Students to begin school next week
It seems that the summer barely gets started when people begin to think about back to school time. But, local schools have been preparing all along and have announced their start dates. Jac-Cen-Del’s first student day is August 5; Milan’s is August 8; and South Ripley students will be returning August 7.
Superintendents from all three schools say they are ready for students.
JCD’s Superintendent Ryan Middleton said the teachers have been working over the break to prepare for another exciting year. He noted, “Jac-Cen-Del has had its changes over the course of the past couple of years. The administrative team has met in length and desires to create an environment that encourages growth for both faculty and staff and our students…”
Supt. Middleton said they start educating students in Pre-K, but graduation is not the end, but rather getting students to be successful for their lives. He noted that the principals are on board to assist in making the school corporation the best it can be.
Superintendent Jane Rogers with the Milan School Corporation noted that the summer months at Milan are busy. The school is cleaned and maintained to be sparkling when students arrive. Scheduling and planning for the upcoming year has been going on through the summer.
An Open House will take place for all schools in the Milan Corporation on August 6 from 3-7 p.m. All students are invited along with their families to come, meet their teachers, and find their classrooms. Any questions will be answered, according to Supt. Rogers.
A ribbon cutting will be taking place at the Open House at 4:15 p.m. at the Milan Elementary School Café for the new Tele-Health Clinic. This will be in cooperation with Margaret Mary Health and school nurse Tammy Jutzi. The school received a grant through the Indiana Rural Health Association.
As South Ripley students get ready for their first day, Superintendent Rob Moorhead is asking for the community to be aware of the school buses on the roads. In today’s paper on the editorial page, he has outlined some of the new laws in place after children were killed last year in Indiana trying to get on the bus.
South Ripley has 20 regular bus routes and five special need routes that run daily. The bottom line is in the morning, between 6:30-7:45 a.m. and early afternoon, between 3-4:15 p.m. be particularly aware that the buses will be stopping.
Meet your teacher night will be held Monday, August 5 at the elementary school . The junior high and high school back to school community event will be held on Tuesday, August 6, with both events running from 5-7 p.m.
While each school has information particular to their own, all of the superintendents have one goal in mind – that is to make their school the very best it can be and offer students tools they can take beyond the walls of the brick and mortar where they will be learning. They are interested in equipping them for the future.
Schools have been preparing. Parents are also preparing their children for the school year with clothes, back to school supplies etc. Here are some safety tips that might also help in preparation for another school year.
Safety tips for children
If your child walks:
• Map out a safe route
• Practice walking the route ahead of the first day
• Find schoolmates who live along the way
• Outfit your child with helpful safety gear, i.e. reflective tape, jackets etc.
• Stress that phones should be put away with eyes forward. Be alert
If your child bikes
• Find the safest route
• Invest in safety gear
• Discuss traffic rules
If your child takes the bus:
• Introduce yourself and child to the bus driver
• Review bus stop rules
• Remind kids to sit quietly while the bus is in motion
• Go over what stop to get off at, along with what to do if your child gets off at the wrong stop.
If your child drives:
• Establish safe routes to and from school.
• Prohibit smartphone use and driving.
• Understand the state laws for teen driving such as passenger restrictions.
While at school:
• Talk about playground safety rules.
• Help kids identify a specific adult to ask for help if they feel unsafe or have a difficult interaction with another child.
• Work with younger kids to help them memorize your contact information, specifically phone numbers of parents, other caregivers, and emergency contacts.
Editor’s Note: Watch for The Guide to Ripley County, a publication of Ripley Publishing Co. in the month of September. In this you will find school schedules for the entire year.
