Elementary, middle and junior high school counselors offer programs to enrich the lives of Pickerington residents.

Career Ed students learn the tools of the trade from the students and staff of PHSN.

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Winter 2012Issue 2

A Pickerington Local School District Publication

The first semester of school year has ended – where does the time go? As the final half of the school year begins, it

is the perfect opportunity to reflect.

- Jim Sotlar,Interim

Superintendent

THIS ISSUE Introducing the 2012 PLSD School Board

We Love Our Community Senatorial Proclamation of Excellence

K-8 Counsel

Talking Shop

The School BellServing Pickerington Since 1964

The PLSD Board of Education ushered in 2012 by saying goodbye to a member, welcoming a former colleague, and naming a new president and vice president.

Lee Gray, PLSD board member since 2008, was elected Mayor of the City of Pickerington on November 8, 2011.

The District also welcomed the return of former board president, Jim Brink, Ph.D. Brink served on the school board for four years, 2004 through 2007, and was the board president in 2007. He filled the seat vacated by Gray.

Brink has a Doctorate and a Master’s degree in Mathematics from The Ohio State University, a Master’s in Computer Science from The Ohio State University and Bachelor’s in Mathematics and Education from Muskingum College.

Lori Sanders, a member since 1998, was named board president and Cathy Olshefski, a member since 2010, was named vice-president.

Elementary and junior high schools will join forces to help the residents of Pickerington. February 1-14, the elementaries will conduct a “We Love Our Community” food drive and March 1-16, the junior highs will hold a “March Madness” drive to benefit the PCMA Food Pantry of Pickerington. Story on pg. 10

During a visit to Ridgeview JHS and PHS Central, Ohio State Senator Tim Schaffer presented the District with a proclamation of achievement in recognition of Pickerington’s Excellent with Distinction Rating on the State report card for the 2010-2011 school year citing unwavering dedication to exceeding the highest standard of educational quality. Pictured Trevor Thomas, assistant principal; Schaffer and Susan Caudill, principal of Ridgeview JHS.

WE ARE PICKERINGTON: Using education to impact the local, national and global community!

These new standards will begin with the 2014-2015 school year. Currently, the “common core” standards have been adopted by 45 states.

“These guidelines are more rigorous than current standards. They are rooted in research and closely align with college and work expectations,” said Sandy Meigel, districtwide lead instructional advisor.

According to the Common Core State Standards Initiative, “The purpose of the ‘common core’

is to provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them.”

The standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that our young people need for success in college and careers.

It also provides a greater opportunity for educators to share experiences and best practices within and across states to best serve the needs of students.

Common Core ImplementatIonrevIsed standards

Standards continued on pg. 3

In June 2010, the Ohio State Board of Education adopted a series of national state standards called the “common core” in language arts (English) and mathematics as

well as updated the Ohio’s academic content standards in science and social studies in an effort to ensure that all students are receiving a high quality education across the nation.

Dr. Jim Brink PLSD Board Member

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James Sotlar, Interim Superintendent

Lee Gray Mayor of Pickerington

Top: Cathy Olshefski, vice-president; Lisa Reade, member; Lori Sanders, president. Bottom: Dr. Jim Brink, member; Clay Lopez, member.

Things are Moving Along!

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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 and is published three times a year. The Office of Communications, Pickerington Local Schools, 90 East Street, Pickerington, Ohio, 43147; Phone: 614-833-2110; Fax: 614-833-2143; www.pickerington.k12.oh.us

2011-2012 School Bell Staff Editor: Lee Cole

Copy Editors: Diana Myers, Drema Pyles

Production Team: Lee Cole, Katie Linkhorn

Photographers: Lee Cole

Contributing Writers: Bob Blackburn,

Sherry Bentley, Lee Cole, David Gauthier, Dan Griscom, Dianna Kassouf, Sandy Miegel, Jim Sotlar, Lisa Tinsley

PLSD Board of Education: Lori Sanders, president; Cathy Olshefski, vice president; Jim Brink, Clay Lopez, Lisa Reade, members

Interim Superintendent: Jim Sotlar

Treasurer: Dan Griscom

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Every parent has been asked the age-old question,

“Will I ever use this in real life?” The new global learning model answers this question by allowing students to experience “real life” uses in core subject areas of language arts, math, science and history.

