Kristi). Let us

turn up the heat and enjoy the energy!

In year three, we needed to identify ourselves as

belonging to the Olympic class school corporations

and determine what slogging we needed to do to become the Gold Medal school corporation. We

have done so and reported the results in a document

entitled Academic State of the School Corporation, which can be found on our website

www.cps.k12.in.us.

In this effort, we considered the challenges our graduates will face on both a national and

international basis, just like the Olympics. The

world is changing rapidly and students need to be educated to compete successfully. For example, the

University of California-Berkeley estimates that

some 14 million U.S. jobs are vulnerable to moving offshore over the next few years. Not only are these

jobs moving, but many of them are knowledge-

worker jobs such as accountants, radiologists and engineers. We certainly are no longer just talking

about off-shoring cheap, manual labor.

In addition, we developed and implemented a

training manual - so to speak - for CPCSC to reach Gold Medal status and guarantee our students’

success. The Board of School Trustees did so by

developing a long-range and short-range strategic plan (…and then some). This plan, The Next

Decade: Bold – Brave – Bountiful, has four major

goals: a) demonstrate increasing, world-class, academic achievement; b) provide highest quality,

interconnected school corporation programs,

processes and services; c) secure community nurturing through shared expertise, collaboration,

communication and resources; and d) provide good governance by the Board of School Trustees

according to established laws, policies and

standards for distinction as an Exemplary Board of

Superintendent’s Message Schools of Choice in a Community of Character

August 2009August 2009

Crown Point Community School Corporation

Schoolhouse NewsSchoolhouse News

• Crown Point Community School Corporation (CPCSC) is nestled in a “Community of Character”

• Nationally Recognized School Corporation by Schoolmatch.com

• One of Indiana’s Top Ten % Fastest Growing School Corporations

• Visionary leadership, superb teaching staff, and dedicated support staff committed to educating all children to their fullest potential

• Indiana Department of Education Designates CPCSC the Top Achievement Accreditation Category—Exemplary School Corporation

Thank you to our teachers, the iconoclasts, who make a difference every single day for the children. (i-con-o-clast n. A person who does something that others say can’t be done)

Indiana Accountability System for Academic Progress Indiana Department of Education

Crown Point Indiana Schools Average Assessed Value per A.D.M. $383,009 $ 318,201 State Support Per A.D.M. $3,005 $3,888 Prop Tax Levy Per A.D.M. $4,718 $4,521 Tax Rate 2007 (before CAGIT) 1.3504 1.4710 Total Expenditures Per Pupil Three-Year Avg. $8,800 $10,400 Teachers, Average Age 39.6 42.9 Teachers, Foreign Language 3.2% 2.4% Teachers, Art and Music 7.9% 6.9% Attendance Rate 96.2% 95.9 Graduates/Matriculation Rate 95.9 89.7 College Attendance Rate 83.5% 76.1% SAT Scores (Composite) 1024 1004 ACT Scores (Composite) 24.2 22.0 Advanced Placement Classes (Participation) 26% 20% Advanced Placement Exams 3 or Above 64% 50% ISTEP Pct Pass Math 86% 75% ISTEP Pct Pass English/LA 84% 72% ISTEP Pct Pass Both Engl and Math 79% 65% Percent Students in Gifted and Talented Education 20% 12%

Remediation Dollars per ADM $4 $7 Per Capita Income $23,633 $20,397 Adults w/Less Than High Sch Ed 12.4% 17.9% Families Below Poverty 4.3% 6.7% Single Parent Families 14.5% 27.8% Same Residence Five Year Period 60.8% 55.0% Stability Index, Pct of Days Enrolled 92.5% 89.1% Children w/ At-Risk Mothers 1.3% 3.6% Free Lunch, Pct Pupils Elig 13.1% 31.9% Special Ed Students 11.7% 17.8% Minority Students 14.3% 24.9% Limited English 2.14% 4.27% Square Miles (Area) 66 123 Round Trip Bus Miles 2,355 1,513 Enrollment 7,417 3,033 Suspension or Expul. Incidents/100 Students 11.7 15.2

Inside this issue:

• Superintendent’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

• Superintendent’s Bulldog Bark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 CPCSC Statistics “And Then Some…”

• School Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Administrative/Support Service Centers/Schools

• School Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Registration Schedule Online Registration Textbook Rental Annual Notices

• Crown Point High School. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

• Student Assessment System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

• Transportation Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Emergency School Closings

• Technology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

• Parent/Teacher Communication Link . . . . . . . . . 9 ALERTNOW Notification Stay Connected Programs/Services CPCSC - Your Homepage

• Cafeteria Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Childcare Crown Point Community Foundation

• Our Schoolhouses: Past, Present, Future . . . . . . 11

• Home-School Compact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Parent Access to Student Grades/Information

• Employment Opportunities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Athletic Tickets Senior Citizen Passes Crisis Response and Prevention

• Admission Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Student Insurance

Back to School Page 2

Indiana recently designated all our schools as top perform-

ers. Kudos to our community because it certainly takes a community to raise children.

Indiana Department of Education

221 Status Based

Performance and Improvement

Longitudinal Academic Data

2006-2007, 2007-2008, 2008-2009

Exemplary – Highest Category

Crown Point Community School Corporation

Crown Point High School

Robert A. Taft Middle School

Dwight D. Eisenhower Elementary School

Douglas MacArthur Elementary School

Jerry Ross Elementary School

Lake Street Elementary School

Solon Robinson Elementary School

Timothy Ball Elementary School

Commendable – High Category

Colonel John Wheeler Middle School

Winfield Elementary School

CROWN POINT SCHOOLS

National and State Accredited

“And Then Some…

These three little words are the secret to success. They are the difference between average people and top people in schools and communities. The top people always do what is expected … and then some. They are thoughtful of others, they are considerate and kind … and then some. They meet their responsibilities fairly and squarely … and then some. They are good friends and helpful neighbors … and then some. They can be counted on in an emergency … and then some. I am thankful for people like this, for they make the world a better place. Their spirit of service is summed up in these three little

words … and then some.” - Carl Holmes

Superintendent’s Bulldog Bark!

