Howland Local Schools | February 2020

FEBRUARY 2020 | ISSUE 5

HOWLAND LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT Proud Past, Roaring Future

THREE HOWLAND STUDENTS SPELL THEIR WAY TO VICTORY Howland Intermediate student Landon Gilmour (left), H.C. Mines student Brooklyn Vaness (middle) and Howland Middle School student Dante Marsco (right) earned themselves first place finishes in their respective schools' spelling bee. All three school buildings hosted their bees in January. On Wednesday, February 26, Gilmour, Vaness and Marsco will compete in the Trumbull County Educational Service Center's countywide spelling bee to prepare for the upcoming Tribune Chronicle Scripps Spelling Bee.

INSIDE THIS EDITION Letter from the Superintendent - 2 Mock Interviews - 3 Exciting ELA Day - 4

The Roar - 6 Mattress Fundraiser - 7 Mark Your Calendar - 8

FROM THE DESK OF THE SUPERINTENDENT We are excited that our initiatives in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) curriculum have continued to grow in Howland Schools as we now move forward into a venture that includes robotics. It’s the next step in hands-on, minds-on STEM experiences for our kids. Howland students already receive opportunities in STEM early on in their education through curricular and co-curricular initiatives that include “Makerspace” classrooms.

Makerspace rooms allow our elementary students to witness and perform age-appropriate activities.

STEM curriculum continues into high school and includes opportunities for students like Project Lead the Way courses, which are designed to give students an introduction to the basics of coding and computer programming.

Students create Android apps, program self-driving vehicle robots, and learn the basics of the Python programming language. This course familiarizes Kevin Spicher students with problem-solving techniques using the computer and learning Java programming language focused on object-oriented programming and Superintendent related mathematics.

Other aligned courses include Introduction to Engineering Design (IED) and other STEM courses where students are introduced to the engineering design process, applying math, science, and engineering standards to identify and design solutions to a variety of real problems. They work both individually and in collaborative teams to develop and document design solutions using PLTW Engineering Notebooks and 3D modeling software.

Students work through problems that engage and challenge them in a broad range of engineering topics, including mechanisms, the strength of structures and materials, and automation. Students develop skills in problem solving, research, and design while learning strategies for design process documentation, collaboration, and presentation.

Other courses expose students to Arduino hardware and software to give students an introduction to microcontrollers and how they work to create the "internet of things" in today's world. Students wire the circuits and code the software to complete the tasks involving analog and digital circuits, basics of electricity, as well as sensors, solenoids, and stepper motors.

Additionally, physics assists students with the understanding of the mechanical knowledge required in the real world and robotics. Understanding motion, forces, and energy helps students to gain the knowledge needed to take on the tasks that robotics competitions establish each year. Students participating in the robotics teams will have the opportunities to work together and also collaborate with other teams from other schools while competing with them. Students are scored in areas that include reaching out and collaborating with other schools during competitions to assist with robotics failures or challenges, which is very much like real world collaborative problem-solving. Importantly, the robotics teams must create solutions for local community problems that can then become systemic solutions for others around the globe.

As with any co-curricular/extra-curricular opportunities for our students, it takes outside partnerships to make the robotics program successful. Our incredible progress over the past few years has been due to the continued support we have received from our parents and community business partners. If you or your business have an interest in supporting STEM Robotics Teams, you may contact the high school principal, activities office, or district administration office or PAWS (Partnerships Advocating and Working for Students) at howlandpaws19@gmail.com to see the many ways you can become involved. It takes volunteering expertise in programming, technology, mechanical devices, robotics, software and program writing - and any ideas you might have to offer!

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LOCAL BUSINESS LEADERS PARTNER WITH HHS TO CONDUCT MOCK INTERVIEWS Through Howland High School's College and Career Readiness course, the district's 10th grade students have been learning how to prepare for college and the workforce. The course, which teaches students how to write a resume, how to fill out a job application and how to conduct themselves in an interview, offered students the opportunity to participate in mock interviews last month. As part of the interviewing process, local business leaders came to Howland High School to ask students interview questions, as well as provide feedback to students on how they performed during the interview. Because the most of the student had little to no job experience, the interviewers based their questions on the students' experiences in school-related activities and outside activities.

