Celebrating the accomplishments of our students and teachers.
March 2012
Laurel School Plans to “Rock the Test”
Laurel School students and staff have been hard at work preparing for the upcoming ISTEP+ assessment taking place between March 4-13 and again April 29-May 10. This year, the staff came up with a program to boost student confidence and improve overall performance on the assessment. The program was titled “Rocking the Test”. Laurel School’s Carol Blake, Educational Interventionist, along with Rod Fuller, Challenge Teacher, spearheaded the campaign aimed at motivating students to perform their best on the assessment.
Over the last several months, teachers have been working with individual students and small groups to focus on English and Language Arts skills, an area where many students underperformed. Concentration has been placed on ISTEP+ vocabulary, understanding text questions and what is actually being asked, Greek and Latin root words, as well as figurative language. Acuity data has also been used to help drive instruction. In addition to the classroom work, teachers implemented a “Problem of the Day.” Each day the previous day’s question is discussed. Students who provide the correct answer are entered into a prize drawing.
Activity is apparent outside of the classroom too. Students and staff have decorated the building with bulletin boards, motivational signs, and student pledges to do their very best. We even had a day in which everyone could dress like a rock star.
Confidence is high at Laurel School that this year we’re going to “Rock the Test!”
February 2012
Music Department Night at the School Board
It was music department night at the Franklin County School Board meeting Monday, February 11th. Seventy six students earned gold ratings this year at the Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA) solo-ensemble festival competition. Seven of those gold metal students have qualified for State competition. Three of the State qualifiers performed their solos for the school board; the board members were impressed.
(L – R) Ellen Goins, piano; Travis Hinkle, voice;
Mitchel Edwards, snare drum
October 2012
BMS Students Nominated for National Young Leaders State Conference
Pictured are the Brookville Middle School nominees for the National Young Leaders State Conference. These students were selected based upon their demonstration of leadership potential, maturity and academic excellence. 1st Row from Left to Right are Jamie Shields, Brittany Anderson, Autumn McDaniel, Bridget Raible, and Mary Pennington; 2nd Row are Alexa Blessing, Ashlie Raible, Brooke Otto, Dana Branstetter and Nicholas Phelps.
The National Young Leaders State Conference (NYLSC) in Indiana is a unique, life-changing program for students in one of the most critical phases of their lives and of their education. This intensive four-day program, specifically for the most highly motivated students in the nation, focuses on core leadership power tools that provide scholars with critical skills essential for success in life.
NYLSC challenges its scholars to step forward with conviction and confidence, to grasp the concepts of self-awareness, social awareness and self-reliance, to develop strong relationship and communications skills and to understand and practice responsible decision making.
The curriculum of NYLSC is delivered by highly trained and qualified facilitators. Through their insight and guidance, and with the interaction of peers, scholars practice, apply and return home with the keys to help them choose the path toward making a difference in school and in their communities, and toward accomplishing their dreams in the future. If any individual or business is interested in making a donation to these students to attend the conference, please contact the Brookville Middle School office.
BMS Wins 1st Place in Math
The Brookville Middle School competed in their 1st academic competition this year with five other area schools on Wednesday, October 3rd. The math team won 1st place ribbons. Pictured are (1st row left to right): Daniel Smith, Andrew Lucas, Cole English, Sarah Short, and Alisha Lay. (2nd Row): Jake Houchin, Captain Austin Shaw, Dana Branstetter, and Kristin Wilkerson. The team is coached by Mrs. Beverly Yager.
Former State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tours FCHS
On Monday, October 8 former Indiana State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Dr. Suellen Reed, along with the FCCSC Board of Trustees, toured Franklin County High School to see all of the new technology recently implemented there.
The tour began in our new Project Lead the Way lab. Project Lead the Way is a science, technology, engineering, and math program that engages students in hands-on classroom experiences. Students create, design, build, discover, collaborate and solve problems while applying what they learn in math and science. The lab is designed to provide open space for hands on projects as well as 25 high performance computer workstations.
