Area schools enjoy successes in 2015; look ahead to 2016

Cardinal Stritch
www.katerischools.org

229Progress metro meeting v
Second  graders lined up to meet Violet, the therapy dog that joined the
staff at St. Kateri Catholic Schools in November. (Submitted photo)

• Kevin Parkins was named the new Principal for the 2015-2016 school year. The Maumee native, who had been with the school since 2010, had been the Vice President of Advancement.

• STEMM (science, technology, engineering, math and medicine) teachers at Cardinal Stritch began using a flipped-classroom concept when school is canceled or a teacher is absent. Teachers record in-class lessons and post them online for students to watch later. Some teachers took the idea a step further and now record lessons ahead of time so students can learn the day’s lessons on snow days or when there is a substitute teacher.

• On Sept. 29, Rev. Eric Schild, President of St. Kateri Catholic Schools and pastor at St. Jerome Catholic Church, received the 2015 Leadership Award at the annual 20 Under 40 award ceremonies. He was among 148 people nominated for the award.

• In November, St. Kateri schools welcomed school therapy dog Violet, a 2-year-old Chocolate Labrador Retriever.

• The STEMM Initiative acquired a 3D printer.

• In September, three Kateri students traveled to see Pope Francis during his trip to the United States.

• Stritch student John Smith III and other members of his Youth Leadership Toledo group gained national attention for their invention: Texting BANd. It was entered in a nationwide contest through State Farm.

Northwood Schools
www.northwoodschools.org
Construction is under way on Northwood Schools’ new school complex, which is being built on the school campus just north of the current high school. A groundbreaking was held Oct. 2 .

Northwood citizens passed a levy in May 2014 to help finance the new PK-12 school. The project is being co-funded by the State of Ohio which is providing 40 percent of the necessary funding.

To date, transitional student parking, a new bus maintenance garage and the majority of excavation for the new school have been completed.

“We are on schedule to begin foundations and walls of the new school as soon as the weather breaks this spring and are on schedule to open the new school at the start of the 2017-2018 school year,” said Superintendent Greg Clark.

Progress updates, photos and drawings are available on the school website.

Oregon City Schools
www.oregoncityschools.org
The Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators selected Coy Elementary as a 2015 Hall of Fame School. The award recognizes schools that go above and beyond the call of duty to get students, teachers, and community members excited about education.

The district also:
• Started STEM Lego League clubs at each school using money donated for STEM from BP/Husky.

• Began Standards-Based Grading in grades K-2, establishing a new higher standard for quality grading and reporting progress of students.

• Painted Clay Memorial Stadium and sided all concession buildings using donations from the public and permanent improvement money.

• Replaced all exterior parking lot lights with LED lighting, allowing for a 66 percent reduction in lighting costs.

• Purchased and mounted cameras on all school buses.

• Upgraded and increased the number of cameras for enhanced surveillance and monitoring.

• Reinforced windows and doors at entry ways of schools with bullet-proof film funded by grant money.

• The Oregon Schools Foundation re-established its Strategic Plan and is working to raise private funds to supplement activities in the arts, academics and athletics on behalf of Oregon Schools.

• Eisenhower Intermediate School held its first annual “Muddy Eagle” mud run raising money for veterans. Fassett Junior High’s “Volley for the Cure” volleyball game raised money supporting breast cancer, and Clay High School raised $9,000 in under a week for a student who needs a kidney transplant.

Toledo Public Schools
www.tps.org

Birmingham Elementary
• Enough iPads were purchased so all teaching staff are able to utilize them in the classroom.

• Staff members donated items and made baskets to raffle to raise funds for a Washington, D.C. trip for several eighth-graders.

• Staff members arranged for students to hear from representatives of TPS Career Tech programs like the Aviation Center and the Natural Technology Science Center, and from the Public Education Office for the Toledo Fire and Rescue Division

• The school counselor started her fifth 10-week afterschool self-esteem group called Blooming Beauties for the fourth-grade girls.

Raymer Elementary:
• Students get to eat different fruits and vegetables several times a week, thanks to the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.

