We’re wrapping up another week and—hard to believe—another month! Not sure where January has gone, other than it’s been buried under a pile of snow! I hope you were all able to travel safely, stay warm, and maintain power throughout this latest winter blast. I’ve noticed all the spring gardening supplies are on display in the stores. That and the extra few minutes of daylight every day are hopeful signs of warmer, sunnier days to come!
Several members of the Administrative Team, as well as Shane Haggerty, attended the Ohio Association of Career-Technical Education Legislative Conference this past Wednesday and Thursday with me. We had an opportunity to meet with all six of our local legislators or their aides: Senators Keith Faber, Steve Buehrer, and Karen Gillmore, as well as Representatives Cliff Hite, John Adams, and Dave Burke. Many thanks to Shane for setting up these appointments. These face-to-face visits give us an opportunity to share with our legislators success stories of our students, new initiatives we have on campus, and future program plans. We are also able to stress to them the importance of maintaining our per-pupil funding as well as our career-tech weighted funding so that we can continue to offer services at the current level. Building these relationships is especially critical during these times of transition for education in Ohio. Several of the legislators and/or their aides requested additional information from us, and we will certainly send that to them right away. In addition, we encouraged them to visit our programs to see for themselves the tremendous opportunities we offer young people and adults; and we’ll follow up with a formal invitation in the near future. (Representative Burke is already scheduled for February 13.)
We learned from one of the many speakers at the Legislative Conference that 48 members of the House of Representatives have two or fewer years of experience as legislators—so we have a lot of educating to do! I’m confident that when those legislators visit us that they’ll recognize the quality instruction you provide our students and see the difference that the relevance of career-technical education makes.
I also shared with you earlier this week a summary of Governor Strickland’s State-of-the-State Address. While it’s difficult to argue with the premise of his proposed reform package, the question on all of our minds is how these initiatives will be funded, particularly in light of funding cuts proposed last month by the Governor. One of our speakers on Thursday morning at the conference was John Stanford, Executive Assistant and advisor to the Governor on education policy. I had the opportunity to ask Mr. Stanford if, in light of the Governor’s reform package, the earlier proposed cuts could still be expected. He explained that, if the President’s economic stimulus package should pass the Senate without major revision, the cuts will be reconsidered due to the revenues that Ohio would receive. But he also said something that concerns me—a good portion of the stimulus funds would come to states as Title I and IDEA funds, which would put considerable restrictions on how they could be utilized at the local level.
However, a recent update from the National School Boards Association outlined that while $26 billion of the education stimulus package would be administered through Title I and IDEA (Ohio’s portion for these would total approximately 9.8 billion), another $39 billion would flow to states through “emergency state funds” to K-12 and higher education (it’s unclear what Ohio’s portion would be). These emergency funds would flow over the next two years; so in my mind, that begs the question—then what? I suppose the more answers we get the more questions we’ll have! Governor Strickland has promised to roll out his state budget plan to the legislature early next week, and that should answer some of the looming questions. These certainly are interesting times to be in education!
Speaking of “interesting times,” I hope you’ll all take a moment to thank our Facilities & Grounds staff for the tremendous job they’ve done this week (and this winter) in keeping our campus clean and safe during all this messy weather. While you’re at home in the morning waiting for that phone call regarding a delay or cancellation (and I’m trying to find my glasses so I can see the computer screen to register the AlertNow phone call!), our Facilities & Grounds staff are already at work in the very early hours of the morning to get a head start on clearing parking lots and sidewalks. Snow is one thing, but a “sandwich” of ice, snow, and more ice make it an even more difficult task. Having spent quite a bit of time in downtown Columbus this past week slopping through uncleared snow and ice, I can truly appreciate how good we have it!
Have a warm, safe weekend!
Friday, January 30, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
January 23, 2009
I hope you all enjoyed your extended weekend last weekend and that you’ve been able to get caught up on the days we missed. I know it’s a busy time of year for all of you and even more difficult when trying to play catch up!
Tuesday evening Robert Walker and I attended a Champaign Advocates for Renewable Energy (CARE) symposium at Urbana University at which various renewable energy product vendors were asked to exhibit. Ohio Hi-Point was asked to be there to showcase the renewable energy projects we’ve implemented on our campus. It was an interesting mix of exhibitors, and it was nice to have an opportunity to learn from them and share our experiences. Upper Valley Career Center was also there exhibiting an adult-education program they’re launching in renewable energies. We were proud to be the one school there that has taken steps district-wide to reduce energy consumption, save energy dollars, and provide our students with learning opportunities in renewable energies!
Along the lines of environmental responsibility, I want to share that we are in discussions with the Solid Waste District of Logan Co. to allow them build a recycling center on our property on the east side of Sloan Boulevard (across from the entrance to our Land Lab). Our Board has given the preliminary nod, and I expect to have a finalized contract to take to them in February (we’re working out a few details regarding the construction process, access from Sloan Boulevard, etc.) We feel it’s an exciting partnership which will give citizens on the east side of the County (and us!) an opportunity to “do the right thing” and recycle as much as possible.
Wednesday evening I attended a School Funding Roundtable at Urbana University, which was organized by UU, OHP, Urbana City Schools, and the Ohio School Boards Association. Clearly school funding is at the top of all our lists these days, and the meeting was attended by several school board members, superintendents, and other interested individuals. We certainly didn’t solve Ohio’s school funding problems in 90 minutes! But we came away with a plan to organize locally so that we can respond quickly and in a unified way to school funding proposals from the Governor and ODE. We should all know more about the Governor’s plans after next week; he will be delivering his State-of-the-State Address next Wednesday at noon and we’re also anticipating some specifics on his proposed budget.
OHP has recently grown! (Geographically, that is.) We recently received final documentation that a parcel of land (approximately 9.5 acres) that was taken by the State in the early 1970’s for construction of the Rt. 68 bypass (which never happened) has been returned to us. This land, along Rt. 33, will be added to our Land Lab for student use. Many thanks to Robert Walker who worked closely with the Ohio Department of Transportation to see this process through!
