School City of Whiting

8th graders getting ready for their promotion ceremony! Go Oilers!

Dear Families, We want to inform you about an incident that occurred early this afternoon near our campus. A staff member reported seeing an individual outside the school grounds who appeared to be waving what looked like a gun. As soon as the report was made, we contacted local law enforcement and implemented our safety protocols. Officers arrived quickly and the individual is currently in custody. At no point did the individual enter school property or make contact with students or staff. All students and staff are safe, and the school remained secure throughout the incident. We will continue to work closely with authorities. We understand that incidents like this can be unsettling. Please know that your child's safety is our top priority. If your child has questions or concerns, our counseling team is available for support. Thank you for your continued trust and cooperation, and thank you to our staff members for following our protocols and ensuring the safety of our students. Sincerely, David A. Verta Superintendent of Schools

We have a board meeting on May 27th at 6pm. Watch it live on Youtube! https://www.youtube.com/@SCW659/streams

District staff participating in Paint the Town Pink!

Dear Parents and Guardians, I hope this message finds you well. I want to inform you that due to this morning’s rainfall and the ongoing auditorium and roofing project, some rainwater did enter a couple parts of the school building. This time it did not cause as much damage inside the building as last week's storm. Please rest assured that our staff and the contractors responded quickly to the situation. The affected areas were promptly addressed to ensure student safety and minimize disruption to the school day. We are working closely with the construction team to see if there is anything else that can be done to prevent rainwater from getting inside the school. Thank you for your continued support and understanding as we work to improve our facilities. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Respectfully, David A. Verta E.d.S Superintendent School City of Whiting

Dear Parents and Guardians, I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to inform you that due to the current construction work taking place in our district as part of our improvement and modernization program, we will be implementing an eLearning Day on Thursday, May 15th 2025. I know this is short notice, but we are looking at some possible bad weather early next week. If we do not get the 5,000-pound beam installed the project may get pushed back. We want to do our part so it is finished on time. The construction activities scheduled for that day are essential making it necessary to shift instruction to an online format to ensure the safety of our students and staff. What this means for your child: • Students will not report to school in person on Thursday, May 15th 2025 • Teachers will provide lessons and assignments via our established eLearning platforms. • We will follow our eLearning expectations for attendance and grading • After school extra-curricular activities will take place as scheduled, if there are any changes the Athletic Director, coaches and supervisors will communicate with the students. • ACC students will still receive transportation as normal to and from their normal pickup/drop off location We understand that schedule changes can be disruptive and appreciate your flexibility and support as we work to enhance our school facilities. Our goal is always to maintain a safe learning environment while minimizing any impact on instruction. If you have any questions or need assistance with technology access for your child, please contact your school’s main office. Thank you for your continued partnership and understanding. Sincerely, David A. Verta Ed.S. Superintendent School City of Whiting

Good evening, this is Dr. Debra Howe, Interim Superintendent for the School City of Whiting. The School City sets their highest priority on student and staff safety. This evening we received an anonymous threat to the school. The School City has been working with law enforcement throughout the evening. Anyone with leads or information should contact the Whiting Police Department at 219-659-2186 extension 327. As a result of this threat, the continuing investigation, and the extreme cold, the School City of Whiting is canceling school, as well as school for students attending the Hammond Area Career Center, and all after school activities, including the basketball game for Wednesday, January 22, 2025. Students will have an eLearning day. Essential staff should report to their buildings. Updates will be provided throughout the day as they become available. Thank you.