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Community Schools of Frankfort to Host New Student Registration on Wednesday, July 28

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FRANKFORT, Ind. – The Community Schools of Frankfort announced via a statement to the media that a New Student Registration event will take place on Wednesday, July 28, from 9 am-7 pm.
Registration will take place at each school building for students in those grade levels. CSF staff is available to answer questions about which school your elementary student should attend by calling the CSF Central Office at (765) 654-5585.

Community Schools of Frankfort to Host Solution Tree PLC AT WORK® Live Institute

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FRANKFORT, Ind – Community Schools of Frankfort is proud to announce it will host a Professional Learning Communities (PLC) at Work® LIVE Institute, June 29–July 1, 2021. The institute will be streamed in real time and will feature leading education experts with firsthand experience using the PLC at Work process to transform teaching and learning.

Recognized as a powerful strategy for sustained, substantive school improvement, the PLC at Work process is driven by three big ideas: focus on learning, build a collaborative culture, and focus on results. In PLCs, teachers work in collaborative teams, and all students learn at high levels.

CSF Assistant Superintendent Dr. Matt Rhoda said of the event, “We are beyond thrilled to have internationally renowned speakers such as Regina Stephens Owens, Mike Mattos, Anthony Muhammad and more providing high quality professional development for the Community Schools of Frankfort (CSF) staff at Solution Tree PLC at Work® LIVE Tuesday thru Thursday this week at Frankfort High School. In the next three days, CSF teachers and administrators will be encouraged, uplifted, and inspired by these professional educators. We will learn alongside each other about how we as a community of educators will support each other and support our kids to meet the following CSF goals: 1. Ensure academic excellence for each and every student;  2. Create and sustain a safe physical and social environment; 3. Utilize best instructional practices that will engage students and accelerate learning; 4. Increase and enhance parent involvement and community partnerships; and 5. Address the needs of our students and staff through the development of connections, programming, and curriculum in our schools.”

During the PLC at Work LIVE Institute, presenters will deliver keynotes and breakout sessions designed to deepen the expertise of educators and provide actionable solutions for the most pressing issues in education. The live-streamed format allows the entire school community to participate, building shared knowledge and increasing collective efficacy.

A special webinar, “Parents As Partners!,” on the evening of the second day of the institute will introduce parents and caregivers to the PLC process and share ways they can support their child’s learning. Parents and caregivers will learn the warning signs that a child is experiencing academic or social-emotional challenges—and show how parents and the school can work collaboratively to overcome them. Parents will also celebrate the culture of schools that emphasizes high levels of learning for all students and understand the importance of focusing on essential learning. Parents will examine the role assessment plays in a child’s education and how teachers use data to provide additional time and support for intervention or extension of essential standards.

This institute is produced and presented by Solution Tree, a premier educational publisher and professional development provider. For more than 20 years, Solution Tree has worked to transform education worldwide, empowering K–12 educators to raise student achievement.

For more information about the event, visit www.SolutionTree.com.

Frankfort Fire Department Responds to Two Fires in Last 24 Hours

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FRANKFORT, Ind. – Frankfort Fire Department Units were busy Tuesday evening and early Wednesday morning responding to two separate fires – no injuries or loss of life was reported at each of the events.

“We had a busy night, but our firefighters did an outstanding job working both incidents and extinguishing the fires safely,” stated Assistant Chief Ed Cripe via a press release issued by the City of Frankfort.

Units were first dispatched at 9:40 p.m. Tuesday to a fire alarm at the Christian Life Church, located at 2501 E. Wabash, and upon making entry into the building firefighters located a small fire in a light fixture in the kitchen. The building sprinkler system contained the fire to the kitchen and allowed firefighters to quickly have the situation under control.

Then Wednesday, at approximately 1:30 a.m., units were dispatched for a possible trailer fire at 1555 Rossville Avenue, Lot 19. Engine 3 was the first to arrive and found a fully involved trailer fire. Firefighters immediately began fire suppression tactics as other units responded. Battalion 1 called for a second alarm. A total of six firefighters were called in to man the city while on-duty firefighter personnel and apparatus were on the scene at Rossville Avenue.

