Tuesday, January 16, 2024
Second Baptist Church and First Baptist Church held a combined program Sunday to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., hosted at Second Baptist Church. Above (top left): Robert Haehl, pastor of First Baptist Church greets the congregations; (top right) fourth grade student Kenji Hester speaks on how people should, like Dr. King, show more kindness; (bottom right) Mayor Scott Furgeson provides a city proclamation for MLK Day; and (lower right) Rep. Jenny Meltzer shares thoughts on King’s bravery, and how his eloquent words remain effective today. | photos SUBMITTED
SCS Bolsters Resources for Teachers of Reading
Indiana’s literacy rates have been dropping for a decade. Despite a decline in third grade enrollment, the number of students who fail IREAD-3, the state’s third-grade reading assessment taken in accredited public and non-public schools, has more than doubled since 2012.
Shelbyville Central School’s third-grade literacy pass rate of 82.9 percent exceeds the state average, and is bolstered by Hispanic students scoring nearly 15 percent higher than their counterparts statewide, but the district is taking no chances.
A team of SCS administrators - Kathleen Miltz, assistant superintendent; Ryan Mikus, director of student accountability; and Jessica O’Connor, assistant principal - recently wrote for and were awarded a $212,000 grant, a portion of which is to be used toward funding a district literacy coach position. Long-time Loper Elementary teacher Heather McCullum was given the nod.
“I'm mainly here to support teachers,” McCullum said. “I'm here to do the research for them so they don't have to spend hours at home after school researching. I’ll help them go through data and implement research-based Science of Reading materials.”
She will work with kindergarten through eighth grade teachers providing professional development and integrating the Science of Reading approach, which state education leaders promote as the panacea. Indiana Secretary of Education Dr. Katie Jenner said in a statement that the revised practices “will be essential to reaching our goal of 95 percent of Indiana’s third grade students being able to read by 2027.”
McCullum’s role will be working with teachers to develop action plans and addressing student needs. Her first two weeks have been a whirlwind of participating in grade-level data meetings led by Mikus.
“We envision a lot of good things happening,” Miltz said at the November school board meeting when the job description was approved. “This person will also work with new teachers on implementing our ELA (English Language Arts) curriculum.”
McCullum has worked with all six grade levels as a Title I teacher at Loper, and now looks forward to working in multiple buildings.
“(Science of Reading) is not a program. It’s a whole concept,” she said. “We’re already doing it, and we’re going to make sure teachers know how to further integrate it into the curriculum.”
By supporting teachers, Miltz said, the district will reach its ultimate goal: supporting every child’s literacy journey.
NOTEBOOK:
Nick O’Connor has been caucused in by local Republicans to complete the County Council term of Linda Sanders, who stepped down following her election to the Shelbyville Common Council. Nick, the only candidate for the fourth district seat, is married to Abby O’Connor, and they have four children. The Shelby County Council meets tonight, 6:30 p.m.
Shelby County Commissioners meet today at 8 a.m. in the Courthouse Annex. The meeting was rescheduled due to yesterday’s holiday.
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This Day in Shelby County History
2014: Scotland Yarn moved into 13 Public Square, next to Three Sisters Books and Gifts, from its previous location on Van Ave. The store replaced the previous occupants, Beez Neez, a shop that sold women’s items. Also, Nancy Hargrave reopened her Stevie Wix Cool Beans Candle Co. at 1 Public Square, replacing a funeral planning service. Stevie Wix had been in the building for seven years, but took a two-year hiatus. Hargrave owned the building and said she didn’t want to see it empty.
2004: Larry Crane, former lead guitar player for John Mellencamp, highlighted a show at At the Richmonds on E. Michigan Road. Crane played for Mellenkamp from 1975 to 1991.
Snowcoming king candidates were named at Shelbyville High School. They were Josh Pierce, Rickie Dunagan and Zach Walsman (freshmen); Sean Drake, James Douglas and Ben Wickizer (sophomores); Kevin Zimny, Tyler Orem and Shotaro Sano (juniors); and Cody Rodriguez, Adam Barlow, Tyler Stieneker, Jarod Grimme and Andrew Newkirk (seniors).
1994: Eight inches of snow fell overnight, and bitter and dangerous cold temperatures and high winds lasted throughout the day. The wind-chill factor dropped to 40 degrees below zero.