Crown Point High School 1500 South Main Street Crown Point, IN 46307

(219) 663-4885 Dr. Eric J. Ban, Principal

eban@cps.k12.in.us Deborah Cuffia, Assistant Principal Mark Gianfermi, Assistant Principal Dave Templin, Assistant Principal

Chip Pettit, Dean of Students Cynthia Dewes, Dean of Students William Dorulla, Athletic Director

Mike Malaski, Assistant Athletic Director

Corporation Website: www.cps.k12.in.us

Colonel John Wheeler Middle School 401 East Joliet Street

(219) 663-2173 Tim Vassar, Principal tvassar@cps.k12.in.us

Deborah Zych, Assistant Principal

Board of School Trustees

Northwest Indiana’s Schools of Choice

Dwight D. Eisenhower Elementary

1450 South Main Street

Phone: (219) 663-8800

Mary Ann Chapko, Principal

mchapko@cps.k12.in.us

Lake Street Elementary

475 Lake Street

Phone: (219) 663-5683

Deb Ciochina, Principal

dciochina@cps.k12.in.us

Douglas MacArthur Elementary

12900 Fairbanks Avenue

Cedar Lake, IN 46303

Phone: (219) 374-7866

Marian Buchko, Principal

mlbuchko@cps.k12.in.us

Solon Robinson Elementary

601 Pettibone Street

Phone: (219) 663-2525

Barbara Merrill, Principal

bmerrill@cps.k12.in.us

Timothy Ball Elementary

720 West Summit

Phone: (219) 663-0047

Art Equihua, Principal

equihua@cps.k12.in.us

Winfield Elementary

13128 Montgomery Street

Phone: (219) 663-2287

Patricia Carnahan, Principal

pcarnahan@cps.k12.in.us

Robert A. Taft Middle School 1000 South Main Street Phone: (219) 663-1507 Michael Hazen, Principal mchazen@cps.k12.in.us

Dave Demaree, Assistant to the Principal

Administrative Service Center 200 E. North Street

Crown Point, IN 46307 (219) 663-3371

cpsweb@cps.k12.in.us

Dr. Teresa A. Eineman, Superintendent Diana Green, Administrative Assistant

John Williams, Director of Personnel jswilli@cps.k12.in.us

Sheri Anderson, Personnel Secretary

James Hardman, Director of Curriculum jhardman@cps.k12.in.us

Kendra Daves, Curriculum Secretary Sheri Tokoly, Curriculum Secretary

Matt Ruess, Chief Financial Officer mruess@cps.k12.in.us

Gene Williams, Deputy Treasurer Cara Bonich, Employee Benefits

Laurie Cooper, Payroll Processor Diane Sprehe, Accounts Payable Marci Hendricks, Data Specialist

Pam Maloney, Director of Food Service pmaloney@cps.k12.in.us

Gladys Rediger, Food Service Coordinator

Mary Michals, Receptionist

Dr. Susan Niendorf, Director of Exceptional Learners

sniendorf@cps.k12.in.us Liz VanGundy, Exceptional Learners Secretary

Support Service Center 1151 East Summit Street Crown Point, IN 46307

Buildings/Grounds: (219) 663-5701 Jim Burggraf, Director of Buildings/Grounds

jburggraf@cps.k12.in.us

Transportation: (219) 663-1465 Karin J. Toth, Director of Transportation

ktoth@cps.k12.in.us

Technology: (219) 662-5659 George Tachtiris, Director of Technology/Media

gtach@cps.k12.in.us Doug Taylor, Network Engineer

Allen Rawlings, iSeries Administrator Brooke Regnier, Network Administrator

ExcellenceExcellence

In In

EducationEducation

Business meetings of the Board of School Trustees are held once a month on the fourth Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. Meetings are held at the Administrative Service Center located at 200 E. North Street, Crown Point, Indiana. Meeting date changes will be posted on the school corporation website and media will be notified. The public is invited to attend these business meetings to observe the process of school governance.

The Board of School Trustees is the governing body of the school corporation and is comprised of five members who serve overlapping terms of four years. School Board Trustees begin their terms on July 1, and govern through policy. These policies are posted on the school corporation website.

2009-2010 Exceptions to the fourth Monday:

September 21, 2009 and December 14, 2009

Karen Schrum, President Scott Angel, Vice President Tom Hoffman, Secretary Patti Wolter, Member Jerry Caravana, Member

School Corporation Security (All Schools)

Milan Damjanovic, Director of Safety & Security

milan@cps.k12.in.us (219) 663-4885, Ext. 11019

Indiana

The mission of the Crown Point Community School Corporation, a partnership of students, families, staff and community is to provide the highest quality educational program possible that enhances lifelong learning.

Page 3 Back to School

Jerry Ross Elementary

11319 Randolph Street

Phone: (219) 663-3010

Jennifer Stolarz, Principal

jstolarz@cps.k12.in.us

Page 4 Back to School Page 4

Registration Schedule Crown Point High School New students to the school cor-poration may register at Crown Point High School throughout the summer months on Wednesdays. Appointments are preferred by call-ing 219-663-4885. Information re-garding the distribution of schedules and paying book rental for returning students is as follows:

August 13, 2009 Seniors & Juniors 7 a.m. - 11 a.m. Sophomores & Freshman 12 p.m. - 4 p.m. (Sophomores will NOT receive parking permits at registration)

Open to all levels 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Freshmen: Orientation: August 14 8 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Elementary Schools All seven elementary schools: August 3, 4 & 5 9:00-11:00 1:00-3:00

Evening Registration: Monday, August 3 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Registration schedule for new and returning students at the high school, middle schools and elementary schools:

Robert A. Taft Middle School and Colonel John Wheeler Middle School

New student registration is by appointment only. Please call Taft, 663-1507, or Colonel Wheeler, 663-2173 after August 8 to schedule an appointment with the grade appropriate counselor. New student enrollment packets are available at Taft and Colonel Wheeler now and at the Administrative Center. Students can pick up their schedules for the 2009-2010 school year on the following dates and times:

August 11 – 6th Graders A-M 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. N-Z 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

August 12 – 7h Graders A-M 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. N-Z 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

August 13 – 8th Graders

A-M 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. N-Z 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Evening Registration: August 12, 2009 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Kindergarten $ 79.00 Grade 3 $147.00

TK 1 $ 85.00 Grade 4 $140.00

Grade 1 $123.00 Grade 5 $133.00

Grade 2 $149.00

A $15.00 consumable materials fee will be added to this amount for students participating in the Gifted and Talented Program.

Middle Schools and Crown Point High School fees are determined by course selection.

Textbook rental and fees must be paid in full by September 25, 2009 for parents or guardians who are not eligible for assistance. As in the previous school year, all unpaid fees as of this date will be referred to a credit agency for collection. Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover credit cards are accepted at the school or online through your RDS Parent Access account. Parents of currently enrolled stu-dents that do not have an RDS Parent Access account can email rdsparent@cps.k12.in.us and request an activation code to create their account. Applications for free or reduced-price meals and other bene-fits including textbook rental assistance are available in every school office.

