"Exclusive Car Line Chat: Teacher of the Year, FAFSA & October Deadlines Revealed!"

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🚗👩‍👩 Car Line Chat: Teacher of the Year, FAFSA & October Deadlines

Sarah: (sipping coffee) Did you hear? Indiana finally announced the 2026 Teacher of the Year.

Maria: Yep! Megan Johnson from Plainfield. Fourth grade, 18 years in the classroom, big on science of reading and project-based learning. They surprised her at school. Her family even flew in from Texas. Such a “feel-good movie” moment.

Sarah: I love that. (waves to teacher directing traffic) Okay, so what else is in this week’s DOE blast?

Maria: Tons. The Graduation Rate Audit runs through Oct. 24. And Indiana’s rolling out a new Blue Ribbon Schools designation this month. Winners will be honored at the Educational Excellence Awards Gala.

Sarah: Blue ribbons sound cute, but I’m hoping there’s more than a paper certificate.

Maria: (laughs) Fingers crossed. Oh, and deadlines? October is Deadline-palooza:

Oct. 10 → Enrollment data and multilingual learner counts must be certified.
FAFSA 2026–27 is already open. Earliest launch ever...families really should start now.

Sarah: (rolls eyes as a parent honks) Chill out, Jackie, the line hasn’t even moved yet.

Maria: (smirks) There’s always a Jackie. Teachers are also getting new support—IDOE dropped on-demand AI platform sessions in the Learning Lab and free Nimble job board access for hiring.

Sarah: And don’t forget Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Schools can get free IT assessments. Honestly, I could use one for my Wi-Fi at home.

(Car line teacher walks up to Sarah’s car window)

Teacher: Ladies, quick reminder while you’re waiting, PSAT testing runs all month, through Oct. 31. Big deal for sophomores and juniors. And multilingual learner counts are due Oct. 10, so schools are double-checking records now. Just passing along the word!

Maria: Thanks! (as teacher walks away) See, this is why car line is basically the PTA’s breaking news desk.

Sarah: Totally. Okay, so this week’s vibe is: celebrate a rockstar teacher, get FAFSA rolling, schools buried in deadlines, and don’t sleep on PSATs if you’ve got a high schooler.

Maria: Exactly. (kids start loading into cars) Now let’s survive homework, sports, and Halloween costumes on top of all that.

👉 Parents, what’s hitting hardest this week; FAFSA stress, high school testing, or celebrating our teachers?