Goshen Community Schools

Goshen Community Schools is asking your input in completing a brief survey regarding selected areas in the development of the 2019-2020 school calendar.  Your input will help provide additional perspectives to as we update our calendar.

Please log on to take the survey, it will be available at the link below starting Monday, March 12^th through Monday, March 19^th.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/gcscal2018

La Corporación Escolar de Goshen le pide que llene una encuesta sobre áreas específicas en relación al desarrollo del año escolar 2019-2020. Sus sugerencias ayudarán a proveer una perspectiva adicional para actualizar nuestro calendario.

Por favor inicie la sesión para tomar la encuesta. Estará disponible en el enlace de abajo a partir del lunes 12 de marzo y hasta el 19 de marzo.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/gcscal2018span

Statement from Goshen Community Schools and Goshen Police Department

3/10/18

Late Friday afternoon, school and police department officials became aware of statements of concern written on a note and left in a girls’ bathroom at GHS. This is being investigated further, but as an extra precaution, it has been decided to have additional police presence at GHS next week. Authorities do not believe that this is a credible threat, however, as always, and in keeping with our tradition of transparency, we wanted to make the community aware of this situation.

Rest assured, the school district and law enforcement officials always work together to ensure the safety of all students and staff, and will continue to be diligent in our efforts to do so.

Thank you to the entire community for partnering with us for the safety and well-being of every Goshen resident.

Por la tarde del viernes, oficiales de la escuela y el departamento de policía se dieron cuenta de declaraciones de preocupación escritas en una nota y puestas en el baño de las mujeres en la preparatoria de Goshen. Esto está bajo investigación, pero como precaución adicional, se ha decidido tener la presencia de más policías en la escuela en la próxima semana. Las autoridades no creen que esto es una amenaza creíble, sin embargo, como siempre y de acuerdo con nuestra tradición de transparencia, queríamos informarle a la comunidad sobre esta situación.

Este seguro, los oficiales escolares y los oficiales de la ley siempre trabajamos juntos para garantizar la seguridad de todos los estudiantes y personal, y seguiremos siendo diligentes en nuestro esfuerzo por hacerlo.  

Gracias a toda la comunidad por unirse con nosotros por la seguridad y el bienestar de todos los residentes de Goshen.

Goshen High School senior Fernando “Nando” Flores has been selected to compete in the 25th Annual Indiana vs. Illinois All-Star Classic Duals. This year’s meet will be held at the Bank of Springfield Convention Center at 1 Convention Center Plaza in Springfield, IL on Sunday, March 11, 2018 at 1:00 p.m.

Team Indiana beat both Illinois teams last year in two tight matches. According to the press release: “We have put together a team with Indiana’s best senior wrestlers! This will be an opportunity for you to showcase your skills in a very competitive environment. College coaches from all divisions attend this historic dual to recruit for their respective teams.”

Wrestlers will wear their high school uniforms one last time, and the Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association will provide each wrestler with a t-shirt to exchange and one to keep for themselves. Each wrestler was also encouraged to bring a t-shirt from their high school to give to their opponent.

Best of luck (and skill!) to Nando Flores as he and Coach Jim Pickard compete and coach together in one more tournament!

Nando vs. Northridge

Nando, with the win.

Nando getting his first place medal from coach Jim Pickard at the 2018 Goshen Invitational.

Nando was the champion of the 106 lb. weight class for the NLC, Sectional, Regional, and Semi-State tournaments. Well done, Nando, congratulations on an outstanding GHS wrestling career!

West Goshen among five schools nationwide in running for $50,000 TAP Founder’s Award

Santa Monica, Calif.—The National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET) today announced that West Goshen Elementary School in Goshen Community Schools, Indiana, is one of five finalists for the 2018 TAP Founder’s Award, NIET’s top school recognition. Created by NIET Chairman and TAP Founder Lowell Milken, the TAP Founder’s Award is presented annually to one school for exceptional implementation of the TAP System for Teacher and Student Advancement—resulting in improvements to educator effectiveness and student achievement growth.

The TAP System is America’s leading comprehensive educator effectiveness model that connects teacher leadership, daily collaborative professional learning, educator evaluation and support, and opportunities for performance-based compensation. Launched in 1999, the TAP System, as administered through NIET, has partnered with schools, districts, states and universities to ensure that all students have access to talented teachers who will help them succeed.

The TAP Founder’s Award comes with a $50,000 prize, funded by the Lowell Milken Family Foundation, to be used toward school improvement efforts. All five Award finalists will be honored at a luncheon on Friday, March 23, 2018, during the 18th Annual National TAP Conference in Washington D.C., before 1,000 educators, policymakers, researchers and other influential leaders. The winner will be announced at the end of the luncheon.