Thursday morning I represented Ohio Hi-Point Career Center at a Logan County Family & Children First Council Community Planning Meeting, which works in partnership with Logan County Family Court. Francie Ross, GRADS teacher, represents us on the Family & Children First Council, and I appreciate her continued involvement. Past planning meetings had gathered information regarding the most crucial needs in serving families and children in Logan Co., and at this meeting we learned that the most critical issue identified is child abuse with a focus on sexual abuse. What a sad reality. The statistics were staggering, and they likely don’t represent the whole picture because many cases of child abuse and sexual abuse go unreported. Sometimes we don’t think of our 11th and 12th graders as “children,” but they are still susceptible to many types of abuse. I applaud the work all of you do every day to serve the “whole child” and to be watchful for any of our students who might be in need assistance.
Several of our staff members who regularly interact with the community have participated in various county leadership programs. I appreciate their willingness to commit to the time demands of these programs, to seek networking opportunities, and to spread awareness of OHP. Joel Staudter, Instructional Supervisor, is currently participating in Leadership Logan County, and he shared the following with me today:
At this month’s Logan County Leadership meeting I was approached by two individuals that verbally praised Ohio Hi-Point Career Center. First, Pam McBrien of Mary Rutan Hospital praised Deb Purcell and our Health Technology students. Pam and Deb work collaboratively to provide volunteering opportunities for Ohio Hi-Point Health Technology students. Throughout our conversation Pam praised students on their positive attitude, professionalism, and enthusiasm. She loves having Ohio Hi-Point’s students volunteer!
In a second conversation with Carly Schaub of Fast Track Signs I learned that she and Shane Haggerty discussed social networking and other various marketing strategies. With much enthusiasm she emphasized how awesome it was to speak to Shane, aka “The Guru of Social Marketing.” Shane provided some unique insight that was very beneficial to Carly and her husband’s business.
I feel these are two powerful testimonials worth celebrating. Congratulations to our Health Technology Teachers and Shane for having a positive impact on our surrounding communities.
I know we all echo Joel’s congratulations to these staff members.
I’ll also share more praise we received for students going “above and beyond” over the Christmas Holiday. JoEtta Spain organized a group of our Student Ambassadors to assist with the downtown Bellefontaine holiday festivities (on their own time, mind you!) Susan Froebe, Executive Director of the Bellefontaine Downtown Partnership, e-mailed me about another matter this week and tacked on the following:
I wanted to share with you how wonderful it was to have Joetta Spain and her student volunteers help with “The Night at the North Pole.” Actually, they more than helped! They created the most magnificent experience at Canterbury Coffee I have ever witnessed. We only asked for students to assist with the photo ops and “build a buckeye” table, but they were so much more than that! They provided a “WOW” factor!
The students were amazingly engaged in the event and made it a memorable experience for the children! They made the photo op so much fun! I don’t know the names of the students, but these young ladies at the photo op location could get the shyest child on top of the reindeer for a picture…it was very cute! I even thought the students were great fun when I stopped in periodically. They didn’t know me and they were welcoming me to Canterbury…something the business owner should be eternally grateful for. And to top it all off Joetta stayed for the entire event and welcomed every person that came through the door. I’ve never been to Canterbury when it has been so welcoming!
Once again, our students have made us proud and a staff member has supported them in making it happen. Thanks to JoEtta and her Student Ambassadors—job well done!
Enjoy the warmer weather (while we've got it) and have a great weekend!
Tuesday evening Robert Walker and I attended a Champaign Advocates for Renewable Energy (CARE) symposium at Urbana University at which various renewable energy product vendors were asked to exhibit. Ohio Hi-Point was asked to be there to showcase the renewable energy projects we’ve implemented on our campus. It was an interesting mix of exhibitors, and it was nice to have an opportunity to learn from them and share our experiences. Upper Valley Career Center was also there exhibiting an adult-education program they’re launching in renewable energies. We were proud to be the one school there that has taken steps district-wide to reduce energy consumption, save energy dollars, and provide our students with learning opportunities in renewable energies!
Along the lines of environmental responsibility, I want to share that we are in discussions with the Solid Waste District of Logan Co. to allow them build a recycling center on our property on the east side of Sloan Boulevard (across from the entrance to our Land Lab). Our Board has given the preliminary nod, and I expect to have a finalized contract to take to them in February (we’re working out a few details regarding the construction process, access from Sloan Boulevard, etc.) We feel it’s an exciting partnership which will give citizens on the east side of the County (and us!) an opportunity to “do the right thing” and recycle as much as possible.
Wednesday evening I attended a School Funding Roundtable at Urbana University, which was organized by UU, OHP, Urbana City Schools, and the Ohio School Boards Association. Clearly school funding is at the top of all our lists these days, and the meeting was attended by several school board members, superintendents, and other interested individuals. We certainly didn’t solve Ohio’s school funding problems in 90 minutes! But we came away with a plan to organize locally so that we can respond quickly and in a unified way to school funding proposals from the Governor and ODE. We should all know more about the Governor’s plans after next week; he will be delivering his State-of-the-State Address next Wednesday at noon and we’re also anticipating some specifics on his proposed budget.
OHP has recently grown! (Geographically, that is.) We recently received final documentation that a parcel of land (approximately 9.5 acres) that was taken by the State in the early 1970’s for construction of the Rt. 68 bypass (which never happened) has been returned to us. This land, along Rt. 33, will be added to our Land Lab for student use. Many thanks to Robert Walker who worked closely with the Ohio Department of Transportation to see this process through!
Thursday morning I represented Ohio Hi-Point Career Center at a Logan County Family & Children First Council Community Planning Meeting, which works in partnership with Logan County Family Court. Francie Ross, GRADS teacher, represents us on the Family & Children First Council, and I appreciate her continued involvement. Past planning meetings had gathered information regarding the most crucial needs in serving families and children in Logan Co., and at this meeting we learned that the most critical issue identified is child abuse with a focus on sexual abuse. What a sad reality. The statistics were staggering, and they likely don’t represent the whole picture because many cases of child abuse and sexual abuse go unreported. Sometimes we don’t think of our 11th and 12th graders as “children,” but they are still susceptible to many types of abuse. I applaud the work all of you do every day to serve the “whole child” and to be watchful for any of our students who might be in need assistance.
