"Our mission is to help students identify and learn how to cope and overcome their academic and behavioral challenges in order to become productive and responsible members within Warren Township school population and community at large."

"I never lose. I either WIN or Learn." Nelson Mandela

February 28, 2020

Outbreaks of novel virus infections among people are always of public health concern. While the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers this to be a serious public health threat, based on current information, the immediate health risk from to the general American public is considered low at this time. That said, we will continue to take proactive preparedness measures as more cases are likely to be identified in the United States.

Our school district is working closely with state and local health departments to review and update emergency preparation plans in the event of a pandemic. Our Operations Department continues to work diligently to ensure a cleanly environment for both students and staff. In the event of a confirmed case in the MSD of Warren Township, appropriate measures would be taken with the guidance of the health department.

It is important to have correct information about the Coronavirus. Click here to access CDC information on the virus.

At this time, the MSD Warren Township will monitor students using normal school procedures to assess symptoms. Patients with confirmed 2019-nCoV infection have reported mild to severe respiratory symptoms, including fever, cough, and shortness of breath. We continue to encourage all student and staff to practice good heath hygiene to prevent the spread of any illness, including viruses. These steps include:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds

• If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick

• Stay home when you are sick – fever free for 24 hours without use of medication

• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash

• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces

This is a safety message from MSD Warren Township. Under the guidance of the Marion County Public Health Department, all schools in MSD Warren Township will be closed beginning Friday, March 13th through Friday, March 20th due to the Coronavirus based on an over abundance of caution. All buildings will be closed and practices, games and events canceled during this time.

We do not plan to use eLearning days at this time based on the Governor’s announcement of allowing waivers provided for missed instructional time. Please hold on to the materials that you received for eLearning for potential use at a later date.

Before and after school care at the Warren Early Childhood Center, is also closed.

A free grab and go lunch will be provided on each of the 6 days available for pick up at Warren Central High School, door 1, from 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM for all MSD Warren students.

Please watch for further announcements concerning school closings on TV or radio or visit our web site at www.warren.k12.in.us.

Thank you.

Please stay safe and as always thank you for allowing us to serve your students.

Middle School Moments

Report cards were sent home via mail and given to students when we return.. If your student didn’t bring their report card home, you can always access their grades through Tyler. If you don’t remember how, call Mrs. Coffer at 317-532-2996. Like we said last week: she knows everything!

What are we doing at Renaissance to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus and other viruses? As a district and as a school, we have increased our preventative measures. The district distributed spray bottles of disinfectant to all of the schools. Our teachers and custodians are diligently spraying down door handles, desks, tables,counters, and railings throughout the day, in between classes, and after students exit the building. Hand sanitizer is available in all classrooms and throughout the school hallways, cafeteria, and offices. Middle School teachers are regularly using disinfectant wipes to clean Chromebooks that are used by multiple students in classrooms. And we are actively encouraging our students to frequently wash their hands with soap and water. The best thing that we can do right now is to help protect ourselves and others through diligent hygiene practices and the use of common sense. Some of our girls were seen sharing lip gloss with each other yesterday and received from one of their teachers a quick lesson in how viruses spread. Please help from home by encouraging hand washing and discouraging the sharing of straws, cups, etc.

This week’s affirmation: There is no one better to be than yourself.

Stay well and safe.

Middle School Team

CORE/Success, Mrs. Shaw, kshaw@warren.k12.in.us

Math: Mrs. Nowling, rnowling@warren.k12.in.us

English: Ms. Craycroft, scraycro@warren.k12.in.us

Dear Renaissance Family,

Social Media is something we deal with on a daily basis here at school. It seems to have transcended across all age groups – from tweens to Senior citizens, all eager to maintain a digital presence in the online world. Social media certainly has its place in today’s world – providing communication about events, breaking the latest news.

