Assembly honors NPHS Four Star award

On hand Friday to recognize the Four Star accomplishment of North Putnam High School were (from left) State Rep. Jim Baird, NPHS Principal Alan Zerkel, Board President Jill Summerlot, IDOE Outreach Coordinator Heather Baker, NPHS Assistant Principal Jason Chew, Superintendent Dan Noel and State Sen. Pete Miller.

ROACHDALE --- The classic 1981 Journey musical track "Don't Stop Believin'" filled the North Putnam High School gymnasium on Friday morning as part of the Four Star Award assembly in honor of the school's second consecutive year receiving the award.

The song was performed by the North Putnam mixed choir, who also presented a banner to the school to highlight the "All Music Award" recently received from the Indiana State School Music Association.

State Rep. Jim Baird (R-Greencastle), State Sen. Pete Miller (R-Avon), DOE Outreach Coordinator Heather Baker, school administrators and teachers devoted their time to acknowledge and reward the students of North Putnam High School for their second consecutive year of earning a "Four Star School" distinctionn based upon their ISTEP scores.

The Four Star designation is only awarded to the top 25 percent of schools testing in the ISTEP program.

North Putnam Superintendent Dan Noel addressed students and presented an award to NPHS Principal Alan Zerkel.

"I'd like to thank the academy," Noel joked, pulling his speech from his jacket pocket and presenting Zerkel with his award: A bobblehead with a strong likeness to the principal.

Recognition was also given to the Spell Bowl state finalists who will compete in the fall as well as to the Interdisciplinary Academic Super Bowl team that will participate in the state finals on May 10.

"We have a strong sense of community at NPHS," Principal Zerkel said, "and this was evident today in the appreciation shown to the band, choir, academic teams and the school as a whole during the celebration. It was awesome to be a NPHS Cougar today."