The Global Integration Team (GIT) is in full swing. Elementary and middle school students continue to meet for three-week periods, with the GIT infusing core subjects with fine arts and special classes.

Students are discovering that they really enjoy the intertwining of core subjects, such as math as it relates to proportions in art, probability in physical education class or ratios in musical scales.

The Department of Teaching and Learning has been very busy preparing teachers for the new common core state standards which clearly outline the expectations for students, teachers and schools.

The standards will take effect in the 2014-2015 school year.

By focusing on college and career readiness, our students will be better prepared, gleaning information and skills that are necessary for success in the 21st century.

For the remainder of the school year, my goal is two-fold: continue to offer a high-quality educational system that is preparing all students for their futures and to remain diligent stewards of taxpayer money.

This will ensure that we always do what is best for the District and our students.

Good people are people who care about what they’re doing. It is a core value of how to become successful in any venture. Those are the kind of people who are currently serving the Pickerington Local School District Board of Education.

After serving four years on the board, I’m welcoming a new challenge as mayor of the city of Pickerington. I’m confident I’m leaving with the board in capable hands.

Actually, I’ve been the mayor before, having served the office from 1992-99. A lot has changed in Pickerington since then, and I know the time I spent on the school board has prepared me to hold this office a second time around. I will be a better mayor because of my understanding of how the schools work.

The city impacts the schools primarily through development, and unless you’ve served on both entities, you don’t truly get an understanding of how the actions of one impact the other.

The school district is the one entity that the entire community has

in common, whether you have a Pickerington address, a Canal Winchester address or you live in Violet Township.

The school board also has a very large budget to manage, and I often found myself having to be open to new ideas and new ways of doing things. The educational climate has changed so much over the years and we were continually facing challenges when it came to funding. But we always remained positive and focused on the future.

As mayor, I expect to face similar challenges and issues, but I’ll take my experience on the board to remain open to new ideas and look at positive ways of moving our city forward. I truly appreciate the community entrusting me with both positions.

Just as before, my door remains open. I value the relationships I’ve established with people during my time on the school board and I hope they feel just as connected to me in the mayor’s office.

I look forward to the next chapter for myself, our schools and our city.

The 2012 PLSD Board of EducationEditorial By: Lee Gray Mayor, City of Pickerington

February 2012 | The School Bell | w

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.pickerington.k12.oh.us 3STANdARdS

from pg. 1

Key points In english language artsReading

• The standards establish a “staircase” of increasing complexity in what students must be able to read so that all students are ready for the demands of college- and career-level reading no later than the end of high school. • Through reading a diverse array of classic and contemporary literature, students are expected to build knowledge, gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspective.

Writing

• The ability to write logical arguments based on substantive claims, sound reasoning, and relevant evidence—extending down into the earliest grades.• The ability to conduct both short, focused and longer term in-depth research projects.

• Annotated samples of student writing accompany the standards and help establish adequate performance levels in writing arguments, informational/explanatory texts, and narratives in the various grades.

Speaking and Listening

• The standards require that students gain, evaluate, and present increasingly complex information, ideas, and evidence through listening and speaking as well as through media.• A focus of speaking and listening in one-on-one, small-group and whole-class settings as students collaborate to answer questions, build understanding, and solve problems.

Language

• Students will grow their vocabularies through a mix of conversations, direct instruction and reading to determine

word meanings, appreciate the nuances of words, and steadily expand their repertoire of words and phrases.

• The standards help prepare students for real life experience at college and in careers. The standards recognize that students must be able to use formal English in their writing and speaking but that they must also be able to make informed, skillful choices among the many ways to express themselves through language.

