NESC NEWSLETTER- September 2026

2026:

Last school year's 2026 yearbooks should arrive near the end of September or early October. Stay tuned for an announcement in our next newsletter and on North Central's Facebook page.

2027:

Order the new school year's 2027 yearbook by September 12 for the "early bird special" low price of $50. If you wait past that date, the price will slowly go up, so order now! Click on the link below to purchase online or print the attached PDF and pay with cash or check.

Students in Mrs. Asche’s dual credit U.S. History Honors class shared personal family history through artifacts to start off the school year. These artifacts ranged from pictures to phones to a family crest. Students had to research both the personal artifact as well as the history surrounding the time period or events connected to the artifact. Each student learned more about both their own family history and U.S. History. As we move through the timeline of American history, we will reflect upon these artifacts to make connections to other places and time periods.

Pictures:

Vanessa Otte researched and drew a family crest.

Eli Harris makes a call on a family phone once used in the basement.

Mayce Morris brought in a flag honoring her grandpa who served in Vietnam.

Inside the halls and around the campus grounds, North Central has updated its visual experience with new and exciting signage. These eye-catching designs and locations showcase our school pride, build and expand our brand, and create a welcoming, high-energy environment for our students, staff, and visitors alike.

Check out a few of these new signs below:

When we heard the news of Dolly’s passing, someone jokingly suggested that we have a dress-up day in her honor. Just as we like to do here at NEEE, we took that idea and ran with it!

Staff members decked themselves out in sequins, sparkles, denim, and big hair to celebrate Dolly and her incredible legacy as a true champion of literacy. It was a fun and heartfelt way for our staff to honor someone who made such a meaningful difference in the lives of children.

Mrs. Nikki Weir’s first-grade class honored Dolly Parton by using her story Coat of Many Colors as a lesson about kindness, love, and acceptance. Students watched a video of Dolly reading the story and discussed how she may have felt when her classmates laughed at her coat. They learned that true richness is not found in fancy possessions but in the love behind them.

Afterward, each student designed a coat of many colors and shared what they learned from the story:

• “Don’t laugh at others just because they don’t have what you have.”
• “Dolly was proud of her coat because it was made with love.”
• “Having love makes you rich.”

The class also learned about Dolly’s passion for helping children become readers and how her Imagination Library has placed books into the hands of children around the world. Dolly was a true champion of literacy, kindness, and love. We are incredibly thankful for all she gave to children and families. Dear Dolly, we will always love you!

Our kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Tina Ficklin, said, "I felt like Dolly Parton deserved a little sparkle and shine in our classroom today. Her life gives us so much to teach, even to our youngest learners, about kindness, generosity, believing in your dreams, and the magic of putting books into the hands of children. Dressing like Dolly was our joyful way of honoring the beautiful light she shared with the world."

Some quotes from kindergarten students:

• Jarod said, "She didn't have money when she was little, so she sang songs to make money to help people and kids."
• Lily learned that "her mom made her a coat because they had 12 kids."
• Willow added, "All the kids laughed at Dolly Parton's coat of many colors. That wasn't nice, and I would not do that."

Our Student Council and Beta Club members were honored to volunteer with the American Legion by carrying the flags at the beginning of the parade. We are so proud of these students for representing our school and community!

Our teachers and staff also had a parade entry and loved seeing so many of our current students, former students, and families along the parade route. It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces and celebrate together!

Thank you to everyone who helped make the parade such a special community event!

Dear Families,

Welcome back to a brand new school year! I hope you all had a wonderful summer filled with rest, adventure, and time together. As we open our doors once again, I am thrilled to see our hallways filled with the energy and excitement of your children.

This year, our focus is on GROWTH — in every sense of the word. Growth isn't just about getting taller or moving up a grade level. It's about stretching ourselves, trying new things, learning from mistakes, and becoming better versions of ourselves each day.

Growing in the 3 A's

We will be focusing our growth in three key areas:

• Academics - Strengthening skills in reading, math, science, and all subject areas

• Attendance - Being present and ready to learn every day

• Attitude - Approaching challenges with positivity, resilience, and determination

Our GROWTH Framework

To help our students achieve their goals, we'll be using the GROWTH framework throughout the year:

G - Goal: What are you aiming for? We'll help students set clear, meaningful goals in academics, attendance, and attitude.

