A Summer Update from Dr. Arrowood
With summer in full swing, our campus remains a busy place with much going on – inside and outside. In addition to being abuzz with all kinds of activity, we are in the throes of preparing for a new and exciting school year. We are updating our strategic plans and goals, our educators are working on professional development, lesson planning, and research. In addition, we have also been analyzing end of the year data, organizing back to school activities, and doing facilities work that can’t be done when students are in school.
Speaking of exciting, HHSC has recently been awarded two grants that will have a measurable impact on student achievement and outcome now and well into the future. The first was a $250,000 Division of Mental Health and Addiction (DMHA) Community Catalyst Grant. This funding will enable us to fill a void by hiring a liaison to work with our at-risk families at home, support counseling staff, and work closely with our Youth Assistance Program. We extend a special note of appreciation to Monica Greer, Executive Director, Hamilton County Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs, for her efforts and expertise in helping us to secure these needed moneys for this important work for Heights families.
Through Indiana Department of Education’s Explore, Engage, and Experience (3E) funding, Heights received two grants from a shared allocation of about $5 million. This money will be used to help strengthen, expand, and create effective career pathways through students’ K-12 learning. The focus is on increasing the number of students experiencing work-based learning and earning high-value credentials while in high school, such as the Indiana College Core, an associate degree, or a career and technical education industry certificate.
The grant also encourages schools to expand access to career exploration and engagement opportunities for students in elementary and middle school. We are deeply grateful to Andrew Melin, Executive Director of the Central Indiana Educational Service Center (CIESC) and Carrie Lively of the Hamilton County Economic Development Corporation and Hamilton County Career Center for their leadership and Jessi Cantlon, HHHS Counselor, for their work on these grants.
I would like to give a shout out to Hamilton Heights Educational Foundation (HHEF) and to all those who volunteered, participated, and sponsored at this year’s scramble at Bear Slide Golf Club. Your involvement and support resulted in another successful outing. Moneys generated through the annual event, now three decades strong and growing, gives students and teachers a chance to grow and explore beyond traditional boundaries through grant money. To stay up to date with the Foundation’s activities and/or to learn more about other ways you can support its efforts throughout the year, visit https://www.hhschuskies.org/hhef.
In other notes of interest, our Food Pantry will be open on Monday, July 18 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the high school; enter through Door A. The Central Office summer hours for the public are 8 a.m. to noon and 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to noon and we are hiring! Go to https://www.applitrack.com/ciescconsortium/onlineapp/default.aspx?choosedistrict=true&applitrackclient=37334 to check out our current full-time and part-time job openings.
Thank you again for your support. We are incredibly grateful for our families, staff, community, and people we serve! We continue to strive to meet and exceed your expectations. #WeAreHuskies
– Dr. Derek Arrowood is the Superintendent of the Hamilton Heights School Corporation.