2009-2010 Textbook Fees

2009-2010 School Calendar

August 18 Teacher Orientation/Preparation Day 19 Teacher Preparation Day 20 First Student Day Grades K-12

September 7 Labor Day - NO SCHOOL 23 Interim Reports E - MS

October 2 End of 1st Grading Period HS 21 End of 1st Grading Period E - MS 29-30 Fall Recess - NO SCHOOL

November 13 End of 2nd Grading Period HS 26-27 Thanksgiving Vacation - NO SCHOOL December 2 Interim Reports E - MS 18 Last Day of School in 2009 21-Jan. 1 Winter Holiday Break - NO SCHOOL

January 4 School Resumes 14 End of 2nd Grading Period E - MS End of 3rd Grading Period HS End of 1st Semester 15 No School/Teacher Records Day 18 Martin Luther King Day - NO SCHOOL 19 Begin 2nd Semester

February 15 Presidents’ Day - NO SCHOOL 17 Interim Reports E - MS 26 End of 4th Grading Period HS

March 19 End of 3rd Grading Period E - MS 26 Last Student Day Before Spring Vacation 29-Apr 5 Spring Vacation - NO SCHOOL

April 6 School Resumes 16 End of 5th Grading Period HS 28 Interim Reports E - MS

May 31 Memorial Day - NO SCHOOL

June 9 Last Student Day E - MS - HS End of 4th Grading Period E - MS End of 6th Grading Period HS End of 2nd Semester E - MS - HS 10 Teacher Records Day E - MS - HS

180 Student Days – 184 Teacher Days

If there are less than 5 make-up days, the school year will end prior to June 9, 2010

Annual Notices Moving to the Website

The corporation annually notifies the community and personnel of various policy and procedures. These notices can now be found on the corporation website (www.cps.k12.in.us) on the Hu-man Resources/Employment page. There you will find information concern-ing Civil Rights Compliance Officer, non-discrimination, No Child Left Behind, student and parent rights concerning education records, Medication Policy,

and AHERA Notice.

Online registration will be available to parents of currently enrolled students beginning August 3, 2009. This new feature of RDS Parent Access will allow parents to update emergency and AlertNow contact information, view and print student schedules, as well as pay textbook rental online. Current RDS Parent Access account holders will be prompted to register online upon login. Parents of currently enrolled students that do not have an RDS Parent Access account can email rdsparent@cps.k12.in.us and request an activation code. New students, or students that were withdrawn at the end of the 2008-09 school year, must complete

the enrollment and registration process at the school.

ONLINE REGISTRATION

Page 5 Back to School

2008/2009 in Review: CPHS saw unprecedented success in 2008/2009 in academics with the Latin Team bringing home a state title, in performing arts with the CPHS Or-

chestra earning the only Indiana State School Music Association Orchestra All Music Award, and in athletics with the Wrestling Team bringing home the

first team state championship in 25 years.

Our community celebrated the success of the 2009 graduating seniors who secured a record setting 2 million dollars in academic scholarships. Addi-tionally, through an innovative partnership with Purdue University Calumet and Indiana University Northwest CPHS students can earn college credits for 15 dollars a credit hour. Crown Point families have the potential to save up to 700,000 dollars in college tuition costs this coming year from PUC and

IUN.

While our student accomplishments are many, Crown Point High School is proud to perform in an elite accredited system of schools. The following represents our achievement on 5 organizational school goals for 2008/2009 to establish an environment of innovation, performance and growth to serve

the larger community of Winfield, Cedar Lake and Crown Point.

Goal 1: Attendance: CPHS achieved the highest attendance rate in the history of Crown Point High School at 96.23%.

Goal 2: Learning Environment: CPHS reduced discipline referrals by 40% and reduced the number of threats and violence issues by 25% to create a

healthy and safe learning environment.

Goal 3: School Improvement: CPHS faculty reconstructed our curriculum to integrate more critical thinking by producing 1200 work products that define college and career readiness standards, authentic assessments, and curriculum guides (maps for all teachers to clearly follow). Additionally, we

have partnered with ACT to track the growth and development of every student with clear reports to parents and students.

Goal 4: Exceptional Needs: CPHS focused on the needs of our most vulnerable population of students. By doing so we saw great gains that lead us to

achieve exemplary school status for the first time in our history.

Goal 5: Vision: Finally, CPHS created a road map for our growth through the work of a Discovery team that represented students, faculty, parents, community leaders, and university partners. In undertaking this work we also developed powerful partnerships with Purdue University Calumet and

Indiana University Northwest as a model for the state.

Additionally, CPHS developed a stronger parent communication plan in 2008/2009 through the Monday 5 PM phone calls, online grades, enhanced website resources, continuing the legacy of Bridge Builders, and adding monthly parent education sessions. .

Parent / Student Engagement – Partners for Success

CPHS has examined student growth and development through the 2008/2009 school year. Our most successful students and parents are highly en-

gaged in our learning environment. The single greatest gain in student GPA is seen when students participate in extra curricular opportunities.

CPHS offers over 50 extra & co-curricular clubs and activities for students. CPHS has established a student leadership council for student activities. The LEAD council has been instrumental in launching additional opportunities for students including competitive science teams like Science Olympiad, additional student performance groups like Comedy Improvisation, and additional service learning groups like Interact in partnership with the Crown

Point Rotary.

CPHS offers over 20 IHSAA competitive sports where 70 athletes competed this last year in state champion level competitions. CPHS has established an athletic student leadership council that has set high academic expectations and organized a student cheer block to build school spirit and pride. Our

commitment to academics is demonstrated by over 44% of our student athletes earning a 3.5 GPA.

The CPHS faculty is our most valuable resource in delivering rigorous and relevant academic programs. Students and parents who engage with our faculty in learning conversations see the great gains in performance. As a complement to a strong honors program and over 20 advanced placement course offerings, CPHS has added honors world history, advanced automotive and machining, advanced culinary and fashion, business internships, and dual credit college courses in partnership with Purdue University Calumet and Indiana University Northwest. In addition to enhanced offerings, CPHS has

also launched online programs, credit recovery, and math and reading intervention labs to help all students with their unique learning needs.

2009/2010: Engage, Experience, Excel!

Through Academic Partnerships with middle schools, parents, community, business, and colleges, Crown Point High School will provide the pro-

gramming and support for all students to engage, experience, and excel as global 21st Century Learners.

1. Engage: All freshman students and families will be engaged as individual learners through rigorous academic programs, ACT assessments and

reports, student mentoring, and soft skill development that include time management and career exploration.

