By Dr. Thomas Little
Superintendent of Perry Township Schools
The traditions of Perry Township serve as the glue that bonds our community. There is nothing like the excitement of homecoming week. I especially enjoy the competitions that occur among the classes. For some reason the seniors typically win. School spirit is alive and well at Perry Meridian and Southport high schools.
Each year my wife and I go to the store and select the candy that will be thrown out of the convertible cars as they circle through the neighborhoods. The South Central Indianapolis Corvette Club graciously brings its pride-and-joy vehicles to both parades and donates its time to drive us. Bill Thorpe has kindly driven me each year in his 1991 Corvette, which looks like it just came off the showroom floor. Thank goodness he never complains about the leftover Snickers that fall between the seats.
Everybody loves a parade, and although the processions do not begin until 5:30 p.m., one can see beach chairs lined up on the street at noon to save a front-row seat or to secure a nice shady spot to sit.
I am the fortunate one who is extended the opportunity to participate in homecoming events at Perry Meridian and Southport. I throw 11 large bags of candy to the children and yes, even adults sitting along the route.
There are more than 1,000 students in Grades 1-12 and adults in each parade. Classes, clubs and teams from the high, middle and elementary schools and Perry Township Youth Football teams and cheerleading squads participate. Principals, the Teacher of the Year, administrators and board members also take part.
Although the parades are largely student run, more than 50 staff members are required to help organize the line-ups. Police officers are on duty to work to ensure safety.
We have just enjoyed two amazing parades, and Perry Meridian's was a huge success. Participation levels have increased dramatically, and the route was filled with patrons expressing their appreciation for our work.
Southport's parade was equally successful. Both bands were impressive as they played their school songs with a sense of pride.
One of the most impressive aspects of the parades is the attraction of so many members of the alumni associations. These individuals travel hundreds of miles to relive fond memories of their life in Perry Township. Welcome back home and come back soon!
Our community never ceases to amaze me with the support it gives to school events such as homecoming. Residents of the Southside care about their children and their schools. It is an honor to serve this community as its superintendent of schools.
If you graduated from Southport High School or know someone who has graduated from there, you understand the passion and the excitement that is generated when talking about the history of this phenomenal educational institution.
Wikipedia estimates that 50,000-plus people have graduated from the school since its establishment in 1894. That probably is not an exaggeration.
I truly enjoy history and tracing back in time the special events that brought us to the Perry Township of today. For example, SHS has been remodeled and added additional classroom space on many occasions. In each instance, growth on the Southside necessitated the addition of classrooms. Growth, even today, continues to be a wonderful challenge to have on our plates. The township is well respected for its educational opportunities and continues to attract families.
I recently was extended the opportunity to attend several functions organized by the Southport Alumni Association in celebration of the Class of 1965, which had between 700 and 800 graduates. The joy in their hearts when a particular class member would recognize another was so rewarding. They may have not seen one another for 50 years but they hugged and entered into a conversation just as if they had graduated last year.
The day began with a reception at the Education Center, which also serves as the Administration Building. When this particular class was in school, the facility served as the junior high for seventh- and eighth-graders.
Everyone raved about the SHS alumni commemorative room, which is housed in the center. The room is filled with donated treasures from graduates who wanted to preserve school history. If you have not had the opportunity to visit the area, please feel free to stop by.
Many people spent tireless hours in organizing the room, people like Georgia Stumpf, Cindy Bertram, Ruth Mercer, Steve Harnedy, Jay Danner, Cheryl Mead, Billie Seyfried and Barry Browning to name a few. They continually make improvements to an already outstanding historical reference point.
After touring the center the class visited its renovated alma mater and its new science labs and classroom and historic Southport Fieldhouse. The alumni were pleased that the ramps that once had dominated the halls were now gone. New lockers had been installed and replaced some of the original lockers.
A memorial service followed at Nick Stanley's rose garden. This was a perfect setting for a touching ceremony that honored those 1965 graduates who had died. Fond memories of a school experience second to none were shared throughout the time together.
The heart of Perry Township resides within the thousands of graduates who have either chosen to make their home here or who simply return for a walk down memory lane. It was an honor to be able to take some time and listen to the events and stories that had shaped the township and its educational program.
