DCSC in the News

College Board announced that Danville Community High School (DCHS) has been named to the 2024 Advanced Placement® Program (AP®) School Honor Roll, earning bronze distinction.

The AP School Honor Roll recognizes schools whose AP programs are delivering results for students while broadening access. Schools can earn this recognition annually based on criteria that reflect a commitment to increasing college-going culture, providing opportunities for students to earn college credit, and maximizing college readiness.

DCHS had 24% of seniors who took at least one AP Exam during high school, 21% of seniors scoring a 3 or higher on at least one AP Exam, and 1.1% of seniors who took five or more AP Exams!

“We are incredibly proud of our students' performance. Their hard work linked with dedication of the teachers has helped Danville Community High School earn this distinction,” Said DCHS Principal Dr. P.J. Hamann.

College Board’s AP® Program enables students to pursue college-level studies—with the opportunity to earn college credit, advanced placement, or both—while still in high school. Danville Community School Corporation is proud to offer AP courses to students to help them work toward their post-high school goals early. We are committed to helping them succeed, even after they walk across the stage and move onto new places and things.

The Danville Community School Corporation (DCSC) is thrilled to announce that two outstanding students, Owen Clodfelter and Olivia Stierwalt, have been recognized as Commended Students in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program—an exceptional honor that reflects their dedication to academic excellence.

These students qualified for the National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2023 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®) last October. Out of 50,000 top scorers, 16,000 were named semifinalists, while 34,000—among them Clodfelter and Stierwalt—were honored as Commended Students for achieving a Selection Index score of 208 or higher.

“We are proud of the high academic attainment achieved by Olivia and Owen. Their accomplishments reflect their commitment to their own education and the opportunities provided to them at Danville Community High School,” said Superintendent Dr. Tracey Shafer.

DCSC celebrates this significant accomplishment and commends these students for their hard work. This achievement is a testament to our district’s mission to maximize student success so they can make a difference in any community. We are confident that Clodfelter and Stierwalt will continue to make an impact wherever their future takes them.

We are so incredibly proud of Officer K for being awarded the Exceptional Service Award for our region by the National Association of School Resource Officers! We feel so lucky to have such an amazing officer keeping our schools and community safe.

"Exceptional Service Awards are presented to those individuals for continuous and sustained service to the school community above and beyond that expected of a normal SRO or school staff member."

To read more about this exciting accomplishment, be sure to check out The Republican's article at https://www.therepublicannewspaper.com/!

On April 22, Danville Community School Corporation (DCSC) hosted its very first Advocates Day, welcoming 21 individuals to see “behind the scenes” of DCSC operations. The full-day event provided this group of stakeholders with an interactive experience, showcasing all the ways the district engages with and supports its students, staff, and community members alike.

The day kicked off at Danville Community Middle School, where guests met the entire administrative team and participated in a "Speed Learning" session. Led by the Assistant Superintendent for Instruction, the Director of Educational Programs, and the Director of Special Education, attendees gained insights into the services and opportunities offered to all students at DCSC. They then toured the operations center and received presentations from two School Resource Officers (SROs), visited the Maintenance and Transportation Departments for facility tours and Q&A sessions, enjoyed a presentation by the Food Services Department, engaged in a technology showcase, and toured construction sites at South Elementary and Danville Community High School. The event concluded with cookies and certificates, leaving every participant with newfound knowledge and an overall positive experience. 

Danville-Center Township Public Library Youth Services Manager Crystal Salenda was in attendance, strengthening the relationship and generating more ideas for the future between the library and DCSC. When discussing their current working relationship and how this event helped, she said, “The Danville-Center Township Public Library values our partnership with Danville Community School Corporation.  We feel that this relationship is essential to cultivating a community of lifelong learners, active citizens, and providing a safe space for all to enjoy.” 

Advocates Day exemplifies DCSC's commitment to fostering community engagement and continuous improvement. The district looks forward to seeing what the future holds for this program and hopefully welcoming in many more advocates! 

We are delighted to share that we have received a generous donation in support of the renovation of our Danville Community High School pool. Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to the Gill family for their dedicated effort to honor the memory of the late Jeanne Ellen Gill Shackelford who set aside this money for the renovation.

Jeanne was the eldest of four girls in the Gill family. Their father was a volunteer contractor for the original Danville pool, a job he took on for his daughters and their love for swimming. Jeanne was no exception. She loved swimming, and she loved our pool.

Jeanne graduated from Danville in 1958. She was an honors student and continued her education at IU before graduating from Butler University. She taught high school English and Journalism, and later took on a role at IUPUI, where she dedicated 27 years to placing students in jobs that would help pay for their continued education.

