EVSC’s New Tech Institute Named National Demonstration Site
The Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation’s newest high school, New Tech Institute, was selected as a National Demonstration Site by the New Tech Network (NTN), a non-profit that works nationwide with schools to develop innovative public schools. Demonstration sites epitomize the best example of the New Tech mission – to help students gain the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in life, college and the careers of tomorrow.
“These schools have achieved a very high honor. We consider them exemplary schools within the New Tech Network. They have shown enormous dedication to the key aspects that makes a great New Tech school as is evidenced by the students. Through the schools hard work, students are not only better prepared for life and college, they have achieved a deep love of learning and a fundamental understanding of the deeper learning skills needed to succeed in life after high school,†said NTN President and CEO, Lydia Dobyns.
In order to be named a Demonstration Site, NTI had to develop a clear set of student learning outcomes consistent with skills required to succeed in college, career or civic life. These include content mastery tied to state standards as well as work ethic/collaboration, critical thinking and oral and written communication. All courses at the Demonstration Sites must demonstrate rigorous and relevant Project-Based Learning (PBL) to amplify deeper learning while engaging students in the classroom. The deep integration and use of technology must be present in all classrooms. Finally, a school culture that establishes students at the center, built on trust, respect and responsibility must be evident throughout the school.
“We are very grateful to our students and staff for their hard work every day, and to the EVSC and New Tech Network for their continuing support,†said New Tech Institute Principal Chris Gibson. “We strive each day to put our mission into action: to provide students with relevant project-based learning in an atmosphere of trust, respect and responsibility. We have worked together as a collaborative team to improve our practice continually, and this recognition helps reaffirm our efforts to provide our students a relevant 21st century education.”
As a Demonstration Site, New Tech will play a key role in the development and scale of the New Tech Network. NTI will host tours for national, state and local school districts interested in learning more about project-based learning and the integration of technology.
New Tech Institute opened in Fall 2010 with its first class of freshmen and last year, had its first official graduating class. Individuals interested in learning more about NTI can visit www.evscschools.com/newtech.
GUINEA PIG
Squeakers – This pretty girl is Squeakers! She’s a mom to five adorable babies. Squeakers is an American Satin mix, and she’s approximately a year old. She would do great with kids, or with another female guinea pig friend! Her adoption fee is $15 and includes a cardboard carrier to help her get home safely. Call (812) 426-2563 or visit www.vhslifesaver.org for information!
Murder Conviction Stands Despite Closing Argument Error
by Marilyn Odendahl for www.theindianalawyer.com
A deputy prosecutor’s misstep during closing arguments was not enough to overcome the abundant evidence of guilt and force a new trial, the Indiana Court of Appeals has ruled.
Antonio Miles appealed after he was found guilty of murder in the shooting death of the mother of his infant daughter. In part, Miles argued prosecutorial misconduct denied him due process protection and entitled him to a new trial.
The problem occurred as the deputy prosecutor was using a slide presentation to help recap the evidence supporting the conviction. One of the slides noted Miles had not provided any evidence against his conviction and suggested that the defendant was obligated to present proof of his innocence.
As soon as the slide appeared before the jury, the Hendricks Superior Court stopped the presentation and called a sidebar. After conferring with both attorneys, Judge Mark Smith admonished the jury that the defendant was not required to present any evidence to prove his innocence or explain anything.
The defense did not request a mistrial or additional admonition.
On appeal, the trial court’s actions were upheld. The Court of Appeals did not find that a fundamental error had occurred in Antonio Miles v. State of Indiana, 32A01-1412-CR-509.
The appellate panel noted the trial court acted as soon as the slide appeared and the deputy prosecutor never read the slide aloud to the jury although some of the jurors may have seen the contents. Citing Jerden v. State, 37 N.E. 3d at 498, the Court of Appeals found in light of the jury instructions, the admonition and the abundant evidence of guilt, Miles did not demonstrate the slide had “such an undeniable and substantial effect on the jury’s decision that a fair trial was impossible.â€
 Indianapolis – Tomorrow, Governor Mike Pence will offer remarks at the Indiana State Museum and unveil a previously unknown artifact from Abraham Lincoln’s life in Indiana. The artifact is one of the most significant relics found since his death in 1865. Details below.
Tuesday, February 9:Â
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10:00 a.m. EST – Governor Pence to offer remarks and unveil previously unknown artifact from Abraham Lincoln’s life in Indiana
*Media are welcome to attend.
