The Morning Bell: HSE Superintendent Discusses ‘A Student’s Journey’ Plan – Indianapolis News | Indiana Weather | Indiana Traffic

FISHERS, Ind. (WISH) — Each month, WISH-TV spotlights a local school district with “The Morning Bell,” a conversation focused on new or exciting programs and accomplishments within Indiana schools.

This week, the Morning Bell focuses on preparing people for the return to school through interviews with school principals in central Indiana.

On Tuesday, Hamilton Southeastern Schools Superintendent Patrick Mapes spoke with Daybreak about the upcoming school year, which begins on Wednesday, August 7.

Before the Bell celebration

On Thursday, there will be a district-wide back-to-school celebration. It will be at the Nickel Plate District Amphitheater from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. There will be information booths and ways for families and students to get involved. There will also be games, bounce houses, student performers, and food trucks.

“What’s really cool is that all of our schools will have a booth so parents and students can come by, meet their principals and some of the teachers and get ready for the first day the following week,” Mapes said.

District Goals

Mapes says the main goal for this school year is to emphasize learning.

“We want to make sure that we’re looking at our test scores and making sure that our kids are getting better in literacy and numeracy. But more importantly, we need to make sure that we’re emphasizing learning, right? As times change, the one thing that we can give all of our students is the ability to learn. And if we do that, no matter what job or career is in front of them, they’ll be able to adapt to make sure that they can be successful,” Mapes said.

District leaders say building reading and writing skills at the elementary school level and preparing high school students for their educational paths are key factors of the plan.

“We now have all of our schools in the reading framework that the state provides, which I think will continue to build the skills of our students. We’re going to have a lofty goal of 100 percent of our kids achieving IREAD-3, which is not that far off for us considering that 94 percent of students have done that right now. So we’re really excited to be able to help our teachers in the classroom, and make sure that the science of reading is being implemented with fidelity in our school district,” Mapes said.

‘Travel of a student plan

The district is embarking on a new plan called “Journey of a Student,” which is described on HSE’s website as a way to provide every student with learning experiences that are deep and relevant and that integrate the knowledge, skills and attributes needed to thrive as adults in today’s world.

“With an emphasis on pathways that prepare a student after they finish their K-12 experience to go out and do whatever they want to do, whether it’s enrolling in school to work in the workforce or enlisting in the service. We want to start that process in elementary school — to give them experiences in different careers. So all of our business leaders, community leaders and educators over the last 18 months came together to plan a kind of ‘Journey of a Student,’” Mapes said.

The “Journey of a Student” course aims to introduce career concepts early in primary school and then guide students through secondary school by immersing them in real-world learning.

“You have to be able to dream and we want to start that early to figure out what that career is going to mean for you. And I really think that the experience of being able to go out into our community, which has so many different businesses and opportunities, and test drive that career before you go to college or before you go out into the workforce is going to be really valuable for our students,” Mapes said.

Mapes Advice to Students and Parents

“If you’re an early riser, start early, maybe Monday instead of Wednesday. And for our parents, please be patient. We have a lot of bike riders to school and we have construction at Fisher’s Elementary and Lantern Road Elementary, not to mention the traffic issues we have throughout the metro area, plan accordingly so you can get to school on time.”