PTSC Update: Summer Reading and Math Resources

Looking for ways to keep your kids working on reading and math skills all summer long?  Here are a couple of free resources for you!

Here’s a great resource you can use for reading–which may help you as you enroll in a summer reading program at a local library!

And for Math, if you are looking for some great activities you can do with your child, sign up following the information below!

PTSC Standouts

Did you know that each year the United States Bowling Congress selects one bowler to receive the Annual Zeb award?  For 2019 the winner is Alexander Kobus from BGHS.  WOW!  The link to the award notification is below:

https://bowl.com/News/NewsDetails.aspx?id=23622332605

This came in to BGE about Mrs. Holland’s classroom after an activity that happened in her room–too great not to share!

Joy, Pizza, & Fractions

I’ve been in the pizza business for 30 years, ever since I was 15. I’ve been the sole owner of my own pizzeria for the last 12 years. It’s a little hard to admit, but after the initial excitement of “I own my own place” wore off, I became really weighed down in my spirit by the monotony, the daily grind, and all the little pressures involved in owning my own business. Don’t get me wrong, I have a passion for making pizza, but there’s so much more to it than that.

Do you ever feel like that in your life’s work? I sure did, and it made me miserable for quite some time. I took some time off and really began to look at my life and my business. I asked myself how these two entities could exist in harmony together and how I could (or, IF I could) find a higher purpose in my work.

Somewhere along the journey of my life I discovered that I have a unique ability to connect with people. Well one day, I realized that this could be the missing piece of “true meaning” for my business, and what came out of it was my vision statement for Gelsosomo’s Pizzeria Crown Point.

“To foster an environment of genuine connection with our community, guests, and team through the art of pizza and hospitality”

Once I began to have this attitude in my work, everything changed……dramatically. It didn’t happen overnight, but eventually that weight began to lift off me and I found joy in my work again.

Last week I was invited to Boone Grove Elementary School to share my pizza wisdom with Mrs. Hollands 4th grade math class. Of course I jumped at the opportunity because it perfectly fit my vision. Mrs. Holland used the example of pizza toppings to teach about fractions. You know, a quarter pepperoni, a quarter sausage, and half cheese……..that kind of stuff. Each student had to solve a couple fraction problems on a card to be able to make their own pizza. I was able to walk around and help the kids, and then gave them advice on how to make a great looking pizza. I was amazed at how well they did! Mrs. Holland’s dedication to these kids absolutely left me in awe.

It’s very easy to get caught up in business stuff……..food cost and numbers and paying the bills on time. But it’s opportunities like these that bring me the most joy. I mean just look at those smiles. Every single one of them just had an absolute blast.

I can say without hesitation that I felt a thousand times more joy when I left that school than I could ever feel even on a record breaking night at my restaurant. All those sales figures just go right out the window, because THIS really mattered.

All made possible by pizza, fractions, and a little bit of thinking outside the box. Take care!

Many blessings,

Peter

 

 

There are SO MANY standouts happening right now–we have BGHS STATE Champions in our Interdisciplinary Academic Team and an amazing 2nd place State finish from our English team–and we placed top 10 for our academic competitions this year.  We have PCC Tournaments Champions for Softball.  We have Boys Golf winning the Westville invitational.  We have the PCC Boys Track Champions.  The list goes on and on.  One way to follow all of these highlights is to find folks on Twitter.  You can follow me at @DrStaceySchmidt.  Our Athletic Department tweets at @BGWolvesSports.  You can find Mr. Rosinia at @MrRosinia.  These are some great ways to find out more standouts in real time!

Do you have a standout to include in this section?  Email PTSC standouts to Dr. Schmidt at stacey.schmidt@ptsc.k12.in.us to make sure your standout is included.  She counts on you to send her updates all can celebrate PTSC student accomplishments!

