Mathews Local School District - Spring 2022 Newsletter

Athletic department

The Mathews boys basketball team made history this season, clinching the program's first district championship. The Mustangs secured their trip to the District IV championship game after winning the Northeastern Athletic Conference, a feat that was last accomplished by the Mustangs a decade ago.

The boys basketball team's historical season came to an end at the Division IV Regional Semifinal when they lost to St. Thomas Aquinas. The Mustangs ended the year 25-2. In February, senior standout Dominic Greenwood joined the elusive 1,000th point club. Congratulations Mustangs!

Spring 2022 Newsletter

Mathews Local

School District

baker elementary school

Currie Elementary School Our second grade students recently rescued "Zero the Hero" as part of their annual Day 99 Spy Day activities.

By completing certain missions, students were successful in allowing the 100th day of school to arrive!

This school year, Baker Elementary School's school counselor Rhonda Hilliard debuted Lion’s Quest: Skills for Growing curriculum in her 40-minute weekly Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) lessons with third through sixth grade students. This unique program addresses SEL competencies for youth. Storytelling is fundamental to our experience as humans, and powerful, well-told stories prepare our minds and hearts for growth, making storytelling a natural fit for pursuing SEL goals. For this reason, Mrs. Hilliard has been utilizing the book Social Emotional Stories: Lessons and Learning from Plants and Animals.

Mrs. Hilliard has been incorporating games, art, videos and music into her lessons in order to make them both educational and enjoyable for students.

Currie Elementary School Currie Elementary School celebrated National Random Acts of Kindness Day in February. Students learned how they can make our schools and our world a better place by performing acts of kindness. The school hosted a variety of activities to engage students throughout the week including a kindness challenge, writing letters to their teachers and completing a secret mission to anonymously show kindness to staff members at Currie!

Future Mustangs!

If your child will be 5 by August 1, 2022, it's time to register for kindergarten! Call Currie Elementary School at 330-637-3500 ext. 1002 for more details!

Food Service department Students who purchase lunch during the month of March have the opportunity to receive a free treat if they find a lucky sticker on their tray!

Mathews High School Congratulations are in order for members of our High School Prep Bowl Team.

Under the direction of advisor David Ottney, the team won the TCTC Academic Challenge and finished second in the competition held at TCESC. Team members consist of seniors Walker Barr, Jillian McEvoy, Amelia McDaniel; juniors Ren Barker, Zoe Fisher, Lynn Stoll, Richard White; and freshmen Mason Kyle and Justin Lewis.

Baker Elementary School

Students at Baker Elementary School have been busy reviewing and preparing for the state's upcoming AIR tests, which begin in April.

Transportation Department School transportation has certainly come a long way over the years! Prior to the start of the 2021-2022 school year, the district purchased a brand new, 2023 Blue Bird 72-passenger school bus. Check out Vienna's first-ever school bus, pictured right, owned and driven by William Boyd in 1930.

Photo Courtesy: Vienna Historical Society www.viennapedia.org

From the Desk of Superintendent Russell McQuaide As many of you may have heard, the Mathews Board of Education has been planning an extensive upgrade to the stadium facility at Booster Field. This is an exciting project, as the stadium has the potential to be used for many events and activities, creating wonderful memories for our students.

Last season, we were very thankful to acquire and install new goal posts, an improvement that benefited our soccer and football programs. At the close of the season, the field was regraded and re-seeded. So, we are looking forward to spring to see this improvement take form.

At their February meeting, the Board of Education approved contracts for new stadium lighting, bleachers, a press box and sound system. In the coming months, the Community Engagement Committee is planning a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate this wonderful development that will greatly improve the comfort and usability of the Booster Field facility.

In recent weeks, the Facilities Improvement Committee has been working to develop planning for the next phases of improvements for our district. Previously, we were planning to replace the roof and HVAC at Baker Elementary School this summer, but supply chain issues became an obstacle to accomplishing that project this summer. As a result, the roof and HVAC will be replaced in the summer of 2023 during our next phase. We are thankful for a generous donation from the Cafaro Company that will facilitate a significant portion of the project as well as federal ESSER funding. Although unseen, a new roof and HVAC facilitate improvements in the school environment that will benefit our students greatly.

