Wooster City Schools newsletter

October 2017

Contents Page 2 – Financial Update Page 3 – Wooster Earns Highest Honor for Growth in Student Achievement – Open House for the Early Learning Center at Cornerstone Elementary School Page 4 – Fall Calendar of Events Pages 5 – 2017 Northwestern University’s Midwest Academic Talent Search Award Recipient – Manufacturing Day Page 6 – Edgewood Middle School Goes to Camp Nuhop Page 7 – “Leader in Me” Program at Elementary Buildings – 2017 Outstanding Teacher and Staff Member Awards Page 7 – 2018 Ellen Shapiro Natatorium Renovation Project

Volume 8 :: Issue 4

Wooster High School Students Qualify as Semifinalists, Commended Students in 2018 National Merit Scholars Program Seniors Jeremy Lun, Jonathan Michel, Estelle Shaya and Veronica Velasquez are among 16,000 Semifinalists in the 63rd annual National Merit Scholarship Program held by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Nicholas Cosmo, Connor Niro and Amber Swigart were recognized as Commended Students in the program.

Approximately 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the 2018 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 scores of more than 1.6 million juniors who entered the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2016 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

Lun, Michel, Shaya and Velasquez will continue on to compete for one of 7,500 National Merit Scholarships in the spring. Semifinalists must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay and earn SAT® scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test.

Commended Students will be presented with a Letter of Commendation from Wooster High School and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. The 2018 National Merit Scholarship winners will be announced in four nationwide news releases beginning in April and concluding in July 2018.

Congratulations to all of these talented students!

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Nicholas Cosmo

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Jeremy Lun

Jonathan Michel

Connor Niro

Estelle Shaya

Amber Swigart

Veronica Velasquez

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Wooster City School District Financial Update Every two years the state of Ohio passes a new biennium budget which allocates resources to state government agencies, including public schools. As the state recently completed that budget process, the Wooster City School District has now received estimated state revenue numbers for the current and next school year. Of the district’s $45,890,000 of General Fund revenue expected for this fiscal year 2018, state funding is expected to make up approximately 37 percent of that total.

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By: Bonnie West, Treasurer

State funding is received in categories including Per Pupil Funding, Tangible Personal Property (TPP) Reimbursement, and Homestead and Rollback Reimbursement. As has been discussed in prior articles, TPP Reimbursement continues to be reduced at an additional rate of $395,000 each year. By FY2027, which is 10 years from now, TPP funding is scheduled to be completely eliminated. As we have reviewed our state funding estimates for the two years of this biennium, the district’s Per Pupil Funding amount is

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expected to increase by about the same amount as TPP will decrease.

While a number of Ohio schools did see overall decreases in Per Pupil Funding, we consider ourselves fortunate to have landed in somewhat of an overall breakeven position for this year and next when you consider the sum of Per Pupil Funding and TPP. If you have questions or would like additional information, please contact me at 330-988-1111 ext. 1231 or wstr_bwest@woosercityschools.org.

October 2017 :: Volume 8 :: Issue 4 CHART 1

Wooster Earns Highest Honor for Growth in Student Achievement The Ohio Department of Education (ODE) recently released student achievement data from across the state for student assessments administered in Spring 2017. The Wooster City School District was not only awarded an “A,” but earned an “index” score of 5.49, which is two times higher than the state expectation (see chart 1).

CHART 2

Mathematics scores for grades 3-7 were even better. Only three school districts in the entire state of Ohio scored higher than the Wooster City Schools’ cohort of 246 other school districts (see blue star on Chart 2).

Way to go Wooster!!

Wooster City School District Plans Open House for the Early Learning Center at Cornerstone Elementary School Before the end of 2017, the Wooster City School District plans to open its new Early Learning Center at Cornerstone Elementary School.

