SWSC News November 6, 2026

• Sectional Championship tonight! The Golden Arrows host Indian Creek for the IHSAA Sectional title at 7:30 P.M. Admission is $8, and sports passes are not honored.
• Saturday: The Sullivan Fall Brawl girls wrestling meet is at SHS at 9:00 A.M.
• Wednesday, November 11, is Veterans Day. Every building is honoring our veterans.
• Beta Convention is Thursday and Friday, November 12 and 13. Good luck to all of our Beta members!
• The SHS Lady Arrows play their home opener Tuesday, and SMS 7/8 boys host their home opener Wednesday.
• Winter weather is coming. See District News for how Southwest announces closings, delays, and e-learning days.

With winter on the way, here is what families need to know about how Southwest handles bad weather. The decision to close, delay, or dismiss school is never made lightly. It is made together with neighboring districts, county and highway officials, and emergency personnel after weighing weather, road safety, and wind chill.

E-learning days: When school is closed, the official announcement will say whether it is an e-learning day and which type:

• Synchronous (live): students join real-time, live virtual instruction with their teachers from home, following their school's e-learning schedule. There is no limit on these days.
• Asynchronous (independent): students complete posted assignments on their own from home. These are used along with synchronous days, up to 3 days per year.

Delays: Pick-up locations and dismissal times stay the same on delay days.

• 1-hour delay: school starts 1 hour later, student drop-off begins at 8:45 A.M., and buses run 1 hour later than usual.
• 2-hour delay: school starts 2 hours later, student drop-off begins at 9:45 A.M., and buses run 2 hours later than usual.

Early dismissal: If conditions require an unexpected early release, automated calls and texts go out immediately and local media are updated. Please make sure your emergency contact numbers are up to date.

Where to find announcements. Southwest aims to announce closings and delays before 6:30 A.M. through:

• Automated phone calls from (812) 268-6311
• Text alerts from 98900
• Social media: X (Twitter) @SWESTSCHOOLS and Facebook
• Local media: regional radio and TV stations

Please do not call the schools or central office during severe weather. Phone lines must stay open so administrators can coordinate with emergency personnel, county and highway officials, and our notification systems.

Salvation Army Coin Collection

Thank you to every family who sent in change for the Salvation Army Coin Collection this week (November 2 to 6). Every year, hundreds of Sullivan County families receive help with utility bills, groceries, and rent, and the money raised in our classrooms helps continue those services. The classroom that collects the most change wins an ice cream party!

Art to Remember Orders Due Today

Today, Friday, November 6, is the last day to order Art to Remember keepsakes featuring your child's artwork, so they arrive in time for Christmas. Every purchase supports the SES art program.

Coming Up at SES

• November 12 and 13: 5th Grade Beta Convention.
• Wednesday, November 18: Turkey Trot; awards Friday, November 20.
• November 25 to 27: No school, Thanksgiving Break.
• Wednesday, December 9: Christmas Program at 10:00 A.M. (AM Preschool, 1st, 3rd, and 5th grades) and 6:00 P.M. (Kindergarten, 2nd, and 4th grades).
• Thursday, December 10: Christmas Program at 1:00 P.M. (PM Preschool, 2nd, and 4th grades) and 6:00 P.M. (1st, 3rd, and 5th grades).

After School Activities

• Homework Help: Tuesdays and Thursdays after school until 4:00 P.M. Contact your child's teacher to sign up. Pick up is at Door #1 (main entrance), and you MUST note the change in Pick-Up Patrol.
• Spell Bowl: Tuesdays after school until 4:00 P.M. Pick up at the main entrance; note the change in Pick-Up Patrol.
• Dartettes: Wednesdays after school until 4:00 P.M. in the SES gym.
• Archery: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 to 6:30 P.M. at Sullivan High School. Enter through Door 18.

Our teachers went all out for Red Ribbon Week! Congratulations to our Door Decorating Contest winners: 1st place, Mrs. Metheny; 2nd place, Mrs. Roessler; and 3rd place, Mr. Nichols. Thank you to everyone who helped make Red Ribbon Week fun, creative, and meaningful for our Darts!

SES will honor our veterans with a Veterans Day Program on Wednesday, November 11 at 8:45 A.M. Breakfast will be served for any veteran attending the program beginning at 8:15 A.M. in the SES Art Room. Veterans attending the breakfast must enter through the main office.

The SES Turkey Trot, sponsored by the Sullivan Elementary PTO, is Wednesday, November 18 at the Sullivan High School track, with awards on Friday, November 20. Turkey Trot paperwork went home in backpacks this week; please return it today, Friday, November 6. All students will run regardless of how much money they raise, and each grade will have 1st through 10th place winners for both boys and girls.

Race times by grade:

• 2nd grade: 8:30 to 9:15 A.M.
• Kindergarten: 9:20 to 10:05 A.M.
• 5th grade: 10:10 to 10:55 A.M.
• 3rd grade: 11:00 to 11:45 A.M.
• 1st grade: 12:45 to 1:30 P.M.
• 4th grade: 1:35 to 2:20 P.M.

