Class 13 special edition or section – the purple press by Barberton Herald

Herald

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Page 23

Magic pride means excellence Last week the Ohio Department of Education Why do we need to pass a levy if we are already rated Barberton City Schools as an Excellent Excellent? Bear in mind that our rating is based District. Our Value-added score, which shows on last year’s test scores. This year we have 34 less how much growth individual students attain over teaching positions in Barberton Schools because one school year showed that our students grew in of shortfalls in our federal, state and local funding. reading and math over and above what is expected Fewer teachers mean more students are sitting in in one year of learning. every classroom. This makes it harder for students While most every district in to get the individual attention Summit County is Excellent or from teachers that they need to be Excellent with Distinction, we successful. are particularly proud of this If the levy fails on November achievement because the State’s 6th, we will have to reduce more demographic data tells us that teaching positions and put more 73% of our students are considered students in already crowded classeconomically disadvantaged, but rooms. This may cause parents our students are making gains in to move their students to other spite of this disadvantage. schools. This, in turn, will most Why are our students making likely lead to a decrease in the value these strides? I think it has to of homes in Barberton. And the Patti Cleary do with our staff’s belief that all ripple effect will continue. Our Superintendent students can learn and achieve, but upcoming levy will not bring back Barberton City Schools they all have different strengths and teaching positions that have already weaknesses and many have different been lost, but it will allow us to learning styles. Our teachers have not been just keep the teachers we have now. teaching to the “average” student, they have been We have been talking a lot about Magic Pride giving intervention to our low performing students this fall. If you live in Barberton and are proud of and giving enrichment to our high performing the many great things here, please consider helping students. This is not easy for teachers to plan for us keep our Excellent rating by voting for Issue and implement; it takes hours of preparation and # 63 on November 6th. The future generations teamwork among their fellow teachers to service of Barberton citizens will thank you and Magic children’s needs in an individual way. Pride will live on!

BHS’s Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM Lab) by Dave Barnwell BHS teacher Thanks to Alcoa for the generous grant donation that has allowed us to get the STEM Lab up and running. BHS students have been doing several really cool things. We have been using Google Sketch-Up to create 3-D figures and printing them out on our new 3-D printer. Figures such as Mario, the Starship Enterprise (original version, NCC-1701), the Sphinx, and the Maya Pyramid have been printed. One of the students created a scaled model of his instrument mouthpiece

that we printed for him to try and use. Although the first attempt was unsuccessful, we problem solved to find a solution that worked. We have cleaned, prepped, and started filling the greenhouse with plants. The students have learned how to mix soil, do plant cuttings, and collect seeds from existing plants. We have studied hydroponics and are about to install an irrigation system to make the greenhouse self-sustaining. We are also planning an outside garden for the spring. We are about to receive the software that will teach us about Green

Energy. With these programs, students will be doing city planning, which involves trying to create a functioning city that supplies enough power while keeping its carbon footprint at a minimum. The other program focuses specifically on house design and how to lower the carbon emissions of a house through the use of solar panels, insulation, and energy efficient machines. We are having an excellent time in STEM and students are experiencing hands-on, highlevel learning. I am learning as much as the students and they are

teaching me some of the programs they are familiar with, including Google Sketch-Up and Audacity (a sound program about acoustics). The students a re p l a n n i n g c l a s s lessons they designed themselves to show how to use these programs. We are problem solving together and even though it is still a work in progress, the STEM program is already becoming one of the most popular classes at BHS. Thank you again to the Alcoa Corporation for funding the software and materials to make the BHS STEM Lab possible.

Barberton High School Marketing Program Three senior DECA students at BHS, Sierra Phillips, B r e a n n e To w n s e n , a n d Ja n e l M i t ch e l l will be competing for Ohio DECA st ate o ff i c e t h i s c o m i n g N ove m b e r. Th ey have spent many hours studying and preparing for tests a n d s c r e e n i n g w h i ch qualified them for t h i s o p p o r t u n i t y. Th e D E C A / M a r ke t i n g class will be helping them campaign at the Fall Leadership Conference in Columbus, OH on N o v. 8 .