2. Experience: All students will experience rigorous programs and demonstrate critical thinking in diverse and creative learning environments.

Through the talent of the CPHS faculty and enhanced instructional technology, students will develop as 21st Century Impact Learners.

3. Excel: All students will excel in top national college programs and certifications that lead to high impact careers. This year CPHS is offering Pur-

due University Calumet and Indiana University Northwest courses for 15 dollars a credit hour, a 90% cost savings for students and families.

Crown Point High School – Where all students achieve to their potential!

Crown Point High School: Academic Partnerships Towards Excellence

Page 6 Back to School Page 6

CPCSC Student Assessment System In order to monitor student achievement and school effectiveness, the Crown Point Community School Corporation

participates in a comprehensive K-12 assessment system.

All K-2 students participate in reading and math benchmark testing 3 times during the year to monitor their growth and determine ap-propriate instruction.

All students in grades 3-8 participate in 3 benchmark assessments in English and Math to monitor their growth and determine appro-priate instruction. These assessments also predict student performance on ISTEP+ administered in March and May.

To be eligible to graduate in the State of Indiana all students must pass end-of-course

examinations in Algebra 1 and 10th grade English. These tests are administered the end of May.

In grades 8-10 college and workforce readiness skills are assessed. The ACT EPAS® Educational Planning and Assessment Sys-tem provides teachers, students and parents educational and career planning information. The system focuses on the integrated, higher-order thinking skills students develop in grades K-12 that are important for success both during and after high school.

How can students prepare for tests?

• Complete your regular schoolwork. Attending class every day and completing all of your class assignments on a regular

basis can be very important when it comes to retaining information. Do the work and you will do better on your tests. Guar-anteed.

• Study regularly. Don’t wait until the last minute to cram for a test. Use the night before a test wisely. Instead of cramming,

prepare for a test by taking time to review what you have already studied.

• Understand how the test content is organized. Is the test multiple choice, true or false, and/or essay-style? Just knowing

how the questions are organized will help you prepare for a test.

• Find out how the test is scored. Are certain portions of the test more important than others? Are there penalty points for

skipping questions? Once you understand how the test will be scored, you will know what you need to work on most.

• Eat and sleep. Eating properly can have an amazing impact on your body and mind. A good night’s sleep will affect you

similarly. Make sure you take time to sleep well the night before a test and when you wake up, eat a hearty and nutritious breakfast.

• Relax. This is the most common advice given to test-taking students. It’s also the best advice you will ever get. The more

agitated you are, the worse you will do. If you are feeling nervous, close your eyes and take a deep breath. Better yet, take five deep breaths. Continue to breathe slowly and deeply until you feel calm.

If you have questions regarding test administration or results,

please contact your child’s school.

Beginning of Year Middle of Year End of Year

Reading Aug. 24 - Sept. 18 Jan. 11 - 29 Apr. 26 - May 21

Math Sept. 21 - Oct. 16 Feb. 1 - 19 May 3 - 28

1st Benchmark 2nd Benchmark 3rd Benchmark

English Sept. 28 - Oct. 9 Nov. 30 - Dec. 11 Feb. 15 - 26

Math Sept. 28 - Oct. 9 Nov. 30 - Dec. 11 Feb. 15 - 26

ISTEP+ March 1 - 10, Writing Test April 26 - May 5, Progress Test

Test Date Purpose

Grade 8 ACT Explore November Planning and preparing for high school studies

Grade 9 and 10 ACT Plan April Planning and preparing for college and the workplace

ISTEP+

Transportation Information Kindergarten Orientation Day

August 19, 2009 is Kindergarten Orientation Day. All buses will leave the bus terminal at 10:00 a.m. and proceed through elementary bus routes. We do not have an exact time for picking up students on this day. Parents, guardians, and adult relatives are invited to ride with their child(ren). Upon arrival at their designated school, the driver will give a short presentation on bus safety.

After the presentation, everyone will be returned to their homes. The entire ride will last approximately one (1) hour. Younger siblings are not allowed to ride. All new elemen-tary students are welcome to ride also. Please contact the Transporta-tion Department if you have a new student. Parents are welcome to take pictures or videos.

If you have any questions or need bus route information, please call the Transportation Department at 663-1465.

The high school and middle schools will not issue passes to students. Only in emergency situations will students be issued a pass to ride another bus. Daily changes will not be approved.

M i dday t r an s po r t a t io n for kindergarten students is not provided. Parents are responsible for transportation of their kindergarten students. We will transport to corporation day care for midday kindergarten.

Students who live within one (1) mile of the school are not provided transportation. All stops will be at corners or mid-blocks. The fact that there are no sidewalks will not be a determining factor to justify house pickups, Only special needs students will have house stops; all other house stops will be determined on an individual basis.

One pick-up and drop- off point for all students.

All students will have one location to be picked up and dropped off

every day. Students may not switch pick-up and drop-off locations unless there is an emergency, and only then, if it is approved through the transportation office.

Safety Rules & Regulations:

Parents and students should familiarize themselves with school bus regulations. The school provides copies of these regulations in student handbooks. When students do not follow the rules, they jeopardize the safety of everyone on the bus. Students who do not fol-low the rules and regulations or who refuse to follow the directions of the bus driver will lose riding privileges.

Cell phones may not be turned on while on the bus. Students will be warned once and if they continue to turn on the phone, the phone will be confiscated and the parent will need to pick up the phone at the Trans-portation Department.

General Information: Transportation is available for all students who live one (1) mile or more from the school they attend as defined by the Transportation Department. Route pick-up times will be established during the first week of school and are subject to change. Pick-up times given to students are approximate times. Students should be at their assigned bus stop FIVE MINUTES PRIOR to pick up time. It is important that the student is at their stop and not inside the house watching for the bus. The driver is not required to stop if the child is not out at their assigned stop. Due to safety concerns, buses will not return for students who are not at their stop when the bus arrives.

Students are to ride their assigned buses only.

Parents must contact the Transportation Department before students will be allowed to ride a different bus.

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Emergency Weather School Closing Policy

When it is necessary to close or delay the opening of school, one of the plans listed below will be followed. Any announced school closing is for that day only. School closing or delay information will be announced using the ALERTNOW notification system. These announcements will be sent to phone numbers designated by the parents and will not be sent prior to 5:20 a.m. The following radio/TV stations will receive the announcement as soon as reasonably possible. Additional information regarding the decision process for closing school in inclement weather can be found on our website on the Transportation page.

