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AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE WEST NOBLE SCHOOL CORP.

SPRING 2017

Attention, parents: Registration opens early! We all know how important it is for the school to have accurate and complete information about your child. In order to have things like bus routes, class rosters and medication schedules ready to go on the first day of school, registration for the 2017-18 school year is opening earlier than ever! For current students, registration information will be distributed: • April 21 in Friday folders for grades K-4; and • April 21 information will be mailed for grades 5-11.

In your registration information, you will find a SnapCode for each student and instructions for accessing the online registration website. Registration will be open April 26-June 9, 2017. If you do not receive your registration information by April 24, email wnstudentinfo@westnoble.k12.in.us, or call your school secretary at 260-8943191. Attention parents of 2017-18 kindergartners: Kindergarten Roundup will be at

West Noble Primary, 500 W. Union St., Ligonier on: • Monday, April 24, from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.; and • Tuesday, April 25, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (SnapCodes for kindergarten students will be generated at roundup. Parents with kindergarten students can register their other West Noble students at roundup) We hope your registration process will be a smooth one, and we thank you for choosing West Noble.

West Noble Primary staff on the road The West Noble Primary staff was invited to speak during the 2016-17 school year. The first presentation was at the annual AdvancED Conference in Indianapolis. AdvancED is the accreditation organization for schools throughout the United States. After evaluating West Noble Primary, the organization invited West Noble Primary to present on RTI (response to instruction) and peer observations. The second opportunity was offered by the Best Practice showcase at the University of Saint Francis in Fort Wayne. The group from WNP presented on RTI. This summer, WNP has been asked to present at the annual All-Write Conference in Warsaw. The group has once again been asked to do a session on RTI and peer observations. “We are excited about the opportunities offered to WNP’s staff. We look forward to sharing programs that have shown great results for our Little Chargers!” said Literacy Coordinator Lorri Garner.

Photo Contributed

Pictured from left are Mr. Shepherd, Mrs. Garner, Miss Hanna, Mrs. Naylor, Mrs. Hicks, Miss Golden, Mrs. Sitts and Mrs. Griffith.

Photo Contributed

Front row from left: Cameron Eash, Jacob Coats, James Ratliff, Nolan Rarick, Vienna Griffith, Graysen Ruch, Ian Zayago and Mrs. Griffith. Second row from left: Mrs. Cox, Daniel Trinklein, Bill Baldillez, Rafael Pizana, Jaden Landeros, Khloe Atz, Jacob Fought, Angelo Carrillo and Mrs. Hicks.

Grant funds robotics team

During the summer of 2016, West Noble Primary was awarded a grant by the Techpoint Foundation for Youth as part of the State Robotics Initiative. The grant provided the school with a Vex robotics kit, team registration and training for three staff members Michelle Griffith, Sherry Cox and Tammi Hicks.

In October, information was sent home about WNP’s new Robotics Team, and 54 first-grade students signed up. Weekly meetings were held, and the students built their robot. The team attended two competitions this year and improved throughout the competition season.

Students gained confidence, became more collaborative and learned new skills. The parents of our students loved seeing what they could do and how much improvement they made from one competition to another. The coaches and students are looking forward to competition season next year.

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Council helps WNE students become leaders Ariana, a fourth-grade Student Leadership Council member, sprayed hands with water and passed out wiggly, red worms for an eager group of second-graders. Ariana was helping Mrs. Susan Johnson’s class make a worm composter for the Merry Lea Environmental Center. Students used newspaper and food scraps to create a cozy new home for the worms and then “packed lunches” for them. Ariana carefully weighed each bag of extra food scraps that would make lunches for the worms in the coming weeks. That same afternoon, Destiny, another SLC member, helped Mrs. Sara Appleton’s class make flower seed tapes that will be planted in greenhouses and near crops at the Merry Lea Environmental Sustainable Farm to attract pollinators. Destiny showed students how to cut strips of paper towel, measure and mark seed placement and then glue the flower seeds down with school glue. Ariana and Destiny are part of the Student Leadership Council at West Noble Elementary. Each SLC member chose a service project and a second-grade class to work with. The projects are all different and will each benefit an organization within our community. The rest of the projects will be completed in the next few weeks. The Student Leadership Council has eight members, one from each fourth-grade class.The goals of the SLC program are to promote leadership skills in students, promote school spirit and to support our community. This is the fifth year for the Student Leadership Council program at WNE. West Noble Elementary’s student council has projects that it leads every year, such as a canned food drive for the West Noble Food Pantry, candy cane sales benefitting the nurse’s office at WNE, and

Photo Contributed

The West Noble Elementary Student Leadership Council.

promoting and encouraging a drug-free lifestyle during Red Ribbon Week. When a new student comes to WNE, a student council member welcomes them, takes them on a tour, introduces them to staff and makes sure they have all the school supplies that they need. In the two school years prior to this year, the student council led the bench/ lid project. WNE students, families and community members collected 8,200 pounds of plastic lids to be recycled into benches and picnic tables. The student council did a lot of the sorting and weighing of the lids and was responsible for promoting the project in the community.