Technology Department New Chromebooks have been issued to students who demonstrated a need in a recent survey conducted at Mathews Junior Senior High School. Technology coordinator Steve Rudge acquired the funds for the devices after applying for a grant through the American Connectivity Fund Program.

All students at Mathews Junior Senior High School are now 1:1 with technology, meaning every student has a device to complete work while at school and at home. This has greatly changed the ways in which we educate our students, and we will continue to modify our practices moving forward!

Finally, the Facilities Improvement Committee is working towards a project that will add classrooms to the Baker site. The addition of classrooms will allow us to have all of our elementary students on one campus, effectively cutting costs as well as taking the first steps towards the vision of a one campus, kindergarten through twelfth grade complex. We also have a dream of a new full size game gym that will allow us to have athletic competitions, practices and gym classes in a much improved facility. In this writing, I have to emphasize the word “dream” with the high hopes of that becoming a reality for our District. This is an exciting time for the Mathews Local School District! We greatly appreciate your help and support as we venture toward meaningful improvements that will make a difference for our students, families, staff and community!

Treasurer's Department Over the next couple of years, the Mathews Local School District will continue to make significant upgrades to its facilities without having to ask taxpayers for their support. The district dipped into its General Fund to purchase a brand new school bus this past summer. As we move forward with the improvements at Booster Field and Baker Elementary School, we will rely on a combination of Permanent Improvement Funds, federal ESSER dollars and a potential capital lease.

NEW STADIUM BAKER SCHOOL BUS IMPROVEMENTS IMPROVEMENTS 2023 BLUE BIRD

PURCHASED: SUMMER 2021

BLEACHERS, PRESS BOX, LIGHTS, SOUND SYSTEM

CONSTRUCTION TO BEGIN SUMMER 2022

HVAC, NEW ROOF, ADDITION

CONSTRUCTION TO BEGIN SUMMER 2023 ESSER II (HVAC) $550,000 ARP ESSER III (Roof) $700,000

General Fund $84,457

Athletic Department Congratulations to Cory Lilley and Cole Clayton, who both qualified for the OATCCC Indoor High School State Championship Meet. Lilley qualified in the long jump, and Clayton qualified in the 800 meter. Lilley also set an indoor track school record after jumping 21' 31/2'', and Gianna Vlosich set an indoor track school record running the 800 meter in 2:57:29.

Permanent Improvement Funds $775,000

Mathews high school

Robotics has begun to move forward with this year's functional project. They will be assembling and modifying three Creality Ender Printers. They are also building a custom enclosure for all three machines that they have designed themselves from lumber and plexiglass.

Capital Lease (Addition) $6,000,000 estimated

Mathews Local School District Cadwallader-Sonk Road Cortland, OH 44410

Athletic Department

Booster Field Groundbreaking Ceremony Saturday, June 4, 2022

Board of Education Beth Haddle, President Kenneth Wallace, Vice President Michele Garman Mark Haddle Joel Polonus

District Administration

Russell McQuaide, Superintendent Bradley Panak, Treasurer George Garrett, MHS Principal Michael King, Currie & Baker Principal Nancy Krygowski, Currie Assistant Principal

Department Supervisors Jennifer Soukenik, Special Education Steve Rudge, Technology Michael Palumbo, Athletics Jeffrey Parent, Athletics Chuck Pulice, Transportation & Maintenance Lori Wojcicki, Food Service

Senior night for the girls varsity basketball team at Mathews High School is an extremely unique practice. Many squads take the night to celebrate the accomplishments of their seniors; however, here at Mathews, this night gets a bit flipped. Our seniors decorate the locker room and each senior writes a letter to each teammate with a personal message. This has been done at Mathews for several years in an effort to pay it forward and share that legacy with upcoming generations.

Mustang Shoutout!

Congratulations to Jessica Licata, who has been named to the 20th class of Community Stars by the Tribune Chronicle.

Since 2018, Licata has spearheaded the food backpack program for the Mathews Local School District. The Community Stars program recognizes the brightest examples of community service and the people who perform those good deeds. An awards dinner will take place in April! Jessica - we are so appreciative of your efforts to help our students!