We’ve had quite a scare at the end of this week with the bus accident involving our Graham students, but things could have been much, much worse for our students. How ironic that we had our mock accident exercise on Thursday; and then on the way home, these students lived that experience. While none of our students was seriously injured, it had to have shaken them up quite a bit even to witness the accident. We’re so, so grateful that they’re all still with us. Please keep the families and loved ones of those who were killed in the van that collided with the bus in your thoughts and prayers.
On the topic of our mock accident, I want to thank Carol Siebeneck and the others who assisted for orchestrating this very powerful experience for our students. I never knew how many agencies were involved in making this happen! I can only hope that it will make our students stop and think during this graduation season and make good choices. If one life is saved (which we’ll never know), it’s well worth it.
I’ve had the opportunity to stop in and visit some classes in the past couple of weeks, and think our seniors, especially, are working fast and furious to complete senior projects, portfolios, exams, and the other demands of being a senior! But the ones I’ve gotten to speak with are also very excited about taking the next step and focused on where they’re going. And the common thread I hear in their comments is that they feel well prepared. To all of you—job well done for getting this next group of students ready to take on the world!
Last Thursday I accompanied the Professional Turf and Landscaping students on a field trip to Scotts-Miracle-Gro Company in Marysville. It’s typically difficult for student groups to get into Scotts, but a former Union County Leadership Institute classmate of mine facilitated the visit. It was really neat! The students actually participated in a class taught by one of their Training Institute instructors, receiving the same content he would present to landscapers and other lawn and garden professionals about Scott’s products. I had no idea there were so many different kinds of grasses, fertilizers, and weed killers! (Definitely gives me a complex about my yard.) We also received lollipops with (edible) bugs embedded in them. Kind of gross—but they were a hit! In addition, we visited one of their research greenhouses. I appreciated the behavior and mature, thoughtful questions our students had while on the tour. Hopefully this will spur them on to continue their education and perhaps someday take advantage of employment opportunities at Scotts!
Monday I attended the first meeting of the Champaign Co. Economic Development Advisory Council. As we worked through a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats), it occurred to me how much collaboration we have in Champaign Co. For example:
• Ohio Hi-Point has collaborated with Urbana University (and Clark State) to establish credit-articulation programs within the health careers pathway to encourage more adults into higher education.
• The Department of Jobs and Family Services is at the beginning of that pipeline to identify under-educated, under-employed adults and provide them with basic skills training (for which they collaborate with OHP for Adult Basic Literacy training).
• The City and County have been instrumental in helping OHP establish a South Campus (at the former Armory) to bring workforce training programs to Champaign Co. for high-school students and adults.
I really look forward to working with this committee of community leaders to strengthen those partnerships and our opportunities in Champaign County.
Thursday evening I attended our OHP FFA Annual Awards Banquet. This is always such a great evening and a class act! Robin Curly’s and Cole Carpenter’s students do a great job of running the show, and the students are so proud of their accomplishments (rightfully so!) I especially appreciate the number of staff members who attend this event every year—it’s a wonderful show of support for these students!
No doubt you’re all looking forwarded to this extended weekend as much as I am! It comes at a perfect time when we could all use a breather. I’ve kept a newspaper column by Regina Brett that I cut out of the Cleveland Plain Dealer when I was there for Memorial Day several years ago titled “45 Life Lessons and 5 to Grow On.” It’s a great mix of philosophical and practical advice. There are too many to list here, but some of my favorites are:
• Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.
• When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
• Pay off your credit cards every month.
• Don’t compare your life to others; you have no idea what their journey is all about.
• It’s never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
• If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.
• Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift.
• The best is yet to come.
Have a great weekend; and on this Memorial Day, take time to honor the memory of those who have served our country. And if you’re traveling, be safe!
Friday, May 22, 2009
Friday, May 8, 2009
May 8, 2009
Wow, what a week! There’ve been so many great recognition activities going on, it’s difficult to capture them all here. I’m a little late getting this out because I’ve been busy with some of these activities even today.
This past week, among others, we recognized our National Technical Honor Society inductees, our top 15 academic achievers who each selected their “Honored Educator,” our academic achievers at the Logan Co. Academic Achievement Recognition Breakfast, and our Project SEARCH interns. Please watch your e-mail for Shane’s press releases and photos and take time to read them—it reminds us why we’re all here! And congratulations to all of our student achievers for their outstanding performance this year.
