April 2022 Newsletter
Greetings!

It's that time of year again ... next week is Teacher Appreciation Week! With a month of school remaining, what great timing to affirm and all of thank our teachers. As Christa McAuliffe, teacher turned astronaut who tragically died on the Space Shuttle Challenger once said, “I touch the future I teach." How true … how true! What a gift the profession of teaching is and what impact teachers have on those they touch! We know that's especially meaningful after the past two school years we've had in the midst of a pandemic.
 
What teacher has touched your future or child’s future? Or have you seen a colleague who has made a huge impact on the students’ lives they’ve touched? How about sharing their story by creating a video and posting it on social media.
 
Dr. Katie Jenner, Indiana’s Secretary of Education, is encouraging Hoosiers to tell the stories of teacher who have impacted your life by using the hashtag #MyTeacher. We’d ask that you add a second hashtag as well #INPEAteacher. You can view Dr. Jenner's message here.  
 
Let’s mobilize our school communities to share our teachers’ stories next week as a way to say "Thank You" for a job well done!
 
Happy Teacher Appreciation Week,
 
John & the INPEA Team
Save the Date: INPAC 2022

After three years, we are thrilled to gather again for INPAC! We hope you will join us September 22-23, 2022 at the Renaissance Indianapolis North for sessions that will inspire you and your team to continue Leading with Passion and Purpose. The INPAC 2022 Planning Committee has worked to build a program featuring experts in the field and topics that are relevant to our members – we encourage you to bring a team to INPAC. There are too many great sessions for just one person from your school to attend! 

You can view the preliminary program here. In addition to a special education-focused preconference, the program will be centered around three strands of topics: All Things Indiana, Instruction and Culture, and Operational Vitality (In Light of Choice). We will highlight each strand in the next few newsletters, starting this month with All Things Indiana. This strand will feature a variety of sessions across two days delivered by panels of experts and speakers, including representatives from IDOE, Ivy Tech, and FSSA. Across both days of the conference, seven breakout sessions will be offered on topics including, addressing learning loss, early childhood education, post-secondary options, GPS Dashboard and Data Exchange, and IDOE requirements and programs. All Things Indiana will also include a round robin-style session for newer administrators that you will not want to miss! This session is ideal for school administrators, pre-school directors, lead teachers, and aspiring school leaders. 

INPAC 2022 will also feature three incredible keynote speakers. Our Thursday afternoon keynote is Kim Bearden, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Ron Clark Academy and best-selling author. National School Choice advocate and author Virginia Walden Ford will be our Thursday dinner keynote speaker. Friday morning’s keynote is Ted Neitzke, CEO and Agency Administrator for CESA 6, a non-profit, member-driven cooperative educational service agency in Wisconsin. 

Whether you are a seasoned school leader or new to your role, we hope you will join us for two days of learning and networking. Registration will open on May 2 and will be sent via email – we encourage you to start thinking of who you will bring with you to INPAC 2022! 
“As we recover from all of the separation and losses caused by the pandemic, it is essential for us to reconnect and share our ideas. Whether you are new to your role, or have never attended INPAC, this type of experience is essential. INPAC is an opportunity to build a network of fellow administrators, grow in your knowledge of relevant topics, share best practices, brainstorm ideas, and just connect. If you attend, I guarantee you will grow professionally and spiritually.”

Joe Hansen, Principal
Bishop Chatard High School, Indianapolis
IDOE Updates

Choice Scholarships 
Here are some helpful links related to the Choice Scholarship Program:
 
 
Choice Compliance Reminder
With the significant increase in financial eligibility for the Choice Scholarship Program, we have received a number of questions and concerns about schools attempting to address the tuition of the small number of families not eligible under the new guidelines. It is critical that schools do not try to disguise discounts for these families. Remember, you can’t have discounts only for tuition paying families – they must apply to choice families as well. The best way to handle any assistance outside of our Choice programs is to ensure that it is based on need and that need is calculated based on data. Many schools use third party vendors to do those calculations. If you have questions, reach out to John Elcesser or Brad Pendleton at IDOE.
 
Non-Public School State Accreditation Application Window
IDOE's Office of Accountability is now accepting initial accreditation applications for non-public schools seeking accreditation for the 2022-2023 school year. Non-accredited non-public schools interested in obtaining accreditation should submit a notice of intent form by Saturday, April 30. Please note that schools are not considered accredited during the application process and schools are only eligible to accept Indiana’s Choice Scholarship student applications once the petition for accreditation has been approved. Please contact the Office of Accountability with any questions.
ESA Update

The new ESA program is scheduled to open for the 2022-23 school year. If you were unable to join one of the ESA Update webinars last week, you can view a recording here
 
The Indiana Education Scholarship Account (ESA) Program, administered by the Treasurer of State’s Office, is Indiana’s newest school choice initiative. Indiana ESA’s mission is to provide eligible Hoosier students with disabilities, ages 5-22 years old, who meet the income requirement access to tax-free scholarship money that can be used to purchase pre-approved educational expenses. These Qualified Expenses include tuition and fees, educational services and therapies listed in the student’s IEP or service plan or as prescribed by a treating physician, tutoring services, camps and programs, and more. Individual providers, businesses that provide services, and schools that would like to become Participating Entities in Indiana’s Education Scholarship Account Program will need to submit an application via the online portal found on Indiana ESA’s website. 
 
It is important to note that there are three different applications for Participating Entities and it is vital that applicants select the correct application to submit. 
 