Media and Technology

• Just as media and technology are integrated in school and life in the twenty-first century, skills related to media use (both critical analysis and production of media) are integrated throughout the standards.

Key points In mathematics• The K-5 standards provide students with a solid foundation in whole numbers, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions and decimals—which help young students build the foundation to successfully apply more demanding math concepts and procedures, and move into applications.

• The standards stress not only procedural skill but also conceptual understanding, to make sure students are learning and absorbing the critical information they need to succeed at higher levels.

• Having built a strong foundation K-5, students can do hands-on learning in geometry, algebra and probability and statistics. • The high school standards call on students to practice applying mathematical ways of thinking to real world issues and challenges; they prepare students to think and reason mathematically.

“The Common standards will help ensure that students are receiving a high quality education consistently, from school to school and state to state,” Meigel continued.

These standards also help students and parents by setting clear and realistic goals for success. In addition to adopting the Common Core, the Ohio Department of Education has revised the existing academic standards in

science and social studies for grades K-12.

The department also developed model curriculums in each of the four core content areas to help teachers effectively implement the new standards. Pickerington Local Schools began the process of implementing the new core and revised standards last spring.

“We have developed a three-year plan of implementation that includes extensive professional training for all our K-12 teachers,” said Meigel.

Standards do not tell teachers how to teach, but help them figure out the knowledge and skills their students should have so teachers can build the best lessons and environments for their classrooms.

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The sTandards:Are aligned with college and work expectations;

Are clear, understandable and consistent;

Include rigorous content and application of knowledge through high-order skills;

Build upon strengths and lessons of current standards;

Are evidence-based; and

Are designed so that all students are prepared to succeed in our global economy and society.

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Pickerington Community School Soars

The Pickerington Community School (PCS) opened its doors on August 26, 2011 and has completed 77 days of instruction, in an effort to help all students have a successful and productive high school career.

“We have seen significant growth and progress with our students,” said Bob Blackburn, superintendent of the Pickerington Community School. “They are working towards graduation and preparing for their career goals.”

The PCS currently has sixty-three students from Pickerington High School Central and North enrolled in the program with thirty-three seniors, twenty-two juniors, seven sophomores and one freshman.

Many of these students have become disenchanted with the traditional public school and most have become at-risk of not graduating.

The PCS provides another option for earning high school credit. Students acquire credits using the APEX curriculum, a web-based program aligned with the Ohio content standards.

“Most students work on one or two classes at a time and complete those in their entirety before moving on to another required class,” said Bob Blackburn.

“An individual career and graduation plan is developed on each student as they enter the school based on their credit needs and personal goals,” he continued.

To date, twenty students have earned at least two or more credits while six have earned four or more credits. The school has grown significantly since opening day when 25 students walked through the doors.

Blackburn and Tom Phillips, PCS coordinator meet regularly with representatives from both high schools to take referrals on students who may need an alternative educational option like that offered in the Pickerington Community School in order to stay on track for graduation.

In its first year of operation the school is accomplishing its goal of preparing students for their future

High School Students Give Good CounselAdvisory group empowers students to problem solve creatively and become a collective voice for the students of PLSD

In the fall of 2011, a group of students from both high schools approached Interim Superintendent Jim Sotlar about creating an advisory council.

“Many school districts seek input through similar student forums – gathering ideas, concerns, opinions. My focus is different,” said Jim Sotlar, interim superintendent of Pickerington Local Schools.

With a resounding yes, and after creating a nomination process that included teacher recommendations, the members of the Student Advisory Council were set and the work began.

They were charged with creating a mission statement, along with some key areas they would like to tackle. Results of these goals will continue to be measured throughout future meetings.

“While still giving these students a voice, I also hope to serve as a mentor along the way – grooming them for both immediate and future leadership opportunities,” said Sotlar.

Council members don’t simply leave their “comment card” on the table, expecting someone else to provide solutions. The monthly sessions focus on guiding them through brainstorming and planning

stages to reach their ultimate goal of being internal “change-agents.”