Several of our staff members who regularly interact with the community have participated in various county leadership programs. I appreciate their willingness to commit to the time demands of these programs, to seek networking opportunities, and to spread awareness of OHP. Joel Staudter, Instructional Supervisor, is currently participating in Leadership Logan County, and he shared the following with me today:
At this month’s Logan County Leadership meeting I was approached by two individuals that verbally praised Ohio Hi-Point Career Center. First, Pam McBrien of Mary Rutan Hospital praised Deb Purcell and our Health Technology students. Pam and Deb work collaboratively to provide volunteering opportunities for Ohio Hi-Point Health Technology students. Throughout our conversation Pam praised students on their positive attitude, professionalism, and enthusiasm. She loves having Ohio Hi-Point’s students volunteer!
In a second conversation with Carly Schaub of Fast Track Signs I learned that she and Shane Haggerty discussed social networking and other various marketing strategies. With much enthusiasm she emphasized how awesome it was to speak to Shane, aka “The Guru of Social Marketing.” Shane provided some unique insight that was very beneficial to Carly and her husband’s business.
I feel these are two powerful testimonials worth celebrating. Congratulations to our Health Technology Teachers and Shane for having a positive impact on our surrounding communities.
I know we all echo Joel’s congratulations to these staff members.
I’ll also share more praise we received for students going “above and beyond” over the Christmas Holiday. JoEtta Spain organized a group of our Student Ambassadors to assist with the downtown Bellefontaine holiday festivities (on their own time, mind you!) Susan Froebe, Executive Director of the Bellefontaine Downtown Partnership, e-mailed me about another matter this week and tacked on the following:
I wanted to share with you how wonderful it was to have Joetta Spain and her student volunteers help with “The Night at the North Pole.” Actually, they more than helped! They created the most magnificent experience at Canterbury Coffee I have ever witnessed. We only asked for students to assist with the photo ops and “build a buckeye” table, but they were so much more than that! They provided a “WOW” factor!
The students were amazingly engaged in the event and made it a memorable experience for the children! They made the photo op so much fun! I don’t know the names of the students, but these young ladies at the photo op location could get the shyest child on top of the reindeer for a picture…it was very cute! I even thought the students were great fun when I stopped in periodically. They didn’t know me and they were welcoming me to Canterbury…something the business owner should be eternally grateful for. And to top it all off Joetta stayed for the entire event and welcomed every person that came through the door. I’ve never been to Canterbury when it has been so welcoming!
Once again, our students have made us proud and a staff member has supported them in making it happen. Thanks to JoEtta and her Student Ambassadors—job well done!
Enjoy the warmer weather (while we've got it) and have a great weekend!
Friday, January 16, 2009
January 16, 2009
I remember when we returned from Winter Break I said how nice it was to be back into a routine. So much for that! I know these cancellations (although perhaps a welcome additional break) just compact schedules at a very busy time of year. But, as we always have, we’ll figure it out and get it all done.
Several of you have asked me about the state budget cuts and what it will mean to Ohio Hi-Point. All I can say at this point is that the cuts the Governor has made public for the next biennium budget are still “proposed.” However, our Adult Education Department has withstood a series of cuts over the past two years, and I commend Darlene Chiles and her staff for being proactive in absorbing these cuts while still remaining in the black. It hasn’t been without some pain, but this department remains in a position of financial strength. District-wide, we’re certainly looking closely at the overall budget to have a contingency plan in place in case the new cuts should come at us fast and hard (what’s that commercial say—“Life comes at you fast!”) What we don’t know is the amount the cuts will add up to. We’re also hearing recently of possible federal aide, but that is uncertain as well. Governor Strickland will be delivering his State of the State Address on January 28 at noon; perhaps we will have more definitive information after that. What we do know is that we certainly won’t see increases in funding. And what I assure you is that as soon as I know what we’re dealing with, you’ll know.
Our Alumni and Friends Committee met on Wednesday, and we’re well under way with plans for our 35th Anniversary Homecoming plans! Details are being firmed up (stay tuned—Shane will be sharing more), but we definitely will be inducting the next class of Distinguished Alumni into our Showcase of Success. This is such a wonderful way to recognize those who have completed our programs and gone on to notable success, and the winners also serve as shining examples to our current students that they can accomplish great things! Please, if you know of a graduate from 1999 or later who has gone on to distinguished success in his or her career field, go online to fill out a nomination form (or contact Shane Haggerty for a form). We know those distinguished alumni are out there!
January is School Board Recognition Month, and our annual All-Boards Banquet was held on Wednesday evening as a thank-you to the Board Members from all our 17 participating school districts and ESC’s. The weather was lousy and the turnout was small; but those who attended heard a wonderful presentation from our keynote speaker, Logan Co. Sheriff Andy Smith. Andy started out as an education major before veering off into law enforcement, and he really drove home the importance of investing resources into our educational system and our young people. He spent several years heading up the Juvenile Detention Center; and he knows, as we do, that when you work with young people sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. But our youth are always worth the effort! Thanks to my administrative team, Shane Haggerty, and Beth Kennaw for making this event a success.
You couldn’t turn on the TV yesterday or today without hearing about the US Airways plane crash in the Hudson River. What an amazing story! Certainly the pilot is a hero and a perfect example of competent execution under unbelievable pressure. But I’m also struck by the tremendous teamwork that resulted in not one single life being lost. I got chills up my spine watching how quickly those ferryboats were on the spot to rescue passengers. We at OHP know that it takes teamwork to be successful, and this story illustrates that sometimes you start your day not even knowing you’ll be part of the team. But by being watchful to others’ needs, you can play a vital (and maybe even life-saving) role. Let’s all remember that next time we get out of bed!
I hope you’ll all take some time on Monday to commemorate Martin Luther King Day in your own way. This holiday seems especially poignant to me at this point in our nation’s history. We’re facing some of the toughest times, maybe the toughest times, we’ve seen in our lifetimes. But we’re also witnessing some of the most amazing events that should make us proud of our country. The “dream” that Dr. King had has certainly become a reality with our new President being inaugurated next week. Regardless of your political affiliation, what an amazing country we live in where each of us has a voice and can exercise the right to even have an affiliation without fear. That’s cause for celebration!
