Connersville High School

The Fayette County School Corporation will operate on a two hour delay tomorrow, Thursday, January 9th, 2025. Go Spartans!

Due to still hazardous conditions and impassable roads, particularly in the county, FCSC will be closed to in-person instruction Wednesday, January 8th, 2025. This will be our last allowable asynchronous eLearning Day. Future closures will be made up at the end of the school year. School buildings will be open Wednesday from 8-11:30 & 12:30-3 should you wish to retrieve your child's Chromebook and can do so safely. Otherwise, time will be given to make up work as previously described for those who do not have adequate technology or connectivity. Go Spartans!

The Fayette County School Corporation will close to in-person instruction and move to a second eLearning Day tomorrow, Tuesday, January 7th, 2025. Please check out the below link for more information about eLearning: https://www.fayette.k12.in.us/article/1945172 Thank you and be safe!

The Fayette County School Corporation will close to in-person instruction and move to an eLearning Day on Monday, January 6th, 2025. Please reference the following link for more information about eLearning: https://www.fayette.k12.in.us/article/1945172 Thank you and be safe! Go Spartans!

Dear Fayette County School Corporation Parents and Guardians, As we prepare for the upcoming week, forecasts indicate that inclement weather may be a potential concern. Our priority is always to ensure the safety of our students and staff while maintaining continuity in learning. If weather conditions necessitate school closures, our district will transition to eLearning days. On eLearning days, work is provided to students asynchronously (without live online sessions) through Google Classroom. If your child has a device at home with connectivity, they should plan to complete this work online. We understand that some students may not have their Chromebooks at home due to the recent holiday break. Please rest assured that we will accommodate this situation. Upon return to school, students will be provided work and will be granted two days for each eLearning day to complete any missed assignments. This extension ensures that all students have ample time to catch up without added stress. If a closure is necessary, please watch closely for updates on specific guidelines for work completion, taking attendance, and more from your child's school. Please remember that we are limited to three asynchronous eLearning Days per year. Any school closures beyond three days will result in days added to the end of the school year. There are no built in snow days in the 2024-2025 school calendar. Go Spartans!

Food Pantry/Clothing Closet January 9th & 23rd 4:00-6:00 at LSP

A New Year, A New Chapter for Fayette County Schools I love new beginnings! They provide a chance to start fresh with hope for incredible new adventures, opportunities, and accomplishments to come. And, they provide a window through which to look back at what has come before with humble reflection. And, let's be honest ...We all are in need of new beginnings in life. As we welcome in 2025, I can’t help but be filled with excitement, hope, and a deep sense of gratitude for the amazing students, dedicated staff, and supportive families that make up the Spartan Family. While January 1st could be just another day on the calendar, it also represents a new beginning for those at the Fayette County School Corporation as we begin a new semester of work toward better futures. At FCSC, we pride ourselves in being a community of learners and leaders, united in our mission to empower every student to press into their individual path to purpose in life. Over the past year, we have accomplished so much together, from academic achievements and athletic victories to the completion of important facility improvements and the expansion of innovative programs. These milestones reflect the dedication and passion of our entire school community. But, there is so much still to be done. As we step into this new year, I’d like to share a few of our key priorities and goals: 1. Elevating Student Achievement Providing a high-quality education remains our top priority. We continue to keep a pulse on formative assessment and other data to ensure that our students are growing. In 2025, we will continue to focus on personalized learning experiences, robust career and technical education pathways, and expanding opportunities for advanced coursework and dual credit programs. Every student deserves the tools and support to achieve their dreams, and we are committed to making that happen. 2. Building Durable Skills Recent data released by the Indiana Business Research Center, Fayette County had the second highest rate of unemployment in the state of Indiana as reported in November, 2024. While we could point to a lack of high-demand, high-wage jobs, it is probably also fair to have discussions about workforce readiness, building employability skills in our students, and fostering durable skills to last a lifetime. Our schools have the duty and responsibility, in partnership with our families and industry partners, to make this happen. I look forward to building systems of support to cultivate necessary skills such as communication, collaboration, and work ethic in our students so that they can be prepared for jobs that do not yet exist in our world. 3. Strengthening Community Connections Our schools are the heart of Fayette County, and we value the strong partnerships we share with families, businesses, and community organizations. In 2025, we look forward to expanding these partnerships, blurring the lines between the community and the Corporation for the betterment of our students. Ultimately, if our schools are successful, so then will our community. Together, we can accomplish great things for our students. 4. Investing in Our Future Thanks to the ongoing support of our community, we will continue to make improvements to our school facilities. We are currently in the midst of several building projects including work to improve the physical classroom and common spaces at Frazee Elementary School, replacing aging and dangerous bleachers at our track and football field, and putting the finishing touches on a new varsity baseball diamond. Soon, we will also start a pool project to improve both infrastructure and aesthetics of our CHS pool. These investments ensure that our students and staff have access to modern, safe, and inspiring spaces to learn and grow. As we move forward, I encourage every member of our school community to stay engaged and involved. Whether it’s attending parent-teacher conferences, cheering on a Spartan athletic team, volunteering in the classroom, or simply sharing words of encouragement, your involvement makes a difference. We all have a role to play in building up the great work that is happening within our classrooms. We thank you for taking a positive, supportive role in the education of our children. To our students, I want you to know that we believe in you. You have the power to achieve incredible things, and we are here to support you every step of the way. To our staff, thank you for your unwavering dedication and hard work in doing what is best for our students — you are the backbone of FCSC. And, to our families and community members, thank you for your trust and partnership as we work together to build brighter futures for our students and community. It is a privilege and honor to be your Superintendent. Here’s to a year filled with opportunity, growth, and success. Let’s make it our best year yet! Mr. Jeremy Duncan, FCSC Superintendent

