It occurred to me as I started this message that in last Friday’s TGIF posting I said last week was the last Friday in May. Oops! That would be today! (Surprised no one corrected me on that—you must all be as dazed and confused as I am at this hectic time of year!) But this really is the last Friday in May and it wraps up an absolutely wonderful week at Ohio Hi-Point.
The highlight of the week was Wednesday with our Senior Awards Breakfast and our Convocation. These are two great events that really wrap up the high-school year and put a nice bow on it, reminding us of why we come to work every day—student achievement! It was kind of hard to focus in my office during the middle of the day as the Seniors went through Convocation rehearsal up on the hill—I could sense the anticipation and I was really excited for them. And, while I know I’m just a little biased, I really believe our Convocation ceremony gets more beautiful and more touching every year! I’m not the only one who was impressed; here are some comments I received by e-mail from others:
To each of you and the faculty, I'd like to commend you for an excellent Convocation last evening. It appeared to be the biggest I can remember. What a beautiful setting and evening! The graduates, the faculty, the families and friends, and the press made it a memorable evening. We have a great deal to be proud of and are grateful for each of you as board members. Thank you for all your efforts and leadership. Please pass along.
Anne Reames, OHP Board President (Bellefontaine)
The Convocation last night was again a replica of the top-notch dedication the staff and administration has to provide a setting for the students and parents that they will remember for a lifetime. The program was excellent and the facilities looked great. Please pass along my appreciation for their efforts.
Bill Ramsey, OHP Board Vice President (Benjamin Logan)
What a wonderful ceremony last night!!! I heard some of your staff say it was the best one yet! I am so sorry I haven't attended before now, and I am so glad I went last night. Great job!
Nancy Wood-Allison, Superintendent (Upper Scioto Valley)
I’ve included a photo of the procession from the Peak of Ohio at the right. To see the other great photos from the event, visit our website at www.ohiohipoint.com. I can’t begin to thank all the individuals who had a hand in making this Convocation so lovely; but please know that I realize it takes a tremendous team effort; and you can take satisfaction knowing that your work means a great deal to me, our Board, our community, and most importantly our students!
I also received some high praise late last week from partner school staff for three of our staff members who went above and beyond to help one of our students reach success:
I would like to let you know how much help 3 of your employees were to our school. We had a student who did not pass the Social Studies OGT. Through the process of informing students of scores and checking to see if (this student) qualified under the alternative pathway for graduation, three of your employees were very helpful. These are Shelly Swaney (Instructional Supervisor), Lynne Hall (Guidance Counselor), and Darlene Roll (Intervention Aide). I would like you to know how much these ladies did to help us out.
Thank you,
Craig M. Hurley, Principal (Upper Scioto Valley)
I appreciate Craig sharing, and I hope these three ladies realize the impact they’ve had on this student’s life. Thank you!
Sometimes our students don’t reach success along the path we would like, but I firmly believe we “plant a seed” for success within every student we serve! One perfect example was shared with me by Dave Marsteller, our Carpentry Teacher. He received this e-mail from one of his former students. (Note: I've omitted the student’s name and have not corrected for spelling or grammar!)
Hey Mr. Marsteller, well I lied on your voice mail im writing you now. But that's cool I hope. Anyways like I said I never knew you sent me a letter. Right now I'm on a 3 day home visit and I'm helping my mom clean and I found your letter. I was totally shocked. Thank you for writing me. Well I was in JDC for 4 months then they decided to send me to Xenia- Miami Valley Juvenile Rehabilitation Center. I've been there since January 25th. I've got 40 some days left and ill be done. I've gotten the opportunity to graduate. I had to double up on my school work, but now i get my diploma in 9 days!!!! Well yesterday on my way home i passed the house. Man you guys are doing a GREAT job on that house. I love the brick it looks awesome. But hey i want you to know I'm not giving up on my dream to become a carpenter! Im 18 now and I'm going to be a graduate soon and I'm going to talk to the superintendent and hopefully he will let me come to do night classes with you! I'm DETERMINED!!! Its my dream and I'm going to fulfill it. So hopefully you could put in a good word with him if he happens to ask about me. I'm sorry i basically bailed on you. I made a really big mistake but im not letting that hold me back. So i just wanted to tell you thank you so much for writing me and you may write me were im at if you would like.
Dave has to feel good about the impact he had on this young man, and I think the fact that this student reached out to communicate with Dave reflects the respect he has for Dave as a teacher and mentor. Dave, I think this young man is going to make it! Thanks for the crucial role you played in his life.
While I’m on the topic of achievement, I have another staff achievement to share! I received this e-mail from Susie Knox, Practical Nursing Instructor and our resident running coach:
I did not know if you were aware that Mary Jo Alstaetter (ProjectSEARCH Teacher) walked the Cleveland Rock and Roll Half Marathon this past Sunday (13.1 miles). I think she should be acknowledged for this accomplishment. Mary Jo is pumped up and signing up for two more! I am trying to encourage other staff to follow in her footsteps, particularly two of my Get Fit for Life team members that have done a super job moving toward a healthier weight. Our team is leading the weight loss challenge going into the final weigh-in; we had lost a total of 71 pounds between us with our Monday weigh-in. We were never mentioned early on as we did it slow and steady, but we have persisted.
Mary Jo agreed to let me share this so long as I encouraged others to get active too. Thanks, Mary Jo, for being such an inspiration—and best wishes in the other events you’ll be walking in!
I also want to congratulate all of you who have participated in our “Biggest Loser” contest. Winning is great; but whether you were the “biggest” loser or not, if you reached a goal or are off to a good start, that’s what counts. Keep it up!
This will be my last TGIF for the year, as most of our staff will be off enjoying their summers, participating in professional development, taking classes, or just recharging batteries! My heartfelt thanks to all of our staff for another wonderful year and for all you do for our students! Have a wonderful summer, be safe traveling, and I’ll see you back here in the fall!