Tankers were used for fire suppression due to the absence of hydrants located within the trailer park. Firefighters had the fire under control within 20 minutes but remained on the scene to conduct salvage and overhaul. Units cleared the scene at approximately 3:30 a.m. No firefighter or resident injuries were reported.

The Rossville Avenue fire is under investigation by the Frankfort Fire Department. More information will be released once the investigation has been completed.

A “Clear Path” Led CSF to a Successful 2020-2021 Academic Year

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FRANKFORT, Ind. – On Saturday, May 29, Frankfort High School conducted an in-person graduation ceremony in Case Arena for the 217 members of the class of 2021. In August 2020 not many in the Frankfort community could foresee such an event occurring as the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic had gripped the area.

The ability to hold graduation as well as keep all of the elementary schools open during the academic year was the Safe Return to School Plan (Plan) developed during the summer of 2020 – only the middle school and high school were forced to transition to e-learning instruction per the Plan for the Community Schools of Frankfort (CSF); however, each of those schools returned to in-person learning as quickly as possible.

Then CSF Superintendent Don DeWeese (DeWeese retired in October 2020) and Assistant Superintendent Joel McKinney worked to develop the Plan, they developed a broad-based team of individuals from various departments within the school system as well as students and parents. While both could not see a clear path at the start, there was a commitment to make it happen.

The Plan centered on what the team termed, “clear path” conversations.

“I personally picked leaders that I knew that I could bend their ear when things got too difficult conversations,” said McKinney. “And then I required them to reach out to at least teachers, parents, and students to be on the team and they became our sounding board during the whole process.”

“They would send me information and I would send them questions and they would send me more information and vice versa. So, that process went on for a number of weeks, they worked more quickly than I thought they would because I gave them a deadline and they were sending me earlier than the deadline.”

“And what they are saying, ‘Joel, we’re seeing plans from other countries that have already re-opened and we’re taking ideas from those plans because they were reporting success with some of these things.'”

The result of the team’s work – a 15-page document that covered as many possibilities as were known to CSF at the time and provided that “clear path” for 3,103 students to return for an on-time school start in August 2020.

“The SRTS Plan clearly outlined to all – students, families, and employees – the required protocols for keeping all of us as safe as possible,” said FHS Principal Cindy Long. “With clear direction, we were able to confidently move forward with having a successful school year. All involved knew what safety protocols to expect, which made participating within those confines easier.”

At the elementary school level, Blue Ridge Primary School Principal Karie Cloe echoed Long’s thoughts, “Our SRTS Plan ensured students were able to attend school in person! This allowed students to grow not only academically, but also socially.”

Work on a 2021-2022 SRTS plan has started and CSF Superintendent McKinney will release the Plan to the public during the summer.

Karina Castaneda, FHS Senior, Places In Top 20 at International Science Fair

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FRANKFORT, Ind. – Karina Castaneda, a Frankfort High School Senior, received notification from the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair that her project – Strenuous Sequencing: Exploring the Effect of Bilingualism on Executive Functioning in the Human Brain – placed in the Top 20 of the Behavioral and Social Sciences category.

Castaneda, a member of the Class of 2021, was one of the 1,833 Regeneron ISEF 2021 finalists; representing 49 states and 64 countries across the world – a competition that was held virtually for the first time in its more than 70-year history to keep the finalists and their families safe during the ongoing pandemic.

“I was super excited, especially because we weren’t expecting it,” said Castaneda via a press release issued by the Community Schools of Frankfort. “Being from a small town, small state of Indiana in the United States, it was totally unexpected. So when I heard my name announced, it was very exciting!”

Although Castaneda’s projects for the past 5 years have centered on the bilingual brain, she started working on this year’s project back in September – during the peak of the pandemic while safety measures in place to protect students, staff, and teachers.

Something Bret Rhea, Director of High Ability at CSF, spoke about during the April 13, 2021, School Board meeting with respect to the challenges Castaneda had to overcome in completing her project.