To celebrate, the district is hosting an open house on Friday, Dec. 1, from

4:30-6 p.m. Parents and community members will have an opportunity to view the renovated space, which includes 10 innovative preschool classrooms, each with a SMART board, projector and other highquality materials to serve

Wooster’s youngest learners. The Early Childhood Education Center also includes office space and a gross motor area.

The classrooms will serve students from Wooster’s Littlest Generals Preschool and the Tri-County Educa-

tional Service Center Preschool.

The district is also planning an official ribbon cutting once the classrooms are ready for use. More information on the ribbon cutting will be provided soon.

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Wooster City School District

Fall 2017 Calendar of Events Friday, October 20 NO SCHOOL: Teacher Inservice Day

Saturday, November 11 Veterans Day

Tuesday, October 24 WHS: Marching Band Concert - PAC - 7:30 p.m.

Kean: Picture Retake Day Board of Education Meeting - WHS LGIR 7 p.m.

Tuesday, November 14 Edgewood: Gr. 6-7 Choir Concert - EWMS Cafeteria - 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, October 25 Cornerstone: Picture Retake Day Thursday, October 26 Edgewood: Skate Night at Acres of Fun 6-8 p.m.

Friday, October 27 Parkview: Book Character Parade - 3 p.m.

Parkview: PTO Fall Carnival - 5-8 p.m.

Saturday, October 28 WHS: ACT Test

Thursday, November 16 Edgewood: Gr. 6-7 Band Concert - EWMS Gym - 7:30 p.m.

Monday, November 20 Board of Education Work Session - WHS District Meeting Room - 7 p.m.

November 22 - November 24 NO SCHOOL: Thanksgiving Break Tuesday, November 28 Board of Education Meeting - WHS LGIR 7 p.m.

October 30 - November 2 Kean: Book Fair

Thursday, November 30 Edgewood: Skate Night at Acres of Fun 6-8 p.m.

Thursday, November 2 Cornerstone: Domino’s Dough Night

Saturday, December 2 WHS: SAT Test

Friday, November 3 NO SCHOOL: Release Day for Parent/Teacher Conferences

Thursday, December 7 Cornerstone: Domino’s Dough Night

Saturday, November 4 WHS: SAT Test Sunday, November 5 Daylight Saving Time Ends - Set clocks back one hour Wednesday, November 8 Edgewood: Picture Retake Day Thursday, November 9 WHS/Edgewood: Gr. 6, 7, 8 Orchestra Concert EWMS Gym - 7:30 p.m.

Friday, November 10 WHS: Picture Retake Day Edgewood: Veterans Day Celebration End of 1st Trimester for Gr. K-4 4

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Saturday, December 16 WHS: Music Parents’ Pancake Breakfast - WHS Commons - 8:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.

WHS: Tuba Christmas - PAC - 12 -1 p.m.

December 18 - 20 Cornerstone: PTO Holiday Shop Tuesday, December 19 WHS: Gr. 8-12 Winter Choir Concert - PAC 7:30 p.m.

Board of Education Meeting - WHS LGIR 7 p.m.

Thursday, December 21 End of 2nd Grading Period for Grades 5-12 December 22 - January 2 NO SCHOOL: Winter Break Thursday, January 4 Cornerstone: Domino’s Dough Night Tuesday, January 9 Edgewood: Geography Bee - EWMS Gym 1 p.m.

Thursday, January 11 WHS: Gr. 9-12 Winter Band Concert - PAC 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, December 9 WHS: ACT Test

Monday, January 15 NO SCHOOL: Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Monday, December 11 WHS: Rotary Orchestra Performance - PAC 3:30 p.m.

WHS: Gr. 9-12 Orchestra Holiday Concert - PAC - 7:30 p.m.

Board of Education Work Session - WHS District Meeting Room - 7 p.m.

Tuesday, January 23 WHS Music Faculty Recital - Zion Lutheran Church - 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, December 12 WHS: Gr. 8 Band Concert - PAC - 7:30 p.m.

December 12 - 14 Parkview: PTO Holiday Shop Thursday, December 14 Edgewood: Spelling Bee -EWMS Gym - 1 p.m.