Friday, May 23, 2008
May 23, 2008
Happy TGIF on this last Friday in May (yikes)! I apologize I didn’t get this out prior to the end of the school day; just too much going on! But I know I don’t have to tell all of you that.
This is that time of year I get my favorite case of writer’s cramp signing all the certificates of award for our students (and wishing I had prettier handwriting!) It starts about mid-May with all of our high-school honors and continues right through GED graduation in June and Practical Nursing graduation in September. This is the real “payoff time” for our students as they achieve their goals here and move on to the next step in their career pathways. As I signed the high school Certificates of Completion this week, I recognized several familiar last names. We should be proud of the fact that we serve so many students whose siblings have attended OHP. For a parent to allow us to serve two or more children is a real show of confidence in our fine programs! I also recognized a couple of last names that matched those of our staff and, as I’ve said in the past, allowing us to serve a child is the ultimate compliment from a staff member!
Our programs provide customer service to our communities in more ways than I can name, and I often receive compliments on the fine work our students do. This week I received a letter from Jennifer Wanamaker, PTO President at Fairbanks Elementary, about such fine work. Jennifer wrote:
The Printing & Graphics Program under the supervision of Tom Carrig is top notch! Our PTO was in need of notepads and staff tee shirts for Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week. In addition, we needed a design to be printed on tee shirts for our Spring Fairbanks FUN’d Walk. Through the efforts of Angie Walls coordinating with Tom Carrig, our need was filled and expectations exceeded! The Printing & Graphics Programs designed and made over 70 notepads, 182 tee shirts for our walk, and 46 tee shirts for our elementary staff. The staff raved over the original design and high quality of their new shirts. It was the highlight of their week! . . . I understand that one student in particular worked extra hard on this project. Please acknowledge the efforts of Jennifer Grube. Her vision and ability are incredible!
I happened to visit the Printing & Graphics lab while this project was underway, and I agree with Jennifer! The tee shirts were adorable. Thank you to Mr. Carrig and Mrs. Walls for giving our students this opportunity to shine!
I also received a letter from Marysville Middle School this week applauding the efforts of another of our staff members. (It’s been a fun week to open the mail!) Janet Dunn, Marysville Middle School Career and Consumer Science Teacher, wrote:
On behalf of the students, staff, and administration of Marysville Middle School, I wish to thank you and the Ohio Hi-Point Career Center for making presentations about Ohio Hi-Point Career Center possible for our eighth-grade students during the 2007-08 school year. JoEtta Spain and the student ambassadors provided very informative and engaging talks for our middle school students. Eighth grade students are very excited to plan their high school and career futures. Learning about the opportunities that await at Ohio Hi-Point are important facts to add to their pool of choices. . . . It is my hope that many Marysville students will exercise the opportunity to visit your campus during their freshman and sophomore years to gain an even deeper awareness of the wonderful opportunities that are available through Ohio Hi-Point. I hope that Marysville Schools will continue to enroll quality students in your programs and that our students will use their skills to become positive and productive members of our community.
What a tribute to JoEtta and our student ambassadors! Thanks for the fine work you do in representing us to Marysville and our other partner schools.
As you know, we’re all about accountability in career-technical education, and that applies to all of our programs which serve all age levels. We received word this week that our ABLE (Adult Basic Literacy Education) Program received a Superior rating from the Ohio Department of Education for the 2006/2007 school year. This rating is based on a review of several areas including student achievement, enrollment, retention, cost per student, student standardized test scores, and administrative requirements. Congratulations to Sharon Halter, ABLE/GED Coordinator and her talented, dedicated staff for the fine work they do in serving our adult population. And speaking of our GED program, I strongly encourage you to attend our GED graduation on June 5 at 7 p.m. in the Seminar Center. This is one of the most touching ceremonies I have the privilege of attending every year, and it’s a reminder to us all that achievement comes at all ages and through many forms of motivation. I promise you you’ll be inspired!
As for events for the week, I’ve had some interesting ones! Monday I had a visit from Ed Roberts, a legislative aide in the office of U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown. He had heard about Ohio Hi-Point Career Center in workforce development discussions with both the Logan and Champaign County Chambers of Commerce (good for us!) So he called to set up a meeting to see what we’re all about. I talked with Mr. Roberts about our many high-school and adult education programs and the value we bring to workforce development training. Then I gave him a tour of our campus. Unfortunately, our students had left for the day, but several of our staff members were in their labs. Whenever I get the chance, I’ve learned it’s best to be quiet and let our staff tell their story; and they did a fantastic job! Mr. Roberts was, as so many are, amazed at what we offer and the high level of academic and technical education that our students receive. My thanks to Craig Bales, Art Spragen, Deb Purcell, and Tammy Heitmeyer for doing us all so proud!
Thursday afternoon I, along with several other staff members, stopped by the Construction Trades Academy Project House Open House. Once again, our Construction Trades Programs have outdone themselves in constructing a beautiful home for developer Dave Duff. It doesn’t get much more “authentic” than this as far as putting technical skills to work in the real world! The students obviously took a great deal of pride in their work, and the many parents and friends who visited also beamed with pride. Congratulations to Mr. Hedges, Mr. Lawrence, Mr. Limes, and Mr. Marsteller for another successful year! And I don’t want to let the cat out of the bag, but stay tuned for some really neat innovative technology on next year’s project house.
Thursday evening I attended the Mad River Region Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame Awards in Springfield (I serve on the Logan County Junior Achievement Board). Jerry Shiffer was honored posthumously as a Hall of Fame Laureate; many of you will remember that Jerry was the visionary behind our Aviation Occupations Program. Congressman Dave Hobson was also honored. I sat next to former U.S. Congressman Clarence Brown who lives in Urbana and was pleased to learn that he is very familiar with Ohio Hi-Point and our programs. He was especially complimentary of our efforts to provide satellite programs in Champaign County to better serve that area with both high-school and adult programs. I don’t know when I’ll quit being surprised that we’re as well known as we are—we really have done a commendable job of getting the word out about what we do!