Barberton Community Foundation helps with college and career readiness The Barberton City School District would like to thank the Barberton Community Foundation for several very generous grants that will help our students prepare for their future careers. The Foundation has provided funding for college entrance preparation materials and test administrations for all of our high schools students. Now, all 9th graders can take the EXPLORE test, all 10th graders can take the PLAN test and all 11th graders can take the ACT, free of charge. The 9th and 10th grade tests help prepare for the ACT and the ACT is required for students to enter college in Ohio. The Foundation is also covering the cost for Advanced Placement Tests (AP) for students who are taking rigorous AP courses. If a student scores high enough on these exams, they essentially test-out of a college level course when they reach college. The tests are about $75 for students, and a high score can save them from

paying for 3-5 college credits per course, which will save our students thousands of dollars in college costs. In May of this year, the Foundation awarded the district additional funds to send students on college visits with our BHS teachers. Our students will be able to see a variety of small, medium and large college campuses and learn about their course offerings. Finding the right fit for each student is an important task and will help our students select the college that will ensure the best chance of success. The Barberton Community Foundation cannot give Barberton Schools funding for all of our needs; that is impossible. They have, however, provided extra help for our students to meet the challenges of the future, beginning with the daunting task of getting ready for the next steps in their education after high school. Thank you, BCF, for your continued support and farsightedness!

Calendar of Events Nov 22-26...........Thanksgiving Dec 24-Jan 1 .......Winter Break Jan 2....................School Resumes Jan 18..................Records Day Jan 21..................Martin Luther King Day Feb 15 .................Comp Day Feb 18 .................Presidents' Day Mar 29-Apr 5 .....Spring Break May 24................Waiver Day May 27................Memorial Day June 4..................Students' Last Day June 5..................Teachers' Last Day

Parent Teacher Conferences 3:45 - 7:00 p.m. Nov. 1 .................Elementary Nov. 8 .................Middle School Nov. 15 ...............Barberton High Jan. 24.................Elementary Jan. 31.................Middle School Feb. 28 ................Barberton High

Herald

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Thursday, November 1, 2012

Barberton High School Barberton High School Advancement to Nursing Marketing Class

Student Khrystle Callihan, Barberton High School, and Marissa Hier, Wadsworth High School, perform CPR on a mannequin. CPR and caring for our community is what the Barberton High School Advancement to Nursing class is all about. The rigorous course prepares them to be successful in nursing or a health care career of choice. The program is integrated with SUMMA Barberton Hospital and Pleasant Point Health Care Center to provide many services in our school and community.

LEFT TO RIGHT: Justina Brady, Dara McCardell, Derek Jones and Genny Just. Photo taken on May 7th, 2012 when BHS DECA members met the Jones family at their house.

Ever y year the Barberton High School (BHS) DECA chapter chooses a charity and dedicates the year educating the community on this charity and helping raise funds for the charity. For this year’s Community Service Project, the chapter has decided to focus on a local, non-profit organization called A Kid Again. A Kid Again is a charity similar to Make a Wish Foundation. However, A Kid Again is Ohio based and is dedicated to helping local children with life threatening illnesses. From now until March the BHS DECA chapter will be creating awareness for A Kid Again and planning fundraisers to benefit this charity. The BHS DECA program is a marketing association that prepares high school students in the fields on entrepreneurship, marketing, finance, and hospitality. The program also helps students become academically prepared, community oriented,

professionally responsible, and experienced leaders. The goal of this project is not only to educate the community about A Kid Again but to make a positive impact in the community. That is why the BHS DECA members Justina Brady, Genny Just and Dara McCardell met with Derek Jones and his parents, Amy and Dean Jones, on May 7th 2012. Derek is an 11 year old boy in the Barberton City School District. He has a metabolism disease called Maple Syrup Urine Disease, which is an inherited disorder in which the body is unable to process certain amino acids properly. The condition gets its name from the distinctive odor of the affected infants’ urine. There’s no cure for this disease, however, as a treatment he cannot eat regular foods. His parents have to give him his proper nutrients through a tube. Maple Syrup Urine Disease affects 1 in 185,000 infants

