Through the Classroom Door: April 2012
Scott McKenzie's Blog Page
Effort leads to achievement
Posted 4/30/2012 at 9:17:29 AM by Bruce Hoover [staff member]
This week brings a few more pencil pushing days for many of our students as the last of this year's statewide tests are administered.
Fifth-graders will take the science portion of the Ohio Achievement Assessments on Tuesday. Eighth-graders have the reading section Tuesday, math on Wednesday and science on Thursday.
The reading and math sections in grades 3-7 were offered last week. Our high-schoolers took the Ohio Graduation Tests in March, which is first given to sophomores and is a diploma requirement. (Registration for a summer OGT intervention course begins later this month.)
The OGT and OAA are aligned with the state’s academic content standards and help educators gauge at a broad level whether students are mastering specific knowledge to build upon their learning. In Groveport Madison, the resulting data for our students help us determine if we are delivering course materials in the best way possible.
Therefore, it's important those taking the tests are prepared. It's incredibly impressive how well our students understand their role and how seriously they take the assessments.
Last year's fourth-graders at Groveport Elementary created their own “Cruiser Way to Attack the OAA.” It's worth sharing because the youngsters are completely on point.
Their "Parental Tips for our Testers” are:- Keep a relaxed environment at home. Be positive in conversations about the test and promote confidence to your children.
- Eat well before the test and make sure that the students get enough rest the night before.
- Make sure all marks on the test are heavy and dark. Leave out stray marks or erase them completely.
- Read each question carefully.
- Be neat in all written answers.
- Double check all work and use all of the time given to you. Don’t rush through it.
- Re-state the question in your written answers.
- Skip a tough question and go back to it later. “Don’t forget it.”
- Multiple choice questions…get rid of two answers that do not make sense and choose best out of the remaining two choices.
- Take deep breaths to relieve stress.
- Use the bathroom before the test. Planned breaks will not be given.
- Concentrate and FOCUS on your test. Don’t be distracted by noises or sounds in the room.
- Finish the test and complete every answer. Don’t leave any test items blank.
As our students put pencil to paper and demonstrate their knowledge gained, we are eager to see their results. In closing, Iwould impart the advice our Groveport students gave in their tip-sheet send off because I couldn't say it in any better myself: Tell your child to have fun with the test and meet the challenge. We’re excited for you to perform. Remember…Effort leads to Achievement."
Time flies with lots of fun in store
Posted 4/26/2012 at 8:00:35 AM by Scott McKenzie [staff member]
The weekend is coming full steam ahead, so make sure your calendars are marked with the many special events planned for our Cruiser family.
Groveport Madison High School’s Collision Concert is up first at 7:30 p.m. Friday. A number of students will perform in the seventh annual percussion show.
Many types of drums and styles of music will be showcased at the performance in the auditorium. The students will demonstrate their skills on steel drums, afro cuban conga drums, taiko and many others. Admission for this culturally rich experience is $3.
On Saturday, our Cruisers will be in their evening best as many of our juniors and seniors head to the prom. This year's ball will be in full swing from 7-11 p.m. at the Columbus Athenaeum.
In a heartwarming effort, Board member Nancy Gillespie and GMHS counselor Erica Wright recently escorted a small group of girls to a special “shopping” event to ensure the young ladies would be decked out just right for the dance. The annual Fairy Goodmothers shopping spree is designed to help high school girls select prom gowns at no cost.
Dresses, shoes and jewelry are donated to the local charitable organization throughout the year and are provided free-of-charge to students who do not have the means to purchase their own. The Columbus Dispatch captured our students’ experience on film and shared the following video.
After Saturday’s gala event, Sunday steps off in motion with the Spirit Sprint 5K. Proceeds from Cardinal Orthopaedic Institute’s third annual race go to the school district with the most participants.
Groveport Madison is thick in the hunt for the “winnings.” Last year, Gahanna-Jefferson Schools captured almost $5,000 of $9,000 in prize money.
The unique Spirit Sprint 5K was created to help districts offset the rising costs of athletic and extra-curricular activities. The Cardinal Orthopaedic Institute says it wants to do its part in relieving the hardship some families feel when struggling to meet their children’s basic needs.
The race begins at 9 a.m. Sunday and costs $25 to participate. All contestants receive a free performance gear shirt, “goodie bag” and refreshments. Here’s hoping you have plans to lace up your shoes and run or walk in the name of the Cruisers! I plan to be there!
Time sure does fly when there’s lots of fun in store. With a concert, prom, and race, this weekend should prove to be another fast one.
Board puts August levy inot motion
Posted 4/23/2012 at 7:36:07 PM by Chris Bowser [staff member]
The Board of Education has set in motion a plan that if approved by voters will restore -- without raising taxes -- some of the recent cuts the district was forced to make.