Well, it looks as if it’s finally going to start feeling like spring (maybe even summer!) this weekend. I hope you have (or had) a wonderful extended weekend and that you took time to remember those who have served our country as well as those whom you’ve lost who are dear to you.
This is that time of year I get my favorite case of writer’s cramp signing all the certificates of award for our students (and wishing I had prettier handwriting!) It starts about mid-May with all of our high-school honors and continues right through GED graduation in June and Practical Nursing graduation in September. This is the real “payoff time” for our students as they achieve their goals here and move on to the next step in their career pathways. As I signed the high school Certificates of Completion this week, I recognized several familiar last names. We should be proud of the fact that we serve so many students whose siblings have attended OHP. For a parent to allow us to serve two or more children is a real show of confidence in our fine programs! I also recognized a couple of last names that matched those of our staff and, as I’ve said in the past, allowing us to serve a child is the ultimate compliment from a staff member!
Our programs provide customer service to our communities in more ways than I can name, and I often receive compliments on the fine work our students do. This week I received a letter from Jennifer Wanamaker, PTO President at Fairbanks Elementary, about such fine work. Jennifer wrote:
The Printing & Graphics Program under the supervision of Tom Carrig is top notch! Our PTO was in need of notepads and staff tee shirts for Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week. In addition, we needed a design to be printed on tee shirts for our Spring Fairbanks FUN’d Walk. Through the efforts of Angie Walls coordinating with Tom Carrig, our need was filled and expectations exceeded! The Printing & Graphics Programs designed and made over 70 notepads, 182 tee shirts for our walk, and 46 tee shirts for our elementary staff. The staff raved over the original design and high quality of their new shirts. It was the highlight of their week! . . . I understand that one student in particular worked extra hard on this project. Please acknowledge the efforts of Jennifer Grube. Her vision and ability are incredible!
I happened to visit the Printing & Graphics lab while this project was underway, and I agree with Jennifer! The tee shirts were adorable. Thank you to Mr. Carrig and Mrs. Walls for giving our students this opportunity to shine!
I also received a letter from Marysville Middle School this week applauding the efforts of another of our staff members. (It’s been a fun week to open the mail!) Janet Dunn, Marysville Middle School Career and Consumer Science Teacher, wrote:
On behalf of the students, staff, and administration of Marysville Middle School, I wish to thank you and the Ohio Hi-Point Career Center for making presentations about Ohio Hi-Point Career Center possible for our eighth-grade students during the 2007-08 school year. JoEtta Spain and the student ambassadors provided very informative and engaging talks for our middle school students. Eighth grade students are very excited to plan their high school and career futures. Learning about the opportunities that await at Ohio Hi-Point are important facts to add to their pool of choices. . . . It is my hope that many Marysville students will exercise the opportunity to visit your campus during their freshman and sophomore years to gain an even deeper awareness of the wonderful opportunities that are available through Ohio Hi-Point. I hope that Marysville Schools will continue to enroll quality students in your programs and that our students will use their skills to become positive and productive members of our community.
What a tribute to JoEtta and our student ambassadors! Thanks for the fine work you do in representing us to Marysville and our other partner schools.
As you know, we’re all about accountability in career-technical education, and that applies to all of our programs which serve all age levels. We received word this week that our ABLE (Adult Basic Literacy Education) Program received a Superior rating from the Ohio Department of Education for the 2006/2007 school year. This rating is based on a review of several areas including student achievement, enrollment, retention, cost per student, student standardized test scores, and administrative requirements. Congratulations to Sharon Halter, ABLE/GED Coordinator and her talented, dedicated staff for the fine work they do in serving our adult population. And speaking of our GED program, I strongly encourage you to attend our GED graduation on June 5 at 7 p.m. in the Seminar Center. This is one of the most touching ceremonies I have the privilege of attending every year, and it’s a reminder to us all that achievement comes at all ages and through many forms of motivation. I promise you you’ll be inspired!
As for events for the week, I’ve had some interesting ones! Monday I had a visit from Ed Roberts, a legislative aide in the office of U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown. He had heard about Ohio Hi-Point Career Center in workforce development discussions with both the Logan and Champaign County Chambers of Commerce (good for us!) So he called to set up a meeting to see what we’re all about. I talked with Mr. Roberts about our many high-school and adult education programs and the value we bring to workforce development training. Then I gave him a tour of our campus. Unfortunately, our students had left for the day, but several of our staff members were in their labs. Whenever I get the chance, I’ve learned it’s best to be quiet and let our staff tell their story; and they did a fantastic job! Mr. Roberts was, as so many are, amazed at what we offer and the high level of academic and technical education that our students receive. My thanks to Craig Bales, Art Spragen, Deb Purcell, and Tammy Heitmeyer for doing us all so proud!
Thursday afternoon I, along with several other staff members, stopped by the Construction Trades Academy Project House Open House. Once again, our Construction Trades Programs have outdone themselves in constructing a beautiful home for developer Dave Duff. It doesn’t get much more “authentic” than this as far as putting technical skills to work in the real world! The students obviously took a great deal of pride in their work, and the many parents and friends who visited also beamed with pride. Congratulations to Mr. Hedges, Mr. Lawrence, Mr. Limes, and Mr. Marsteller for another successful year! And I don’t want to let the cat out of the bag, but stay tuned for some really neat innovative technology on next year’s project house.
Thursday evening I attended the Mad River Region Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame Awards in Springfield (I serve on the Logan County Junior Achievement Board). Jerry Shiffer was honored posthumously as a Hall of Fame Laureate; many of you will remember that Jerry was the visionary behind our Aviation Occupations Program. Congressman Dave Hobson was also honored. I sat next to former U.S. Congressman Clarence Brown who lives in Urbana and was pleased to learn that he is very familiar with Ohio Hi-Point and our programs. He was especially complimentary of our efforts to provide satellite programs in Champaign County to better serve that area with both high-school and adult programs. I don’t know when I’ll quit being surprised that we’re as well known as we are—we really have done a commendable job of getting the word out about what we do!