worldwide. Derek has recently become involved in A Kid Again with the help of BHS DECA. BHS DECA is very excited to be starting this project and working with Derek and his family for the next 6 months. If you would like to learn more about this charity and disease visit BHS DECA a t t h e Barberton Sports Complex Family Fun Night on Saturday, October 13th from 5 pm - 7 pm. They will have a table set up with information and an oppor tunity for donations. Connect with BHS A Kid Again Project online: “Like” our Facebook page at BHSAKidAgain, follow us on Twitter @ BHSAKidAgain, and subscribe to YouTube @BHSAKidAgain1. If you would like to make a donation to this project contact D E C A a d v i s o r, Samantha Franchino at sfranchino@ barber tonschools.org or 330-753-1084 ext 5175.

On October 7, the Barberton High School Advancement to Nursing and Pleasant View Health Care Center participated in the Akron Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk. Led by students Katie Crislip and Ashley Miller, the students worked with Laura Whitt from Pleasant View Health Care Center to raise over $1200 for Breast Cancer Awareness.

Barberton City Schools Purple Points of Pride (PPOP Cards) The following individuals went above and beyond the call of duty during the month of August and/or September! We appreciate their time and dedication to the students and staff of the Barberton City Schools. If you should see these people in the district, please take the time to congratulate them and thank them for their effort. Connie Anger Cathy Brescilli Jennifer Bruzda Joellen Coughenour Diane Culbertson Linda Flaker Janice Firtha Patti Heitic Jolene Light Laura Lucas Lori Manning Kathleen Pantuso Sharon Smith Diane Szittai

Barberton Elementary School West Barberton Elementary School East Barberton Elementary School East Barberton High School Barberton Elementary School East Barberton Elementary School West Barberton Elementary School East Administration Building Barberton Elementary School West Barberton Elementary School East Barberton Elementary School East Administration Building Barberton Elementary School East Barberton High School

As a reminder, you can find the BCS’s PPOP Cards in the main office of each building. If you notice someone’s performance going above and beyond, simply fill out a PPOP Card and send the whole card to the Personnel Office.

Herald

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Page 25

PTSA Project Reach students announce the opening of the Magic Closet Barberton Middle School staff and students are off to an amazing start. Everyone hit the ground running and great things are happening in all of our classrooms. As we near the end of the first grading period we are excited to share one of new programs thatwereintroducedthisyear. Project R.E.A.C.H. is a Barberton Middle School PTSA sponsored program that is focused on kids giving back to their community while building inner character, independent strength and self-starting motivation. The fundamentals are in the name: Responsibility, Empathy, Awareness, Compassion and Honor. Student members of this program have created a BMS Student Recycle Store “ ,The Magic Closet”, which will open in Fall 2012. The store is located within Barberton Middle School where a classroomhasbeenconverted into the store space. This store consists of gently used clothing items, and school supplies that have been obtained through donations from within the Barberton community. The goal of this student operated store is to provide classmates with

independent access to much needed tangible necessities. The students recognize that financial burdens directly affect students on a recurrent basis making it difficult for children to have adequate suppliesnotonlyforfieldtrips and outdoor activities, but in their daily lives. TheopeningofTheMagic Closet allows BMS students to earn “Magic Money” by means of being a positive influence on their fellow classmates, offering compassion rather than intolerance, assertively intervening in bullying situations, above expectation performance in academics and also earning “Magic Money” by receiving five or more written student compliments on the Positivity Bulletin Board. All students are able to “shop” at The Magic Closet as well as teachers who may be obtaining items for specific students in need. B e c a u s e Pr o j e c t R.E.A.C.H. is a program made up of a mosaic of students, the opportunity for The Magic Store will broadenawarenessandcreate amoreunifiedstudentatmosphere. Students running the store will learn diverse interaction and communi-

cation techniques based on the different “customers” and their personal circumstance. Furthermore, taking inventoryofdonatedmerchandise and tracking “sales,” along with customer service and team building skills, will allow students to learn first- hand what responsibility is in respect to employment. Helpingonechildisfantastic, but helping many is a miracle. Barberton Middle School is home to the “Magics” and this is where miracles happen. We are confident in the outcome and with our inventory and sales tracking, will be able to assessthesuccessoftheStudent Recycle Store Project.This will also enable students to have an additional reference point on theirfirstjobapplicationswhen they reach the age of employment. For students who may not have access otherwise to obtain personal items on their own, The Magic Closet may be their first opportunity as individuals to truly “help” themselves by earning items based on behavior. Lastly, for the students participating in the creation of this store and running it, they are not only consistently gaining selfrespect, but they are growing as prolific members of our community.

