Well, this is that time of year I (and many of you) get the best form of writer’s cramp! I’ve been signing off on certificates of completion, honors certificates, and many others for our high school and adult education students. It never escapes me that every signature on every document certifies a tremendous amount of effort and accomplishment on the part of each and every student. If you multiply out every project done, every paper written, every test taken, every clinical or field experience completed times the number of students completing programs, it’s just mind boggling! What a great time of year and a great opportunity to recognize our students’ achievements.
Getting to spend time with students is a rare and special treat for me, and I had two such chances this week! Monday we hosted the Superintendent’s List Breakfast for our students who had straight A’s any quarter this year. Each received a small gift for their outstanding efforts; and the 14 students who received straight A’s all year received an OHP hoody sweatshirt. (I kind of envied those kids—neat sweatshirts!) Then, on Wednesday, we hosted a lunch at the "Peak of Ohio” for our Lead Ambassadors to thank them for the tremendous work they have done representing OHP this year. We had a beautiful day for the outside event, and the kids had a ball (as you can see in the photo at right!) Couldn’t ask for a better bunch of kids to represent us here at OHP and in the community. We’ll miss our senior ambassadors and wish them the best!
Wednesday and Thursday we hosted the site selection committee from the National Air Force Radar Museum and were excited to learn that Campbell Hill on our campus is one of five finalists for the site! (As you know, this is the former site of the 664th ACW (Aircraft Control and Warning) Station.) Wednesday morning, I had the opportunity to meet with them along with several community leaders, and they were very impressed with the level of support from Logan County. The committee will be visiting the four other sites and, over the next year, will be making their selection. If we’re fortunate enough to have Campbell Hill selected, the push will be on for a local committee to raise funds to renovate one of the former radar towers. I’ll keep you posted!
Memorial Day weekend is here, can you believe it?!? Didn’t we just get back from winter break? In addition to getting some well-deserved R&R, I hope you’ll all take time to honor those who have and are currently serving our country in the armed forces. (I had an amazing experience yesterday at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus which gave me a whole new appreciation for our armed forces. I’ll share with you next week when I have my photos ready!)
Have a great weekend!
Friday, May 28, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
May 21, 2010
I hope you’ve all had a great week, albeit a little wet and dreary. The sun yesterday was great to see! And hang on, I hear there’s more coming our way Sunday. I will say, though, that even a mediocre gardener (such as myself) can have pretty good results with the help of all this rain—everything is pretty lush.
I love to share the stories of hearing good things about OHP from out and about in the community. Earlier this week I needed to call a local law enforcement agency for some confidential records; and when I introduced myself as the Superintendent at OHP, the gentleman on the other end of the line said, “Oh, hi!” (as if we had met). Later in the conversation, he shared with me that his son attends here in one of our automotive programs. He told me, “My son loves Hi-Point. I love Hi-Point, too!” I told him I was really glad to hear that! Sometimes even the more unpleasant tasks in my job reap some positive rewards.
Tuesday evening was our first annual Satellite Senior Celebration here on Main Campus. The start of another great tradition! Several of our satellite teachers combined efforts to put this ceremony together which brought our senior satellite students together to receive their Certificates of Completion. Each teacher also presented an Outstanding Student Award, and the stories of what some of these students have overcome and what they’ve accomplished were simply amazing. All together, 119 students were completers in 15 workforce development programs at our satellite sites—my, how we’ve grown! I could tell the students really enjoyed the recognition, and the parents obviously enjoyed the chance to beam with pride! I look forward to this ceremony for many years to come.
We’re going to have a very special group of visitors next week, so I want to give you a heads up. On Wednesday and Thursday, the Site Selection Committee for the National Air Force Radar Museum will be visiting our campus as a finalist for a museum to honor those men and women who “scanned the skies” to protect our country. We’re very excited about the possibility of the museum being located here on Campbell Hill, the former site of the 664th Aircraft Control & Warning Station. And, although we’re a little biased, we feel the rich aviation heritage of this region makes this the perfect spot! The group will be holding meetings with myself and local leaders to gauge support and touring the campus to see what we have to offer. I know you’ll make them feel welcome as always.
Have a great weekend, and rest up for the “home stretch” over the next couple of weeks!