Well, it looks as if it’s finally going to start feeling like spring (maybe even summer!) this weekend. I hope you have (or had) a wonderful extended weekend and that you took time to remember those who have served our country as well as those whom you’ve lost who are dear to you.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
May 16, 2008
Can it possibly be Friday again? These weeks are going by way too fast (we all have too much to do at this time of year!) But all of your efforts are paying off in such neat ways.
This past Saturday, we held our 4th annual Top of Ohio 5K Run/Walk. What a great event! The weather was perfect—we had a beautiful day sandwiched in between two cold, rainy days. We also had a record turnout—103 runners/walkers last I heard. I couldn’t run because I had to be the starter and give medals at the finish (oh darn), but it was really fun to see so many of our staff and community members come across the finish line. I even had an Urbana City Schools staff member stop me as she came across the finish line to tell me how great our programs are for her students! This event is a fundraiser for our scholarship fund; and while I haven’t heard the final tally yet, I know the amount raised will top previous years and assist many of our students in pursuing higher education. Thanks to Shane Haggerty for heading up the organization of the event, and thanks to the many staff members (and adult education students!) who volunteered or participated to help make it a success!
Tuesday morning I attended the ProjectSEARCH Recognition Breakfast at Logan Acres. This is one of the most gratifying events I attend all year. These young adults with disabilities spend a year polishing their employability skills and learning valuable job skills, and it was a delight to hear each of them share what they had learned, what their strengths are, and what their plans are for the future. This program is a partnership among several community partners, and the commitment was very apparent as evidenced by those in attendance from Logan Co. MRDD, BVR, Logan Co. Commissioners, Logan Acres, our partner schools, our own staff, and of course parents and other supporters. Many thanks to Mary Jo Alstaetter who is the passion behind this program, and Barb Culp, her committed and enthusiastic aide. The young folks completing this program will no doubt become a valuable asset in our communities.
Wednesday evening our Animal Technology and Professional Turf and Landscaping Programs held their annual honors banquet. It’s always a nice evening, and the scope of awards presented never fails to impress me. The students “run the show” at this banquet and do a terrific job! Many thanks to the students and their instructors, Robin Curley and Cole Carpenter, for such a great event and for your work with these great students all year!
I serve on the Board of Directors for the Graham Digital Academy, and Thursday evening I attended their Annual Honors Ceremony. These are students who, for whatever reason, choose an alternative form of education. The GDA serves students in grades K-12, and they’re an amazing group of students. I was especially proud to hear that two of their graduating seniors have completed one of our programs—one in Aviation Occupations and one in Biotechnology. This is a perfect example of collaboration to serve the unique needs of students, and I appreciate the partnership with GDA. Thanks to Frank Drain, Aviation teacher, and Cheryl Hess, Biotechnology teacher, for your support of these students and for bringing their dreams to life!
I’m tempted to whine a little about the weather not being as warm and sunny as I’d like for mid-May; but when I consider the suffering of those around the world who are enduring hurricanes, earthquakes, tornados, and wildfires, I realize how very fortunate we are. Enjoy your cool, cloudy weekend!
This past Saturday, we held our 4th annual Top of Ohio 5K Run/Walk. What a great event! The weather was perfect—we had a beautiful day sandwiched in between two cold, rainy days. We also had a record turnout—103 runners/walkers last I heard. I couldn’t run because I had to be the starter and give medals at the finish (oh darn), but it was really fun to see so many of our staff and community members come across the finish line. I even had an Urbana City Schools staff member stop me as she came across the finish line to tell me how great our programs are for her students! This event is a fundraiser for our scholarship fund; and while I haven’t heard the final tally yet, I know the amount raised will top previous years and assist many of our students in pursuing higher education. Thanks to Shane Haggerty for heading up the organization of the event, and thanks to the many staff members (and adult education students!) who volunteered or participated to help make it a success!
Tuesday morning I attended the ProjectSEARCH Recognition Breakfast at Logan Acres. This is one of the most gratifying events I attend all year. These young adults with disabilities spend a year polishing their employability skills and learning valuable job skills, and it was a delight to hear each of them share what they had learned, what their strengths are, and what their plans are for the future. This program is a partnership among several community partners, and the commitment was very apparent as evidenced by those in attendance from Logan Co. MRDD, BVR, Logan Co. Commissioners, Logan Acres, our partner schools, our own staff, and of course parents and other supporters. Many thanks to Mary Jo Alstaetter who is the passion behind this program, and Barb Culp, her committed and enthusiastic aide. The young folks completing this program will no doubt become a valuable asset in our communities.
Wednesday evening our Animal Technology and Professional Turf and Landscaping Programs held their annual honors banquet. It’s always a nice evening, and the scope of awards presented never fails to impress me. The students “run the show” at this banquet and do a terrific job! Many thanks to the students and their instructors, Robin Curley and Cole Carpenter, for such a great event and for your work with these great students all year!
I serve on the Board of Directors for the Graham Digital Academy, and Thursday evening I attended their Annual Honors Ceremony. These are students who, for whatever reason, choose an alternative form of education. The GDA serves students in grades K-12, and they’re an amazing group of students. I was especially proud to hear that two of their graduating seniors have completed one of our programs—one in Aviation Occupations and one in Biotechnology. This is a perfect example of collaboration to serve the unique needs of students, and I appreciate the partnership with GDA. Thanks to Frank Drain, Aviation teacher, and Cheryl Hess, Biotechnology teacher, for your support of these students and for bringing their dreams to life!
I’m tempted to whine a little about the weather not being as warm and sunny as I’d like for mid-May; but when I consider the suffering of those around the world who are enduring hurricanes, earthquakes, tornados, and wildfires, I realize how very fortunate we are. Enjoy your cool, cloudy weekend!
