2015 Fall Newsletter / Revista del Otoño 2015

2015 Fall Newsletter

The 2015-16 school year is fast approaching!  Please find our Fall Newsletter outlining school updates, annual notifications, and other information below:

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For English, please click here.







         www.southbendschools.org

Koplitz Field House Nears Completion

Koplitz Field House new floor installation after devastating flood in early January 2015

South Bend students and athletic teams will see a new look and feel a new bounce when they return to South Bend High School for practices next month.  The 1978 floor of KFH has now been completely replaced and upgraded to the most modern athletic floor system available.

Due to historic flooding which occurred this past January, the old floor sustained up to 6 inches of water for almost 30 hours, resulting in floor buckling and cupping. Though we were able to repair enough of the old floor to finish out the school year, National Flood Insurance kicked in and provided all the funds to replace the damaged floor.  Northern Hardwoods, from Spokane, has been working since June 5 to install the new floor.  Working 10 hour days for most of the last month, the floor now is complete.  

New Protective Barrier

One reason I brought in Northern Hardwoods to build the new floor was because of their top of the line service.  Not only did they produce a beautifully finished product, they devised and installed a state-of-the-art protective barrier that makes it virtually impossible for water to rise up under the floor.  They also used steel enforced sleepers, of which the maple hardwood is attached.  These sleepers will prevent floor buckling and provide a consistent base throughout the space.

Modern Look

We wanted a floor "look" both unique and classy.  The people at Northern Hardwood worked with district staff to design a floor for which South Bend can be proud.  As you can see, I think we accomplished that goal.  Using a variety of wood staining techniques and traditional paint, the folks at Northern Hardwood produced a look that rivals most upper level venues.

Other Upgrades

Not only did the flood damage our floor, it also ruined doors, bathroom stalls, carpet, and paint---all of which will be replaced by the start of school.  We are also in the works of installing a new sound and public announcement system, which will greatly improve the sound quality for games, public events, and classes.

Quality People = Quality Results

The KFH floor project would not have been possible without the oversight and efforts of maintenance director Gary Wilson and his staff, athletic director Tom Sanchez, our school board of directors, and the great staff of Northern Hardwoods.  Everyone involved in the project played a crucial role in seeing the end goal complete and worked to ensure and support the very best outcome possible.

I look forward to seeing you at the games in a few short months!  Come out and support our kids as they compete at our newly remodeled Koplitz Field House.

Go Indians!

2015-16 Academic Calendar

Many parents and community members appreciate being able to plan well in advance for various trips and vacations.  Therefore, I wanted to put out next year's school calendar so people have the opportunity to plan accordingly.

Below is a link to the upcoming 2015-16 School Calendar, which was recently approved by the SB Board of Directors.

Link to 2015-16 Calendar

There are a couple aspects of the calendar I would like to highlight that will be a little different from prior calendars.

1.  Late Start Days are now Early Release

You will probably recall that we had several (almost monthly) Late Start days in the past.  These days will now be 12:30 Early Release days.  We made this change to better accommodate our students, allowing students to eat school breakfast on these days.  Remember, all students may eat both breakfast and lunch free of charge next school year.  

2.  Teacher Work Days

South Bend again received a State Board of Education waiver that allows only 177 school days rather than the usual 180 school days.  This allows us to provide 3 additional teacher only work days for professional development activities.  Historically, these days have been on four Fridays throughout the year.  Next school year, these days are moved to Mondays, and Tuesdays (one in October, one in January, one in February, one in March).  The Tuesday work days (January and February) are added to the Tuesday following Martin Luther King Day and President's Day, giving students and families a 4-day weekend.

School begins September 1

Due to the Pacific County Fair being later this year, and Labor Day being late, we will begin school on September 1.  The rest of the calendar is pretty much the same as years past.

Please watch for more informational updates in the coming weeks and months.  You can also subscribe to this blog at the top right to receive blog articles via email.

Enjoy your summer!

Future Looking Bright

Mr. Rangel supervising elementary lunch

It's been a great year at South Bend Public Schools!  In my 14 years of working in public education, this has definitely been one of the best.  I am continually impressed with the quality of staff, teachers, and students we have in South Bend and look forward to some exciting things as we start school in a couple months.



Moving forward full steam ahead

This past January we were hit by some serious flooding in Koplitz Fieldhouse.  Contractors began working this Spring and are moving fast toward completion.  KFH will see a new floor system, all new doors, new bathroom and locker room partitions, and fresh paint.  The project should be complete in a couple weeks.  We are excited to play our first volleyball game on the new gym floor September 10th!

SB loves our cooks!

Another new development will be in our food services department.  South Bend will be providing breakfast and lunch to all students free of charge beginning this Fall.  We have been working since March on a federal program making this possible, and were just notified of the change.  We make good, nutritious meals at South Bend and we are happy to now provide these meals to all at no cost.

On the curriculum side of the District, we are working to provide even more opportunities for our students.  At the elementary level, we will be piloting new instructional materials in the areas of math and language arts, and hope to decide on new materials this next year.  We are moving to a 7 period day in the Jr. Sr. High, which will give our students more learning options.  We are making algebra 1 available to 8th grade students, adding junior high Spanish, adding another period of robotics to 9-12, starting horticulture in a newly built greenhouse, and expanding opportunities in library information-technology through our new Teacher-Librarian.  We are also looking for ways to further the arts as we strive to provide quality learning opportunities for all students.

 New Staff for 2015-16

With four retirements and some teachers moving to be closer to family, we have new staff coming on board this fall, and we are excited to welcome each of them to South Bend.

Ms. Webber, Ms. Druzianich, and Ms. Johanson (L-R)

In the elementary, we have three new teachers:  Jessica Webber, Karly Druzianich, and Annika Johanson, who will be teaching in kindergarten, third grade and first grade (respectively).

We also have new staff coming into the high school.  Lili Newman will be taking over for Mr. Bale, and Adrianne Lartz will be our new school counselor taking over for Amy Nelson.  Mrs. Nelson will be the new Director for Early Learning and will now work in the Early Learning Center.  Finally, we are fortunate to have hired Lori Dearmore as Teacher-Librarian who will be serving staff and students K-12.

Ms. Newman, Ms. Lartz, and Mrs. Dearmore (L-R)

Hiring good people is one of our most important jobs.  After all, we entrust our students to their care.  South Bend is fortunate to have hired these new great people.  Each of them will add tremendous value to our school, and will help continue our efforts in providing a first class education to our students.

Please watch for an upcoming Fall Preview which will highlight our new 2015-16 staff and programs at South Bend Public Schools.

"A Great Place for Kids"

Small, rural schools are often looked upon as schools who struggle to provide quality education to students.  What I have found in South Bend is the exact opposite.  Students who come to South Bend not only get first class opportunities in the classroom, they receive warm care and support from our great staff.  Good education is accomplished through positive relationships, trust, and feeling a sense of belonging.  This is what we strive to provide our students, parents, and community.

 Our good people make all the difference in the education we provide.  We work as a team in South Bend and work hard to help each other help our students.  It is a team effort that makes South Bend, "A Great Place for Kids."  Our team and the service we provide are only getting stronger.

High School English Language Arts Teacher

South Bend High School is currently seeking applicants for high school English Language Arts teacher.  

Multiple subject endorsements and Spanish language proficiency is desired, but not required.

Please contact the school district office at 360.875.6041 or visit us on the web at www.southbendschools.org for more information.