What is on the Horizon for Ohio Public Education?

What is next for Ohio public education?  Since the election of Republican Governor-elect John Kasich in November, there has been an abundance of anxiety in Ohio education circles.  Many of the education reforms that outgoing Democrat Governor Strickland enacted, such as the evidence-based funding model, have been pledged by Kasich to be undone.  With a looming $8 billion dollar budget deficit facing Ohio, cuts across the board are inevitable and necessary.

Ohio operates much in the same way that it has since becoming a state in 1803.  There are 88 counties, each with their own government services, 612 or so public school districts, each with their own Board of Education and operational costs, and literally thousands of township, civic, fire and EMS, library, park, etc systems that are all dependent upon tax dollars to survive, and that often replicate or overlap services.  It does seem logical that Ohio's governing system is not only outdated, but inefficient and financially unsustainable.  Kasich has said that he will look into the possibility of consolidating government services to reduce the cost and burden on taxpayers.

That does, however, include the examination of consolidating public school districts.  Home rule has long been a staple of public education throughout the history of the United States.  Slowly, as illustrated later, through the power of financial dependence and mandates, communities and public school districts in Ohio have seen control over their local school districts slowly erode.  The United States Department of Education, one of the newer cabinet positions in our country's history established in 1980, have imposed legislation and requirements such as the Elementary & Secondary Education Act (ESEA aka No Child Left Behind) that have forced states to comply with its mandates or risk losing federal funding - whose $63.7 billion annual budget most states have now become completely dependent upon.  In addition to dependence on federal funding, nearly all of the individual school districts have also become completely dependent upon state funding.  In most school districts, over 50% of their annual budget is funded through the State of Ohio.  Therefore, when 30 cents of every tax dollar from Ohio's General Revenue Fund is spent on K-12 education, and with the state needing to trim $8 billion in order to balance the budget, it is easy to see why school districts are nervous about their financial future.

Along with the 10% or more funding reduction districts are anticipating from the state, the public has increasingly become tax-weary and have clearly expressed that sentiment with resounding rejections of recent tax levies.  In Ohio, school funding is based primarily upon property tax revenue, which the current model has been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of Ohio.  What many people don't realize is that the amount, or millage, that is collected is based upon the tax-assed value of the home.  However, as the home increases in value, the collection amount must remain at the value of the home at the time of the levy.  Simply put: if your home is worth $100,000 at the time a school levy is passed with you contributing $50 monthly as a result, 10 years later when your home may be worth $200,000 you are still paying the same $50, which mathematically is half of the original millage and is an actual gradual reduction of revenue value for school districts.  That is why school districts continually return to voters to approve levies in order to bring collections up to the current home values and/or increase revenue to address the increasing financial needs placed upon school districts.  Unlike the private business sector that can create additional revenue by increasing prices or by developing new products, the only way a school district can increase revenue to address rising staffing costs, health care costs, facility operations, transportation costs and to provide services that parents have become accustomed to such as art, music and sports, is to ask its community for more tax dollars.

Many have called our enduring recession more of a "resetting" instead.  Many changes have been made to financial systems and other industries that have over time developed unwise or financially unsustainable practices that recently brought us to the brink of worldwide financial chaos.  We've been forced to weed out bad business practices and unsound companies in order to "reset" how we function to stay efficient and solvent.  Public education will be no different.  Over decades, public education has evolved to be "everything to everybody" by providing a wide variety of services to children.  In addition to "readin', 'ritin' and 'rithmetic" schools also provide enriching experiences teaching world languages, technology, music, fine arts, athletics and other expected services.  However, as many school districts have had their communities send the message of operating within current means without additional tax dollars, some of those services will no longer be affordable to keep.  Sadly, many school districts are faced with multimillion dollar deficits and must deal with the difficult task of "resetting" how they operate and the services they provide.  In most school districts, approximately 80% of budgetary expenditures go directly to the payment of salaries for staff and health care benefits.  The remaining 20% is typically divided among facility operations, maintenance, transportation, food service, and compliance costs associated with state and federal mandates.  Therefore, to have any significant reduction in operational costs, there needs to be a significant reduction of staff and services.  The elimination of teachers, administrators and support staff in turn means the reduction or elimination of hallowed services and programs for students.  When Boards and district officials are faced with gut wrenching choices of cuts, core content areas are what districts must protect, such as math, science, english and social studies and other courses required for high school graduation.  Enriching programs outside of the core content that parents want schools to provide their children become no longer affordable.  If you've kept up with reduction trends across the state, the first areas that become reduced or eliminated tend to be elementary and middle school "specials" such as art, physical education, and music programs along with secondary electives such as some world languages and other elective programs not required for graduation but that certainly provide a more well-rounded education.  Most notably in recent memory were the drastic cost reduction cuts made by the South-Western City School district, which for a portion of the 2009-2010 school year eliminated all athletics and extracurricular programs in the district.  Several districts around the state are faced with similar difficult decisions leaving parents frustrated that the services that schools traditionally provided will not be available for their children.  Unfortunately, that trend does not look to be reversing soon.