This past weekend was chock-full with activities related to our 35th Anniversary celebration. Friday evening, we had an Alumni & Friends gathering, and several past students, staff, and supporters of OHP stopped by. It was a nice, casual evening to enjoy some refreshments and catch up with old friends. Saturday morning was our Top of Ohio 5K Run/Walk. The weather was a pleasant surprise, and we had a great time! One special team that walked and ran the race was our Project SEARCH team (see photo above right). They truly took the “team” approach and supported one another right up to the finish line!
Saturday evening was our third Showcase of Success Distinguished Alumni Induction. It was such a special evening. Our three inductees were Beth Brentlinger (Cosmetology, 1976), Carol DelGrosso (Drafting, 1978), and Aaron Wren (Plumbing/Pipefitting, 1979). Of course, we all love to hear the success stories of our alumni; but what I enjoy most is seeing our inductees reconnect with OHP in a significant way and truly appreciate the great start their teachers here gave them. Be watching our Showcase of Success wall for these three inductees to be added and take time to read their stories!
Monday I had the opportunity to attend the statewide Career-Based Intervention spring conference where our very own Deb Wortman was recognized as an Outstanding Partner for her work in starting CBI programs with partner schools. Very well deserved! These programs have made such an impact on students needing just a little extra guidance in middle school and high school in order to get on and stay on the right track. One of those students, Bryanna Baker at Upper Scioto Valley, was also recognized as the recipient of the Jeff Akers Scholarship at the state conference. She gave a beautiful and eloquent speech as she shared with us her plans to go on to become a nurse. Let me share with you some of her words:
My CBI class through Ohio Hi-Point has helped me develop this plan and taught me the process to moving through all of the steps. This scholarship and your belief in me have increased my self confidence, which adds to my personal drive to work towards my goals.
Best wishes to Bryanna—I have no doubt she’ll one day make a wonderful nurse!
You know, our students are some of the most grateful teenagers I’ve ever worked with (and you don’t often hear “grateful” and “teenager” in the same sentence!) One example I’d like to share with you is the following e-mail one of our students sent to Tracy Franck in our Technology Department:
This past week, among others, we recognized our National Technical Honor Society inductees, our top 15 academic achievers who each selected their “Honored Educator,” our academic achievers at the Logan Co. Academic Achievement Recognition Breakfast, and our Project SEARCH interns. Please watch your e-mail for Shane’s press releases and photos and take time to read them—it reminds us why we’re all here! And congratulations to all of our student achievers for their outstanding performance this year.
This past weekend was chock-full with activities related to our 35th Anniversary celebration. Friday evening, we had an Alumni & Friends gathering, and several past students, staff, and supporters of OHP stopped by. It was a nice, casual evening to enjoy some refreshments and catch up with old friends. Saturday morning was our Top of Ohio 5K Run/Walk. The weather was a pleasant surprise, and we had a great time! One special team that walked and ran the race was our Project SEARCH team (see photo above right). They truly took the “team” approach and supported one another right up to the finish line!
Saturday evening was our third Showcase of Success Distinguished Alumni Induction. It was such a special evening. Our three inductees were Beth Brentlinger (Cosmetology, 1976), Carol DelGrosso (Drafting, 1978), and Aaron Wren (Plumbing/Pipefitting, 1979). Of course, we all love to hear the success stories of our alumni; but what I enjoy most is seeing our inductees reconnect with OHP in a significant way and truly appreciate the great start their teachers here gave them. Be watching our Showcase of Success wall for these three inductees to be added and take time to read their stories!
Monday I had the opportunity to attend the statewide Career-Based Intervention spring conference where our very own Deb Wortman was recognized as an Outstanding Partner for her work in starting CBI programs with partner schools. Very well deserved! These programs have made such an impact on students needing just a little extra guidance in middle school and high school in order to get on and stay on the right track. One of those students, Bryanna Baker at Upper Scioto Valley, was also recognized as the recipient of the Jeff Akers Scholarship at the state conference. She gave a beautiful and eloquent speech as she shared with us her plans to go on to become a nurse. Let me share with you some of her words:
My CBI class through Ohio Hi-Point has helped me develop this plan and taught me the process to moving through all of the steps. This scholarship and your belief in me have increased my self confidence, which adds to my personal drive to work towards my goals.