Have a wonderful weekend and stay warm!
Several of you have asked me about the state budget cuts and what it will mean to Ohio Hi-Point. All I can say at this point is that the cuts the Governor has made public for the next biennium budget are still “proposed.” However, our Adult Education Department has withstood a series of cuts over the past two years, and I commend Darlene Chiles and her staff for being proactive in absorbing these cuts while still remaining in the black. It hasn’t been without some pain, but this department remains in a position of financial strength. District-wide, we’re certainly looking closely at the overall budget to have a contingency plan in place in case the new cuts should come at us fast and hard (what’s that commercial say—“Life comes at you fast!”) What we don’t know is the amount the cuts will add up to. We’re also hearing recently of possible federal aide, but that is uncertain as well. Governor Strickland will be delivering his State of the State Address on January 28 at noon; perhaps we will have more definitive information after that. What we do know is that we certainly won’t see increases in funding. And what I assure you is that as soon as I know what we’re dealing with, you’ll know.
Our Alumni and Friends Committee met on Wednesday, and we’re well under way with plans for our 35th Anniversary Homecoming plans! Details are being firmed up (stay tuned—Shane will be sharing more), but we definitely will be inducting the next class of Distinguished Alumni into our Showcase of Success. This is such a wonderful way to recognize those who have completed our programs and gone on to notable success, and the winners also serve as shining examples to our current students that they can accomplish great things! Please, if you know of a graduate from 1999 or later who has gone on to distinguished success in his or her career field, go online to fill out a nomination form (or contact Shane Haggerty for a form). We know those distinguished alumni are out there!
January is School Board Recognition Month, and our annual All-Boards Banquet was held on Wednesday evening as a thank-you to the Board Members from all our 17 participating school districts and ESC’s. The weather was lousy and the turnout was small; but those who attended heard a wonderful presentation from our keynote speaker, Logan Co. Sheriff Andy Smith. Andy started out as an education major before veering off into law enforcement, and he really drove home the importance of investing resources into our educational system and our young people. He spent several years heading up the Juvenile Detention Center; and he knows, as we do, that when you work with young people sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. But our youth are always worth the effort! Thanks to my administrative team, Shane Haggerty, and Beth Kennaw for making this event a success.
You couldn’t turn on the TV yesterday or today without hearing about the US Airways plane crash in the Hudson River. What an amazing story! Certainly the pilot is a hero and a perfect example of competent execution under unbelievable pressure. But I’m also struck by the tremendous teamwork that resulted in not one single life being lost. I got chills up my spine watching how quickly those ferryboats were on the spot to rescue passengers. We at OHP know that it takes teamwork to be successful, and this story illustrates that sometimes you start your day not even knowing you’ll be part of the team. But by being watchful to others’ needs, you can play a vital (and maybe even life-saving) role. Let’s all remember that next time we get out of bed!
I hope you’ll all take some time on Monday to commemorate Martin Luther King Day in your own way. This holiday seems especially poignant to me at this point in our nation’s history. We’re facing some of the toughest times, maybe the toughest times, we’ve seen in our lifetimes. But we’re also witnessing some of the most amazing events that should make us proud of our country. The “dream” that Dr. King had has certainly become a reality with our new President being inaugurated next week. Regardless of your political affiliation, what an amazing country we live in where each of us has a voice and can exercise the right to even have an affiliation without fear. That’s cause for celebration!
Have a wonderful weekend and stay warm!
Friday, January 9, 2009
January 9, 2009
First of all, welcome back and Happy New Year! I hope you all enjoyed some restful time off and enjoyed some down time with family and other loved ones. I don’t know about you, but the thing I enjoy most about the holidays is the fact that everything and everyone slows down for a bit. (And I have to admit, it was nice not having to worry about what was going on with the weather in the mornings!) Even here at work, I was able to catch up on some projects that needed a “big chunk” of time to work through while it was nice and quiet.
I hope Santa was good to all of you. My favorite gift was a bag full of suet cakes from my niece—the birds have been having a feeding frenzy and they’re beautiful to watch! And I think the best gift of all is the brand new year that we get to unwrap with all of its possibilities and potential. This year will present some challenges, no doubt; but I’m confident have the resilience to handle whatever 2009 might bring us.
I saw an awful lot of students on Monday greeting one another and appearing very glad to be back. I think they really missed one another (and you!) and they missed the routine. Really, I did too. One can only eat, read, and putter around so much before starting to feel like a slug!
Well, this has been a week of mostly meetings, most of which haven’t been terribly exciting. On Thursday I did meet with the Ohio School Facilities Commission to discuss some possibilities for expanding their funding program beyond facilities and into operations. They were intrigued and it was a great brainstorming session. Certainly one of the challenges we’ll face in 2009 (and 2010 and 2011, most likely) will be our funding cuts. I heard someone on a public radio program say, “In times of a slow economy, fast innovation and creative solutions will define the survivors.” Good advice for tough times. And we’ve already shown we can innovate and be creative—so we’ll need to hone those skills and focus on what we do best.
This weather is driving me crazy! I’d rather have six inches of snow than this deceptive ice that sneaks up on you. (Although I should be careful what I ask for—sounds like I might get it!) On my way to a meeting in Urbana on Thursday afternoon, I came upon a minor accident on Ludlow Road in Logan County. A tow truck was already there, but I stopped to see if everyone was OK and to ask if they needed a phone. The two young men involved had Urbana High School sweatshirts on; and since they were heading south from Bellefontaine, I figured they might be Hi-Point students. I asked them if they were, and they said yes. (Thankfully everyone was fine.) I introduced myself, told them I was so glad they were OK, and pleaded with them to please be careful. They looked a little sheepish—the accident scene indicated it might have been a case of driving a little too fast and following a little too closely. I just hope and pray we can get through this Ohio winter without any serious injuries.
Sounds like this might be a good weekend to “cocoon.” If you have to go out, please be careful--and enjoy your weekend!
I hope Santa was good to all of you. My favorite gift was a bag full of suet cakes from my niece—the birds have been having a feeding frenzy and they’re beautiful to watch! And I think the best gift of all is the brand new year that we get to unwrap with all of its possibilities and potential. This year will present some challenges, no doubt; but I’m confident have the resilience to handle whatever 2009 might bring us.