Barberton Elementary School East The ceremonial ribbon cutting ceremony and community open house event has taken place at Barberton Elementary School East (BESE), and students have settled into their new routines. The new buildings have provided a very comfortable learning environment with state of the art technology and a well-equipped media center. Starboards in each classroom allow teachers to access the Internet to provide lessons that lead to a better understanding of concepts. BESE’s Title I Reading Specialists, Mrs. Janice Fi r t h a , M r s . L o r i Manning, Mrs. Sharon Smith, and Miss Laura Lucas, have been very busy administering the Dynamic Indicator of Basic English Literacy Skills (DIBELS) assessments to all students. The information gained from these assessment measures will guide the Title I staff and classroom teachers as they develop lessons and plan tutoring and enrichment sessions for students. The Title I staff will be on hand to

Barberton Elementary School West

This October at West Elementary, third grade teacher Mr. Daniels led students in a better understanding of the upcoming national election process by having the students set up and participate in traditional ballot-voting for student council officers and representatives. Over one day, fourthgraders supervised voting by registering voters, handing out ballots, and monitoring returns by both fellow fourth- and third-graders. The votes were then counted, and it has been determined that West Elementary’s first Student Council will be led by President Cole Bennett, Vice President Mason Lentz, Secretary Anthony Simons, and Treasurer Zane Butz. In addition, 20 students from the ten third- and fourth-grade classes will Two West Elementary students oversee voting registration, while another spends serve as representatives to a few moments mulling over the choices on his ballot in a private partitioned area. the council.

provide information to parents of kindergarten through third graders about the 3rd Grade Reading Guarantee during parent teacher conference hours. Parents who would like to know more about the 3rd Grade Reading Guarantee are invited to drop-in the media center to learn more about the law. BESE’s librarian, Mrs. Dian Horvatic recently held a Scholastic Book Fair to raise funds to purchase books for our library. Students purchased books and raised funds to add over $2,000 worth of books to our media center shelves. In addition to serving breakfast and lunch daily, the new cafetorium has hosted many events including a Barberton City School District Board of Education Meeting and a Building Dedication Ceremony. Second Graders, led by Music Teacher Mr. Rob Wagner, took the stage during these events to sing The Hello Song, Welcome to Music, America and unveil our district’s “Excellent” state rating. Barberton City School District’s Transportation Department presented a bus safety training program to students, and the University of Akron Jazz Faculty Group performed for students teaching them about the basics of jazz, including history, styles, improvisation and audience participation. Many community o r g a n i z a t i o n s h a ve come forward to offer enriching experiences and services to students. Boy Scout leaders, Mr. Chad Cunningham and Mr. Tom Craig, have visited students to provide information about the Boy Scouts of America. The Summit County Public Health Department has offered dental screening and will offer free dental services to students. The University of Akron has teamed up with BESE to provide extra learning experiences to BESE students through their Service Learning Program. University students come to school to work with elemen-

