Herron Preparatory Academy

Did you know Herron Prep will offer K-5th grade next year? If you know of families looking for an excellent elementary (and soon middle school as we add a grade each year for a k-8 school), tell them to sign up for a tour or information session online!

Sign up at: https://www.herronprep.org/enrollment/visit-and-events

This week, our 3rd grade class accompanied our high school symphony orchestra to the Indianapolis Arts Garden! Our young scholars loved the beautiful sounds from our Herron and Herron-Riverside musicians. 🎶

You are amazing! Thank you to all our friends for supporting educational excellence in Central Indiana. Your gifts help prepare our scholars to become world class citizens.

To learn more, visit: https://www.herronclassical.org/give .

You can make a difference in our scholars' lives throughout the year! Select Herron Classical Schools as your charity of choice for Walmart's Spark Good Round Up program. Register your account today to support educational excellence every day!

Visit https://www.herronclassical.org/give/ways-to-give to learn more.

You can give to HPA all year long! When you shop at smile.amazon.com, Amazon donates to the charity of your choice. Register Herron Classical Schools as your AmazonSmile account on this Giving Tuesday!

Visit https://www.herronclassical.org/give/ways-to-give to learn more.

Did you know that you can support life-changing education every time you go grocery shopping?

Kroger Community Rewards will donate a percentage of your total grocery bill to our school when you use your Kroger Plus Card -- at no cost to you!

Visit https://www.herronclassical.org/give/ways-to-give to learn more.

It's Giving Tuesday! When you make a gift to Herron Classical Schools' annual fund, you are making a difference in classrooms, in extracurricular activities, in sports, and most importantly, in the lives of Indianapolis's children. Join us to provide educational excellence that transforms lives!

Visit https://www.herronclassical.org/give/ways-to-give to make a difference today.

Don't forget to join us at Half Liter BBQ today to support Herron Prep!

15% of all dine-in and carry out orders placed at the restaurant (5301 Winthrop Ave Suite B) today, November 29, will be donated back to HPA!

You know it was a good day at school when you hear: “Okay, now that was a little TOO much fun!”

Our scholars have fun learning in the classroom every day, but we love seeing them have fun at events like our Fall Festival.

Last week, in addition to dressing up for spirit days, our scholars spent Friday at our second annual Fall Festival making fresh-pressed apple cider, playing bingo, decorating pumpkins, wrapping each other up as toilet paper mummies, and more!

Thank you to all of our parent volunteers who joined us for the day. We had a blast!

Happy Thanksgiving! We are so thankful for our Herron Preparatory Academy community.

We were honored to recognize City-County Council President Vop Osili for his public service and support of education in Indianapolis at our Classical Cocktails event on November 14th. The evening was a celebration of our scholars' excellence and the successes we've seen at Herron Preparatory Academy, Herron-Riverside High School, and Herron High School in the last year.

Thank you to Nesso Italian Kitchen (of Cunningham Restaurant Group), The Best Chocolate in Town, Goelzer Investment Management, Silver in the City, and Sun King Brewery for their generous support of this year's Classical Cocktails!

We are pleased to share that Mr. Cody Whitesell has accepted the position as Herron Preparatory Academy’s Head of School!

With fourteen years of experience in education, both as a teacher and a school leader, Mr. Whitesell is a strong advocate for classical education. He holds a Master of Education in Organizational Leadership from Columbia University Teachers College, a Master of Arts in Teaching from Marian University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Indiana University. He has a Building Level Leader License as well as a Practitioner Teacher License.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Mr. Whitesell is a husband and father who enjoys rewatching (almost) all of the Harry Potter movies between Labor Day and Christmas each year with his wife, and he and his son Fin, 5, have recently begun playing pinball together. Another fun fact is that his parents had two sets of twins, four children total. He is the older twin of the younger pair.

“I am delighted and humbled to join Herron Classical Schools and the Herron Prep community! HPA’s vision and mission is deeply important to me, and I am thrilled to support our scholars, families, and staff as we continue to learn and grow,” said Mr. Whitesell.

We are grateful for the dedication and leadership of Mr. Joshua Adams as he served as interim Head of School. Mr. Adams will continue with Herron Prep as the Culture and Climate Specialist.

Mrs. Harris’ Kindergarten scholars learning about masks in theatre class!

At HPA our scholars are exposed to the fine arts including visual arts such as painting and drawing, as well as music, theatre, and dance.

It’s time for another - Meet Miss Lauren Ehler!

Miss Ehler is one of our 1st grade teachers and has been with us at Herron Prep for two years. She loves to practice yoga, play volleyball, and go on hikes, and she loves to learn about effective strategies to teach scholars to read. Her favorite color is orange and she also loves pizza with bacon and onion.

