INDIANAPOLIS — Staff at South Grove Elementary in Beech Grove say they're ready to welcome students Wednesday for their first day of school.
"This building is now second, third and fourth graders. Previously it was fourth, fifth and sixth. Our second and third grade building was down the street, so we have been able to move our staff over here and join the fourth grade team," said Stephanie Cotter, principal of South Grove Elementary School.
Cotter said teachers have been working hard, ensuring their classrooms and their curriculum are set. One focus this year will be on reading.
The Indiana Department of Education reveals one in five Hoosier students can't read by the end of third grade. State law now requires all third graders to pass the IREAD exam or risk being held back, but there are some exceptions.
Children with special needs or those who speak English as a second language could be exempt, or students who have already been held back twice before they reach third grade.
"We are a part of the Indiana Literacy Cadre, and so we have an instructional coach through that. We also leverage our related arts teachers to help teach reading intervention for half an hour every day," Cotter said.
Parents are also encouraged to play a role.
"We want every child to succeed too, and we want to make sure our parents feel like they're supported in that. It's not just their job. It's not just our job. We here to do it all together as a team," Cotter said.
State law also prohibits students from having cellphones in the classroom during instructional time. Cotter said students do bring cellphones to school, but the cellphones remain in a child's backpack.
"At the high school level, what we're really working on is just being fair with our kids and making sure we're taking time to educate students on the new law," said Trent Austin, principal of Beech Grove High School.
Austin said students can leave cellphones in the lockers or their bookbags.
"We see so many distractions that these kids are involved in. When you think about the social media pieces of their lives, it's absolutely true. It's a part of their life, but in the classroom, it just takes away from the focus and the energy of the class," Austin said.
Exceptions under the cellphone ban law include:
- If a teacher allows those devices for educational purposes
- If they're needed for health reasons or in an emergency
"It's a team effort. It's the parents. It's the students. It's the school all working together to be able to create the best learning environment possible for our kids," Austin said.
Beech Grove High School will offer students a two-week grace period to educate them on the new law. If a student repeatedly ignores the rule, administration would contact the student's parent to come up with a solution.