tary students to provide literacy lessons aligned to Ohio State Learning Standards. Barberton Public Library will visit students to provide information about the programs they offer. BESE’s PTA is a very active organization. They are working hard to raise funds to provide students with holiday parties, educational assemblies, and fun events such as Breakfast with Santa and family dances, field day and other end of the year events. PTA recently held a Walkathon at the Glenn “Jeep” Davis Track and Soccer Complex where students and parents enjoyed walking to music. The Barberton High School Band participated in the event by leading walkers around the track while playing the BHS Fight Song, and BHS Cheerleaders helped build the spirit by performing cheers and dance routines. The PTA organized a pumpkin decorating contest. The theme of this year’s contest is, “What I want to be when I grow up.” Fall parties were held and students were led on a costume parade through Manor Care Nursing Facility. The next BESE PTA meeting will be held on November 8th at 6:30 p.m. For more information on PTA events, check out Barberton Elementary East PTA’s Facebook Page. Up c o m i n g B E S E events include: Barberton City School’s Magic March – October 26th beginning at Lake Anna at 4:30 ParentTeacher Conferences – November 1st Report Cards – November 2nd PTA Meeting – November 8th at 6:30 p.m. in the Media Center Picture Retake Day – November 12th PTA Movie Night at Lake Cinema 8 – November 21st Thanksgiving Break – November 22nd For a more comprehensive list of events, check out our school’s page on the Barberton City School District’s website: barberton schools.org.

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Herald

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Kiwanis recognizes academic achievement

Book fair expands minds

Barberton fourth-grade students who passed their state assessment tests in math and reading last year as third-graders were recognized by the Magic City Kiwanis with certificates and a pizza party at the high school commons. Jason Ondrus, Magic City Kiwanis member and Barberton Schools director of personnel noted at Saturday’s event the school district receiving an “Excellent” rating on the state report card. “The students that are sitting here today earned their way,” Ondrus said. He described the recognition as a great moment and from those moments come opportunities.

Parents line up photos as their children accept certificates for passing third-grade state assessment tests.

Fourth-grade students enjoy listening to Mrs. Horvatic read to them before shopping at the Barberton Elementary School East’s Scholastic Book Fair.

Fourth-grade students who passed their math and reading assessment tests in third grade show off their certificates at a pizza party by members of the Magic City Kiwanis.

Barberton High School Band leading the way for the Magic March!

Barberton High School Business Management Class BARBERTON BOARD OF EDUCATION

The junior Business Management class at Barberton High School hosted guest speaker, Maverick Carter, on Friday, October 26, 2012, in the BHS Media Center. Maverick Carter is the man behind LeBron James-his business manager. He founded the management firm LRMR which, in addition to managing James, works alongside the LeBron James Family Foundation. He shared his business experience and advice with the students as they consider entrepreneurship for themselves. In addition, Maverick entertained questions from our students. He also encouraged them to get as much education as possible in order to be successful businessmen and women!

LEFT TO RIGHT: Ron Romich, Member; Maggie Masson, Member; Dennis Liddle, President; Megann Eberhart, Member; Joe Stefan, Vice President

Herald

Thursday, November 1, 2012

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Bullying KEEP MAGIC PRIDE IN OUR

STOPS Here!

COMMUNITY!

Barberton Schools Emergency Operating Levy STOP THE BULLYING, BY THOSE WHO DON’T CARE ABOUT OUR SCHOOLS & STUDENTS! GET THE FACTS!

RUMOR: Construction of the new school buildings was not needed and has caused the district to need new money to operate them. FACT: 1.) The money needed is for operations, but it is needed due to approximately $4,000,000,000 in annual reductions in revenue from the state and declines in property values. 2.) By taking advantage of the state of Ohio paying 60% of the cost of our new buildings and consolidating from 7 buildings down to 3, the district saves approximately $500,000 per year! RUMOR: Certain employees were given raises when others were committing to pay freezes. FACT: All district employees, including Administrators, agreed to pay freezes for three years including the next two years. Some union employees and administrators received promotions to new positions for taking additional responsibilities which allowed us to reduce the net number of employees. These individuals received small increases in compensation while many others received reductions in compensation for having reduced responsibility. There was a reduction in total administrative salaries of over $300,000 per year for this school year!

