Believe and Achieve Times

Dear CHS Families,

As we approach one of the most meaningful moments of the school year, we are filled with excitement and pride for the Class of 2025. Our Graduation Ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday, June 4, at 7:00 p.m. on the Chesterton High School football field. We are hoping for a beautiful evening under the open sky to honor our graduates and celebrate their achievements.

Currently, the current weather forecast is predicting rain on Wednesday. We are closely monitoring the conditions and will keep you informed. Should we need to postpone we will communicate with you by 1pm on Wednesday. Our priority is to ensure a safe, comfortable, and memorable experience for our graduates and their families.

In the event of inclement weather, please note the following contingency plans:

• First Rain Date: Thursday, June 5, at 7:00 p.m.

• Second Rain Date: Sunday, June 8, at 3:00 p.m.

• If it rains on Sunday as well, the ceremony will be held indoors in the CHS Gymnasium at 3:00 p.m.

If the event moves indoors, each graduate has received 8 tickets, which will be required for admission due to limited seating. Doors will open at 2:00 p.m.

Thank you for your patience and flexibility as we navigate the weather forecast. We are committed to celebrating the Class of 2025 in a way that is both meaningful and safe, and we appreciate your continued support.

We look forward to seeing you at this milestone event!

Family & Guest Info!

• Graduation is Wednesday, June 4th, 2025, and begins at 7 pm at the CHS stadium. In case of inclement weather, we will reschedule to Thursday, June 5th, at the stadium. Further inclement weather days would delay the ceremony until Sunday, June 8th. We will communicate with families should this occur.
  
  

• Gates open at 5:30 pm to the stadium for families with tickets. Each graduate received 8 tickets for their families to attend graduation. If your senior did not pick up their graduation tickets, they are still available in the main office. At 6 pm, all guests are welcome to celebrate with the Class of 25 without a ticket. There is limited handicapped parking available in the parking lot outside Door 34 on the northwest corner of CHS.
  
  

• There is handicapped seating on the home and visitors side of the stadium. Families who need handicapped seating must exchange 2 of their general admission tickets for 2 handicapped seating tickets. Exchanges must be made in the main office. Handicapped seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first serve basis.
  
  

• The graduation stage will be on the football field and face north (towards 1100 N). All graduates will be organized into two sections. The seating chart (see below) notes whether your graduate will be closer to the home or the visitors side of the stadium to help families decide where to sit.
  
  

• Each graduate will have their name read by the senior class sponsors as they receive their diploma cover from the superintendent. All graduates will enter the stage on the home side, walk across the stage, then return to their seats from the visitors’ side.
  
  

• As each graduate receives their diploma cover, a professional photographer will capture the moment at the foot of the stage, then another photographer will take a second photo as they exit the stage. All graduates will fill out a contact card while in the field house before graduation so the photographers can contact families after graduation.
  
  

• Please hold your applause while your student’s name is being read so the next student’s name can be read without interruption.
  
  

• The graduation ceremony will be livestreamed on the CHS Facebook page.
  
  

• After the ceremony, there is no recessional for graduates so families can join their graduates on the football field. All graduates must pick up their diploma in the field house, however, after the ceremony.

Graduate Info!

• All graduates must report to CHS through Door 31 no later than 5:30 pm. When you arrive at the field house, all graduates must be properly dressed and ready to conduct the ceremony.
  
  

• When graduates arrive, all students will walk down the hallway towards the pool, where all graduates will be checked-in by a staff member before entering the field house. The purpose of this check-in is to ensure compliance with the dress code. Any graduate who does not follow the dress code will be sent home to change. The ceremony will not wait for any graduate who is sent home to change for this reason.
  
  

• The following dress code rules are required for all graduates:

• No high heeled shoes, flip flops, slides, Birkenstock sandals, Crocs, Nike, Jordan's, or any type of tennis shoes.

• Gowns must be fully zipped at all times

• Caps cannot be decorated in any way

• No shorts or jeans

• Graduates may only wear additional decorations that were issued by CHS. These items are the maroon & gold academic cords, IB stole, 5% medal, Tri-M pink cord, NHS white tassel, red, white & blue military cord, Ivy Tech Green ICC cord, Work Ethic maroon, gold and white cord, gold Ivy Tech honor's cord, black & gold PNW honor cord, and/or gray technical honors society cord.