Friday, May 9, 2008
May 9, 2008
Happy Friday to you all! Thanks for another great week of supporting our students and helping them achieve and celebrate success.
I want to thank all of our OHP Congress Committee chairs who reported out at our Staff Breakfast on Tuesday morning. When you hear all of those reports at one time, it really hits home how busy the committees are all year and how much they accomplish. These are voluntary, staff-driven committees, and you do a terrific job of making our district a great place to work. Thanks so much!
Wednesday, after the Logan Co. Chamber Board of Directors meeting that was held at the Honda East Liberty plant, I had the opportunity to tour the plant for the first time. Having recently bought a CRV, it was fascinating to see so many of them rolling off the production line! (I believe it’s 950 a day!!) It was also reassuring to see all the quality-control measures that go into making those cars. I made a good choice! (OK, end of my Honda commercial.) But during the tour, our tour guide Cathy mentioned to the group that they expect a very large number of retirees over the next five years and she is excited about a partnership with Ohio Hi-Point to help encourage more people to consider a manufacturing maintenance pathway. Now, she didn’t know me from Adam and her comments were totally unsolicited. How neat!! (Of course, I introduced myself after that and told her we are excited about the partnership, too!)
Thursday we held our annual scholarship selection luncheon, which is always a pleasure. I can’t let the cat out of the bag about selections (scholarships will be announced at the Senior Breakfast on May 28). But I can say that we had a terrible problem—we had so many high-achieving and deserving students that the selection was really very difficult. What a great problem to have—and I think it’s only going to get harder! Thanks to our committee--Harold Marker (Sloan Trustee), Anne Reames (OHP Board President), Lynne Hall, Lynda Arehart, Nila Marquard, Deb Baker, Nikki Smith, and Eric Adelsberger--for your assistance in making these selections. It’s a very gratifying experience!
Thursday evening, I attended our first annual Honored Educators Recognition Banquet as part of our National Teacher Appreciation Week activities. What a delightful evening! Our top 15 students academically selected the educator who they feel has had the most impact on them and presented them with a framed letter of appreciation and photo to commemorate the honor. It was such a pleasure to see both our “cream of the crop” students honored and to see the pride in the honored educators’ eyes in being selected. The students read their letters and they brought tears to my eyes (doesn’t take much, I know!) But I noticed there weren’t many dry eyes in the whole crowd! The event got great front-page coverage on WPKO’s website (www.peakofohio.com) --check it out! Thanks to all who worked so hard to make this inaugural event such a success, and I look forward to this being a long-standing tradition.
I received an e-mail from one of the honored educators, our very own Caleb Lang (Social Studies). I think it really captures the essence of why we chose education as a career:
Dear All,
Thanks so much for your hard work in organizing the banquet last night. I think everyone who attended was touched by the words of the students. I am not sure I deserved the kind words that were spoken but it definitely confirmed that I am doing the right thing with my life. I just wanted to let you know that your work in putting this event together was very much appreciated!
Thanks!
I also had an e-mail from Shannon Donnelly, Intervention Specialist, on another topic and wanted to share part of that with you along the same lines:
Hi Point has been the most rewarding experience I have had as an educator, and I am so thankful that you offered me the opportunity to stay next year. The staff and students are the best and I am so grateful to be a part of the OHP team.
Our staff and students are the best, Shannon; thank you for sharing your thoughts!
I had a chance this morning to hear Senior Project presentations by our Information Technology Program, and all I can say is that I was absolutely in awe. While I couldn’t follow much at all of the content (way over my head!), it was obvious the students knew exactly what they were talking about! High-level critical problem solving was integrated into each project, and it made me realize how far we have come in challenging our students to apply their learning. Thanks to Amanda Blackburn, IT Instructor, for the invitation. I know there were many other Senior Project presentations going on over these final weeks, and I truly wish I could hear them all. Thanks to all of our academic and career-tech instructors who have assisted our students in this very worthwhile endeavor.
The brochure for the 2008 Logan County Home & Garden Tour has been released, and Stop #1 with the featured speaker is our very own Ohio Hi-Point Career Center! Cole Carpenter, Professional Turf and Landscaping teacher, and his students will be landscaping Campbell Hill for this event and I can’t wait to see the end result. The tour is June 8 from 1-6 p.m.; contact the Logan County Chamber if you’re interested. (And, of course, you can walk up to Campbell Hill any time you’d like to see the progress!) Thanks, Cole, for taking on this very worthwhile project with your students.
In closing, I’d like to wish all of our mothers a very happy Mothers Day! Whatever your situation, take time this Sunday to enjoy and appreciate being a mother, having a mother, or remembering a mother. Have a great weekend!
I want to thank all of our OHP Congress Committee chairs who reported out at our Staff Breakfast on Tuesday morning. When you hear all of those reports at one time, it really hits home how busy the committees are all year and how much they accomplish. These are voluntary, staff-driven committees, and you do a terrific job of making our district a great place to work. Thanks so much!
Wednesday, after the Logan Co. Chamber Board of Directors meeting that was held at the Honda East Liberty plant, I had the opportunity to tour the plant for the first time. Having recently bought a CRV, it was fascinating to see so many of them rolling off the production line! (I believe it’s 950 a day!!) It was also reassuring to see all the quality-control measures that go into making those cars. I made a good choice! (OK, end of my Honda commercial.) But during the tour, our tour guide Cathy mentioned to the group that they expect a very large number of retirees over the next five years and she is excited about a partnership with Ohio Hi-Point to help encourage more people to consider a manufacturing maintenance pathway. Now, she didn’t know me from Adam and her comments were totally unsolicited. How neat!! (Of course, I introduced myself after that and told her we are excited about the partnership, too!)
