Dear Decatur Township Families,
Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year! We are excited to welcome both new and returning students, families, and staff. The first day of school is Monday, July 31st, and we are Decatur Proud as we partner together, preparing students to be Tomorrow Ready!
A new school year is a time of change, and we are pleased to introduce three new principals to our team. Please help us to welcome Mrs. Kate Andrews, Principal at Decatur Township School for Excellence, Mr. Jack Birmingham, Principal at Valley Mills Elementary, and Mr. Phil Shults, Principal at Decatur Middle School. We are confident in the skills and knowledge they bring to each respective school community.
Another welcome change is the newly started renovation of Valley Mills Elementary! If you visit Valley Mills, you will find the new, temporary entrance and office at Door #2 as we adjust for needed updates throughout the year. Also, we are excited to announce that the Decatur Central Career Center (adjacent to Devere Fair Stadium) will be open for classes this school year! We invite all community members to join us for a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Open House on Friday, August 25, 2023, at 5 pm before the Hawks Football Team plays their first home game of the season against New Palestine.
Implementation of the Clear Backpack Policy begins for this 2023-2024 school year. In order to support implementation, for this first school year of the policy, all students will be provided with one clear full-size backpack. Look for communication from your child’s school for details about distribution. The clear backpack policy is one of several additional safety measures in our schools, including an increase in officers for the Decatur Township School Police, as well as the use of random metal detector wand and canine searches. Thank you for partnering with us to provide a safe learning environment for students and staff.
In this edition of the newsletter, you will find information to support a strong start to the school year, such as supply lists, clear backpack details, transportation, breakfast/lunch menus, and back to school events. As a result of change in state legislation, MSD of Decatur Township families will not be charged textbook fees for the 2023-2024 school year. Please see below for additional details.
In Decatur Township, we prioritize Student Learning, Safety, and Customer Service. Thank you to our community, teachers, staff, and administration for all you have done to prepare for the opening of school!
Together we are Decatur Proud!
Dr. Prusiecki
Superintendent
MSD of Decatur Township
