Focus On Education

October 20, 2026 – U.S. News & World Report published their 2027 Best Elementary Schools and Best Middle Schools rankings, and the news is great for the School City of Hobart: the 3 elementary schools 1st-5th grade earned a Best Elementary Schools award and the middle school earned a Best Middle Schools award because they placed among the top 40% in the state. Joan Martin Elementary, Liberty Elementary, Veterans Elementary, and Hobart Middle School have been ranked among the 2027 Best Elementary and Middle School rankings by U.S. News & World Report.

The rankings include about 46,000 public elementary schools and more than 24,000 middle schools across the country. Schools are ranked at the state and district level, with Best Charter Schools also ranked as a stand-alone category. The methodology evaluates student performance in mathematics and reading/language arts across all proficiency levels, using publicly available data collected directly from state education agencies by RTI International alongside data from the U.S. Department of Education. This approach accounts for studentdemographic context to measure both overall achievement and school effectiveness. Student-teacher ratios are applied to break ties in overall scores. District-level rankings require a district to have at least three ranked elementary or middle schools, with at least two placing in the top 75% of the overall state rankings.

“The schools that rank highly in the 2027 Best Elementary and Middle Schools stand out because they meet high academic standards backed by robust data,” said Eric Brooks, U.S. News director of education data analysis. “This distinction reflects a school's proven ability to foster learning environments where students thrive.” Parents, educators and students can see how the rankings are calculated on the best elementary and middle schools on USNews.com.

Hobart High School students recently attended the Latinos Count Scholarship Luncheon, an inspiring event celebrating educational achievement, scholarship opportunities, and the bright futures of our next generation!

HHS Business Department Chair, Mrs. Valentine Torres, had the honor of serving as the keynote speaker, sharing her personal journey through education, career changes, and the importance of trusting the process.

Students were encouraged to embrace opportunities, recognize those who invest in their success, and remember that their paths do not have to be perfect to be meaningful.

Kindergarten students at the Early Learning Center enjoyed a special storytime with local author Kimberly Carpenter, who visited to share her newest children’s book, Little Lucy’s Spooktacular Fall Adventure! Joining her as a special guest reader was Dr. Buffington, making the occasion even more memorable for our little Brickies.

The excitement didn't stop at storytime! Students also had the chance to meet Lucy, the story's main character, in person. It was a fun-filled opportunity to bring the magic of reading to life and spark a love of books in our youngest learners.

Thank you to Kimberly Carpenter and Dr. Buffington for sharing this spooktacular reading experience with our kindergarteners!

New this school year is "The Brickie Experience" Podcast with Dr. Buffington!

Be sure to click "Subscribe" on YouTube here or click "Follow" on Spotify here to follow the podcast series and get notified of new episodes! Please note, to see the video on Spotify, you must be logged in to a Spotify account and make sure your settings have “Download Audio Only” and “Stream Audio Only” disabled.

Click here to check out "The Brickie Network," a newsletter where you can find tons of important information for the 25-26 school year!

Click here to view the SCOH 26-27 Calendar!

Check out the October Nurse's Corner to learn about immunizations, sports physicals, and other important information about keeping your student healthy!

Check out the Student Services page for great tips and advice for students, parents, and families! Lots of great information with what we do in school with students and what you can do at home.

Learn more about intentional technology use, screen time habits, and ways to support healthy digital habits at home and school.

In response to each item outlined in IC 20-30-6.1-4, IDOE has curated this collection, which brings together resources to help students, educators, and families build essential digital literacy skills. Topics include misinformation, online privacy, cyberbullying, digital well-being, and preventing harm from online challenges. Lesson plans, conversation starters, and interactive tools support safe and ethical participation in the digital world. The collection encourages critical thinking and responsible online behavior.

Parents are a model for their children. THINK before posting and sharing information. Be kind and considerate of others and yourself. Click here for an article from All Pro Dad about things to consider before posting to social media.

Click here to hear the definition of a Brickie!