I saw an awful lot of students on Monday greeting one another and appearing very glad to be back. I think they really missed one another (and you!) and they missed the routine. Really, I did too. One can only eat, read, and putter around so much before starting to feel like a slug!
Well, this has been a week of mostly meetings, most of which haven’t been terribly exciting. On Thursday I did meet with the Ohio School Facilities Commission to discuss some possibilities for expanding their funding program beyond facilities and into operations. They were intrigued and it was a great brainstorming session. Certainly one of the challenges we’ll face in 2009 (and 2010 and 2011, most likely) will be our funding cuts. I heard someone on a public radio program say, “In times of a slow economy, fast innovation and creative solutions will define the survivors.” Good advice for tough times. And we’ve already shown we can innovate and be creative—so we’ll need to hone those skills and focus on what we do best.
This weather is driving me crazy! I’d rather have six inches of snow than this deceptive ice that sneaks up on you. (Although I should be careful what I ask for—sounds like I might get it!) On my way to a meeting in Urbana on Thursday afternoon, I came upon a minor accident on Ludlow Road in Logan County. A tow truck was already there, but I stopped to see if everyone was OK and to ask if they needed a phone. The two young men involved had Urbana High School sweatshirts on; and since they were heading south from Bellefontaine, I figured they might be Hi-Point students. I asked them if they were, and they said yes. (Thankfully everyone was fine.) I introduced myself, told them I was so glad they were OK, and pleaded with them to please be careful. They looked a little sheepish—the accident scene indicated it might have been a case of driving a little too fast and following a little too closely. I just hope and pray we can get through this Ohio winter without any serious injuries.
Sounds like this might be a good weekend to “cocoon.” If you have to go out, please be careful--and enjoy your weekend!
Friday, December 19, 2008
December 19, 2008
Well, the day that many of you have been waiting for is finally here! Any even those of us who work some over Winter Break are looking forward to a little down time coming soon. I think we all could use some rest—including our students! But I know you’re also aware that it’s a very stressful time for many of our students and you’ve been very sensitive to that. They may not admit it—but many of them miss you and the supportive environment you provide while they’re away.
There’s never a good day for bad weather to hit, but our calamity day Wednesday seemed to hit at a particularly inconvenient time. Of course, a lot of testing got thrown off schedule; and I know there were a lot of holiday activities planned. But one planned event came off without a hitch regardless of the weather, and I think this story is a perfect example of the work ethic we instill in our students and the respect that our staff earns from those students.
Our annual Board Christmas Dinner, prepared and served by our Culinary Arts Students, was scheduled for Wednesday evening prior to the Board Meeting. When I had to cancel school, I didn’t call Donna Beale, Culinary Arts Teacher, right away because I thought she might want to enjoy a couple extra hours of sleep. I figured I could always order pizza for the Board! But soon Donna was on the phone to me telling me that her students who had worked so hard to plan the dinner were text-messaging her like crazy asking her what was going to happen, telling her they still wanted to go ahead with the dinner, and begging her to let them come in. She and I talked and decided that, if they were willing to put in that effort and felt that strongly about it, we certainly didn’t want to stand in their way! So later that afternoon, 11 of our Culinary Arts students (and Mrs. Beale!) arrived to begin cooking, setting up, and decorating for the dinner. I can’t tell you how proud I was of that group of kids. How many high school students do you know that would give up an afternoon and evening when their school was closed in order to carry out such a commitment? Our Board of Education was also tremendously impressed and appreciative, both with the students’ commitment and the wonderful meal. My heartfelt thanks to Donna and her students!
Thursday afternoon, Urbana University hosted an open house here in the Sloan Inn to bring together educational leaders in Logan County and make them aware of the opportunities for our students both on their Urbana campus and here at OHP. University staff outlined several fantastic new scholarship opportunities specifically for Logan County high-school graduates. Nancy Sweeney, Director of UU’s Nursing Programs, noted for the group that two graduates of their nursing program are employed here at Ohio Hi-Point—Lori Ludwig, Adult Ed. HIT Program Coordinator, and Mari Stormer, Adult Ed. HIT Instructor. UU President, Dr. Steve Jones, expressed publicly his appreciation for allowing his institution to have a “home base” here, and he is excited about expanding partnerships with our county schools.
Thursday evening was another great highlight of the week—I had the privilege of giving the welcome at our Adult Education Health Information Technology graduation ceremony. Twelve adults completed the program and received their certificates. As is always the case, there were many children of the graduates in the audience. The front row was entirely filled with youngsters who cheered on their moms. I couldn’t tell if they were more excited when their respective mothers walked across the stage or when it was announced that cookies and punch would be served afterward—but their enthusiasm was fun to watch! Thanks to Lori Ludwig, Program Coordinator, and Instructors Mari Stormer, Tanya Knief, and Alyce Kalb for the invitation and for their dedication to helping these students achieve their dreams.
We’re often reminded what a small world it is, and one of our staff members shared with me one such reminder this week. I received notification that our Early Childhood Education Program had passed its licensing inspection with flying colors, and I made a point to congratulate Angie Walls, ECE teacher. Angie shared with me that the very next day the same inspector (who is known to be pretty tough) visited a program run by her sister (but the inspector didn’t know it was Angie’s sister). Her sister shared with Angie that the inspector talked about having visited OHP the day before and just went on and on about what a top-notch, high-quality program Ohio Hi-Point runs. Having four sisters of my own, I know that sometimes a little competitiveness and jealousy can creep up when one of us get a little too much praise! So Angie’s sister finally had to tell the inspector that Angie was her sister and that she knows all about our program. Hey, there’s nothing wrong with setting the standard! Congratulations again to Angie, her aides Stacy Colwell, Barb Hopkins, and Deb Vermillion, as well as our ECE students for the great job they do every day to provide top-notch childcare.
I’ll close with a wish to all of you for a beautiful holiday season. I got a free box of Christmas cards from a magazine I subscribe to, Real Simple. (I love that magazine—it’s like Better Homes and Gardens for Dummies!) The verse on the card says, “Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are.” While we could worry ourselves crazy with all that’s going on in our world, I hope you’ll all take time to relax, rejuvenate, enjoy family and other loved ones, and appreciate how good things really are.