• Every morning, students walk in the gymnasium and are rewarded with incentives for every five miles they walk as part of the school’s 100 Mile Walking Club (They must eat breakfast first in order to participate).

• Every Thursday, students in grades 5-8 participate in the After School Fitness Club, engaging in different physical activities to build fitness and team sportsmanship

• A Reading is Spooktacular day was held with author Paul Orshoski on Oct. 27, with both day and evening activities centered around reading

Waite High School
• Students, staff, alumni, and members of the East Toledo community gathered May 21, 2015 for the 100th Annual Memorial Day observance at Waite. The centennial event, planned by Student Council, honored Waite’s sons and daughters killed in wartime. The community also paid tribute to their families, and their brothers and sisters in arms who have returned.

• Graduates from the class of 2015 were awarded more than $300,000 in scholarships.

Penta Career Center
www.pentacareercenter.org
• Penta celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2015. The school has served the career-technical training needs of more than 30,000 people in the community since 1965.

• In 2015, high school students in Advanced Manufacturing, Sophomore Exploratory Manufacturing & Transportation and Information Technologies programs had the opportunity to use production robots and simulators as part of their career-technical training. In the future, adult students will use the equipment to gain valuable industry experience in robotics and engineering in areas such as CNC, welding and maintenance technician. RAMTEC is funded through a $1.5 million grant that Penta received in 2014 from Ohio’s Straight A Fund.

• Students from the Construction Carpentry, Masonry, Electricity, Heating & Air Conditioning Technology, Construction Trades, and Construction Concepts programs at Penta, spent the 2014/2015 school year building a 1,200 square foot ranch-style home in Rossford for the Coronado family. The project was a joint effort between Penta and Wood County Habitat for Humanity.

• In July, Penta Career Center Adult & Continuing Education launched the Adult Diploma program, which helps adults age 22 and over with the opportunity to earn their high school diploma through grant funded job training programs at Penta. Since the program began, Penta has served 97 adults.

• In 2015, Penta Adult & Continuing Education earned accreditation through the Council on Occupational Education (COE). Penta received a “Best of Practice” commendation for “courses of study” for each of its full time programs.

Benton-Carroll-Salem Schools
www.bcs.k12.oh.us
• On March 13-14, B-C-S hosted the Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA) District 2 High School Large Group Adjudicated Event, where both the Oak Harbor High School Concert Band and Mixed Choir earned Superior (1) ratings.

• In June, the B-C-S Board of Education recognized the 2014-2015 Jill L. Mincheff Rocket Pride Sportsmanship and Integrity Award winners – Tyler Sievert, Emma Bergman and Brandon Schimming. The award is centered on a character education program, “Rocket Pride,” run by the Athletic Department that teaches student-athletes the importance of making good decisions and being positive role models.

• Oak Harbor Middle School teacher Kelly Croy wrote his first book, “Along Came a Leader,” which address the lack of leadership in our world and presents six primary solutions to create great leaders. His work as an educator has been recognized by Apple, Google, and PBS.

• The district honored veterans at a celebration held Nov. 11 in the high school auditorium. Senior citizens were welcomed at the annual Senior Citizen Holiday Lunch on Dec. 9.

• In November, R.C. Waters Elementary was named a National Title I Distinguished School by the Ohio State Department of Education.

• R.C. Waters Elementary student Charlie Hablitzel had the honor of running onto the field and picking up the kick-off tee in the first half of the game between the Cleveland Browns and Arizona Cardinals at First Energy Stadium in Cleveland on Nov. 1.

• The B-C-S Facilities Planning Committee, formed in December 2015, with a goal of making a recommendation in late spring to the Board of Education concerning a Master Plan for facilities. The committee, comprised of about 50 community members, will host a community meeting March 15 at 6:30 p.m. in the Oak Harbor Middle School Auditorium. Visit www.bcs.k12.oh.us/home/facilities-planning-committee for details.