Enough about the depressing financial situation facing our schools and our state.  There are also exciting changes coming to the educational system in Ohio that will have a dramatic affect on teaching and learning.  When I graduated from high school in 1987, there was relatively no education accountability for schools.  There were no state tests and no accountability for the academic achievement of students beyond any that local districts enacted.  There was no widely adopted curriculum in the state, which usually caused gross inconsistencies in learning across Ohio.  In the early 1990's, Ohio introduced the 4th, 6th and 9th grade Proficiency Tests.  The "Proficiency Era" was better than nothing, but still left much to be desired as an achievement accountability measure.  For the first time, however, Ohio mandated that students must achieve a minimum testing proficiency level in order to receive an Ohio graduation diploma.  Many school districts, especially urban and poor rural districts, scrambled to provide academic interventions for underachieving students that many districts, quite frankly, had not provided to that degree before.  From there evolved the reauthorization of ESEA in 2001 which instituted a far greater accountability system in Ohio.  Accountability tests were given each year in multiple areas from grades 3 through 8, Ohio Achievement Assessments, with intervention measures mandated for those students less than proficient.  At the secondary level, students must pass the Ohio Graduation Test in order to receive a high school diploma.  The obvious improvements from the proficiency tests are that the new assessments are in line with a standards-based state curriculum that every district in the state are accountable to.  Elementary students are tested annually beginning in the 3rd grade, giving schools a greater opportunity to provide interventions for students. 

Perhaps the greatest changes that No Child Left Behind enacted was the use of Value Added measurements in elementary and middle schools, and the accountability for individual student subgroups.  Value Added is simply a growth measure that in theory measures the amount of academic growth a student achieves from one year to the next.  Therefore, if a student is already advanced, that student and the school are still accountable for growing that student's academic progress.  Conversely, if a student performs below proficient, but exhibits great academic gains from the previous school year, the student and the school receive the appropriate recognition for that as well.  From grades 3 through 8, the growth of students can be traced back to the classroom teacher allowing schools and districts to determine, based upon assessment results, which teachers have the greatest success growing student learning.  That is an unprecedented level of teacher-accountability for student learning in public education. 

The most significant evolution resulting from NCLB is AYP or Adequate Yearly Progress.  Schools and districts are now not only accountable for the achievement of their students as a whole, but also for each minority or identified subgroup within the schools.  Prior to AYP, schools could rest on the test results of the majority, usually White, students and not be held accountable if groups within the school, such as African-Americans, Hispanics, Students with Disabilities or Economically Disadvantaged students, were not achieving.  Now individual schools and districts are for the first time held accountable for the achievement of ALL students and parents now have the right to opt out of failing schools if test scores do not improve.  As a result, intervention programs such as Response to Intervention (RTI), Special Education services, and intervention-level courses and staff have greatly increased in schools causing, despite popular belief, the highest levels of education for ALL students in our state's history. That is why many have dubbed NCLB not just an educational piece of legislation, but a civil rights legislation as well.  Proficiency tests were better than nothing, and No Child Left Behind is better than than proficiency, so what is the next progression for public education in Ohio?

Since the days of Socrates, it has been said that education is the cornerstone of any democracy and that the future health of any nation is tied directly to its education system.  Our students today are faced with a world unlike any in recorded history.  The amount of "knowledge" is increasing at a staggering rate, and the technological innovations that seem to come daily, have made most of the world's citizens and its knowledge available at the touch of cell phone button.  If we are to prepare our students for that world, then our educational system must continue to evolve. 

State Superintendent, Dr. Deborah Delisle dubbed the coming progress of Ohio's educational system "Next Generation Learning."  We do not want our students to tune out and power off when they enter Ohio's schools, but have their minds and natural curiosity activated.  The Ohio General Assembly passed House Bill 1 which fundamentally alters the educational accountability system in Ohio and will have a profound impact on current students' learning experience.  Ohio, along with 40 other states, have adopted the national Common Core standards in math and english/language arts and have revised and consolidated the state standards in social studies, science and other elective content areas.  The standards are intended to ensure college and career readiness for all Ohio graduates.  In March, 2011, the General Assembly will adopt the "model curricula", a web-based tool giving instructional and assessment guidance and support for educators integrating the new standards.

By the 2014-2015 school year, the state will no longer use the Ohio Graduation Test, but will enact end-of-course exams in the core content areas and must adopt a national assessment to comply with the current NCLB mandate of a high school assessment.  The desire is to move away from low-level, low-skill bubble-in multiple-choice tests to more performance-based, higher level assessments.  Although nothing has been finalized or agreed upon by the Ohio Department of Education, it is widely anticipated that students may have to complete the ACT Common Core End-of-Course Exams at the end of their core content area classes, and the state may adopt the ACT as the new state assessment.  In addition to possibly the common core assessments and the ACT, students will also be required to complete a senior capstone project and earn a minimum of four math credits with one of those credits being at least Algebra II or its equivalent.  Infused in those assessments and in the expected instructional practices used by teachers are an increase of writing compontents and the use of 21st Century Learning skills:  communication, creativity, critical thinking and collaboration.  Dr. Delisle is correct and adamant that the days of "rote memorization" is a thing of the past.  It is far less important, for example, for students to memorize the Bill of Rights than it is to be able to find them and articulate the impact of those guarantees on our society.

