The Fishers Health Department shared two pieces of news Friday, one on the overall community risk related to COVID-19 and the start of younger people in the community eligible for coronavirus testing.

Director Monica Heltz said in a video posted Friday that the community health risk dashboard is now moving in a downward direction, which is a good measure.  The rating is still at Level 3 – significant….but is moving downward.  Heltz says the rating may be down into Level 2 – moderate – early next week.

The department also announced that Fishers residents as young as 5 years of age are now eligible for the free COVID-19 testing program available to anyone living in the City of Fishers.  Heltz recommends parents and their children view a video that will soon be available on the health department Web site before going to a test.  You may schedule a test for people as young as 5 as of Saturday, August 29.

Access the Fishers Health Department Web site at this link.

The road construction listing for Fishers is once again a very long one.

Below is the list, as provided by the City of Fishers:

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When HSE Schools went with all-virtual classes last spring, the district said employees would remain on the payroll for as long as possible, even those not working.  After September 18, HSE District food service workers in grades 5-12 will be on unpaid furlough.

HSE Schools spokesperson Emily Abbotts tells LarryInFishers that the school corporation can no longer afford to pay these employees.  Ms Abbotts clarified that these food service workers will be working through September 4th.

“Many have been working, preparing meals for the virtual students,” Ms. Abbots said.

It is presumed the food service employees would be recalled when students return to their classrooms.

(NOTE: an earlier version of this story incorrectly gave the impression these food service workers had not been on the job, but is now clarified to show they have been working and that will end after September 4th and they will be paid through September 18)

Janie Ulmer came to the local school district from LaPorte and was running the local Academy, designed for students unable to function in a normal school setting.  After her time at the Academy, Ms. Ulmer was tapped to be the new principal at Hamilton Southeastern High School.  She talks about a number of subjects, including starting her new job during a pandemic and virtual learning, in this podcast.

The Hamilton Southeastern School Board had plenty to handle in the regularly-scheduled board meeting Monday night, including a protest outside the administration building and a presentation on the hybrid learning plan.

40-50 people chanted and carried signs close to Cumberland Road, in front of the building where the board meeting was held.  One person spoke at the board meeting advocating for the school district to bring students in all grades back to 100% in-person classes.

The meeting largely consisted of school officials reviewing building cleaning plans, plans for buses and substitute teachers.  Administrators told the board 55% of substitute teachers are willing to return.  There is a large permanent staff of substitutes, with 72 as the ideal number.  There are now 35 full-time substitute teachers in the district.

The plans for hybrid learning were unveiled to the board.  You can read more details about that at this link.

Superintendent Allen Bourff said it is the goal of administrators and the board to have students back in their regular classrooms 100% of the time.  However, the district is working with the Fishers Health Department on when that is safe for students and staff.  Bourff also said the Indiana State Department of Health issued new guidelines for schools just hours before the board meeting.

Preschool through 4th grade students are set to begin a 50-50 plan, where over a two-week period, students will spend half of their time in the school building and half of their time learning virtually.

School officials told the board an online dashboard is being developed to allow anyone to know how many new cases of COVID have been reported among students and staff, by school building.  That dashboard is expected to be available September 14.

It was also revealed at the meeting that student enrollment has dipped slightly this school year, from roughly 22,000 students down to about 21,500.  CFO Cecilie Nunn said this may be due to some parents making other arrangements due to COVID-19.

As the meeting concluded, Board President Michelle Fullhart, speaking for herself and not the board, said teachers “are not the enemy” in the debate over virtual vs. in-person classes.  The enemy is the virus, according to Fullhart.  She added the school administrators, school board and local health department are not the enemies here either.

“If we could just come together and fight against this virus, instead of each other, our community would be a much better place,” Fullhart said.

The partnership between IU Health and Mudsock Youth Athletics goes back a long way, and that relationship will continue with a renewal announced Tuesday.  IU Health remains the primary scholarship provider and an official community partner of Mudsock Youth Athletics, per a news release.

IU Health is expanding support this year by including personal protective equipment in their tri-annual delivery of first aid kits that are distributed to all coaches in the Mudsock Youth Athletics program.