West Noble Elementary now has several very nice benches and picnic tables in our outdoor classroom that a Bosch Community Fund grant helped to build. The classroom is located on the playground and is also used every day by students during recess. Our students are growing up in a world full of choices and opportunities. Student Leadership Council is just one way that West Noble Elementary is encouraging good and positive choices. While learning life and leadership skills, SLC members recognize their own potential and what they can do now and in the future. WNE has some great leaders!

West Noble selects Mast as next superintendent KPC NEWS SERVICE

He’s been leader of Smith-Green district for four years

LIGONIER — The West Noble School Corp. Board of Education named Galen Mast as the district’s next superintendent. Mast, current superintendent of Smith-Green Community Schools, will take up the mantle July 1, after the board unanimously approved the new hire at its Tuesday meeting. “I’m a coach at heart. My role is to serve and support,” Mast said. “It’s an honor and a privilege to stand here before you tonight.”

A 1991 graduate of Fairfield High School, Mast has served as Smith-Green superintendent the past four years, with more than 20 years of experience in education as a teacher, administrator and coach. Mast Board President Todd Moore explained at the board’s Feb. 13 meeting that Mast was chosen from three finalists for his overall Go West • Spring 2017 • kpcnews.com • ©KPC Media Group Inc.

versatility and experience. “He’s been in every area. That was a plus to us,” Moore said. “Dennis has done a wonderful job, and I just think Galen’s going to do an awesome job also.” Mast commented that the closeness and camaraderie of the administrative teams at West Noble, as well as the idea of being closer to home with people he’s formed relationships with over the years, were factors in his decision for such a transition. ➤ Mast, Page 15 Page 3

Greenhouse helps grow students’ learning The Agricultural Department at West Noble High School saw an exciting development during the 2016-17 school year with the completion of the greenhouse. The greenhouse was completed by the corporation maintenance department with funding provided by numerous grants from the Community Foundation of Noble County, Bosch, the Dekko Foundation, Noble County REMC and financial assistance from the West Noble School Board. Jason Becker, from Countryscapes and Gardens, was a great help and resource throughout the development and implementation of production. The greenhouse became functional at the start of the second trimester with the students from Mrs. Kimmell’s class completing the

finishing touches on the construction and planting the first crop of Easter lilies. The greenhouse will be utilized by the Agronomy and Horticulture classes to investigate and learn different plants, growing cycles, procedures and genetics. Students will also experiment with hydroponics and organic gardening. The students will be exposed to career options that are available in agriculture that are outside of traditional farming plus learning life skills that can be applied the rest of their lives. The greenhouse will create cross-curricular activities such as working with the Business Department to create a business plan to give students real world application to knowledge gained in the classroom. The Science Department will use the area as a real-life lab for biology experiments.

Extra-curricular highlight: The high school extra-curricular teams and organizations have excelled in the 2016-17 school year. The Business Professionals of America recently competed at the state competition, and two West Noble students, who competed in the individual competition, placed high enough to qualify for the national contest. Victor Lopez placed fourth for desktop publishing and Tanner Hicks, who placed all four years of high school, took fifth place in computer network technology. Great job, Chargers! West Noble High School offers many different opportunities for extra-curricular participation not involving sports. We encourage students to try and find an activity that they enjoy and then become part of what makes West Noble a great school!

Why did 46 kindergarten students receive Spanish instruction every day this year? On March 16, over 40 families came together to experience what their kinder-

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garten children experience every day: math instruction in Spanish. West Noble could not be more happy with the first year of implementation of the Dual Language Immersion Program, a long-term commitment by the district, the parents and the students. When the kindergarten students participating in the program walk out the door when they graduate high school, they will graduate as biliterate students, able to read, write and speak two languages! In order to reach this goal for students participating in the program, they receive 50 percent of their instruction in English and 50 percent of their instruction in Spanish. The program will expand each grade level as this group of students progresses through school,

meaning it will be added to first grade in the 2017-18 school year. Brian Shepherd, WNP principal, shared that the DLIP is one of the most challenging programs that the school has offered, but it is the right thing to do. It is the right thing to do, as it is reflective of the community in which West Noble serves and will provide unique opportunities to these children in life and in the workforce. Additionally through this program, West Noble will foster a cross-cultural awareness among students and the world in which they live. There will be an informative meeting at West Noble Primary on April 18 at 6 p.m. for any families interested in enrolling their child in the program in kindergarten or first grade.