“Empowering these students to problem solve creatively is an invaluable life skill,” said Sotlar.

“Helping these young leaders understand the team approach it takes to sustain a highly successful school district covers everything from local government history lessons to being building ambassadors, sometimes on a spur of the moment basis” he continued.

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Sycamore Creek Elementary Builds Character One Drop at a Time

District Counselors Give Back to the Community with Parent Workshops

They are back. The counselors who never stop enriching the lives of Pickerington students and residents have done it again.

Once again, the Pickerington Local School District K-8 school counselors will offer four different parenting programs during the month of March. The goal – to meet the specific needs of students and parents that could also be useful to the community-at-large.

“Sometimes, we must go beyond the school day to extend a hand,” said Darren Drake, Toll Gate Elementary School counselor.

Norman Shub, renowned parenting expert and clinical director of the Gestalt Institute of Central

Ohio, will present the parenting series.

Recognized as a leader in the field, Shub has over 40 years of experience working with parents and children.

“We hope parents will be able to walk away with hands-on ideas and strategies that can be implemented immediately with positive results,” said Ruth Toopes, counselor at Pickerington Elementary School.

District counselors work with students in conjunction with staff and parents to help the students overcome learning and social challenges that reinforce positive academic development.

Sycamore Creek Elementary will be continuing their buildingwide initiative known as “We Are Bucket Fillers: Sycamore’s 9 Drops of Character,” as part of the comprehensive character education program.

Building upon the ideas of Dr. Donald Clifton, the bucket-filling concept gives a visual representation to a person’s self-esteem.

“We fill someone’s bucket when we use kind words and give compliments and praise. When we are negative and hurtful toward another, we are part of emptying their bucket and decreasing their esteem,” said Clifton

Students who are bucket fillers will display words of character by helping without being asked, giving compliments, being supportive, including everyone and resolving conflict peacefully.

This program has several components that will help build self-esteem and resiliency in ALL students and staff members.

It creates a safe and positive climate in which everyone will feel confident to take risks and support one another in being responsive and respectful individuals.

The PLSD K–8 school counselors are proud to offer four different parenting programs for the parents of Pickerington Local Schools.

Norman Shub, renowned parenting expert, is a dynamic presenter who has a passion for teaching practical skills. We hope you will consider attending this free program.

CHILDCARE IS AVAILABLE.This is a We Are Pickerington community event.

Parenting WorkshopE N R I C H M E N T S E R I E S

Topic: Keeping Your Parental Power while Setting Loving Limits 3/7/12 (Wednesday) – 7-8:30 PM @ Toll Gate ES – FREE

Topic: Guiding Your Child Through Change 3/14/12 (Wednesday) – 7-8:30 PM @ Toll Gate ES – FREE

Topic: Building a Parenting Team (Married, Separated or Single) 3/21/12 (Wednesday) – 7-8:30 PM @ Toll Gate ES – FREE

Topic: Helping your Child Through a Divorce (Past, Present or Future)3/28/12 (Wednesday) – 7-8:30 PM @ Toll Gate ES – FREE

Print each name and email address of attendee. Email address will be used to send confirmation of registration.

Parent’s Name: ______________________________________________ Email:_______________________________________________________

Parent’s Name: ______________________________________________ Email:_______________________________________________________

Do you need childcare? If yes, please write the name(s) and grades or age of the child below.

Name: _______________________________ Grade or Age: ________

Name: _______________________________ Grade or Age: ________

Name: _______________________________ Grade or Age: ________

Thank you to all our school PTO’s who helped make this program free!!!

Please mark the boxes of the topics you would like to attend.

RETURN REGISTRATION FORM TO YOUR SCHOOL COUNSELOR

Parents are welcome to attend all four workshops.