West Goshen Elementary School

Each finalist will receive a plaque and a $10,000 reward. West Goshen joins Abraham Lincoln Elementary School in Perry Township Schools, Indiana; Cross County Elementary Technology Academy in the Cross County School District, Arkansas; Mansfield High School in DeSoto Parish Schools, Louisiana; and Slaton Junior High School in the Slaton Independent School District, Texas.

The finalists have been selected because of their exemplary implementation of the TAP System in meeting the goal of enhancing instructional skill and student achievement. These schools structure school leadership teams of master and mentor teachers as well as administrators to identify educational targets and develop strategies to meet them. The teacher leaders guide weekly professional learning based on individual teacher and student needs, field-test strategies with groups of students and coach fellow faculty.

Accompanying this support are an educator evaluation system and a compensation system that rewards educators for refining their craft and improving student performance, and for taking on new leadership roles and responsibilities.

Inside West Goshen Elementary School

In 2008, Goshen Community Schools adopted the TAP System district-wide in an effort to increase educator effectiveness. Elkhart County, home to West Goshen Elementary School and located in northern Indiana southeast of South Bend, was one of the hardest hit in the nation by the economic recession. As the community rebuilt itself, Goshen Community Schools sought to be ahead of the curve when it came to equipping its students for the challenges of tomorrow.

Before TAP was implemented at West Goshen, the school was labeled a D on the state A-F scale. There was not only a need to address related educational needs, but also to attract and retain talented educators to fill the capacity gap.

According to Principal Lori Line, the TAP System provided staff a common language and structure around accountability and expectations. The teachers developed a no-excuses policy, drilling down into the data for each student and developing paths for success. “My teachers don’t make excuses; they find strategies,” Line explains. “We look at data, we make a plan, we execute the plan.”

Goals are clearly communicated throughout the school. Line articulates them in weekly leadership team meetings with her mentor and master teachers, then joins the teacher leaders in disseminating the information to the rest of the faculty in weekly professional learning groups. Line meets with every classroom to discuss their data, and in fourth and fifth grade, meets with every student to outline expectations for growth on state testing.

These strategies through TAP led West Goshen to its first-ever state-designated A rating in 2016. The school maintained the A in 2017 as well as a value-added growth score of 5—the highest possible score on a 1-5 scale.

“What is exciting at West Goshen is the enthusiasm of the teachers,” says Lowell Milken. “Principal Line and her leadership team are well-versed in disseminating proven instructional practices and have deep experience implementing them firsthand. In turn, all educators want to take an active part in West Goshen’s learning, and for that, their work is paying off in dividends.”

“Our teachers firmly believe that the TAP structures have made them better teachers,” Line adds. “We all believe that TAP has created a culture of growing and learning for us all. West Goshen is now one of the top schools in the state, and it is because of TAP.”

Congratulations to the staff and students at West Goshen!

TAP Founder’s Award recipients are selected without their knowledge by NIET, which manages and supports the TAP System. The honor is based on distinction in the following areas: proficient implementation of TAP’s four core elements, student academic growth according to state or federal measures, and notable recognition as a center and resource of best practices.

The TAP Founder’s Award yields benefits that will strengthen the individual school and support its teachers. This is done by means of prominent public recognition and by opportunities to substantively interact on issues of educator effectiveness and student learning with leaders from government, business and academia.

Photos from the TAP Founder’s Award finalists’ recognition luncheon on March 23 will be available for download at http://www.niet.org/newsroom/photos.

For interviews during the conference or to attend, contact Jana Rausch at jrausch@niet.org or (310) 435-9259. For more information, visit www.niet.org. Follow conference news on Facebook at NIETteach and Twitter @NIETteach or via #tapcon18.

Starting Monday, March 5, 2018, Goshen Community Schools will begin offering new student online enrollment.

Goshen Community Schools is pleased to announce that parents/guardians may now register their new students any time of day by simply going to www.goshenschools.org/new-student. Parents/guardians may also choose to register their student(s) in person at GCS Central Registration, 613 E. Purl Street, Goshen, IN 46526.

Google translation settings allow applicants to view the pages in a preferred language. Applicants may also upload documents such as immunization records, guardianship, or birth certificates during the application process.

For questions about the enrollment process, such as Out of District enrollment or Kindergarten Early Entrance, please call Central Registration at (574) 971-4149 during regular business hours or email GCS_CentralRegistrar@goshenschools.org.

Corporación Escolar de Goshen: Inscripciones en línea de estudiantes de nuevo ingreso

A partir del lunes, 5 de marzo de 2018, la Corporación Escolar de Goshen comenzará a ofrecer inscripciones en línea.

La Corporación Escolar de Goshen se complace en anunciar que los padres de familia o tutores ahora podrán inscribir a los estudiantes de nuevo ingreso a cualquier hora del día, simplemente visitando www.goshenschools.org/new-student. Los padres de familia o tutores podrían preferir ir al centro administrativo para inscribir a su(s) hijo(s) en persona en el 613 E. Purl Street, Goshen, IN 46526.  