I love to share the stories of hearing good things about OHP from out and about in the community. Earlier this week I needed to call a local law enforcement agency for some confidential records; and when I introduced myself as the Superintendent at OHP, the gentleman on the other end of the line said, “Oh, hi!” (as if we had met). Later in the conversation, he shared with me that his son attends here in one of our automotive programs. He told me, “My son loves Hi-Point. I love Hi-Point, too!” I told him I was really glad to hear that! Sometimes even the more unpleasant tasks in my job reap some positive rewards.
Tuesday evening was our first annual Satellite Senior Celebration here on Main Campus. The start of another great tradition! Several of our satellite teachers combined efforts to put this ceremony together which brought our senior satellite students together to receive their Certificates of Completion. Each teacher also presented an Outstanding Student Award, and the stories of what some of these students have overcome and what they’ve accomplished were simply amazing. All together, 119 students were completers in 15 workforce development programs at our satellite sites—my, how we’ve grown! I could tell the students really enjoyed the recognition, and the parents obviously enjoyed the chance to beam with pride! I look forward to this ceremony for many years to come.
We’re going to have a very special group of visitors next week, so I want to give you a heads up. On Wednesday and Thursday, the Site Selection Committee for the National Air Force Radar Museum will be visiting our campus as a finalist for a museum to honor those men and women who “scanned the skies” to protect our country. We’re very excited about the possibility of the museum being located here on Campbell Hill, the former site of the 664th Aircraft Control & Warning Station. And, although we’re a little biased, we feel the rich aviation heritage of this region makes this the perfect spot! The group will be holding meetings with myself and local leaders to gauge support and touring the campus to see what we have to offer. I know you’ll make them feel welcome as always.
Have a great weekend, and rest up for the “home stretch” over the next couple of weeks!
Thursday, May 13, 2010
May 14, 2010
This week puts us halfway through May—where has it gone?!? I know you’re all as busy as one-armed paper hangers with all the year-end activities happening and being planned for. Lots of excitement in the air!
Anyone who knows anything about OHP knows that we’ve really embraced social networking (well, most of us have). I can’t say the “bug has bitten” me, other than doing this blog. Did any of you see Betty White on Saturday Night Live last weekend talking about Facebook? I laughed so hard I cried! I’m not quite her age (88), but I completely related to her opinion of Facebook being pretty much a waste of time. I, too, have a hard time understanding why high-school classmates I haven’t seen or talked to in over 33 years would expect me to have any interest in their kids' prom pictures. I created a Facebook page during a workshop probably two years ago, I never posted a picture, and I’ve only been back to my page once. However, in all seriousness, I have seen (through Shane’s eyes) the tremendous marketing tool Facebook and other social networking tools have been for OHP, and I’m beginning to see on a personal level how it can help to connect to long-lost friends, coworkers, employers—just about anyone! So I guess I shouldn’t knock it until I’ve tried it—I mean really tried it. Good for all of you who are using it productively!
Tuesday morning I attended the Union County Business-Education Workforce Team meeting and heard updates on the committee’s work to connect educators and students to the workforce. One of their projects, Workplaces of Today & Tomorrow, will be implemented this summer. This week-long program will put educators into multiple workplace settings and give them an opportunity to write curriculum related to real-world skills. Educators can also earn college credits. We’re really excited to get this program off the ground! If you’re interested, let me know or contact the Union County Chamber.
Wednesday evening was the annual FFA Awards Banquet on our Main Campus. Always a wonderful evening! The students get really “dolled up” (or “duded up” for the guys, I guess), and they conduct a very professional program. Their special guest was Ike Kershaw from the Ohio Department of Education (Office of Career-Technical Education). I’m amazed at the many areas our FFA students compete in and the various awards they earn. Thank you to our chapter for the invitation and the privilege of giving the welcome!
I’ve got a great story to share about the “payoff” of building relationships with our legislators. As I shared several weeks ago, State Senator Karen Gillmor visited our campus. I don’t believe she had ever been on a career center campus before, and she was amazed at what we offer students of all ages. You may also have heard about recently proposed legislation which would require all schools to provide 30 minutes of physical activity for students daily. While we certainly agree with the need for healthy eating and exercise, it would simply be impossible for us to carve 30 minutes out of our already shortened day without sacrificing academic or lab time. Senator Gillmor is the vice-chair of the committee which drafted legislation this week, and we were able to get our message in front of the committee in two ways: First, our Urbana Board Member and Legislative Liaison Warren Stevens travelled to Columbus to testify in front of the committee regarding the shortened day we have due to transportation of students from five counties and the fact that our students spend roughly half of their day up and active in their labs. And I was able to get a message to Senator Gillmor prior to the hearings echoing those same concerns. She heard us loud and clear! She proposed an amendment to the legislation exempting career centers from the legislation, which is a huge relief to us. So . . . thanks to all of you who impress our legislators (and others) each and every time they visit—whether it be the warm welcome they get from our office staff, the unique learning opportunities they observe in our labs and classrooms, or the beautiful campus we maintain. Please never underestimate the impact you make or the benefits your efforts might reap in the future!