Best wishes to Bryanna—I have no doubt she’ll one day make a wonderful nurse!
You know, our students are some of the most grateful teenagers I’ve ever worked with (and you don’t often hear “grateful” and “teenager” in the same sentence!) One example I’d like to share with you is the following e-mail one of our students sent to Tracy Franck in our Technology Department:
Mrs. Franck, I just wanted to thank you again for helping with my senior video. We watched it in lab today and everyone loved it, it was very emotional. And thanks to you I was able to get everyone a copy of the video today. You don’t know how much that meant to me. I was unable to get my fellow classmates a graduation present and this made me feel a little bit better. It also gives each one of us something to look back on, we will all now have something to remember each other by and the time spent at Hi-Point. So thank you so much.
Amie' Hoffer
Culinary Arts 09'
I’m sure Tracy thought nothing of helping this young lady with her project, but what an impact it made! Even when we’re just “doing our jobs,” never underestimate the difference we can make.
It’s come to my attention that, if we had a “Safety Award of the Week,” it should go to Melissa Sizemore this week (Melissa is a math teacher on our Bellefontaine Campus). Apparently as Melissa and some students were setting up outside for field day today at about noon, the tornado siren went off. Melissa didn’t realize this was a weekly occurrence (to test the siren), and she had a real sense of urgency about getting her students back into the building to a safe location! Melissa, your friends and co-workers are having a little fun at your expense. But I’m glad you have that intuitive instinct to protect our kids. Hope it didn’t stress you out too much!
It’s come to my attention that, if we had a “Safety Award of the Week,” it should go to Melissa Sizemore this week (Melissa is a math teacher on our Bellefontaine Campus). Apparently as Melissa and some students were setting up outside for field day today at about noon, the tornado siren went off. Melissa didn’t realize this was a weekly occurrence (to test the siren), and she had a real sense of urgency about getting her students back into the building to a safe location! Melissa, your friends and co-workers are having a little fun at your expense. But I’m glad you have that intuitive instinct to protect our kids. Hope it didn’t stress you out too much!
Finally, let me wish all of you a wonderful Mother’s Day. Treasure your mother if you still have her, treasure her memory if you don’t, treasure motherhood if you are a mother, and treasure the anticipation of motherhood if you’re a mother-to-be!
Have a great weekend!
Friday, May 1, 2009
May 1, 2009
Friday, May 1, 2009
Yikes, is anyone else hyperventilating over how fast time is going by?!? A typical spring in any school, I suppose. (By the way--welcome to May and happy May Day!)
The Administrative Team put our best culinary foot (feet?) forward on Monday and provided lunch for our office support staff. This is the very least we can do to thank them for the tremendous support they provide to all of us and, most importantly, our students! It was a lot of fun and such a treat to be able to sit down and have lunch with the whole gang. A photo of the festivities is at the right.
We recognized our 3rd-quarter Straight A students with “walking tacos” and special recognition on Monday afternoon. What a great group of kids! It was nice to spend some time with our achievers; but true to form, they didn’t stick around long—most of them wanted to get back to class to finish some assignment or project! So we sent them on their way and told them to “go get some more A’s!” Thanks to all of our teaching staff who work with these students to help them succeed.
Wednesday evening I attended the West-Central Ohio Tech Prep Consortium Recognition Dinner and had the privilege of seeing two of OHP’s finest receive recognition. Ashley Sprang, Health Technologies senior from Kenton, and Lance Salyer, Auto Technology senior from Triad, will both be receiving Tech Prep scholarships—Ashley for Rhodes State and Lance for University of Northwest Ohio. Congratulations to these two fine young people and best wishes in your college and career! We know you’ll make us proud and go on to much success.
I was off campus on Thursday attending an “Issues Forum” with the career-technical superintendents. On the topic of the next biennium budget, among other things we are working with the Senate Education Committee to assure:
· That career-tech leadership has representation on the committee that will study our funding over the next two years
· That open-enrolled students and weighted funding are included in the amount that the proposed 1.9 percent funding increase will be based upon
· That Adult Workforce Education is fully integrated into the University System of Ohio (now that we are under the Board of Regents)
We’re on voice among hundreds, no doubt, lobbying with Senate right now over this budget bill, but we are a united voice! I’ll keep you posted.