We’ll see you in the New Year!
There’s never a good day for bad weather to hit, but our calamity day Wednesday seemed to hit at a particularly inconvenient time. Of course, a lot of testing got thrown off schedule; and I know there were a lot of holiday activities planned. But one planned event came off without a hitch regardless of the weather, and I think this story is a perfect example of the work ethic we instill in our students and the respect that our staff earns from those students.
Our annual Board Christmas Dinner, prepared and served by our Culinary Arts Students, was scheduled for Wednesday evening prior to the Board Meeting. When I had to cancel school, I didn’t call Donna Beale, Culinary Arts Teacher, right away because I thought she might want to enjoy a couple extra hours of sleep. I figured I could always order pizza for the Board! But soon Donna was on the phone to me telling me that her students who had worked so hard to plan the dinner were text-messaging her like crazy asking her what was going to happen, telling her they still wanted to go ahead with the dinner, and begging her to let them come in. She and I talked and decided that, if they were willing to put in that effort and felt that strongly about it, we certainly didn’t want to stand in their way! So later that afternoon, 11 of our Culinary Arts students (and Mrs. Beale!) arrived to begin cooking, setting up, and decorating for the dinner. I can’t tell you how proud I was of that group of kids. How many high school students do you know that would give up an afternoon and evening when their school was closed in order to carry out such a commitment? Our Board of Education was also tremendously impressed and appreciative, both with the students’ commitment and the wonderful meal. My heartfelt thanks to Donna and her students!
Thursday afternoon, Urbana University hosted an open house here in the Sloan Inn to bring together educational leaders in Logan County and make them aware of the opportunities for our students both on their Urbana campus and here at OHP. University staff outlined several fantastic new scholarship opportunities specifically for Logan County high-school graduates. Nancy Sweeney, Director of UU’s Nursing Programs, noted for the group that two graduates of their nursing program are employed here at Ohio Hi-Point—Lori Ludwig, Adult Ed. HIT Program Coordinator, and Mari Stormer, Adult Ed. HIT Instructor. UU President, Dr. Steve Jones, expressed publicly his appreciation for allowing his institution to have a “home base” here, and he is excited about expanding partnerships with our county schools.
Thursday evening was another great highlight of the week—I had the privilege of giving the welcome at our Adult Education Health Information Technology graduation ceremony. Twelve adults completed the program and received their certificates. As is always the case, there were many children of the graduates in the audience. The front row was entirely filled with youngsters who cheered on their moms. I couldn’t tell if they were more excited when their respective mothers walked across the stage or when it was announced that cookies and punch would be served afterward—but their enthusiasm was fun to watch! Thanks to Lori Ludwig, Program Coordinator, and Instructors Mari Stormer, Tanya Knief, and Alyce Kalb for the invitation and for their dedication to helping these students achieve their dreams.
We’re often reminded what a small world it is, and one of our staff members shared with me one such reminder this week. I received notification that our Early Childhood Education Program had passed its licensing inspection with flying colors, and I made a point to congratulate Angie Walls, ECE teacher. Angie shared with me that the very next day the same inspector (who is known to be pretty tough) visited a program run by her sister (but the inspector didn’t know it was Angie’s sister). Her sister shared with Angie that the inspector talked about having visited OHP the day before and just went on and on about what a top-notch, high-quality program Ohio Hi-Point runs. Having four sisters of my own, I know that sometimes a little competitiveness and jealousy can creep up when one of us get a little too much praise! So Angie’s sister finally had to tell the inspector that Angie was her sister and that she knows all about our program. Hey, there’s nothing wrong with setting the standard! Congratulations again to Angie, her aides Stacy Colwell, Barb Hopkins, and Deb Vermillion, as well as our ECE students for the great job they do every day to provide top-notch childcare.
I’ll close with a wish to all of you for a beautiful holiday season. I got a free box of Christmas cards from a magazine I subscribe to, Real Simple. (I love that magazine—it’s like Better Homes and Gardens for Dummies!) The verse on the card says, “Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are.” While we could worry ourselves crazy with all that’s going on in our world, I hope you’ll all take time to relax, rejuvenate, enjoy family and other loved ones, and appreciate how good things really are.
We’ll see you in the New Year!
Friday, December 12, 2008
December 12, 2008
Someone mentioned yesterday that Christmas was two weeks away—holy cow! I had planned to do some wrapping this weekend, but I just realized I don’t have anything to wrap yet! I hope you’re all more organized than I am—I know you’re every bit as busy.
Last Friday evening I attended a reception for the December graduates at Urbana University. I have to share one really neat story. There was a gentleman who stood out in particular who was graduating with a degree in Business. He was so excited he just couldn’t sit down and enjoy the refreshments. He told me he will turn 60 in three months and plans to continue in his current job, and he feels his degree will make him a better employee. What an inspiration! Here’s a man who truly embraces being a lifelong learner.
Tuesday afternoon I attended grant presentations by the Union County Business-Education Workforce Team (through the Chamber of Commerce). The grants are presented for projects that tie academic instruction to real-world applications. (That’s what we do best, isn’t it!) We’ve received these grants in the past, and this year three of our teachers received grants! Congratulations to Sally Andrews, Health Technologies Teacher at Marysville; Ben Ludlow, Construction Trades Teacher at Marysville; and Cheryl Hess, Biomedical Sciences Teacher at Marysville and Urbana. Sally’s project involves students becoming certified in EKG, Cheryl’s project will provide equipment to study human body systems and view autopsies and surgeries, and Ben’s project will involve building shelving for a local community agency. What great opportunities for our students!