School closings and delays will be announced on our website: www.cps.k12.in.us

Plan A- School Closing

All schools serviced by the CPCSC (public or parochial and the Special Education Cooperative) will be closed. Schools will not be open for instruction. Students are not to report to school. Building principals will report to their respective schools as soon as safety will allow in order to check building security and to give directions to custodial personnel on snow removal, extra cleaning/maintenance assignments, etc. Coordinators, directors, teachers, clerical, institu-tional/Chapter I aides, nurses, cafeteria staff, and bus drivers (with the exception of buildings and grounds/transportation), do not report to their respective schools. Building custodian(s), technician(s) and maintenance staff (day or night) are to report to their respective work areas as assigned by the Director of Buildings and Grounds as soon as safety will allow. Twelve-month Central Office staff will report as soon as safety will allow. Indiana requires 180 student days; make-up days for school closings are added to the end of the school year.

Plan B- School Delay All bus drivers and schools will start their day one (1) or two (2) hours later than usual. If there is a delay of two (2) hours, morning kindergarten classes

will be canceled. Afternoon kindergarten classes will report at the normal time.

• School dismissal will be at the regular time.

• School lunches will be served.

• All administrators, clerical, media, nurses, cafeteria, maintenance, and custodial personnel will report to their respective schools as close to regular starting times as safety will allow.

• Teachers and instructional/ Chapter I aides are to report to school in adequate time to prepare for the instructional day.

Plan C- Emergency Dismissal

Weather, mechanical breakdown or other unforeseeable emergency may sometimes call for early or emergency dismissal. Each parent should be sure that his/her child is instructed where to go in the event it is necessary for the child to arrive home early. A mechanical breakdown in one school need not affect regular dismissal of the remaining schools in the corporation.

WJOB (AM) 1230 WBBM (AM) 780 Indiana-105 (FM) 105.5 WGN Ch. 9

WAKE (AM) 1500 B96 (FM) 96.3 CBS Ch. 2 WFLD Fox

WGN (AM) 720 US99 (FM) 99.5 NBC Ch. 5 CLTV

WIMS (AM) 1420 Z-107 (FM) 107.1 ABC Ch. 7

Technology The mission of the Crown Point Community School Corporation Technology Department is to create a teaching and learning environ-ment strengthened by technology. We be-lieve that technology exists to help promote

success for every student. It is a tool to support the curriculum, reinforce learning, increase productivity, encourage creativity, and promote problem solving. We are committed to providing an environment where students will apply higher-order thinking skills and become self-directed learners, complex thinkers, ef-fective communicators, and collaborative workers.

The Technology Department has created an infrastructure and provided equipment, software and training to support the mission:

All buildings are connected via a sophisticated Fiber Optic networking system that provides high speed Internet and data retrieval.

Computer labs are available in all buildings, with additional computers in all elementary classrooms and all media centers.

Multi-media equipment is readily available in all buildings. Crown Point High School has a state-of-the-art video produc-

tion facility and TV studio. Building projects and renovations feature innovative and ad-

vanced technology.

Technology is a fast-paced and ever-changing field and the CPCSC Technology Department works hard to provide state-of-the-art equipment and facilities while looking toward the future. The expansion of service and features implemented and sup-ported by the Technology Department include:

The ability to purchase student lunches and pay textbook rental fees online.

The RDS Parent Access has been opened to provide high school, middle school and elementary school parents web access to grades, attendance, testing and discipline re-ports.

The CPCSC is actively participating in new comprehensive testing plans for K-12 education, which include state-of-the-art computer based diagnostic tools (grades K-8) that will quickly and accurately address the needs of individual students.

Schoolwires web hosting and design has brought uniformity, easy editing, and advanced features to CPCSC websites, including user friendly calendars and printable online forms for parents.

The BoardDocs paperless school board system has been implemented to streamline school board activities and save a significant amount of paper and postage while providing online access to the board Policy Manual, agen-das and minutes.

Discovery Education video on demand provides teachers and students with media-rich supplemental materials and video content that is directly related to the curriculum and state standards.

The ALERTNOW system provides parents and staff with timely, reliable, emergency information and announce-ments.

The 2009 – 2010 school year will be an exciting and pro-

ductive time for the Crown Point Community Schools Technol-ogy Department. Our Three Year Technology Plan is due for revision and the framework and outline have been developed.

The plan includes the development of a high tech class-room model. Our goal is to provide advanced, state-of-the-art equipment, software and networking for all classrooms within the district. Many of our teachers are enthusiastically using devices such as video document cameras, LCD displays and teacher audio enhancement equipment. The plan targets this equipment as essential for all teachers and presents a three-year implementation goal.

As more and more programs are formatted as online offer-ings or browser-based applications, the presence of a robust and secure network infrastructure grows increasingly important. The plan also addresses this issue and the installation of higher capacity network devices has already begun. The very powerful iTerra HA System to System solution satisfies our requirements for the present and accommodates our needs for the future. It is a completely redundant system that provides uninterrupted service and dependable back-up for all data in key information and productivity operations.

A three phase wireless technology plan has also been de-veloped. Stage one creates a wireless environment in the Crown Point High School addition and other areas in the build-ing. Stage two will provide wireless access in the offices, media centers, and cafeterias of all buildings. The final stage will pro-vide wireless access for staff and students throughout the Crown Point High School facility.

The Crown Point Community School Corporation’s website is an important and informative component of the Technology Department’s presence. It offers information, guidance and services for students, staff, parents, and the entire school com-munity. Everyone is encouraged to visit the pages often and set our home page as the default in your browser. The comprehen-sive website features link to:

The Crown Point Community School Corporation recog-nizes the value and importance of technology as an instruc-tional tool, administrative necessity, and avenue for communi-cation. We will strive to maintain our commitment to providing state-of-the-art and cutting edge access to high tech services and equipment.

Back to School Page 8

RDS Parent Access For Student Information

CPCSC Calendar

Menus and Pre-Pay School Lunches

Emergency Closings and Delays

School Forms Online School Board Meetings, Agendas, Policies

IDOE School Data Reports Timely Reports and Information

Headlines and Features Annual Performance Reports

Online Registration and Fees

Long Range Facility Plan

Academic State Of The School Corporation

Strategic Long-Range and Short-Range Improvement Plan

CPCSC Website: www.cps.k12.in.us (school information and directories) www.imagescrownpoint.com www.crownpoint.net www.crownpoint.in.gov www.city-data.com/city/Cedar-Lake-Indiana.html www.city-data.com/city/Winfield-Indiana.html www.doe.in.gov/data

Stay

Connected

Page 9 Back to School

• 22 College Board approved advanced placement courses in Math, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, Foreign Language, Fine Arts, and Practical Arts

• Vocational opportunities in Auto Mechanics, Engineering/Drafting, Graphic Imaging Technology, Machine Trades, Computer Networking, Culinary Arts, Cabinetry, and Interdisciplinary Cooperative Education (I.C.E.)