Mast from Page 3 “This is bittersweet,” Mast said. “Everything in life has a season, and we have each other for a season and we have to enjoy those seasons together.” Current West Noble Superintendent Dennis VanDuyne officially announced his retirement in August after eight years in the position, but alerted the board to his plan in the summer to allow adequate time to find a replacement before his last day June 30. Moore thanked him for his service Go West • Spring 2017 • kpcnews.com • ©KPC Media Group Inc.

both as a superintendent and in assisting the search team to find a replacement candidate. The board president also thanked his fellow members, including newcomers Kathy Hagen and Josh Vargas, for their patience during the monthslong process. “It seemed like whenever we thought we were done, I’d say, ‘Hey, let’s have another meeting,’” laughed Moore. “I’d like to thank everybody that was involved.”

Not so scary

Mobile dentist sees more than 50 students at primary school

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LIGONIER — To an outsider, it sounded like the dentist was simply going through his ABC’s. But last week, he was using the alphabet to calm, count and examine West Noble Primary School students’ teeth. Smile Programs’ mobile dentist’s office visited the school March 16-17 to provide 51 students with preventive care, such as a cleaning, X-rays and fluoride treatments, in a setting they know well. School nurse Denise Hershman said the biannual program allows students to be seen by a dentist without taking time away from classes or obligating parents to take time off of work. Now in its seventh year at the school, the program also provides services in a well-known and comfortable atmosphere for fearful students. “It seems like health care for schools is evolving into providing more care at school, so it’s a time saver, which is the big deal. Parents don’t have to take off work; the children don’t have to miss school,” Hershman said. “It’s just one more way that we can try to help the whole child to be ready to learn.” Hershman started working at the primary school in 2007, and initially continued the school’s tradition of providing students with free fluoride rinses once a week. But after seeing how much time it took to coordinate and implement — especially in having to write grants to fund the service — Hershman decided to try something new in bringing in a mobile dentist’s office. At no cost to the school, Smile Programs provides one dentist and two hygienists to oversee and examine the students who signed up. The services then are charged to the child’s insurance or Medicaid, or cash payments can be made by parents. If a student isn’t able to afford dental care, the program itself provides grants to cover whatever is done during the checkup. Instead of taking a half-day from school to get the same cleaning from their family’s dentist, students can visit with the mobile dentist and be back in class in about 20 minutes, if everything goes well, Hershman said. That’s not to say a trip to the family dentist won’t be needed in the long term. The mobile program only provides preventive services at the school. Hershman has decided to keep restorative care, such as cavity fillings and extractions, out of the ➤ Dentist, Page 15 Page 5

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Two cleaning stations and an improvised waiting room make up West Noble Primary School’s mobile dentist office. The service was provided March 16-17, and more than 50 students participated.

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Libben to take part in overseas fellowship WNMS teacher will visit camp to learn about arts, humanities during Holocaust KPC NEWS SERVICE

LIGONIER — West Noble Middle School teacher Ashley Libben describes the story of imprisoned conductor Rafael Schächter as “sheer spiritual resistance.” A prisoner in Terezin — a Nazi concentration camp south of Prague — during the Holocaust, Schächter used his knowledge of the arts to defy the camp’s conditions and treatment by teaching and putting on a performance with fellow prisoners of a piece of music widely regarded as one of the most difficult: Verdi’s “Requiem.” The Latin mass wasn’t chosen merely for its depth, but also for its message that people will be judged for what they’ve done on Earth. He taught the “Requiem” by rote memory, as there was only one copy of the music available. “It’s powerful and beautiful. It speaks to defiance and redefining resistance and defiance,” Libben said. Through the Defiant Requiem Foundation established in Schächter’s honor, Libben will be traveling to the camp and throughout the Czech Republic for a weeklong fellowship in May aimed at learning his story as well as other issues and events pertaining to the arts and humanities during the Holocaust. Libben also will tour former Jewish communities throughout the country to discuss life and culture prior to the war and the connection to music and art. She sees the fellowship as an opportunity to help her students better understand the genocide of more than 6 million Jews and 5 million

