April 2026 Blazer Gazette

Home April 2026 Blazer Gazette

Candy's Corner

As we enter the final quarter of the school year, there is strong momentum across CANOPS, grounded in our shared commitment to our three pillars—Experiential Learning, Collaborative Learning Systems (PLC), and College & Career Readiness—and guided by our five core values.

We began spring break by launching our first Acceleration Academy, and it was an incredible example of our work in action. Across grade levels, students engaged in meaningful, hands-on learning experiences that brought content to life. Our 6th grade team led a Food Truck entrepreneurial exploration, where students integrated literacy, math, and research to design their own businesses—developing menus, branding, and business plans. At the same time, our 4th grade students explored the story of the Titanic, building models and learning the physics behind why it broke apart and sank as it did. These experiences reflect our commitment to being innovative and entrepreneurial while always putting students first.

After spring break, students and staff returned energized and ready to finish the year strong. State standardized testing is now underway, and we are grateful for the leadership of our testing coordinators who have ensured a smooth and organized process. We are also proud to share that student attendance has remained at 94% or higher, a reflection of our families’ partnership and our collective focus on ensuring students are present and engaged in learning each day.

Across our secondary schools, scheduling for next year is in full swing, helping students continue to build toward their future pathways. At the same time, students involved in our student-run business, Bend Manufacturing, have been actively producing products for local partners. This work exemplifies how we connect learning to real-world experiences and reinforce our focus on college and career readiness.

Looking ahead, our team has finalized summer professional development, which is intentionally aligned to our pillars and our commitment to continuous growth. CANOPS staff will deepen their work in Artificial Intelligence, focusing on how to lead learning in responsible and ethical ways for students. Additionally, teams will expand their project-based learning capacity and continue strengthening their work in Professional Learning Communities, ensuring collaboration remains at the center of how we respond to student needs. This reflects our belief in working together as a team and extending trust and mutual respect across our network.

Everything we do is rooted in who we are as a CANOPS community. Our core values—putting students first, being innovative and entrepreneurial, extending trust and mutual respect, working together as a team, and enjoying life and the work—continue to guide our decisions and actions each day.

Thank you to our students, staff, and families for your continued dedication and partnership. Together, we are building a system that expands opportunities and supports every student, and we are excited to finish the year strong.

Career Academy High School Hosts Action-Packed Blazer Games

The week leading up to Acceleration Academy and Spring Break, Career Academy High School students and staff came together for the Blazer Games, creating an exciting and unified school atmosphere.

Students earned points by participating in Minute to Win games during lunch, answering a trivia question about a staff member, and searching throughout the building for hidden pictures of Mr. Garstka. These activities brought energy to the day and encouraged engagement across the school.

Staff members also took part, earning points through secret dress-down themes and participating in Minute to Win games. Their involvement helped strengthen connections with students and added to the fun, positive environment.

On Friday afternoon, the event moved to the gym, where students and staff competed to determine which grade level would come out on top. The competition included air mattress races, dodgeball, tug of war, and volleyball, with each group bringing enthusiasm and school spirit.

At the end of an exciting day, the sophomore class was named the ultimate winner. Congratulations to the sophomores!

Learning Beyond the Classroom: History, Preservation, and Culinary Skills

Investigating Our Community’s History

Dr. LeBlanc’s Historical Methods class is digging into their unit on public history and historic preservation, venturing out into the community to put their knowledge to use and learn from experts in the field. The unit is centered around their ongoing archive project, where students are cataloguing, digitizing, and interpreting a private collection of correspondence from the 1940s and 1950s. The essential question asks students to consider, what is worth preserving and how do we make it accessible for the public good? To better contextualize that question we’re looking into other types of preservation, particularly buildings of local significance. That’s where St. Adalbert and Indiana Landmarks come in.

Last week, our intrepid historians visited our friends at St. Adalbert Catholic Church, which is located on the west side of South Bend. On this particular field trip, Dr. LeBlanc and his students were able to view the ongoing multimillion dollar restoration project at the Church. Don Popielarz, the leader of the restoration project, gave the tour and explained the history of the church as a place of worship for immigrant communities, first Polish and now Hispanic, over the last 100 years. We are all eager to continue to learn about the rich history of St. Adalbert and South Bend through the lens of the Historical Methods class!

