Parke County kicks off 2024-2025 school year

Wednesday, August 7, 2024 at 3:02 PM

By Joshua Nally

Included in this article: comments from school corporation superintendents, and important updates for all Parke County students

The first day of the new school year brought excitement and energy to every classroom in Parke County. Students returned to Turkey Run, Rockville, Rosedale, and Montezuma Elementary, as well as Riverton Parke and Parke Heritage Middle and High Schools.

North Central Parke Superintendent Mike Schimpf said this about opening day: “It was great to see all the kids excited to be back in school today, all the teachers worked hard to get their rooms ready over the summer.

All schools in the North Central Parke district will be on an early release schedule every Wednesday for the new school year. According to Superintendent Schimpf, the early release is in place “so that teachers can get together and collaborate. It's hard for elementary school teachers in Rockville Elementary to collaborate with their counterparts at Turkey Run elementary. We want to do everything we can do to allow our teachers to be better.”

Southwest Parke Superintendent Phil Harrison shared a similar sentiment, saying “It’s been a great start to the school year. Students and teachers seem to be smiling and enjoying all the improvements we’ve done to the facility.

Southwest Parke schools are currently in preliminary hearings over a new project they hope to start by the end of this year, to build a new Auxiliary Gym at Riverton Parke. Their second preliminary hearing is scheduled for the upcoming board meeting on August 14th. They hope to gain more information and feedback regarding the architects and engineers plans, as well as how to finish the project in a fiscally responsible way.

Teachers in both corporations have worked tirelessly over the summer, preparing lesson plans and organizing classrooms to create a welcoming and dynamic learning environment. Their efforts have paid off, as students settled into their routines quickly, engaging in new lessons and activities.

The first day of school set a positive tone for the year, with both North Central Parke and Southwest Parke School Corporations committed to providing a supportive and enriching educational experience. As the new school year unfolds, students, teachers, students, and parents are all looking forward to a successful year ahead.