Have a great weekend and enjoy the sunshine!
Anyone who knows anything about OHP knows that we’ve really embraced social networking (well, most of us have). I can’t say the “bug has bitten” me, other than doing this blog. Did any of you see Betty White on Saturday Night Live last weekend talking about Facebook? I laughed so hard I cried! I’m not quite her age (88), but I completely related to her opinion of Facebook being pretty much a waste of time. I, too, have a hard time understanding why high-school classmates I haven’t seen or talked to in over 33 years would expect me to have any interest in their kids' prom pictures. I created a Facebook page during a workshop probably two years ago, I never posted a picture, and I’ve only been back to my page once. However, in all seriousness, I have seen (through Shane’s eyes) the tremendous marketing tool Facebook and other social networking tools have been for OHP, and I’m beginning to see on a personal level how it can help to connect to long-lost friends, coworkers, employers—just about anyone! So I guess I shouldn’t knock it until I’ve tried it—I mean really tried it. Good for all of you who are using it productively!
Tuesday morning I attended the Union County Business-Education Workforce Team meeting and heard updates on the committee’s work to connect educators and students to the workforce. One of their projects, Workplaces of Today & Tomorrow, will be implemented this summer. This week-long program will put educators into multiple workplace settings and give them an opportunity to write curriculum related to real-world skills. Educators can also earn college credits. We’re really excited to get this program off the ground! If you’re interested, let me know or contact the Union County Chamber.
Wednesday evening was the annual FFA Awards Banquet on our Main Campus. Always a wonderful evening! The students get really “dolled up” (or “duded up” for the guys, I guess), and they conduct a very professional program. Their special guest was Ike Kershaw from the Ohio Department of Education (Office of Career-Technical Education). I’m amazed at the many areas our FFA students compete in and the various awards they earn. Thank you to our chapter for the invitation and the privilege of giving the welcome!
I’ve got a great story to share about the “payoff” of building relationships with our legislators. As I shared several weeks ago, State Senator Karen Gillmor visited our campus. I don’t believe she had ever been on a career center campus before, and she was amazed at what we offer students of all ages. You may also have heard about recently proposed legislation which would require all schools to provide 30 minutes of physical activity for students daily. While we certainly agree with the need for healthy eating and exercise, it would simply be impossible for us to carve 30 minutes out of our already shortened day without sacrificing academic or lab time. Senator Gillmor is the vice-chair of the committee which drafted legislation this week, and we were able to get our message in front of the committee in two ways: First, our Urbana Board Member and Legislative Liaison Warren Stevens travelled to Columbus to testify in front of the committee regarding the shortened day we have due to transportation of students from five counties and the fact that our students spend roughly half of their day up and active in their labs. And I was able to get a message to Senator Gillmor prior to the hearings echoing those same concerns. She heard us loud and clear! She proposed an amendment to the legislation exempting career centers from the legislation, which is a huge relief to us. So . . . thanks to all of you who impress our legislators (and others) each and every time they visit—whether it be the warm welcome they get from our office staff, the unique learning opportunities they observe in our labs and classrooms, or the beautiful campus we maintain. Please never underestimate the impact you make or the benefits your efforts might reap in the future!
Have a great weekend and enjoy the sunshine!
Thursday, May 6, 2010
May 7, 2010
Happy Friday! (I’m sending this a little early because I’ll be at a conference on Friday, but we’ll celebrate early.)
Monday started off with a wonderful opportunity to see one of our students recognized at the State Career-Based Intervention (CBI) Conference! Jasmine Miller, a CBI student at our satellite program at Bunsold Middle School in Marysville, was selected by the State CBI Board as one of only two students in the state to receive a $1,000 scholarship for further education after high school. I was so pleased to hear, as she gave her acceptance speech, that she plans to attend Ohio Hi-Point in her junior and senior years to help prepare for college. We look forward to having a student of Jasmine’s caliber in one of our workforce programs! (Photos to follow in press release!)
