SWSC News August 21st, 2026

Our buildings are full, our fall teams are competing, and the first full week of home events is right around the corner. Thank you to our families and staff for another strong week. There is a lot happening between now and next Friday, from the boys tennis team's fast start to the season's first home football game. Here is what to know!

Mini Cheerleading Camp This Week

Campers in grades K-5 meet Wednesday, August 26 from 4:00 to 6:00 PM and Thursday, August 27 from 3:00 to 5:30 PM in the SES gym. Participants perform at the home football game Friday, August 28; please arrive by 6:30 PM for the 7:00 PM kickoff.

School Fundraiser Underway

The SES school fundraiser kicks off Friday, August 21. Watch for more information coming home with students.

Fall School Pictures: Tuesday, September 1

Every student will be photographed for the yearbook, whether or not prints are purchased. Order forms will come home later. Retakes will be offered for absences or retake requests.

School Smiles Dental Visit: Friday, October 2

The dentist will be at SES for cleanings, fluoride, x-rays, sealants, restorative care, and free dental supplies. Register at schoolsmiles.com/student-signup. All students need to register for the new school year.

Lunch Reminder

Outside food must arrive in a lunchbox or lunch sack. Please do not send it in restaurant packaging (McDonald's, Burger King, Dairy Queen, Subway, and the like).

Dartettes Sign-Ups This Week

Dartette sign-ups run through Friday, August 21. Practices begin Wednesday, August 26 from 3:00 to 4:00 PM and continue every Wednesday after that. All participants must have a completed sports physical on file in FinalForms, with all parent and student signatures, before they can participate. Parents pick up in the gym parking lot.

Penny Wars: August 31 to September 4

The SES PTO presents Penny Wars, running Monday, August 31 through Friday, September 4. Pennies and bills add points to your own class jar, while silver coins dropped in other classrooms' jars subtract from them (nickel 5, dime 10, quarter 25). The classroom with the highest total at the end of the week wins an ice cream sundae party.

Lost and Found and PTO Facebook

Check the SES Facebook page every Friday for the weekly Lost and Found post, then check the comments to claim your student's items. The SES PTO also has a new page, Sullivan Elementary School PTO; give it a like to stay up to date on activities this year.

Picture Day Is Today

SMS School Picture Day is Friday, August 21. Click here to purchase photos online.

Cross Country Opens at Home

The co-ed cross country team opens its season Wednesday, August 26 at 5:00 PM at SMS, hosting Rivet, North Central, and Dugger.

Student Council Applications

Applications are available in Mrs. Wells' room and are due Friday, August 28.

Back-to-School Reminders

• Devices (phones, wireless earbuds, smartwatches) must be silenced and stay in student lockers from 8:10 to 2:55.
• Attendance: parents may call in to excuse up to 5 absences per semester. After the 5th, further absences need documentation to be excused.
• Car riders (new morning procedure): morning drop-off is now at Door #9, the front entrance. Please pull all the way forward to the SRO before your child exits, so 3 to 4 cars can unload at once; students do not need to be dropped directly at the front door. Afternoon pick-up remains at Door #16 by the gym. For mid-day pick-up, bring a driver's license and be listed in Harmony as a parent, guardian, or emergency contact.
• Water bottles: clear plastic bottles only. Other drinks may be opened only at lunch in the cafeteria.
• Please keep Harmony updated so it reflects how your child is getting home.
• Lunch money should be brought to the office between 7:45 and 8:15 AM. Money turned in after this time will be posted the following day.

Fall Baseball Open Practices

Open practices for grades 6-8 continue at the SHS Baseball Field on August 27 (4:00 to 5:30 PM), August 31 (5:30 to 7:00 PM), and September 3, 10, and 24 (4:00 to 5:30 PM).

Dartettes: 6th Grade Sign-Ups

Sixth graders interested in Dartettes can sign up on the sheet in the office this week. Practices begin Monday, August 24 from 3:00 to 4:00 PM in the SES gym.

Mark Your Calendars

• September 15: Midterms sent home
• September 22: 8th Grade River Raft Field Trip

Sullivan Middle School football posted a 30 to 0 shutout of Vincennes Lincoln. Mason Metheny and Ashton Hale each ran in a rushing touchdown, and Metheny added a touchdown pass to Blake Kelly. Kelly had a big all-around night, also returning a fumble for a score. The defense came up with two interceptions, one each from Jack Phegley and Leland Phegley. The boys are back in action this Saturday at home against Gibson Southern at 10:00 AM.

Volleyball Opens Wednesday

The Lady Indians open their season Wednesday, August 26 at North Central at 6:00 PM. Athletes must have a current physical on file to participate. Families should join the CMS Volleyball SportsYou app with code DHGD-VPP3, where all team communication is posted.

Picture Retakes: Wednesday, October 7

Carlisle Picture Day was Tuesday, August 19. Retakes will be offered Wednesday, October 7.

Going-Home Changes

If your child is going home a different way than their normal routine, please contact the school before noon. Anyone picking up your child must be an adult listed on Harmony as an emergency contact. We will do our best to accommodate last-minute changes, but if it becomes a recurring issue we may not be able to be as flexible.

Student Supervision at Games and Events

Students attending games and events may not exit for any reason without a parent or responsible adult. Once an unsupervised student exits, they will not be allowed to re-enter. Thank you for helping us keep a safe and enjoyable environment for everyone.

Brown Baggers and Birthday Grams

To have your child considered for the Brown Baggers Program, have them stop by the office to fill out a form. Birthday Grams are also available: a $5 gram (balloon, card, and full-size candy bar) or a $20 party (Hostess cakes and juice boxes for the class, plus a gram, balloon, and candy for the birthday student). See Debra McCrary at 812-398-3851, ext. 2402.