non-Jews. “I was drawn to this program because it’s looking at art and music and written expression and dance and all of the humanities in all different areas,” she said. “I would identify as a writer; I would not necessarily identify as a musician. I don’t connect with it the way some of my students do, but I know that some of my students do. So I want to learn more so that when kids do these projects — right now, it’s generally written expression — I would love for us to take them to a place of musical expression or art expression, and just connect their world to the world of the victims.” She has been teaching eighthgrade language arts students about the Holocaust for seven years and created the school’s annual student-made pop-up museum that honors and shares the stories of its victims. Libben’s interest in the history of the Holocaust grew organically from her teaching of “The Diary of Anne Frank,” which ignited questions from her students that she didn’t have the answers to. So she did her research, and then she continued to research on her own. “The kids started asking so many questions, and they just had this desire to know more, and so it was just a wonderful, true education moment of their interest and questions spurring my own,” Libben said. “I couldn’t keep up with their questions so I started researching their questions, and it started leading me to some of these other experiences and training.” The pop-up museum grew from a

gallery walk in an upstairs classroom to a community event in the school’s Charger Hall, with students making it more profound and personal each year, Libben said. Her research also led her to be more involved outside of the classroom in Holocaust education, becoming a leader within the Indiana Holocaust Educators Network. She’ll conduct a seminar later this year alongside a fellow Holocaust educator for teachers across the state on how to teach the subject and relate it to current human rights education. Having previously visited Terezin for a short period during a fellowship in 2013, Libben is hoping to, in a way, bring her students with her by conducting Skype sessions in real time while she’s overseas, as well as interact with the classroom through social media. It will be another way to connect students to an important period of history on a much more personal level, and show that the Holocaust is more than just numbers and pages in a history book. People were more than victims. They were living, breathing, complex human beings. “I think so often when we look at the Holocaust, we often look at death and numbers, and I think it’s important to look at individual stories and remember the people behind those stories,” Libben said. “I think looking at their intellectual products, their spiritual products, we can learn a lot from that and who they were and remind ourselves this is bigger than numbers.”

FFA students earn honors at leadership contest KPC NEWS SERVICE

BUTLER — Five members of West Noble High School’s FFA competed March 17 in the District 3 Leadership Contest, with one student earning Star Award recognition. A total of 16 schools participated in the competition hosted by Eastside High School, with more than 100 volunteer

judges taking part to listen, review and remark on those competing. Kelty Bratton received top honors, earning the Star Award in ag placement proficiency application. Bratton also took fifth in job interview, fourth in horticulture demonstration and sixth in leadership ambassador.

Khrista Edgell and MeKenzee Budd placed 10th in animal science demonstration, and Cassie Gebert was fifth in the FFA creed speaking contest. The team of Bergen Tom, Budd, Gebert and Edgell took fifth in the FFA knowledge test. West Noble’s FFA exhibit placed seventh overall.

Visit us online: westnoble.k12.in.us Go West • Spring 2017 • kpcnews.com • ©KPC Media Group Inc.

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Photo Contributed

Athletes awarded for their sportsmanship at the West Noble High School winter athletic awards program included, in front from left, Mark Silva, Madison Hilbish, Jessica Cabrera and Megan Godfrey. In back, from left, are Mason Stover and Cameron Roy.

Photo Contributed

Athletes recognized as most valuable players were, in front from left, Leigha Keck, Isaac Weimer and Kirstin Knox. In back, from left, are Kaylie Warble, Larry Nickolson and Neal Kathary.

Winter athletes recognized at ceremony LIGONIER — The West Noble High School athletic department honored winter athletes in an awards ceremony March 14 at the high school. Athletes recognized included: Boys varsity basketball: most valuable player, Larry Nickolson; sportsmanship, Mason Stover; rebound trophy, Larry Nickolson; assist trophy, Mason Stover; free throw percentage, Trevor Franklin; defense trophy, Nick Knepper; and coaches award trophy, Walker Donley and Takota Weigold. Boys JV basketball: free throw percentage, Jace Dooley; rebound trophy, David Flores; assist trophy, Chris Strombeck; and defense trophy, Josh Gross. Wrestling: most valuable wrestler, Isaac Weimer; sportsmanship award, Cameron Roy; coaches award, Draven Rasler; most improved trophy, Kyler Brown; scholar athlete trophy, Michael Weaver; freshman award, Shayne Tierney; most pins trophy, Isaac Weimer; and most takedowns, Isaac Weimer. Girls varsity basketball: most valuable player, Kaylie Warble; sportsmanship, Megan Godfrey; rebound trophy, Kaylie Warble; assist trophy, Madison Schermerhorn; free throw percentage, Lauren Burns; defense trophy, Madison Schermerhorn; and coaches award trophy, Lauren Burns. Girls JV basketball: free throw percentage, Kristina Teel; rebound trophy, Becky Yoder; assist trophy, Angela Gross; and defense trophy, Kristina Teel.