Prizes for donations: $5 earns a Turkey Slap Bracelet, $10 a Turkey Fidget, $20 a Turkey Trot Sweat Band, and $50 or more a pizza party for your child and a friend. The five students who raise the most will get to throw a pie in the face of Mrs. Wegner, Mrs. Whitkanack, Mrs. Hamilton, or Mrs. Maloon! Families are welcome to come cheer! Enter through the main football gates, where you will receive directions. The event is outdoors, so please dress for the weather.

Volunteers will help with a variety of race activities. Sign up at signupgenius.com/go/10C044DA9AF28A4FBC52-67128573-turkey. All volunteers must have a valid background check on file at SES. We appreciate your help!

• Wednesday, December 9: Christmas Matinee at 10:00 A.M. (AM Pre-K, 1st, 3rd, and 5th grades) and Evening Program at 6:00 P.M. (Kindergarten, 2nd, and 4th grades).
• Thursday, December 10: Christmas Matinee at 1:00 P.M. (PM Pre-K, 2nd, and 4th grades) and Evening Program at 6:00 P.M. (1st, 3rd, and 5th grades).
• December 14 to 18: Santa's Workshop during specials.
• Friday, December 18: Winter Break begins! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Beta Convention Prep

SMS Beta members are busy getting ready for the Beta Convention on November 12 and 13:

• Songfest: Monday and Tuesday mornings, 7:45 to 8:05, and Thursday and Friday during Arrow Academy.
• Living Lit, Campaign Skit, and Scrapbook: Monday through Friday, 7:45 to 8:05 A.M. and after school until 4:00 P.M. in Mrs. Davis's classroom.

Mark Your Calendars

• Tuesday, November 17: Basketball team pictures, starting at 2:00 P.M.
• Friday, November 20: School-wide field trip to SHS to watch the high school play. Permission slips went home November 3.
• November 25 to 27: No school, Thanksgiving Break.
• Saturday, December 5: Second Annual Jingle Jog, with 1 mile and 5K options. Sign-ups begin next week!
• Friday, December 18: Christmas Ball, 6:00 to 8:00 P.M.
• Arrows Stop: open after school on the first Friday of each month, with pop, candy, and chips for $1.00. Cash only for now.

Clubs and Activities

• Arrow Homework Hub: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 3:00 to 4:00 P.M. in the Library.
• FCA: every Wednesday at 7:45 A.M. in the Multipurpose Room.
• Dartettes: every Wednesday, 3:00 to 4:00 P.M. in the SES Gym.
• Archery: 6:30 to 7:30 P.M. Tuesday and Thursday for returning archers and Wednesday for new archers, at SHS. Enter through Door 18 (the corner closest to the SAC).

Reminders

• Attendance: parents may call in or excuse up to 5 absences per semester. After the 5th absence, additional absences must have documentation to be excused.
• Phones: Southwest maintains a bell-to-bell cell phone policy. The SMS school day is 8:05 A.M. to 2:55 P.M.
• Lunch money: bring it to the office between 7:45 and 8:15 A.M. Money turned in after that is posted the following day.

Sullivan Middle School will host Donuts with Veterans on Wednesday, November 11, from 7:45 to 8:15 A.M. We appreciate what our veterans do for our community and would like to honor them. Please sign up by scanning the QR code on the SMS Facebook post or using the sign-up form at forms.gle/srdDQvvBWRS7mjDa7.

The SMS Christmas Ball is Friday, December 18, from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. We are looking for chaperones, who must pass a background check. Parents who would like to help should contact the SMS front office or email Lindsey Gotshall at lgotshall@swest.k12.in.us by Friday, November 20.

Lace up for the Second Annual SMS Jingle Jog on Saturday, December 5! Choose the 5K run or the 1 mile run/walk. It's a fun, festive way for students, families, and the community to kick off the holiday season together. Sign ups begin next week; watch the SMS Facebook page for details.

Help Organize Our Clothes Closet

Carlisle is accepting donations of totes, clothing racks, and plastic drawers to help organize our students' clothes closet. Thank you for helping us keep this resource ready for students who need it.

Mark Your Calendars

• Monday, November 9: Daisy meeting in the school cafeteria.
• Wednesday, November 11: Veterans Day Program, 9:00 A.M.
• November 12 and 13: Beta Convention.
• November 25 to 27: No school, Thanksgiving Break.
• Tuesday, December 1: Christmas Program, 6:00 P.M.
• Saturday, December 12: CMS Christmas Ball, 6:00 to 8:00 P.M.

Word of the Week

Congratulations to Carleigh Stucker, our WOW Word of the Week winner! Last week's word was democracy, and Carleigh's winning sentence was: "Democracy helps people vote for a leader." Great job, Carleigh! Your sentence shows correct grammar, spelling, and an understanding of our WOW Word. This week's word is SYMMETRY: having two sides or parts that match or are balanced in shape, size, or arrangement.