As well, beginning this school year, every school district is required to expand its educational options to include Credit Flexibility.  Credit Flex means that no longer will "seat time" be the determiner for a student to qualify to receive a unit of high school credit, but the demonstration of mastery of the content instead.  Students and their parents now have unprecedented control over the student's educational programming.  If a student is advanced in a subject or content, that student will have the option to "Test Out" of the course to earn credit and move immediately to the appropriate level course.  A student may also design an educational program, for high school credit, outside of the curriculum or course offerings of a school.  Many schools are currently developing policies and procedures, but no provision in House Bill 1 may have a greater impact on the future structure of secondary education than Credit Flex.

To prepare for these changes, Ohio applied for and was rewarded a large sum of Race to the Top funds from the U.S. Department of Education.  Ohio has also embraced STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education initiatives, early college models and is rewarding districts enacting those initiatives with grants and other sources of funding. The goal for Ohio is to increase the number of graduates who are prepared for and enter college without the need for remediation, and are prepared to enter a STEM field of study.  The culture of Ohio's students must be WHEN you go to college, not IF you go to college, regardless of the ZIP Code where the student resides.  There is a concerted focus from the Ohio Department of Education to also increase graduation rates, and significantly reduce achievement gaps in reading and math.

To realize these ambitious goals, there must also be a large effort to develop high quality teachers through increased professional development, increased access to data, greater public accountability for teachers and school leaders, and working with Ohio's public universities to better align their schools of education's preparation of the next generation of teachers and educational leaders.

Unprecedented times bring about unprecedented changes and Ohio and the nation have the need for and are at the cusp of great educational progress.

Groups Eye Regulatory Relief Under NCLB

With 2013-2014 looming as the year when schools are accountable for having all identified subgroups reach 100% proficiency, it will be very interesting to watch the actions this congress takes in renewing the expired Elementary & Secondary Education Act (ESEA aka No Child Left Behind).

I surmise that now that the national elections have concluded with the Republican party now in control of the House, the expectation of compromise and effectiveness have been clearly sent by the public. This will be the optimal year, with the presidential election in 2012, to rework and reauthorize the act. Stay tuned.

Groups Eye Regulatory Relief Under NCLB

Classroom Assessments for a New Century

Great classroom instruction ideas for teachers looking to diversify or increase their instructional methods. 21st Century learning skills and preparation for national and state assessments can coexist. It's not new content, but instructional methods to guide and give content in a manner that will prepare students for the world they will one day face.

Classroom Assessments for a New Century

Merit Pay Found to Have Little Effect on Achievement

Interesting take on a movement sweeping through school districts accross the country.
Merit Pay Found to Have Little Effect on Achievement

Education Week: Race to Top Rules Aim to Spur Shifts in Testing

Education Week: Race to Top Rules Aim to Spur Shifts in Testing

Closing of Nearly Half of Kansas City Public Schools

Unfortunately, this is an all too common occurrence in American urban schools. Many American city school districts routinely held over 100,000 students, and subsequently had the facilities to house that enrollment. For many of those districts, all too often, enrollment decline was marked by the onset of forced desegregation required by the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education landmark decision. It happened in cities like Boston, Cleveland, Columbus and Kansas City. As families fled the urban districts, suburban, private and charter school enrollment has soared.

Without question, no one wants to close schools. Schools, along with churches, are a major piece of identification for communities. Schools are what connects people to their community. In barber shops, stoops and some times even unsavory places, there are constant tales of times of past glory connected to school. When schools close, for many communities and individuals, the fear is that their identity will be lost as well.

However, as enrollment declined in many cities, so did the revenue associated with enrollment. In Ohio, for example, each student is worth approximately $6000 in state funding. Therefore, for a big urban district, the loss of even 1000 students, means a reduction of $6 million dollars in state funding. Many urban districts are half or even less than half of what they once were, so the financial impact of the declining enrollment is devastating. Like state governments, schools cannot legally operate in a deficit, so as enrollment declines, unfortunately facilities must close and teachers must be reduced. Schools are a people business, whereas up to 80% of the expenditures of most school districts are personnel related paying for salaries and benefit packages. Facility maintenance is usually the next largest expense. Couple that with many urban school houses being older, less capable of handling modern technology and are less than energy efficient, operating too many buildings become an irresponsible drain on hardworking tax payer dollars.

Most citizens value teachers and understand the incredibly tough task they have. Most educators had a positive experience in schools, which was an influence for them to go into the profession. Most people also understand the impact schools have on the community. However, more than ever, it is important that public officials are responsible and efficient in the spending of taxpayer dollars. Without question, it breaks the heart of the superintendent and the Board of Education in Kansas City to close that many schools. In fact, it was incredibly irresponsible for former superintendents NOT to have gradually and systematically close schools as enrollment declined. However it was the right thing to do and the superintendent and Board should be applauded for their courage to do the right thing in the face of such emotional opposition.