Buildings are never wasted
Your 18 school buildings in Perry Township are utilized from sun up to sun down, almost seven days a week. A variety of events are held in those facilities, and this provides us the opportunity to showcase how well your buildings are being maintained.
For example, this community stepped forward many years ago to save a structure that is now known as the Perry Township Education Center, or PTEC. This building not only houses the administration but also two alumni offices and the Perry Township/Southport Historical Society.
In addition, organizations such as the Greater Southside Business Alliance and Perry Senior Services Center hold their board meetings here. All of these activities are held in conjunction with 240 preschoolers attending the PTEC.
Your facilities are utilized a great deal by the community, as they should be. Tax dollars made this possible, and we should make every effort to open them for organizations to use.
An example of one of those events is the fifth annual Coach Hathaway's Running South, which is Saturday, Sept. 26, at Perry Stadium. This day of wellness is for all ages, from toddlers to senior citizens. There will also be a health fair and a family forum.
The program is a tribute to the late Tom Hathaway, who taught and coached cross country and track in Perry Township Schools for 44 years, most of that time at Southport High.
"Coach Hathaway's Running South is a fitting way to honor coach Hathaway while raising money for Perry Township students," said event director Jason Wiesmann. "This fun event highlights Perry Township while encouraging an active lifestyle,"
The race is open to all abilities, both runners and walkers. The run/walk course includes a 10K, 5K and a 1-mile event. There is also a kiddie romp.
The event has brought a major focus on health to our faculty and student body. We have several running clubs in our schools that will participate. They will also make signs to encourage classmates, teachers and family members to train and run in the event.
Proceeds support the Perry Township Education Foundation in its mission to provide grants to teachers to develop innovative and creative instructional lessons. Since 1994 the foundation has awarded more than 1,000 grants.
Register at www.ptef.org/registration.html before Sept. 24 or from 7:30-8:30 a.m. before the event.
This is an exciting event for the entire community. My wife, Aina, and I will be walking; we hope to see you at our celebration of health.
Added Safety Measures
SUBMITTED PHOTO Perry Township Schools police officers Anthony McGavock (left) and William Tharpe are a visible presence at football games at Perry Stadium. Being on bikes allow them more mobility in ensuring the safety of people and cars. The bike patrol along with other officers inside the stadium are all part of a great team designed to keep our fans safe.
Our parents send their children to school 180 times each year. Along with the hugs and kisses on the forehead in the morning is a little prayer to be safe until they arrive back home. Parents entrust us with their children, and the safety of those children is our No. 1 priority.
We recently added some safety measures that are quite obvious, while other ones aren't so noticeable. I will mention a few of these initiatives; however, there are some that we won't talk about because they are designed to be unseen as another layer of protection to safeguard our students and staff.
If you attended Friday's football game, you may have seen Anthony McGavock and William Tharpe from the Perry Township Schools Police Department patrolling parking lots and areas around the stadium on their bicycles. Their presence helps maintain the safety of people walking to and from the games. Overall, the district's 10 full-time officers watch over more than 15,000 students and almost 2,000 staff members.
A part of securing our schools is to monitor who enters and exists the buildings. People entering a school must enter through the office, where they sign in. The school board was the first in the area to have secured entrance areas installed in its schools.
The officers serve many functions. They walk the hallways, check for secure doors, conduct perimeter checks and monitor student movement on a continual basis. They are visible and mobile.
Since we have 40-plus trailers on-site at our schools, two officers are assigned the responsibility to specifically monitor our elementary schools. Thanks to the community's support, the construction of permanent classrooms will enable us to remove every trailer by August 2017.
An additional security measure that we have in place is our K-9 unit. These dogs conduct locker, classroom and random vehicle checks. Demonstrations are conducted at the elementary schools during Red Ribbon Week to reinforce our proactive approach in keeping your children from harm.
Our police officers are busy. They monitor the safety of children on buses, investigate bus accidents and monitor school speed zones as well as stop arm violations. This community is helpful in reporting any suspicious individuals around our buildings, and our police officers immediately follow up on those reports.
Our officers are professionals who have a wide range of backgrounds in law enforcement. Police who work in schools must possess a specialized set of skills that is effective in working with children. Each officer has been hand-selected to keep your children safe. We are extremely fortunate to live in a community that cares so deeply about their children and one another.