Carlisle will honor our veterans with a Veterans Day Program on Wednesday, November 11 at 9:00 A.M. Thank you to all who have served!

Fresh gear, big school spirit! Show your Indian pride and support our 8th graders as they raise money for their end-of-year trip. Carlisle spirit wear is available in adult and youth sizes, and every order helps our 8th graders.

Shop online at carlisleschool2026.itemorder.com. Orders are due by Wednesday, November 11 at 11:59 P.M., and items are expected to arrive shortly after Thanksgiving. Thank you for supporting Carlisle students!

A huge thank you to all of the volunteers, families, and community members who made the CEMS Trunk-or-Treat such a success! Whether you donated your time, decorated a trunk, provided treat bags, donated candy, or helped behind the scenes, we appreciate you. Seeing our students' smiles and creative costumes made it all worthwhile. We couldn't do it without you!

Carlisle Elementary and Middle School is hiring an Instructional Aide, available immediately. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Interested applicants should submit a letter of interest, current resume, and professional references by email or mail to:

Mr. Scott Staggs, Principal

Carlisle Elementary and Middle School

204 W. Eaton Street

Carlisle, IN 47838

Application information is available at swest.k12.in.us/page/employment. Please share and help us spread the word!

The CMS Christmas Ball is Saturday, December 12, from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. More details to come!

Senior and Sports Pictures Today

Senior panoramic, cap and gown, and sports pictures are today, Friday, November 6, at 10:00 A.M.

Updated Archery Practice Schedule

• Tuesday and Thursday, 3:15 to 4:15 P.M.: After-school practice (Bullseye and 3D).
• Tuesday, 7:30 to 8:30 P.M.: Bullseye.
• Wednesday, 7:30 to 8:30 P.M.: 3D.
• Thursday, 7:30 to 8:30 P.M.: Bullseye and 3D.

Lost and Found Has Moved

The SHS lost and found is now in the commons. Please check the table to see if any of the items are yours.

Free After School Tutoring

• Tuesday: Room 101, Mr. Obryan
• Wednesday: Room 221, Mr. Simmons
• Thursday: CRC Room, Mrs. Couch

Share Your Team's Accomplishments

SHS wants to recognize our sports and club teams. Coaches, parents, or players who would like to send game and competition updates can email Mrs. Knowles at sknowles@swest.k12.in.us.

The Golden Arrows are playing for a Sectional title! Sullivan hosts the Indian Creek Braves in the IHSAA Sectional Championship tonight, Friday, November 6, at 7:30 P.M. at SHS. Admission is $8, and sports passes are not honored for this game.

Sullivan comes in on a three-game winning streak, fresh off a 56-42 Sectional Semifinal win at Scottsburg, the Arrows' highest-scoring game of the season. The defensive line made a big difference, getting into the backfield for 6.5 sacks, with Jensen McKee leading the way with 2.5 of them.

Indian Creek brings a 10-game winning streak of its own, and the Braves beat Sullivan 21-14 when the teams last met in October 2024. This time the Arrows have home field. Wear purple and gold and pack the stands!

Follow the White Rabbit to the SHS Theater! The Sullivan High School Drama Class presents Alice @ Wonderland by Jonathan Yukich. Tickets are $5 at the door.

• Friday, November 20: 7:00 P.M.

• Saturday, November 21: 2:00 P.M.

• Sunday, November 22: 2:00 P.M.

Come out and support our student actors!

Kindness Club is sponsoring The Stocking Project to help make Christmas brighter for local children and teens. Donations of new gifts and stocking stuffers will fill stockings for families in our community. Donations are accepted for ages K to 12: monetary donations, new toys, books, games, and art supplies. Drop off donations with Mrs. Hollis or at the SHS attendance office by Friday, December 11.

• Little kids (ages 5 to 8): coloring books, crayons, and markers; small stuffed animals; LEGO or building blocks; picture books; Play-Doh and card games; puzzles and small toys.
• Tweens (ages 9 to 12): art and craft kits; journals and fun pens; books and graphic novels; bracelet-making kits; sports balls and accessories; board games, puzzles, and card games.
• Teens (ages 13 to 18): gift cards; cozy socks, beanies, and gloves; water bottles and tumblers; journals and quality pens; art supplies and hobby kits; books, puzzles, and portable games; toiletry bags and everyday essentials.

Attention all high school clubs: earn one service hour for every five items donated. NHS and Key Club members: take your picture with your items and submit it to myinnerview.org. Beta members: add your hours to the Beta app.

Calling all performers! Auditions for the spring musical, Anastasia Youth Edition, are Tuesday, December 1 and Thursday, December 3, from 6:00 to 9:00 P.M. in the SHS Choir Room. Enter through Door 12.

Auditions are open to all 6th through 12th grade SWSC students, plus one young girl and one young boy as young as 4th grade. Performances will be March 11, 12, and 13. Everything students need to know about preparing for the audition is available through the QR code on the Anastasia audition flyer.