IU Health is continuing to direct a portion of their funding towards the scholarship program that allows children within the HSE school district one free or reduced scholarship per registration period.

“IU Health is grateful to Mudsock Youth Athletics for its focus on physical activity and health in our community. We are proud to support their work and the children and families who participate in their leagues,” said Joy Davis, IU Health Indianapolis Suburban Region manager of community

IU Health is making a  commitment to educate the families in the HSE school district and Fishers community on navigating the changing landscape of healthcare during unprecedented times.

“IU Health exemplifies what it means to be a great community partner. We are extremely fortunate to have the continued support of IU Health so we can focus on the health and well-being of our programs and families,” said Scott Spillman, Executive Director of Mudsock Youth Athletics.

Mudsock Youth Athletics is an independent nonprofit organization, providing sports programs for young people in the Fishers area for over 30 years.

One of the wisest people I have known in my lifetime was my maternal grandmother, Mary Alice Kidwell.  She always told me that being a parent is special, but being a grandparent is the best thing ever.  She lived to be 99 years of age and taught me much during our time together.  That thought came to mind as I became a grandparent on August 11, 2020.

Dakota is the name of my grandson.  My daughter and son-in-law chose that name because it is a Native American word that translates in English to “friend.”  They want their son to be everyone’s friend.  I am sure he will be just that.

I had no idea how it would feel to become a grandparent, but Jane & I have now experienced the thrill.  I cannot speak for my wife, but there is no way to describe the birth of your first grandchild, it defies description.

In late March, I announced an end to the news blog I have written for over 8 years.  However, COVID-19 and the racial issues facing all of us kept me writing.  I still plan to write.

The move to virtual meetings helped me stay in touch with local issues, but you may see fewer posts and not as quickly as in the past.  I hope to pick up film reviews as movie theaters slowly begin to open.

I also plan to continue podcasting, but at my own pace.  My past interviews with political candidates will not continue.  It is difficult to communicate how much time goes into preparing, recording and producing that number of podcasts.  For example, there are 11 candidates in the at-large Hamilton Southestern school board election.  I just cannot produce all those podcasts along with everything else I am doing.

So, I plan to enjoy being a grandparent and continue writing on the blog and producing some podcasts, but at my own pace and not at the pace set in the past.

After all, Dakota is here.  I am a grandfather!

Hamilton County Reporter

Fishers dropped its season-opening football game on Friday, falling to North Central 40-20.

The Class 6A No. 9 Panthers jumped out to a 14-0 lead by the end of the first quarter. The Tigers got on the board early in the second when Landon Morris caught a three-yard pass from Lucas Prewitt. But North Central scored again later, giving it a 20-6 halftime advantage.

Fishers began the second half with a bang, as Dominic Oliverio took a kickoff return 90 yards into the end zone.

The Panthers answered by scoring after a seven-play, 80-yard drive. But the Tigers kept things interesting: Carson Dunn caught a long screen pass to get Fishers to the North Central four-yard line, then a couple plays later, Prewitt scrambled in to the end zone from six yards.

Wayne Christian made both extra-point kicks for Fishers after its two third-quarter touchdowns. The Panthers got one more score in the third quarter, then added another touchdown in the fourth while holding Fishers scoreless in that period.

Prewitt finished the game with 141 yards on 11-of-24 passing. Morris caught four of those throws. Dunn led the rushing with 35 yards. On defense, Evan Miller led with eight tackles, while Tyler Green, Curtis Kearshner and Billy Reiter all had six stops. Kearshner made two
sacks, while Joel Coston had one. Green and Kearshner both had two tackles for a loss.

The Tigers will play their home opener next Friday, welcoming Pike for a 7
p.m. kickoff.

Hamilton County Reporter

Hamilton Southeastern had a great first game on both sides of the ball, and that led the Royals to a 24-0 victory at Lawrence Central on Friday.

It was the first time Southeastern had shut out a team since 2017. First-year coach Michael Kelly praised his defensive linemen and his defensive backs, with the linemen doing “a tremendous job” with the defensive pressure and the backs getting into the zones.

