This morning, Plymouth High School presented a convocation designed to introduce students from PHS and LJHS to Chinese Culture. Students attending were those who have expressed an interest in studying Chinese next fall.  Featured were Dr. LIU Jingang of Valparaiso University and the Confucius Institute along with LIN Huifen, WANG Xiaohong, and LUO Hongbin from the Zhejiang University of Technology. The group performed Chinese songs, dances, and provided a martial arts exhibition as well. Next Fall, LJHS and PHS will offer Chinese Level I to students. Level II, and III courses will be offered in subsequent years.

LUO Hongbin taught students Wushu (Martial Arts) from his Tai chi Show.  They then put the moves to music. LIN Huifen and WANG Xiaohong also performed opera-like songs from their Chinese culture in native costumes. Zhejiang University of Technology sent these artists to Valparaiso University to celebrate the 2012 Chinese New Year.

Riverside Intermediate School has been recognized by the Indiana Middle Level Education Association with their “Schools to Watch” Award.   To be considered for this award, the school has to meet the following criteria: 1) Achieve academic excellence; 2) Be developmentally responsive to unique student needs; 3)Be socially equitable, democratic, and fair; and 4) Have strong structures for learning in place.

Schools who wish to be considered for the award submit an application to the state organization.  Schools with strong applications are then selected for a site visit by the state's Schools to Watch Award committee.  The site visit includes interviews with parent, student, staff, and community groups.

This 2011-2012 school year, three schools were selected for site visits.  Riverside's visit was on January 18th.  As part of the recognition for this award, a community celebration will be held later this spring and educational leaders from the state will be in attendance with the local school community. Also, a few staff members from Riverside will attend the national recognition ceremony in Washington, D.C. from June 21-23, 2012 to be recognized with representatives from the other Schools to Watch winners from other states.

The BPA District Leadership Conference was held at the Career Center at Warsaw High School on January 21, 2012.  Twenty-five out of twenty-nine PHS students qualified for the State Competition in March.  PHS students also accumulated over twenty-five medals in open events.

In Payroll Accounting, Morgan Hill placed 1st, Patrick Felke placed 3rd, Lane Singleton placed 4th and all three students qualified for State.  In Fundamental Spreadsheet Applications, Nick Bayley placed 1st, Adam Chambers placed 2nd, Trent Briles placed 4th, Aiden Osman placed 5th and all four students qualified for State.  Tucker Pletcher, Nat Hiatt, and Max Holloway also placed in Fundamental Spreadsheet Applications.   

Micah Harner placed 3rd in Advanced Spreadsheet Applications and qualified for State.  In Banking and Finance, Tom Serf placed 6th.  In Keyboarding Production, Kylie Ludwig placed 1st, Faith Hilty placed 2nd, Pauline Dagaas placed 3rd, Tucker Pletcher placed 5th and all four students qualified for State.  Megan Sutton also placed in Keyboarding Production. 

In Fundamental Word Processing Skills, Kelly Bryant placed 1st, Emily Blake placed 3rd, Adam Chambers placed 5th and all three students qualified for State.  In Desktop Publishing, Kylie Ludwig placed 1st, Megan Sutton placed 2nd, Jessica Cleveland placed 4th, Luke Bumpus placed 5th and all four students qualified for State.  Morgan Hite, Emily Denney, Kendall Fosler, Tom Serf and Nate Kolter also placed in Desktop Publishing.

Kelly Bryant placed 1st in Basic Office Systems and Procedures and qualified for State.  Matt Scutchfield placed 1st in Database Applications and qualified for State.  Morgan Hite placed 4th in Graphic Design Promotion and qualified for State.  Patrick Felke placed 1st in Extemporaneous Speech and qualified for State.

In Administrative Support Team, the team of Matt Scutchfield, Jessica Cleveland, Lane Singleton, and Morgan Hill, placed 1st and qualified for State.  In Small Business Management Team, the team of Luke Bumpus, Emily Denney, and Makayla DePoy placed 1st and qualified for State.

In Fundamentals of Web Design, Spencer Uyhhelgi placed 3rd and Kendall Fosler placed 4th.  Both students qualified for State.  In PC Servicing and Troubleshooting, Allen Collins placed 1st and Logan May placed 2nd.   Both students qualified for State.  In Computer Security, Logan May placed 1st and Allen Collins placed 2nd.  Both students qualified for State.