As fun as social media can be, it comes with problems as well. Referred to in the psychology world as social media “envy” – people become jealous seeing the so-called perfect lives being led by their friends. Depression and feelings of inadequacy set in quickly, with users comparing (what they perceive to be) their lives against the excitement of other’s posts. It’s important to remember that (most) people don’t advertise the rough patches in their lives, and only focus on what’s positive and exciting.

Another major downfall of social media is that users are protected by the privacy of a screen – and therefore take liberties with comments that would never be taken if addressing a person directly. Parents – you have likely witnessed insulting and obscenity-riddled commentary in your own social media platforms, as age does not always equal maturity. It’s shocking to observe this behavior, particularly when it’s rarely displayed in public by the same individuals. And that is the real issue: people behave much differently when they have the privacy of a screen replacing the facial expressions and emotions that would otherwise be absorbed and processed in a real time conversation. They type words that they would never actually say in person. Now…. if adults are susceptible to throwing out negative commentary so easily, think about how it affects impressionable and often immature teenagers.

When a relationship is developed through a screen and a keyboard instead of through facial expressions and hand gestures, the personal touch is lost, and important social cues are missed. It can be very intimidating to confront someone about an issue in person, leaving people to often take the easy way out by dealing with it electronically. In many cases, misinterpretations then spread like wildfire and the situation becomes inflamed, simply because the typed words cannot fully replace spoken words.

Much of my responsibilities as Dean are directly related to social media and texting issues. On a regular basis, students come into my office and say…”Can I talk to you about something?” Nine times out of ten, it is about a relationship that has gone sour, and the drama of the fall-out is now being splashed across social media platforms and group texts. In high school, what is often a relatively minor issue gets blown completely out of proportion by the students hashing out their issues in a public forum. They allow their friends to chime in, which usually inflames the situation with a steady stream of negative and nasty commentary.

Once the Dean has spoken with the main parties involved, a regular tactic we use to adjudicate the situation is to gather the students together in our office, and have them engage in face-to-face conversation about their issue in a controlled and safe environment. What amazes me most is our students’ ability to speak on a mature level when they can actually have a real life interaction. The usual lines I hear are “I didn’t know….I HEARD that you said….My other friend said she saw a post on your page…….etc.” In other words, lots of hearsay, and very few facts. Nine times out of ten, students are able to leave with the relationship mended, or at least the ability to coexist in peace.

Teaching your children the proper usage of social media, and encouraging them to handle issues face-to-face can teach and promote successful communication as adults and in their future workplace. At Renaissance we encourage students to advocate for themselves, and we help them develop communication skills. These communication skills will hopefully become an asset for them, and will be an invaluable tool which will benefit for our students once they leave us.

For more information, please read the information attached to the link below:

https://childmind.org/article/how-using-social-media-affects-teenagers/

In some parts of the world, students are going to school every day. It’s their normal life. But in other parts of the world, we are starving for education…it’s like a precious gift. It’s like a diamond.

– Malala Yousafzai

Student Success Handbook for Warren Township:

https://coredocs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/359717/Student_Success_Handbook_Board_Approved_19-20_school_year.pdf

This week and next week Ms. Nassar will meet with students to do their course selection for next school year. If you have questions about your student's course requirements or selections please contact her.

Ivy Tech Visit - Ivy Tech will be at Renaissance on March 18th to meet with our seniors and help them complete their applications. Applying to Ivy Tech is free! Students should all have their social security numbers in order to complete the application.

FAFSA - the FAFSA deadline is April 15th.

ISTEP testing - 10th graders completed ISTEP on Thursday. Make up tests will be held on Tuesday March 17th. If your child missed a portion of the test, please be sure she/he reports to Ms. Nassar.

Important Dates

SAT registration information

Next Date March 14, 2020

Registration February 14, 2020

Late Registration February 16-March 3, 2020.

Upcoming ACT Registration Deadline:

Next Date April 4, 2020

Registration February 28, 2020

Late Registration February 9-March 13, 2020

ACT registration information

Reminder: All of our 21st Century Scholars must take the SAT or ACT to claim their scholarship. Please see information below

From the Desk of the Social Worker…….

