NORTH CENTRAL PARKE NEWS

Parke Heritage High School sophomore cross country runner Kamden Shields placed ninth and second individual qualifier in the sectional meet held Saturday, October 18 at Lavern Gibson course.

This placing advances him to the regionals meet to be held on Saturday, October 25 in Brownsburg.

As a part of school safety week, Parke Heritage Middle School students participated in a public safety day on Tuesday, October 21.

They moved between different stations, each hosted by local fire, police, and health personnel. At every station, students learned about public safety and the role each person provides to keep communities safe. They also got to see the equipment used by these public servants and learned about their daily routines. The students were able to experience the seat belt convincer, which demonstrated the importance of wearing a seat belt. The program concluded with a canine demonstration.
This event gave students a hands-on experience and a better understanding of each role in keeping the community safe.

A big thank you to School Resource Officer Tyler Milner for organizing this event and to the local departments who participated.

🚨Parke County Dispatch

🚨Parke County Sheriff's Office

🚨Rockville Police Department
🚨Parke County Health Department
🚨Rockville Correctional Facility

🚨Indiana State Police

🚨Parke County Emergency Medical Services

🚨Bloomingdale, Marshall, Bellmore and Rockville Fire Departments

🚨Indiana Sheriffs Association

Parke Heritage High School senior volleyball player Hallie Miller has been named Academic All-State in volleyball by both the Indiana Coaches of Girls Sports Association and Indiana High School Volleyball Coaches Association.

To be eligible for this honor a player must be a senior, be on the school’s sectional roster and have a 3.50 or higher grade point average.

Parke Heritage High School principal Bruce Patton, Taya Sturmer, and Pepsi General Manager Zach Fisher

Parke Heritage High School senior Taya Sturmer recently earned a $500 scholarship by winning the Dr. Pepper Challenge.

During halftime of the PHHS football game against Riverton Parke, Taya competed in a football toss against RPHS senior Emma Ugoletti. Taya successfully completed six throws through the Dr. Pepper boards, securing the scholarship. The scholarship was presented to her by Pepsi General Manager Zach Fisher.

The Parke Heritage Middle School football team won the Banks of the Wabash tournament on Thursday, October 9.

In the first round, the team defeated North Vermillion. In the second round, the Wolves defeated South Vermillion 44-20 to claim the championship.

James Whitcomb Riley, an iconic figure in American poetry, was welcomed by the Turkey Run Elementary School fourth grade on Monday, October 20 as he was portrayed by Danny Russel. The students were treated to the recitation of some of Riley's most cherished works, including “Little Orphant Annie,” “The Raggedy Man,” and “When the Frost is on the Punkin.”

Riley shared anecdotes of his upbringing in Indiana, painting a picture of the environment that inspired much of his poetry. Despite leaving formal education at the young age of 16, Riley's contribution of over 1,044 poetic pieces earned him the title of “The Hoosier Poet.” His impact on American literature was recognized with four honorary degrees, and he was invited to the White House on three occasions.

In addition to his literary legacy, Riley's name lives on through Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, which stands as a tribute to his enduring contribution to the community. His life and work continue to inspire new generations, demonstrating that passion and creativity can lead to extraordinary achievements, regardless of one's early educational path.

A Spooktacular Cheer Clinic was held Friday, October 10 by the Parke Heritage High School cheerleaders. Students from Rockville Elementary School and Turkey Run Elementary School joined the PHHS cheerleaders to perform cheers during halftime of the basketball game with Riverton Parke.

A cheering workshop was held on Wednesday evening. During this workshop, the girls learned the cheers to perform during the game. There were over 104 mini cheerleaders who participated in the Cheer Clinic.

Turkey Run Elementary School first grade classes visited the Terre Haute airport on Thursday, October 9. The group was able to see the tour the airport, see the various emergency vehicles, and to sit in an airplane.

The Parke Heritage Middle School Second Annual Cornhole Tournament was held before Fall Break.

Earning prizes were

🥇first place: Kelby Schelsky and Krede Shields

🥈second place: Liam Busenbark and Keegan Shields

🥉third place: Bodie Thornton and Grady Hartman

The event was organized by the Reveur House and sponsored by the PHMS PTO.

The Turkey Run Elementary School kindergarten classes kicked off the Real Men Read visits from Kyle Jacks for the 2025- 26 school year recently.

