Financial aid event to help with FAFSA questions, scholarship applications

This entry was posted in News, TV High School on by .

Tippecanoe Valley High School seniors and their parents can get their college planning questions answered at an upcoming financial aid event.

An informational meeting will take place at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 5, in the high school lecture room. The agenda will include an overview of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application process. INvestED, an organization that helps Hoosiers with the college planning process, will be on-site to answer questions.

Representatives from the Kosciusko County Community Foundation and the Northern Indiana Community Foundation will also be at the meeting to discuss scholarships and how students can apply for them.

All TVHS seniors and their parents should make plans to attend. The event is also open to students and parents from neighboring schools.

There is no charge to attend the event. Light refreshments will be served.

VALLEY INSIGHT: TVHS – Committed to Student Success

This entry was posted in News, TV High School on by .

Written by Chad Cripe, principal at Tippecanoe Valley High School

As one of the newest members of the Tippecanoe Valley School Community, it is my pleasure and honor to write this article.  It has been a terrific start to the school year, and I am looking forward to ending the first semester strong.  At Tippecanoe Valley our mission is a commitment to student success through character, leadership and literacy.

I have been blessed with many outstanding mentors in my life, and as a former basketball coach, I turn to UCLA’s legendary Coach John Wooden and his teachings whenever I can.  Coach Wooden said, “Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, as your character is who you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”  At Tippecanoe Valley High School, I have witnessed numerous examples of leadership from our staff and students.  While there have been too many examples of character and leadership to list, I thought I would share the amazing things that are being done in our Peers class led by Mr. Kris Walker.  These students are mentors for elementary and middle school students, conduct community service projects, and recently attended a training for Youth Mental Health First Aid in which they received recognition for their outstanding character and leadership.

At Tippecanoe Valley High School, we are also committed to student success through literacy.  This year we have developed and implemented a new Return to Instruction (RTI) program for any student that is lacking the skills necessary to be successful in the classroom and on the ISTEP+ exam.  We have built into the class schedule three days for extra Math support and three days of extra English support.  This has been a collaborative effort by all the teachers to help out and give our students the extra support they need.  I am extremely proud of all the teachers, especially the non-content area teachers that have taken a risk and stepped outside their normal areas to help ALL students learn.  I am very excited to see our scores come back this summer so that we can celebrate the success of everyone’s hard work.

Finally, in addition to further support our mission to promote student success, I am excited to announce that we are working hard to bring new dual credit and Advanced Placement courses to TVHS.  Our students will have more opportunities than they have ever had before, and our goal is to create a pathway in which a student can graduate from TVHS with enough college credits to begin their academics at any Indiana university as a sophomore.  Also, we will continue to work with the Warsaw Area Career Center to provide certifications in trades and other dual credit opportunities.  We will continue to focus on ensuring that every student has the skills they need to be successful in the 21st century.  I am extremely proud to be a Viking and even prouder of our staff and students!  Go Vikings!!

Valley Insight is a recurring monthly article written by administrators on a variety of topics related to education and the Tippecanoe Valley School Corporation. Articles will be posted to the district’s website and also shared with the local media.

 

Tippecanoe Valley students collect food, money for local food pantry

This entry was posted in Mentone, News, TV Middle School on by .

Tippecanoe Valley Middle School and Mentone Elementary School both held successful food drives for Mary & Jerry’s Helping Hands food pantry in Mentone.

The annual food drives started on Nov. 13 and ran through Nov. 17. Mentone Elementary School collected more than 3,000 food items and more than $1,000 in monetary donations. Each grade level competed to see which one could bring in the most points. Fifth grade came in first, followed by fourth grade, and then kindergarten.

“This has been an amazing week. Mentone students have once again shown their amazing kindness and generosity,” said LeeAnn Rock, a teacher and student council advisor at Mentone Elementary School.

At TVMS, all first-period classes competed against each other. One non-expired, non-perishable food item equaled one point, while one dollar donated equaled one point. TVMS raised more than $500 in monetary donations and brought in 1,400 food items. Sara Thomas’ first-period class finished the week in first place with 284 points.

Mentone spellers compete in regional competition

This entry was posted in Mentone on by .

Mentone Spell Bowl came in 4th place at the regional competition in Wabash on Nov. 16, 2017. Caileigh Frentzel won a ribbon for a near perfect score of 6/7 words.

A special thank you to Mrs. Crabb for proctoring for our team. Mrs. Cody and Mrs. Sellers are happy the students had a fun year in spell bowl and congratulate them on their finish.

Spellers excel at regional competition

This entry was posted in Akron on by .

Here are the results of our Spell Bowl Competition in Wabash on Nov. 16, 2017.