“Probably the most impressive part of her project which was spurred by this year – the test that she used to assess the executive functioning is a neurological test called “trail making test” which is a paper and pencil test,” said Rhea to the School Board and public attendees. “Back in October, we were trying to figure out how can we test 600 middle schoolers if we can’t have them touching these pencils and papers. So she wrote a computer application – she basically self-taught herself how to write this application. She wrote the code and then we put it on flash drives and she would go into a classroom of kids and would plug them into their devices. The kids then were able to do the test she had made – on their computers – and the results were stored on the flash drives. And, no one contaminated anything. A very innovative thing.”

To qualify for the International competition, Castaneda had to compete at both Regional and State levels and finish with a designation that would allow her to advance.

At the Regional level in March, a 12-county area surrounding Lafayette, Castaneda won the best Behavioral Sciences project award and placed in the Top 3 of all projects in the contest advancing her to the State competition.

In April, she earned the mark of second-best Behavioral Sciences project as well as placed in the Top 20 of all projects in the contest in the State of Indiana – a designation that earned her a spot as a representative for Indiana to the International competition.

At ISEF, she was one of only six projects from Indiana to be recognized for excellence at the International level.

Below is the video submitted to ISEF by Castaneda, where she speaks about her project and findings.

Castaneda’s future education plans include attending Purdue University in the Fall of 2021 to study Business Management and later attend law school to become an attorney and practice family law.

Frankfort Parks To Open Aviary, Petting Zoo, and Splash Pad on Saturday, May 29th

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FRANKFORT, Ind. – On Saturday, May 29, Frankfort Parks Department will be opening its aviary, petting zoo, and splash pad to the public. No fee is charged to visit any of these attractions but donations are accepted. These features will remain open, weather permitting, through Labor Day.

The aviary and petting zoo are both located at TPA Park, 1 Adrian Marks Dr in Frankfort. The petting zoo and aviary will be open 7 days a week from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., weather permitting.

The splash pad is located at Prairie Creek Park, 260 E Washington St in Frankfort. Splash pad hours will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The splash pad will also be open 7 days per week, weather permitting.

All weather-related closures for park facilities will be reported on the Frankfort Parks Department Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/FrankfortParksDept

Prairie Creek Park Grand Opening Saturday, May 22

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FRANKFORT, Ind. – Prairie Creek Park, located in downtown Frankfort at 260 E. Washington St., will officially open on Saturday, May 22, 2021, when the City of Frankfort hosts a public ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Mayor Judy Sheets invites the public to attend and enjoy the fun activities planned for the day.

“We are excited to share this park with the community and hope it will give our residents a wonderful space to build memories and enjoy quality entertainment,” said Mayor Sheets.

The festivities will begin at 4 p.m. with a concert by local band, Lloyd Avenue, followed by The Warrior Kings who perform at 6 p.m. The headliner for the evening is Endless Summer Bank, sponsored by The Farmers Bank and performing on The Farmers Bank Performance Center Stage at 8:30 p.m.

Food vendors will be available all evening and the Prairie Creek Park splash pad will be open to the public from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Park benches and wall seats are available in the park plaza. Visitors to the park are also welcome to bring blankets and lawn chairs for additional seating in the lawn area.

Prairie Creek Park will host additional events during the 2021 season including a concert on June 19 featuring Sunny Thurnall and Jason Pritchett, a concert on August 21 featuring Attaboy and 45 RPMs, and the Hispanic Heritage Festival on September 18.

Historic Riley School Property Sold by Community Schools of Frankfort to Frankfort Alumnus

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FRANKFORT, Ind. – The Community Schools of Frankfort (CSF) has sold the historic Riley Elementary School & Rohrabaugh Field property located at 303 S. Williams St., to Frankfort alumnus Kelly Good on Friday, May 14, 2021, for $312,500 – above the listing price of $250,000. The approximately 7-acre site, which includes both the area of Riley School and Rohrabaugh Field, sold after being on the market for just over one week with Dave Rodkey of Dave Rodkey Realtors.

