It's Fall, Y'All!

Dear Parents and Guardians,

As we prepare to move into the winter season, I want to take a moment to reflect on the incredible work happening throughout the Metropolitan School District of Steuben County. Since the start of the school year in August, our students and staff have accomplished so much, and I could not be prouder of the progress we’ve made together.

Our schools have been alive with learning, creativity, and community spirit. Teachers and staff continue to provide engaging, high-quality instruction that challenges our students to think critically and grow academically. We’ve seen strong gains in literacy, math, and new partnerships that connect classroom learning to real-world experiences.

Beyond academics, our students continue to shine in extracurricular activities from outstanding performances on the band and athletic fields to meaningful service projects that demonstrate their leadership and compassion. These accomplishments reflect the dedication of our teachers, the hard work of our students, and the unwavering support of our families.

We’ve also made important improvements across the district, including facility upgrades that enhance safety and learning environments, as well as investments in technology and staff development that ensure we’re preparing our students for future success.

As we look ahead to the second half of the school year, our focus remains on continuous improvement and helping every student reach their full potential while maintaining the welcoming, supportive atmosphere that makes MSD of Steuben County a special place to learn and grow.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. Together, we are building a bright future for our children and our community.

Click below to read about the Big Opportunities that were spotlighted at the Lunch and Learn.

• What's one accomplishment that fills you with pride so far this year?
• What is the most inspiring thing you've seen a student do recently?
• What exciting events are coming up at the school?

• What's one accomplishment that fills you (Mr. Baut) with pride so far this year? Changing to a new role was a little nerve wracking, but I have been so impressed with how hard our students and staff work everyday at AMS. I don't' know that there is one specific accomplishment I am most proud of, just the overall hard work and dedication of everyone who walks in the AMS doors on a daily basis. I feel that the small daily accomplishments will be the things to lead to major accomplishments over the course of the year.
• What is the most inspiring thing you've seen a student do recently? I have truly been inspired by our 6th, 7th and 8th grade Lighthouse teams. Everyday they are finding ways to help make AMS better by lifting up their peers and the staff in the building. Whether they are creating signs, cleaning up, or finding ways to raise money for charity, this group of students are truly inspiring. We also appreciate the leadership from our Lighthouse teachers who work extremely hard to help our students make these positive contributions. I am truly looking forward to seeing what they do the rest of the year.
• What exciting events are coming up at the school? We have our first pep rally on October 10th. This serves as a way to celebrate all the hard work from the first 9 weeks. Our other major event is our Veteran's Day breakfast on November 11 dedicated to the men and women who served our country.

• What's one accomplishment that fills you (Mr. Stellhorn) with pride so far this year? Teamwork - the HP staff has displayed amazing teamwork on many different committees, PLCs, and the MTSS process to accomplish a great deal in a short time.
• What is the most inspiring thing you've seen a student do recently? A group of students rallied around a child that was having a bad day to include him in what they were doing. It turned the child's day around.
• What exciting events are coming up at the school? Coming up we have several field trips, the PTO Carnival, and Science Fair.

• What's one accomplishment that fills you (Mrs. Irwin) with pride so far this year? I am most proud of how our Carlin Park teachers and support staff work to meet the needs of students of all ability levels. Our Cardinal groups at school are small focus groups that change every 2 weeks based on student data to help students catch up or to push them to accomplish work above grade level. It is inspiring to see the way this staff works together to create opportunities for students.

  At school, we are implementing the following interventions. A child may be getting some or all of these supports:

  • Small groups in the classroom to focus on student needs

  • Cardinal groups which reteach phonics skills, comprehension, writing, and fluency.

  • IREAD support groups to learn test taking strategies and to practice letter sounds, reading and answering questions.

  • Barton Reading and Writing one-on-one support for those students who are having difficulty will letter sounds, spelling, decoding words for reading.

  • Tutoring to meet targeted learning needs.