Gymnastics: most valuable gymnast, Kirstin Knox; sportsmanship, Jessica Cabrera; all-around medal, Kirstin Knox; coaches award, Jessica Cabrera; most improved, Alyssa Carr; and outstanding freshman, Josey Diehm. Cheerleading: most valuable cheerleader, Leigha Keck; sportsmanship, Madison Hilbish; most improved, Lizbeth Pablo ManLeaders: most valuable lifter, Neal Kathary; sportsmanship, Mark Silva; and most improved, Martin Guzman 2016-17 Winter Scholar Athletes (achieved a 3.5 grade-point average or better in second trimester): Tressa Hodge, freshman; Jenna Hutsell, freshman; Kyle Mawhorter, freshman; Sarah Roque, freshman; Kristina Teel, freshman; Michael Weaver, freshman; Jewel Allard, sophomore; Lauren Burns, sophomore; Megan

Godfrey, sophomore; BreAnna Hunter, sophomore; Kourtnie Jones, sophomore; Kirstin Knox, sophomore; Tara Miller, sophomore; Tori Miller, sophomore; Lizbeth Pablo, sophomore; Turner Patrick, sophomore; Brittany Rasnake, sophomore; Madison Schermerhorn, sophomore; Andrew Tom Anzueto, sophomore; Madison Hilbish, junior; Ashley Cox, senior; Walker Donley, senior; Taylor Durbin, senior; Leigha Keck, senior; Emily Morren, senior; and Kaylie Warble, senior. NECC All-Conference winter 2017: boys basketball, Larry Nickolson (All-NECC); girls basketball, Lauren Burns (All-NECC), Kaylie Warble (All-NECC) and Madison Schermerhorn (honorable mention All-NECC); wrestling, Draven Rasler (All-NECC, sectional champion and state eighthplace finisher) and Isaac Weimer (All-NECC and semistate qualifier).

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Happy ‘B’-Day, WNMS School celebrates earning its first-ever ‘B’ grade from state KPC NEWS SERVICE

LIGONIER — Blue streamers and balloons covered the school’s walls. “Bohemian Rhapsody” played over the loudspeakers, and bacon was cooking in the kitchen. It was a simple theme with a big message for West Noble Middle School students: good job. The school celebrated its “B”-Day March 14, but it wasn’t anyone’s birthday. Administrators, staff and teachers surprised students with a day of “B”-themed events to congratulate them on earning a B accountability grade from the Indiana Department of Education, a distinction earned through students’ ISTEP+ test scores. After beginning its journey to improvement eight years ago when the school was labeled an F, Principal Melanie Tijerina said it was important to take a moment to appreciate the accomplishment. “We do a really good job at looking at how we need to fix things that aren’t working, but we do a horrible job of celebrating. We do a horrible job of planning how to celebrate accomplishments,” Tijerina said. “Hopefully, it’s going to be a fun day for the kids, a little kooky, a little weird.” The celebration originally was slated for March 13, the same day the school was to host a West Noble School Corp. Board of Education meeting. But with the school closed for a snow day, students were surprised March 14 to find a day full of “B” activities. A committee of volunteer teachers and staff members spent weeks

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West Noble Middle School students, teachers and staff organized themselves into the letter “B” for a school photo in the middle school gymnasium March 14 to cap off its “B”-Day celebration. School Resource Officer Brandon Chordas used the opportunity to test out the Noble County’s Sheriff’s Department’s new drone by taking photos of the process and final product.

planning the day, with everything channeled through the letter “B.” Students walked into the school to find it decorated in blue and displaying “Be …” slogans while listening to songs that had “B” in the title. The day also involved “B” activities and prizes, including a schoolwide game of bingo, a “Be Happy” raffle, a treat of bacon and brownie breaks, an all-“B” lunch menu, a staff and

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student basketball game, a dress code of something blue and a bubblegum-blowing contest. Teachers found it validating to see the reactions of students when they were applauded while walking in through the front door to begin the day, even if some students were fearful it was more ISTEP+ testing. “They were very surprised. When we first came in this morning, I had a couple of kids come down to me from sixth grade say, ‘I’m scared. I don’t know what’s going on. It’s freaking me out,’” fifth-grade teacher Leslie Wechter said. “Once they found out why we’re doing the ‘B’-Day … they were like, ‘Oh, this is so cool. When (Tijerina) announced it was the first time ever for the school to get a letter B, they were very excited about that. ‘We made history!’” For seventh-grader Madison Yates, the applause and a “B”-themed song selection were the perfect way to come ➤ ‘B’ Day, Page 14

Photos Contributed

Top: The seventh-grade band, pictured here, earned the top gold rating in Division VI. Bottom: Eighth-grade musicians, pictured here, competed in Division 1, earning a rating of gold.