Qualified Schools refers to non-public schools that hold an accreditation recognized by the Indiana State Board of Education. Individual Participating Entities will consist of providers who are self-employed and therefore are not providing services through a center in which they are employed. Business Participating Entities offer services through providers they have employed.  
 
Each of these application types requires different documentation to prove eligibility, so it is important that Participating Entities apply as the category of Participating Entity that best suits their structure. Prior to beginning their application, applicants will need to ensure that they have the following required documentation: 
 
Qualified Schools:
  • Accreditation
  • Copy of Business License
  • School Identification Number
  • Copy of tuition and fee schedule
  • Copy of discount policy 
 
Individual Participating Entities:
  • Copy of all Professional Licenses held 
  • Copy of all Professional Certifications held

Business Participating Entities:
  • Copy of Business License
  • Copy of all accreditations 
  • List of all employed providers with the following:
  • Employee full legal name
  • Employee certification and/or license number
 
Visit Indiana ESA’s Application page at https://www.in.gov/tos/inesa/home/application to find the Participating Entities application along with a list of Frequently Asked Questions and a video walkthrough of the application process. 
Teacher of the Year and Emerging Leader Nominations
 
Teacher of the Year
Each year, the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) conducts the Indiana Teacher of the Year program to recognize outstanding classroom teachers from across the state. From this talented group, one person is selected to represent Indiana teachers at the national level, in accordance with National Teacher of the Year guidelines. A candidate for Indiana Teacher of the Year (INTOY) is a teacher in a state-approved or accredited school (including private, charter, and virtual), pre-kindergarten through grade 12, who is planning to continue in an active teaching status. More information is available here and the deadline to submit an application is Friday, July 1, 2022. Start thinking about who you want to nominate from your school today! 
 
Emerging Leaders in Education 
IDOE’s Office of Educator Talent is looking for confidential recommendations of secondary-level leaders representing the very best educators in Indiana. These emerging leaders must have between five and 15 years of experience, demonstrate leadership beyond the classroom, and positively affect school culture and student achievement. Superintendents and principals may submit recommendations here through Friday, May 27. Contact Rebecca Estes with any questions.
Marian OG Training 

Marian University is opening an additional training for OG Reading this summer. There are 180 slots available for non-public school tutors the week of July 5th. The training is scheduled for July 5-8 from 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. ET at the Marian Campus. There will be both virtual and in person options. The in person slots are very limited.
INPEA Dues Increase 

At their February Board meeting, the INPEA Board approved a dues increase for the 2022-23 school year. The amounts are: 

PreK: 9 cents per student increase
K-12: 36 cents per student increase

If you have questions or concerns, reach out to John Elcesser.
Host a Parent Info Session 

The Institute for Quality Education and My School Options are looking for schools to partner with our organization to host a Parent Information Session. During these sessions a member of the MSO Outreach Team will take the time to explain the different choice programs (Voucher and Tax Credit Scholarship) available and how to qualify and apply for these programs. Our hope is to empower more families when it comes to their child’s education by making them aware of and participating in school choice.

As an incentive, once again the Institute for Quality Education will contribute a $500.00 SGO scholarship donation to each school who hosts a session with 20 or more families attending. Also, once the voucher application closes on September 1, 2022.

Sessions will be scheduled with the MSO team from March 2022 to August 2022. To schedule, please contact:
Sarah Milligan, Manager of Community Engagement
My School Options
812-272-7216
Social Media Webinars for Educators

INPEA has partnered with The Social Institute to provide free webinars on the topic of social media. If you were unable to attend the April 21 webinar How Social Media Fuels Health, Happiness, and Success, you can view a recording of that session here

Please join us for the next webinar on May 9, 2022 at 4:00 p.m. ET. It will last approximately 45 minutes and there will be time for Q and A. 

Finding Time in Your School Schedule to Address Student Well-being
May 9, 2022 at 4:00 p.m. ET

Facilitated by Josh Lutkus, Director of Educator Advancement at The Social Institute
With screen time and social media use on the rise, modern life skills and decision-making have become more important than ever for schools and families across the nation. In this webinar, The Social Institute will discuss creative ways schools are finding time to address student well-being and integrate positive social media education into the fabric of their school schedule. Attendees will learn:
  • Effective techniques to embed modern life skills and social media education into your school schedule
  • 7 timely, tech-related skills to teach your students throughout the school year
  • Strategies to help your school leaders facilitate student well-being discussions and teach modern life skills across your school 

As Director of Educator Advancement at The Social Institute, Josh Lutkus works closely with partner schools to share best practices and coordinate strategies to ensure they receive the most effective and engaging social media education customized to their needs. Prior to The Social Institute, Josh spent his career helping schools design, successfully launch, and nurture programs that support the needs and values of their students at Charlotte Prep School and Gaston Day School in North Carolina, where he served the latter as Dean of Students. 
Thank You to Our Business Partners!
Contact: Steve Lockwood
Contact: Rob Pizzurro
Contact: Mike Rivard
Contact: Mike Collins
Contact: Joy Roberts
Contact: Paula Latvenas
Contact: Cathy Tooley
Contact: Darye Henry
Thank you to Friendzy and Catapult Learning for their renewed support for the upcoming school year!

Would you like to be come an INPEA Business Partner or know a business that would be a good fit? Check out our website here or contact John Elcesser at jelcesser@inpea.org for more information!
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The Indiana Non-Public Education Association serves as an advocate,
promotes engagement, and strives for the advancement of non-public schools. 
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