Thursday we held our annual scholarship selection luncheon, which is always a pleasure. I can’t let the cat out of the bag about selections (scholarships will be announced at the Senior Breakfast on May 28). But I can say that we had a terrible problem—we had so many high-achieving and deserving students that the selection was really very difficult. What a great problem to have—and I think it’s only going to get harder! Thanks to our committee--Harold Marker (Sloan Trustee), Anne Reames (OHP Board President), Lynne Hall, Lynda Arehart, Nila Marquard, Deb Baker, Nikki Smith, and Eric Adelsberger--for your assistance in making these selections. It’s a very gratifying experience!
Thursday evening, I attended our first annual Honored Educators Recognition Banquet as part of our National Teacher Appreciation Week activities. What a delightful evening! Our top 15 students academically selected the educator who they feel has had the most impact on them and presented them with a framed letter of appreciation and photo to commemorate the honor. It was such a pleasure to see both our “cream of the crop” students honored and to see the pride in the honored educators’ eyes in being selected. The students read their letters and they brought tears to my eyes (doesn’t take much, I know!) But I noticed there weren’t many dry eyes in the whole crowd! The event got great front-page coverage on WPKO’s website (www.peakofohio.com) --check it out! Thanks to all who worked so hard to make this inaugural event such a success, and I look forward to this being a long-standing tradition.
I received an e-mail from one of the honored educators, our very own Caleb Lang (Social Studies). I think it really captures the essence of why we chose education as a career:
Dear All,
Thanks so much for your hard work in organizing the banquet last night. I think everyone who attended was touched by the words of the students. I am not sure I deserved the kind words that were spoken but it definitely confirmed that I am doing the right thing with my life. I just wanted to let you know that your work in putting this event together was very much appreciated!
Thanks!
I also had an e-mail from Shannon Donnelly, Intervention Specialist, on another topic and wanted to share part of that with you along the same lines:
Hi Point has been the most rewarding experience I have had as an educator, and I am so thankful that you offered me the opportunity to stay next year. The staff and students are the best and I am so grateful to be a part of the OHP team.
Our staff and students are the best, Shannon; thank you for sharing your thoughts!
I had a chance this morning to hear Senior Project presentations by our Information Technology Program, and all I can say is that I was absolutely in awe. While I couldn’t follow much at all of the content (way over my head!), it was obvious the students knew exactly what they were talking about! High-level critical problem solving was integrated into each project, and it made me realize how far we have come in challenging our students to apply their learning. Thanks to Amanda Blackburn, IT Instructor, for the invitation. I know there were many other Senior Project presentations going on over these final weeks, and I truly wish I could hear them all. Thanks to all of our academic and career-tech instructors who have assisted our students in this very worthwhile endeavor.
The brochure for the 2008 Logan County Home & Garden Tour has been released, and Stop #1 with the featured speaker is our very own Ohio Hi-Point Career Center! Cole Carpenter, Professional Turf and Landscaping teacher, and his students will be landscaping Campbell Hill for this event and I can’t wait to see the end result. The tour is June 8 from 1-6 p.m.; contact the Logan County Chamber if you’re interested. (And, of course, you can walk up to Campbell Hill any time you’d like to see the progress!) Thanks, Cole, for taking on this very worthwhile project with your students.
In closing, I’d like to wish all of our mothers a very happy Mothers Day! Whatever your situation, take time this Sunday to enjoy and appreciate being a mother, having a mother, or remembering a mother. Have a great weekend!
Friday, May 2, 2008
May 2, 2008
Looks like we’re going to end this week on a cloudy, rainy note. But we actually can use the rain, so can’t complain.
This morning I saw a group of students loading into a van to undoubtedly head out to another event of some sort, and I know we’re still in that “sprint to the end” of the school year with almost too much going on to keep track of! But it’s important to take time to fully appreciate all the great happenings in our programs.
I serve on the Urbana University Foundation Board of Trustees, and Tuesday evening I had an opportunity to meet and speak with one of the candidates for the presidency at the University. While I’m not at liberty to discuss anything related to him personally, I can say that he and his wife are very familiar with career-technical education in Ohio and value the partnerships that have been forged with higher education in recent years. Whether he is ultimately selected for the position or not, it’s gratifying to know that CTE is very naturally a part of the conversation with candidates for a position such as this. We’re definitely putting ourselves on the “map” of educational pathways!
On Wednesday morning, Logan County TechStart hosted a meeting here on our campus. This is the parent agency for initiatives such as TechColumbus, a technology industry incubator which you might have been reading about in the Dispatch. One of the presenters mentioned a partnership between a technology start-up and the local career center in producing a prototype of a new product. I spoke with him afterward and he shared how very impressed he was with our facilities and asked for an opportunity to learn more about our programs. Of course we’ll give him that opportunity! I can think of a multitude of ways our students could be a valuable resource to entrepreneurs in our area, as well as becoming the entrepreneurs of the future! I look forward to this partnership developing.
Wednesday evening I attended the West Central Ohio Tech Prep Consortium awards dinner along with several other staff members and students. Two of our students (Katie Hoying from Indian Lake in Health Technologies and Dustin Roosa from Urbana in Auto Technologies ) received Rhodes State Scholarships, and Shelly Swaney presented Terri Nichols and Doug Weeks from Honda with a Distinguished Business Partner Award. How great to see Ohio Hi-Point’s outstanding student performance and business partnership initiatives recognized! I know we were all very proud.
Thursday I was able to stop in briefly to hear some of the staff presentations during our early release. It was really gratifying to hear the level of discussion and implementation that our teachers have reached with our High Schools That Work program. And it’s especially exciting to hear how this work is impacting student learning! In the short time I was there, I heard about:
· Academic students taking pride in displaying their work
· Aligning instruction with content standards (tedious but important work!)
· Closing the gap for our students in preparing them for college-level expectations
· Providing duel-enrollment courses
· Collecting data around concerns so that solutions can be targeted and effective
On the technology side, I also heard and saw:
· Second Life application in Printing & Graphics
· A Professional Learning Community related to our TOOLS program focusing on technology integration, the value of technology, and having all students reach technology literacy
· Student podcasting projects and their pride in putting their work out there “for the whole world to see”
· Using graphing calculators to allow students to visualize math concepts.
