Michelle Sokol on Muck Rack

Michelle Sokol

  • Education Reporter, The Elkhart Truth
Indianapolis
As seen in: Miami Herald, Washington Times, The Sacramento Bee, Lexington Herald-Leader, The News & Observer, RAND Corporation, Times Union (Albany), Wichita Eagle, Bryan-College Station Eagle, The Modesto Bee and
Communications, branding, web development and marketing pro. Mom to Mighty Max.
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Articles by Michelle Sokol

What Occupational Safety and Health Practitioners Need from an Evidence Centre

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By Mark Cabling, Michelle Sokol, Bhavya Singh, Priyanka Cardoz
| RAND Corporation
Availability: Non-RAND Year: 2025 Pages: 24 Document Number: EP-70949 This publication is part of the RAND external publication series. Many RAND studies are published in peer-reviewed scholarly journals, as chapters in commercial books, or as documents published by other organizations. RAND is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis. RAND's publications do not necessarily reflect the opinions of its research clients and sponsors.
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Blogger Erin Schrader shares gratitude and fashion tips online

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Goshen News Verified
When Erin Schrader first launched her blog in 2011, she only meant to share it with a few close friends and family members. Six years later, that blog has more than 150,000 fans on Facebook and strangers have even recognized Erin in hotel lobbies when she travels to conferences. Erin, who lives in east Elkhart along the Upper St. Joseph River with her husband of more than 10 years, never would have imagined that what started as a part-time hobby would turn into a full-time career.
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IPFW discusses separation from IU, Purdue

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By Michelle Sokol
| Indiana Daily Student Verified
The Select Commission on Education will hear public testimony on the issue at 1 p.m. Sept. 4 at the Statehouse.IPFW has broken enrollment records — in the past 10 years, enrollment has grown by 28 percent.The current enrollment of more than 14,000 students already surpasses three state colleges: Indiana State University, Vincennes University and University of Southern Indiana.IPFW is governed by Purdue’s administration under an agreement renewed every five years.
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Canceled meeting costs faculty parking input

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By Michelle Sokol
| Indiana Daily Student Verified
“Faculty President Carolyn Calloway-Thomas and the Executive Committee of the BFC received significant suggestions from the faculty regarding the issue of parking privatization and had intended to use this meeting as a forum for discussion of this topic, but scheduling conflicts with relevant administrators and faculty have intervened,” Faculty Council Chief of Staff Craig Dethloff said in an email announcing the meeting’s cancelation.The significant suggestions Dethloff referred to were...
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Goshen's Prairie View Elementary has a field day to mark end of school year

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
GOSHEN — It was fitting that my final school visit for my “Classroom Chronicles” column was to a massive all-school celebration. I visited Elkhart County’s 55 public schools over the course of the 2015-16 school year, and at each one I saw hard work and dedication from students, from teachers and from the “unsung heroes” that are support staff. Schools deserve to celebrate after 180 days of focusing and learning, and celebrate Prairie View Elementary did.
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Concord Intermediate School propels students toward success using hands-on science

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
DUNLAP — All eyes were on the sky on a windy, cloudy May afternoon at Concord Intermediate School. Every few minutes, a student would count down over a loudspeaker: “Five, four, three, two, one...” And with the push of a button, a rocket they built from scratch would shoot hundreds of feet in the air. It was rocket launch day at Concord Intermediate, an activity that science teacher Ryan Prahl has led with his fifth-graders for the past three years.
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Concord Junior High School uses 'issue-oriented' lessons to give science real-world meaning

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
DUNLAP — A tiny piece of mineral sat in bins at each of the lab stations in the Concord Junior High School science classroom, and it was up to students to determine whether the object was quartz or calcite. The two minerals have a lot in common — appearances included — but that did not stop Concord students from designing an experiment to identify the mystery material in their bins.
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Jimtown Elementary School fosters young authors to put students on path to lifelong success

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
ELKHART — A student who cannot read on grade level by third grade is four times less likely to graduate by age 19 than a child who does read proficiently by that time, according to a 2012 study by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The study, which also determined that children living in poverty are less likely to graduate, found that 1 in 6 children who are not reading on grade level by the third grade fail to graduate from high school.
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NorthWood High School science team takes home 20th state championship in Indiana Academic Super Bowl

