Introducing Dr. Brandon
River Forest has recently gained a new face everyone is sure to see, if you haven’t already, around the hallways. Introducing the one and only Dr. Brandon, otherwise known as River Forest High School’s new principal!
Dr. Brandon attended Michigan City Elston High School, where he was a three sport athlete: quarterback, point guard, and center fielder. Because of this, he feels a special connection to the current Ingot football players. Dr. Brandon is eager to see the Ingot boys rise above and beyond his own team from years ago.
“I heard about the awesome opportunity [to become principal] through Executive Director of the IASP (Indiana Association of School Principals), Dr. Todd Bess,” says Dr. Brandon. “In addition to that, some friends in my professional community of administrators that I meet with regularly also reinforced the opportunity during one of our meetings.”
After some thought, Dr. Brandon decided to give the opportunity a shot, and was overjoyed to find himself hired.
Dr. Brandon said, “There are quite a few goals that I need help accomplishing. Building relationships with the students and staff are very important to me, I would enjoy getting to know everyone. I understand that this is about serving our students here at River Forest High School the best way I can. I want to be a hub of information for students and get them ready for college and careers. This is job is not about me,” says Dr. Brandon, “It's about the kids.”
Dr. Brandon is already falling in love with River Forest and the daily dynamics present at the school. “I absolutely love the size of the school.” says Dr. Brandon. “The staff is top notch and it is always refreshing to see how passionate their own instructional practices are and how they care so much about the students' achievement as well. I love that they are willing to put in extra time to help students.”
Many students have already approached Dr. Brandon with warm smiles and introductions.
“The kids in this school have been absolutely amazing to get to know. Each and every student has said hello in the building or at an event. I appreciate when students take the time to get to know me. The size of our school is unique as it makes it feel like a welcoming family setting. I can tell the students enjoy being at school and I am extremely excited to be here. I'm proud to be an INGOT!”
Dr. Brandon brings renewed enthusiasm, high expectations, and tons of new potential to River Forest. The River Forest community is looking forward to having a vibrant new principal as part of its family.
A look at Ingot Athletics
Football- It’s game time! Time to put the hours upon hours of practice into play. Time to show what it means to be an Ingot. Already the Ingot boys are ready to show the region why our mascot is a block of steel. River Forest took on Wheeler for its first game on August 20th. The game was intense on both sides, and an astonishing last minute Ingot touchdown brought the crowd to its feet. Unfortunately, the game ended in a 33-28 loss. River Forest’s next game is August 26th against Boone Grove. It is going to be a game that no one wants to miss.
Cross country: All that biking and running is paying off! Finally the cross country teams can utilize all the stamina and power they have been holding back. River Forest had its first meet on August 23rd at Three Rivers County Park. Both the girls and boys ran their hearts out, and because of this, both teams took second place. However, this doesn’t mean the team is going easy on themselves. The Ingots are training hard for the next meet, which is August 27th at Gavit High School.
Volleyball: Volleyball tryouts were August 1st, reuniting players young and old in hopes of making this year’s team. Practices began almost immediately afterwards. The Lady Ingot’s first three games ended in losses, but sometimes the greatest seasons start with rough moments. The month of August will only be a shadow on the great season these Lady Ingots are sure to have this year.
Student Spotlight
Skyla Nikolaj is a beautiful, intelligent senior at River Forest High School. Though seemingly quiet in nature, Skyla is the first to laugh at a great joke, and what an infectious laugh she has! A class with Skyla is sure to never be a dull one.
Inside of school Skyla is involved with the academic team. She competes in both the super bowl and the spell bowl. Outside of academic pursuits, Skyla is an avid volleyball player and also loves cheerleading.
After graduation, Skyla wants to major in nursing and attend one of the Purdue colleges. Her caring and attentive nature make this a perfect career for her.
In her free time, Skyla plays in an open gym or a league volleyball team when the school season is not active. Skyla also enjoys listening to music and hanging out with friends.
What Skyla likes most about being an Ingot is the size of the school.
“It allows you to have a better connection and sense of understanding with the teachers and students,” says Skyla.
Teacher Spotlight
Mr. Ramirez is the 12th grade English teacher at River Forest. Gaining notoriety for his lively hair and musical talent, Ramirez is not a face you want to miss here at River Forest.
Ramirez attended LaCrosse High School. His college journey was a bit more unpredictable and interesting. Ramirez started at PNC and finished his Philosophy B.A. at Purdue West Lafayette. From there Ramirez received his M.S. in Education from Indiana University at South Bend.
How did Ramirez go from philosophy to teaching?
“I had a philosophy degree and had to do something. I thought that I would love to get young people interested in reading and literature because I loved to read so much, so, I became a teacher,” says Ramirez. This is a decision Ramirez has never regretted.
“The best part about teaching is when I hear from students that I have taught and they tell me that I really helped them in some way: whether with writing, thinking, or exploring themselves. I love spending time with students and learning about them and sharing my thoughts with them. I love seeing them think about complicated topics and understanding them. It is great to see young people find different avenues of thought.”
In his rare but much celebrated free time, Ramirez likes to play music. He sings and plays the guitar, piano, bass, and percussion. Ramirez also likes to read and listen to philosophical texts.
“I sometimes binge watch Netflix with my wife,” says Ramirez. “I work on my house. I build things. I love watching the sunset/sunrise and the stars. I sleep under the stars whenever I get a chance. I love to do so much.”
Boredom is never present for long in Mr. Ramirez’s life and that is exactly how he likes it.
Upcoming Events:
August 26th- Home football game against Boone Grove
September 2nd- Football game at North Newton High School
September 9th- Home football game against Hanover Central