R - Reality: Where are you currently at in the goal? Taking an honest look at our starting point helps us map the journey ahead.

O - Options: What can you try? There are always multiple paths to success — we'll explore different strategies and approaches.

W - Will: What will you do? What effort will you give towards the goal? This is where commitment meets action.

T - Tactics: If A happens, what is your plan B? We'll prepare for obstacles and have backup plans ready.

H - Habits: What daily habits support your efforts? Small, consistent actions lead to big results over time.

Growing Together

For our students, growth means working through the GROWTH framework to set and achieve personal goals, make new friends, develop kindness and empathy, and discover new interests and talents.

For our families, growth means partnering with teachers to support your child's learning journey, staying connected through regular communication, celebrating progress not just perfection, and being part of our school community.

For our staff, growth means continuing to learn and improve our teaching practices, meeting each child where they are and helping them move forward, creating a safe and welcoming environment, and building strong relationships with students and families.

Every child grows at their own pace, and that's exactly how it should be. What matters most is that we're all moving forward together. This year, let's celebrate every step, every breakthrough, and every moment of progress — big or small.

I encourage you to stay involved, reach out with questions or concerns, and join us for school events throughout the year. Ask your child about their GROWTH goals and support their daily habits at home. Together, we will make this a year of tremendous growth for every child in academics, attendance, and attitude.

Here's to an amazing year ahead!

With excitement and gratitude,

Mrs. McKillop

Northeast North students have been working so hard already this school year to get to school each and every day. The goal is to have 96% of the students at school everyday. With the state mandating schools to monitor chronic absenteeism, it is necessary for parents to be sure to get notes for appointments and to call in so that the children are excused for the day's absence. Parents should call (812-696-2176) before 10:00am to let the school know why their child is out for the day.

Several of the classes have had perfect attendance the entire month of August! Each week classes color in a petal on our board to remind classrooms that we are all working on getting to our goal of 96% being present each week. To celebrate those with great attendance, NENE will be having monthly parties. The first one will be Hydration Station Day in September. Those that have not missed any days will be able to enjoy flavored waters. Kids are excited to try flavors like Unicorn water, Mermaid water, and Cotton Candy. Other celebrations include a masquerade ball, book bingo, hogs and kisses, and Pedal Derby! (We are raising money for go carts for this event! Donations are accepted and much appreciated.)

Here is a breakdown of Indiana's attendance law:

We would like to welcome our newest members of Thunderbirds from Northeast North Elementary, Mrs. Foglesong’s and Mrs. Snellenberger’s kindergarten students! They are so excited to grow and learn, and we are looking forward to a great year and sharing our learning experiences with you!

Our 3rd grade artists designed their very own dream shoes! They created unique shoe designs based on what they would love to have in the future. There are so many creative ideas and awesome designs!

Our 4th–6th grade artists created their own “This Is Me” flowers! Each petal represents a word or quality that describes them, making every flower as unique as the student who created it.

Accelerated Reader (AR) is a proven literacy development tool that motivates K–12 readers, supports core instruction, and helps build literacy skills identified by the Science of Reading research. With over 220,000 quizzes, students engage in wide reading practice, while teachers gain actionable insights to guide instruction and monitor growth. Northeast North students will be working to gain points for each book read and quiz passed during each nine week period. We have set challenges for each grade level: Kindergarten-2 points. First- 6 points. Second- 10 points. Third- 12 points. Fourth- 14 points. Fifth- 16 points. Sixth- 18 points. Who will be the first to reach their AR goal? Keep reading Thunderbirds!

Playing color-coded handbells in elementary music class is a joyful and engaging experience that brings students together in harmony. Each student holds their own special bell, listening carefully for their color to be called and ringing at just the right moment to create beautiful music as a team. This activity requires intense focus as students must pay attention to the music, watch for their cue, and stay ready to contribute their unique note to the melody. Beyond the musical skills they develop, handbell playing teaches invaluable lessons in cooperation — students quickly learn that every bell matters, and when one person misses their part, the whole group feels it. The result is a powerful sense of teamwork, where students support one another, celebrate their collective success, and discover that making music together is far more rewarding than playing alone.

Thank you to all NESC staff and students who contributed to this newsletter!

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Thank you all for your continued support of the Northeast School Corporation!