Friday, January 19 2-HOUR DELAY: Teacher Inservice

Thursday, January 25 Edgewood: Skate Night at Acres of Fun 6-9 p.m.

Friday, January 26 Kean: Talent Show - 6:30-7:30 p.m.

October 2017 :: Volume 8 :: Issue 4

Rheanna Velasquez Named 2017 Northwestern University’s Midwest Academic Talent Search Award Recipient

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Wooster tenth-grade student Rheanna Velasquez recently earned the highest level of distinction as a top scorer in the 2017 Northwestern University Midwest Academic Talent Search (NUMATS). This is the third year in a row that she has received this award.

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Award recipients are selected based on the scores they earn on different college readiness tests. Rheanna was selected for her top performance in the SAT’s Evidence-Based Reading and Writing. Last year, she was recognized for her exceptional performance on the ACT.

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Velasquez received an Outstanding Achievement Award, a first-place medal and a $600 Tuition Scholarship Award to be used for sponsored coursework through the Center for Talent Development.

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Congratulations, Rheanna!

Wooster High School Participates in Third Annual Wayne County Manufacturing Day One hundred and five Wooster High School students attended the third annual Wayne County Manufacturing Day on Oct. 2. This event is the largest Manufacturing Day in the state of Ohio.

Wayne County Manufacturing Day, hosted by the Wooster and Orrville Chambers of Commerce, in partnership with the Wayne Innovations Network, is an annual celebration of modern manufacturing.

Manufacturers from 13 local businesses invited students and community members to their facilities in a collective effort to educate them about manufacturing careers.

Project Lead The Way or currently enrolled in engineering classes, grades 8-12, were invited to attend.

Wooster was one of 11 school districts in Wayne County present. In total, 525 students participated in the day’s events.

discussion featuring four young professionals currently working in the manufacturing industry. Students experienced firsthand what local businesses are manufacturing and had the opportunity to ask

business owners questions about the field of engineering. Students were exposed to the great manufacturing and engineering job opportunities available right in their own backyard!

Throughout the day, students toured different manufacturing facilities and listened to a panel

Students who are members of

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Wooster City School District Edgewood Middle School Goes to Camp Nuhop Sixth graders at Edgewood Middle School, in three different groups, attended Camp Nuhop during the first few weeks of the school year as part of the sixth-grade curriculum. Each sixth-grade student had the opportunity to go to Camp Nuhop for three days and experience challenges, risk taking and team building. The sixth-grade teaching staff, along with our guidance counselors, building administration, and Camp

Nuhop counselors all took part in this educational experience.

Often times, this is the first “away from home” experience for these students. The students packed the items necessary to spend two nights and three days outside their element. During the visit, students were exposed to obstacles that required team work to overcome. The Edgewood and Camp Nuhop staff encouraged leadership and out-of-the-box

thinking with the students. Students were given certain duties to perform that stressed the importance of being a quality team member. The students began to build confidence in their ability to think critically and how best to solve real life problems. This is always a wonderful experience for Edgewood sixth-grade students. We appreciate the support from the Edgewood PTO and many of the volunteers that make this event possible.

Monday, Oct. 9th or Monday, Nov. 13th @ 6pm Visit us during one of our Fall Visit Days to learn more about admissions, academics, financial aid and receive a FREE UA Wayne College shirt!

RSVP online at wayne.uakron.edu/campusvisitday 1901 Smucker Road • Orrville, Ohio 44667 330-683-2010 • wayne.uakron.edu 6

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October 2017 :: Volume 8 :: Issue 4

Wooster City School District Introduces The Leader in Me Program at Elementary Buildings

In an effort to focus on supporting students, creating a positive environment and developing the whole child, the district has introduced The Leader in Me program. The program, which is in its initial stages of implementation, has been introduced to teachers at all of the elementary school buildings.

The Leader in Me provides the vision and language to lead the elementary schools in a way that addresses all areas of development. Based on Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, The Leader in Me supports opportunities for growth in all areas, both academic and nonacademic.