I appreciate those who were able to attend our final Staff Breakfast for the year on Tuesday and those who shared their “celebrations.” We had a bunch! It was nice to hear of all the personal celebrations in your lives (grandchildren, marriages, adult children moving out of the house!) And it was especially gratifying to hear the success stories you shared about our programs and students. I hope you feel great about the part you’ve played in those success stories!
Wednesday at the Logan County Chamber of Commerce board meeting, one of the members of the current Leadership Logan County class shared the experiences she’s had participating in the program. Among other experiences, she described the group’s tour of Ohio Hi-Point on Education Day and couldn’t say enough about how amazing the programs were and what neat opportunities our students have. She echoed a sentiment I’ve often had—she said she wishes she were in high school again so she could take advantage! Just another example of how the OHP story is being shared in the community and how it comes back around for me to share with you.
I hope you all took a moment to express your appreciation to our Health & Safety Coordinator (school nurse), Amy McCarthy, on the flower outside her office as part of Nurse Appreciation Day (Thursday). A very special “Thank You” to our Early Childhood Education (ECE) students for creating this special flower. Angie Walls, ECE teacher, told me it was “huge”; and she wasn’t kidding! (See photo at right.) It was really neat to read all the messages staff and students had written to “Nurse Amy” about the many ways she supports us all and makes this a great place to work. And I’d like to extend that appreciation to the many nurses we have on staff as instructors—you’re helping to “grow” the next generation of healthcare workers which our society needs so very much!
Finally, I wish all of our mothers a happy Mother’s Day! I hope you all get to spend time with your mother, or get to talk with your mother over the miles if you're apart, or spend some time remembering your mother. Did you know Mr. T has a Mother’s Day song? (I’ll let you Google that one to find it on You-Tube; it’s pretty funny.) And if you’re too young to remember Mr. T, the rest of us really don’t want to hear about it.
Have a great weekend!
Monday started off with a wonderful opportunity to see one of our students recognized at the State Career-Based Intervention (CBI) Conference! Jasmine Miller, a CBI student at our satellite program at Bunsold Middle School in Marysville, was selected by the State CBI Board as one of only two students in the state to receive a $1,000 scholarship for further education after high school. I was so pleased to hear, as she gave her acceptance speech, that she plans to attend Ohio Hi-Point in her junior and senior years to help prepare for college. We look forward to having a student of Jasmine’s caliber in one of our workforce programs! (Photos to follow in press release!)
I appreciate those who were able to attend our final Staff Breakfast for the year on Tuesday and those who shared their “celebrations.” We had a bunch! It was nice to hear of all the personal celebrations in your lives (grandchildren, marriages, adult children moving out of the house!) And it was especially gratifying to hear the success stories you shared about our programs and students. I hope you feel great about the part you’ve played in those success stories!
Wednesday at the Logan County Chamber of Commerce board meeting, one of the members of the current Leadership Logan County class shared the experiences she’s had participating in the program. Among other experiences, she described the group’s tour of Ohio Hi-Point on Education Day and couldn’t say enough about how amazing the programs were and what neat opportunities our students have. She echoed a sentiment I’ve often had—she said she wishes she were in high school again so she could take advantage! Just another example of how the OHP story is being shared in the community and how it comes back around for me to share with you.
I hope you all took a moment to express your appreciation to our Health & Safety Coordinator (school nurse), Amy McCarthy, on the flower outside her office as part of Nurse Appreciation Day (Thursday). A very special “Thank You” to our Early Childhood Education (ECE) students for creating this special flower. Angie Walls, ECE teacher, told me it was “huge”; and she wasn’t kidding! (See photo at right.) It was really neat to read all the messages staff and students had written to “Nurse Amy” about the many ways she supports us all and makes this a great place to work. And I’d like to extend that appreciation to the many nurses we have on staff as instructors—you’re helping to “grow” the next generation of healthcare workers which our society needs so very much!
Finally, I wish all of our mothers a happy Mother’s Day! I hope you all get to spend time with your mother, or get to talk with your mother over the miles if you're apart, or spend some time remembering your mother. Did you know Mr. T has a Mother’s Day song? (I’ll let you Google that one to find it on You-Tube; it’s pretty funny.) And if you’re too young to remember Mr. T, the rest of us really don’t want to hear about it.
Have a great weekend!
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