Last Monday's Monthly Board Meeting minutes can be found on the website,
but the highlights include:
Approval of FFA (Future Farmers of America) Chapter
Noah Brown and Harley Walls, Agriculture teachers at NCHS, have worked with Dr. Shoemaker, Mr. McDaniel, Mr. Amman, Mr. Griffin, Amy Madden, and the State of Indiana to create New Castle's new local FFA Chapter.
Students will be participating in the Agriculture Academy while pursing graduation pathways, including internships with local businesses, learning employability skills needed beyond curriculum. Juniors would be allowed to work one day a week for three hours, while Seniors could intern four days a week, three hours a day. The Agriculture Academy Committee met prior to the board meeting, sharing business ideals which could be modeled in classroom curriculum to yield Agritourism advocacy. L& K Farms, Jacobs' Orchard, InMAC (Purdue University), Toyota, and Honda all had a voice in development.
NCMS will be adding "Trojan Success Time" to the 24-25 School Year Curriculum.
6th Graders will take a required intervention course, teaching students how to prepare for Middle School, through building study habits, and time management.
The class will rotate with four other nine-week courses: Health, Wellness, and the student's choice of two: PLTW (Project Lead the Way), Art or Technology.
Retiree Recognitions (staff and teachers accumulative years at New Castle):
David Allen, Engineering Teacher at NCCC, 25 years
Nancy Hamilton, Family & Consumer Science Teacher at NCHS, 38 years
Robert Hamilton, Science Teacher at NCHS, 39 years
Lynette Stainbrook, Secretary at Parker Elementary, 10 years
Superintendent's Report
Dr. Shoemaker presented the newly developed website, app, features included, and showed the completed Pathways video.
Because of our new pathways and diploma standards, the School Board of Education has declared the new direction of education the "most significant change in Indiana since 1906!"
1003 Waiver (New Castle had to apply to the State of Indiana for these changes)
Thanksgiving Week 2024: Nov. 25-26 (Monday and Tuesday) would be used for student remote learning, while staff would participate in evaluations and training days. Nov. 27-29 (Wednesday to Friday) would be Thanksgiving vacation days.
English 9 and Geography can/will be combined into a single project-learning model course at the HS, freeing up student scheduling for additional AP internships and dual-credit choices. (Students will also be offered English 9 and Geography courses independently.)
Starting in the fall of 2024, Kindergarteners will begin a "stagger-start" on August 7 and 8. Seven children will start on each day, in order to help students make positive social and emotional classroom adjustments to their new schedules.
Building and Grounds
Sunnyside restroom remodel is complete
HS & Athletic restroom remodel begins after school ends in June
Evaluations are being made on summer maintenance priority
Custodians will be moving many classrooms this summer for better work flow
Air conditioning has been turned on in all buildings
Parker Elementary will be getting a new roof this summer