Her favorite part of teaching our scholars at HPA is watching them learn and grow!
Scholars and staff alike all love Miss Ehler, she is a ray of sunshine who spreads positivity to everyone around her!☀️

Our first trunk-or-treat event (sponsored by the Herron High School National Honor Society) was a huge success! It was a joy to see so many of our scholars, their families, and neighbors at the event. 🎃

Our Trunk or Treat event will be held rain or shine tomorrow (10/30) from 5pm-7pm!

If rain becomes an issue, we will hold the event inside. If you were planning to decorate your trunk, you can still decorate tables inside Fesler Hall and the cafeteria. Participating trunks/tables should be there by 4:30pm.

We can’t wait to see you there!

Join the talented cast of HHS, HRHS, and HPA students in the HCS theatre department's upcoming production of "Seussical the Musical", opening Friday, October 28th and running through Sunday, November 6th.

Seussical is a fantastical, magical, musical extravaganza! Join us for a production that brings to life all of our favorite Dr. Seuss characters, including Horton the Elephant, The Cat in the Hat, Gertrude McFuzz, lazy Mayzie and a little boy with a big imagination – Jojo. Seussical is fun for the whole family!

Location - 2nd Floor Theatre in Russell Hall, Herron High School, 110 E. 16th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202

Due to limited seating, tickets will be sold ONLINE ONLY at www.ipai.tix.com

Join us if you dare for trunk-or-treat at Herron Preparatory Academy sponsored by the Herron High School, Indianapolis (official page) National Honor Society! This family-friendly event is open to all, with spooky treats, music, and contests - and best of all, costumes! You can sign up to sponsor a trunk, or plan to attend with the whole family on Sunday, October 30th from 5pm to 7pm. 🎃

4:30pm: All trunk sponsors arrive
5pm: Arrival + let the trunk-or-treating begin!
6pm: Costume Contest
7pm: End of event

Our Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Fair was a huge hit this week! Our scholars learned about different Hispanic and Latin American countries, dances and music, food, art, language, celebrations, and beyond.

We love seeing them learn more about the world and other cultures, and hearing them share their knowledge with their friends, families, and teachers. ❤️

In case you missed it: our Herron Prep scholars have been hard at work preparing for their Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month Fair on Tuesday and Wednesday this week! You're invited to join us from 9:00am-10:00am on the day of your child's class celebration. Families are welcome (and encouraged) to attend!

Tuesday October 11: Harris, Ireland, Burger, Storrs
Wednesday October 12: Bryant, Grayson, Ehler, Guynn

It’s and this week you get to learn more about Ms. Emilea Byrum, one of our Kindergarten Instructional Assistants!

This is Ms. Byrum’s second year with Herron Prep, and she is also a Herron High School grad. We love seeing our Herron alumni come back to join our network - not just as employees, but also as parents. Many have chosen to send their kiddos to Herron Prep, just like Ms. Byrum! Her son is a first grader this year.

A few fun facts: Ms. Byrum is a professional and certified dog trainer, and she has two smooth collies and a pitbull. She loves to spend time with her family, and will read just about anything. But her favorite books are the Harry Potter series.

Her favorite part about working at Herron Prep is “the personalities of the little ones coming into school!”

It is an honor to see our new Herron Preparatory Academy location take shape now that construction is underway! We can’t wait to see this space come together to hold our students next year and for many years to come.

Hop over to our stories to catch some more photos and videos of the space!

It’s and we’re excited to introduce you to a new member of our Herron Preparatory Academy Team: Miss Alexis Jones!

Miss Jones is our Campus Administrative Coordinator, and while this is her first year working for Herron Classical Schools, she is no stranger to our network. Miss Jones graduated from Herron High School in 2016, and received her undergraduate degree from the University of Evansville in multimedia communications. She earned her Master’s Degree in Media Design from Full Sail University.

In her free time Miss Jones is a photographer and loves to bake, enjoys watching crime shows, and she loves to learn about how things are made - like how a camera is made or the behind-the-scenes production of her favorite movie or show.

When asked what her favorite part about working at Herron Prep is, she said: “Good morning hugs and high fives from our scholars!”

We’re thankful to have Miss Jones at HPA. Be sure to give her a smile and a hello next time you’re in our front office!

Joyful learning at Herron Preparatory Academy means our scholars get to engage with exciting and engaging content. It means a learning environment that fosters inquisitive minds and a safe space to ask questions and grow together. Most of all, it means that school becomes a place that students look forward to spending time in each day.