A Personal Experience of the Inauguration of President Barack Obama

The Inauguration of President Barack H. Obama

44^th President of the United States of America

M. Scott Reeves

My journey to the Inauguration of President Barack Obama actually started the year preceding the presidential election, while like most Americans I became enthralled in the intoxicating excitement of the Democratic primaries.  My wife, Valarie, and I became “CNN junkies” as we watched nonstop the returns from one of the longest primary battles in history, and became almost intimately acquainted with the eclectic and sometimes embattled mix of political analysts we invited nightly into our home.  With as much fervor as any major sporting event, we watched the photo finish that saw Illinois Senator Barack Obama narrowly defeat the Senator and former First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton to become the first African-American nominee from a major party in our country’s history.  Had Senator Clinton won, it too would have been historic, as no woman has garnered a major party nomination either. 

After watching his acceptance address at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, my wife and I decided at that point that if Obama were to be elected President, we would do all that we could to witness the Inauguration in person.  It is a rare occasion in one’s life to have the opportunity to witness something truly historic, and we were not about to miss this chance.  Valarie has a cousin, Susan (herein after referred to as just “cousin” – as I happen to like this particular cousin of hers), whose family lives in the Maryland city of Bowie in the Washington, D.C. area.  Therefore, travel and accommodations would not be an issue for us. 

We watched together as Senators McCain and Obama challenged each other in a series of spirited and occasionally heated debates.  The crowds at the McCain rallies seemed to become increasingly aggressive, venomous, and almost desperate as Election Day drew closer.  Followers of Obama became fearful as November drew nearer because each passing day saw McCain pull closer to Obama in the polls.  Doubt creped in the minds of Obama supporters with increasing talk of the “Bradley Effect,” which is the effect of White Americans proclaiming to pollsters that they would indeed vote for the Black candidate, but not actually doing it when the moment of truth came in the voting booth.  The polls were close enough where that phenomenon could potentially cost Barack Obama the election. 

After the emotional November election results were announced, we resolved to solidify our plans to attend the Inauguration.  Initially we had no expectation of obtaining the rare and coveted tickets; we simply wanted to be a part of history.  In fact, we were not even sure how to obtain tickets to the event and didn’t care.  We just wanted to go.  One evening either in late November or early December, CNN ran a story about solicitors who were selling Inauguration tickets for thousands of dollars on eBay, resulting in a U.S. Representative attempting to rush through legislation to make it illegal to sell complimentary Inauguration tickets.  CNN also shared that legitimate tickets could only be obtained from one’s U.S. Representative or U.S. Senator.  With nothing to lose, the next day I emailed the United States Congressman of my residential area, Representative Pat Tiberi, to request tickets to the Inauguration.  With him being a Republican and myself being a registered Democrat, I did not imagine that obtaining tickets from him was a realistic possibility, especially given the feverishly high interest in this event and the vast number of requests he was sure to get.   I never gave it another thought until Representative Tiberi called me a few days prior to my school’s Winter Break in December to inform me that he had granted me two tickets to the Inauguration.  I discovered in our conversation that Representative Tiberi played basketball at Northland High School in Columbus in the early 1980’s, which was where I got my first head varsity basketball coaching position replacing his former coach, the classy Art Signore.  I didn’t know what surprised me most – that he actually knew who I was or that I was getting Inauguration tickets.  Either way, we talked basketball for several minutes and afterwards I excitedly called Valarie to tell her the good news.

A week prior to the Inauguration, it was bitterly cold in Columbus with subzero temperatures shutting down several schools and businesses.  Keeping a close eye on the extended Washington forecast, which was thankfully more moderate, Valarie and I took no chances and headed to Dick’s Sporting Goods for “long-john’s” and other cold weather clothing accessories.  We departed for the nation’s capital early Sunday morning, January 18, awaking to another blast of bitter cold and a few more inches of ice and snow.  We left early enough to reach her cousin’s home in time to catch most of the NFL championship games.  Needless to say, driving was slow and stressful due to the inclement winter weather. 

Taking it slow and deliberate, we stopped roughly halfway through the trip in Morgantown, WV, to have lunch on the campus of West Virginia University.  Neither of us had ever been on the WVU campus before and marveled at their seemingly efficient monorail system that weaved through the hilly campus.  We parked on their Ohio State equivalent to “High Street,” which I believe is actually called High Street, and asked for a restaurant recommendation from an elderly couple walking by.  Without hesitation, they directed us to the Boston Beanery.  I didn’t understand why people were staring at me when I entered, until I realized after we sat down that I was strutting through the eatery dressed in full Ohio State regalia.  Lunch was as good as advertised.