Important Dates:

• • Approved 2018-2019 Calendar
  • 2019-2020 Calendar
  • May 27:  Memorial Day–No School
  • May 29:  Last Student Day
  • May 31:  BGHS Graduation

• Things to Know/Do:

  • Now hiring substitute teachers! Please contact Linda Dusek at the administration building if you are interested in substitute teaching and she will help you start the application process and discuss qualifications.
  • Do your friends and neighbors know how to find our weekly updates? Even if your neighbors don’t have kids in school tell them about our weekly updates so they can hear the great news of what happens at PTSC!
  • Every Wednesday is a 30-minute delayed start. If we have a 2-hour delay, students will arrive at school 2 hours after the regular start time for the building.

PTSC Update: BGHS Academic Competition Champions

BGHS Academic Competition Champions

 

Our Boone Grove High School Academic Teams have been out on the road competing in two recent completions.  The first took place at Purdue Northwest and placed Boone Grove High School up against all of the other Porter County public high schools (Chesterton High School, Hebron High School, Kouts High School, Morgan Township High School, Portage High School, Valparaiso High School, Washington Township High School and Wheeler High School).

The schools compete in a variety of subject areas, vying for the opportunity secure victory in each discipline.  Teams compete in disciplinary competitions in Science, English, Fine Arts, Social Studies, Math, and an Interdisciplinary competition.

BGHS placed first in the overall competition.  WOW!  Great work—and a show of dominance for our students and the hard-working staff members that coach these teams.

BGHS won individual competitions in English, Fine Arts, and Interdisciplinary and took second in Social Studies.

Just this past weekend, BGHS also competed in the Porter County Conference (PCC) Academic Competition against Hebron, Kouts, LaCrosse/Wanatah, Morgan Township, South Central, Washington Township, and Westville.

BGHS placed first in this competition as well!  Additionally they won individual competitions in Social Studies, Math, Science, Fine Arts, and Interdisciplinary.

A lot of work happens in preparation for these competitions.  Our students did a fantastic job and dominated both competitions.  Great job to our Coaches (Mrs. Swan, Mrs. Sarnowski, Mr. Snow, Mrs. Welbourne Swetalla, and Mr. Creech.

Watch for more news in April when the competitions continue at Wheeler High School–this time with our teams competing to head to State!  Go Wolves!

PTSC Standouts

 

Congratulations to our 2019 PCC Boys Volleyball Champions from BGMS!  Way to go, Team!

 

Congratulations to both BGHS & BGMS Wolves Cheer as they took First Place/ Division Champions this past weekend in the CheerMax Battle Of Champions Indiana down in Muncie!  Great work!

Do you have a standout to include in this section?  Email PTSC standouts to Dr. Schmidt at stacey.schmidt@ptsc.k12.in.us to make sure your standout is included.  She counts on you to send her updates all can celebrate PTSC student accomplishments!

Important Dates:

• • Approved 2018-2019 Calendar
  • 2019-2020 Calendar
  • March 18:  Apple Controls for Parents–6:30 PM at BGMS  Come and learn all about what you can do through iOS and the controls Apple gives to parents to monitor and shape what kids do on devices!  This is going to be an awesome opportunity for all PTSC parents to learn more about the capabilities available!
• 
  • March 19:  Ivy Tech Parent and Student Night at 5 pm
• 
  • March 20:  BGHS/BGMS Online Day
  • March 25-29:  Spring Break–No School
  • April 11:  Early Learning Night at PLE from 4:30-6:00 pm  Each month we have an “Early Learning Time” where families are invited to come in for fun learning activities at our school. These learning times have themed activities for you to work on as a family.  Please come, meet the teachers, and see our school!  Please enter through the front “F” doors of Porter Lakes Elementary.
  • April 17:  BGHS/BGMS Online Day
  • April 19:  Make-up Day (No School or make-up day if needed)
  • April 22:  Make-up Day (No School or make-up day if needed)
  • April 26, 27, 28:  BGHS Spring Musical!
    Boone Grove High School Drama Club Presents:
    Little Shop Of Horrors Musical
    3 SHOWS ONLY!
    Friday April 26-7pm
    Saturday April 27-5pm
    Sunday April 28- 3pm
    Tickets $10
    Students/Senior Citizens $8
    BGHS Faculty FREE
  • May 27:  Memorial Day–No School
  • May 29:  Last Student Day
  • May 31:  BGHS Graduation

• Things to Know/Do:

  • Now hiring substitute teachers! Please contact Linda Dusek at the administration building if you are interested in substitute teaching and she will help you start the application process and discuss qualifications.
  • Do your friends and neighbors know how to find our weekly updates? Even if your neighbors don’t have kids in school tell them about our weekly updates so they can hear the great news of what happens at PTSC!
  • Every Wednesday is a 30-minute delayed start. If we have a 2-hour delay, students will arrive at school 2 hours after the regular start time for the building.