Akron placed 1st in the Red Elementary Division with a score of 40. Helping secure a Flyer victory were our three perfect spellers: Jack Parker, Brent Miller, and Cassie Rich. The other spellers from the team were Elise Smith, Maris Overbey, Natalia Ortiz, Maci Parker, and Alivia Bucher.

Congratulations to the entire Spell Bowl Team! Way to represent Akron Elementary School!

Honoring TVSC staff during American Education Week

This entry was posted in Akron, Mentone, News, TV High School, TV Middle School on by .

Dear Tippecanoe Valley Staff Member,

Each year, American Education Week provides an opportunity to celebrate America’s public schools and honor the individuals who are making a difference in ensuring every child receives a quality education.  Public schools are the cornerstone of our communities.  We welcome students from all backgrounds, abilities and incomes, and each of us plays a role in ensuring our schools are open to all children.

The concept of American Education Week was born in 1919 when representatives of the National Education Association and the American Legion met out of concern that 25% of the country’s World War I draftees were illiterate and 9% were physically unfit.  The first observance of American Education Week occurred in 1921.  A year later the U.S. Office of Education joined the NEA and the American Legion as a cosponsor.  Today, American Education Week is celebrated the week prior to the week of Thanksgiving.

This year’s theme for American Education Week is, “Great Public Schools: A Basic Right and Our Responsibility”.  It’s up to each and every one of us to make our public schools great so every child can grow and achieve in the 21st century.  Thank you for your caring commitment and dedication to excellence in serving the students of the Tippecanoe Valley School Corporation.  You are in important contributor in helping us achieve our vision of doing whatever it takes to equip all students to be outstanding – today, tomorrow, and beyond.

On behalf of the School Board and administration of the Tippecanoe Valley School Corporation, apples from nearby Doud Orchards will be distributed for the staff of each Tippecanoe Valley school.

 – Superintendent Brett Boggs

Three Tippecanoe Valley employees honored for excellence

This entry was posted in News, TV High School, TV Middle School on by .

The Tippecanoe Valley School Corporation board of trustees honored at the Nov. 13th board meeting three staff members for their hard work and dedication to the school corporation.

June Yazel, a Tippecanoe Valley High School instructor, received a World Class Teacher Award. Audrey Summe, a paraprofessional at Tippecanoe Valley Middle School, and Dawn Rowland-Norris, the former administration office secretary, both received a Pillar Award for Outstanding Support Staff.

 

JUNE YAZEL

June Yazel enjoys seeing her students progress and get excited about learning.

“I think Tippecanoe Valley has a lot of great offerings for the kids and I’m proud to be part of it,” she said.

The TVHS instructor came to Tippecanoe Valley in 1990 and has been chosen to receive the World Class Teacher Award. June currently teaches Political & Economic Studies, along with two English 12 classes, and Driver’s Ed. She has also taken on several roles outside of the classroom by coaching divers on the high school swim team, serving as vice president of the teachers’ union, and managing the high school’s Facebook page. June helps coach the academic team and also helps operate T’s Boutique, a donation-based “store” inside the school that lets students borrow dress clothes for special occasions.

The Muncie, Indiana native says education at Tippecanoe Valley is more personal than the larger school she attended in her hometown. She says she appreciates the teachers for being so caring and making opportunities available to the students.

“The administrators also allow us to step outside of the curriculum to make it real for the kids. We don’t always have to follow a textbook. We can really tailor our learning to what the kids need and want to know.”

June loves keeping up with students after they graduate. Some of them contact her to look over college papers or for recommendations.

“To see what they’ve become is always fun. Some have been recognized as Distinguished Alumni, which makes me feel good,” she said.

June is married to Mentone Fire Chief Mike Yazel and have two children together. Ethan, who works in animation, and Isabelle who is a nurse in Hawaii.

 

AUDREY SUMME

Audrey Summe says as long as she can remember, she has always wanted to work with kids.

The Tippecanoe Valley Middle School paraprofessional calls it an honor to receive a Pillar Award for Outstanding Support Staff. Audrey has been working at TVMS for 14 years and currently assists eighth grade students and teachers with their coursework and lesson plans.

“I could be having a horrible morning, come in here, and it just perks me up. It reminds me this is why I do what I do,” she said.

Audrey loves working with middle school students because they still have a youthful side, but are also starting to mature into young adults. She also enjoys keeping up with her former students after they graduate.

“You sometimes wonder about the kids you’ve taught and how they’re going to do in life. It’s just amazing to see when they go on and do great things.”

Audrey also stays active in the community. She donates blood, has served on the Jack and Jill Preschool board, contributes to the United Way, and helps with school fundraisers.