Do you have any friends or family members considering their options for school next year? They can sign up for a tour and a virtual information session on our website! Visit https://www.herronprep.org/enrollment/visit-and-events.

It’s our first feature, where we provide you with an opportunity to learn a little more about our team. First up: Ms. Lacy Rose! She is one of our Instructional Specialists, and this is her second year with Herron Prep. She has a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership and Administration, and this is her 10th year in elementary education.

A few fun facts about Ms. Rose: she recently started decorating sugar cookies and enjoys creating custom cookies for friends and families, loves to explore Indianapolis in her spare time (art exhibits, festivals, street markets, and more), and she loves to read - she just finished her 61st book of 2022!

When asked what she loves about teaching at Herron Prep, she said “My favorite thing about teaching is watching scholars who feel they are "bad at math" understand a concept and gain confidence in themselves. I believed I was "bad at math" until I was a sophomore in college and took a course in conceptual math. This opened my eyes to a blindspot in the education I received. I work to make sure scholars know that they are capable learners and even if they struggle with mastering a concept they are not "bad" at anything.”

Scholars exploring the great outdoors by going on a nature walk! These nature walks are important in creating calm and focus while also encouraging an inquisitive spirit.

It’s National Arts in Education Week and we recognize the transformative power of the arts in education at Herron Prep.

Because of arts in education, children have the opportunity to engage their senses in open-ended play and sharpen their cognitive and motor skills. This allows our scholars to develop their creativity and identity, and helps them grow into bright, inquisitive young adults.

Our scholars get to engage with art of all kinds - including this outdoor lesson on famous artist Piet Mondrian

Our new enrollment coordinator and HPA mom, Aprille Goodman, was out spreading the word about our school at Kennedy King Fest today. We are just about to launch our tours and info sessions so keep an eye on the website for dates soon!

Our scholars were nimble and quick, and had a blast jumping over the candlestick in Mrs. Harris’ class this week!

At Herron Preparatory Academy, we know how important it is to help every scholar feel seen, known, and loved. It is a joy to get to know them and watch them grow, and we always work hard to help them build friendships with one another!

Our first full week of school is underway! Here is Ms. Guynn's class outside where you can see scholars listening intently as she reviews playground procedures. We can all help keep each other safe while still having lots of fun!

Our first day of school is in the books! Our scholars are such a joy, we can't wait for the year ahead of us.

We're so happy to welcome all of these AWESOME new teachers to our Herron Classical Schools family.

We cannot wait to have scholars back in our halls in just a couple of weeks! The start of the year is exciting in so many ways, and we know our students will have opportunities to make new memories every day.

Parents, let us know in the comments what your student is looking forward to most this year!

What a treat to see Herron High alum Zoe Black ‘14 become a published illustrator! “Nia’s Questions'' was authored by Zoe’s fellow University of Michigan alumna, Adelia Davis. The collaboration features a young girl who asks her dad a tough question that the author explains “sets her up for a journey of discovery.”

Zoe recalls her education at Herron High School as one in which she was pushed to dig deeper into whatever she was working on and to experiment with new ideas.

To read more about Zoe’s journey to becoming a published illustrator, visit our blog!
https://www.herronprep.org/blog/zoe-black

We hope to see you Saturday!

Photos from Herron Preparatory Academy's post

As we conclude a successful year, we have some exciting news to share about our leadership team for the 22-23 school year.

Heading into next year, Katie Dorsey will transition from Herron-Riverside’s Head of School to a Herron Classical Schools network role supporting strategic programming and instructional alignment.

Mrs. Dorsey is passionate about supporting and strengthening our unique instructional model as our schools continue to grow and evolve. However, as Riverside’s Founding Head of School, the move is very bittersweet. When asked about what this transition means to her, Mrs. Dorsey shared, “Being the Head of School at Herron-Riverside has been life-changing, and the most rewarding work I have ever done. I am beyond grateful and proud."

Subsequently, we are pleased to announce that Emanuel Harper will become the next Head of School at Herron-Riverside, and Amanda Ratliff will move into the Assistant Head of School role.

Mr. Harper has served Herron Classical Schools in many roles over the years, most recently as the Founding Assistant Head of School at Herron-Riverside. We are grateful for this transition as he and Mrs. Dorsey have worked side by side for the last five years. Amanda Ratliff has worked in the Herron Classical Schools network for 5 years, first as a math teacher and most recently as a Dean of Students at Herron-Riverside.

Please join us in congratulating Mrs. Dorsey, Mr. Harper, and Mrs. Ratliff on these new roles!

Read more here: https://www.herronriverside.org/blog/hrhs-blog/2022-23-leadership-announcement

Photos from Herron Preparatory Academy's post