According to a press release issued by CSF, Mr. Good, owner of KJG Architecture in West Lafayette, plans to develop single-family homes on the property that will blend in aesthetically with the existing neighborhood. Having grown up only a few blocks from the site, Mr. Good knows the neighborhood well. In communicating with CSF Superintendent Joel McKinney, Mr. Good expressed a deep appreciation and love for the Frankfort community. He is eager to develop the site into something that will bring more families into this great city.

The KJG Architecture website states: “Kelly founded KJG Architecture in 1997 and has served as the President and Senior Architect since the firm’s inception. After graduating from Ball State University with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture, he developed an extensive background in the field with decades of experience at several design firms. His portfolio includes education, municipal, commercial, retail, religious, multi-family, industrial, and dozens of multi-use building designs.”

KJG Architecture is currently leading the project to build the first-ever dedicated building for the Frankfort Police Department. Previously, KJG Architecture lead the design of the Frankfort High School remodel and expansion and CSF Superintendent building.

“The school board is glad to see that the former Riley School property will someday be homes to future students,” added Superintendent McKinney.

Community Schools of Frankfort Employees to Receive $1000 Bonus

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FRANKFORT, Ind. – At the May 11, 2021, meeting of the Community Schools of Frankfort (CSF) Board of Trustees held at the CSF Administration Building, the Board unanimously approved additional compensation to all school employees who worked this past academic year through the COVID-19 pandemic. Every teacher and staff member will receive a $1,000 pandemic bonus check.

In a signed resolution from the Board of School Trustees, the resolution recognized “CSF faculty and staff assumed additional responsibilities, worked outside contracted hours, and unequivocally went above and beyond expectations.”

The stipend is anticipated to come from funds received from the Elementary and Secondary Education Relief, or ESSER III; directly associated with President Biden’s American Rescue Plan enacted this past spring.

The Community Schools of Frankfort have been meeting in person every day this school year as the result of the implementation of the Safe Return to School Plan formulated last summer by CSF Superintendent Joel McKinney and a team of staff members, the elementary schools (Blue Ridge, Green Meadows, and Suncrest) never had to close their doors due to the impact of COVID-19. However, the Frankfort High School and Frankfort Middle School did briefly transitioned to e-learning.

The 2021-22 Safe Return to School plan is currently being developed and expected to be announced in early summer.

Mr. McKinney told employees in an email announcing the stipend, “Our Board members have been extremely thankful and proud of the work our schools have done this year to get through the pandemic in such an amazing way. Whether you were teaching or supporting the teaching of students in-person or virtually, your work has truly made a difference for our kids this year.”

Everett N. Case Historical Marker Dedication Set

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FRANKFORT, Ind. – In recent weeks, Clinton County’s only Historical Marker was erected outside of Case Arena on the grounds of Frankfort High School. A fitting location, as the marker is dedicated to the Hot Dogs legendary basketball coach, Everett Case.

The official dedication is set for Wednesday, April 28th at 4 p.m. in front of the historical marker.

The two-sided historical marker captures a brief history of the coach that led the Hot Dogs to four state basketball championships over the 1920s and 1930s.

The front reads: “Hall of Famer Everett Case, known for his basketball strategies and promotion of the sport, began his high school coaching career at age 19. After stints at Columbus and Smithville, he coached Frankfort for 17 seasons starting in 1922. He led his teams, known as the “Hot Dogs,” to state titles in 1925, 1929, 1936, 1939. Case coached at his alma mater Anderson, 1931-33.”

The back reads: “As a Naval officer during WWII, Case coached aviation cadet teams at DePauw and in Iowa. From 1946-1964, he coached the North Carolina State “Wolfpack” to six Southern and four Atlantic Coast Conference titles. The animated “Old Grey Fox” was a three-time conference coach of the year. He popularized basketball in North Carolina through his success and showmanship.”

Coach Case was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 1968 and the Basketball Hall of Fame on May 3, 1982.

Coach Case pictured in Agromeck 1951, NC State yearbook
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