Congratulations to all who participated!   

The Plymouth High School Theatre Department presents, Out of Our Greeking Minds, an original play by the members of the Advanced Acting class.  This wonderful Greek inspired comedy will be performed on Friday, February 10th, and Saturday, February 11th, at 7:00 p.m. in the PHS Auditorium.  All seats are $6.00. Tickets may be purchased at the door and doors open 30 minutes before the show.

It is amazing that the students have written their own full length show, using anything Greek as an inspiration.  But you won't have to be completely up on your Greek history to enjoy this wonderful night of comedy.  And the audience will certainly enjoy a guest appearance by Plymouth's own principal, Mr. Jim Condon, in the show.

For further information, please contact Miss Jane Faulstich at 574-936-2178 ext. 1151, or email jfaulstich@plymouth.k12.in.us.

Congratulations to Plymouth High School band members Elizabeth Wolford, Lindsey Holloway, and Nicole Splix.   These three students were selected to participate in the Indiana State University All-Star Honor Bands.   All three students spent this past weekend at Indiana State University working under guest conductors and clinicians.

Upon arriving at ISU, the three students had to immediately audition for placement into one of two honor bands.   Elizabeth and Nicole (flute students) were both selected as 1st Flutes for the Symphonic Band.   Lindsey Holloway (percussion) was selected for the Wind Ensemble as the timpani player.  The students were then given music and spent the next 24 hours practicing in intense rehearsals preparing for a Sunday afternoon concert.

This is the first time since 2008 that Plymouth students have been selected to participate in this honor band event.   Elizabeth and Lindsey (both seniors) plan to attend Ball State University next fall as music majors.

Congratulations to all three students on a fantastic job representing our PHS Music Department and community.

The Plymouth High School Speech Team started the first national qualifying tournament of the three by establishing their

team as a dominant one for this year. Eight schools and nearly 75 students converged on Plymouth High School at 7:30 AM and battled through hours of Congressional debate until qualifiers were announced nearly 12 hours later. Junior Michaila Nate won first place in the Senate and qualified for national competition in Indianapolis this June. Nate also qualified as a sophomore where she made it to the Super Senate. 
     Senior Rebecca Brumbaugh won one of the House of Representatives to earn her first trip to a National Tournament. Brumbaugh finished runner-up at the District Tournament last year. 
     Kelsey Schaffer and Ashton Morrow were both awarded outstanding Presiding Officers in their respective chambers. Kelsey Schafer was named second alternate in her chamber. Now the speech team will compete in the District Debate Tournament in February and the District Speech Tournament in March. 

The LJH 8th grade students won a national contest about cyber bullying and bullying through the website www.bullyingacademy.org.

The 8th graders received the highest post test scores in the nation for the November and December contest.  They will be receiving a pizza party, a trophy, and have a special speaker for an awards ceremony.  A special speaker has been invited to speak to our award winning class. 

Yahoo for kids who understand bullying and cyber bullying!

For more information about the contest and curriculum, please visit www.bullyingacademy.org.

On Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 8:00 a.m., the Washington Discovery Academy will start taking applications.  Online applications are available on the Plymouth Community School Corporation web site as well as the Washington Elementary School and the Washington Discovery Academy page.  If you are not able to apply online, paper and pencil applications are available at the four elementary schools as well as the Plymouth Administration Building. 

Take a hand in how your child learns.  If Project Based Learning appeals to you, Washington Discovery Academy is the place for your children.  This academy is a tuition-free school of choice!

This morning (1-9-12) shortly after 8:00 a.m., a fire alarm was falsely pulled at Washington Elementary.  There was no real emergency, but by prior arrangement, the Plymouth Fire Department and other First Responders immediately arrived and checked the building thoroughly before students and staff were permitted back into the building.  Thanks to all the Plymouth safety responders for making sure that our students and staff were safe.

Congratulations to Webster Elementary School for being named a 4 Star School for the second year in a row by the Indiana Department of Education.  This distinction establishes Webster Elementary as one of the premier elementary schools in the state of Indiana.

Principal Carrie McGuire, the staff, students, and parents should all be proud of this accomplishment. Lots of hard work, long hours, and genuine dedication are required to reach this status.