• Dual credit opportunities through Purdue University Calumet and Indiana University Northwest

• State and nationally recognized student publications

• Athletic competition in 22 IHSAA varsity sports

• Technology rich classroom environment in all buildings including internet ready workstations, media distribution, and video production

• Band, choir and orchestra for students in grades 5-12

• Challenging programs for high ability students in grades K-12

• Opportunities to participate in State and National Academic Competition in elementary, middle and high school

• Full-day Kindergarten and Kindergarten Literacy services for identified students

• Childcare for students in grades K-5

• Partnerships with Purdue University Calumet: Inquiry Math, Professional Development Sites for Field Experience

• Summer school opportunities for students to enhance skills and earn high school credits

ALERTNOW Notification System

Keeping our staff and students informed is a top priority of the Crown Point Community School Corporation. We have adopted the ALERTNOW Notification Service which allows us to send a telephone and/or email message to you providing important information about school delays, cancellations, school events or emergencies.

General announcements concerning a school event will be sent only to the primary number. The primary number is des-ignated as #1 on your registration forms.

Notification of school delays, cancellations or emergencies will be sent in a timely fashion. This type of call is sent to the primary number and up to four additional numbers that you designate. There will be a call sequence field on the registration forms to be used for the ALERTNOW emergency notification. You may also designate an email address on your registration form. The general and emergency notifications may also be sent to the email address.

A guideline for you to consider is to ask yourself, “Who needs to know when school is delayed or canceled?” Those are the people whose phone numbers should be included in your call sequence.

Parent/Teacher Communication Link All teachers in the Crown Point Community School Corporation have an exciting way to communicate with

parents via their telephones. A form of an electronic bulletin board keeps parents and students informed of weekly or daily assignments, announces upcoming in-class and school-wide events, and provides any information the teacher wishes to convey. The messages are placed in boxes with a number assigned to each teacher. These num-bers can be obtained from the student’s teacher at the beginning of school or at the school’s website.

We encourage you to check the Crown Point Community School Corporation website for all types of information ranging from school events to student performance data. It is easy to do so if the CPCSC

website is your homepage.

If you are using Explorer go to www.cps.k12.in.us and then go to the Tools menu along the top of the window. Select Internet Options. Under the General Tab you will see a window and below it a button that says “Use Current”. Click the use current button and this will make the CPCSC web page your homepage. Each time you open your internet browser it will automatically open to the Crown Point Schools

page.

If you are using Firefox go to www.cps.k12.in.us and then go to the Tools menu, select Options and then Main. You will see a window and below it a button, “Use Current Pages” click that button and CPCSC will become your homepage. If you open various schools in new tabs then click “use current pages” all of those pages will become you homepage and open each time you open your browser or click

home.

You may have noticed the RSS Feed button on some of the website pages. This is a handy feature. It will send you a notice when that par-ticular page has been updated. To use the RSS Feed feature you must have an email account with either Google, MyMSN (Hotmail) or Yahoo. These accounts are free and can be easily set up by going to one of those websites. Once you have established the email account go to one of the school web pages you would like to monitor. Look for the RSS Feed button and click it and then click the email provider – Google, Yahoo, or MyMSN. When the page has changed you will receive an

email.

CPCSC – Your Homepage Programs and Services

For information about how you can make a gift to help support the Crown Point School Endowment Fund, please contact Pat Huber, at the Community Foundation office, 662-7252 or Cynthia Dewes, at Crown Point High School, 663-4885. Remember, all

gifts are tax deductible.

The Crown Point Community Foundation wishes all students and their families a great school year!

Cafeteria Services submit an application if they are not notified of their eligibility by August 3, 2009.

Ala carte healthy items are available at each school and parents should set guidelines for their children which allows the frequency of purchasing these items. The CPCSC encourages you to support our efforts to create a healthy school nutrition

environment. We provide age/grade appropriate calorie levels and 1/3 of the Recom-mended Dietary Allowances for protein, calcium, iron and vita-mins A & C. School lunches also meet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans for total fat and satu-

rated fat.

Elementary $1.75 Middle/Senior High 1.85 Adult 2.60 Breakfast 1.10 Milk .40 Extra Hot Meals 1.55

Cafeteria meal prices have not changed this year. Parents are encouraged to apply money to their child’s meal account. This process saves time in the cafeteria and keeps a current record of your child’s money. A copy of your child’s account can be requested at any time throughout the school year or viewed online. Cafeteria staff will be available at registration to accept payments on all student accounts or payments can be sent to the school at the beginning of the school year. Payments can also be made online by visiting mymealtime.com. Charging in

the cafeteria is discouraged and notices will be sent when this oc-curs. Students receiving free and reduced lunch, as well as students with money in their accounts, must scan their I.D. badge or show iden-tification to get their meals.

Qualifying families may obtain applications for free and reduced price meals in the school offices. Applications will also be available at registration. Please complete applications as soon as possible.

Households currently certified to receive Food Stamps or Tempo-rary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) will be notified of their eligibility which will provide bene-fits unless the household notifies the school that it chooses to de-cline benefits. Food Stamp and TANF households should only

Working together to make good things happen. That is the vision of the Crown Point Community Foundation. The Crown Point Community Foundation is working with the Crown Point School

System to make good things happen for the school system.

Cynthia Dewes, Dean of Outreach and New Programming for Crown Point Schools, is helping to raise the awareness of the Crown Point Schools Endowment Fund. Mrs. Dewes will develop a Crown Point Alumni Association. She will also work to promote the education endowment fund that supports education programs and opportunities for the entire Crown Point Community School

Corporation.

The Crown Point Community Foundation is the fiscal administrative agent for the Crown Point Schools Endowment Fund. This endowment fund will grow over time and distribute grants to

educational programs for all Crown Point schools.

New at CPHS

Food Court Coming:

Italian

South of the Border

Oriental

All American

Home-style

Vegetarian &

Deli lines

Food Service Questions?

Call Pam Maloney

Director of Food Services

(219) 663-3371

pmaloney@cps.k12.in.us

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Childcare Childcare is offered for all public and parochial students in grades K-5. Three elementary schools are designated Childcare Program Sites: Jerry Ross, Solon Robinson and Timothy Ball Elementary Schools. The school corporation provides transportation between the Childcare Program Site and the child’s home school at the beginning and end of the school day.

