MSD OF DECATUR TOWNSHIP

Dear Decatur Township Families,

Greetings and Happy New Year! I am Dr. Stephanie Hofer, and it is my sincere privilege to be your new Interim Superintendent of the MSD of Decatur Township. Though this is a new role for me, I have served in Decatur Township since 2005 in a variety of positions including teacher, principal, director, and most recently as Assistant Superintendent. I will continue to work closely with each school and department to ensure a smooth and stable transition, while also bringing the excitement of new opportunities. As we begin the second semester and 2024, let’s take a moment to reflect on how much was accomplished by all stakeholders of the MSD of Decatur Township during the first half of our school year:

• The Decatur Central Graduation rate for 2023 was finalized as 92.16%, which is a new all-time highest rate!

• Congratulations to DCHS student, Don Papa Fall, recipient of the Lilly Endowment Scholarship 2024!

• The DC Hawks Football Team finished their amazing season as Class 5A State Runner-Up!

• Decatur Township School for Excellence has celebrated 6 early graduates so far this school year with their traditional “Bell-Ringing” Ceremony. As of December 4th, 437 credits combined were earned by DTSE students.

• The DC Band & Guard were awarded Class 2A Runner-Up, Best Visual, and Best Effect at the 2023 Bands of America competition in Louisville, also becoming regional finalists.

• The district was awarded a $200,000 grant from the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation, aimed to increase FAFSA completion and college enrollment rates.

• The Decatur Central Career Center (“DC3”) was completed and celebrated with a ribbon cutting ceremony on August 25th. Some of the many career pathways offered at DCHS are now housed there including construction, manufacturing, and animal and plant sciences.

• Key Performance Indicators from our strategic plan including IREAD-3 scores, 6th and 8th grade ILEARN scores, and the 9th grade Algebra pass rate have all increased.

• We are Decatur Proud to keep our facilities up to date for our students and community to use and enjoy! Most recently, renovations were completed at Lynwood Elementary and new renovations are now underway at Valley Mills Elementary.

• Funded by the Literacy Cadre, all elementary teachers grades K-2 have successfully implemented the UFLI curriculum for phonics and phonemic awareness, which aligns with the Science of Reading. We are excited to see the positive impact for our students!

• Our Elementary Athletics program began, successfully implementing soccer and basketball leagues so far this school year.

• Mr. Wachnicki (Principal of DCHS) and Mrs. Pearson (Principal at SD) were honored by IASP as District 7 Principals of the Year.

Decatur Township is home to the BEST students, families, staff, and community. There is no limit to what we can accomplish together in 2024!

We look forward to welcoming all students and staff back to school for the second semester on Monday, January 8th!

Decatur Proud,

Dr. Stephanie Hofer

Interim Superintendent