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HMS

EXCITING

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS DAY

HHS

Howland Intermediate

Springs Primary

Glen Primary

ADVANCED LANGUAGE ARTS CLASSES PUBLISH QUARTERLY NEWSPAPER AT HMS Since the beginning of the school year, students in Jeff Kamovitch’s Advanced Language Arts classes have been writing and publishing a quarterly newspaper, The Roar.

“It began as an activity to practice summarizing events, movies, video games, and other areas of interest in students' lives. It branched out and became a newspaper when the students in my classes expressed interest in starting a school newspaper,” said Jeff Kamovitch.

This is the first year Kamovich has worked with his students to publish a school newspaper. It is designed to give students their own writers' voice not just among their classmates, but also among the community. The Roar is written by students, for students. In order to successfully achieve that, Kamovich keeps a pulse on what's going on at the middle school.

“If any of the student organizations or sports teams have a particularly interesting or important event coming up, I like to talk with the activity leader first to gain a perspective, and consider what an article might feature. I have a sign-up which leaves a great deal of creative freedom to each student to choose a topic of their liking, as opposed to writing about something that they have no interest in,” said Kamovich.

Through The Roar, Kamovich says students are better able to understand how objective and subjective summaries can contribute to future careers in fields such as journalism. It also helps them understand the importance of informative writing. Students learn how to write for specific audiences.

“I believe that in today's world, students need to be critical consumers of news media in order to make their own judgement on whether news is indeed objective. This ties in to our standards concerning writing for informational purposes as opposed to writing for persuasive reasons,” said Kamovich.

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Februrary MARK YOUR

CALENDAR

Monday, February 3 National School Counselor Week Glen Primary Book Fair

Monday, February 17 No School for Students/Staff

Tuesday, February 4 HHS Scheduling - 11th Grade Meetings

Tuesday, February 18 No School for Students Staff Professional Development

Wednesday, February 5 HHS Scheduling - 10th Grade Meetings 6th Grade Math B to JA Innovation Challenge at Kent Trumbull

Friday, February 21 Interim (3rd grading period) HMS Hoops for Heart

Thursday, February 6 HHS Scheduling - 9th Grade Meetings HHS/HMS/HIS/Springs Parent-Teacher Conferences 2nd and 7 Foundation at Glen Primary

Saturday, February 22 Sleepy Hollow Sleep Shop Mattress Fundraiser at HHS gym from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

7th/8th Grade Prep Bowl at Lordstown High School

Saturday, February 8 OMEA Choir - Solo and Ensemble at Warren G. Harding High School Elementary Prep Bowl at Lordstown High School

Monday, February 24 FCCLA Adopts a Homeroom at HMS Fundraiser Kickoff at Glen Primary Tuesday, February 25 ACT at HHS for all juniors Two hour delay for grades 9, 10, 12 Early dismissal for grade 11 Mines Heart Association Kickoff Assembly

Monday, February 10 Mindfulness Monday at HHS Wednesday, February 12 HMServes to Shepherd of the Valley for Valentine’s Day

Wednesday February 26 TCESC Spelling Bee at Hubbard High School

Thursday, February 13 HHS Art Club receives grant to visit Cleveland Museum of Art Math Counts Competition at YSU HC Mines Valentine's Day Activities Glen Valentine's Day Activities Friday, February 14 National Qualifying Speech Meet at HHS No School for Students/Staff

Thursday, February 27 Junior/freshmen-sponsored blood drive at HHS Outback Ray visits Spring Primary Animal Show at Glen Primary

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Friday, February 28 HHS Charity Dodge Ball for American Heart Association Dr. Seuss Day/United Way at Glen Primary