Navigating through the Appalachian Mountains was treacherous.  As we ascended higher into the range, the weather became like the grand finale of a midsummer fire works show.  Like raging Zeus atop Mount Olympus, Mother Nature violently emptied her arsenal of gale force winds and blinding snow that she couldn’t carry over the mountains.  The stretch between Morgantown and Cumberland, MD was hazardous with near blizzard-like conditions bringing traffic to a crawl.  After passing Cumberland and the Eastern Continental Divide, the weather cleared as suddenly as if we had escaped across the border from the clutches of the oppressive Snow Miser to the moderate and welcoming arms of the Heat Miser.  Like stepping from the drab gray Kansan house into the colorful world of Munchkin Land, there was not a cloud in the air or flake of snow on the ground and the surroundings were sunny and green.  As we headed closer to Washington, thankfully the temperature slowly began to rise.

Several weeks prior, I was instructed by telephone from Representative Tiberi’s helpful assistant, Allie, to pick up our tickets the day before the Tuesday Inauguration from Tiberi’s office in the Cannon House office building next to the Capitol.  Valarie and I thought that day would also be a great opportunity to do a dry run of the D.C. Metro system and plot out our itinerary for the big day.  On Monday afternoon, we hopped on the Orange Line train at the Landover station in Maryland and started our “scrimmage” (hey, we’re sports people).  Just at the moment the Orange Line transforms from an elevated train to descend underground to become a subway, there is a spectacular view of the U.S. Capitol rising behind RFK Stadium. 

We exited the train at the Capitol South station and surfaced to see hoards of people excitedly milling around at every turn.  The streets of Washington had not yet closed to traffic for the upcoming event, but the giant metal interlocking security gates were stacked ominously along every street like faithful sentry’s waiting patiently to completely encase the National Mall and the Pennsylvania Avenue parade route.  An army of blue Port-a-Potty’s stood in impressive rows by the thousands along the length of the Mall.  With our faithful tourist’s map in-hand, we quickly located the Cannon House, which was less than a block from the Capitol South subway tunnel, and searched for an appropriate entrance to the building.  We initially walked to the entrance, but quickly noticed that there was a long line to enter the building.  As we searched for the elusive end of the line, it kept going and going snaking down the block and around the corner.  At every entrance, the line out of the doorway wrapped easily around two corners often forming a double line on the sidewalk with a line from another entrance.  By the time we reached the end of our line, we realized that the wait for The Beast rollercoaster at Kings Island amusement park would be quicker than it would be to enter the Cannon House.  We worried that we might not make it into the building before the offices closed. 

Needless to say, the environment was festive and everyone around exhibited a spirit of kinship and brotherhood.  Those in line took the opportunity to greet the people around them and discovered that people were from places as far as Florida and California.  No one seemed to mind the wait as we inched slowly forward, yet were thankful as a well-dressed lady with an elegantly draped full length fur, traveled the sidewalk shouting for those in line to call the office of their Congressman to have their tickets brought outside and delivered.  As luck would have it, I had Tiberi’s office number in my pocket and within minutes, Allie greeted us outside the office with our Inauguration package.  She remarked in amazement that in the few Inaugurations she has worked, none rivaled the interest as this.

I’m not sure what I expected, probably just a pair of tickets akin to those of a sporting event, but what Allie gave me was a large stuffed manila envelop with my name typed on a label in the upper left corner.  Like one of the star-bellied sneeches or Charlie when he discovered the golden ticket in his Wonka Bar, the envelope instantly transferred a feeling of excitement and distinction.  Looking around, there were but a few similar envelopes in the hands of supporters sprinkled around the Capitol.  Valarie and I found the nearest bench to explore the contents of our prize.

Carefully pealing away the gold House Seal not to tear it, we pulled a golden file folder with a blue Congressional Seal emblazoned on the front.  Inside we found our tickets and a myriad of information about Inauguration Day.  Seeing that our area was the “South Standing –Blue” area, we put off reading the rest of the information until we had a more appropriate (and warmer) location, and set off to find the Blue Gate.  The area our ticket permitted us to enter was the southwest Capitol lawn.  After milling around the area and taking a few snapshots of the stage and the adorned Capitol, we decided to catch our breath and do a little sightseeing. 

We set off down Pennsylvania Avenue toward the White House, which when built in the late 18^th Century was the largest residence in the United States, watching the final preparations being made for the upcoming parade.  As a former history teacher, the sense of history and who may have seen the very sights I saw or may have stood in the very place I have, always struck a deep chord within me.  My wife, on the other hand, has no great love for history, and I can’t imagine those thoughts coming anywhere near her consciousness.  Bleachers were assembled down the stretch of road leading to the White House, as well as hundreds of venders setting up to sell their merchandise.

Heading around the White House to the Washington Monument, the Ellipse was filled with soaring kites flying in the air, vendors selling buttons and t-shirts, thousands of camera’s snapping memories of D.C. from every possible angle, and those advocating for D.C. statehood and the prosecution of outgoing President George W. Bush.  Seeing the many photographs depicting the alignment of the Capitol, Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial, they appear deceptively close in photos but are actually far apart, as evidenced by our increasingly weary legs.  Scanning the scenery around the monument, it is clear that it is the epicenter of Washington.  Lining the National Mall from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial were gigantic jumbo-trons spaced 50 to 100 yards apart.  If only I could get one of those in my basement to watch the game!