PTSC Update: 2019 Legislative Session

Legislative Activity

I’m not sure how anyone could be missing it right now, but it is the long session in Indiana as legislators are working on the budget for the next two years.  Regardless of your political beliefs, this is an important time for every citizen in Indiana as everybody has some issue about which they care.  For me, it is education.

Don’t worry, this isn’t going to be a political post.  But I do want to share some facts with you about PTSC funding.  Here are some things you might now know:

Did you know that PTSC is one of the bottom 20 funded districts in Indiana?

In all of Lake, Porter, and LaPorte County, only School Town of Munster receives fewer dollars in funding per student.  The numbers you see above are the dollars we receive per student ($5352), followed by our Complexity Index ($$229.68) which is calculated based on poverty level, and 351 is our ranking (351st out of 369 school districts).  The letter following that number is our district letter grade.  So as you can see, we received $5,581.68 to educate each student this year (which also includes paying teachers, utilities, supplies, technology infrastructure and educational software, administrators–things that it takes to run a school excluding transportation and facility maintenance which come from local tax dollars.)  In case you are wondering about the top funded districts, here are what they receive per student:

You will note that the difference between the #1 ranked school and PTSC in funding per student is $2544.19.  This is largely in part to the level of students in poverty that these schools are serving.  It does take different resources to meet the needs of students in poverty.  In addition to these complexity dollars that PTSC does not get, these schools also have access to greater allocations from the Title I grant, the Title IIA grant, and many other grants that are based on student poverty levels.  We do not receive large allocations from these grants because our poverty level hovers between 20-24%.

Now on to this year’s proposed budget.  The budget bill has passed out of the House and now is in the Senate.  In their work this week they have changed complexity funding.

In an oversimplified nutshell, Complexity index is down 14% and they put the extra money into foundational support.  This is fantastic for PTSC.  Obviously, taking dollars out of complexity hurts a ton of districts and they see significant loss in revenue.  You can see the fight that is unfolding.  Short story—fantastic for us, terrible for others. Of course, we will see where it lands in the end.  Here’s a link to see for yourself:

https://www.indianahouserepublicans.com/clientuploads/PDF/2019/K-12_Tuition_Support_Formula_Run_with_Corrected_Complexity_Rates_(House_Passed).pdf (Go to page 108 to see PTSC—and note that the numbers are based off of an ADM model that projects our number of students.  It uses a projection formula that has us growing significantly—so I can’t say that the projection is correct as it has our enrollment high.)  The item of note is that foundation funding now moves up for us from $5582, which is helpful.  Without this, we have very little money to impact teacher compensation without looking to local taxpayers for additional funds as other districts have done through referendums.

(Credit to Rob James of Lake Central School Corporation for compiling data on the top 20 and bottom 20 funded districts)

PTSC Standouts

Here’s an awesome shout out to the 2018-2019 Bowling Team!  Congratulations to Freshman Ty Knight who was named the Quad County New Comer of the Year!  During Varsity Sectionals on Saturday, January 12th, two individual bowlers competed in the 2019 Regional Finals with Ty Knight placing 5th and Clay Kraus placing 7th.  Way to go!  The Boys Varsity team placed 2nd in Sectionals and competed in the 2019 Regional Finals.  Varsity Team members consisted of Hayden Neis, Blake Anderson, Ty Knight, Clay Kraus, Alexander Kobus and Payton Thill.  Great Season, Gentlemen!  Special thanks to Coach Jane Richardson-Kobus for sending me the standout!