The purpose of the Childcare Program is to provide a wholesome place with a loving atmosphere for children while their parents are at work. Students have opportunities for homework, active or quiet play, and rest.

Registration forms are available at the Administrative Service Center, 200 E. North Street, Crown Point, and at all elementary schools for the Childcare Program.

For program information contact Veronica Tanner, Program Director, at 663-2525 (Solon Robinson Elementary) vtanner@cps.k12.in.us or 663-3371 (Administrative Service Center).

Our Schoolhouses: Past, Present, and Future

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The Buildings & Grounds Department’s mission is to maintain, improve and expand corporation physical facilities, grounds and operations to assure a safe, healthy and efficient environment conducive to the educational process. Projects and activities consistent

with this mission that have been completed since the last issue of this publication include:

• Corporation-wide parking lot maintenance, including patching, seal-coat, and pavement markings

• Replacement of the Taft Middle School tennis courts

• Expansion of school bus parking at the Support Service Center

• Connection of MacArthur Elementary School to a commercially-operated water system

• Expansion of Crown Point High School to increase student capacity by 600

• Extension of Main Street to the south property line of the high school property

• Replacement of the high school football field turf with a synthetic turf system

• Construction of a football field locker room and meeting facility and additional concession building

• Renovation and expansion of Eisenhower Elementary School to increase student capacity to 600, doubling its current

size

• Major maintenance-related work at Lake Street, MacArthur, Solon Robinson, Timothy Ball and Winfield Elementary Schools, including: Roofing; heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems; windows; security systems; classroom

casework and interior finishes.

• Roofing at Solon Robinson, Timothy Ball and Winfield Elementary Schools

• Asphalt parking lot replacements at Winfield, Solon Robinson and Timothy Ball Elementary Schools

• Asphalt drive replacement and asphalt maintenance at the Support Service Center

• Asphalt maintenance at Crown Point High School and Colonel John Wheeler Middle School

• Outdoor track resilient surface installation at Robert A. Taft Middle School

• Outdoor track renovations at Colonel John Wheeler Middle School

• New telephone and voicemail systems at MacArthur and Lake Street Elementary Schools and at the Administrative

Service Center

Projects that the Board of School Trustees authorized and are currently progressing toward completion include:

• Canopies at the fueling islands at the Support Service Center

• Tennis court renovations at Colonel John Wheeler Middle School

• Safety fencing at detention basins at Crown Point High School and Colonel John Wheeler Middle School

• New telephone and voicemail systems at Solon Robinson, Timothy Ball and Winfield Elementary Schools

Student enrollment continues to climb to new records for the Crown Point Community School Corporation. Prior to the year 2002, the growth rate was relatively flat. Beginning with the 2002/2003 academic year, we began to experience an annual growth of 250-300 students. In 2006, we reached the level of 500 students in each grade level for the first time in our history and 600 students in grade 9 and was also the first year where total enrollment exceeded 7000 students. It became increasingly apparent, therefore, that the school corporation was in need of a powerful tool to help plan and project physical facility needs. Recently, a Long-Range Facility Plan was developed as that tool and is available online at our Internet website (www.cps.k12.in.us). This Long-Range Facility Plan closely tracks our annual student growth and utilizes various past growth patterns along with current student enrollment information in order to statistically project our future physical facility needs. The plan is updated each September with actual student enrollment data, making the plan truly dynamic. The plan allows us to accurately project when additional physical facilities must be open and ready for student use. Knowing those future dates, we are able to backward-project when the Board of School Trustees

must begin their planning process for those facilities.

We will be facing additional planning stages as growth continues in the school corporation. While the recent housing slowdown has tempered our growth, we are anticipating approximately 235 new students to the corporation this year. If correct that would take us to almost 7,700 student for the 2009-10 school year. The Long-Range Facility Plan is important not only to make sure we

have space for all of our students, but also is important to make sure we do not overbuild.

Home-School Compact A Home-School Compact is an agreement between parents, students and schools that outlines how parents, teachers and students will share the responsibility for improved student achievement. In keeping with the Corporation Mission the School Board and Administration agree to support and facilitate this compact between the Home and School. During the first weeks of school teachers, parents and students will be asked to declare their commitment to this compact by signing their name to the document. The Home-School Compact reads as follows:

As a teacher, I will help each student reach their fullest potential by

1. knowing the learning goals and objectives for the day and have a plan to meet them.

2. pursuing current and effective teaching practices.

3. working collaboratively with faculty and staff.

4. providing an academically rich and nurturing environment.

5. exemplifying respect for students, parents and staff members.

6. implementing school and classroom rules consistently and fairly.

7. encouraging the development of organization and study skills.

8. facilitating clear, consistent, and open communication with/between students and parents.

9. assigning purposeful and relevant homework with reasonable and definitive time expectations.

10. providing meaningful feedback on assignments and assessments in a timely manner.

As a parent, I will instill the value of education by

1. assuring that my child attends school regularly and is on time.

2. insuring that my child attends school with necessary materials and completed assignments.

3. utilizing communication routes established by the teacher and school.

4. talking with my child daily about schoolwork and activities.

5. encouraging my child to be actively involved in school.

6. showing respect toward my child, the teacher, the administration and the school.

7. establishing a time and place for my child to complete

homework.

8. providing a home environment that supports independent learning.

9. encouraging reading by being a role model and providing opportunities to read.

10. creating a safe and healthy home environment.

As a student, I will do the best I can to learn the most I can by

1. going to school and being on time.

2. making sure I have everything I need for the school day.

3. staying organized and turning assignments in on time.

4. listening and participating in class.

5. reading, studying, and completing my work at school and at home.

6. asking the teacher for help when I need it.

7. following school and classroom rules.

8. showing respect for myself, family, teachers, students, and friends.

9. being responsible to tell my parents about school and taking notes home.

10. eating healthy and getting enough sleep.

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Parent Access to Student Grades and Information

The CPCSC provides parents with their child’s student information online with a direct link to each teacher's grade book. Information available to parents 24-7 includes

• Attendance

• Current, completed, missing, and upcoming assignments

• Detailed description and teacher notes for assignments

• Status of each assignment such as turned in, late, or incomplete

• Class schedule

• Grades by Course

• Discipline incidents

• Detailed transcripts (not official)

• Standardized test scores such as ISTEP+, ACT, SAT

• Emergency Information

Parent Access is available at https://intranet.cps.k12.in.us/rdsparentaccess/

Crisis Response and Prevention Several Crown Point Community School Corporation staff members have gone through annual Crisis Response Team training to help our schools re-turn to a positive learning environment as soon as possible after an event that may impact a few students, a classroom, or the entire school.