In celebration of Women's History Month, we’re putting the spotlight on the contributions of women in history by honoring the pioneers who made major advances in sport’s, television, fashion and much more.

Although March is Women’s History Month, women are pretty historic year-round, so take a look at the women who are the trendsetters and trailblazers of today.

TRACY OLIVER

Tracy’s writing and producing credits include award winning sitcoms and films we love, such as ABC’s Black-ish, Issa Rae’s Awkward Black Girl, Little, Barbershop: The Next Cut, and the blockbuster film, Girls Trip. Girls Trip grossed 140 million dollars globally establishing Tracy as the first Black woman to screen write a film that grossed over 100 million dollars.

Her upcoming, untitled project includes an all-star cast of actresses -- Meagan Good, Shoniqua Shandai, Grace Byers and Jerrie Johnson -- and is in partnership with Amazon Studios. “I always approached writing from a place of what is missing in the conversation, what I feel like me and my friends are talking about that hasn’t been reflected yet," Tracy told the New York Times.

Tracy Oliver continues to set the bar for storytelling that is true to the multifaceted and dynamic lives of Black people. She is currently executive producer for the BET+ show, "First Wives Club," reimagined after the 1996 cult classic film, which has been recently renewed for a second season.

Tracy is taking Hollywood by storm!

AVA DUVERNAY

Ava DuVernay is one of the most prominent and deeply respected filmmakers of our time.

The Sundance Film Festival’s Best Director Prize winner has created works deemed both thought-provoking and necessary in the catalog of great American films. Ava has produced, distributed, wrote, and/or directed culture-shifting films such as Academy Award-nominated Selma and Academy Award-nominated 13TH. Her successful collaboration with Oprah Winfrey resulted in the NAACP Image-Award winning television series Queen Sugar, and her partnership with Disney for A Wrinkle In Time made her the first African-American woman director with a movie budget of over $100 million. Most recently, her Emmy-nominated and NAACP Image-Award winning Netflix docu-series When They See Us, exposed how the criminal justice system not only fails young black men but how it can be manipulated to communicate a story of victimhood for non-black bodies, perpetuating dangerous and false stereotypes.

This BAFTA and Peabody Award winner’s unapologetic pursuit of truth in storytelling and dedication to sharing unheard stories is what makes her such a monumental figure in the cinematic world now and forever. Her commitment to illuminating stories of people of color continues through her non-profit film collective ARRAY, founded in 2010, an organization that since it’s creation prides itself on showcasing independent films and grassroots distribution of varied works.

CORI “COCO” GAUFF

At only 15-years-old, Cori “Coco'' Gauff is becoming a global phenomenon for her record-breaking accomplishments in tennis. This Atlanta-born player’s road to tennis stardom begins with her athletic parents- her father Cory played collegiate level basketball and her mother ran track and field at university -- who set aside their careers to support her dreams.

Using Serena and Venus Williams’, journey to success as the blueprint, the Gauff parents saw the heights that their daughter could reach with diligence, focus, and hard work. The teen tennis star first picked up a tennis racket at age six, often practicing against her garage door, and quickly fell in love with the game that has now earned her global recognition.

Coco was the youngest qualifier in history for the tournament at Wimbledon and walked away victorious after being up against one of her idols, tennis superstar Venus Williams. At the 2020 Australian Open, Coco dethroned defending champion, Naomi Osaka, proving that she is unstoppable and rightfully amongst the top 50 players in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) rankings. A former wild-card for the U.S Open's main draw, Gauff now has a career-high ranking of No. 49 demonstrating the possibilities of what a young Black woman can do in tennis on a world stage.