By this time, we were chilly, aching for a cup of coffee and ready to head back to her cousin’s home to relax.  Locating a nearby Starbucks, we sat down, sipped a little Joe, and reviewed our ticket package.  Inside the golden folder was a ton of informational material.  There was information about prohibited items, the Metro system and even a promotional guide to the Smithsonian Museums.  There was an ecru colored heavy-stock envelope that contained our official invitation.  It read:

The honor of your presence

Is requested at the ceremonies attending the

Inauguration of the President and Vice President

of the United States

January twentieth

Two thousand and nine

The Capitol of the United States of America

City of Washington

By the

Joint Congressional

Committee of Inaugural Ceremonies

Dianne Feinstein, Chairman

Harry Reid, Robert F. Bennett,

Nancy Pelosi, Steny H. Hoyer

John A Boehner

It contained photographs of Obama and Biden, color-coded maps of the Capitol showing ticketed areas, and the Inauguration Ceremonies Program.  Within the elegant program bordered by a gold braided tassel, contained the events of the ceremony, a brief bio of President Abraham Lincoln commemorating his 200^th birthday, and a brief history of the Inauguration Ceremony itself.  It was all very elegant.

            Ready to relax for the evening, we initially headed for the subway station, but detoured back to the nearby Cannon House to thank Representative Tiberi personally for giving us the tickets.  Ironically, by this time there was no line and we were able to walk right up to the security gate.  Much like in an airport terminal, we had to strip layers of winter clothing to prove we meant our Congressman no harm.  Walking the corridors of the Cannon House to his office, everything was large and impressive.  Every Congressman’s office had multiple entries with huge heavy adorned doors and entryways that hung the Representative’s state flag.  Spotting the familiar pennant shaped flag of the State of Ohio, we entered Tiberi’s office.  He wasn’t in, however Allie, who we seem to have gotten to know quite well, allowed us into his private office and even took a couple of pictures of Valarie and I behind his desk.  Again, his office was the picture of opulence. Deeply polished wood paneled walls and shelves containing gifts he had received and many items from Ohio State, including photos of him marching in the Ohio State Marching Band, framed his imposing desk.  After thanking Allie repeatedly, we hopped on the Orange Line ending our scrimmage for the day and prepared for the next day’s events.

On Tuesday, January 20, we rose at 5 AM and made it to the Landover station by 6AM, which anyone who knows Valarie and I know it’s a minor miracle for us to be anywhere on time.  CNN had been reporting that by that time, hundreds of thousands of people had already descended on the Mall.  The Landover station is the second stop on the Orange Line, so despite many people being on the train, there were still a few seats available.  Pulling up to the RFK stadium stop, there were acres of tour buses that jammed the lot as far as the eye could see with throngs of people from those buses lined up to further stuff the trains.  Due to the ocean of people spilling out of the trains into the stations, several stops of the Metro were shutting down near the Capitol. 

Even on the train, there was an atmosphere of electric anticipation.  Everyone was joyous.  Getting off at Capitol South as we had practiced the day earlier, the volume of people in the station was beyond what I could imagine.  Heading up the escalator to the surface, you could see from the deep lavender hue of the sky at the top of the stairs that the sun had not quite risen.  The spattering of thousands camera flashes like a swarm fireflies lit up the station and tunnel to the surface as if it were midday.  As the crowds ascended to the surface they began to shout in unison Obama’s slogan, “Yes We Can!” 

Finally getting to the street level, the volume of people was simply astonishing.  Our tickets were “Blue” so we needed to make our way to Washington Avenue where the Blue Gate security checkpoint was located.  Arriving in the massive line at 7AM (gates opened at 8AM) we were already several thousandths place in line with people quickly packing in behind us.  Being just after sun up, it was extremely cold but the cheerful crowd and our multiple layers of clothing provided much appreciated warmth.  Some time around 8 AM, the security gates opened and very slowly, we began to creep forward.  By then the line, which was easily the width of the street, stretched behind us for blocks.  By 9:30AM we cleared the security gate and bomb sniffing dogs and reached our standing area on the Capitol lawn to scout a place where we had a clear view of the podium through the trees.   The space filled in quickly while cameras again were flashing wildly as we pivoted from looking at the jumbo-tron next to the Capitol to peaking around the 6’4” fellow with the high reddish afro about five feet in front of us to view the podium.  Everyone in our area gasped each time the jumbo-tron showed shots of all of the people assembling in the Mall.  We could not see the Mall from our vantage point, but the number of flag waving people displayed on the screen seemed immeasurable. 

After about an hour of gradually being enclosed by more and more revelers, we found ourselves standing at nearly the exact spot we had scouted out the day before.  Talk about a good game plan!  Right on cue, dignitaries began the procession of entering the Capitol Stage.  There were television cameras inside the corridors of the Capitol, so we were able to see on the jumbo-tron all of the VIPs approaching through the building before they actually came out on the stage.  The momentum and electricity were definitely building to a crescendo.  Around 11AM, screens captured Obama’s motorcade traveling slowly up Pennsylvania Avenue toward the Capitol.  As the crowds roared in jubilation you could hear to the side the actual shrill of the motorcade’s sirens inching closer. 