La configuración de traducción de Google les permite a los solicitantes ver la página en su idioma preferido. Los padres de familia o tutores también pueden subir sus documentos tales como cartillas de vacunación, documentos legales y actas de nacimiento durante el proceso de solicitud.

En caso de tener preguntas sobre el proceso de inscripción tales como la “Transferencia de estudiantes fuera del distrito” o “Inscripción temprana a jardín de niños”, haga el favor de llamar al centro administrativo al 574-971-4149 durante el horario de oficina o enviar un correo electrónico a GCS_CentralRegistrar@goshenschools.org.

GCS has been offered 400 food boxes (enough in each box to feed a family for one week) from Feed the Children in Elkhart. They have made this offer to assist Goshen families in need, especially after the recent flooding in Goshen. Each GCS school will get 40 boxes, to be delivered to the schools either today or Monday. Families should contact the school counselors or parent liaisons if they would like to pick up a food box. THANK YOU to Feed the Children for helping Goshen families in this way!

La Corporación Escolar de Goshen ha recibido 400 cajas de alimentos (Cada caja es suficiente para alimentar a una familia por una semana.) de la organización Feed the Children de Elkhart. Esta organización nos ha hecho esta oferta para ayudar a las familias en situación de necesidad, especialmente después de la inundación reciente en Goshen. Cada una de las escuelas recibirá 40 cajas, las cuales serán distribuidas a las escuelas mismas ya sea hoy o el próximo lunes. Las familias deberán ponerse en contacto con los orientadores escolares o con las asesoras bilingües para comunicarles si desean recoger una caja de comida. ¡LE AGRADECEMOS a Feed the Children por brindarles ayuda a las familias de Goshen de esta manera!

(Added Information 2/28) Employers scheduled to attend the Job Fair:

Trilogy Health, 1^st Source Bank, Premier Nursing Academy, Masterbrand, Patrick Industries, Aacoa, Lippert Components, Kem Krest, Goshen health, GDC, ADEC, McDonalds, Reith-Riley Construction, Express Employment, Specialized Staffing, Essenhaus, Inc., Beacon Health Systems, Ivy Tech, Elkhart Area Career Center, Boys & Girls Club, Indiana Tech, Carpenter, D & W, Inc., KIK, Pro-Resources Staffing Services, Firefly Home Care,  All Military Branches – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and National Guard, and more.

Job Fair:  Are you looking for work?  Are you trying to get a job lined up for after graduation?  We can help!  On March 7^th, we will be holding a multi-employer job fair in Whiteman Gym from 4:30-6:30 p.m.  All students, friends and family are welcome to attend!  This is a great opportunity to meet with employers who are actively hiring.  These are local employers from a variety of fields.  Don’t miss your chance to apply for positions for summer work or for employment after graduation!

Feria del trabajo: ¿Estás buscando trabajo? ¿Estás tratando de recibir ofertas de trabajo para después de tu graduación? ¡Podemos ayudarte! El 7 de marzo, llevaremos a cabo una feria del trabajo en la que habrá múltiples empleadores, en el gimnasio Whiteman, de las 4:30 a las 6:30 p.m. Todos los estudiantes, amigos y familiares están bienvenidos a asistir! Ésta es una gran oportunidad para reunirse con empleadores que realmente se encuentran contratando. Estos son empleadores locales de una variedad de campos. No pierdas la oportunidad de solicitar en puestos para el verano o para conseguir empleo después de graduarte!

Statement from Goshen Community Schools and Goshen Police Department

2/23/2018

This morning, school and police department officials became aware of statements of concern posted on a GHS student’s Facebook profile. In further investigating the situation, it was decided to have additional police presence at GHS today as a precaution. However, the investigation has shown that there were no credible threats to anyone. In keeping with our tradition of transparency, we wanted to make the community aware of this situation.

The tragic events that unfolded in Florida last week are difficult for many students to process and understand.  It is not uncommon for young people to express their anxiety in misguided or inappropriate ways, and Goshen authorities will continue to take any such expressions very seriously. While this threat was deemed not to be credible, the school district and law enforcement officials always work together to ensure the safety of all students and staff, and will continue to be diligent in our efforts to do so.

Thank you to the entire community for partnering with us for the safety and well-being of every Goshen resident.

Starting at 9:30am, Friday, Feb 23, 2018, the Fire Department will be at the walking paths along Plymouth Avenue approaching Goshen Middle School to assist students in route to schools.

Goshen High School senior Yadira Diaz earned a Gold Key in the Scholastic Art Contest with her piece  “Estresada”, pictured below.

According to GHS Art teacher, Cindy Cooper, “Being a Gold Key Winner and American Vision Awards Finalist means that her piece was chosen as one of the top five best pieces in the scholastic art show, which is a really great accomplishment!”

Congratulations, Yadira!