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
NAPPANEE — NorthWood High School’s science academic team hit a huge milestone this month by winning the school’s 20th state championship through the Indiana Academic Super Bowl. The academic competition, which is organized through the Indiana Association of School Principals and Purdue University, has only been around for 30 years, meaning NorthWood has claimed two-thirds of the first-place trophies up for grabs — and that’s just in science.
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Elkhart Central, Elkhart Memorial students planning big Project Y celebration

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
ELKHART — Although Elkhart Memorial and Elkhart Central are still two separate high schools for the time being, students from both will come together on Tuesday to celebrate their combined accomplishments. About 3,000 high school students will descend on downtown Elkhart to celebrate the completion of “Project Y,” a student effort to complete at least 300 community service hours, organize an inclusive track meet and raise at least $10,000 for scholarships.
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Elkhart Memorial High School's Alicia Ramirez Campbell wins free PT Cruiser from Lochmandy Motors

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
ELKHART — An Elkhart Memorial High School student won a free car, but she won’t be able to drive it for a few years. Alicia Ramirez Campbell, a 14-year-old freshman, won the PT Cruiser from Lochmandy Motors for perfect attendance during the 2015-2016 school year. About 200 Memorial students with fewer than two absences were eligible for the drawing, which took place Thursday morning in front of the school.
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Elkhart Community Schools considers selling naming rights of North Side Gym, other athletic facilities, classrooms

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
ELKHART — What’s in a name? In the case of North Side Gym, it could be big bucks. Officials with Elkhart Community Schools are in the early stages of forming partnerships with businesses and community organizations — which could include selling naming rights to athletic facilities and even classrooms. Among the facilities that keeps coming up when officials talk about naming rights?
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Stratford Shakespeare School selects Goshen High School senior for exclusive program

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
GOSHEN — A Goshen High School senior will be spending part of her summer completely immersed in the world of Shakespeare on the same stages that host the world-renowned Stratford Festival. Abigail Greaser secured one of about 40 spots in the Stratford Shakespeare School, an advanced residential acting program that focuses on the work of William Shakespeare. “I’m excited about pushing myself beyond my comfort zone,” Greaser said.
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Elkhart Community Schools, Boys and Girls Club move forward with new facility at Beardsley Elementary

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
ELKHART — The Boys and Girls Club of Elkhart could move into its new home at Beardsley Elementary by the end of 2017. The club and the school have been in talks for months about teaming up to build a 21,000-square-foot structure to be used during school hours by Beardsley students and after school by the Boys and Girls Club. In addition to sharing the space, the two entities plan to share the cost of the project.
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Elkhart's Mary Beck Elementary teacher Ric Menchinger retires after 40 years in public education

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
ELKHART — After 40 years as a classroom teacher, Ric Menchinger has received plenty of letters from former students.
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Goshen Community Schools names 2016 winners of Turn Around Awards

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
GOSHEN —  Teachers see the amazing transformations their students make each year, but Goshen Community Schools wants to make sure children are recognized for overcoming the emotional, social or health obstacles standing in the way of their education. That is why the district has made a tradition of honoring a student from each school with a “Turn Around Award,” which is given to students who make progress during the year in areas like attitude, academics, attendance, behavior and achievements.
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Midwest Museum of American Art to feature ceramic garden sculptures

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
ELKHART — “Garden Sculpture Safari” is the title of the newest exhibit at the Midwest Museum of American Art, 429 S. Main St., Elkhart, which is on display through Sept. 4. “Safari” is designed to be an exhibit-within-an-exhibit that features 46 ceramic garden sculptures regarded originally as lawn ornaments, garden sprinklers and architectural decorations.
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4 Things to Know About the New Tech Network at Goshen Middle School

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By Michelle Sokol
| Center for Digital Education Verified
(TNS) — GOSHEN, Ind. — When the new school year starts Aug. 4 at Goshen Middle School, a new school will launch inside its walls. That school, called New Tech, will be staffed by 17 teachers (or "facilitators, in New Tech-speak) and attended by about 500 middle school students.
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Ira Glass, host of NPR's 'This American Life,' to speak at Goshen College on May 14

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
GOSHEN — When Ira Glass postponed his March 19 visit to Goshen College, the news was a relief for die-hard Indiana basketball fans. The same night that Glass, public radio star and host of NPR’s “This American Life,” was going to spend an evening in Goshen, Indiana University was set to take on rival University of Kentucky for a spot in the Sweet 16 in the 2016 NCAA tournament.
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Goshen, NorthWood students to serve on city councils as Legislative Body Youth Advisers