The loudest cheers for dignitaries came when former President Bill Clinton and ailing Senator Ted Kennedy entered into the Capitol and onto the stage.  A chorus of boo’s rained down heavily when President George W. Bush appeared on the stage.  Throughout the ceremony the outgoing President had a definite look of relief to be leaving this “snake pit” of Democrats. 

When President-Elect Obama entered the Capitol and appeared on the stage, an estimated 1.8 million people went into a complete frenzy.  I cannot begin to imagine what it must feel like for any person about to be inaugurated to behold that sight.  After all the preliminaries, songs and tributes, it was finally time for Obama to step to the podium and take the oath of office as President.  From our vantage point, we could see the podium and could make out images of people moving enough to tell who was who, but could not make out the details of anyone.  When the oath was being administered, I looked mainly at the podium and not the jumbo-tron screen because I wanted to see Obama become President as best I could with my own two eyes.  When President Obama finished swearing in, there was an indescribable roar of excitement, relief, and accomplishment.  Tears ran down the cheeks of so many, especially elderly citizens who never thought they would live to see the day when an African-American became the President of the United States.  With every word of his Inaugural Address transmitting down the Mall, you could hear a pin drop in between the moments of wild cheers for a popular word or phrase.  As the ceremony ended, you could hear in the distance cannons being fired with their booming tribute echoing majestically off of the buildings.

            Following a poem, benediction and the recession of the new President from the stage, we contemplated hanging around for a while or making our way to the train station.  Chilled toes and hands were growing colder, we were hungry and exhausted, and given our relatively close proximity to the subway station, we thought it best to go there right away before a million people beat us to it.  Valarie had not eaten or drank anything to that point because she did not want to have to use a Port-a-Potty.  I did, and she was probably right.  Despite our nearness to the station, the line to go down the subway tunnel stretched for an entire city block in two directions.  By the time we reached the tunnel, it stretched for three.  The mood was still festive and exhibited a spirit of bonding that is too rarely seen or felt in our country.  It was said that on Inauguration Day, not a single crime was reported in Washington D.C.  We finally made it back to Valarie’s cousin’s home to eat, nap, and watch the parade knowing that we just witnessed one of the most significant events in our country’s history.  We were very proud.

Dear Pickerington Tiger Community - Letter #13

Dear Pickerington Tiger Community – Letter #13

Happy New Year Pickerington Tigers!  Where has the year gone!  We are now into 2010 and only days away from finishing the first semester.  As I write this letter, Pickerington Local Schools are on a 2-Hour delay.  This is a great time to remind you to constantly check your local news updates in the morning for the most up to date information.  Many of you have signed up for PLSD text updates from your cellular service provider.  Keep in mind that when PLSD decides to delay the start of school or cancel school altogether, the district notifies the news media, both television and radio, and the cellular providers.  With some providers, the text alerts come very late, which is a function of your provider and not PLSD.  Your best bet for the quickest information is to either tune in to the local news stations or you can follow the district on Twitter @PLSD where up to the minute updates are provided.

As I’ve stated, January 21 marks the end of the first semester.  Aside from being only a 3-day week, the schedule of each day is amended to account for student exams.  In my next letter, I will share the schedule for the exams and reiterate the importance of doing well on each test.  The start of second semester also begins the scheduling process for the 2010-2011 school year.  In our effort to encourage students to include more rigorous coursework in their schedule, I will be calling upon you in the near future to take a hard look at the requests your students will be making for next year.  As I have often times shared, we have made impressive academic gains at Central in the OGT, ACT, and Honor Roll numbers in the last three years and are hoping to increase our enrollment and diversity next year in Honors and AP classes by 10%.

December also brought many traditional holiday events to our school.  All areas of our music program held holiday concerts prior to the break.  The PHSC Chorale performed their holiday program over 20 times for area schools and organizations.  Student Council adopted four families in need and provided heart warming and welcoming relief to those families for the holidays.  Several groups and clubs combined to contribute thousands of canned good items to the local food pantry, and this year PHSC started a new tradition of having a Door Decorating Contest where the class with the best decorated classroom door received a complimentary breakfast. 

As we come out of the Winter Break, I want to share how proud we all should be of the Pickerington Central Marching Tigers.  As most of you know, the band marched in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City in November.  Over the break, the band also traveled to Los Angeles to march in the 2010 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena.  I was fortunate enough to have been able to travel with the band and can tell you from first-hand experience that our band is truly regarded nationally as one of the top high school bands in the United States.  The weather was gorgeous and the students represented themselves, PHSC and the Pickerington Community at all times with the highest level of class and character.  The Marching Tigers are one of only two high school bands in history that have been talented enough to march in both the Macy’s and Tournament of Roses parades in the same year.  It was also a thrill for the students to perform “Beautiful Ohio” along side The Ohio State University, Ohio University and Ohio School for the Blind marching bands all together on the same field.  The students had a great time at Disneyland and looked sharp marching down Colorado Boulevard on January 1 once again representing Pickerington before an international audience.  The response I received from not only the hotel staff, but also parade organizers and casual bystanders about our band were incredible.  Kudos to Mr. Sewell and his staff and parent chaperones for organizing such an incredible experience for our students.  I would also like to say a special thank you to Glenda England for all of her efforts in making sure that everything went according to plan.