Clothes Closet Donations Needed

The Carlisle clothes closet is in need of sweatpants and leggings in all child and adult sizes (no toddler sizes). Questions? Contact Ms. Debra McCrary at 812-398-3851, ext. 2402, or dmccrary@swest.k12.in.us.

School Pictures

Student photos were taken on Thursday, August 20th. You can purchase them online by clicking here.

First Home Football Game Friday, August 28

The Golden Arrows host South Vermillion Friday, August 28 at 7:00 PM in the football home opener. SES Mini Cheerleading campers will perform. Come out and support the Arrows.

Class of 2027 Senior Shirts: Orders Due August 21

A second round of Class of 2027 Senior shirts is underway. Orders must be turned in by Friday, August 21. Shirts are $25 (S-XL), and money is due at the time of ordering.

Student Parking

Parking passes are on sale in the office for $5. Seniors can paint a spot for $25; see Mr. Kirk's email for details. Passes are for licensed drivers only. If you will be getting your license later, you can purchase your pass then.

Sports Passes

Sports passes are on sale in the office. Student passes are $20 for SHS events or $30 for a corporation-wide pass. See the full 2026-27 Athletic Ticket Price List at the bottom of this newsletter.

2026-27 Yearbooks

Yearbooks are on sale for $60. Order before September 18 to get free icons and a name on the front. Order forms are in the office.

Kindness Club

Want to add some positivity to SHS? Join the Kindness Club. Find a flier around the school between now and September 1, scan the QR code, and fill out the application form. Trouble scanning? See Mrs. Hollis or Mrs. Couch.

Bowling Team Meeting: August 26

Students interested in the bowling team should attend a meeting Tuesday, August 26 at 4:00 PM at Maddog's.

Middle School Tutoring Opportunity

Sophomores, juniors, and seniors interested in tutoring at the middle school should check their email and complete the form from Mrs. Tracy. Tutoring pays $20 per hour on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at the middle school.

Yearbook Giveaway and Reel Time Video Contest

Enter to win a free personalized 2027 yearbook by dropping your name and grade in the container at the main office (one entry per person). Winners are announced August 21 and August 28. Students who enjoy making videos can also see Mrs. Smith in the library about Reel Time, the IASP's new 60-second video contest.

Summer SAE Packets Due September 1

Students who took Summer SAE must turn in completed course packets to Ms. Goeppner by September 1.

The Sullivan volleyball team opened the season with a strong stretch of play. On Monday, August 17, the Lady Arrows took down South Knox on the road. Two nights later they hosted South Vermillion in a back-and-forth thriller, pushing the match to a full five sets before falling in a hard-fought finish. The Lady Arrows answered on Thursday, taking a five-set win on the road at White River Valley to close out the week.

Up next, the Lady Arrows compete in the Eastern Greene Varsity Round Robin on Saturday, August 22 at Eastern Greene High School in Bloomfield. Sullivan faces Washington at approximately 10:15 AM, NE Dubois around 12:45 PM, and host Eastern Greene at about 2:00 PM, with each match played best two out of three sets. Doors open at 8:15 AM and admission is $10 for the full day, with concessions available. The team with the best overall record takes home the tournament trophy.

The Sullivan boys tennis team opened the 2026 season with two wins. On Monday, August 17, the Arrows took a 4 to 1 decision at Washington. Jaxon Zollman and freshman Blake DeSanto won in singles, and both doubles teams, Zane Abbott and Tanner Boyll at No. 1 and Easton Monroe and Carter Lee at No. 2, closed out their matches. The junior varsity swept the day 6 to 0.

The next night, August 18, Sullivan blanked South Vermillion 5 to 0 at home. Hunter Pinkston, Zollman, and DeSanto all won in singles, and the Abbott-Boyll and Monroe-Lee pairings again took both doubles points. The JV added a 7 to 0 win.

Head coach Wes Kirk credited a disciplined effort that limited loose points, and pointed to DeSanto's fast start along with the leadership of seniors Pinkston and Zollman. Up next is a Saturday doubleheader at Parke Heritage against Greencastle and Parke Heritage. Congratulations, Arrows.

The Sullivan girls golf team hosted South Vermillion and Clay City in a tri-meet Thursday at the Sullivan Elks Golf Course. South Vermillion took the team title at 200, with the Lady Arrows second at 216 and Clay City third at 223. Lanie Donnar earned low-medalist honors with a 48, winning on a first-hole scorecard playoff. She was followed for Sullivan by Paisley Drake (54), Kennedy Boles (57), Olivia Eslinger (57), Kendal Redman (58), Aubrey Andreae (62), and Hailey Barker (68).

Before the fall season got underway, the girls tennis program celebrated a standout 2026 campaign at its awards banquet on July 27. The team finished with a 21-3 dual record, tying the 2023 State Finalist squad for the second-most dual wins in a single season in school history and marking just the third time the program has topped 20 wins in a year. Along the way the Lady Arrows were undefeated WIC Conference Champions, Loogootee Invitational Champions, and Sectional Champions for the fourth season in a row.

Senior Ally McKinney led the honors with the MVP and Nancy MacDonald Awards, a 25-2 singles record, and two new school records: most wins at No. 1 singles in a season (25) and most career wins (87). She was also named 2nd Team All-State for singles. Mercedes Ferree earned Athletic All-Conference, All-District Singles for District 5, and Honorable Mention All-State honors. The doubles team of Izzie Jenkins and Annie Dugan took All-District Doubles and Honorable Mention All-State recognition, and Raylee Hobbs was named Most Improved Player. Head coach Wes Kirk was joined by assistants Mike Lueking, Jeff Lookebill, and Kathleen Jones. Congratulations to the entire team on a season for the record books.