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
The primary election may have just wrapped up, but the Elkhart County Clerk’s Office is already preparing for another election set to take place next week. Students at NorthWood High School will head to the polls May 18 to vote for class officers on the actual voting machines that were used by registered voters in the May 3 primary.
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Trinity United Methodist Preschool marks 50 years of preparing Elkhart's youngest

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
ELKHART — As the 4-year-olds gathered around a bin of plush pompoms on a table at Trinity United Methodist Preschool, it appeared they were just playing or making crafts. But the students also had cupcake wrappers at the table with a number written inside — 17 in one; 9 in another. While the activity seemed like play to the children, evidenced by their giggles, they were actually learning to count and sort by placing the correct number of pompoms in each cupcake wrapper.
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Plymouth Avenue near Goshen Middle School could get new crossing by August

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
GOSHEN — A new pedestrian crossing on Plymouth Avenue near Goshen Middle School could be complete by August. The crossing will be a collaboration between the city of Goshen and Goshen Community Schools and will feature a large concrete median in the middle of Plymouth Avenue with a walkway running perpendicular through the middle of it. The median will provide pedestrians and bicyclists a safe haven as they attempt to cross the busy state road.
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Minivan collides with Elkhart home after driver possibly experiences seizure

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
ELKHART — Elkhart police and paramedics are on the scene of a crash near downtown Elkhart after a man drove his minivan into a home. The crash happened shortly after 11:30 a.m. Monday in the 700 block of Harrison Street. Emergency dipatchers believe the driver, who was placed in an ambulance at the scene but appeared to be conscious, experienced a seizure before his silver minivan entered the yard and came to a rest against the house.
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Goshen College graduate Olivia Ginn masters American Sign Language despite being born with only one finger on left hand

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
GOSHEN — American Sign Language is a form of communication that relies heavily on the hands and fingers. But the fact that Olivia Ginn, a recent Goshen College graduate, was born with only one finger on her left hand did not stop her from mastering the language. And it has not stopped people from understanding what she has to say. “It’s kind of like speaking with a lisp,” Ginn, 21, said.
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Elkhart Community Schools names Suzanne Holcomb, Jessica Ramirez as 2016 Teachers of the Year

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
ELKHART — It’s Teacher Appreciation Week, so Elkhart Community Schools has taken a moment to pause and recognize two teachers who have made a difference through their work. Suzanne Holcomb, a fifth-grade teacher at Mary Beck Elementary, was named the district’s Elementary Teacher of the Year; while Jessica Ramirez, a special education teacher at North Side Middle School, was named Secondary Teacher of the Year.
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Fairfield Community Schools recognized by Indiana Department of Education for connecting with families, community

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
BENTON — Educators with Fairfield Community Schools recognize that families and local business can play an integral role in the education of all students. That’s why the school district has placed an emphasis on creating strong partnerships with the community. The district created a “Business-Education Forum,” in which a dozen businesses and more than 40 teachers exchanged information and ideas.
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DeFries Gardens in Elkhart County to host annual plant exchange

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
GOSHEN — The annual plant exchange sponsored by the Elkhart County Parks Department at DeFries Gardens is set for 1 p.m. May 7. The event is for anyone looking for some new varieties to add to their garden. Residents who have garden plants that need to be thinned are invited to bring their excess plants, bulbs and seeds to trade with others. Each plant must be rooted in soil and in a container, and all plants must be in healthy condition, parks officials said.
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Legality of Concord High School's Nativity scene could be decided this summer

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
DUNLAP — A federal judge likely will decide this summer the fate of Concord High School's tradition of presenting a live Nativity scene as part of its annual holiday musical. A lawsuit filed by the Freedom From Religion Foundation and the American Civil Liberties Union, which alleges that Concord violated the Constitution by endorsing Christianity through its annual Christmas Spectacular, was slated for trial in the summer of 2017.
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Elkhart Central High School students vote for first time in 2016 primary election

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
ELKHART — Voter turnout for people between 18 and 29 years old has historically been the worst out of all age groups, but students at Elkhart Central High School did their part to change that on Tuesday. Two yellow school buses pulled up at the polling center at Trinity United Methodist Church just after 9 a.m. on election day, and about 45 students lined up to cast their first ever vote.
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Goshen Middle School offers free screening of education documentary 'Most Likely to Succeed'