 

The Porter County Career Center Video Productions and Media Studies class returned from the Indiana Association of School Broadcasters conference Monday after being named the Best Student TV program in Indiana.  This is the fourth Best School Award in five years collected by instructor, Bob Phelps and his students.  The students worked very hard submitting numerous projects for this award and had about a 12 hour day at the conference in Indianapolis.  Above is a picture of the class.  Don’t miss out on the amazing opportunities at the Porter County Career Center–this is just one of many programs your child can attend there!  Amazing!

Do you have a standout to include in this section?  Email PTSC standouts to Dr. Schmidt at stacey.schmidt@ptsc.k12.in.us to make sure your standout is included.  She counts on you to send her updates all can celebrate PTSC student accomplishments!

Important Dates:

• • Approved 2018-2019 Calendar
  • 2019-2020 Calendar
  • March 13: Please join us as the Choir Department Presents:A Choral Tribute to Americana Music on Wednesday, March 13 at 7pm in the Boone Grove High School small gym.  The cost will be Adults $4 & Students & Kids $2.
  • March 14:  Early Learning Night at PLE from 4:30-6:00 pm  Each month we have an “Early Learning Time” where families are invited to come in for fun learning activities at our school. These learning times have themed activities for you to work on as a family.  Please come, meet the teachers, and see our school!  Please enter through the front “F” doors of Porter Lakes Elementary.
  • March 15:  End of Quarter 3
  • March 18:  Apple Controls for Parents–6:30 PM at BGMS  Come and learn all about what you can do through iOS and the controls Apple gives to parents to monitor and shape what kids do on devices!  This is going to be an awesome opportunity for all PTSC parents to learn more about the capabilities available!
• 
  • March 19:  Ivy Tech Parent and Student Night at 5 pm
• 
  • March 20:  BGHS/BGMS Online Day
  • March 25-29:  Spring Break–No School
  • April 11:  Early Learning Night at PLE from 4:30-6:00 pm  Each month we have an “Early Learning Time” where families are invited to come in for fun learning activities at our school. These learning times have themed activities for you to work on as a family.  Please come, meet the teachers, and see our school!  Please enter through the front “F” doors of Porter Lakes Elementary.
  • April 17:  BGHS/BGMS Online Day
  • April 19:  Make-up Day (No School or make-up day if needed)
  • April 22:  Make-up Day (No School or make-up day if needed)
  • April 26, 27, 28:  BGHS Spring Musical!
    Boone Grove High School Drama Club Presents:
    Little Shop Of Horrors Musical
    3 SHOWS ONLY!
    Friday April 26-7pm
    Saturday April 27-5pm
    Sunday April 28- 3pm
    Tickets $10
    Students/Senior Citizens $8
    BGHS Faculty FREE
  • May 27:  Memorial Day–No School
  • May 29:  Last Student Day
  • May 31:  BGHS Graduation

• Things to Know/Do:

  • Now hiring substitute teachers! Please contact Linda Dusek at the administration building if you are interested in substitute teaching and she will help you start the application process and discuss qualifications.
  • Do your friends and neighbors know how to find our weekly updates? Even if your neighbors don’t have kids in school tell them about our weekly updates so they can hear the great news of what happens at PTSC!
  • Every Wednesday is a 30-minute delayed start. If we have a 2-hour delay, students will arrive at school 2 hours after the regular start time for the building.

PTSC Update: Facilities

Facility Work

This week’s update is to provide information on work that we have completed at our buildings, and to give you a peak at what work is still on the horizon.  I am now in my 7th year at PTSC, and a lot of renovation has happened at our facilities!  Here are a few highlights:

• New boilers and chillers at BGHS, PLE, BGMS, and BGE
• New LED lighting at BGHS, BGMS, BGE, and PLE (we are finishing work now at BGHS)
• New roof work at BGHS, BGMS, BGE, and PLE
• New office expansion at PLE to create a safer entry
• Parking lots repaved, milled, or sealed at BGHS, BGMS, BGE, and PLE
• Updated flooring and finishings at PLE along with renovations to restrooms
• New windows at PLE
• Updated technology infrastructure at all buildings
• Updated classroom heating and cooling at PLE, BGE, and BGMS

Work we are considering this summer:

• We are still finishing projects started last summer at BGMS/BGE
• Reconfiguration of the BGHS office space to utilize two classrooms that are currently under-utilized computer labs and transition them to a new front office space.  This new space will have a new exterior door which will be the way that all visitors and guests enter the building, directly into the office.
• Solar installation at BGMS/BGE on the roof.  BGMS and BGE have NIPSCO as their utility company.  As you may have read, they are proposing substantial rate increases (we hear potentially impacting these two buildings by as much as 16%).  A solar installation would save us dollars the first year it is installed, and will continue to save the district dollars in utility bill expense.  Additionally, this adds the opportunity for us to teach students about another source of energy.
• Central office repairs (this will likely be in future years):  you may notice that our central office is missing shingles at times as the roof needs repair.  We have additional issues in our technology hub in which we have trouble with heating and cooling, and water seepage.  The building also struggles with accessibility for some of our patrons due to door configuration which needs to be addressed.

 

The great news is that we have been fortunate to work to keep all of these projects tax neutral to the community (although if you have experienced an increase in assessed valuation of your property that means taxes go up, but not due to our projects).  Our buildings are aging and need repair and we have invested into the future with the work that has been completed.  We continue to keep our eyes toward the future with investments that will continue to benefit the district for years to come!

PTSC Standouts

Wolves Cheer competed at the Hobart Invitational Cheer Competition and made a clean sweep! Both BGHS Cheer and BGMS Cheer took First Place/ Division Champions! They scored over many schools from our area. Thank you, Ladies, for represented PTSC well and for all of your hard work and dedication!

Do you have a standout to include in this section?  Email PTSC standouts to Dr. Schmidt at stacey.schmidt@ptsc.k12.in.us to make sure your standout is included.  She counts on you to send her updates all can celebrate PTSC student accomplishments!

Important Dates:

• • Approved 2018-2019 Calendar
  • 2019-2020 Calendar
  • March 13: Please join us as the Choir Department Presents:A Choral Tribute to Americana Music on Wednesday, March 13 at 7pm in the Boone Grove High School small gym.  The cost will be Adults $4 & Students & Kids $2.
  • March 14:  Early Learning Night at PLE from 4:30-6:00 pm  Each month we have an “Early Learning Time” where families are invited to come in for fun learning activities at our school. These learning times have themed activities for you to work on as a family.  Please come, meet the teachers, and see our school!  Please enter through the front “F” doors of Porter Lakes Elementary.
  • March 15:  End of Quarter 3
  • March 18:  Apple Controls for Parents–6:30 PM at BGMS  Come and learn all about what you can do through iOS and the controls Apple gives to parents to monitor and shape what kids do on devices!  This is going to be an awesome opportunity for all PTSC parents to learn more about the capabilities available!
  • March 19:  Ivy Tech Parent and Student Night at 5 pm
• 
  • March 20:  BGHS/BGMS Online Day
  • March 25-29:  Spring Break–No School
  • April 11:  Early Learning Night at PLE from 4:30-6:00 pm  Each month we have an “Early Learning Time” where families are invited to come in for fun learning activities at our school. These learning times have themed activities for you to work on as a family.  Please come, meet the teachers, and see our school!  Please enter through the front “F” doors of Porter Lakes Elementary.
  • April 17:  BGHS/BGMS Online Day
  • April 19:  Make-up Day (No School or make-up day if needed)
  • April 22:  Make-up Day (No School or make-up day if needed)
  • May 27:  Memorial Day–No School
  • May 29:  Last Student Day
  • May 31:  BGHS Graduation

• Things to Know/Do:

  • Now hiring substitute teachers! Please contact Linda Dusek at the administration building if you are interested in substitute teaching and she will help you start the application process and discuss qualifications.
  • Do your friends and neighbors know how to find our weekly updates? Even if your neighbors don’t have kids in school tell them about our weekly updates so they can hear the great news of what happens at PTSC!
  • Every Wednesday is a 30-minute delayed start. If we have a 2-hour delay, students will arrive at school 2 hours after the regular start time for the building.

PTSC Update: State Assessments are Here!