Character continued on pg. 11

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SCIEnCE GOES HOLLyWOOD

CRIME SCEnE DO nOT CROSS CRIME SC

Teams of extraordinary teachers from the Pickerington Local School District answer the question, “Will I ever use

this in the real world?” in dramatic fashion using Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)

Ridgeview JHS Setting the Stage

Mr. Gauthier, a Ridgeview Junior High School teacher, was working late one night, when an unknown person entered his room and attacked him. When the dust settled, he was left with a bite mark from the assailant and his prized hockey puck collection, proudly displayed on his whiteboard, missing…

Uhh Ohh!!!

No, this story does not belong in the “Police Beat” section of the Pickerington Times Sun; it was the premise for a mock crime setup for STEM students.

Students have been spending the last few weeks on their forensics unit and were given the opportunity to apply their knowledge to an

actual scenario.

“What I liked about the forensics unit was that we learned about the real things that police/CSI do to catch criminals,” said Rachael Beller, an eighth grade student taking the newest elective offered to the junior high students.

“I really enjoyed the week-long crime scene because we got to do all the techniques we learned about, like fingerprint lifting and bite-mark analysis,” she continued.

PHS NorthTeams of Pickerington High School North forensic science students received a crime scenario from their instructor, Sheri McClarren, along with the tools to begin an investigation. This assignment involved fiber and textile evidence. Analysis of fibers can play a major role in reconstructing a crime, locating a suspect, and solving a case. Materials easily transferred from person to person and place to place can link victims, suspects and a crime scene.

The scenario...

A woman’s body was discovered in a stairwell of a downtown apartment building. Crime scene investigators collected seven different types of fiber evidence from the scene.

Six fibers matched items found in the victim’s home while the seventh, a red fiber, did not match anything belonging to the victim. Neighbors told the investigating team that the victim hated red, and probably did not own anything that color.

When questioned by police, next-door neighbors reported seeing a tall young man in a red jacket enter the woman’s apartment. After checking security cameras, the night

Ridgeview JHS continued on pg. 9

North CSI continued on pg. 9

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CRIME SCEnE DO nOT CROSS CRIME SC

By Sherry Bentley, Fourth Grade Teacher, Toll Gate Elementary

A perfect storm was on the horizon. Fourth grade students at Toll Gate Elementary had the opportunity to learn about weather as they participated in a daylong Weather Fest created by Evan Bentley, a 2007 graduate of Pickerington High School North.

Bentley graduated from Valparaiso University and currently is a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in North Webster, Indiana.

After introducing students to his job responsibilities, he explained that not all meteorologists are on television. Bentley then showed pictures of his 10-day storm-chasing trip in May 2011.

“While severe weather events are amazing and exciting to watch, it is the responsibility of meteorologists to keep people safe by warning them when severe weather is imminent,” said Bentley.

Bentley had gotten himself and his two family members out of Joplin, Missouri just a few hours before the tornado hit that took around 160 lives.

“While that is still a lot of lives to lose, many more lives were saved thanks to my colleagues in the nearby National Weather Service office who sent out the warning as soon as possible that a tornado was headed that way,” he continued.

Bentley’s passion for weather started at a very young age. He talked about how he learned as much as he could about meteorology as a career and then set goals for himself in high school and college that would help him in reaching his ultimate goal, to be a forecaster with the National Weather Service.

After a presentation, students participated in activities and

experiments related to science standards for weather

for fourth grade.

Toll Gate Elementary Learns about Science and Meteorology

WeaThering The sTorm

Weathering the Storm continued on pg. 9

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What a Difference a Year Makes

Dan GriscomTreasurer of PLSD

Learning can be fun… just ask Mrs. Tinsley’s second grade students. Five years ago when Lisa Tinsley was trying to help her students learn about money, she decided to write a play using the book Pigs Will Be Pigs: Fun with Math and Money by Amy Axelrod as a model.

In this story, a lovable family of pigs search the house to find money to go out and eat. After looking all over the house in the most unusual places, the pigs find enough money to go to their favorite restaurant.

Mrs. Tinsley decided to take that book and tailor it to meet the needs of the children in the classroom while also incorporating the character traits taught throughout the school. Now “Pigs” is a classroom tradition!

