Education

By Andy Klotz— MUNCIE, Ind. – Muncie Community Schools (MCS) has named Misty Ndiritu (DAY-ree-toe) the new principal at Southside Middle School. Ndiritu has more than 10 years of classroom and administrative experience, most recently serving as principal at Martinsville High School. “I am truly honored to become the next principal at Southside,” Ndiritu said. “I strive to be a hands-on leader, engaging in daily academics and culture in order to understand the student body, and I’m eager to get to know the Panther community.” Ndiritu replaces Dr. Corey Hartley who left for another position outside of Muncie. Prior to…

Partnerships with City of Muncie, Marian University make program possible By Andy Klotz, APR— MUNCIE, Ind. – Better grades, higher achievement, improved attendance and lower dropout rates are just some of the proven benefits of City Connects, a student-support program launching in Muncie Community Schools (MCS) this fall. The program calls for a master’s-trained social worker, school counselor or mental health professional – called a “family navigator” at MCS – to collaborate with teachers by assessing each student to determine if out-of-school factors are affecting that student’s ability to succeed. The family navigator, a full-time school staff member, then creates…

By John Herrik & Kurt Darling, Network Indiana— WASHINGTON–The morning the World Trade Center towers and Pentagon were hit by hijacked jets, Mitch Daniels was inside the White House, working for the Bush administration as the director for the Office of Management and Budget. Daniels, who would later become Indiana’s governor and Purdue University’s president, said he remembers the day vividly. “My top deputy at the time had a long history of defense and we both looked at each other and said, ‘that’s not likely an accident’,” said Daniels, as he remembered seeing the explosion and fire from the first…

East Central Educational Service Center kicks off grant with Gala By: Mandi Isaacs, Instructional Specialist, East Central Educational Service Center— Connersville, IN—Educational leaders are collaborating in East Central Indiana to transform the learning recovery ahead. As schools are working to address the impact of COVID-19, they are exploring innovative ways to meet students’ needs. “We have the opportunity to lead in Indiana,” state Secretary of Education Katie Jenner said in a panel discussion at the East Central Educational Service Center in Connersville Wednesday evening. As she noted that “kids are more than just a data point, and we know that…

Governor’s new executive order prompts change in protocol By Andy Klotz, APR— MUNCIE, Ind. – Thanks to Governor Eric Holcomb’s new executive order, Muncie Community Schools (MCS) will no longer require students designated as close contacts of a person who tests positive for COVID-19 to quarantine as long as they are not experiencing virus symptoms if the contact was in the school setting. This change in district protocol will go into effect Friday, September 3. “We are thrilled with the governor’s new executive order,” MCS Director of Public Education and CEO Lee Ann Kwiatkowski said. “This will allow our students…

By Jennifer Gasiorek— MUNCIE, Ind.—Ivy Tech will begin the Fall Semester on August 18. To celebrate the first day, the College is having a Welcome Back Party, August 18th from 4:00-7:00 PM. The Chameleon Brothers will be playing on the West Plaza of the Fisher Building at 325 S. High Street. There will be food, family fun activities, learn more about Ivy Tech’s programs, short-term certificates and degree offerings, and an opportunity to meet with local employers. The following companies will be there to meet, greet and share job opportunities: Muncie Power Products, Magna, Grede, North American Stamping Group, Elmcroft…

By Lesley DeVoss— MUNCIE, Ind.– An instructor sits at a computer console as a student stands in the center of the room, facing a wall with the projected video of a man with dementia. The man responds to the student volatilely. He’s having a difficult time adjusting to the world around him. The student, a member of the criminal justice program, has to think of the best way to de-escalate the situation. This simulation helps the student develop the skills they’ll need beyond the walls of the college. That college is Ivy Tech Community College Muncie-Henry County and within these…

By Andy Klotz— Masks required for all students, staff, visitors MUNCIE, Ind. – Due to the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, Muncie Community Schools (MCS) will require facemasks be worn by all staff, students, visitors and volunteers regardless of vaccination status to start the 2021-22 school year. The school board cited new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Indiana State Department of Health and consultations with Indiana University Ball Memorial Hospital when announcing its decision during tonight’s special meeting to unveil the district’s reopening plan. “Unfortunately, the significant local spike in cases over the past…

By Ryan Hunter— MUNCIE, INDIANA—What do a water-cleaning robot, portable dishwasher, and school bus tracker app have in common? Those were just some of the solutions developed by middle schoolers at the first Tech-Spark event. On July 9-11, local middle schoolers gathered at the Innovation Connector in Muncie to collaborate and create their own business ideas. The three day experience, led by TechWise Academy, taught these young students the basics of tech entrepreneurship and foundational knowledge of robotics programming, drone programming, and app development. Students were placed into groups and had no prior relationship with their teammates before the weekend. “We…