WNMS band earns gold The West Noble Middle School seventh- and eighth-grade bands competed and earned gold ratings at the Indiana State School Music

Contact West Noble 894-3191 or 800-488-3191

Association concert band contest March 18 at Goshen Middle School. Each band performed three pieces of

music before audience members and judges. They prepared for the competition over the past two months.

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Heather and Jason Shearer walk around West Noble Primary School’s quarter-mile track with first-grade students March 3 as part of the Fitness Club one-mile walk at recess.

Marking ‘mile’-stones

School celebrates fitness program, students’ walking goals KPC NEWS SERVICE

LIGONIER — By walking one mile each recess, West Noble Primary

Page 10

School students have nearly traveled the length of the equator. In all, their effort totals more than 22,400 miles this school year, and they’re still going. March 3 marked the 100-mile milestone for a group of kindergarten and first-grade students who take part in the school’s Fitness Club, which spends the first part of each recess walking four laps around the playground’s quarter-mile track. In reaching that achievement, the school invited parents to walk alongside their children on what turned out to be a cold, snowy day, but students’ enthusiasm didn’t wane. “They’re so excited when they reach, especially, the 100-mile. That seems to be the big deal,” said Amy Stoner, Fitness Club coordinator. “(Teachers) try to make it really fun and exciting and encourage the parents to come walk when they meet that 100-mile milestone. It’s great fun for them.” Students are recognized when they reach their 50-, 100- and 150-mile benchmarks, with an award of T-shirts, sweatshirts and a new pair of shoes, respectively. The program was started more than Go West • Spring 2017 • kpcnews.com • ©KPC Media Group Inc.

12 years ago because of Principal Brian Shepherd’s love of running and instructional assistant Sharon Rohrer’s need to fill a vacant bulletin board. “I just happened to be the guinea pig that was available,” said Rohrer, who founded and formerly ran the program. “I went literally up to him, and there was this space on the bulletin board out in the hallway, and I said, ‘What do I do with that space?’ and he went, ‘Actually, I have an idea.’” Since then, classes and grade levels have competed against each other to reach the milestones. Students have established a tradition of picking up a stick each time they circle the track, and once they have four, they show them to a teacher, who records another mile completed. To some, it becomes almost like a job, Rohrer said. “They have their group of friends that they always walk with or race,” she said. Stoner added walking around the track underscores the school’s promotion of exercising and eating properly. It also helps to focus the children’s play time into something ➤ Walking, Page 13

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DR. SEUSS

Photos Contributed

Left: West Noble Primary School celebrated National Read Across America Day March 2 by dressing up as Dr. Seuss characters. The day marks Dr. Seuss’s birthday. Right: Kindergarten students Axel Barrientos, left, and Gabriel Ruvalcaba show off their Cat in the Hat and Lorax costumes Friday during West Noble Primary School’s celebration for National Read Across America Day.

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ANIMATED AUTHOR

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Award-winning children’s book author Jim Aylesworth poses questions to West Noble Primary School kindergarten students during a presentation March 10 for the school’s Author Day. A former teacher, Aylesworth spent the morning going over his books, reading and singing a few excerpts, and holding a question-and-answer session with students.

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ISTEP+ PEP West Noble Middle School kicked off two days of ISTEP+ testing with a pep rally Feb. 27. Teachers dressed up and took part in the “presentation of pencils” that students will use during the test, as well as demonstrated the activities and games students can take part in as a reward for their hard work. A comedic ISTEP+ video made by teachers and administrators also was shown to students and can be viewed on West Noble Middle School’s YouTube channel. At left, sixth-grade student Daniel Olvera laughs as he receives a high five from a dressed-up Brenda Patrick of West Noble Middle School’s food services before the pep rally. KPC NEWS SERVICE

Walking from Page 10 that can be constructive for the learning process. “I think it helps the kids to focus. They need to get their wiggles out. There’s less drama, less fighting when they’re walking the course,” Stoner said. “They’re just out there walking.” The walking club also has been linked to the school’s involvement with Fuel Up to Play 60, a nationwide health program sponsored by the National Football League and the National Dairy Council, and the New Balance Foundation’s Billion Mile Race, for which the school is ranked fifth in the state out of 105 schools. It’s a pretty impressive feat for a school of first-grade and kindergarten

Contact West Noble 894-3191 or 800-488-3191

“

I think it helps the kids to focus. They need to get their wiggles out.” Amy Stoner, WNP Fitness Club coordinator

students who are no older than 8, Rohrer said, and West Noble Primary has its eyes set on first place. While the program is voluntary, Stoner and Rohrer see a lot of participation because of the investment and enthusiasm of administrators, teachers, fellow classmates and students’ siblings

who took part when they were at the primary school. Rohrer said she has witnessed over the past decade the transition of those who reach the 150-mile achievement to becoming involved with track and cross country later on. The walls of the primary school show the accomplishments of those students who reach the milestones, either in photographs of students with their new pair of shoes or on the bulletin board that lists each student’s number of miles so far during the year. While looking over the program’s history, Rohrer was proud. “I’m really pleased with the program and the way it’s gone.”