The members agreed at its meeting Thursday night to place a levy on the ballot in August that would renew an operating levy set to expire on Dec. 31. The measure will not raise taxes if approved.
An operating levy is necessary -- critical -- to preventing a devastating loss of educational programs and services to Groveport Madison students.
The issue, which generates $7.7 million annually, will be called a “substitute levy” when it appears on the Aug. 7 ballot. Property owners will not see an increase in taxes because additional income will be generated as new homes and businesses will be taxed at the same rate as current taxpayers.
If approved, the levy would become permanent. Voters would not have to renew it every three years and the funds would allow the administration to reinstate some of the reductions made in February.
Earlier this year, the Board approved $3.6 million in cuts for the 2012-13 school year and more than $4 million for the 2013-14 school year. Since 2009, the district has made more than $5 million in cuts to balance the budget, including teachers and administrators taking salary freezes and increasing their share of health care.
We face a nearly $8-million deficit. Our operating funds have decreased by millions of dollars in the last several years as a result of cuts in state funding and decreases in property tax collections. All the while, our day-to-day operating expenses (like utilities costs, classroom materials, and fuel) have continued to increase with inflation.
Community support for the renewal of the August issue is critical. The Board members examined a number of possibilities and decided the substitute renewal was the best option because they understand the impact the current economic climate has on the community.
Approval will allow Groveport Madison to continue making academic strides without a tax increase for now. As Deputy Superintendent Bruce Hoover said Thursday night, this gives the district flexibility to go back to voters at a time when the economy has rebounded.
Without passage of an operating levy before the end of 2012, all of the cuts we approved in will remain in place to prevent a further deficit, including:- Cuts to textbooks, technology and classroom materials
- Cuts to foreign language, library services, gym, music and special education
- 24 teachers and staff for the coming year and an additional 109 positions the following year
- Student busing for all high school students will end Jan. 1
- Elimination of all athletics and extra-curricular programs in 2013-14
Our focus has been -- and will continue to be -- our more than 5,700 students and how we can provide them with the best education possible. Support at the polls in August would be the community’s confirmation of our efforts.
Stay tuned for more information as we head into the summer election. As part of our commitment to ensuring you are able to make an informed decision at the ballot box, we will post information on our website, share updates with the media and include pertinent details in our newsletters.
We have been diligent with the resources you have approved. The treasurer’s office has been praised for its financial reporting and our staff members have worked hard to see student achievement soar. Let’s continue along this path together!
Show me what you've got
Posted 4/19/2012 at 1:09:53 PM by Scott McKenzie [staff member]
The ingenuity of our students is on full display as Invention Convention heats up each spring.
The district held its culminating event last night to determine who will advance to the next stage of the science competition. The students are vying for a spot in the statewide finals scheduled for May 19 at Columbus State University.
Invention Convention is similar to a science fair, but is geared a little more toward providing a venue for students to create solutions to problems people routinely experience. Young entrepreneurs and inventors from at least eight of our buildings were involved with the program this year.
Participation in Invention Convention continues to grow each year in our district. This is a feather in Groveport Madison’s cap because it highlights our staff’s work to encourage interest in what educators call STEM subjects: Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.
We are diligent about preparing our youth to be productive and successful in the 21st century -- a world where science and technology have taken center stage. Our future leaders will need to solve challenges with complex answers when efficiency and state-of-the-art tools will be at more of a premium than they already are.
Creativity will be key, which is what our very own Coulter Jacks employed in his projects each of the past two years. The now eighth-grader has earned $1,500 in scholarship money from his Invention Convention entries the past two years.
Coulter won first place in the 2011 seventh- and eighth-grade division for his invention of the "Visor Caddy," which replaces hanging handicap signs on car rearview mirrors. He also won the contest’s “Look at the Donut ...not the Hole” scholarship.
Opportunities such as Invention Convention, and LeasderSpark! as I discussed in Monday’s entry (below), underscore our commitment to educating the whole child. This concept is integral to providing a 21st century education where students learn how to become critical thinkers and problem solvers by utilizing a wide-range of skills and knowledge.
Invention Convention creates a fun atmosphere for students to express themselves and share their ideas. The program is fully funded through a non-profit called Just Think Inc. which gets it support through partnerships with businesses and foundations. Just Think Inc. also provides all of the needed materials, including student journals, workbooks and teacher lesson planning guides.
For now, it’s full steam ahead for those who made the cut at last night’s competition. They’ll have a month to tinker with their creations until the state showcase next month. I say: Game on! Go Cruisers!