• The field house is set up exactly like the football field and each seat will have a name tag on it to help students find their seats. You must sit in your assigned seat in order for the ceremony to go smoothly.
  
  

• Once seated in the field house, you must fill out the photo contact card so you can receive the photos as you receive your diploma cover during the ceremony.
  
  

• If you are seated on the outside of your row in the field house and your name is highlighted in yellow on the seating chart (see above), when you find your seat in the stadium at the start of the ceremony, you will not follow the person in front of you, but you will start a new row. Please watch the instructional video as often as necessary if you have any questions about this procedure. (see below)
  
  

• All graduates will leave CHS through Door 34 in two lines, cross the parking lot, and separate on either side of the southern goalpost and the stage. Graduates will then find their seats from the inside aisle and fill in the rows from the inside out. Please watch the instructional video as often as necessary if you have any questions about this procedure. Staff will be present to help everyone conduct this processional correctly. All graduates will remain standing until all graduates have arrived at their seats. Staff members will direct everyone to sit when that occurs.
  
  

• If any graduate disrupts the ceremony at any point, or acts in a disrespectful manner whatsoever, that student will not be allowed to receive their diploma after the ceremony. Instead, they will make an appointment with the CHS administration to address the student’s behavior.
  
  

• Immediately following the ceremony, all graduates are expected to pick up their diploma in the field house before departing for the evening.

This award honors bands and orchestras who offer a well-rounded music education, and have demonstrated excellence by earning gold ratings in multiple ISSMA events such as Solo & Ensemble, Jazz, Organizational Contests, and Marching Band. This is the third year in a row for the CHS Orchestras, and the fourth year consecutively for the CHS Bands, to have earned this prestigious award.

The Chesterton Music Program finished the school year strong while adding an exciting new distinction for its students and staff. Duneland School Corporation was named among 2025’s Best Communities for Music Education in the country. As one of 18 districts in the state to earn this award, it is in large part due to the top-notch teams of music educators who challenge students to refine their craft, and teach long-lasting life skills (like teamwork, discipline, time management, and communication) in these ensembles daily. Congratulations to our CHS Music teachers: Mr.Flodder, Mr. Grenier, and Ms. Morris.

The CHS Boys' Track team won the Valparaiso Regional this past Thursday!!!! The top three in each event qualify to compete at the state finals on June 6! Best of luck to all of the state qualifiers and congratulations to the entire team!

Regional Champions

Kieran Barnewall – 110 Meter High Hurdles (14.00)

Nolan Johnston – High Jump (6’11” – New School Record)

4×400 Meter Relay – Aaron Resto, Cal Wisniewski, Nathan Vaughan, Louis Raffin – 3:20.16

Second Place Finishers (Qualifying for State)

AJ Brandon – High Jump – 6’4″

Nathan Vaughan – 200 Meter Dash – 22.26

Kieran Barnewall – 300 Meter Hurdles – 38.75

Third Place Finishers (Qualifying for State)

4×100 Meter Relay – Weston Moore, Devin Throw, Cal Wisniewski, Nathan Vaughan – 42.86

Louis Raffin – 400 Meter Dash – 49.23

Nathan Vaughan – Long Jump – 22′ 4″

Owen Edlen – Shot Put – 57′ 7 1/4″

Fourth Place Finishers

Aaron Resto – 400 Meter Dash – 49.40

Owen Edlen – Discus – 142′ 9″

Fifth Place Finishes

Spencer Martin – 1600 Meter Run – 4:27.73

Will Roberson – 800 Meter Run – 2:01.17

Sixth Place Finishes

4×800 Meter Relay – Spencer Martin, Zarek Sierazy, William Morgan, Will Roberson – 8:07.14

Cal Wisniewski – 300 Meter Hurdles – 40.07

Devin Throw – 200 Meter Dash – 23.06

Seventh Place Finishes

Weston Moore – 100 Meter Dash – 11.62

Maddox McKinney – Pole Vault – 12′ 6″

8th Place Finishes

Patrick Mochen – Pole Vault – 12′ 0″

Other Trojan Finishers

Spencer Martin – 800 Meter Run – 9th Place

Ryan Nix -1600 Meter Run – 11th Place

Chesterton's #1 doubles team competed in the IHSAA Individual Doubles Sectional Finals on Friday at LaPorte. The Trojan duo of Aleksa Sorgic and Amelia Smith improved their overall record to 22-1 after beating the New Prairie's #1 doubles team by a score of 6-0, 6-0!