Indiana State Museum – 650 W. Washington St., Indianapolis, IN
| Tuesday, February 9th | Fundraiser | 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM | Jonathan Weaver for City Council 7th Annual Mardi Gras Party
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| Tuesday, February 16th |
Fundraiser | 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM | Gregg for Indiana Fundraiser
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| Wednesday, February 17th |
Fundraiser | 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM | Kathryn Martin for Knight Township Trustee Annual Chili Dinner
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| Thursday, February 25th |
Fundraiser | 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM | Shannon Edwards for County Recorder Chicken & Dumplings Fundraiser
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| Thursday, February 25th |
Fundraiser | TBA | Ryan Hatfield for State Representative District 77 Fundraiser
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| Wednesday, March 16th |
Fundraiser | TBA | Shannon Edwards for Recorder Baskets & Bowling Fundraiser
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| Saturday, March 19th |
Fundraiser | 5:00 PM | Ryan Hatfield for State Representative District 77 Fundraiser
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| Tuesday, March 29th |
Fundraiser | TBA | Ryan Hatfield for State Representative District 77 Fundraiser
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| Thursday, March 31st |
Fundraiser | TBA | Lockyear for Coroner Fundraiser
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| Friday, May 13th |
Fundraiser | TBA | Lockyear for Coroner Golf Scramble
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| Thursday, May 26th |
Fundraiser | 8:00 AM | Vanderburgh County Democratic Party Golf Scramble
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| Saturday, September 10th |
Fundraiser | TBD | Rick Riney for Perry Township Trustee Annual Fish Fry
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 Giving Pseudoephedrine Abuse The Cold Shoulder
Session is halfway complete, and legislators have been pulling some long nights in order to consider all of the possible ways to improve our Hoosier state. In order to stay alive and advance to the Senate, every one of our bills had to pass the House by the end of the day on Feb. 2. The House moved 116 pieces of legislation to the Senate for consideration.
Earlier this week, we passed a pair of bills dealing with methamphetamine, and what a huge problem meth labs have become in our state, particularly for Hoosiers in southern Indiana. Our state has the embarrassing distinction of leading the country for the third consecutive year in meth lab incidents.
We cannot allow this scourge to continue to endanger communities anymore. Meth usage and addiction are terrible. But meth production is even worse, wreaking havoc and imposing costs. Meth labs are prone to fires and explosions, but they always leave behind hazardous contamination. For any home, hotel room or apartment to be habitable again, it must undergo costly professional decontamination. All too often meth houses remain abandoned, blighting neighborhoods and lowering property values. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management estimates meth labs annually cost Hoosier property owners $32 million. The human costs are more staggering: In 2014, 382 Hoosier children were removed from meth labs and placed in foster homes.
Our goal in crafting legislation this year was to eradicate meth labs by keeping the precursor ingredients out of the hands of bad guys while not overly encumbering law-abiding citizens.
The huge meth problem in southern Indiana stems from the fact that meth ingredients are easy to obtain. Meth cooks can go to almost any store and purchase everything they need to make meth, including pseudoephedrine (PSE), which is one type of cold medicine. They also hire so-called “smurfs†to buy PSE from pharmacies in order to work around Indiana’s individual purchase limits. HB 1390 carefully balances legitimate consumer access with commonsense measures to keep PSE out of the hands of meth cooks. In order to obtain PSE, you will not need a prescription if you have an established relationship with a pharmacy, are willing to use tamper-resistant PSE formulations or accept a smaller package of PSE. Leaning on the professional knowledge of pharmacists and their consultation with patients, HB 1390 makes acquiring large amounts of PSE for the purpose of making meth or selling to meth cooks considerably harder. It’s a giant step in the right direction.
House Bill 1157 complements these efforts to restrict meth cooks’ access to PSE. If enacted, drug felons would need a prescription to both purchase and possess PSE. Electronic tracking would issue “stop sale†alerts to pharmacies when a drug felon attempts to buy PSE. Like HB 1390, this bill keeps PSE accessible to law-abiding Hoosiers while putting reasonable restrictions on known drug offenders.
These bills do not constrain Hoosiers patients, instead they empower our local pharmacists and law enforcement to keep meth labs out of our communities. Of course we want to eradicate meth use and addiction, but the first step must be tackling the costly and dangerous labs. Our approach will make it extremely difficult for meth cooks to obtain the necessary ingredients.
I welcome your feedback and ideas. Contact me at (317) 232-9833 or email, h75@iga.in.gov. To follow these bills in the Senate, visit www.iga.in.gov.