Leadership skills ignited in new course at high school
Posted 4/16/2012 at 7:33:14 AM by Scott McKenzie [staff member]
A series of dynamic community service initiatives are in motion thanks to a new program at Groveport Madison High School.
LeaderSpark! kicked off in January with 25 students in grades 9-12 enrolled in the service-learning course. The participants are boosting their leadership skills through high-quality, interactive skill-building workshops ... and coming up with some great ideas.
There is a flurry of activity this month as most of their work is coming to end and the resulting projects are set to launch. The students are grouped in teams and are spearheading the following activities:- Team Winning: Fundraiser activity at Glendening Elementary, May 4
- Team Amazingly Awesome: NO text & driving table at Ricart Ford event, April 22
- RAIDJ: Easter Egg hunt at Madison Elementary (rained spoiled an outdoor scavenge on April 3, but the students developed an alternative activity)
- True Beauty: Orchard Park clean up and beautification, April 25
- #TeamDream: Easter Basket distribution at Heinzerling, a residential care center for severely disabled youth and adults, April 4
Our students were required to develop clear action plans, define specific tasks and identify the resources to accomplish these noble missions. They were also expected to meet specific deadlines along the way.
LeaderSpark! began in Columbus in 1987 and has grown from 10 participants to more than 400 students since its inception almost 15 years ago. Our Work Force Development Coordinator Christine Boucher heads up the program for our students, facilitates the discussions and teaches the participants how to ignite their creativity and leadership.
The LeaderSpark! curriculum has six components: Qualities and Styles of Leadership, Working with Groups, Planning Projects, Dealing with Conflict, Presention of Self, Public Speaking and Interviewing. The students, who meet once a week after school, will receive a ½ flex credit and more than 24 hours of training.
We work hard in the district to provide enriching opportunities that prepare students for active partnerships with their peers, families and the Groveport Madison community. Our service learning programming offers our students wonderful experiences through which they develop skills that teach them how to become positive contributors to society.
The Groveport Madison group keeps a log of it sessions on the high school’s website. They have spent time learning about effective meeting management, how to set realistic and measurable goals and have participated in many team-building exercises.
In the coming weeks, our students will assess their work and develop presentations about their projects. They will share their experiences with their classmates, teachers and parents during Recognition Night on May 23.
I am eager to see the fire created in the eyes of our youth as they discover the power an idea can have when it comes to fruition and makes a difference in someone’s life.
Love thy neighbor
Posted 4/11/2012 at 7:27:30 AM by Scott McKenzie [staff member]
It’s a lesson we teach as early as kindergarten and one we hold onto at all levels in the district: Be kind to your neighbors.
In that spirit we hold strong to a practice of being good neighbors to our senior citizens. In fact, there is an official policy of the Board of Education that puts money where our mouths are.
It reads:
Senior citizens who are residents of the District will be admitted free of charge to all home school activities.
For the purpose of this policy, a senior citizen is defined as a person who is 65 years of age or older.
To facilitate the implementation of this policy, the Golden Buckeye Card will be recognized as proof of having attained the designation of senior citizen.
Senior citizens will also be permitted to eat in the cafeteria of schools in the District at a reduced rate. This rate will be one-half of the faculty rate for lunches and will include a beverage.
I must say, it is a true pleasure to have such valuable relationships with our senior community. They have given us much more than we could ever repay.
They have provided support through thick and thin and over the course of their many years as residents of our district.
They share their time. Many senior citizens volunteer in our schools, helping our youngsters build their skills. They read, assist with math and offer a shoulder in times of need.
They are our friends. It’s a heart-warming sight to see their smiling faces as they walk down our halls, applaud along with audiences or sit on our sidelines cheering on our various teams.
Best yet, many of them have shared their children with us! Some have shared their grandchildren and all have shared their wisdom.
So, dear seniors, we invite you this spring to join us for a ball game or lunch. As the famed Mr. Rogers always said: Won’t you be our neighbor?
Reply Posts
Dear Golden Buckeye Card,
Posted 4/16/2012 at 1:43:23 PM by Scott McKenzie [staff member]
Thank you, Donna! We are fortunate to serve. And, we are blessed to have your staunch support and never-ending service .-- Scott
Dear Love Thy Neighbor,
Posted 4/16/2012 at 1:42:08 PM by Scott McKenzie [staff member]
Thank you for your reply. We value your input. Student behavior is always a top priority for us, in all of our buildings with or without visitors. Students who behave inappropriately see consequences for their actions. I am proud of our staff who lead by example and showcase those who model superior citizenship. -- Scott
Love thy Neighbor
Posted 4/11/2012 at 1:41:27 PM by [anonymous visitor]
We invited seniors to eat at our high schools in WV long before I moved here. This was a wonderful PR act because the seniors came in early to eat and often stayed and helped out. Everybody won. However, if behavior of students is poor during their stay, you have a whole other PR issue.
