Best of 2022-2023

Dr. Katie Jenner Indiana Secretary of Education

It’s safe to say that the best part of the 2022-2023 school year…was YOU! Over the course of the academic year, I was able to visit many, many schools across the state. And along the way, I was lucky enough to meet students, teachers, administrators, and school staff who, over and over again, reaffirmed why our work is so important.

While we know a good teacher never picks “favorites”...and I am certainly not planning to do that with all of the schools I visited, but I would like to highlight (and celebrate) several across the state that are making a positive impact for students!

Kicking off the school year, we had the pleasure of celebrating with Nancy Hanks Elementary Principal Jody Schmitt as she told us that 100% of their students passed I-READ 3 in 2022…and stood alongside Eastside Elementary School Principal Dr. Val Scott as we announced a historic investment in literacy for the state of Indiana, and the state’s goal of having 95% of Indiana’s students pass IREAD-3 by 2027.

Standing alongside students and educators, like Angela Fowler at Grassy Creek Elementary and Brittany Tinkler at Rosa Parks-Edison Elementary, as they were named Milken Educator Award winners was certainly a highlight…and Tara Cocanower of Bluffton High School was completely shocked when an anti-bullying convocation turned into a celebration naming her as 2023 Indiana Teacher of the Year!

Benjamin Bosse High School Principal Aaron Huff and Princeton Community High School Principal Amy Stough showcased the outstanding work of a powerful community partnership with Toyota to create the 4T Academy, which allows students to engage with on-thejob training and hands-on learning in advanced manufacturing production during their junior and senior years.

From the students at Washington High School learning about cybersecurity, encryption, and robotics to the kindergarteners at Daleville Elementary School experimenting with coding toy mice, STEM integration was on full display as something every student should have the opportunity to experience.

As she welcomed me through the doors, Crawford County High School Principal Brandy Stroud shared that they had just begun offering the Indiana College Core, making them one of 141 schools to offer the 30-credit-hour block of general education courses that transfer among all public institutions and some private colleges in Indiana… an incredible achievement for this rural district, which allows their students to save time and money, all while offering a direct pathway to enrollment.

Perry Central High School students and Principal Jody French showed off Commodore Manufacturing, a studentowned and operated manufacturing facility right on their campus. With over 40% of the job opportunities in the county found in the advanced manufacturing field, they are working to fill the needs of their local workforce, all while working toward the completion of the Next Level Program of Study Industrial Maintenance pathway or a Department of Labor-approved Apprenticeship National Certification.

Second grade students in the dual language immersion program at West View Elementary School gave presentations on Central and South American countries to Principal Eric Ambler and me in Spanish, and Head of School Mariama Shaheed shared that students at Indy Global Prep Academy experience dual language immersion and project-based learning as a part of their comprehensive curriculum.

Student agency is the name of the game at the Signature School and Burris

Laboratory School. Signature School

Principal Jean Hitchcock emphasized the importance of rigorous coursework and the opportunity to experience the world, while also allowing students the freedom of choice within their schedules during the school day. Similarly, Burris Principal Abigail Comber spoke about how their innovative May Term allows students to have a little fun, but still learn important standards and skills by taking classes that incorporate calculus into chess, learn how to create a podcast, or spend time creating a mural displaying the facets of the school’s history.

And last, but certainly not least, I had the opportunity to celebrate the STRIVE program…an impactful collaboration between the South Bend Boys and Girls Club and South Bend Community School Corporation, School City of Mishawaka, and Career and Success Academies. Through this in-person learning program, students split their time between remediation and enrichment. The program focuses on individualized literacy and math instruction, aligned to Indiana Academic Standards, and also includes an entrepreneurship program aligned to Indiana’s Employability Skills Standards.

Again, there is so much more I could highlight today, and I am already looking forward to hitting the road again next school year to celebrate more of the good teaching and learning happening in Indiana! Elevating the educator profession starts with us, and I hope you also take some time this summer and next school year to celebrate the work happening in your school. As always, thank you for all that you do for students. Have a great summer!