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‘B’ Day from Page 8

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Fifth-grade teacher Leslie Wechter, assistant principal Gene Teel and head custodian Guy Hursey work to organize a group of fifth-grade students into position to start the bottom half of the “B”.

back from a long weekend. “It was an (uplifting) beat, especially on a Tuesday morning after we just got back from a three-day weekend, so it was kind of an uplifting moment,” Yates said. She and fellow students found the surprise celebration a good way to stay motivated as the school year winds down. “It’s something to look forward to next year, especially since we just took our first round a few weeks ago of ISTEP,” Yates said. “It’s something to look forward to next year, knowing then that if we improve this much, then we’ll get the same.” “It kind of makes me want to see what we can do in the future,” seventh-grader Kristen Cox said. “It

was a good change for a day. We still had fun, but we were learning.” Wechter believes the day’s special recognition helped reinforce to teachers that the work they’re doing is making a difference. “For a teacher, it’s neat to see that you’re doing something and it’s really working. It’s positive reinforcement for the teachers,” Wechter said. The continual efforts of staff and teachers were a vital part of the school’s success, Tijerina said. Eight years ago, when the middle school was given an F grade, the staff took a hard look at where they were and decided to search out new ways to improve practices to help students achieve more. That included transitioning from

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semesters to trimesters, adding more technology in programming and classrooms, studying effective instructional strategies and improving their understanding of gathering and analyzing data, such as the use of pre- and post-test scores to determine student growth. It was a challenge school staff took personally, Tijerina said. “It was really gradual, which I think sometimes means a more effective improvement, because it wasn’t a quick turnaround. It was a sustainable improvement, not just a flash-in-a-pan-type thing,” Tijerina said. “We’re really celebrating the last eight years. We’re not really celebrating this one test score.” Tijerina said the improvements at the school also were possible because of the work at West Noble Primary School and West Noble Elementary School, both of which have earned A grades over the years. Their improvement and strength have affected students who move on to the middle school, Tijerina said, and she hopes the middle school’s success can turn into additional benefits for the high school. It would be easy to start focusing on reaching the next level, an A grade, but Tijerina said the goal doesn’t lie in the letter but rather in the students’ well-being and education. Tijerina began thinking of the celebration after speaking with West Noble Elementary School Principal Mark Yoder, whose school has fluctuated between an A and B in the past. She said he emphasized the need to acknowledge the work and effort the school has put in to receiving the B grade, because once a school receives an A, it’s not easily sustainable and can make administrators think the worst of themselves if the school receives a different score the next year. Yoder suggested acknowledging the work currently being done, and Tijerina took that to heart. “We’re not hung up on the A. We’re like, there’s no time to celebrate like the present. We’ve improved, whether we ever get to an A or not. We’ve improved a ton. I don’t think you ever arrive, you never say, ‘I’ve arrived. We’re as good as we’re going to get.’ We refuse to do that,” Tijerina said. “We know that we have a ways we could still go, but it’s OK to pause and just say that, ‘We’ve come this far.’”

Dentist from Page 5

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It’s just one more way that we can try to help the whole child to be ready to learn.” — Denise Hershman, West Noble Primary School nurse options provided. The Smile Programs dentist forwards any findings to a student’s family dentist or parents for recommendations of further work, if needed. It’s a program that has grown in numbers since it launched at the primary school in 2010, increasing from about 30 students initially to now averaging about 70 participants a year. The increase in participation is credited to how the program is explained to students, with a hygienist coming to the school two to three weeks in advance of Smile Programs’ visit to show a one-minute commercial of what services are provided. “The children respond immensely. Sending a paper home doesn’t mean much to the child, and the parents may or may not read it. But when the children see the hygienist and she’s very lively and she gives them a big talk and explains teeth cleaning and what it is, she makes the whole thing sound exciting,” Hershman said. “Then those children go home and tug on their parent’s pant leg and say, ‘I’ve got to do this.’ They may not have any idea what it is, but they know it sounded fun.” This year, Hershman took it upon herself to visit each classroom to do a quick check of students’ molars to see if there were cases of severe need for the program and contacted families she thought could benefit from the program. With the primary school’s success, West Noble Elementary School recently has started inviting the mobile dentist program to its campus for examinations, continuing the school corporation’s push for treating the whole child. “There’s an old saying that a child needs to be healthy to learn, and they have to learn to be healthy,” Hershman said. “Both of them go hand in hand, that you don’t automatically know what to do to stay healthy, but once your teeth don’t hurt and you have lunch in your belly and you’re wearing warm clothes, then you’re more able to listen and focus on learning.”