Thursday evening we hosted our annual Career Focus Dinner and invited those students who have applied to our programs to come in, have dinner with us, and spend some time in their future labs getting to know their instructors better. We had a great turnout and I was able to talk to many excited future students (and grateful parents!) I also heard comments from several of our staff that this seems like such a nice group of kids (not that that’s anything new). We look forward to working with them over the next two years!
We’ve had a lot of activities around our 35th Anniversary this week, with many more to come! I hope you’ll all come out and join us at our Top of Ohio 5K Run/Walk tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. It’s an exciting event which draws a bigger crowd of runners/walkers every year. And best of all, it raises money for our Scholarship Fund! Thanks to all of you who are volunteering your precious weekend time for this event.
Next week is one of celebrating special people! Tuesday is National Teacher Appreciation Day, and Wednesday is School Nurse’s Appreciation Day! Let me be the first to say we greatly appreciate the professionalism of all of our teachers/certified staff and all you do to help our students chase their dreams. And I know I’m not alone in saying that I always feel a little bit safer knowing we have “Nurse Amy” watching over us as our Health & Safety Coordinator. Thanks for all you do. We’ve got the best!
Have a great weekend!
Yikes, is anyone else hyperventilating over how fast time is going by?!? A typical spring in any school, I suppose. (By the way--welcome to May and happy May Day!)
The Administrative Team put our best culinary foot (feet?) forward on Monday and provided lunch for our office support staff. This is the very least we can do to thank them for the tremendous support they provide to all of us and, most importantly, our students! It was a lot of fun and such a treat to be able to sit down and have lunch with the whole gang. A photo of the festivities is at the right.
We recognized our 3rd-quarter Straight A students with “walking tacos” and special recognition on Monday afternoon. What a great group of kids! It was nice to spend some time with our achievers; but true to form, they didn’t stick around long—most of them wanted to get back to class to finish some assignment or project! So we sent them on their way and told them to “go get some more A’s!” Thanks to all of our teaching staff who work with these students to help them succeed.
Wednesday evening I attended the West-Central Ohio Tech Prep Consortium Recognition Dinner and had the privilege of seeing two of OHP’s finest receive recognition. Ashley Sprang, Health Technologies senior from Kenton, and Lance Salyer, Auto Technology senior from Triad, will both be receiving Tech Prep scholarships—Ashley for Rhodes State and Lance for University of Northwest Ohio. Congratulations to these two fine young people and best wishes in your college and career! We know you’ll make us proud and go on to much success.
I was off campus on Thursday attending an “Issues Forum” with the career-technical superintendents. On the topic of the next biennium budget, among other things we are working with the Senate Education Committee to assure:
· That career-tech leadership has representation on the committee that will study our funding over the next two years
· That open-enrolled students and weighted funding are included in the amount that the proposed 1.9 percent funding increase will be based upon
· That Adult Workforce Education is fully integrated into the University System of Ohio (now that we are under the Board of Regents)
We’re on voice among hundreds, no doubt, lobbying with Senate right now over this budget bill, but we are a united voice! I’ll keep you posted.
Thursday evening we hosted our annual Career Focus Dinner and invited those students who have applied to our programs to come in, have dinner with us, and spend some time in their future labs getting to know their instructors better. We had a great turnout and I was able to talk to many excited future students (and grateful parents!) I also heard comments from several of our staff that this seems like such a nice group of kids (not that that’s anything new). We look forward to working with them over the next two years!
We’ve had a lot of activities around our 35th Anniversary this week, with many more to come! I hope you’ll all come out and join us at our Top of Ohio 5K Run/Walk tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. It’s an exciting event which draws a bigger crowd of runners/walkers every year. And best of all, it raises money for our Scholarship Fund! Thanks to all of you who are volunteering your precious weekend time for this event.
Next week is one of celebrating special people! Tuesday is National Teacher Appreciation Day, and Wednesday is School Nurse’s Appreciation Day! Let me be the first to say we greatly appreciate the professionalism of all of our teachers/certified staff and all you do to help our students chase their dreams. And I know I’m not alone in saying that I always feel a little bit safer knowing we have “Nurse Amy” watching over us as our Health & Safety Coordinator. Thanks for all you do. We’ve got the best!
Have a great weekend!
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