As an avid supporter of Danville Community Schools and an enthusiastic swimmer, she felt a special connection to the restoration of our pool. Though she passed away in 2020, her legacy lives on through her kindness.

Jan Gill Saddler, Jeanne's youngest sister, graciously presented the donation on behalf of the family. We thank her for taking the time to visit, and we appreciate the kindness and generosity of her eldest sister and the entire Gill family. Together, we will honor Jeanne's memory as we take on our Master Campus Plan and work to restore our pool.

Danville Community School Corporation (DCSC) is proud to announce the accomplishments of several students in both academics and athletics. These outstanding achievements demonstrate our commitment to maximizing student success both in and out of the classroom. It is also a great example of the hard work and dedication our students put in each and every day.

Below is a list of achievements we have seen from our students throughout the Fall 2023 semester. Many of these students also received recognition at the December Board of School Trustees meeting.

Danville Community High School Senior Named Indianapolis Colts Indiana High School Academic All-Star

Danville Community High School (DCHS) Senior Garrett Hayse was recently named as an Indianapolis Colts Indiana High School Academic All-Star. This recognition is reserved for players who rank in the top 5% of their class, highlighting Garrett's remarkable achievements both on the field and in the classroom.

Two DCHS Volleyball Players Receive Recognitions from the Indiana High School Volleyball Coaches Association (IHSVCA)

Also thriving on the field and in the classroom as DCHS Seniors Calla Herald and Kooper Stone. Calla earned the IHSVCA Academic All-State Silver Award, which recognizes players with GPAs between 3.50 and 3.74, and Kooper earned the IHSVCA Academic All-State Gold Award, which recognizes players with GPAs of 3.75 and above. This accolade is a great illustration of their hard work and dedication to academic excellence.

Academic Achievements of DCHS Football Players Recognized

Coach Jayme Comer stands proudly with three of his football players in the photo below who received Indiana Football Coaches Association (IFCA) recognitions. Garrett Hayse was named as an IFCA Academic All-Star, Jace Scrafton earned a spot on the IFCA 3A Junior All-State Team, and Evan Lawrence made the IFCA Top 50 All-State Team.

DCHS Competition Cheerleading Team Secures 1st Place at UCA Hoosier Regional Competition

The DCHS Competition Cheerleading Team has once again showcased their dedication and talent by securing 1st place at the UCA Hoosier Regional competition. This outstanding performance has earned them a Bid to Nationals, serving as a testament to their hard work and commitment to their sport.

Jack Hearld Recognized on IHSAA Boys’ Cross Country All-State Team

We are proud to once again recognize Jack Hearld, who earned a spot on the IHSAA Boys’ Cross Country All-State Team following an outstanding performance at the state competition. Jack's dedication and skill has broken school records and earned him recognition all across the state.

Outstanding Achievement at Regional One-Act Competition for DCHS Theatre Department

The DCHS Theatre Department continues to shine, placing in the top three at the regional one-act competition held on December 2 at Noblesville High School. Additionally, Isla Cromer received the award for Outstanding Lead Performer, a remarkable achievement given to only two performers from all the shows performed that day.

DCSC congratulates all these students on their remarkable achievements and looks forward to witnessing their continued success in the future.

Danville Community Schools takes pride in the growth and success of our students both
inside and outside the classroom, and we are thrilled to announce an exciting achievement by one of
our incredible students.

After achieving back-to-back victories throughout the season, Jack Hearld, a junior at Danville
Community High School, became the second runner in Danville history to go to state for Cross Country, and he set a new school Cross Country time record of 15:35.6. These accomplishments led him to a strong finish at the State Championship. He placed 23rd out of 250 total runners, which earned him a spot on the All-State Cross Country Team.

These remarkable achievements are a great example of the power of hard work and dedication. Hearld, as well as his fellow DCSC athletes, work hard inside and outside of the classroom to achieve high success, and they continue to shine no matter where they go. We are thrilled to share in this celebration of success and look forward to witnessing the continued
growth of our outstanding student-athletes.

Congratulations, Jack! We are so proud of you!

Danville, IND. - DCSC is turning 60! That means that for six whole decades, DCSC has been setting the standard of educational excellence, providing countless opportunities for our students to succeed. The corporation has always dedicated itself to building a strong community, educating future leaders, and promoting the "Danville Difference,” and we will for many more years to come.

As we look back proudly on our history, we are equally excited about what lies ahead in our (very near) future. The next few years will bring several exciting changes, with our Master Campus Plan taking center stage. This effort is to create a plan to accommodate enrollment growth, improvements to facilities, and the use of school-owned properties over the next 5, 10 and even 20+ years. The Master Campus Plan holds many exciting changes in store, all aimed at making the Danville experience better than ever before.

