Through the Classroom Door: April 2011
Scott McKenzie's Blog Page
Our three Rs
Posted 4/25/2011 at 2:59:20 PM by Scott McKenzie [staff member]
Our sites are set on the three Rs in Groveport Madison: Rest, Relaxation and Recharge.
Spring Break is here and it comes at a deserving and beneficial time. We've accomplished a significant amount so far this year, but there is more to come and we need to be at our best as we wrap up this school year.
Ohio Achievement Assessments will be administered in grades 3-8 when school begins again May 2. It's important our students are rested and recharged so they are able to perform at their best.
While the tests are a snapshot in time and just one measure of student success, they provide valuable information about academic growth. They also give important insight to our practices, pointing to what is effective and what could be modified.
The OAAs, just as the Ohio Graduation Tests, are also important indicators on the state's Local Report Card. The scores are one of the yardsticks by which our district is measured. We fared well last year, earning an “effective” rating which many liken to a “B,” and I am sure our students will do well next week.
As we return to school, we'll also be sure to recognize our teachers in honor of National Teacher Appreciation Week which is celebrated annually the first full week of May.
The efforts our teachers put forth should be praised far and wide. They work tirelessly alongside other staff members to ensure the lessons prepared and the support provided are modeled after best practices.
They deliver daily instruction that encourages the development of skills necessary for our students to be successful in school and beyond. They collaborate with others to help build rigorous and relevant courses of study. And, they uphold our mission to equip our students with the knowledge they need to be productive and competitive in this new era of globalization.
They have certainly earned a week’s worth of relaxing.
So, here’s to the three Rs of the day, before we get back to the others -- reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmetic -- that are such an integral part of the worldly learning we provide.
Prom promises a bigger picture
Posted 4/20/2011 at 7:24:50 AM by Scott McKenzie [staff member]
Saturday’s prom is sure to grab the hearts and attention of many in our community.
The annual affair sparks lots of individualized frenzy with girls searching for dresses, guys picking out tuxes and all scurrying from house to house for obligatory photos. Prom also serves as a platform for our youth to learn about the bigger world around them.
Groveport Madison students have a tradition of participating in public awareness and public service campaigns every prom season. This year they are taking on three initiatives that draw attention to drivers and the perils of the road.
Student Council members are encouraging their classmates to sign two pledges to help prevent accidents. In addition to the annual Prom Promise -- a written contract between students and parents not to drink alcohol and especially not to drink and drive -- students are also promising not to text and drive.
As adults, we all understand the gravity of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. And, thanks to awareness efforts around the country, we are learning about the severity of how texting on a cell phone can compromise a driver’s ability to focus on the road ahead.
In addition to these preventative measures, our students are also supporting an initiative called “My Emergency Contact Information” which helps emergency personnel reach family members more readily should an accident occur.
Drivers are able to voluntarily link their family’s contact information with the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles’ Next of Kin Database because of the educational program offered by an organization called Parent Grief. Ohio is the first state to offer such an undertaking, and Groveport Madison students are helping to further the cause.
The Prom Promise and Do Not Text and Drive pledges bring attention to the importance of safety, offering calls to action by encouraging students to make important decisions before getting behind the wheel. My Emergency Contact Information is a sober reminder of what can happen should poor choices be made.
Prom is one of those rites of passage that gives a snapshot to the future. It will always capture our hearts and minds. I am proud Groveport Madison students take pause -- with a sense of maturity and responsibility -- to see the bigger picture.
A big deal
Posted 4/18/2011 at 7:18:18 AM by Scott McKenzie [staff member]
It’s time to weigh in ... and I feel a call to action pulling at me.
Roughly 18 percent of children in Ohio are obese. According to new data, it’s a rate that has not changed in five years. I find some solace the number is not on the rise, but when we’ve reached an epidemic, a decline would be a lifesaver.
Furthermore, the state’s Department of Health’s recently released “A Report on the Body Mass Index of Ohio’s Third Graders,” indicates more than 30 percent of our children are classified as overweight or obese. That’s a hefty number.
And, it's not acceptable.
We have to do something about it.
Dr. Theodore Wymyslo, Ohio’s director of health, says in the report obesity brings a host of problems. Not only are diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol more prevalent in children with the disease, so too are depression and poorer performances in school when compared to healthy peers.
Some obese children, Dr. Wymylso said, “rate their quality of life as low as children receiving chemotherapy for cancer.” This breaks my heart.
We have to make a difference. We cannot accept this fate for our youth.
So it’s to that end, we have brought the topic to the forefront in Groveport Madison Schools. We’ve made it a part of our conversations with the community, and the Board of Education has asked us to make it a focus in our schools.
Salad bars became a staple in elementary buildings just in time for National Nutrition Month --
recognized every March -- just as they are in other schools throughout district. We work carefully with our food service provider, to be sure healthy and balanced options are available for breakfast and lunch. And, we work to follow National School Lunch Program guidelines.
We won’t stop there. We have a responsibility to help our youth.