Giovanni Ragland had five tackles, while Jake Karwowski and Louden Sundling both made
four stops.

“I thought overall our defense played outstanding,” said Kelly.

The offense did pretty well, too. The Royals scored their first two touchdowns with one-yard punches into the end zone.

Jace Alexander got the ball in during the first quarter, then Blaine Wertz made his score in the second quarter.

Southeastern got one more touchdown in the third period, when John McCall found Will Gerig for a six-yard scoring pass. Alex Geroulis kicked the extra point on all three TDs, then added a 23-yard field goal in the third period as well.

“Our offensive line did a nice job,” said Kelly. He also was pleased with the running and passing during the game.

“Jace and Blaine both did a great job,” said Kelly. “John did a nice job delivering
the football when his number was called.”

Southeastern will play its first home game of the season next Friday, welcoming North Central for a 7 p.m. kickoff.

In a rare Friday session, the Hamilton Southeastern School Board approved a plan to have a 50-50 mix of virtual and in-person students, up to fourth grade, September 8 through at lease October 2.  The vote on the general resolution moving forward on the re-opening was 6-1, with the lone no vote cast by Amanda Shera.  The specific action allowing the 50-50 plan up to 4th grade as of September 8 passed the board unanimously.

In a Skylert message and video posted Friday, HSE Schools Superintendent Allen Bourff said parents should already have information on the details of when their children will be in-person at the school building and when there will be virtual classes.

Dr. Bourff cited guidance provided by the Fishers Health Department in making this decision.  The idea is to have no more than 50% of students in the buildings at one time.    You can view the video at this link.

Grades 5-12 will continue to have virtual classes, but Dr. Bourff said that policy is under review at all times.

Below is the language contained in the Skylert issued by the school district Friday:

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This morning in a specially scheduled meeting, the School Board approved a recommendation to shift PreK-4 students from virtual instruction to a hybrid or 50/50 model, effective Tuesday, September 8. Students in grades 5-12 will remain in virtual instruction for the time being, and a reassessment will be made weekly.

This recommendation was based on guidance from the Fishers Health Department, which earlier this week, re-categorized the Community Risk Rating to orange, or significant level. At that level, elementary schools are advised to operate on a hybrid model, with an attendance level of no more than 50%. Middle schools and high schools are advised to operate virtually.

Students will be selected alphabetically at the elementary-level based on their family’s last name and/or household in which they reside. Families with PreK-4 students should expect further communication from their principals. Elementary families should also expect, after this message, to receive another Skylert with your child’s group assignment and directions for completing the in-school/virtual and transportation questionnaire.

In the next couple of weeks, teachers will be refining their instructional skills for students who will continue to be with them either in-person or virtually. We had considerable discussion today at the board meeting about this instructional approach, stressing that this approach minimizes the reassignment of students to teachers as the students transition in and out of virtual instruction.

A solid relationship between a student and teacher is foundational to a positive learning experience. Based on observations of other schools in session, we anticipate student absences, and we want our elementary students to know that whether they are virtual or in-person, their teacher is constant and that they can count on that teacher to be there for them.

Now this requires a more complex instructional plan for the teacher, and parents should not expect the same type of virtual instruction to occur that their children are now experiencing. In some ways, it may be richer, but it most likely will not be the same. This virtual choice is explained a bit further in the Skylert communication this afternoon.

This phase using the 50/50 model is expected to run from September 8 to October 2. If all goes well, we hope to transition to 100% on October 5, with the virtual option for the rest of the semester.

We have been asked if the virtual option will be offered in the second semester, and my answer is that the option remains under consideration.

As I said earlier in this message, students in grades 5-12 will remain in virtual instruction, but that status will be reassessed on a weekly basis. We all want our students back in the buildings, and we will make that transition as soon as it is safely possible. Again, I emphasize that we will be relying on guidance from our local health department to make that decision.

I thank all who have contacted us with suggestions and observations. So many, in fact, that personal responses have not been possible for each of you. For that I apologize, but I can assure you that the messages are being read and considered in our planning sessions.

I encourage all in our community to observe safety protocols so that we can drive COVID cases down, minimize unsafe conditions, and get all students back into our classrooms.