• What is the most inspiring thing you've seen a student do recently? The most inspiring thing I have seen at school this year is the genuine kindness shown by students. The kindergarteners are a little nervous coming into the building and the older kids do such a nice job of holding their hands and helping them get to their classrooms and start to feel comfortable at school. My favorite moment so far this year happened when a kindergartener who cried every day the first week of school grabbed the hand of a student who showed up new to our school a few weeks after school started and helped her find her way down to her classroom. It was a beautiful moment where I smiled at her growing confidence and at her modeling for the new student the kindness she had previously received from our older kids.
• What exciting events are coming up at the school?

  October 13-17 Fall Break

  October 21 Fire Squad Visit to the School for Kindergarten and First Grade

• What's one accomplishment that fills you (Mrs. Cripe) with pride so far this year? In September, Ryan Park successfully hosted over 300 guests during our annual VIP Days. This event was a wonderful opportunity to build strong relationships with our community members. Most importantly, it empowered our students, who were thrilled to take the lead in showcasing their classrooms and introducing their special guests. The entire experience was viewed through the enthusiastic lens of our learners.
• What is the most inspiring thing you've seen a student do recently? A collaboration between second/third-grade classrooms and a middle school science class successfully integrated reading, science, and mentorship. The older students visited the elementary school to share student-authored books and facilitate a group game all about the importance of clean water. Ryan Park students were highly engaged and we were inspired by the powerful display of leadership by the middle school participants.
• What exciting events are coming up at the school? We're thrilled to announce that over 90 students met their fundraising goal! To celebrate their incredible effort, they'll join Mrs. Cripe for a special dance party to officially kick off Fall Break. Looking ahead, our calendar is already filling up with fun activities for November, including educational field trips and highly-anticipated fall parties.

• What's one accomplishment that fills you (Ms. Clary) with pride so far this year? My greatest accomplishment starting Year 2 at PLM has been witnessing independent student growth. I have had the opportunity to observe, first hand, students thrive and flourish in the Montessori setting. We have students who started with us very hesitant to learn and engage with their peers grow into social and focused learners who truly are engaged in the learning process. We have students who have made great academic gains due to the differentiated and self-paced learning methods used at PLM.
• What is the most inspiring thing you've seen a student do recently? At PLM, our classrooms are set up to group multi-ages in the same classroom. When I observe and spend time in the classrooms, I have been inspired by the way in which students help and learn with one another. I have observed 3rd graders guiding 1st graders on classroom routines and 5th grade students reteaching 4th grade students how to utilize various Montessori materials. This creates a family atmosphere that allows us all to support one another.
• What exciting events are coming up at the school? We are gearing up for our PLM Fall Fest on October 24th from 5-7pm at Camp Chief Little Turtle. The event is open to the entire community. There will be games, free food, hayrides, trunk-or-treating, and more! We are excited to be able to host this event at the Camp Chief Little Turtle. Our school partners with Scouting America to be able to provide outdoor learning experiences to our students.

• What's one accomplishment that fills you (Ms. Hubbard) with pride so far this year? Our staff consistently work together to problem solve as situations arise. They are flexible, kind and have a positive energy that is so inspiring to me!
• What is the most inspiring thing you've seen a student do recently? Our preschoolers and school agers have been working so hard taking care of and learning about our garden. They have moved so much mulch into our walking paths to give the area a fresh, new look!
• What exciting events are coming up at the school? In October we are looking forward to our annual Family Costume Dance on the 24th, and the following week we have a field trip planned to the zoo.

The team store is open during Home Football games.

CONGRATULATIONS to the Angola High School Boys Cross Country team. They won the Northeast Corner Conference Meet. Come out and support these runners on October 18 as they run in sectionals at West Noble.

Angola alumni (Shane Livensparger) behind the plate calling for the Tigers vs Guardians playoff game (Photo credit to Hometown Media). If you know of an Angola alumni doing great work, send a picture and a write up to Sarah at sdowd@msdsc.us. We would love to feature them in our newsletter.

Make sure to complete the forms below and do your background screening. This will need to be done BEFORE you can volunteer in the classroom or chaperone a field trip.