“The goal was to build fluency in reading and teach the children about the value and visible traits of money,” said Mrs. Tinsley.

Not only is math and literature a part of this play, history is too. Each coin is described with its value, president or famous person in history represented on the face, and the American symbols on the tail of the coin or bill. The children learn why the coins were given their names and look the way they do.

“The children are able to make text-to-text, text-to-self, and text-to-world connections both in real world applications and through academics,” she continued.

The story is Transformed...

The play begins in a classroom with many of the “little” pigs from children’s literature, television and movies as the main characters discussing their worry about giving their reports on money and wanting to buy ice cream.

When the piglets are dismissed from school, they decide to go to Porky’s house to look for money. After a search, they find enough money to buy ice cream.

On their way to the ice cream parlor, the piglets run into two pigs in a blanket whose house was just blown down by the Big Bad Wolf.

Sound familiar?

The piglets decide to give all their money to the two pigs to build a new house for their family. They even help design and build one that is good for keeping wolves out!

When the main characters, Mayor Mercy Watson and Miss Piggy get word of the piglets’ good deed, they convince the owner of the ice cream shop to give them all the ice cream they can eat. However, the piglets think the owner might change his mind after he feeds Porky!

After this exercise in creativity, math and literature, this is one group of students who know their money and their pigs!

The new year is a good time for reflection. Let’s face

it, 2011 was a financial roller coaster for the district.

Let’s take a quick look back at the rocky ride and how we came out of it with a calmer, more positive slope.

Last January, our school district was still reeling from the impact of our very narrow levy loss in November 2010.

All our operating revenues, state and local, had been hit hard by the recession, just as our residents had been hit hard.

We all felt the pain.

The levy would have produced $7.6 million per year. The state was not about to bail out anyone because the state was facing an $8 billion deficit.

The five-year forecast showed a huge storm upon us, and it was not a pretty picture.

Our District had operated frugally for years, and we had already taken steps to cut spending, but we saw revenues decline in the worst economic recession since the Great Depression of 1929.

Even after making spending adjustments, our expenditures were still exceeding revenues and there was no easy way out.

The whole financial landscape had changed. And we had to change in order to survive in this new reality.

Certainly, we were not alone. Many school districts across Ohio were facing huge deficits

Griscom continued on pg. 10

The Money Class is in Session Second Grade Students at Sycamore Creek Elementary have Fun with Math and Money

By: Mrs. Tinsley’s Second Grade Class

Not only is math and literature a part of this play, history is too. Each coin is described with its value, president or

famous person in history represented on the face, and the American symbols on

the tail of the coin or bill.

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Weathering the Storm from pg. 7

NORTH CSI from pg. 6

RIdGEvIEW JHS from pg. 6

Each day consisted of the teams of students collecting evidence from different teachers in the building.

“I liked going around and interrogating the teachers, dusting for latent fingerprints, and getting their bite-mark molds. It was pretty cool that the teachers acted it out like real suspects!” said eighth grade student Brian Nestor.

Students even compared hair and fiber samples from their suspects to evidence found at the scene.

This STEM course (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) ties in many of the core standards found in other subjects, but presents it in a discovery-based learning model. Students

learned about the history of crime scene procedures and how current technology has improved on these methods.

Analyzing the evidence and keeping a catalogue of this information tapped into their mathematics and writing skills.

In addition, it gave many of the students a glimpse into their potential career.

“Since we learned about this stuff, I could possibly see myself going into the field of Forensics.

Before this unit, I didn’t understand what went into the investigations, but now that we’re done…it seems like an interesting career,” said Robert Hoagland, also an eighth grade student.

watchman reported that no one entered the building wearing a red jacket that night; therefore, police suspected the murderer might live in the apartment building.

Investigators questioned all of the tall young men in the apartment building who owned red jackets. They checked the labels in the jackets to identify the textile makeup, and they collected samples for processing. These men were considered possible suspects.

The student investigation begins...

