Yost Weekly Update: August 11, 2023
Yost Elementary: Home of the World's Greatest Kids and Staff
Mr. Hardsock is Duneland's Elementary Teacher of the Year
Russ Hardsock is a third grade teacher at Yost Elementary School (YO). He graduated from Purdue University North Central in Westville, IN in 2003 with a Masters in Education and a computer endorsement. He is also an alumnus of Chesterton High School Class of 1997.
After graduating from Purdue, Russ accepted a fourth grade teaching position at Yost Elementary. He taught fourth grade for two years before transitioning to third grade. He has spent the last 22 years building strong relationships with his students, families, and colleagues at Yost Elementary.
Russ is a dedicated educator with a proven track record of inspiring student success and fostering a positive learning environment. He is committed to flexible teaching strategies, efficient curriculum development, and student engagement. He has exemplified his leadership skills by serving as the third grade level coordinator for nearly 20 years; in addition to leading a four-week Process Writing Workshop for his fellow colleagues.
Grades K, 2, & 4 Device Swap
On Wednesday, May 21, students in grades K, 2, and 4 will be receiving new devices. Students will be asked to return their old iPads and accessory parts. Please have your K, 2, and/or 4th grade students bring their charging blocks, charging cords, device cases, and iPads to school. If students don't have all of the components, they may be charged. If you have questions, please call the office.
A few notes:
- Please only return Apple blocks and cords
- Please have students remove stickers and decorations from cases
Quarter 4 Standards-Based Grading Information
Below are links for each grade-level's priority standards for the fourth quarter.
DSC K-4 Anonymous Safety Reporting Form
The link below will be used for any necessary safety reports for an elementary school in Duneland.
Yost PTO Corner
The Duneland Elementary Color Fun Run is this Saturday! The event will take place at Sunset Hill Farm from 10:00am-2:00pm. You MUST be registered to participate!
For more information visit:
Traffic Patterns
Please refer to the video for updated traffic patterns.
Attendance Facts
- Absenteeism in the first month of school can predict poor attendance throughout the school year. Half the students who miss 2-4 days in September go on to miss nearly a month of school.
- Chronic absence appears to have doubled by the end of the 2021-22 school year. We estimate that it now affects nearly one out of three students (or 16 million vs. 8 million students in the 2018-19 school year).
- Poor attendance can influence whether children read proficiently by the end of third grade or be held back.
- By 6th grade, chronic absence becomes a leading indicator that a student will drop out of high school.
- Research shows that missing 10 percent of the school, or about 18 days in most school districts, negatively affects a student’s academic performance. Chronic absence is considered two days a month.
- When students improve their attendance rates, they improve their academic prospects and chances of graduating.
- The most important thing to track is not just how many are missing school without an excuse but how many are missing so many days in excused and unexcused absences that academics are off track.
- Missing one (1) day of school every two (2) weeks, adds up to almost a year and half of school from kindergarten to senior in high school.
New DSC Communication Platform
Dear Families,
We are excited to announce that we have adopted a new form of school-to-home communication at called ParentSquare for the 2025-2026 school year. This unified communications platform is designed to keep parents and guardians informed and encourage greater engagement and connection with [school or district name]. It provides a safe way for district administrators, school principals, teachers, staff, and parents to:
Send and receive school and class information
Share pictures and files
See calendar items
Sign up to volunteer
Schedule parent-teacher conferences
and much more . . . all in one centralized place!
All district and school, grade level and classroom information will now be sent to your computer or phone via email and/or text. For even more convenience, download the ParentSquare app (available for free for iOS and Android devices).
Have questions? Click the question mark in the top right corner of the desktop version or the Help tab on the app (tap the triple bar icon at the top left) to find answers to most of your questions.
DSC Transportation Information
Information regarding student bus transportation for the 2024-2025 school year is available on DSC website under the Transportation Department.
TRACK STUDENT'S BUS WITH MYSTOP APP- The Duneland School Corporation Department of Transportation has now made My Stop available to our families.
My Stop is a web-based application which will allow parents to access live bus GPS information using a smartphone, tablet, or computer and securely view the current location of your child’s bus on routes. The system also provides the bus’s estimated time of arrival at your child’s bus stop.
Please read the attached letter to parents for more information on how to use My Stop to track your child's bus.
Nutrislice
The DSC Child Nutrition Department utilizes NutriSlice as its menus program. This app is available for iPhone and Android through your mobile app store. Parents can also access the full website for Duneland Schools on a computer via this NutriSlice link.
This app will allow parents and students to view the menus as well as the nutritional info for each menu item at any of the Duneland Schools. This program will be developed further incorporating images of the actual food items being served at each of the Duneland schools.
Newton Yost Elementary School
Email: jhuwig@duneland.k12.in.us
Website: https://www.duneland.k12.in.us/Domain/12
Location: 100 West Beam Street, Porter, IN, USA
Phone: 219.983.3640