· E-mailing our daily announcements and the “value added” of including educational information and trivia
· Training for all students on cybersafety, cyberethics, and intellectual property laws (has curriculum changed over the years or what?!?)
What a rich sharing experience for our staff, and I thank all those who participated!
Thursday evening I “graduated” from the Union County Leadership Institute. This was my fourth (and final!) county leadership program since I’ve been in this position. While these programs have required considerable time away from the district and playing “catch-up” upon return, they have also been a tremendously valuable networking and learning experience for me. The biggest benefit I have seen is in these programs is the chance to share the great news about Ohio Hi-Point Career Center throughout our counties and to make connections for our staff and students. The common thread has been the eagerness of businesses and community groups to work with us, which I know is entirely due to the professionalism our students and staff show when they interact within our communities. Thank you!
This TGIF message is a little late today because I’ve had a very busy day with some really great activities. This morning, we hosted a breakfast for the first meeting of our OHP Alumni & Friends Association, a group which has formed to further the “cause” of Ohio Hi-Point in our communities, build a network for alumni and supporters, and strengthen support for our students. We had a wonderful turnout of folks truly committed to these goals. The leadership will be turned over the group at this time, but certainly we will be called upon as staff to assist them in many ways—so stay tuned! Many thanks to Shane Haggerty for conceiving of such a group and organizing this kickoff event.
After that meeting, I met with Bill Russell from the Ohio Board of Regents regarding the transfer of our Adult Education programs to the Board of Regents. Mr. Russell is visiting all 49 career centers in Ohio, and we’re number 36! He took great interest in the variety and scope of programs we offer to adults and was particularly impressed with our industry and higher-education partnerships. He commented that it was like driving onto a college campus to come to OHP, and he noted both the beautiful facilities and the fact that three colleges are housed on our campus. I shared with him concerns we have about the assurance of funding and reasonable credentialing for instructors; but overall we’re very positive about this move. He assured me that he and Chancellor Fingerhut have become keenly aware of the value that our adult workforce programs at career centers bring to Ohio, and their intent it to leverage that network to reach the goal of increasing enrollment in Ohio’s colleges by over 230,000.
After handing Mr. Russell off to Darlene Chiles (thanks, Darlene!) I attended the National Technical Honor Society induction luncheon in the Inn. What a wonderful ceremony! It’s such a pleasure to honor those of our students who have achieved “at the top of the pack” and met very rigorous induction criteria. It was especially nice to see so many parents, grandparents, and other supporters of the students there to share in the celebration with them. Thank you to Mrs. Beale and her students for a delicious lunch, and many thanks to Serena Neer and Melissa Rofe for serving as advisors to NTHS and organizing such a wonderful ceremony!
I’ve said many times that we have an amazing staff and I never cease to be amazed at the talents they exhibit outside of their jobs. One such talent is that if Suzie Knox, an avid runner who has organized a running club among our staff. Suzie recently ran her second Boston Marathon and gave me permission to share her experience stating that it’s one of her proudest personal achievements (no doubt!)
Boston is certainly a tough course with all its hills, but it is the most amazing experience with the hundreds of thousands of spectators cheering you on along the entire course. In my typical running fashion, I looked in awe at my fellow runners and saw how they come in all ages, shapes, cultures/races/nationalities, abilities, and sizes. I looked around and even in the late miles I was running side by side with people with obvious physical handicaps, and people way older than my 48 years. Of course I was running with the best of the best in Boston since you have to meet a rather challenging qualifying time based on age and sex; with the exception of several thousand charity and invited runners, but even if the runners I mentioned previously were in that category – they were running with me, and many probably faster. My purpose for relaying this is not to necessarily to get you to think about running 26.2 miles, but to encourage and inspire and remind that some things take time and dedication. Six years ago when I started running, I never imagined I could run a marathon, let alone 10 – with two Boston qualifiers and two Boston Marathons. My mantra this year was “believe and you shall achieve” and of course the Adidas “impossible is nothing” :-)
Suzie, you’re an inspiration to us all—thanks for sharing!
Another staff note: Next Wednesday is National School Nurse Appreciation Day. While we have one “official” school nurse (Amy McCarthy, our Health & Safety Coordinator), we are blessed to have many nurses on our staff as instructors and administrators. I don’t know about you, but I’ve always had a sense of assurance knowing I’m surrounded by so many medical professionals! Please take a moment to express your appreciation to Amy and the others for the expertise and care they bring to us and to our students.
It’s FRIDAY!!! Have a wonderful, restful weekend.
This morning I saw a group of students loading into a van to undoubtedly head out to another event of some sort, and I know we’re still in that “sprint to the end” of the school year with almost too much going on to keep track of! But it’s important to take time to fully appreciate all the great happenings in our programs.
I serve on the Urbana University Foundation Board of Trustees, and Tuesday evening I had an opportunity to meet and speak with one of the candidates for the presidency at the University. While I’m not at liberty to discuss anything related to him personally, I can say that he and his wife are very familiar with career-technical education in Ohio and value the partnerships that have been forged with higher education in recent years. Whether he is ultimately selected for the position or not, it’s gratifying to know that CTE is very naturally a part of the conversation with candidates for a position such as this. We’re definitely putting ourselves on the “map” of educational pathways!
On Wednesday morning, Logan County TechStart hosted a meeting here on our campus. This is the parent agency for initiatives such as TechColumbus, a technology industry incubator which you might have been reading about in the Dispatch. One of the presenters mentioned a partnership between a technology start-up and the local career center in producing a prototype of a new product. I spoke with him afterward and he shared how very impressed he was with our facilities and asked for an opportunity to learn more about our programs. Of course we’ll give him that opportunity! I can think of a multitude of ways our students could be a valuable resource to entrepreneurs in our area, as well as becoming the entrepreneurs of the future! I look forward to this partnership developing.