Microscopic observation and fiber burn tests were part of a two-day lab experiment used to identify and match the red fiber from the crime scene with samples collected from the suspects. Science uncovers an important piece of the crime puzzle...

Multiple tests paired crime scene evidence with a jacket belonging to one of the suspects (name withheld pending additional evidence processing). Investigators are one step closer to identifying the perpetrator of this crime!

Stay tuned for the next episode featuring forensic anthropology. Forensic anthropological techniques can be used to assess age, gender, stature, ancestry, race, trauma, and disease using skeletal remains. To view the video visit facebook.com/wearepickerington.com.

After the initial presentation, students moved amongst the six fourth grade classrooms where they participated in activities and experiments related to the science standards for weather for fourth grade.

Students had the opportunity to use scientific inquiry as they predicted what would happen before the teacher led them through each experiment or activity and then followed up by answering written questions as to what actually happened. In the computer lab, they used the www.weatherwizkids.com website to research information related to weather safety.

Evan’s hope in creating this station was that students would go home and share their new knowledge with their parents. Other classroom activities focused on warm and cold fronts, cloud identification, air pressure, reading weather maps, erosion, and everyone’s favorite, precipitation.

In the precipitation station, students witnessed, “snow” being made using a product called InstaSnow, a moisture-absorbing polymer. As the teacher, Anne Starkey, poured water into the cup containing the InstaSnow powder, the students watched with wide eyes as the chemical reaction took place which changed the powder into “snow” and made it overflow from the cup. The students learned that one inch of rain makes 10 inches of snow, and they used rulers to measure the depth of the snow in a plastic container.

Although Evan had answered many questions throughout the day about reading weather maps, he concluded the day with the students gathering once more for a final opportunity to get any lingering questions answered.

“I don’t think I could ever have answered all of their questions,” Evan said.

“They asked great questions.” His mother, Sherry Bentley, a Toll Gate fourth grade teacher smiled and said; “Now he knows how his dad and I felt when he was growing up. We always said we wish we had a dollar for every question he asked us.”

The questions asked by the students seemed to confirm that the goals of Weather Fest had been accomplished—to deepen students’ understanding of weather, to create inquiring minds, and to inspire future scientists.

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Career Education students at Pickerington High School North learn the tools of the trade and talk “shop” with Dave Lindquist, an industrial technology teacher and other students at Pickerington High School North.

One of the curriculum objectives is to develop self-help skills. So, instructor Melissa Bailey decided to engage a fellow educator in a project to teach her students how to properly use and care for tools to use in the home.

Lindquist chose a variety of tools, like: the hammer, an electric drill, a saw--manual and electric, as well as a screwdriver and wrench.

His students demonstrated their (proper) usage, then proceeded to help the Career Education students by providing hands-on modeling and safety with each tool.

The duo of Bailey and Lindquist plan to continue this partnership and incorporate other projects that reinforce safety and independence.

Talking Shop and Taking Notes

This spring, students in the elementary and junior high school buildings will have the opportunity to help those less fortunate in our community.

The elementary schools will be doing a “We Love Our Community” food drive February 1-14, and the junior high schools will be holding a “March Madness” food drive March 1-16. Both events will benefit the PCMA Food Pantry of Pickerington.

Items most in need at the food pantry are pineapples, peaches, mandarin oranges, pancake mix and syrup, jelly, tuna, canned meats, black beans, and baked beans. Other non-perishable food items or personal care products such as deodorant, toothbrushes and toothpaste, may be donated as well.

The pantry has been serving residents of the Pickerington Local School District for more than 20 years and has seen an increased demand for services.

Over 85,000 meals were served in 2011 (through November). These meals helped feed over 3,500 individuals, the majority of whom are children.

Many seeking help say they have been donors to a food pantry in the past, but now find themselves in need.

The food pantry will be relocating in early 2012 to a larger, fully handicapped-accessible location to better meet the needs of the clients. The new address is 70 N. Cross Street.

