The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board will consider a recommendation from Superintendent Allen Bourff to begin bringing students grades 5-12 into classrooms 50% of the time beginning September 14. Grades up to 4th are scheduled to begin a similar hybrid program September 8.
Below is the statement posted today to the HSE School Board meeting’s agenda tonight at 6pm:
In-person instruction will be provided for students in grades 5-12, beginning Monday, September 14, in a hybrid format, with 50% of the students in attendance on a 2 and 3 day rotation; further, that we continue with the announced provision of in-person instruction for the preK-4 students in a hybrid format, beginning Tuesday, September 8.
The HSE board is expected to vote on the superintendent’s proposal at tonight’s special meeting.
When Scott Fadness was first elected Mayor of Fishers in 2014, he was preparing to take office in 2015. He was Town Manager and still involved in the day-to-day workings of Fishers while also mayor-elect.
It was at that time he let me know of his plans to start a mental health initiative as his first major project as the new mayor. He wasted no time in moving that forward in 2015.
I had been in and out of journalism for years and had seen this before. A new mayor starts a project, cites accomplishments, then moves on to the next project.
Scott Fadness did not do that with mental health. In 2020, he continues to move forward on mental health with his staff and a group of community volunteers. Scott Fadness knew combating mental health issues would be a heavy lift and would take time. He is in his sixth year as mayor and continues that project.
When Scott Fadness began talking last year about an initiative on race relations in Fishers, his past record proved to me he was serious. When I was asked to participate as a member of the community, I accepted.
The mayor brought-in Dustin Washington, an experienced consultant from out of state, to run a series of seminars for a group of local people, called “Interrupting Racism.”
The mayor’s next step now is to invite any member of the Fishers community to take this Interrupting Racism seminar at no cost to you. As someone that has experienced this training, I would highly recommend it to anyone.
There are only 500 openings in this first wave of training, so I would recommend you sign-up soon.
“In the national narrative we find ourselves, it is clear the country is struggling with issues of race and our community is not immune to these challenges,” said Mayor Fadness in a city news release announcing the program. “In Fishers, we have the opportunity to change the course of this conversation through hard work, honesty, and humility. Today is a small step in that direction.”
It should be noted Mayor Fadness has been working on this Interrupting Racism program for many months, well before George Floyd’s death or the police shooting in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Sign-up for the Interrupting Racism training at this link and/or sign-up for updates at this link.
Christopher Nolan has graced the silver screen with a number of wonderful films, including Dunkirk. Nolan has been working on a particular film he has been working on for years. It has been delayed numerous times over the past months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that movie houses are opening around the nation, Nolan’s much anticipated film Tenet is now opening.
The Fishers Blues Fest has become a Labor Day weekend tradition locally. For several weeks, it was not known how the COVID-19 pandemic would impact the event. There will be a Blues Fest September 4th & 5th, but get there early – there will be a limit on how many people may attend.
I had the chance to speak with Matthew Socey of WFYI radio, as he returns for another year as the emcee of the Blues Fest.
The Fishers Health Department lowered the COVID-19 community risk rating from Significant to Moderate, and is recommending that local schools move to in-person classes.
“The Department recommends Fishers-based schools to reinstate or continue full in-person learning for elementary grades,” according to a health department news release. “Middle and high school grades may reinstate or continue full in-person learning if able to maintain cohorting. If unable to institute cohorting, the practice of keeping the same students together throughout the school day, the department advises a hybrid school model in order to decrease spread within schools and to minimize the number of quarantining students and staff that are expected to accompany school reopening. Additionally, schools should allow students with compelling needs to attend full-time in-person learning.”
Cohorting means forming groups of students, and sometimes teachers or staff, that stay together throughout the school day to minimize exposure for students, teachers, and staff across the school environment.
The department says the risk rating improvement is due to both case incidence and percent positivity rates in Fishers.
Health department officials continue to recommend that healthy people not at high risk for COVID-19 limit large gatherings of more than 30 people and continue frequent hand-washing. If high-risk, it is recommended you avoid gatherings of more than 8 people outside your home.
The Hamilton Southeastern School Board is scheduled to meet Thursday at 6pm to consider next steps in virtual vs. in-person classes.
Below are factors the Fishers Health Department says were part of the decision to lower the local risk level:
As Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools school board is set to meet in a special session Thursday, September 3rd, at 6pm.
The board decided it would be the entity making the call on how to handle decisions about virtual vs. in-person classes.
The Fishers Health Department announced Friday that although the COVID-19 Community Risk Rating remains at a Level 3 (Significant) the risk is moving downward.
Members of the public will be allowed to speak if signing-up per the board policies, on any agenda item. The only agenda item for Thursday’s session is “operation report,” which will feature an update from Superintendent Allen Bourff on plans for virtual vs. in-person learning.
The Phase 1 construction manager contract for Geist Waterfront Park has been awarded to a local firm, Meyer-Najem. The company announced Monday the City of Fishers has an agreement with city for the build – operate – transfer agreement.