The 7 Habits are: • Habit 1 - Be Proactive: I am a responsible person • Habit 2 - Begin With the End in Mind: I plan ahead and set goals • Habit 3 - Put First Things First: I spend my time on things that are most important • Habit 4 - Think Win-Win: I balance courage for getting what I want with consideration for what others want

• Habit 5 - Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood: I listen to other people’s ideas and feelings • Habit 6 - Synergize: I value other people’s strengths and learn from them • Habit 7 - Sharpen the Saw: I eat right, exercise and get enough sleep The program provides teachers with a two-day training. Each building has a leadership team that is working with a coach from The Leader in Me to develop a plan for leading the initiative at their school. Here’s what teachers had to say about the training:

2017 Outstanding Teacher and Staff Member Awards Congratulations to Matt Giordano, physical education teacher at Cornerstone and Parkview Elementary Schools and recipient of the 18th Annual Wooster City Schools Outstanding Teacher Award, and to Roberta Burr, transportation department secretary and recipient of the first ever Wooster City Schools Outstanding Staff Award.

Mrs. Burr is beginning her 35th year of employment with the Wooster City School District. She began her career as secretary for the accounting department. In 2000, Burr received an award for her “outstanding achievement in the display of fiscal stewardship.” She became the secretary for the transportation department in 2004.

These awards recognize teachers and staff members whose performance both inside and outside the classroom goes above and beyond the ordinary.

Each recipient accepted an unrestricted $5,000 cash stipend, funded by the Ralph R. and Grace B. Jones Foundation.

Congratulations to both of these amazing Wooster Generals!

Mr. Giordano is beginning his 23rd year of teaching for the Wooster City School District. He originally taught English and transitioned into teaching physical education in 2007. He also serves as a before and after school intervention program teacher at the elementary schools and as assistant coach for the high school football team.

Matt Giordano

Roberta Burr

“The two-day training was amazing.

It was very thought-provoking and will hopefully bring positive change in all of us!”

“I will support my students in learning and applying the 7 Habits in their daily life. I can’t wait to start this journey with our kids!”

“I look forward to working as a team and deciding the best way to implement the 7 Habits in our school.”

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CAMPAIGN

Wooster City School District

I T A L L S TA R T S W I T H A S P L A S H CAMPAIGN

2018 Ellen Shapiro Natatorium Renovation Project

I T A L L S TA R T S W I T H A S P L A S H

The Ellen Shapiro Natatorium at Wooster High School is known throughout the community as a place everyone can go to swim, play or watch sporting events. It is used by the high school swim program, the local YMCA, the College of Wooster and the entire Wooster community.

The Natatorium turned 24 years old in 2017, and that age is beginning to show.

Our goal is to restore this facility to its original pristine condition so that residents

of Wooster may continue to enjoy it for generations to come.

Our plan is simple: address the areas of need in the Natatorium as well as areas that will allow the facility to continue to be heavily used by the district and the community. The plan includes extensive locker room renovations, draining and painting the pool, installing energy efficient Luminaire lighting, installation of a surround sound system, window and door replacements, making

the natatorium more energy efficient, improved ventilation and improved handicap accessibility.

Our goal is to raise $1 million for the entire project.

We are hoping to reach our donation goal by January 5, 2018. If we reach our do-

nation goal by January 5, we will be on track to begin renovations on April 1, 2018, and complete them by August 31, 2018.

Our various donation levels ensure that everyone can make a splash and show their pool pride!

Donor Levels Tsunami................................... $10,000+ Roller............................. $5,000 - $9,999 Wave............................. $1,000 - $4,999 Breaker............................... $500 - $999 Whitecap............................ $100 - $499 Splash............................. $99 and under

Please send all donations to: Wayne County Community Foundation 517 N. Market St. Wooster, Ohio 44691 Memo Line: “2018 Natatorium Renovation Fund�

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