Continued community support is vital to accomplish the mission of feeding all those who are hungry. This includes both cash and food donations. For more information or to make a donation using your credit or debit card, please visit www.pcmafoodpantry.com. Cash donations may also be mailed to P.O. Box 914, Pickerington, OH 43147.

Food Drives to Benefit Local Food PantryDistrict Elementary schools to conduct a “We Love Our Community” food drive from February 1-14, and the junior high schools will hold a “March Madness” from March 1-16.

GRISCOm from pg. 8

and everyone knew that “business as usual” could not be afforded anymore.

Well, as the great football coach Vince Lombardi once said, “It’s not whether you get knocked down -- it’s whether you get up.”

We got the wind knocked out of us, but we got up, brushed off the dirt and kept going. With challenge comes opportunity.

In all, we are now spending $15 million less this fiscal year than we had projected the year before. This is the result of significant budget cuts as well as savings in negotiated salaries and benefits.

We have also received help on the revenue side.

District voters approved the 5.5 mill operating levy in August, for which we are grateful. The levy was lower than what was placed on the ballot in November 2010.

We were able to reduce the levy due to the savings from our budget reductions.

Is there still uncertainty with state funding?

Absolutely, and we do not know how that will turn out. However, with the combination of the passed levy and reducing our expenses, we project we should be able to stay off the ballot for operating money until at least 2014.

A big buzzword right now is sustainability. Sustainability is “the capacity to endure.” It is using resources wisely and efficiently to make them last as long as possible.

The word is often used in a “green” environmental sense, but it applies equally well to our school district finances.

We want to be in a place where our programs and performance are excellent and sustainable. We know that our residents expect excellence, and our talented and dedicated staff will continue delivering excellent education to our students in the most cost-effective way possible. That is our commitment to you.

Thank you for your continued support, and best wishes for a happy and prosperous New Year.

February 2012 | The School Bell | w

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.pickerington.k12.oh.us 11

Brain Teaser

Medium Sudoku from

www.SudokuPuzz.com

4 2

5 3 9 8

6 1 4 5

8 1 7 4

6

4 9 8 7

2 3 9 8

4 7 1 9

6 5

CHARACTER from pg. 5

Harmon Tackles the Gulf Oil Spill

Students at Harmon Middle School tackled a real-world environmental catastrophe. Mrs. Goldsberry’s sixth grade class used

the science skills of inquiry and creativity to determine how to clean up an oil spill.

The students worked in groups to simulate the spill and analyze different methods for clean up. They tackled issues such as containment, absorption and harshness of cleaning agents.

The goal was to develop a sound method to resolve the problem that would have the least impact on the environment.

Within each group, the students conducted a benefit analysis for each method, explaining the possible side effects of the proposed solution.

At the conclusion of the project, the students further examined the future ramifications of the spill on the food chain, the ecosystem, the

economy, and the overall health and safety of the animals and residents. Finally, the students explored the potential causes of oils spills and researched ways to reduce their own impact on the environment.

“The students discovered that they can help reduce oil spills by reducing their reliance on plastic products,” said Goldsberry. “Plastic bags and many plastic items are made from oil.”

“Individuals can, at the very least, recycle all plastic. They can stop using disposable water bottles or limit car usage,” she continued.

“They also learned that some communities are even banning the use of plastic bags,” Goldsberry continued.

Currently, the students at Harmon Middle School are discussing ways they can make an impact at their building.

Each month, a new character word will be introduced. This word will be taught and expanded upon through monthly classroom character lessons with the school counselor.

Teachers will reinforce this word through activities in the classroom. When a student is caught “filling another’s bucket” by making good choices, they receive a ticket which will be placed with their name into a class bucket.

Each week, the classroom teacher will draw a name from the class bucket to be the Bucket Filler

of the Week. These students will be honored with an announcement over the loud speaker.

A certificate of recognition, along with a special reward celebrating their child’s good choices will go home to parents. In addition, students will have the chance to earn classroom bucket-filling rewards based upon class behavior throughout the year.

The bucket illustration will also be incorporated into yearlong lessons on bullying and character building.

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