The tour concluded in a biology classroom where Franklin County High School teachers, Mr. Jeff Mersmann and Mrs. Cindy Andrews explained all of the new technology available in the classroom. Classroom technology available includes Pole Vault systems, wireless interactive whiteboards (Mobi), wireless student response systems (clickers), and android tablet PCs.
To view a brochure showcasing all of the classroom technology available within Franklin County Community School Corporation’s Schools, click here.
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February 2012
BES Teachers Host an After School “Activity Hour with Teachers”
On February 21, the third and fourth grade teachers at BES, supported by the school’s PTC, spent time with students and parents in Learning Stations. The hour was filled with demonstrations of activities parents and children could do at home. Groups rotated to all four of the stations.
At a Science Station teachers demonstrated how to make a biodome, using 2 liter pop bottles. Another station featured homemade board games focusing on Language Arts skills. Participants were sent home with materials and directions to construct games at home. Family Math Games using ordinary playing cards were demonstrated at a third station. Each family received a deck of cards and a packet of instructions for the various card games.
A final station gave parents and students hands on time with IPads and Kindles. Recently, classrooms throughout the county received these technological teaching tools for use in the classrooms. Teachers took this opportunity to share with parents the many apps and online ebooks available for reading tablets such as Kindles, IPads and IPods.
The evening was a huge success! The teachers received lots of positive comments about Activity Night with Teachers. Wendy Harpring responded to the evening by saying: “I want to thank you for the time spent preparing and putting on Activity Hour. We both learned lots of new things and look forward to trying them out. It was a great opportunity to spend some special time with my son!”
December 2011
ATV Safety Presentation
In the past few years, several students from Brookville Middle School have been adversely affected by ATV accidents. Dr. Frost believed that students of Brookville Middle School would greatly benefit from an ATV safety presentation. On Friday, November 6, Brookville Middle School held an ATV Safety Awareness Presentation for 7th and 8th grade students. Conservation Officers Dan Sprinkle and Brandon Shoultz lead the presentation during Mr. Wewe and Mrs. Rauch’s physical education classes. Several students had the opportunity to wear a helmet and sit on an ATV, practicing how to distribute their body weight while riding on hills and through turns. The presentation included an ATV safety booklet for each student, a safety video, and ATV safety procedures. This was the first time an ATV Safety Awareness Presentation was offered for students in Franklin County.
November 2011
Technology Demonstration
The Franklin County Community School Corporation board room was recently outfitted with new technology that mirrors the technology soon to be installed in Franklin County High School classrooms. Director of Educational Technology, Toby Witt, demonstrated the technology to school board members and the public during the regular school board meeting on Monday, November 14. The new technology will be used by board members for presentations and will double as a training room for high school teachers to learn how to use and successfully implement the technology into their curriculum.
Included in the technology package is an audio/video system called Pole Vault. The Pole Vault system includes a ceiling mounted multimedia data/video projector, control interface, and audio system.
Also included is a mobile interactive whiteboard called Mobi. Teachers and students can use the Mobi as a digital chalkboard. The Mobi will allow teachers to record the actions they perform using the device as a video file. Students can then watch the video on their own time as review.
The final piece of technology demonstrated to the board was a student response system. The response system will give teachers instant feedback as to what their students understand.
The video below will help you understand how the Mobi and response system will work in a classroom.
October 2011
Laurel School Fine Arts Department
The Laurel School Fine Arts Department held a community and school wide Spring Celebration last May, 2011. An outdoor school carnival, art show, and music production under the direction of music teacher, Mr. Rohit Menezes and art teacher, Mrs. Mary Sorrells was a success. 
The Elementary and Junior High Choirs and the Junior High Band performed popular favorites from the 70’s and 80’s like “Lean On Me”, “Jump”, and “Don’t Stop Believing”. Over two-thousand pieces of two and three-dimensional student artworks were displayed in the Laurel School cafeteria. The “Best of Show” trophy winners for 2011-2012 were as follows: Kylie Lea, (Grade 1), Brennon Russell (Grade 4), Rebecca Lecher (Grade 6), and Cody Sorensen (Grade 8).