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
GOSHEN — A documentary that serve as an urgent call to re-imagine American public education will be screened at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Goshen Middle School auditorium.
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Elkhart Community Schools to lose several principals, administrators at end of school year

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
ELKHART — Several Elkhart Community Schools principals and other administrators are expected to announce their retirements in the coming weeks as part of an effort to “right-size” the administration. Those leaving their positions will not be replaced. Assistant principals will step into the lead role in some schools, while other job duties will be absorbed by other employees. The move could save the district hundreds of thousands of dollars.
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Elkhart students recognized through Kiwanis Knowledge is Dynamite program

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
More than 20 Elkhart-area fourth-graders were honored recently for showing significant improvement in attitude, academic achievement and performance. The Spring 2016 Kiwanis Knowledge is Dynamite (K.i.D.) program recognized fourth-grade students from Elkhart elementary schools. Students from Elkhart Community Schools, Concord Community Schools and Baugo Community Schools, as well as from local private schools, were included in the program.
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Elkhart Community Schools' proposal to restructure schools leads to questions

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
ELKHART — There are a lot of questions and misconceptions about the sweeping proposal Elkhart Community Schools unveiled that would shake up every school in the district and possibly even combine Elkhart Central and Elkhart Memorial into a unified Elkhart High School. The Elkhart Truth wants to address those misconceptions and look into the questions and concerns the community might have about the proposal.
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Fairfield, Goshen high schools rank high in annual U.S. News & World Report list

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
Several Elkhart County high schools once again fared well in the annual U.S. News & World Report “Best High Schools” rankings. Fairfield Junior-Senior High School placed 12th and Goshen High School was ranked 33rd in the 2016 Indiana rankings, which were released last week. Both of the schools also ranked in the top 15 percent of schools in the nation. The rankings were designed to help families understand how well schools are preparing students for their futures.
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Elkhart Community Schools sets series of community meetings to collect input on merging Elkhart high schools, other plans

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
ELKHART — Could it be the calm before the storm? After Elkhart Community Schools unveiled a plan last week to drastically reorganize the district, including a proposal to combine Elkhart Central and Elkhart Memorial into a single Elkhart High School spread over two campuses, the response on social media was immediate. Hundreds commented on The Elkhart Truth’s article, with some expressing anger and frustration and others opting to keep an open mind. Since then, there’s been mostly silence.
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Goshen School Board OKs spending $730K on synthetic turf for Foreman Field

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
GOSHEN — The RedHawks likely will play their first football game of 2016 on a new synthetic turf field. The Goshen School Board gave final approval Monday to spend about $730,000 to replace the natural grass at Foreman Field with a sand and rubber infill. The board voted 6-0 to install turf; President Cathie Cripe was not at the meeting.
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Elkhart Community Schools teachers still digesting plan to merge high schools, reconfigure other buildings

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
ELKHART — When Elkhart Community Schools unveiled a massive overhaul last week that would combine Elkhart Central and Elkhart Memorial into a single Elkhart High School — among many other changes — the community’s response was quick and emotional. The response from teachers? Not so much. Union leaders say they have not heard much feedback from other members yet regarding the plan, a sign that school employees likely are keeping an open mind and taking time to digest the proposals.
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Elkhart Central, Elkhart Memorial could merge into a single high school - and that's just the start

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
ELKHART — Elkhart school officials are exploring the possibility of spending $33 million to completely shake up how the schools operate, including a plan that would merge Central and Memorial students into a unified “Elkhart High School.” And that’s just one small piece of a large plan. It is far from a done deal, but Superintendent Rob Haworth and other administrators are looking at every building and asking if there are better ways to structure the district.
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Elkhart Community Schools won't need referendum to execute $33 million building project

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
ELKHART — It won’t take a referendum for Elkhart Community Schools to go through with the $33 million building plan that creates a single Elkhart High School and transforms other buildings, but taxpayers still have a say in whether the project moves forward. Superintendent Rob Haworth and the Elkhart School Board will be seeking community input on the plan through the summer.
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Elkhart Community Schools could borrow $33 million without increasing taxes

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
ELKHART — Think of Elkhart Community Schools’ “debt service” fund like a home mortgage. The district has been making payments on old construction projects for the past several decades, but that debt is almost paid off. It’s kind of like approaching the end of your 30-year home mortgage and realizing you have a few hundred bucks to play around with that you have been spending on monthly payments.
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Roosevelt STEAM Academy focuses on music, hands-on learning to help students achieve

