We Are Pickerington!
Karen Mantia, Ed.D. Superintendent of PLSD
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elieve it or not, it’s 2009 and a new school year has begun. A new school year signifies another year our children mature, another year that our families grow, and another year that our communities change.
We are certainly proud of our students and staff for these achievements, but more importantly, the greater measure of success is how students interact in and with their learning environment. At Pickerington Schools, we recognize that no one stands alone. The old adage that “it takes a village to raise a child” could not ring more true. So, this year we celebrate that notion with our new mantra, “We are Pickerington.” The “We are Pickerington” campaign is being launched this year to signify that coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together will define the future our future. Our community offers different avenues of support for student success. Parents, grandparents, local businesses, youth leagues, churches, government, police, fire, and residents – we all feed into the success of our children. There’s just no getting around it – in the complex world that we live today, there is only one way to move forward and that is together. Mantia continued on pg. 10
Setting Goals Has Great Rewards by N. Rushlow, Harmon Middle School Guest Editorial Setting goals and working towards them is hard work, but it’s always worth it. What is a goal? A goal is a challenge you set for yourself to accomplish or improve at something. A goal can be anything from learning to play an instrument to improving your grades. Some of my personal goals are to obtain excellent grades, learn new violin pieces, and better my swimming times. Why do I set goals? I set goals because I think that it’s good to challenge myself and strive to improve. There is always something I can do better, and setting goals can help me do that something better. Initially, a goal may seem utterly unattainable, however with perseverance it is possible to succeed.
In order to achieve goals, one must work with diligence. For example, I practice my violin 45 minutes a day, every day. That is how I work towards my goal of learning new pieces, such as La Folia. This piece is extremely long and very challenging, but I know that with practice I will eventually master it. Sometimes, it is necessary to make sacrifices. One may have to stop doing other things in order to make time to work toward your goals. This may seem difficult at the time, but it may be rewarding in the long run. For example, I may have to practice my violin instead of spending time with my friends. It is important to be neat and organized, and I prefer to keep a schedule so that I always know
The School Bell is a community newszine dedicated to providing in-depth coverage of the Pickerington Local School District. Its staff is comprised of District staff and students. It is published four times a year. For more information about the School Bell, contact: The Communications Department Pickerington Local Schools, 777 Long Road, Pickerington Ohio, 43147 Phone: 614-833-2110; Fax: 614-833-2143 www.pickerington.k12.oh.us
2009-2010 School Bell Staff Editor: Lee Cole Copy Editors: Betty Conley, Diana Myers Production/Design Team: Lee Cole Photographers: Lee Cole, PHSC advanced photography students: Ryan Klipa, Taylor Rickman, Isha Mansaray; PHSC Music Boosters, PHSN Beginning Yearbook Class Contributing Writers: Beatrice Horsford,
when I’ll have time to work towards my goals. If I achieved my goal, my hard work finally paid off. I can feel like I accomplished something instead of just working. What if I didn’t succeed? Will I try again? I believe that I shouldn’t be discouraged just because I didn’t achieve a goal. Even if I decide not to try again, did any good come out of my work? Of course it did! I learned how to set goals, budget my time, work and study hard, and do my best in trying to achieve them. By learning to accept challenges and having a strong work ethic, I have become the person that I am. So no matter what the outcome, setting personal goals and working towards them has many benefits. Nicholas Rushlow, Lee Cole, Dan Griscom, Contributing Writers: Caroline Johnson, Karen Mantia, Karen Sewell, Jack Thomas PLSD Board of Education: Lori Sanders, president; Lee Gray, vice president; Wes Monhollen, Clay Lopez, Lisa Reade, members Superintendent: Karen Mantia, Ed.D. Treasurer: Dan Griscom
Photo by Lee Cole
For Pickerington Schools the new year is highlighted with a second year of Excellent with Distinction. Only 115 of the 611 Ohio school districts earned the state’s highest academic honor.
The School Bell
October 2009 | The School Bell | www.pickerington.k12.oh.us
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