With a chance of inclement weather headed our way and winter knocking at our door, it is a great time to review our guidelines for making decisions about delays and cancellations. IMPORTANT! Monday, January 6th is scheduled as an Early Release Monday for our elementary school buildings and CHS. IF school is ever delayed on an Early Release Monday, please note that the early release would be cancelled and school would be dismissed at the regularly scheduled time. This change is necessary to meet the number of instructional minutes required in a school day per statute. Thank you for your grace and understanding as we work to keep our people safe. Go Spartans!

Congratulations on a job well done with attendance during the first semester of the 2024-25 school year! Currently, Everton holds our top spot with a 96.02% attendance rate. While our Corporation attendance rate of 94.45% is above the state average (94.35%) and last year's district percentage (93.61%), we are still a little behind our goal of 96% attendance for the school year. We need your help! Please make sure that your child is at school each and every day unless there is a legitimate and verifiable reason to miss. And, please remember that all absences should be excused within 24 hours by parent/guardian to avoid legal issues for our families as a result of unexcused absences and habitual truancy designation. As you can see, Fayette Central currently holds the lowest percentage of unexcused absences. Great job! Great things are happening at the Fayette County School Corporation!

We are a few days late to the party, but we didn't want to let the moment pass without congratulating Connersville High School student Harley Morris on being named the 2025 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program recipient for Fayette County. Harley is being recognized for her academic achievement, leadership, character, and significant involvement in her community. Harley fits the mold so well! Congratulations to Harley and the other finalists for their incredible accomplishments! Find out more in the Foundation's press release here: https://givetofcf.com/fayette-community-foundation-announces-2025-lilly-endowment-community-scholarship-program-recipient/

The Fayette County School Corporation will operate on a two hour delay today, Thursday, December 12th, 2024 due to slick road conditions. Thank you!

Check out these awesome upgrades coming to our football/track stadium and baseball field. Bleachers are being torn down to make way for a much-needed new grandstand. A new press box and diamond are coming for our baseball team. We are excited for our Spartan student athletes and fans to enjoy these incredible upgrades coming in the spring. Great things are happening at the Fayette County School Corporation!

The Fayette County School Corporation thanks you for sharing your children with us and wishes you a blessed Thanksgiving season! We are grateful for an incredible school year thus far and look forward to seeing our students back on Monday, December 2nd. GO SPARTANS!

BIG NEWS! Today it was announced that Spartan Boy's Basketball Coach , Dave McCollough, will be a 2025 inductee in the Indiana High School Basketball Hall of Fame. Coach will officially be honored on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. According to the press release from the Indiana High School Basketball Hall of Fame: "Dave McCollough has a 630-298 record and a .679 win percentage in 40 years as he enters the 2024-25 season at Connersville, his second at the Fayette County school. Over his career, he has posted marks of 157-95 in 11 seasons at North Judson (1993-94), 308-138 in 20 seasons at Noblesville (1994-2014), 148-32 in seven seasons at Shenandoah (2015-22), 11-13 in only 2022-23 at Frankfort and 6-20 last season at Connersville. Those tenures include 14 conference championships, 13 sectional titles (1986, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2010, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021), two regional trophies (1997, 2019) and three Hall of Fame Classic appearances (1997 champion, 2001, 2020) with just two Indiana All-Star players – Kirk Manns in 1986 and Tom Coverdale, the 1998 Mr. Basketball. McCollough is a four-time IBCA district Coach of the Year (1997, 2007, 2016, 2020) and has collected 21 other Coach of Year honors from conferences and media outlets. He also was a 1997 Junior All-Star assistant coach, a 1997 Wendy’s Classic assistant coach, the North head coach for the 1998 Coca-Cola All-American Game and the 2000 Indiana All-Star head coach. A 1975 graduate of LaVille, where he earned three letters in basketball, two letters in football and one letter in baseball, McCollough matriculated to Manchester College. He played one season of basketball for the Spartans and earned a bachelor’s degree in 1979. He started his coaching career as a junior high coach in Richmond (1979-81) and then served as a high school assistant at North Judson from 1981-83 before being named the Blue Jays’ head coach for the 1983-84 season. McCollough earned a master’s degree from Indiana University in 1986 and served as IBCA president from 2000-03. He enters the 2024-25 season as Indiana’s 14th all-time winningest coach." See the whole list of inductees here: https://hoopshall.com/indiana-basketball-hall-of-fame-announced-63rd-mens-induction-class/ CONGRATS COACH! We are proud of you!