Danville remains committed to our mission to serve every student who walks through our school halls. It is best stated in our mission statement: "We commit to maximize our students' success through personalized experiences, so they make a difference in any community." This has been our goal from the very start in 1963, and it will continue to be our goal for all the years to come.

Join us as we celebrate 60 years of educational excellence and work towards a brighter future. Together, we'll continue to make the "Danville Difference" and shape the leaders of tomorrow.

Danville, IND. – The Danville Community School Corporation had an exciting and delicious collaboration take place at North Elementary last week. First-grade students put their crayon techniques to the test in Mrs. Starks’ art class to create donut designs, which were then presented to Reds Donuts!

This project not only allowed students to hone their creative skills and showcase their talents, but it also provided a great opportunity to learn about the importance of art and community partnerships.

Reds Donuts, a beloved local donut shop, teamed up with Danville Community School Corporation for this unique project. They generously took the time to show students how their donut designs and imaginative visions could be turned into edible treats.

The highlight of this collaboration was Reds Donuts' special delivery to North Elementary, where students had the opportunity to see many colorful creations similar to their own transformed into delicious donuts. The joy and excitement on the students' faces were evident as they witnessed how artwork can come to life in the form of delicious treats, and they, of course, enjoyed every bite.

In addition to the delivery, Reds Donuts also generously displayed the students' artwork at their shop, allowing the wider community to admire the creative talents of Danville's young artists.

"First-grade students learned many different crayon techniques to up our coloring game in art class. Students learned about ombré effects, creating different values, layering, and more. The techniques were put into practice on a donut drawing project,” said North Elementary Art Teacher Laura Starks. “A big shout out to Reds Donuts for bringing each first grader a delicious donut and for displaying some of the projects in their shop! We hope the community can stop by and see the first graders’ artwork. The students had such a sweet time with this project!”

The Danville Community School Corporation looks forward to future collaborations that celebrate student voices, creativity, and community involvement. This sweet project at North Elementary serves as a shining example of the incredible achievements that can be accomplished when schools and local businesses come together to support education and inspire young minds.

Danville, IND. - Among the many exciting changes taking place at Danville Community School Corporation comes a few new administrative team members to help move things forward. Some of them are new to Danville entirely, and some have been here and are taking on new roles. Regardless of where they started, Danville is excited to see them shine in their new roles. Please join us in welcoming the following individuals.

Tina Noe – Director of Educational Programs

Mrs. Noe will begin her 30th year with the Danville Community School Corporation in a new administrative position as the Director of Educational Programs. Mrs. Noe previously served as the principal of Danville South Elementary for the last 21 years. A lifetime resident of Danville, she and her husband, Kevin, have raised their five children in this great community. Her responsibilities for her new district role will include Testing Coordinator, High Ability Coordinator, English Learner Liaison, McKinney-Vento Liasion and Multi-tiered System of Supports Coordinator. She will also oversee federal and state grants related to these programs. DCSC is very excited to see her in this new role as they continue to work toward their goal of maximizing students' success.  

Jenny Hollingsworth – South Elementary Principal

Mrs. Hollingsworth comes to us from North West Hendricks, where she was the Principal at Pittsboro Primary School since 2014. Prior to that, she was an Assistant Principal in West Lafayette. Her teaching career includes experience at the elementary level with general education, special education and high-ability students. Jenny has already hit the ground running in her new role, welcoming all of South Elementary's students back to school and helping facilitate the construction taking place at this time. Her personal goal to use her knowledge and skills to further the success of students, staff and the community fits in perfectly with Danville Community School Corporation’s mission, vision and core values.

Amanda Birkey – Danville Community Middle School Principal

Mrs. Birkey is not new to Danville Community Schools, but she is new to this role! She has been a mathematics teacher at Danville Community Middle School since 2018, and she has taken every opportunity to be more involved with the school since then. Prior to coming to Danville, she served as a teacher at both Cascade High School and the Indianapolis Early Learning Center. After receiving her Master of Education in May of 2023, this opportunity presented itself to her, and Danville’s leadership team knows that she has the knowledge and leadership skills to continue to grow Danville Community Middle School and foster an environment of high achievement.

Kyle Owens – Danville Community High School Assistant Principal

Mr. Owens comes to Danville Community High School from Southmont Senior High School in Crawfordsville, Indiana, where he served as the Assistant Principal since 2021. Before the start of his role as Assistant Principal, he served as an Engineering and Technology Teacher at both Center Grove High School and Speedway Senior High School. Mr. Owens brings great knowledge and experience to this new role, and Danville is looking forward to seeing where his leadership takes Danville Community High School, especially as they embark on the Master Campus Plan. Mr. Owens thanks his wife, Samantha, and their two sons for embarking on this journey alongside him.

Good luck to all of these new administrative leaders!