Cooking Up Some Fun in the Club

It was Taco Thursday over at the Portage School of Leaders this week! Mrs. McKinney’s Nutrition class was cooking up a storm in the Club this afternoon, preparing “taco boats” and sharing their delicious culinary creations with our faculty. During the “taco boat” lesson, students explored ingredients and recipes to build a balanced meal by incorporating protein, grains, vegetables, and fresh toppings. Mrs. McKinney modeled safe and hygienic food handling and cooking techniques throughout the class, giving students a chance to chop, slice, and sauté, as well as instructions on how to use kitchen tools and induction cookware. In last week’s grilled cheese lesson, students learned how to prepare a simple, budget-friendly meal that was still delicious. They focused on portion control and adapting recipes to make meals more nutritious, such as choosing whole grain bread. Our Nutrition class is helping students build practical, real-life cooking skills while learning about balanced meals and healthy choices. These hands-on lessons are not only delicious, but are helping students gain confidence in the kitchen.

Staff vs. Students Showdown Brings the Energy

The gym was packed, the energy was high, and the competition was real as Career Academy Middle School hosted an unforgettable Staff vs. Students basketball game during the April pep rally.

From the opening tip-off, it was clear this wasn’t going to be an easy win for either side. The students came out fast, bringing speed, hustle, and plenty of confidence. Meanwhile, the staff relied on experience, teamwork—and let’s be honest—a little bit of strategy to keep up.

At times, it looked like the middle school players might outrun the staff entirely, but the adults dug deep (very deep) to keep pace. While the students had the stamina and quick moves, the staff proved they still had just enough left in the tank to stay competitive. Let’s just say… there may have been a few extra water breaks on the sidelines.

Students in the crowd were fully engaged, cheering loudly and reacting to every play. You could feel the excitement throughout the gym, with many students realizing, “Hey… our teachers can actually play!”—and maybe also thinking they were just one play away from taking the win.

In the end, it came down to the final moments, with both teams leaving everything on the floor in a game that could have gone either way.

Final Score:

Staff: 40 | Students: 38

We came, we played, we (barely) conquered!

Self-Led PD at SASB: Learning That Starts with Teachers

This school year, teachers at Success Academy South Bend took professional learning into their own hands through our Self-Led PD initiative—a model grounded in trust, relevance, and real classroom impact. To make this work even more fun, we kept up with a Thirsty-Thursday theme providing a quick snack and beverage bar for each of the monthly sessions happening on Thursdays. We enjoyed apple cider, pumpkin spice lattes, hot cocoa and dirty soda bars and celebrated the end with a good ol’ fashioned rainbow sherbet punch bowl!

Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, teachers identified areas of study based on their students’ needs and their own professional interests. Each participant selected resources, defined a clear goal or outcome, and spent time engaging deeply with their chosen focus area. The result has been thoughtful, targeted learning that directly connects to instruction and student growth.

Study topics reflected both instructional priorities and personal passions, including Trauma-Informed Care, Science of Writing, AI Integration, Open Court Implementation, i-Ready Reporting and Data Analysis, Therapeutic Art Strategies, the new IEP System, Happy Numbers Instructional Tools, Student-Centered Mentoring, UFLI Best Practices, Elementary Coding, Behavioral Leadership, Language Development, among others.

The initiative culminated in a schoolwide Learning Celebration on April 23rd, where teachers shared their learning, reflected on their outcomes, and highlighted how their work is already impacting students. This event was designed not just as a showcase, but as an opportunity for collective growth—where ideas spread, strategies are shared, and expertise is elevated from within our own building.

Self-Led PD reinforces a simple but powerful belief: when teachers are empowered to pursue meaningful learning, the benefits extend directly to students.

Planting Seeds of Growth: SABGC Students Explore Science, Design, and Community

The Garden Club at SABGC is bringing creativity and sustainability to life this spring through a hands-on project that blends science, design, and community engagement. Over the past several weeks, students have been actively propagating plants—carefully nurturing new growth from cuttings and seedlings while learning about plant biology and environmental stewardship.

What makes this initiative especially unique is the artistic element woven into the process. Students are not only growing the plants, but also designing and creating their own display vessels. Using a variety of materials and techniques, each container reflects the individuality and creativity of its maker, turning every plant into a one-of-a-kind piece.

The culmination of their work will take place in May, when the Garden Club hosts an after-school plant sale open to the community. Visitors will have the opportunity to purchase these student-grown plants and locally sourced vessels, supporting both the club and the young creators behind the project.

More than just a sale, the event represents a meaningful learning experience—one that is the “brain child” of an SABGC third grader, Harley Roberts. This opportunity to encourages responsibility, creativity, and connection to the natural world. The SABGC Garden Club continues to grow not only plants, but also skills and community spirit.

April HR News!

Career Academy is a Notre Dame Flagship Partner

Ciao