Wednesday morning was our Secondary Stakeholders Meeting where we invite key business and community leaders to give us input on our work toward meeting the goals of Perkins legislation. We had what I and the H.S. administrative team felt was one of the best discussions ever. In a nutshell, we’re performing well, we have room for improvement, and we have plans in place to reach our goals. And we need to continue to counter the stigma career-tech has carried for over 30 years and make sure our communities are aware of the college-prep opportunities we offer. Of course, much of our discussion centered on the current economic situation and specifically the role career-tech can play in transitioning displaced workers and giving our high-school students every advantage in this tough job market. We’ve always been seen as a tremendous workforce development asset to our communities; but it was very apparent we’re now being seen as an even more critical solution to workforce needs. Many thanks to Joel Staudter, Shelly Swaney, and Deb Wortman for being there to share with our Stakeholders!
I know a lot of our programs are conducting community service programs during the holidays to help our less fortunate families. Doug Limes and his Building Maintenance Program are conducting a Toys for Tots drive, and it was fun to go toy shopping for the first time in many years (my nieces and nephews are all high-school age or older now!) Also, our ProjectSEARCH is collecting gifts for the holiday gift shop at Logan Acres and will be playing Santa’s Elves this Friday and next. Thanks to Doug, Mary Jo, and all the rest of you who are teaching your students to give back!
Shane Haggerty, Communications Coordinator, recently shared with me that he had been asked me to accept the role of V.P. of Professional Development for the National School Public Relations Association/Ohio for the remainder of this year. Shane will take over the professional development planning for the organization for the rest of this school year, including being in charge of NSPRA/Ohio’s spring conference. Shane will be one of two CTE professionals on the board (the other being Lisa Riegel from Delaware Area Career Center who serves as V.P. of Communications. Congratulations, Shane, and thanks for representing CTE so well at the state level!
I was in Walgreens the other evening buying batteries (when I should have been Christmas shopping so I’d have something to wrap!), and I ran into Carmen Scott, a local citizen and volunteer who was very involved with the Logan County Planning Commission when our career center was established. We talked a little bit about the presentation I had made to the Logan-Union-Champaign Planning Commission (as it’s called now) a few weeks ago about OHP. He told me his work in helping to establish our school is one the proudest accomplishments of his career because of all the lives this school has touched in such a positive way over the years. Now that’s a compliment I couldn’t help but pass along to all of you!
Many of you know I’m a huge proponent of networking in order to be successful in our work, and I often encourage our staff to “steal shamelessly” when they see best practices in other schools. I’ll end this week with a quote I came across from Woodrow Wilson: "I not only use all the brains I have, but all that I can borrow." Great advice!
Have a great weekend!
Last Friday evening I attended a reception for the December graduates at Urbana University. I have to share one really neat story. There was a gentleman who stood out in particular who was graduating with a degree in Business. He was so excited he just couldn’t sit down and enjoy the refreshments. He told me he will turn 60 in three months and plans to continue in his current job, and he feels his degree will make him a better employee. What an inspiration! Here’s a man who truly embraces being a lifelong learner.
Tuesday afternoon I attended grant presentations by the Union County Business-Education Workforce Team (through the Chamber of Commerce). The grants are presented for projects that tie academic instruction to real-world applications. (That’s what we do best, isn’t it!) We’ve received these grants in the past, and this year three of our teachers received grants! Congratulations to Sally Andrews, Health Technologies Teacher at Marysville; Ben Ludlow, Construction Trades Teacher at Marysville; and Cheryl Hess, Biomedical Sciences Teacher at Marysville and Urbana. Sally’s project involves students becoming certified in EKG, Cheryl’s project will provide equipment to study human body systems and view autopsies and surgeries, and Ben’s project will involve building shelving for a local community agency. What great opportunities for our students!
Wednesday morning was our Secondary Stakeholders Meeting where we invite key business and community leaders to give us input on our work toward meeting the goals of Perkins legislation. We had what I and the H.S. administrative team felt was one of the best discussions ever. In a nutshell, we’re performing well, we have room for improvement, and we have plans in place to reach our goals. And we need to continue to counter the stigma career-tech has carried for over 30 years and make sure our communities are aware of the college-prep opportunities we offer. Of course, much of our discussion centered on the current economic situation and specifically the role career-tech can play in transitioning displaced workers and giving our high-school students every advantage in this tough job market. We’ve always been seen as a tremendous workforce development asset to our communities; but it was very apparent we’re now being seen as an even more critical solution to workforce needs. Many thanks to Joel Staudter, Shelly Swaney, and Deb Wortman for being there to share with our Stakeholders!
I know a lot of our programs are conducting community service programs during the holidays to help our less fortunate families. Doug Limes and his Building Maintenance Program are conducting a Toys for Tots drive, and it was fun to go toy shopping for the first time in many years (my nieces and nephews are all high-school age or older now!) Also, our ProjectSEARCH is collecting gifts for the holiday gift shop at Logan Acres and will be playing Santa’s Elves this Friday and next. Thanks to Doug, Mary Jo, and all the rest of you who are teaching your students to give back!
Shane Haggerty, Communications Coordinator, recently shared with me that he had been asked me to accept the role of V.P. of Professional Development for the National School Public Relations Association/Ohio for the remainder of this year. Shane will take over the professional development planning for the organization for the rest of this school year, including being in charge of NSPRA/Ohio’s spring conference. Shane will be one of two CTE professionals on the board (the other being Lisa Riegel from Delaware Area Career Center who serves as V.P. of Communications. Congratulations, Shane, and thanks for representing CTE so well at the state level!
I was in Walgreens the other evening buying batteries (when I should have been Christmas shopping so I’d have something to wrap!), and I ran into Carmen Scott, a local citizen and volunteer who was very involved with the Logan County Planning Commission when our career center was established. We talked a little bit about the presentation I had made to the Logan-Union-Champaign Planning Commission (as it’s called now) a few weeks ago about OHP. He told me his work in helping to establish our school is one the proudest accomplishments of his career because of all the lives this school has touched in such a positive way over the years. Now that’s a compliment I couldn’t help but pass along to all of you!
Many of you know I’m a huge proponent of networking in order to be successful in our work, and I often encourage our staff to “steal shamelessly” when they see best practices in other schools. I’ll end this week with a quote I came across from Woodrow Wilson: "I not only use all the brains I have, but all that I can borrow." Great advice!
Have a great weekend!
