Education

By BSU Marketing & Communications— MUNCIE, IN – Ball State University is inviting the community to learn about and celebrate pollinators at its family-friendly “Pollinator Party!” being held from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 10, at the Dr. Joe and Alice Rinard Orchid Greenhouse and Environmental Center.  At this free event, nature-related organizations like the Red-tail Land Conservancy, Robert Cooper Audobon Society, Friends of the Greenhouse, and Conservation Tales will offer pollinator-themed crafts and activities. Children of all ages can make their own Monarch butterfly life cycle illustration, learn the “honeybee waggle” dance, and go on a tropical butterfly scavenger…

By Sophie Bohanon— MUNCIE, IN—The Mitchell Early Childhood and Family Center received re- accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Mitchell is 1 of 7 programs in the Muncie community that are nationally accredited by the NAEYC. Janette Stanley, the Director of Youth Development at Mitchell, says, “The reason this accreditation is so important is because we support high quality education and promote professionalism in the field. Thanks toNAEYC, we can utilize their resources for our staff, and the professional development that comes out of being affiliated is incredible.” Mitchell collaborates with the Reggio-inspired community…

By Ball State Marketing & Communications— MUNCIE, Indiana – Seven faculty members at Ball State University have been selected as honorees for this year’s Liberal Education and America’s Promise (LEAP) Indiana Faculty Awards. Dr. Adam Kuban, professor of Journalism, was selected as this year’s LEAP Indiana Paragon Award recipient, while six Ball State faculty members were recognized as part of the LEAP Indiana COVID Character Honors program. “We are extremely proud of our faculty members whose work and dedication as educators is being recognized by LEAP Indiana,” said Dr. Susana Rivera-Mills, Ball State’s provost and executive vice president for Academic…

By Andy Klotz— Rate believed to be highest in Indiana MUNCIE, IN – It’s an issue facing virtually every school district in Indiana and many throughout the country – too few substitute teachers. In an effort to change that, Muncie Community Schools (MCS) has doubled its highest sub pay rate from $105 per day to $210 per day. “We’re serious about keeping our classrooms filled with the most qualified individuals possible, and this is one more way we can try to do that,” MCS CEO and Director of Public Education Dr. Lee Ann Kwiatkowski said. In order to qualify for…

By BSU Marketing and Communications— MUNCIE, Indiana – Ball State University has been awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, totaling more than $1.3 million over three years, for its project, Civic Renewal through Education for Agency, or CREATE. The project is aligned with the American History and Civics Education-National Activities program, which is funded by Congress as part of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), Public Law 114–95. In cooperation with Muncie Community Schools (MCS), Ball State will develop the project as an innovative approach to instruction, student learning, and professional development in civics that will integrate…

By Indiana Department of Education— MCS will offer $250 per student so eligible students receive the full $1,000 in services. INDIANAPOLIS –The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) today announced the launch of Indiana Learns, a statewide grant program that will provide qualifying families with up to $1,000 to spend on math and English/language arts high-dosage tutoring and approved out-of-school academic programs for their students. The initiative’s goal is to increase access to effective, out-of-school academic support to help students recover from learning disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Parents and families play such an important role in a child’s education, not…

By Jud Fisher— MUNCIE, IN— 300. That’s the astonishing number of children on waitlists at just a handful of childcare centers in Muncie, Indiana. While there may very well be some duplication within that number (some families may put their children on multiple waitlists to better compete for an open spot), it’s a sobering indication of just how bad the national early childhood education crisis is, even at just the local level. And there are more incredible numbers contributing to the crisis: 92, the number of open early childhood teacher positions in Delaware County. $18,000, the annual tuition for some…

By Andy Klotz, APR— MUNCIE, IN— Kira Zick and Kim Kowalski have been selected as Muncie Community Schools’ (MCS) primary and secondary Teachers of the Year, respectively, for the 2021-22 school year. The two were honored today during an employee gathering at Central High School. Zick teaches grades 3 and 4 in the Dual Language Immersion program at West View Elementary, one of six elementary schools in MCS. She received the honor based on her students’ achievement, classroom management, dedication to professional development and other factors. “It’s an awesome honor,” Zick said. “Every teacher is working so hard, so to be…