RUMOR: Cuts in busing and pay-to-participate for extracurricular is an attempt by the district to influence voters. FACT: The cuts to busing and the pay-to-participate are necessary as the financial situation gets desperate. These extras are NOT required by the State of Ohio and we do not receive funding for them. Due to the impact on children and parents, the Board identified busing and sports as some of the last items it wanted to reduce. The district already cut numerous positions, increased class sizes, eliminated certain course offerings and was then finally forced to reduce busing and initiate pay-toparticipate. RUMOR: The district has and continues to waste taxpayer money. FACT: The majority of a school district’s operating cost are related to salaries and benefits. Barberton residents

should be proud that our district costs are BELOW the State averages and those of similar (Like) districts. RUMOR: District leadership is providing misleading information or hiding facts about finances and staffing decisions. FACT: The district is a public entity and all meetings and records are open to the public. We encourage all residents to attend board meetings and request information if they have any questions or want additional detail regarding any rumors.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Barberton City Schools’ Levy Q. Why does the Barberton City School District need additional operating money? A. Reductions in funding from state and federal budgets (which account for 70% of the district’s operating money), and the devaluation of real estate values in Barberton for the past several years (which is 30% of operating money) have led to a loss of over $4,000,000 in operating money. The district is only asking for a 5 year instead of a 10 year levy because of this emergency situation. This levy will only replace some of the lost revenue. Barberton City School District is facing a serious deficit which must be addressed this year. Q. How will students be affected if the levy fails?

A. If the levy does not pass, beginning with the 2013-2014 school year, the district will continue to reduce expenses. Some of these cuts may include: elementary gifted services, full day kindergarten, a shortened elementary school day, and the arts and electives. Most likely we will see larger class sizes in all grade levels. BCSD has already reduced busing and have gone to a pay-to-participate program for athletics and academic clubs. They have also eliminated field trips that are funded by the district and have curtailed purchasing of supplies and classroom materials. Q. Have the BCSD staff members continued to get raises? A. All of the BCSD employee groups, including administrators, have taken pay freezes, and step increase freezes for the next two years. All employees have agreed to pay more for their health insurance over the years of their contracts. Only employees who have been promoted into positions of greater responsibility have received pay increases, including head cooks, head custodians, head secretaries, several teacher supplemental positions and several administrative positions. Some administrators, teachers and support staff actually took pay decreases. The consolidation of buildings has allowed a decrease in the number of positions, thus decreasing personnel expenses overall.

60% of new and renovated buildings. The old buildings had to be replaced in the near future, so this project is a $45 million savings for the taxpayer. Also, the district has begun realizing approximately $500,000 per year of savings by reducing nine buildings down to five. BCSD cannot use construction money for operating expenses—these funds must remain separate. Q. What will the district do with the old buildings? Will this help pay for needed expenses? A. The district is looking for buyers for the empty buildings. They will follow state law in going out to bid for the best reasonable offer. If they do not receive any reasonable offers, they will demolish Portage and Memorial, then go out to bid for the vacant property. The proceeds from these properties, however, can only be used for capital expenses, not for salaries or classroom supplies. Still, these funds will help maintain and improve current buildings without using general fund dollars.

a new levy will ensure that they do not have to make additional personnel reductions. Q. Why doesn’t the Barberton Community Foundation cover the needs of the schools? A. The Barberton Community Foundation cannot sustain a shortfall of $3 million each year to bridge the gap between expense and revenue for the schools. Also, their charter does not allow funding of salaries. Approximately 70-75% of school expenses go to salaries. The Foundation has been very responsive in awarding the school district grants for technology, library books, third grade swimming lessons, college entrance testing costs and much more, but they cannot pay all of our expenses. Q. What will it cost me if the levy passes? A. The five-year, 8.52 mill emergency levy will cost the following: $50,000 home $10.87 per month $75,000 home $16.31 per month $100,000 home $21.74 per month

Q. If the levy passes, will BCSD bring back all the people and services that have been cut in the last few years? A. If the levy passes, the district will be able to restore busing to the 1 mile limit, which was the past practice before this To determine how the reduction in property school year. Next year they will not need to Q. Why does the district need tax and addition of the levy will affect your continue pay-to participate. Unfortunately, new money? They just built new tax bill, go to http://fiscaloffice.summitoh. BCSD will not be able to bring back buildings. net/ and, then click on Pending Levy the administrative, teaching or support A. Barberton Schools were able to take Estimator on the right menu. advantage of state funding that pays for positions that have been previously cut, but Paid for by Citizens for Barberton Schools’ Future, Sally Avant, Treasurer, 479 Norton Avenue, Barberton, OH 44203