Real Men Read is a program sponsored by the United Way. Volunteers come in monthly to read a story aloud to kindergarten students. This month’s book was “If You Give a Pig a Pancake”. All students receive a copy to keep at home in their personal libraries.

Rockville Elementary School is celebrating students selected for "Mrs. Bonomo's Blooming Bunch". Students are selected based on the Five to Bloom goals.

These areas include growth mindset, goal setting, emotion management, empathy and kindness, and problem solving.

Students selected for Friday, October 24 areOakleigh Minard, Atlas Baker, Matthew Young, Kyrin VanDuyn, Birdie Thompson, Kyler McCann, Landry Collings, Arya Myers, Breanna Russel, Mackenzie Mace, Remi Porter, Kennedy Thompson, River Stewart, Rilya Lowe, Kinsley Hathaway, Kemper Mellady, Kayleighonna Bazile, Claire Baldwin, Taelynn Barker, Robert Fredrichs, Eliana Elmore, Scarlett Highwood, Phoenix Cagle, Xander Garner, Savannah Wallace, Baker Clapp, and Yoze Swaim.

A la Carte Items Available for Students

The school cafeterias are offering A la Carte items for the students to purchase. These items will vary from day to day based on availability of the items. The cafeteria staff tries to stick to offering just a few off the list daily and not the whole list as to give a variety and not overwhelm the students with too many options. Some examples of items are:

Rice Krispie treats

Cookie

Fruit roll up or Fruit snack

Bottle water

Pretzels

Chex Mix

Cheez Its

Pop tarts

Variety of ice cream treats

Items cost from .50 to 2.00.

Winter Sports Schedules

RED RIBBON WEEK: Rockville Elementary School will be celebrating Red Ribbon Week October 27-31. They will be having dress up days and various activities. Dress up days are

Monday- Wear red
Tuesday- Camo or black out: Bad choices can't find us!
Wednesday- Jersey, sports gear: Team up against bad choices
Thursday- Silly hair or outfits: Don't be silly, make good choices!
Friday- Color wars: Fight the war on bad choices! PreK and Kindergarten wear pink; first grade- yellow; second grade- purple; third grade- blue; fourth grade- green; fifth grade- black

HEALTHY CHOICES WEEK: Turkey Run Elementary School will be celebrating Healthy Choices Week October 27-31. They will be focusing on helping students learn how to build a healthy lifestyle through fun, engaging activities that promote mental wellness, physical fitness and positive decision-making.

Monday- Mindful Monday
Tuesday- Tech-free Tuesday
Wednesday- Water only Wednesday and Wear RED
Thursday- Thankful Thursday
Friday- Fitness Friday and Wear your costume: must be school appropriate, no weapons and no masks

CHARTWELLS FOOD SERVICE SURVEY: Your voice makes a difference! PHHS students and parents are invited to take a moment to complete the School Meals Report Card survey and share your thoughts on our meal programs. The survey is open now through November 7. Survey
FINANCIAL AID FORMS FOR SENIORS: The 2026-2027 FAFSA form is officially open for students and their parents at studentaid.gov. Students are encouraged to file the FAFSA by Indiana’s state deadline of April 15, 2026. The Commission for Higher Education’s Outreach Coordinators are available for assistance by visiting LearnMoreIndiana.org/contact. More information about the FAFSA and resources for students and educators can be found at LearnMoreIndiana.org/FAFSA. The 2026-2027 FAFSA opt-out waiver can be found on CHE's website.
SATURDAY SHOWCASE: The NCP Saturday Showcase is an opportunity for students to be recognized for their exceptional achievements and contributions to the school community. If you would like to nominate a student, please complete this form. Saturday Showcase
STAFF SHOUT OUT: Would you like to recognize an outstanding NCP teacher, instructional assistant, support staff member or bus driver? Make your nomination on the Nomination Form Those nominated will be featured on the NCP Facebook page.
ATHLETIC SCHEDULES: Printable athletic schedules can be found on the NCP webpage: Schedules. Athletic schedules may be constantly changing. To stay updated, download the Event Link app or go to their website at https://eventlink.com/ Parents can subscribe to daily emails that are sent out daily to remind you of upcoming events.
SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION: Seniors: Several scholarships are available to PHHS seniors. Be sure and check the due dates as some are due soon. These scholarships can be found on the PHHS Scholarship page.