Wednesday evening I attended the West Central Ohio Tech Prep Consortium awards dinner along with several other staff members and students. Two of our students (Katie Hoying from Indian Lake in Health Technologies and Dustin Roosa from Urbana in Auto Technologies ) received Rhodes State Scholarships, and Shelly Swaney presented Terri Nichols and Doug Weeks from Honda with a Distinguished Business Partner Award. How great to see Ohio Hi-Point’s outstanding student performance and business partnership initiatives recognized! I know we were all very proud.
Thursday I was able to stop in briefly to hear some of the staff presentations during our early release. It was really gratifying to hear the level of discussion and implementation that our teachers have reached with our High Schools That Work program. And it’s especially exciting to hear how this work is impacting student learning! In the short time I was there, I heard about:
· Academic students taking pride in displaying their work
· Aligning instruction with content standards (tedious but important work!)
· Closing the gap for our students in preparing them for college-level expectations
· Providing duel-enrollment courses
· Collecting data around concerns so that solutions can be targeted and effective
On the technology side, I also heard and saw:
· Second Life application in Printing & Graphics
· A Professional Learning Community related to our TOOLS program focusing on technology integration, the value of technology, and having all students reach technology literacy
· Student podcasting projects and their pride in putting their work out there “for the whole world to see”
· Using graphing calculators to allow students to visualize math concepts.
· E-mailing our daily announcements and the “value added” of including educational information and trivia
· Training for all students on cybersafety, cyberethics, and intellectual property laws (has curriculum changed over the years or what?!?)
What a rich sharing experience for our staff, and I thank all those who participated!
Thursday evening I “graduated” from the Union County Leadership Institute. This was my fourth (and final!) county leadership program since I’ve been in this position. While these programs have required considerable time away from the district and playing “catch-up” upon return, they have also been a tremendously valuable networking and learning experience for me. The biggest benefit I have seen is in these programs is the chance to share the great news about Ohio Hi-Point Career Center throughout our counties and to make connections for our staff and students. The common thread has been the eagerness of businesses and community groups to work with us, which I know is entirely due to the professionalism our students and staff show when they interact within our communities. Thank you!
This TGIF message is a little late today because I’ve had a very busy day with some really great activities. This morning, we hosted a breakfast for the first meeting of our OHP Alumni & Friends Association, a group which has formed to further the “cause” of Ohio Hi-Point in our communities, build a network for alumni and supporters, and strengthen support for our students. We had a wonderful turnout of folks truly committed to these goals. The leadership will be turned over the group at this time, but certainly we will be called upon as staff to assist them in many ways—so stay tuned! Many thanks to Shane Haggerty for conceiving of such a group and organizing this kickoff event.
After that meeting, I met with Bill Russell from the Ohio Board of Regents regarding the transfer of our Adult Education programs to the Board of Regents. Mr. Russell is visiting all 49 career centers in Ohio, and we’re number 36! He took great interest in the variety and scope of programs we offer to adults and was particularly impressed with our industry and higher-education partnerships. He commented that it was like driving onto a college campus to come to OHP, and he noted both the beautiful facilities and the fact that three colleges are housed on our campus. I shared with him concerns we have about the assurance of funding and reasonable credentialing for instructors; but overall we’re very positive about this move. He assured me that he and Chancellor Fingerhut have become keenly aware of the value that our adult workforce programs at career centers bring to Ohio, and their intent it to leverage that network to reach the goal of increasing enrollment in Ohio’s colleges by over 230,000.
After handing Mr. Russell off to Darlene Chiles (thanks, Darlene!) I attended the National Technical Honor Society induction luncheon in the Inn. What a wonderful ceremony! It’s such a pleasure to honor those of our students who have achieved “at the top of the pack” and met very rigorous induction criteria. It was especially nice to see so many parents, grandparents, and other supporters of the students there to share in the celebration with them. Thank you to Mrs. Beale and her students for a delicious lunch, and many thanks to Serena Neer and Melissa Rofe for serving as advisors to NTHS and organizing such a wonderful ceremony!
I’ve said many times that we have an amazing staff and I never cease to be amazed at the talents they exhibit outside of their jobs. One such talent is that if Suzie Knox, an avid runner who has organized a running club among our staff. Suzie recently ran her second Boston Marathon and gave me permission to share her experience stating that it’s one of her proudest personal achievements (no doubt!)
Boston is certainly a tough course with all its hills, but it is the most amazing experience with the hundreds of thousands of spectators cheering you on along the entire course. In my typical running fashion, I looked in awe at my fellow runners and saw how they come in all ages, shapes, cultures/races/nationalities, abilities, and sizes. I looked around and even in the late miles I was running side by side with people with obvious physical handicaps, and people way older than my 48 years. Of course I was running with the best of the best in Boston since you have to meet a rather challenging qualifying time based on age and sex; with the exception of several thousand charity and invited runners, but even if the runners I mentioned previously were in that category – they were running with me, and many probably faster. My purpose for relaying this is not to necessarily to get you to think about running 26.2 miles, but to encourage and inspire and remind that some things take time and dedication. Six years ago when I started running, I never imagined I could run a marathon, let alone 10 – with two Boston qualifiers and two Boston Marathons. My mantra this year was “believe and you shall achieve” and of course the Adidas “impossible is nothing” :-)
Suzie, you’re an inspiration to us all—thanks for sharing!
Another staff note: Next Wednesday is National School Nurse Appreciation Day. While we have one “official” school nurse (Amy McCarthy, our Health & Safety Coordinator), we are blessed to have many nurses on our staff as instructors and administrators. I don’t know about you, but I’ve always had a sense of assurance knowing I’m surrounded by so many medical professionals! Please take a moment to express your appreciation to Amy and the others for the expertise and care they bring to us and to our students.
It’s FRIDAY!!! Have a wonderful, restful weekend.
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