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Smile Program dental hygienist Kami Iavagnilio flosses first-grade student Nathaniel Gaerte’s teeth March 17 as part of West Noble Primary School’s mobile dentist program. Go West • Spring 2017 • kpcnews.com • ©KPC Media Group Inc.

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Experienced educators take seats on board Hagen, Vargas stress the well-being of teachers, students KPC NEWS SERVICE

policy and usher in a new superintendent … I want to make sure that that’s a person that’s understanding of the diverse culture we have here.” Vargas, 32, taught for four years with Goshen Community Schools before making the transition to his position as pastor of Strong Tower Worship Center in Ligonier. In addition to his work with the youths within his church, Vargas partnered with his brother, Jacob, to establish The House, West Noble Middle School’s after-school program, earlier this school year. The program has grown from about five students to now averaging about 30 kids. He said his daily work with students will be a benefit to the board, as he can put real faces and names to issues that need addressed. “When I speak about the kids and the kids’ needs, they’re not hypothetical situations,” Vargas said. “I’m really excited to represent educators on the school board — their conditions, their beliefs — to really bring in the teachers’ perspective.” Hagen’s experience in administration has taught her that there is always a framework to how change can be made and be made effectively. She said her first year on the board will be spent listening and absorbing information so she can find where real changes can be implemented pragmatically, especially when budgetary decisions need to be made. “You have to know what you can really change, you need to know what your parameters are of that,” Hagen said. “There’s so much I need to learn. What is feasible to change? I desire to do what’s best for the kids. My top priority: What are the best decisions we can make for the kids? I don’t think you can go wrong

LIGONIER — The two newest members of the West Noble School Corp. Board of Education have a lot in common. They’re lifelong Ligonier residents. They graduated from West Noble High School, and they pursued careers in education. Because of this, Kathy Hagen and Joshua Vargas have a similar goal for their tenures on the board: to represent the teachers and students, while caring for the well-being of all. It’s also a way for them to give back to a community that gave them both so much. Hagen, 59, retired from the district in 2014 after 31 years as an administrator and has been substituting ever since. To her, being part of the school board is another way to use what she learned at West Noble to return the favor. “I can be an asset. I feel like I want to give back, and I want to enjoy West Noble for a lot of years,” Hagen said. “West Noble kids are my love … I want to be there no matter what. I want to have that connection.” That love and connection are things Vargas emphasized as reasons why he made the decision to run for the vacant seat on the board. Both he and Hagen ran unopposed in the November general election after former board members Jeana Leamon and Christine Mershman decided not to seek another term. “The West Noble community served me and took care of me and trained me well. This is an opportunity to serve back,” Vargas said. “Beyond that, as an educator myself — as a former educator but still educating and teaching as a pastor — I love young people. I work with young people still, and to be able to be a board member, to be able to create

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with that.” And when it comes to finances, she wants to make sure the school corporation’s teachers are able to provide the learning environment needed to thrive. But that can be hard with what the schools receive in state funding. It’s about maximizing what the school is given to help teachers, but still be able to do the most for the students, Hagen said. It’s also a priority for her to make sure the schools are a safe place for students, in light of the adversity they may face outside West Noble classrooms. In December, a 16-year-old student was detained after police raided his residence and reportedly found evidence he was the head of a marijuana-selling network that involved West Noble High School and West Noble Middle School students, which resulted in drug-related suspensions and expulsions this school year. That came on the heels of an interactive convocation that showed 35 percent high school students who were polled had suicidal or harmful thoughts. “Every school is one student away from having the same thing happen,” Hagen said. “We have good counselors in the buildings. We need to make sure they have the time and resources to effectively help the students they’re serving.” Vargas will be using his experience as both an educator and a pastor to make sure the wellness of the whole student, not just his or her education, is the priority. “Anytime a problem arises … the students’ well-being, not just educational but as a whole, is a priority,” Vargas said. “We’re going to do everything in our power to take care of our children. The community needs to know, whether they believe in it or not, before every meeting … before every single conversation we ever had … I have been in prayer for every bit of the process. I’m going to pray for every single kid by name.” Hagen calls the school board her first “major experience” with an office, as she currently serves on the Ligonier Park Board and previously had a seat on Noble County Parks and Recreation Board. While she may ask herself why she took on such a responsibility, she wants to be an asset to her alma mater and home. “It is an overwhelming responsibility I’ve taken on,” Hagen said. “I’m excited. I have much to learn, and I have great people to learn from.”