I am very proud of what has been accomplished over the past several years in the Indianapolis Public Schools District. I am especially excited about the leadership of Superintendent Eugene White and the new initiatives he has brought to IPS. Dr. White shares the Board's vision of creating a culture of excellence in IPS by holding staff accountable and by having high expectations for all children.

School started on August 17th (2006) for over 38,000 IPS students. This year has brought many exciting changes to the north-side of the IPS district. As your elected representative to the IPS School Board, I wanted to share news about some of the public schools your tax dollars help support. I hope you agree that these changes will have a positive impact on our neighborhoods by providing even more choices for our families.

Please feel free to contact me if you have questions, comments, or suggestions about how we can make IPS a better place for all children.

Kelly Bentley 418-4283 BentleyK@ips.k12.in.us

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SCHOOL #84

I am a very proud former student of IPS School #84 and I am excited about the changes happening at 57th and Central. School #84 has been converted to The Center for Inquiry (CFI), a school-wide magnet program serving kindergarten through 6th Grade. The school will grow a grade level per year up to 8th grade. The academic focus of CFI is inquiry-based and global learning. It is also a candidate for the prestigious International Baccalaureate program. CFI at School #84 is an expansion of the very popular CFI located in the historic Riley Neighborhood in downtown Indianapolis. Admission is by lottery and applications are due in December. Priority admission will be given to neighborhood children who apply by the deadline.

Renovation work at School #84 will begin during spring semester of 2007. The first part of the project will build an addition to the east side of the building, and then the entire existing building will be renovated in several phases. The Indianapolis firm of CSO Architects has done a wonderful job of designing an addition to complement the existing historic structure, including the use of green roof tiles to match the building's distinctive roof. The interior renovation of the existing structure will create a learning environment for the 21st Century while respecting the historic character of the building.

For more information about CFI, please call the school at 226-4284. And feel free to stop by and meet the Principal, Mrs. Chris Collier. She is very proud of the program she has helped build and she is particularly excited (and so am I) that there has been a significant increase in the number of neighborhood children who attend the school.

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BROAD RIPPLE HIGH SCHOOL

I am also a proud graduate of Broad Ripple High School, Class of '77. Both of my children are Ripple Rockets and both have received an excellent education. Recently students, family members and community members celebrated the completion of renovations at BRHS. Highlights of the renovation include new science labs, full air conditioning, improved restrooms, a major renovation of the auditorium, improved accessibility, and reconfiguring the building to support the IPS Small Schools Initiative.

Broad Ripple High School has been converted into four small schools through a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. BRHS is also home to the Center for Humanities and the Center for Performing and Visual Arts. Both of these programs continue to be very popular and successful. Admission in by lottery and applications are due in December. There are requirements for admissions-grades, test scores, and teacher recommendations for Humanities; portfolios and auditions for Performing and Visual Arts.

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For more information about the magnet programs at Broad Ripple High School, please call Mrs. Sandy Reiberg at 693-5722.

BRHS also has new leadership. Last Spring Dr. White appointed Mr. Greg Allen as Principal (now called Campus Administrator). You may reach Mr. Allen at 693-5700.