We educate children about the benefits of developing good exercise and eating habits by incorporating discussions in classrooms. We encourage physical activity and seek opportunities to get children involved. In fact, Sedalia Elementary was nationally recognized for such an effort.
We can make a difference. We have to! I am committed to helping remove the weight of the world from these children of ours -- they deserve to live unburdened and carefree.
Collaboration in the spotlight
Posted 4/11/2011 at 7:17:58 AM by Scott McKenzie [staff member]
The community will help raise the roof later this week when Music Man takes the stage.
As the Cruiser Theater Co. debuts this year’s musical on Thursday evening, more than 70 people will help bring the production to life with the cast, crew and musicians. It will show nightly at 7:30 p.m. through Saturday at the high school.
Drama Director Doug Benoit and his high school students recruited budding thespians from schools across the district and members from the community to best recreate River City, Iowa, the scene of the acclaimed tale. The cast alone has more than 40 members.
Participating in the performing arts always provides students with such rich opportunities and invaluable lessons. I am proud to see our youth work hand-in-hand with members of our community. As they join forces, our students are able to nurture their creative spirits and see first-hand how cooperation and collaboration can build such rewarding experiences.
Providing students the opportunity to participate in band, choir and the visual arts encourages learning at a broad level: academically, socially, physically and emotionally. In Groveport Madison, we are fully committed to creating relevant programs and courses of study that promote the education of the whole child.
The arts are at the very core of developing a robust education that encourages the learning of 21st century skills that are crucial to our global society: abstract thinking, critical analysis and creative problem solving.
Plácido Domingo, a world-renowned tenor and conductor of the Washington National and Los Angeles operas, sings the praise of the development of the “whole child.” He is an active advocate of schools providing students with diverse learning opportunities through the arts.
There is also the research we follow from one of the foremost leading organizations of 21st century education, the ASCD (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development), that shows the positive impact on intelligence and student achievement when the arts are included in schools.
I am eager for our students to see the fruits of their collective efforts as they take center stage this week. The lessons learned are sure to last a lifetime.
Shout it out
Posted 4/7/2011 at 7:22:32 AM by Scott McKenzie [staff member]
Have you heard?
We have found a way to shout from the rooftop!
We've turned to Facebook and are eagerly sharing stories of Groveport Madison success! The site offers a rewarding venue to share positive nuggets of news.
While the roots of the social network giant lie in connecting friends, the site has become a valuable communication tool for businesses and organizations (especially for school districts or other not-for-profits because of its no-cost structure). It encourages and makes two-way communication easy with its interactive format (similar to this blog).
We can post something in just a few short sentences and send along a photo. Then -- in an instant -- you tell us how much you like it. Our faculty and staff appreciate the feedback, even in its "thumbs up" simplicity, because they feel validated for their efforts.
Even better, Facebook also allows YOU to choose what comes to YOU through your news feed -- similar to a menu -- so you are in control of the information you receive. You don't get lost in searches of other sites and we are able to see who interacts with us and the kind of information you enjoy.
Sharing information with you is one of our top priorities. Informed communities are involved communities that, in turn, makes student achievement grow.
That's a pretty good formula.
We believe it is important to utilize proven techniques to stay in touch with our community just as we use best practices in the classroom. We have a responsibility to our residents to use our resources wisely and in an effective manner.
So, look for us on Facebook and listen to our cheers. Feel free to give us a "shout out" when the urge calls.
Achievement stems from creative problem solving
Posted 4/4/2011 at 8:02:30 AM by Scott McKenzie [staff member]
Scores of students are gearing up for the district’s Invention Convention competition next week.
Budding inventors at Groveport Middle School North, Middle School South and the district’s Junior High will be putting the final touches on their projects in hopes to advance to the next stage of competition, which will ultimately culminate with statewide finals in May.
Invention Convention differs from traditional science fairs in that its focus is for students to create solutions to simple and complex problems people routinely experience.
Students from the district have shown a solid track record in the program. Last year then sixth-grader Coulter Jacks took home first place in his age group for his “Mail Alert” invention.
Invention Convention supports our efforts of preparing our students for the tech-savvy global economy of the 21st century. It also aligns with our work to develop an educationally rich STEM-based curriculum that encourages independent innovation.
STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and math. In fact, the district was pleased to learn last week it is a recipient of a $35,000 “Innovations in STEM” grant from the Metro Management Group.
We will use the grant to begin planning for the conversion of our two middle schools to a STEM-focused curriculum. We continually assess our courses of study to assure we provide relevant programming that improves student achievement. Our staff pursued the funding to help further our research and create additional opportunities for students.
Invention Convention brings STEM-based learning to life with real-world problem solving which students need to develop in this ever-changing technology-based landscape. The program is offered at no cost to students across the state.
Time Warner Cable, one of the Invention Convention sponsors, is specifically involved through its “Connect a Million Minds” initiative because it aims to connect young people in support of STEM education.
I am eager to see what this year's crop of inventors bring to the Invention Convention tables. I wish every participant the best of luck in "solving our problems."