“We are proud to work on this innovative and leading-edge project in our own community. It’s exciting for Fishers residents and visitors,” said Dan Lawson, Vice President of Business Development at Meyer Najem, in the company news release.
The first phase of Geist Park will include a 3,000 square foot community building with a multipurpose room, a beach-side playscape, picnic shelters, food truck parking and more. The site is a former mining operation, and will provide the first ever public access point to Geist Reservoir for the public.
For Phase I, Meyer Najem will be responsible for project schedule, estimating, budgeting, project safety, and construction. They will work directly with the City of Fishers and the other teams awarded city contracts – Browning Day and A&F Engineering.
“The Geist Waterfront Park is a unique opportunity to open up the beautiful waters and natural landscape of the Reservoir for all residents,” said Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness. “With Meyer Najem’s partnership, we will be able to build within the timeframe and budget we need while creating a new and unique destination for all.”
Fishers quarterback Lucas Prewitt (17) prepares to make a pass during the Tigers’ game with Pike on Friday (Reporter photo by Kirk Green)
Hamilton County Reporter
Fishers dropped its home opener Friday, falling to Pike 28-14.
The Red Devils controlled the first half, leading 7-0 after scoring on a seven-yard touchdown pass. Pike added two more touchdowns in the second quarter:
A minute into the period, Isaiah Martin rushed 86 yards into the end zone. The
Red Devils then made a 25-yard pass play to score with 18 seconds left and
lead 21-0 at halftime.
Meanwhile, Fishers had multiple drives into the red zone in the first half.
“We just couldn’t execute,” said Tigers coach Curt Funk. The coach said he
would take responsibility for that. “That’s something we’re going to put
an emphasis on in practice,” said Funk.
Fishers got on the board late in the third quarter when Lucas Prewitt sent a
35-yard pass to Landon Morris, who took it into the end zone. Pike scored on a pass
play during the first minute of the fourth period, but Prewitt answered minutes later, taking the ball in from the one. Wayne Christian made both extra-point kicks.
“They came out and responded in the second half,” said Funk. “We fell short,
but we played hard till the end and lost to a good Pike football team tonight.”
Prewitt had an outstanding night, completing 23 of 41 pass attempts for
273 yards. Jeffrey Simmons made nine receptions for 133 yards, while Morris
had seven for 95 yards. Shaun Kim led the rushing with 38 yards.
The Tigers are 0-2 and host Noblesville next Friday to begin Hoosier Crossroads Conference play.
Hamilton Southeastern’s John McCall (18) threw for 190 yards and a touchdown during the Royals’ Friday game with North Central. (Reporter photo by Kirk Graham)
Hamilton County Reporter
Hamilton Southeastern gave North Central, the No. 7-ranked team in Class 6A, a tough test on Friday before the Panthers came back to force overtime, then make a two-point conversion in the extra period to get past the Royals 36-35.
Southeastern got on the board first, with John McCall taking the ball in from the two-yard line. North Central responded with a touchdown later in the quarter, but the Royals began the second period with Blaine Wertz punching the ball in from the two. Alex Geroulis made both extra-point kicks, and HSE led 14-6.
The Panthers went ahead 17-14, but a huge play from Martice Taylor got Southeastern back in front. Taylor caught a pass from McCall, and took it 91 yards to the end zone. That put the Royals up 21-17, and that score would stand at halftime.
A field goal got NC within 21-20, but Jack Wafford pushed Southeastern ahead
28-20 with 35.4 seconds left in the third.
Midway through the fourth, North Central blocked a Royals field goal attempt and took it in for a touchdown. The Panthers went for two, and were successful, tying the game at 28-28.
Neither team scored again in the fourth quarter, so it was on to overtime.
Southeastern went first, and Wertz got his team the lead with a two-yard run. Geroulis made the extra-point kick to put the Royals up 35-28. But the Panthers scored on fourth-and-1, then once again made a two-point conversion.
“They ran a nice little play on the goal line,” said HSE coach Michael Kelly.
Kelly said he was “really proud” of how his players responded and that his
team played “really well.”
“I thought they fought,” said Kelly.
McCall finished the game 11-of-16, totaling 190 yards. Taylor made three of those catches for 113 yards. Wertz led the rushing with 48 yards. On defense, Nate Haas made eight tackles (six solo, two assists), with Mikah Phillips and Seth Wilson both getting four solo stops; Wilson also had two assists.
The Royals are 1-1 and open Hoosier Crossroads Conference play next Friday
at Avon.
I have loved movie theaters since I was old enough to know what they were. We had no theaters near us when growing up, so it was rare for me to visit one. It felt like magic every time I went to the movies.
I had a bit of that feeling as I walked into a movie complex for the first time since March. And, the movie, The Personal History of David Copperfield, was one I knew little about. I was familiar with the character created by Charles Dickens but had no idea how film maker Armando Iannucci would handle the story.