The win advances them to the IHSAA Individual Doubles Regional Finals, which will be played down at Indianapolis North Central HS on June 7th!

Best of luck Aleksa and Amelia!

We are thrilled to announce that Chesterton High School has been voted "The Best Public High School in the Region" for the third consecutive year! 🎉

This incredible honor is a direct reflection of the amazing students, dedicated teachers and staff, supportive parents, and the phenomenal Duneland community that stands behind us every step of the way. Your continued belief in our mission to provide an outstanding education and prepare students for life beyond high school means everything to us.

At CHS, we don’t just strive for excellence—we live it daily through academic achievement, character, service, and opportunity. Being recognized once again is a celebration of what we’ve built together.

THANK YOU for your unwavering support, school spirit, and partnership.

It’s great to be a Trojan, and it’s even better to share this journey with a community that truly believes in the power of public education.

Brent Martinson - Principal
#WeAreChesterton

Registration for the 2025-2026 school year is now open! If you haven’t already, please log into your Skyward Parent Access to complete your registration. We are aiming to have all registrations completed by the last day of school, May 29, 2025.

Need help or more details? Visit our registration website for all the info you need, including tips for using Skyward Parent Access.

Duneland 2025-2026 Registration

During school hours you can also contact your child’s school for help and support if needed. We appreciate you taking the time to get this completed!

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All 12th grade students are required to have a meningitis booster by senior year which would mean a total of two meningitis vaccines. Additionally, 2 doses of the meningococcal type B vaccine are strongly recommended. After your student has been vaccinated, please provide a copy of the vaccine date to the health clinic at CHS.

As we prepare for the upcoming soccer renovation construction project, I want to inform you of necessary parking adjustments that will take effect on Monday, March 31, and remain in place for the remainder of the school year.

Key Changes:

• The parking lot between the soccer field and tennis courts, as well as the 28 spaces in front of the soccer stadium, will be closed for the remainder of the school year.

• All staff who currently park in these areas will now park in the faculty lot on the west side of the building.

• All PM vocational students will be issued a laminated parking pass, which must be displayed at all times. These students are the only students permitted to park in the faculty lot, specifically in the last row closest to 11th Street.

• Students who fail to park in their designated area may face disciplinary consequences, including the potential loss of driving privileges at CHS.

While we recognize that construction projects can cause temporary inconveniences, this renovation will ultimately enhance a majority of our programs and provide all of our students with more field space, benefiting CHS for years to come.

We appreciate your cooperation and patience as we work through these necessary improvements. I appreciate your flexibility, and I hope you all have a wonderful and restful Spring Break!

Dear Families,

We are excited to announce that we have adopted a new form of school-to-home communication at called ParentSquare for the 2025-2026 school year. This unified communications platform is designed to keep parents and guardians informed and encourage greater engagement and connection with [school or district name]. It provides a safe way for district administrators, school principals, teachers, staff, and parents to:

• Send and receive school and class information

• Share pictures and files

• See calendar items

• Sign up to volunteer

• Schedule parent-teacher conferences

• and much more . . . all in one centralized place!

Parents—Getting Started Video

All district and school, grade level and classroom information will now be sent to your computer or phone via email and/or text. For even more convenience, download the ParentSquare app (available for free for iOS and Android devices).

Have questions? Click the question mark in the top right corner of the desktop version or the Help tab on the app (tap the triple bar icon at the top left) to find answers to most of your questions.

This communication addresses the increasing prevalence of Virtual Private Network (VPN)

usage and aims to provide clarity on its implications for online safety and security.

What is a VPN?

A VPN establishes a secure, encrypted connection between a user's device and the internet.

This encrypted "tunnel" can enhance privacy by masking internet traffic, potentially

protecting browsing history and location data.

Why are we talking about VPN’s?

We have observed a rise in VPN usage among students. While VPNs can offer certain

benefits, it is important to select reputable providers to mitigate potential risks.

Key Considerations:

● Data Transmission and Trust: When utilizing a VPN, internet traffic is routed

through the provider's servers. Selecting an untrustworthy provider may compromise

sensitive information, including browsing history and credentials.

● Server Infrastructure and Security: The security and location of VPN servers

significantly impact data protection. Providers utilizing servers in insecure or

unknown locations increase the risk of unauthorized access.