Mrs. Sorrells, Laurel School art teacher displayed over fifty pieces of two and three-dimensional artwork at the October, Franklin County school board meeting. Mrs. Sorrells commented that the art program has progressively developed at Laurel School over the past fourteen years of her teaching career. Sorrells also stated that her curriculum consists of giving all students exposure to many art mediums while integrating various academic subject areas as well. Several Laurel School students representing five grade levels showed art their art at the meeting.
Jacob Wilson, grade eight showed a drawing that he had completed of a “dream house” using four drawing techniques with pencil. He also showed a painting that he recently did of a reproduction of the artist Rembrandt. The focus on this assignment was to be able to get a likeness of the colors that Rembrandt used in the original painting. Attached to the artwork was an artist research paper that was written in English class during the first several weeks of the 2011-2012 school year.
Ashton Russell, grade six, showed a sculpture that he had completed based upon the famous assemblage artist, Louise Nevelson. He also talked about a pointalism drawing that he completed with a still life arrangement based upon the artist, Georges Seurat. Ashton commented that he would like to be an architect some day.
Brennon Russell, grade five, showed a work of art that he accomplished during the first week of school. His drawing was an ocean scene with a hammerhead shark colored with marker.
Bethany Raab, grade four, showed a collage that she had finished including a drawing of her school supplies. Color was added to the drawing using torn tissue paper and watercolor paints.
Jackson Brumback, grade 3, showed a seascape drawing with a ship that he had completed with crayon.
Mrs. Sorrells concluded her presentation at the school board meeting with a three minute slide show which included pictures from the 2010-2011 Spring Art and Music Celebration. She commented that the 2011-2012 Laurel Art show will be held in conjunction with the Laurel School Christmas program. The program will begin December 9th at 6:30 p.m.. The student art exhibition and reception will be held in the school cafeteria and the Parent Teacher Organization will be serving Christmas cookies and punch.
September 2011
MCS Academic Team
The 2010 – 2011 Mt. Carmel Vikings’ Academic Team represented the school last spring at Union County Middle School in the Jr. Academic Super Bowl. There were 13 Jr. High schools that participated at Union County and hundreds throughout the state. This competition is one of many sponsored by the Indiana Association of School Principals. The Jr. Academic Super Bowl has categories in English, Social Studies, Math, Science, and Interdisciplinary. Each category has up to 5 members of the Academic team on each individual team.
The Mt. Carmel team begins the year by inviting new members. A list is generated by the current team members (the 8th graders who were on the team last year) with the ultimate decision made by the sponsors, Mrs. Karla Ariens and Mrs. Toni Miles.
Meetings and practices begin in December or January after the outline of the Super Bowl topic has been given out to the teams across the state of Indiana. A list of books, readings, sample questions, outlines including subtopics within the main topic, a list of terms in each category, etc. is sent out to each team. Students choose the individual team they feel they would be the best: English, Math, Science, or Social Studies.
The students work on their own doing research on their individual topics, doing the readings, and answering the sample questions. Mrs. Ariens and Mrs. Miles supervise the research sessions which are during lunch and after school.
Approximately three weeks before the Super Bowl, the “real” practices begin. The students finalize their research, try to finish the readings they have been assigned, etc. and mock Super Bowl’s begin. At each practice the teams will compete in a different topic. Just like the actual super bowl, the questions are put up on a screen; the students are timed and come up with a team answer.
At the Jr. Academic Super Bowl in the spring, Mt. Carmel placed first in English and was a top ten scorer statewide. The team also placed 2nd in Math and Social Studies this year. Mrs. Ariens and Mrs. Miles were very proud of the hard work and dedication of the team this year.
The team began the year with 20 members. However, they lost one member, Kyle Kerr, in a farm accident last fall. Of the 19 remaining members, 15 participated in the Jr. Academic Super Bowl. Those participating were Logan Catron, Mallory Stewart, Kayla Ward, Alec Tellitocci, Lauren Mohr, Ella Knight, Adam Gabbard, Courtney Steele, Honesty Eversole, Wyatt Dixon, Kessie Miles, Audra Young, Emily Reed, Samantha Barrett, and Madison Payne. Those unable to participate were Hailey Beneker, Marissa Strittholt, Ashley Beard, and Sydney Browning.
Past Celebrations: