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Girard City School District Winter 2021-2022

Superintendent Message Bryan O'Hara

I’m hoping everyone is enjoying the holiday season and the winter recess. Often you have heard me share the phrase, “We Are Girard Family Taking Care of Each Other,” which reminds me daily to reflect on the uniqueness of my position. My district “family” collaborates with district leadership, administration, staff, students, and our community. Countless times we’ve taken care of one another here in Girard, and I cherish the ability to see it firsthand in our school halls and throughout our neighborhoods. Our Girard family indeed has shown the fantastic things they can accomplish inside and outside of the classroom by showing what family means. We had one second-grade classroom collaborate with the Second Harvest Food Bank and generate thousands of meals for those in need from a small idea. Our food pantries at all buildings have flourished thanks to the generosity of our students, staff, and community. Students have excelled at our Prospect and Intermediate buildings with our new STEAM program working with SPHERO robots. And I couldn’t be prouder of our four students we recognized at the Twenty under 20 awards banquet. Additionally, our annual Gift of a Lifetime program - orchestrated by GHS administration, staff, and students, provided Christmas gifts to over 160 children in the Girard School District.

As we approach the 2nd semester, our district will continue taking precautionary measures to protect ourselves and those around us while persistently providing academic and non-academic continuity of services for all our students. On behalf of myself, our treasurer, and the Girard Board of Education, we wish you a safe and healthy 2022; I look forward to the second half of the school year and watching our students grow and flourish. Thank you for all you do to better the success of our Girard students.

Bryan O’Hara 1

STEAM: Prospect & GIS If a plan does not work the first time, reflect on the process, make changes, and try again. This is one of the many life skills kids learn in the new STEAM program in grades K-6. The district has adopted a STEAMbased company called Sphero. Grades K-3 uses Sphero Indi robots to inspire innovative play-based learning by empowering kids to design and build their mazes while teaching critical problem-solving and computational thinking skills without using an app or screen. Instead, the robot completes tasks based on the color square it drives over. For instance, a pink square will make the robot turn left, and a blue square will turn it right. Students are challenged with puzzles to solve mazes with missing pieces.

Grades 4-6 use Sphero Bolts which requires computer programing. There's simple block coding — drag and drop that requires no previous knowledge. Here you can adjust the details of what you want BOLT to do from the way it moves and even sounds. BOLT can play random noises from a dog barking, whales in the ocean, and even a carnival barker — there are many more, and you can let the program choose or select one. BOLT can speak as well: selecting words will get the app to say them aloud using the voice A.I. in your device. You can draw paths for BOLT and then have it go, mirroring the drawing slowly. The LED display inside BOLT lets you change colors using the Drive feature. But you can program this matrix by drawing pictures and spelling out words.

Taking Care Before Thanksgiving, The Girard Junior High Student Council and the High School Future Prep class wrapped up their food drive. The items collected will go to the Junior and High School food pantry. The pantry helps families and students who are in need in our community. Over 1,700 nonperishable food items and hygiene items were collected.

"It was wonderful to observe high school students help mentor junior high student council members to create a food drive with such awesome results; under the leadership of teachers DJ Doda and Claire Ferrando, so much can be given back to the Girard Community." Jennifer Santangelo Principal Girard junior high school.

Of Each Other

For the 5th consecutive year, Girard Prospect and Intermediate schools held a food drive to stock the shelves of our very own food pantry, so no child goes hungry. This pantry supplies item for students who may need things to take home at the end of the day. Good nutrition plays an instrumental role in our student's physical, mental, and academic life and productivity. This year we are very excited to announce that we have received 1,200 donations from families, staff, and our community. "It's wonderful to help around us, but knowing our own are getting it first hand has been incredible; what a great response!" - Jamie Rodemeyer - PTO Secretary.

Twenty under 20 The Girard City School District was well represented at the recent Twenty under 20 award banquet, with four students being honored. Senior Natalie Suich was recognized as the top recipient of the 2021 Twenty Under 20 award. The Tribune Chronicle organized the program cosponsored by Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley and Kent State University at Trumbull. In its 9th-year, the program highlights 20 individuals under twenty for leadership skills through volunteerism, extracurricular activities, and academic achievements.

Senior Dante Byrne was also recognized as a top individual, earning a $125 check to donate to his chosen charity. Also recognized were Seniors Myia Meszaros and Kaylynn Thomas as Twenty under 20 award recipients. “Especially coming out of covid, our kids wanted to have a typical school year with pep rallies and spirit. Natalie’s leadership with those things is remarkable. She did more to try and help get us back to normal more than any other student. I noticed that, and apparently, the judges did as well,” Sam Caputo Girard High School Principal. “All four of them their community service is above and beyond and not in the conventional ways. Dante with the flags Kaylynn with the book drive. Very innovative ways.”

"It’s huge. I feel so honored and blessed to be the top pick amongst 19 other teens in that area. It’s a great feeling to know that my impact is recognized,” said Suich. She has volunteered at Crossroads Hospice for the last three years and plans to pursue a career as a radiology oncologist. “ I thank my brother for leading me into that career path; he has autism and has never had that person to make him feel important and fit in. I want to be that person to make sure everyone knows they have a place.” With the top honor, Natalie received a $500 check to donate to a charity of her choosing, which she plans on contributing to the Down Syndrom Association of the Valley."

Prospect Students Give Back Second-grade Prospect Elementary students in Mrs. Bowman's class presented checks in November to the Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley and The Girard Baseball Association for $443 each. Her students made beaded friendship bracelets and sold them to family members and students at Prospect Elementary School. The beaded bracelets were 2 for $2. They called them "Friendsgiving Bracelets."

The class's goal was to raise $500 and split the cost between the Second Harvest Food Bank and Beads to Play Baseball - a nonprofit charity started by Maddox Collins, a student in Mrs. Bowman's class, it pays for students at Prospect Elementary to play for the Girard Baseball Association. Overall, they raised $886 in just three weeks of their fundraiser. Renee Fuller, Director of Development for Second Harvest Food Bank, explained to the class that the money raised would provide 2,600 meals. The other $443 will be deposited into the Beads to Play Baseball account and pay 5-6 student-athletes to play baseball, softball, or Tball come this spring season for the Girard Baseball Association.

Epilepsy Awareness During a recent class lesson, students in Ms. Haun’s classroom learned firsthand about Eplipsey and signs of a seizure. One of their classmates, Elliot and Multiple Disability Aide Ashley Simunich, have Eplipsey and went over their experiences. Students learned the science behind Eplipsey, discovering the brain reactions during seizures and procedures to follow if their friend is experiencing one. The class then worked on a project detailing how we’re all different in some ways. It doesn’t make us better than another; we’re all equal and here to help each other.

Ashley explained how it has affected her throughout life and how she understood the signs of a seizure. She explained that it was easy to manage as she grew older, but a solid support system was helpful. She read a book about a little boy and how he feels when he has a seizure. The lesson tied in that we’re all equal and here to help each other. Including the adults!

Microsoft Ready GHS students are becoming careerready in our Microsoft Certification courses taught by Mrs. Perez and Mrs. Smith by earning specialist certifications in Word, Excel, and Powerpoint. The Microsoft Office Specialist certifications are industry-recognized and give the students a credential that proves their skill level. Earning these certifications allows the students to increase their marketability during job searches, increasing their confidence. The course is self-paced so that the students can master the needed skills.

“It’s the fact that every job out there uses excel. If it doesn’t, it could get work done more efficiently. I was in the industry for 15 years before I became a teacher, and I know how valuable excel skills are and how much I’ve used them in every job. It’s industry-recognized and will make our Girard students more marketable when they hit the market and gives them a leg up on the competition,” Maria Perez, Business Teacher.

Blue Ribbon Award

Ohio State Senator Sandra O’Brien visited Girard Intermediate School in November to present a resolution in honor of receiving the National Blue Ribbon Award. Since 1982 the National Blue Ribbon School Program has recognized schools based on their overall academic excellence or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. Girard Intermediate was nominated in the category of Exemplary High Performing Schools.

“The Blue Ribbon Award exemplifies the tradition of family and excellence that the Girard community has come to expect. This award is an incredible honor for the students, staff, and community as it highlights hard work and dedication,” Julianne Ware Principal Girard Intermediate School.