● Limitations of Anonymity: It is important to understand that VPNs do not

guarantee complete online anonymity. Less reputable VPN providers may still collect

and track user data. Free VPN’s almost certainly collect and track user data AND

expose account information to the provider.

Recommendations:

We strongly advise careful consideration before utilizing any VPN service, particularly those

from unknown sources and free VPN’s. Please prioritize thorough research to identify reliable

and trustworthy providers.

Our primary objective is to foster a secure online environment for all students. Should you

have any inquiries or require further clarification, please contact our helpdesk at helpdesk@duneland.k12.in.us.

Capital Improvements for 2025

The Duneland School Corporation will continue to improve current facilities to enhance the student experience with the following capital improvements in 2025: playground replacements at Bailly, Brummitt, Jackson, and Liberty elementary schools and soccer stadium renovations and carpet replacement at Chesterton High School. This presentation below provides additional details on the scope of each project. Concept drawings and timelines regarding 2021-2025 capital improvement projects are available on the DSC website.

On Monday, October 7, 2024, the Duneland School Board approved a K-12 addendum for all school handbooks. This addendum addresses how school administration responds to threats of violence made by students. It is important that students know of the potential repercussions of their words. The schools will be addressing this addendum with students prior to it going into effect on Monday, October 14, 2024. This addendum, is also available in each of the school handbooks under Student Code of Conduct/Specific Rules of Behavior.

On July 1, 2024, the Indiana Legislators enacted a new law for all K-12 schools in Indiana. The law reads as follows:

Electronic Devices (P.L. 108-1994, HEA 1202): Wireless Communication Devices

Per IC 20-26-5-40.7: the use of wireless communication devices, including but not limited to cellular telephones, tablet computers, laptop computers, gaming devices, smartwatches, etc., is strictly prohibited during academic class periods unless explicitly authorized by the teacher for educational purposes.

Students are permitted to use a wireless communication device in the event of a health or safety emergency or to manage health care as specifically defined in the student’s Individualized Health Plan (IHP), Individualized Education Plan (IEP), and/or Section 504 Plan.

A wireless communication device is defined by Indiana law as any portable wireless device that has the capability to provide voice, messaging, or other data communication between two (2) or more parties.

Chesterton High School’s new policy regarding wireless communication devices includes cell phones, earbuds/headphones, smartwatches, and any other auxiliary device that can be paired with a cellular phone. When a student is directed by a teacher or staff member to follow the established classroom phone/wireless communication policy, noncompliant students will be referred to the office and are subject to disciplinary action for insubordination.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in helping us create a focused and productive learning environment at CHS.

Thank you to all of our students and parents for helping us get off to a good start regarding our arrival and dismissal procedures! We will continue to make adjustments to effectively get our buses out and on their routes. When we work together then we can accomplish anything!

Key Changes:

• Morning Drop-Off: All students being dropped off before 8:10 AM must be dropped off at Door 34 or Door 31.
• Afternoon Pick-Up: All students being picked up after 3:10 PM must be picked up at Door 34 or Door 31.

This change is being made to ensure that our buses can enter and exit CHS safely and on time.

We appreciate your cooperation in following this new policy and helping us maintain a smooth and efficient arrival and dismissal process for all students.

Thank you for your continued support.

CHS currently offers 67 Dual Credit courses! Our goal at CHS is for 75% or more of our students to earn dual credit while they are in high school and 40% of our seniors to earn 1 years worth of college credit. We have dual credit partnerships with Ivy Tech Community College, Purdue Northwest, Ball State University, University of Southern Indiana, Vincennes University, and Indiana University. Ivy Tech is our main partner for dual credit opportunities. We offer many courses through our Dual Credit partnerships that are part of the Indiana College Core (ICC) Transfer Library. This means that students who take these FREE courses will be able to transfer those college credits to any state funded institution. The current cost of a year of college at a state funded school (ex. IU or Purdue) is approximately $10,000 for tuition plus room and board. By earning these credits at CHS you could save A LOT of money!

To be eligible for dual credit, students need to apply to Ivy Tech AND earn a score of 70 or higher on both English and Math STEM Knowledge Assessments BEFORE registering for a dual credit course.

Scan the QR Code below for the steps to apply for Ivy Tech Dual Credit courses. Once you apply, you will be able to register for dual credit courses. If you have any questions or need assistance contact Mrs. Tiffany Hawkins, CHS Assistant Principal, at 219-983-3730 or thawkins@duneland.k12.in.us.