Thursday, December 4, 2008
December 5, 2008
I couldn’t help but notice this past week how many of us are sniffling, sneezing, and coughing. The news media has even talked about how many people are sick with sinus infections and upper respiratory problems in our region. I’m not sure what it is about this year that is making us all more susceptible! (Amy McCarthy tells me we all just need to keep our hands away from our faces!) I appreciate all your hard work in spite of not feeling so well.
As we came back from Thanksgiving weekend, I couldn’t quite get used to the idea that it’s December already—it kind of snuck up on me. And the winter activities are picking up. Tuesday I attended the Satellite Holiday Luncheon and had a rare opportunity to talk with all our satellite teachers in one place at one time! It did make me stop to think how those programs have grown so much over a relatively short time and what a great team of teachers we’ve assembled to deliver these programs in our partner school districts and communities. I appreciated the invitation!
Tuesday evening I attended an alumni meeting for Union County Leadership Institute. It was good to re-connect with my class and other classes that have gone through the program. All of the four county leadership programs I’ve completed have proven to be a great network of people to help me make connections for business/industry input, field trips and experiences for our students, and support for Ohio Hi-Point in general. We’re fortunate to work in a region that has these programs available. Two different people at the meeting made a point to speak to me and commend Ohio Hi-Point for our work in Union County (specifically our acquisition of the Union County ABLE program). It was nice to have this recognition from leaders in the community!
At the Logan County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors meeting on Wednesday, Natalie Comer, Economic Development Coordinator, gave an overview of the report the County received from a consultant group who had reviewed our “readiness” for attracting new businesses. She said one of the factors they look at is “workforce readiness,” and I asked her how they determine that. She said they take into account the educational levels of current workers and potential displaced workers from other businesses that have or plan to close. While Logan County struggles in this area, she said it is certainly a “plus” when we can demonstrate rapid-response training programs such as we have at Ohio Hi-Point in our Adult Education Department, as well as the future well-educated workforce we are developing by sending so many of our high-school students on to higher education. Just another example of the value we add to our community!
Thursday morning started off with my three hours of required annual public records training through the State Attorney General’s Office (Yawn! Thanks to Lisa McCullough for sitting through that with me!) But the day finished with what had to be the highlight of the week—our “Taste of the Future” Career Preview/Open House! The committee tried a lot of new things this year, including culinary delights from local restaurants and our own Culinary Arts Program. I finally had to make myself leave the cafeteria area after a walking taco, pizza, and four desserts! But the event really lived up to its name—we had a “taste” of something for everyone, and the community came out take advantage of it! Those that attended really seemed to be there with a purpose—whether to learn about adult education job training programs, get information about local colleges, visit our high-school program labs, or even get a flu shot! It was just great (as always) to visit the various areas and hear our staff and students sharing enthusiastically about what we offer. Shane Haggerty was taking lots of photos, so I know he’ll post those for you to view soon. Many, many thanks to Shane and his committee who worked so hard to put this wonderful event together, to JoEtta Spain and our Student Ambassadors for taking such good care of our visitors, and to all our staff members who gave up their evenings to be here. It will pay big dividends, no doubt!
The Christmas cards are starting to come in from our colleagues at other schools, agencies, and businesses. We received one from Miami Valley Career Technology Center that had a really neat quote on it that I wanted to share:
As we came back from Thanksgiving weekend, I couldn’t quite get used to the idea that it’s December already—it kind of snuck up on me. And the winter activities are picking up. Tuesday I attended the Satellite Holiday Luncheon and had a rare opportunity to talk with all our satellite teachers in one place at one time! It did make me stop to think how those programs have grown so much over a relatively short time and what a great team of teachers we’ve assembled to deliver these programs in our partner school districts and communities. I appreciated the invitation!
Tuesday evening I attended an alumni meeting for Union County Leadership Institute. It was good to re-connect with my class and other classes that have gone through the program. All of the four county leadership programs I’ve completed have proven to be a great network of people to help me make connections for business/industry input, field trips and experiences for our students, and support for Ohio Hi-Point in general. We’re fortunate to work in a region that has these programs available. Two different people at the meeting made a point to speak to me and commend Ohio Hi-Point for our work in Union County (specifically our acquisition of the Union County ABLE program). It was nice to have this recognition from leaders in the community!
At the Logan County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors meeting on Wednesday, Natalie Comer, Economic Development Coordinator, gave an overview of the report the County received from a consultant group who had reviewed our “readiness” for attracting new businesses. She said one of the factors they look at is “workforce readiness,” and I asked her how they determine that. She said they take into account the educational levels of current workers and potential displaced workers from other businesses that have or plan to close. While Logan County struggles in this area, she said it is certainly a “plus” when we can demonstrate rapid-response training programs such as we have at Ohio Hi-Point in our Adult Education Department, as well as the future well-educated workforce we are developing by sending so many of our high-school students on to higher education. Just another example of the value we add to our community!
Thursday morning started off with my three hours of required annual public records training through the State Attorney General’s Office (Yawn! Thanks to Lisa McCullough for sitting through that with me!) But the day finished with what had to be the highlight of the week—our “Taste of the Future” Career Preview/Open House! The committee tried a lot of new things this year, including culinary delights from local restaurants and our own Culinary Arts Program. I finally had to make myself leave the cafeteria area after a walking taco, pizza, and four desserts! But the event really lived up to its name—we had a “taste” of something for everyone, and the community came out take advantage of it! Those that attended really seemed to be there with a purpose—whether to learn about adult education job training programs, get information about local colleges, visit our high-school program labs, or even get a flu shot! It was just great (as always) to visit the various areas and hear our staff and students sharing enthusiastically about what we offer. Shane Haggerty was taking lots of photos, so I know he’ll post those for you to view soon. Many, many thanks to Shane and his committee who worked so hard to put this wonderful event together, to JoEtta Spain and our Student Ambassadors for taking such good care of our visitors, and to all our staff members who gave up their evenings to be here. It will pay big dividends, no doubt!
The Christmas cards are starting to come in from our colleagues at other schools, agencies, and businesses. We received one from Miami Valley Career Technology Center that had a really neat quote on it that I wanted to share:
“Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.”
I love that!
Finally,
· Have a great weekend,
· Stay warm,
· If you’re healthy, stay healthy,
· If you’re not, get well soon!
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