Community Resources:

Renaissance supportive services offered for 2019-2020;

• Gallahue Community Hospital - Counseling School-Based service programs to assist with social and emotional challenges

• Future Promises Program - Teen parenting and casework services-Marion County Health Department

• The Indianapolis Urban League - College Readiness Program and other extracurricular activities offered

• Inner Beauty is now housed in our building every Thursday evening 7-9p

Renaissance is always seeking to add more community resources and programs to promote, improve and increase social and emotional skills within our community.

Graduation

There has been a change in the Cap and Gowns. Students will be wearing one color(Black)with the cap(black)and tassel(black and gold).The price has changed to $34.00 dollars. All else will stay the same. Students may go to the website (herffjones.com) to access the picture of the Cap and Gown.

College and Career Planning

Led by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, Learn More Indiana is a partnership of state and local organizations working to help Hoosiers of all ages complete education and training beyond high school. Go to this website and take personality quizzes, research potential careers and educational opportunities, build a resume and more!

https://learnmoreindiana.org/

Financial Aid Information

https://scholars.in.gov/parents/keep-your-scholar-on-track/

Financial Aid for Seniors

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) applications are available on October 1, 2019. Stay tuned for information about a FAFSA Completion night at Renaissance when we will go through the application process.

Also, be sure to follow the College and Career Readiness page on twitter for regular updates!

@CCR_WarrenTwp

Civility comes from the word civilis, which in Latin means "citizen". Merriam Webster defines civility as civilized conduct (especially: courtesy or politeness) or a polite act or expression. Historically, civility also meant training in the humanities.

“Genuine tolerance does not mean ignoring differences as if differences made no difference. Genuine tolerance means engaging differences within a bond of civility and respect.” “Practice civility toward one another. Admire and emulate ethical behavior wherever you find it

CORE Awards W/E March 6th

Middle School CORE Awards

Terrance F.

Traci R.

Dasani D.

Andrea M.

Heaven H.

Lyric G.

Shiare M.

Shawn R.

Tim W.

Isaiah D.

High School CORE Awards

Taylor S.

Mario A.

Jaylon S.

Zyair H.

Christina D.

Shainey S.

Penelope C.

Miranda A.

Kayla M.

Clayton M.

Jaivin H.

Richard B.

Jaykeis S.

Nelly C.

Dequan W.

Sha’Niya M.

Ravieon P.

Keondray H.

Anthony C.

Mickail W.

Joseph B.

Juan M.

TaDryel W.

Janeigh W.

Darrionna M.

Keondray H.

Tariq W.

Dajahnae S.

Jacob M.

Penelope C.

Deandre B.

Aiyanna K.

Nevaeh W.

Rony F.

Saul G.

Donell B.

Byleahia W.

Trinity E.

Gooch

Chance G.

Alicia F.

Mario A.

TreVon T.

Tray S.

Currently, every visitor who enters our building is asked to present a state of federal ID, such as a Driver’s License, and it is scanned into the Raptor System. Once the visitor has been approved, the office staff enters the reason, destination of the visit and the Raptor System will print a photo ID visitor badge. If for any reason a parent or guardian does not have a U.S. government-issued ID, the staff member can use any form of ID and manually enter the person’s name into the Raptor System. Beginning November 11, 2019, this will apply to our PreK-4 campuses as well.

A photo ID visitor badge is not required for those who visit our schools to drop off an item or pick-up paperwork at the front desk. Further, they may drop off their items(s) or remain in the waiting area until their student is available. Please be aware that current practices established in each building remain in effect.

The safety of our students is our highest priority. The Raptor Visitor Management System provides us with a consistent process of knowing who is in our buildings at all times as well as a tool to identify those individuals who may present a danger to our students and staff.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation and support towards enhancing school safety protocols in our district. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us here at Renaissance at 317-532-2996.

IT'S EVERYTHING WARREN TOWNSHIP IN YOUR POCKET!

Catch up with the latest student stories, sports scores, and news updates. It’s everything Warren Township, in your pocket. Download the app on Android: http://bit.ly/2Fp2N3T or iPhone: https://apple.co/2quwRR9.