Food Pantry/Clothing Closet December 12 @ LSP 4:00-6:00 PM

HUGE Congratulations are in store for our incredible Spartan Cheerleaders who this last week qualified for the 2024-25 Universal Cheerleaders Association National Competition with a third-place finish at the Regional Competition at Hamilton Southeastern High School. The UCA National Competition takes place February 7-10 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort. Job well done! Competing on a National level...that's the Spartan Difference! Great things are happening at the Fayette County School Corporation!

Winning is great. Doing things the right way is even better! We are proud of our Spartan Wrestlers for representing us in a first-class manner. Job well done! Great things are happening at the Fayette County School Corporation!

Important Public Health Message for Connersville High School Families Dear Parents/Guardians, The Fayette County School Corporation, in cooperation with the Fayette County Health Department and the Indiana Department of Health, are investigating a confirmed case of pertussis (whooping cough) at Connersville High School. Pertussis is a contagious respiratory illness. The bacteria that cause pertussis are spread person-to-person by coughing, sneezing, or sharing the same breathing space as a contagious person for a prolonged period of time. Symptoms of pertussis usually begin 7 to 10 days (up to 21 days) following exposure. The first symptoms of pertussis are similar to a common cold and may include runny or stuffed-up nose, mild cough, and low-grade fever. After a week or two, the cough becomes more severe and may occur more frequently during sleep. As the cough worsens, it may include rapid, violent, and uncontrolled coughing fits (paroxysms), which may cause people to vomit or make a high pitched “whoop” sound when breathing in after the coughing fit. Symptoms of pertussis may be milder in adolescents and adults than young children. Pertussis is especially serious in babies under 12 months old. Babies with pertussis may not develop a cough; instead, pertussis may cause babies to struggle to breathe, turn blue or purple (cyanosis), or have pauses in breathing (apnea). It is important that you not send your child to school if he or she has symptoms of pertussis. If your child has symptoms of pertussis, contact your doctor. If children with these symptoms are present in school, their parents may be called to take them home and have them evaluated by a physician. Please take this letter to your child’s physician as a source of reference. If your physician suspects that your child has pertussis, testing may be performed. If your physician diagnoses your child with pertussis, the student must remain isolated at home until after taking 5 FULL days of an appropriate antibiotic or for 21 days after cough onset (if untreated). All household members of a case of pertussis should also be given antibiotics for prevention. According to the Indiana Department of Health, the best way to prevent pertussis is by staying up-to-date on pertussis vaccination. Fully vaccinated persons can still contract pertussis; however, vaccinated persons’ symptoms will usually be milder than in those who are not vaccinated. It is recommended that you check the vaccination status of all family members and make sure they are up-to-date on recommended pertussis vaccines. Contact your physician or the Fayette County Health Department for assistance determining if vaccination is needed for any of your family members. More information about pertussis is available at https://www.in.gov/health/erc/infectious-disease-epidemiology/diseases-and-conditions-resource-page/pertussis-whooping-cough/. For questions about pertussis, please contact the Fayette County Health Department. Sincerely, Jeremy Duncan Fayette County School Corporation Superintendent

At the Fayette County School Corporation, the safety of our students, families, and staff are of utmost importance. For this reason, we take severe weather very seriously. Making the call to delay or cancel school can be tricky and often times, difficult to please everyone. Conditions change by the minute and deadlines loom large. We hope this graphic outlining our decision-making steps may be helpful.

Evan Shafer, a 2021 Connersville High School graduate, is a current Senior football player for the University of Montana. Montana is in the Championship Subdivision of Division I in the Big Sky Conference. Last year, the team was the No. 2 rated team in FCS/1-AA in the nation, losing in the National Championship game. Prior to coming to Montana, Evan played two seasons for the Hillsdale College Chargers, a Division 2 program in Michigan. Evan was standout lineman and three-sport athlete while a Spartan. He was named team MVP of the Spartan football team both his junior and senior year, and earned All-Eastern Indiana Conference honors for three straight seasons. He put up 156 total tackles, 28 tackles for loss, 11 sacks and three fumble recoveries while also contributing as a fullback and tight end. He was also a two-time sectional champion as a wrestler, finishing fourth in the state of Indiana as a heavyweight. Additionally, he was a two-time regional qualifier in track and field in the 110m and 300m hurdles. Did you know? You can pick up some of Evan's NIL gear to wear around town: https://nil.store/montana/mt-evan-shafer-84 Alumni doing BIG things...that's the Spartan Difference! Great things are happening at the Fayette County School Corporation!