Golden Buckeye Card
Posted 4/11/2012 at 7:13:55 AM by [anonymous visitor]
Thank you Mr. McKenzie, our senior citizens are very valuable and this is a wonderful thank you for what they do.
Donna Drury
Open highway?
Posted 4/5/2012 at 7:30:17 AM by Scott McKenzie [staff member]
With an early dismissal in store today, it is time to hit the road.
Spring Break starts this afternoon and that is always a hallmark occasion. Some families will head out of town, while others will keep closer to home for a “staycation” until classes resume Monday, April 16.
Regardless, safety is priority number one with the wide-open road ahead. Some teens may test their skills behind the wheel as their families jump in a car while others may pile in a vehicle together and head to the mall or a local theater in search of something to do.
Parents, that means it’s a good time to think about the Teen Driving Rally!
Ricart Automotive is presenting this special opportunity from 1-4 p.m., Sunday, April 22 at its Hamilton Road location. Representatives from Columbus Public Health, AAA, Liberty Mutual and more than a dozen other great partners will be on hand to provide teens and their parents important safety information.
During the special event, students will have the opportunity to test their driving skills on maneuverability courses and receive drive-cam skill instruction. They will also be able to practice defensive driving with a “spin avoidance” vehicle.
The event is free, but registration is highly recommended. You may register online or by calling 1-800-504-1076.
More teenagers die in car accidents every year than any other way. A Charlotte, N.C. teen lost his life last weekend when a car full of classmates headed to the beach overturned on the interstate; a local colleague was in the traffic on the shut-down highway.
The simulations offered in a few weeks to new drivers at the Ricart event could be lifesavers. The local fire department and MedFlight will also show a mock crash in action and demonstrate fatal-vision goggles.
The teens will have a chance to try their hands at vehicle maintenance, learn how to change a tire, gain a better understanding of what to do if an accident occurs and see first aid displays. Free food, prizes and T-shirts will be available as well.
The safety and security of Groveport Madison’s students is our top priority as a school district. We are proud to be a part of a community that has so many partners willing to go to the end of the road and back to offer opportunities that could someday save a precious life.
Reply Posts
Dear Texting and Driving,
Posted 4/11/2012 at 7:26:59 AM by Scott McKenzie [staff member]
Indeed! Thanks for the reply. -- Scott
Texting and Driving
Posted 4/5/2012 at 7:26:02 AM by [anonymous visitor]
Also, be sure to stop by and sign the "NO texting and driving" pledge with 4 teens from GMHS who are on a mission to end texting and driving!! Their slogan is "Driving While inTEXTicated Kills".
A little competitive spirit goes a long way
Posted 4/2/2012 at 7:10:00 AM by Scott McKenzie [staff member]
For some, a simple challenge gives rise to a healthy competition. For others, it takes a little money to sweeten the pot.
The Spirit Sprint 5K offers both. Organizers of this race are offering portions of the proceeds to schools. The biggest winnings go to the district with the most participants.
The Cardinal Orthopaedic Institute’s third annual event begins at 9 a.m., Sunday, April 29. So, lace up your shoes and get ready to run in the name of the Cruisers!
The unique Spirit Sprint 5K was created to help districts offset the rising costs of athletic and extra-curricular activities. The Cardinal Orthopaedic Institute says it wants to do its part in relieving the hardship some families feel when struggling to meet their children’s basic needs.
Last year, Gahanna-Jefferson Schools walked -- err, ran -- away with almost $5,000. The event brought in nearly $9,000 with just Reynoldsburg as the only other district registered.
The race’s early entrance fee is $20; race-day registration is $25. All registrants receive a free performance gear shirt, “goodie bag” and refreshments.
This year’s race promises to be even bigger as Columbus Schools for Girls, Canal Winchester and our district join the fun. The day will feature family friendly fun: bounce houses, music, school mascots, free food and more.
The added benefit, of course, is family members encouraging and participating in healthy activities with their children. In a nation facing a childhood obesity epidemic, it is imperative we lead by example and teach our youth tools for survival.
Children who are overweight are increasingly susceptible to diseases and illness such as diabetes and high blood pressure. They often miss more school than their healthier peers, can be the subject of ridicule and may be more likely to suffer from depression.
Compounding the symptoms, it’s not hard to understand why academic performance can suffer. When school becomes a challenge and another source of struggle, a child can feel helpless and that’s not acceptable.
So, it’s time to rally the spirit and get ready to race! With just a little less than a month to prepare to run away with the winnings, let’s jump in one for all.