1984: Shelbyville High School, under first-year coach John Heaton, defeated Bloomington South, 70-64. Mark Gould scored 16 points. Chauncy Holloway had 13, Julius Denton and Todd Anderson each had 11 and Spensor Gross had 10. David Crafton just missed double figures, with eight. Shelbyville’s most recent 70-point night had been in January 1980 under Coach Pat Rady. That team went on to win regional.
1974: The board of works approved plans to renovate the front of Fire Station 1 on W. Broadway and install a single large overheard door. The renovation project involved the removal of a support section between two overhead doors on the front of the station, installation of a support beam, the new door and new metal lettering above the door.
1964: A Southwestern student was hurt during a school bus accident. Nancy Losey, 16, received serious injuries when her school bus struck a taut wrecker tow cable stretched across CR 500 W about 10 miles southeast of Shelbyville and two miles from Southwestern school. The tow cable snapped into a side window where Losey was sitting and struck her head. The tow truck driver was attempting to return a large grain truck to its wheels after the grain truck slid off the road and overturned on one side in a ditch. The school bus driver said he was blinded by the sun reflecting off the snow, and he did not see the incident ahead.
Louis Helms and his son, Jerry Helms, purchased the Onie Sullivan Grocery in Fairland, which they would operate alongside their wives. The men would also remain managers at the Dake Farm Service equipment dealership in Fairland.
1954: More than a dozen duly elected Shelby County officials failed to meet the deadline for filing annual financial reports with the clerk’s office, in accordance with legislation passed in 1953.
1944: Shelbyville’s Paul Cross Gym was named one of 64 sectional and one of 16 regional centers for the upcoming IHSAA basketball tournament. Semi-finals would be played in Anderson, Hammond, Muncie and Vincennes, with the final contests at the Indianapolis Coliseum.
1934: The free dental clinic for needy children, made possible through co-operative donation of services by six Shelbyville dentists, re-opened at the Administration building on West Broadway. Only those children whose parents were without employment or income and were in need of special attention for their teeth would be accepted, county nurse Grace Ewing said.
A special train was commissioned for those who wished to attend the Shelbyville-Martinsville game in Martinsville. Three hundred tickets were sold.
1924: The Ralph J. Edwards funeral home, 33 W. Broadway, advertised its services in local newspapers, noting that their funeral chapel was “the appropriate” place for a funeral, and was offered at no additional charge.
Veterans of the Spanish-American War enjoyed a reunion meeting in Shelbyville. “One veteran, who lives in the south part of the county and who was believed dead by his comrades” was able to attend, The Republican said.
1914: The Alhambra Theater turned two years old. It was known locally as “the theater beautiful.” The moving picture house had been built by Frank Rembush in 1912. “The seats are upholstered, and the most up-to-date system of heating, ventilating and lighting is used,” The Republican said.
A 19-year-old boy arrested for smoking would not promise to appear in court if allowed to go home for the night, so he was placed in jail. Mayor Schoelch lectured him the next morning and released him on good behavior.
OBITUARIES
Dinah Lee Day, 81 of St. Paul, passed away on January 12, 2024 at AMG Specialty Hospital in Greenfield. She was born on July 15, 1942, to Lloyd Miles and Nora (Poteet) Miles in Pennington Gap, Virginia. She married Charlie Day, and he preceded her in death. Survivors include daughter Pamela Worthington of Logansport, IN; sister Lorene (husband Jack) Ehle of St. Paul, brother Bruce Miles of Logansport; four grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband; parents; one son, Richard; one brother and four sisters.
Mrs. Day had lived in this area for 10 years after moving from Ocala, Florida. She had been a bartender at VFW for several years and was a member of the local VFW and the Fraternal Order of Eagles.
Dinah enjoyed sitting on her front porch, going to the casino, watching Colts football, but most of all she loved spending time with her family and friends.
A private family Celebration of Life will be held at the Glenn E. George Funeral Home, 106 E. Franklin St., St. Paul. Burial will be at a later date. Memorial contributions can be made to the VFW in care of the funeral home. Online condolences may be shared at glennegeorgeandson.com.
Ronald G. Fair, 83, of Indianapolis, passed away January 13, 2024, at Community Hospital East. No services will be observed. Glenn E. George & Son Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.