 

DAWN ROWLAND-NORRIS

Dawn Rowland-Norris says it’s the people she’ll miss the most working as the secretary at Tippecanoe Valley School Corporation’s administration office.

“I always got to meet the new employees,” she said. “They would always come to the central office at some point.”

Dawn retired in late September after nearly two decades on the job and has been chosen to receive a Pillar Award for Outstanding Support Staff. She started working for Tippecanoe Valley in 1990 after her position with United Telephone Company was moved to Ohio.

Dawn grew up in the Silver Lake area, attended Akron Elementary School, and graduated from TVHS, but never thought she would end up working for the school corporation from which she graduated.

“The job was never dull. It was so diverse. I didn’t do the same thing every day.”

Dawn plans to spend retirement helping with her husband’s business, working on their farm, painting, and spending more time with her family. She and her husband recently got married in Hawaii in October.

 

Family sponsors sought for Tippecanoe Valley Miracle Tree program

This entry was posted in Akron, Mentone, News, TV High School, TV Middle School on by .

Anyone looking for a way to give back this Christmas season can sponsor a family in need within the Tippecanoe Valley School Corporation through the Miracle Tree program.

Miracle Tree has been a holiday tradition in the Rochester community for more than a decade thanks to the Mill Creek Missionary Church, but because of an increase in the amount of people from the Tippecanoe Valley area seeking assistance, the decision was made last year to expand the program.

Trees were set up on Saturday, Nov. 11, at Bell Memorial Public Library in Mentone and also Akron Carnegie Public Library in Akron. Families throughout the Tippecanoe Valley community who have expressed an interest in receiving help this year were assigned a number. Those numbers were then placed on ornaments and hung on the trees. The number lets a potential sponsor know how many children are in each family and their ages.

“Each family has a wish list for the sponsors to use when shopping, filled with clothing sizes and toys requested,” said Darren Parker, an instructor at Tippecanoe Valley High School and a member of Mill Creek Missionary Church.

If a person, business or organization is interested in sponsoring a family, they simply take an ornament from the tree and give it to the circulation desk at either library. The sponsor is then provided a wish list for that family with items the children might want for Christmas.

Sponsors wrap the gifts they purchase and then return them back to a community location specified on each wish list. To avoid any confusion, there are specific instructions on each wish list on how to mark the gift after it has been wrapped, so organizers know which gift belongs to which family and child.

Gifts must be returned by Friday, Dec. 8. There is no limit to the amount of money a sponsor can spend on a family. Gifts will be distributed to each family on a special night in December. The church will cater a meal, provide activities for the children and take family pictures.

122 families with children attending a Tippecanoe Valley school received assistance through the Miracle Tree program last year.

TVMS spell team earns runner-up spot at state competition

This entry was posted in News, TV Middle School on by .

The Tippecanoe Valley Middle School spell bowl team earned the runner-up spot in their class during the Indiana Academic Spell Bowl State Finals on Nov. 11 at Purdue University.

“The emcee stated that over 10,000 Indiana school kids began the competition at the regional level in four classes.These eleven, along with Coach Siebrase, bested all but one team in Class 3. Make sure you let them know today how proud you are of their success,” said Principal Scott Backus.

The team placed first in their class at the Indiana Academic Spell Bowl Junior Division regional qualifications on Nov. 1. TVMS and nine other schools throughout Indiana competed in the regional competition, which was hosted by TVMS. Students were broken up into classes one, two, three and four. The class a team competes in is based on last year’s enrollment. TVMS competed in class three and scored a 50 out of the junior division’s perfect score of 72.

This was the fourth trip to the state finals in the last five years for TVMS.

Akron Elementary kicks off Abby Candles fundraiser

This entry was posted in Akron, News on by .

Akron Elementary is kicking off its Abby Candles fundraiser to raise money for the school.

Students will be selling candles, candle warmers, room spray, wax melts, and cookie dough. They’ll be selling from November 10th to November 27th. ALL ORDERS AND MONEY MUST BE SUBMITTED ON NOVEMBER 27th!

Order pickup will be on December 15th in the cafeteria. Only adults may pick up fundraiser orders. Students who sell items have the chances to win various prizes. Some of the prizes include, a variety of Emoji items, a drone, or an iPad Mini. The top seller will get ice cream and Subway with Mrs. Mills, Mr. Adams, and Ms.Reed. The top selling class will get a pizza party. The top selling  grade level will get extra recess.

If you want to order any items, please see any student or order online at abbycandles.com and select our school name. If you want a specific child to get credit for an online purchase, please get that students Seller ID.  Thank you for your support!