Eastwood Local Schools
www.eastwoodschools.org
• Planning for the new K-5 building continues. In October, Superintendent Brent Welker shared details about site and floor plans for the building, which is expected to be ready in fall 2017. The base budget for the building is $19.45 million; $7 million will come from the Ohio School Facilities Commission classroom facilities assistance program, with Eastwood funding the remainder through tax abatement income from Home Depot and Troy Energy, plus monies from the general fund.

• Staff members are planning for a new schedule for elementary students when the schools combine for the 2017-18 school year. “The district is consulting with consultant Dr. Mike Rettig to facilitate the discussions to maximize learning opportunities and create times for intervention and enrichment along with common teacher planning.

• The district is working with Perrysburg, Anthony Wayne, Maumee, Rossford, and Springfield to create online content for core area classes at the high school. Teams of teachers are working with facilitators to find and create engaging content and lessons for students.

• Pemberville Elementary instituted a new STARS program for 2015-16. The afterschool enrichment program, which features hands-on activities that advance children’s academic and social success, has been in place at Luckey Elementary for several years.

Genoa Area Local Schools
www.genoaschools.com
• Voters passed two vital levies in May.

• Genoa Elementary PTO purchased 100 Chromebooks for use in third grade.

• Middle School students donated $400 and 20 large boxes filled with food items for the Holiday Bureau Christmas program.

• Varsity academic letters were introduced for the first time. More than 84 students in grades 10-12 earned a varsity academic letter by earning a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher.

• Eighth-graders attended a live performance of “A Christmas Carol” at the historic Valentine Theater.

• The district won Northern Buckeye Conference titles in 7th and 8th grade basketball and wrestling and in 7th grade football.

• The Genoa wrestling team won the NBC championships for the third consecutive year and sent five wrestlers to the state tournament.

• The baseball team won the NBC and made it to the State Division III Final Four.

• High school students raised over $3,000 in five days for the Pay It Forward Program.

Gibsonburg Schools
www.gibsonburg.k12.oh.us
• Gibsonburg Schools students invited veterans from surrounding communities to the annual Veteran’s Day Assembly. Guest speaker was Norm Van Ness, chief meteorologist for WNWO, who is a Gibsonburg graduate.
• The Gibsonburg football team went 10-0 in the regular season, winning the Toledo Area Athletic Conference championship and earning a spot in the Division VI Ohio State Playoffs.
• “Our fall play, ‘The Brothers Grimm Spectaculthon’ was a hit in November,” said Superintendent Tim Murray. “The entire cast did a tremendous job putting on this production.”
• In September, Gibsonburg students joined peers from several neighboring Sandusky County schools in getting a firsthand look at how the Ohio Supreme Court works when the justices heard oral arguments in three cases in a daylong program at Fremont Ross High School. The Off-Site Court Program is designed to increase understanding of the legal system throughout the state.

Woodmore Local Schools
www.woodmore.k12.oh.us
“Woodmore has had a very exciting year,” Superintendent Linda Bringman said.
• Students in PreK through fifth grade kicked off 2015 in the district’s new multi-million dollar school building. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Jan. 25. In August, the seventh- and eighth-graders moved into the new building.
• The Lamar Hetrick Wing at Woodmore High School was demolished the summer and in December, demolition began on the Woodmore Elementary building.
• Woodmore legend Jon Giesler returned to his alma mater to present a golden football to the school as part of the NFL’s Super Bowl High School Honor Roll, in anticipation of the 50th Super Bowl. The Miami Dolphins great, who played at the University of Michigan for legendary coach Bo Schembechler, recently spoke Nov. 27 before the Lake-Woodmore girls basketball, talking about his career that saw him play in two Super Bowls — XVII and XIV — both with the Dolphins.
• The district’s technology team is working on a plan to bring devices to our students to enhance how students are being taught, Bringman said.
• Gary Haas, of Luckey, was hired as elementary principal in July and brings “loads of energy” to the position, Bringman said adding, “He is a great addition to our team.”
• In January, Woodmore hosted junior high foreign exchange students in a program led by the Middle School Principal.

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