In the event of a traumatic event or crisis situation, the Crisis Response Team may be utilized to respond with basic crisis intervention processes. The crisis response team will be available to assist with students, staff and/or parents; however, they will not be providing counseling or therapy.

Crisis Prevention

The Director of Security reviews the Emergency Response Plan and Procedures Guide annually and updates them when necessary. In addition to monthly fire drills, each school conducts weather related drills and man-made disaster drills. All of our schools’ doors are locked during the regular hours of the school day. Visitors must push a buzzer; be identified by the employee monitoring cameras at the entrances; once identified, door is unlocked and visitor reports to school office for verification of identity and signature attesting identity; lastly, a visitor’s badge is issued.

Senior Citizen Passes Welcome Seniors! Senior citizen

residents (age 62 and over) of Center and Winfield Townships (and handicapped resi-dents of these areas eligible for social security disability or social security supplemental in-come) will be admitted to home student ex-tracurricular, school corporation sponsored activities without charge, except for post-season athletic contests, on presentation of a school corporation issued pass verifying status as a senior citizen or eligible handi-capped resident. CPCSC’s Senior Citizen Passes will include a photograph. Senior Citi-zen Passes are available at the Administrative Service Center, 200 E. North Street, Crown Point, Indiana.

Page 13 Back to School

An extraordinary situation, which is potentially damaging to individuals and/or the school system, which is impossible to predict and overwhelms

the available resources.

Students, parents and community members who have information that harm may occur against a student or staff member or to the school building itself may call 219-663-4885 extension

9 to leave an anonymous tip.

Questions?

Call Milan Damjanovic, Director of

Safety & Security, at 219-663-4885

Ext. 11019

milan@cps.k12.in.us

What is a School Crisis?

Important Ticket Information 2009-2010

Top Dog—$125 (Plastic card gets you into everything) Big Dog—$ 75 (Punch card—all home football games plus 20 other games of choice) Student All Sports Pass—$65 (gets students into anything all year) Middle School and Elementary Five Punch Pass—$15.00 (any five games)

Varsity Football & Basketball—all tickets $5.00 (adults and students) All other sports — $5.00 adults $4.00 students

All employees will be issued a corporation photo ID that will be used as the official pass to admit the employee and a guest to all CPCSC activities except IHSAA tournaments and ISSMA events. If you do not have a corporation photo ID, please stop by the Personnel Office to have your photo taken for the corporation issued ID.

Go Dogs!

Go Dogs!

Go Dogs!

Go Dogs!

Go Dogs!

Go Dogs!

Go Dogs!

Go Dogs!

Employment Opportunities Crown Point Community Schools is always looking for talented people to work in the various jobs that keep our schools running smoothly.

Job-openings are posted on the Corporation website at the human resources/employment page and remain posted until the position is filled. The employment opportunities page now has RSS feed capability which allows you to be automatically notified when new jobs are posted.

Perspective employees should complete an online application located on the employment opportunities page. You may also upload your resume to the application. Applications are current for two years from the date of submission. Should you apply for a particular position and then have an interest in a newly posted position, you may express that interest by emailing the Director of Personnel.

Interest in positions and online applications are provided to the Department Director or Principal who screens the applications and resumes and conducts the interviews. Once candidates are selected as finalists, they are recommended to the Director of Personnel and criminal back-ground checks are run. All recommendations to the Superintendent of Schools are contingent upon the successful results of the criminal back-ground checks.

Crown Point Community School Corporation does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, or age in admission, treatment, or participation in its programs, services and activities, or in employment.

For further information about this policy, contact: John Williams at 219-663-3371, jswilli@cps.k12.in.us

in a student’s health file.

Public Law 150, effective August 1, 1980, requires immunization of all children enrolled in schools. Law was amended July 2, 1985, requiring students shall not attend be-yond the first day of school without one of the following:

• current immunization re-cord provided to school;

• a statement from a physician that required immunizations were delayed by extreme circumstances and a time schedule for immunization has been established; or

• a written statement of health, religious, or other objections provided to school.

Written proof of immuni-zations may be obtained from a family doctor or the Lake County Health Department.

Students will not be per-

Admission Information

Student Insurance

Crown Point Community School Corporation

200 East North Street

Crown Point, IN 46307

Postal Patron

Crown Point, IN 46307

ECRWSS

Non-Profit Organization

U.S. Postage Paid

Postal Permit #451

Crown Point, IN 46307

Schoolhouse News is published by the Crown Point Community School Corporation and mailed to residents in the City of Crown Point, Town of Cedar Lake (Center Township) and the Town of Winfield (Winfield Township). Diana L. Green, Editor

No student shall be allowed to keep medicine at school except as provided by state law. Any medicine to be ad-ministered to a student shall be brought to either the prin-cipal’s or school nurse’s office where it will be kept in a se-cure place.

Always try to schedule medication to be taken at

home.

Additional information re-garding our Medication Policy can be found on our website,

www.cps.k12.in.us.

Upon enrollment in the Crown Point Community School Corporation, a copy of the student’s official birth certificate, immunization record, and proof of residency must be provided. All students enrolling must live within the school corporation boundaries or be in the process of establishing residency within 30 days from the start of school. Two documents such as utility bills and a driver’s license or state photo ID are re-quired to prove residency.

The corporation does not accept tuition students.

Kindergarten A child must be five years of age

on or before August 1, 2009, in order to enter kindergarten during

the fall.

Immunizations

School officials ask for parental cooperation in complying with state law, which requires documented proof of required immunizations be

mitted to attend school beyond the first day without a written statement unless a waiver is granted by the school. The waiver shall not be granted for a period that exceeds 20 days.

All student health records will be reviewed by a school nurse, and a letter will be sent to parents if immunization data need to be updated.

Medication No medication shall be ad-

ministered to a student without the written and dated consent of the student’s parent. The con-sent of the parent shall be valid only for the period specified on the consent form and in no case longer than the current school year. The written consent of the parent and the written order of the physician are required before any prescribed medication may be administered.

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Crown Point Community School Corporation does not carry general medical payment insur-ance on its students. Optional accident insur-ance is available through a student insurance plan to assist in payment of medical bills in-curred as a result of an accident at school or at any time. Parents/guardians are fully responsi-ble for all medical expenses, irrespective of insurance status.

Application forms will be available at the schools for enrollment in the optional insurance program for those interested in purchasing the additional coverage.

Please contact the high school athletic office for information regarding athletic insurance cov-erage.