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
ELKHART — As school budgets have been slashed in Indiana and across the country, music and art programs are typically the first to get the ax. But that’s far from the truth in Elkhart, especially at Roosevelt STEAM Academy. Some would argue there’s not another school in the state with a stronger music program than Roosevelt’s. A few years ago, Roosevelt implemented a music curriculum called El Sistema that uses the rigorous study of music to develop contributing and productive members of society.
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Concord High School students raise $32K for Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health through Potter's Marathon

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
The official fundraising total for this year’s Potter’s Marathon at Concord High School are in and students shattered their goal. The event, which took place in late December, raised $32,000 — every penny of which will be sent to Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health. The students originally aimed to raise $30,000 through the Potter’s Marathon, and they reached that goal through donations alone. They raised an additional $2,000 by selling the pottery created during the 24-hour marathon.
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Concord High School, Concord Intermediate School begin search for new principals

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
DUNLAP — If there is an activity or sporting event at Concord High School, you can bet that Dan Cunningham will be there. That has been the case for at least the last decade. But Cunningham, who has been principal of Concord High School since 2004, will retire at the end of the school year. The retirement came as a surprise to Concord Community Schools administrators, but they could not argue with his reason for retirement: To spend more time with his grandchildren.
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Indiana's open enrollment policy causes school boundaries to fade in Elkhart County

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
There was once a time when parents had two choices for their child’s education: Send the student to the neighborhood school down the street for free or cough up the money for private school tuition. But times have changed because of school choice. There’s the state’s controversial Choice Scholarship Program, which provides students from low-income families with a voucher to attend a private school of their choice.
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Elkhart, Goshen schools losing out on millions in funding as students go elsewhere

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
School choice is having a staggering effect on Elkhart County’s two largest school districts, which are missing out on millions in state funding as students who live in those districts choose to attend school elsewhere. More than 1,500 students who reside within Elkhart Community Schools boundaries are attending a school outside of Elkhart — more than one-third are going to Concord Community Schools — and they are taking nearly $10 million in state funding with them.
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Firefighters on the scene of blaze in western Elkhart County

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
Firefighters from at least three departments are responding to a house fire at 58124 Meadowlake Drive in Baugo Township, on the west side of the county. The call came in after 3 p.m. Sunday, and the blaze has apparently spread from the house to an attached garage. Crews from Baugo and Concord townships and the Wakarusa departments are on the scene.
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Elkhart's Daimon Leader, killed in Cass County motorcycle crash, remembered by friends

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
ELKHART — Friends and family of the victim of a fatal motorcycle crash say the young man’s name described his personality. Daimon Leader, the 22-year-old Elkhart man killed Saturday when a pickup truck struck his motorcycle, was a leader and an inspiration. “He was always someone you could look up to and someone you could always count on,” said Kelsi Gillespie, Leader’s girlfriend of six years. “He’d always be there.
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5 things to know for your Sunday in Michiana

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
If you were stuck inside yesterday and missed out on the beautiful weather, don’t fret. The spring sunshine is here to stay — at least for a few more days. The high today is expected to reach 77 degrees with no chance of rain. Temperatures will be close to 80 on Monday, then linger around 70 degrees through the rest of the work week. Visit The Elkhart Truth’s weather page for a full, 10-day weather forecast. An Elkhart man was killed in a motorcycle crash in Michigan early Saturday morning.
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Elkhart man, 22-year-old Daimon Leader, killed in Cass County motorcycle crash

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
CASS COUNTY, Mich. — An Elkhart man was killed in a motorcycle crash in Michigan early Saturday morning. Daimon Leader, 22, was pronounced dead at the scene in Mason Township, Cass County, Michigan, according to Cass County Sheriff Joseph Underwood Jr. The crash happened at about 12:30 a.m. Saturday on M205 near Cassopolis Street. Leader was driving on M205 when he was struck by a pick-up truck turning onto Cassopolis Road, Underwood said. The crash happened just north of Elkhart’s Simonton Lake.
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South Side Inc. brings Elkhart students to colleges and universities in Tennessee, Georgia

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By Michelle Sokol
| The Elkhart Truth Verified
The college tour is a rite of passage for high school students, but not every family has the resources to travel the country to wander around prospective campuses. That’s why South Side Inc., a new nonprofit organization, used proceeds from this year’s South Side Family Fun Fest to take a group of Elkhart teens on a tour of historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) throughout Tennessee and Georgia during spring break.
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