State Assessments are Here!

Our annual assessment windows are here and for many students there will be some things that look different this year.  First, you can find your student’s testing schedule listed below.  It is important to note that these are the dates for all of Indiana.  Each school will set their own specific dates within the window listed below.  Please make sure to watch for communication from your school about when specifically your child will test within these windows.

As I stated, there are many new things this year with ILEARN.  The Indiana Department of Education has published a video series for parents to help you learn more about ILEARN.  Here are some videos you can watch to see what is to come:

Indiana Assessment System

How Does ILEARN Dig Deeper into Knowledge and Skills?

Writing on the ILEARN Assessment

Math Process Skills on the ILEARN Assessment

PTSC Standouts

An amazing Choir announcement from Mrs. Welbourne Swetalla:

Congratulations to our BG Choir Students who competed in the District ISSMA Solo & Ensemble Contest on Saturday, February 2 at Kankakee Valley Middle School.

The Middle School students earned 71 Gold Ensemble Medals, 14 Gold Solo Medals and 1 Silver Solo Medal.  ~ The High School students earned 80 Gold Ensemble Medals, 60 Silver Ensemble Medals, 21 Gold Solo Medals and 5 Silver Solo Medals, bringing the totals for Boone Grove Choir to 66 Silver Medals and a whopping 186 Gold Medals!!!   

A special congratulations to our 55 BGHS Choir Students who qualified for State and competed this past Saturday at State ISSMA Solo & Ensemble Contest at Perry Meridian High School in Indianapolis.

4 Ensembles earned Gold, 9 Soloists earned Gold and 7 Soloists earned Silver bringing the totals for BGHS Choir to 7 Silver Medals and a 89 Gold Medals!!!  Woohoo!!!  

They have all truly worked hard to make Boone Grove proud!

 

Congratulations to Jeremy Kranz and Seth Aubin winning wrestling’s individual conference championship!

Do you have a standout to include in this section?  Email PTSC standouts to Dr. Schmidt at stacey.schmidt@ptsc.k12.in.us to make sure your standout is included.  She counts on you to send her updates all can celebrate PTSC student accomplishments!

Important Dates:

• • Approved 2018-2019 Calendar
  • 2019-2020 Calendar
  • February 27:  BGHS/BGMS Online Day
  • March 14:  Early Learning Night at PLE from 4:30-6:00 pm  Each month we have an “Early Learning Time” where families are invited to come in for fun learning activities at our school. These learning times have themed activities for you to work on as a family.  Please come, meet the teachers, and see our school!  Please enter through the front “F” doors of Porter Lakes Elementary.
  • March 15:  End of Quarter 3
  • March 18:  Apple Controls for Parents–6:30 PM at BGMS  Come and learn all about what you can do through iOS and the controls Apple gives to parents to monitor and shape what kids do on devices!  This is going to be an awesome opportunity for all PTSC parents to learn more about the capabilities available!
  • March 20:  BGHS/BGMS Online Day
  • March 25-29:  Spring Break–No School
  • April 11:  Early Learning Night at PLE from 4:30-6:00 pm  Each month we have an “Early Learning Time” where families are invited to come in for fun learning activities at our school. These learning times have themed activities for you to work on as a family.  Please come, meet the teachers, and see our school!  Please enter through the front “F” doors of Porter Lakes Elementary.
  • April 17:  BGHS/BGMS Online Day
  • April 19:  Make-up Day (No School or make-up day if needed)
  • April 22:  Make-up Day (No School or make-up day if needed)
  • May 27:  Memorial Day–No School
  • May 29:  Last Student Day
  • May 31:  BGHS Graduation

• Things to Know/Do:

  • Now hiring substitute teachers! Please contact Linda Dusek at the administration building if you are interested in substitute teaching and she will help you start the application process and discuss qualifications.
  • Do your friends and neighbors know how to find our weekly updates? Even if your neighbors don’t have kids in school tell them about our weekly updates so they can hear the great news of what happens at PTSC!
  • Every Wednesday is a 30-minute delayed start. If we have a 2-hour delay, students will arrive at school 2 hours after the regular start time for the building.