Newsletter for employees of the Tippecanoe School Corporation |
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2020-21 school year begins |
Welcome back TSC and thank you for reading this first edition of the 2020-21 TSC Matters. The purpose of this bi-monthly publication is to inform, recognize, and celebrate all of the employees of the Tippecanoe School Corporation, in short it's a TSC staff newsletter. Please take a moment to read this publication that coincides with the 5th and 20th paydays each month. Past TSC Matters editions are archived on the website under the Staff tab and by clicking TSC Matters.
Thanks again for a wonderful start to this difficult school year. Your hard work and preparation is making a difference. In a recent meeting with the Tippecanoe County Health Department, officials praised the work of the local schools masking up, social distancing, washing hands, etc. Tippecanoe County's positivity rate numbers are well below state averages and look good so far even as local schools are back in session. They recognized your extra efforts and reminded all of us to remain diligent in our practices and procedures. By taking these precautions and working together we are giving ourselves the best chance to maintain our in-person education and keep classrooms open.
Your work matters TSC! It matters to your students, their parents, and all of Greater Lafayette. Day by day, week by week, our students never stop learning. Thank you for all that you've done to get the 2020-21 school year moving in the right direction.
Scott Hanback
Superintendent
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The TSC has appointed Head Nurse Krystal Zahn as our COVID Coordinator; a necessary, unusual, and hopefully short term position for the corporation during this current pandemic. She works alongside the Tippecanoe County Health Department (TCHD) and the Indiana State Department of Health reviewing and reporting the ever-changing health guidance for schools.
In addition, she serves as the point of contact for TSC when we are notified by the TCHD of a positive case. Krystal works with the principals and other school staff to conduct contact tracing by helping identify close contacts and subsequently notifying individuals who are close contacts of positive cases. She helps monitor and respond to COVID related questions at [email protected].
Ashley Gamble, our nurse at Dayton Elementary and Wyandotte Elementary, has thankfully agreed to help Krystal in this transition and is assisting with the regular day-to-day duties of the TSC Head Nurse.
The TSC is grateful for Krystal Zahn as well as the health guidance we receive from our designated Corporation Physician Dr. Marshall Criswell.
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Apply for the Anne DeCamp award |
All regular contracted teachers, media specialists and counselors in the TSC can apply for the Anne DeCamp Award for Creative Teaching. The winner receives $500 to use toward a classroom project, activity or professional development.
The award is presented annually in honor of the late Mrs. John DeCamp, a former TSC board member (1974-1982).
Click here for more information and to apply online. The deadline to apply is December 18.
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Grant awarded to diversify media resources |
Indiana Humanities has awarded TSC high schools and middle schools an Advancing Racial Equity Collection Development grant. The media specialists at the schools will have $1,000 to spend on diverse titles for students and staff.
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Public Schools Foundation grants available |
The Public Schools Foundation of Tippecanoe County is accepting applications for its Seeds for Excellence grants.
Click here for the details and to submit your request by October 16.
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Apply for an SIA Foundation grant |
The SIA Foundation is now accepting applications for its fall grants.
The foundation awards cash grants to support funding of specific projects in the area of health, education and arts.
Click here to apply. The deadline is September 30. Schools that have won a grant within the last year will not be eligible for this grant cycle.
Recent grant winners
The SIA Foundation awarded grants in June to several Indiana nonprofit organizations including Harrison High School and Wea Ridge Middle School.
Harrison High School received $9,874 to purchase audio equipment for the auditorium. Read more.
Wea Ridge Middle School received $9,112 to purchase five hydration stations.
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September - Back to the basics |
Click here to see the benefits of water and whole food and get some ideas and how to get more water and whole food into your daily routine.
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TSC INtegrate award winners |
Congratulations to our inaugural TSC INtegrate award winners. The winners were nominated for their efforts to promote healthy living principles (nutrition, sleep, exercise, mindfulness, etc.) through personal example, influencing peers and/or students and serving the community.
- First place: Lori VanArsdel, Wea Ridge Middle School
- Runners up: Lisa Lane, Hershey Elementary School and Sarah Emerson, Dayton Elementary School
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TSC State of Mind
with Megan Ulrich
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Last spring, more than 400 TSC employees participated in the Panorama Adult SEL Survey so we could better understand how our TSC family is feeling about their own mental health. Thank you to all that participated and let us know that it is on your minds! Now, more than ever, it is so important that we pay attention to and address our mental health needs. |
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Health & Wellness Clinic news |
In observance of Labor Day, the TSC/LSC Health & Wellness Clinics will be closed on Monday, September 7. If you need to contact a provider, please call the After Hours Line: 877-768-0082.
The Health & Wellness Clinics are designed to handle your primary care needs.
Telemedicine visits are also available if you prefer this option. Click here for more information.
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American Fidelity Section 125 enrollment |
All TSC employees who work over 17.5 hours per week are eligible for ancillary insurance and/or flex spending accounts through American Fidelity.
This year, there will be no in person enrollment meetings, you have the following two options for enrollment:
1) Self-Enrollment Online August 24-September 4
Click here to start your self-enrollment
2) Virtual Meeting with Mike Rivas now-September 25
Click here to schedule your virtual meeting
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Get your INtegrate t-shirt |
New TSC INtegrate t-shirts are available for only $3 (one per employee only please).
Click here to place your order. Orders are due by September 20.
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TSC INtegrate employee discount guide |
Click here to view the new, interactive employee discount guide for 2020. Check out discounts that you are eligible for as a TSC employee. Please email us at [email protected] if you have any suggestions for a gym or vendor that you would like to add to the discount guide.
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Click here to view upcoming run/walk/5K events (both virtual and in-person).
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KnowBe4 simulated phishing email messages and training |
As part of the TSC's efforts to improve its cybersecurity practices we will continue to conduct social engineering exercises to help educate staff, which include the dissemination of simulated (fake) phishing email messages. Staff who fall victim to one of these messages will receive a brief explanation that outlines the suspicious aspects of the message in question. Additional training resources will then be made available. More information about KnowBe4 and the types of exercises the TSC conducts can be found here .
If staff believe they're on the receiving end of a phishing email message, they're encouraged to use the "phish hook" button in their Gmail mailbox (orange fish hook icon in below image).
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If the message is suspected to be spam, staff should use the Report Spam button in their Gmail mailbox (exclamation point icon in below image). |
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INSPIRATION MATTERS
with Kathy Nimmer
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Words have power. One of our new hires, Shelby Clingenpeel at Wea Ridge Elementary School, has seen that already. She wrote, "This week was validation that teachers have huge impacts on their students. My students have shown their excitement to be back at school and I have been told, 'You’re the best teacher ever!' numerous times this week." Those words, spoken from the hearts of sweet seven-year-old children, are bright lights in Shelby's early TSC journey. Words have power. I challenge all of us to use our words to validate others today. Let's make that difference.
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Employee Name: Teresa Duncan
Years with TSC: 7
Position: Technical Specialist, Battle Ground schools
How this employee demonstrates the TSC State of Mind: Teresa routinely goes above and beyond to support the staff and students at her schools. Teresa prides herself on providing a high level of customer service and works to ensure technical needs at her schools are addressed in a timely manner.
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Employee Name: Lisa Brooks
Years with TSC: 8
Position: Executive Secretary, Curriculum and Instruction Dept., CO
How this employee demonstrates the TSC State of Mind: Lisa is always positive and goes the extra mile. She is creative and organized and is always working to ensure we can provide our best to our students and staff.
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September 7 - No school, Labor Day
September 21 - Remote learning day
October 16 - End of first nine weeks
October 19 - No school, fall break (one day only)
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