District News

The Metropolitan School District of Pike Township 2020 - 2024 Strategic Planning Advisory Group

It is time to update our comprehensive strategic plan.  The process includes a series of Strategic Planning Advisory Meetings, which include the entire Advisory Group, as well as individual Strategic Plan Committee Meetings, which will occur between our Advisory Meetings.  We anticipate a total of seven meetings, with our first meeting scheduled for 6:00 p.m. Monday, March 9th, at Central Elementary School

If you are interested in participating as an Advisory Group Member, please register with the following link:

https://forms.gle/KCDtSbAchH3vRcap7

Pike families,

Next school year, for the first time in several decades, all Pike schools will operate on the same calendar. Having one common calendar will increase efficiencies and eliminate some operational and scheduling challenges. This change will not impact the school assignments of our current students. Eagle Creek, Fishback, and New Augusta North and South will continue as “lottery-based” schools. Applications for the upcoming school year will be posted on Friday, February 21, 2020.

2020-2021 Registration Dates 

Monday, March 9, 2020: Online registration opens for PreK – 12th grade

Thursday, April 9, 2020: Kindergarten Roundup (5:30pm – 7:30pm)

Tuesday, July 14, 2020: 2020-2021 Elementary Onsite Registration (1:00pm – 7:00pm)

Wednesday, July 15, 2020: 2020-2021 Middle School Onsite Registration (1:00pm – 7:00pm)

Tuesday, July 28, 2020: 2020-2021 High School Onsite Registration (12:00pm – 7:00pm)

Tuesday, July 28, 2020-2021 Freshman Orientation Onsite (10:30am – 12:00pm)

Pike Girls Club Lacrosse is having 4:15-5:30 PM Try Lacrosse Clinics on the following dates at the Pike High School Practice Football Fields: February 24; March 2, 9 and 16. To participate, you must have your legal guardian sign a waiver on your first workout. Any experience level with a great attitude is welcome! We will include any students who are 8th grade and up, including rising 8th graders for the rest of the school year.

Pike Taekwondo Club Hosted by Indianapolis Martial Arts Academy is now open to all 3rd – 12th-grade students in Pike Township!

Classes are Feb 5th - May 6th and registration fee: $125. Registration fee includes classes, belt, promotion expenses, and either a uniform or a sparring helmet and mouthpiece.

*Due to the structure of the classes, we cannot accept new applicants after the fourth class of the session.

To register:

Register online at https://www.piketaekwondoclub.com/register.cfm #pikeproud

Use the registration form on the back of this flyer

Complete a registration form and submit payment at your first class or mail it in advance to

Pike TKD Club, 6221 Coffman Rd., Indianapolis, IN 46268

"THE ONE HUNDRED" is a support group of individuals, businesses, and parents joined together to give the Pike boys track team the resources that are needed to attract, equip, train, and field a successful track team. With the support of "THE ONE HUNDRED", PIKE BOYS TRACK will be able to provide ALL of our student-athletes the necessary coaching, resources, and equipment for the greatest chance of success, for the current year, and beyond. The Goal: to raise $20,000 for support of the Pike Boys Track Team on a journey to the 2020 Indiana State Championships, and solidify the continued success of Pike Boys Track. It will take a COMMUNITY to get this done. *For parents with current athletes on the team, a "PACKAGE 2" Contribution, will waive the mandatory team package cost (Estimated $142.00), per athlete. This is where our community comes in, together we can accomplish this goal. All funds go directly to our DONORSCHOOSE.ORG page, then directly to the Pike Boys Track Account, managed by Joyce MacMillan, Pike High School Treasurer. YOUR CONTRIBUTION: the key to this team's success this season and at STATE. Thank you for your consideration! # PIKEPROUD #STATE2020 Courtney Bishop, clbishop@pike.k12.in.us Head Coach, Pike Boys Track

What is Digital Learning Day?

The MSD of Pike Township has put a strong emphasis on digital learning to provide students with the digital skills that are valued beyond the K-12 educational setting. This allows for learning outside the traditional bricks and mortar-learning environment. Students may collaborate virtually with each other while continuing their learning and teachers are accessible to help students with their online experience. This blended learning environment often referred to as an eLearning Day, can keep learning progressing during teacher professional development, snow days or other inclement weather, or other events when considered necessary. Pike Township will utilize Canvas (online learning platform) as a central space for lessons, where teachers may choose to provide instructions via a recorded message or video.  Students will manage their learning and find the lessons engaging. As parents, you may view the student assignments and finished products via your observation code.

Due to our traditional and balanced calendars becoming more aligned, our School Board has approved a universal calendar that will begin in the 2020-21 school year. This fall, we surveyed staff, parents, and the community, which generated feedback for drafting a single calendar. The use of a universal calendar will increase efficiencies and eliminate some operational and scheduling challenges. It will not impact the school assignments of our current students. Eagle Creek, Fishback, and New Augusta North and South will continue as “choice” schools but with a curriculum concentration. The School Board will consider feedback from the district survey and focus group discussions as they finalize the concentration in the new year. Thank you for your patience, input, and support throughout this process.

A Message from the Superintendent:

At our school board meeting on Thursday, January 9th, I shared my concerns about the Indiana Department of Education’s current process for determining graduation rates. Additionally, I asserted my belief that the graduation rate that was publicized for Pike High School was inaccurate. As the Superintendent of Schools, I am unwilling to allow a flawed system to impact our high school, our district, and most importantly, our community.

There are several factors outside of our control that impact our graduation rate. For example, if a student withdraws from Pike High School and moves to another country, that student will be counted as a drop out unless we receive a transcript request. Our exceptional learners are counted as drop outs after 4 years even though we provide services until they are 22 years old. I was particularly frustrated by a situation we encountered this year, when students who left Pike High School to participate in another accredited opportunity such as Job Corp were considered drop outs and counted against our 2019 graduation rate even though we could prove they received an Indiana Diploma.

Mornings can be a stressful time. Getting ready for work. Getting your kids ready for school. Don’t send your child to the bus stop in severe weather. Instead, download our free innovative app to keep your children safer and make your morning easier. With Here Comes the Bus®, you and your child will receive alerts when the bus is near!

Extend the shelves beyond school walls with electronic library cards.  A partnership with Pike and our public libraries allows our students to receive an electronic card (E-Card) to access millions of digital resources from the Indianapolis Public Library. Both public and school libraries are community centers at heart, with the same goal: to provide a safe, welcoming environment for all patrons and access to information in a variety of formats. Research shows that when students can get books more easily, they spend more time reading. When they spend more time reading, research shows they read and write better.  All Pike students will receive an electronic card (E-Card)  to access digital resources. However, if you do not want an electronic card for your student, please decline by completing the opt-out form at this link.