Finally, this Thursday, January 7 is the day PHSC will be administering the H1N1 Flu vaccination in the gymnasium to those students who have previously turned in the permission slip allowing them to be vaccinated.  Only those students with permission slips and staff will be permitted to receive the vaccination, as our supply is limited.  We should be concluded with the procedure by midday.

I hope each of you had a joyous holiday season and welcome back!

Sincerely,

M. Scott Reeves

Principal, PHS Central

If you BELIEVE you can ACHIEVE you will SUCCEED

2010 Rose Bowl Journal - Monday, December 28, 2009

Monday, December 28, 2009

The preparations for this trip have been ongoing for about a year, ever since the Pickerington High School Central Marching Tigers were selected to participate in the 2010 Tournament of Roses Parade on January 1 in Pasadena, California.  I thought it would be a nice vacation for my wife and two small children.  The trip however, took a fortunate turn when the football Buckeyes won the Big Ten championship after defeating Iowa in November and qualified to play in the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1997.  Because of my standing as a member of the Board of Directors of the Varsity “O” Alumni Association, I was able to get tickets to the Rose Bowl for my family.

The day started early, 5 AM to be exact, as our flight was scheduled to depart at 7 AM.  Not too bad, except for the fact that I didn’t finally get to bed until after 1 AM.  Piddling around packing clothes and watching the movie “Purple Rain” took much longer than I anticipated.  My wife didn’t even bother going to bed.  Therefore, 5 AM was rough.  Surprisingly, my 6 year old daughter, Madison, was up and full of energy.  Excitement and adrenaline fueled her for the trip because she went to bed about the same time as I did.  Michael dragged himself out of bed, and as usual, took repeated threats of being left behind.  Needless to say, by 6 AM we were off.  That’s cutting it close, especially given the fact that the security level was raised as a result of the attempted terrorist attack in Detroit a few days prior, but a benefit of living in Gahanna is that the airport is only a few minutes away.

In the airport, we met up with band director Mike Sewell, his family and the early departing PHSC entourage.  It was evident from the attire in the check-in lines that the Buckeye Nation was ready to descend on California for the Rose Bowl.  Our first connection on our Southwest Air flight was to St. Louis.  All was find until we began to land.  The change in air pressure wreaked havoc on my son’s ears and he began to panic with tears and snot pouring from his face.  Everyone around him tried to give him strategies to relieve the pressure, but once it’s the end of the world for him, it’s the end of the world and nothing can save it.  Not soon enough, we landed in the “Lou.”

Our layover was brief and I hit the gift shop for some OJ, trail mix and a USA Today.  In the gift shop, I noticed that all of the tourist apparel was either generic St. Louis, the Blues, Cardinals or Mizzou gear.  There was no gear for St. Louis University.  The only reason I even noticed was that my wife’s college teammate, roommate and BFF is the Head Women’s Basketball Coach for SLU.  I sent @shimmy33 a tweet about the lack of SLU gear in the airport.  She replied that they must be sold out.  She’s a true Billiken.

On the 4-hour flight to Phoenix, our next connection, I was able to get some much-needed sleep.  I was partially lifted from my slumber by the pilot’s announcement, “is there a doctor or nurse on board?”  Somehow, I was too exhausted to fully awaken, but remember going back into a deep sleep thinking, “that’s odd.”  Fortunately, the pregnant passenger, I was told later, was OK.  I finally woke with enough time to read several chapters of the book “Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell.  Very thought provoking concepts about success that is a very easy read and highly recommended.

Yet again, the descending plane ravaged the ears of Michael.  Like a coach to his player, I tried to pump him up, “don’t panic, use your strategies, you can do it!”  I tried to explain to him the science of what was happening to his ears (don’t ask) and distract him with the view of the passing mountains outside the window.  No dice.  He blew about a gallon of snot out of his nose and caught it with his hand.  Of course, we had no napkin.  Thankfully, the attendant handed me several napkins and wet wipes.  From the middle seat, I noticed I had a new seatmate that I had to reach across from the one I started the trip with.  This gentleman strongly resembled the odd brother-in-law-to-be from the movie “Hangover” and was, I’ll politely say, aromatically challenged.  He switched seats during the commotion with the nurse who helped the pregnant passenger.  Apparently, I missed all of that.

The attendant also offered a trick to help my son with his ears.  She gave Michael two paper cups stuffed with napkins soaked with hot water.  Possibly the warm fumes would help his ears?  Although I recognize his discomfort, I must say he looked utterly hilarious holding two large cups to his ears while tearing and snotting.  I think he knew how ridiculous he looked because he blurted a laugh through his tears. 

From Phoenix to Orange County, we decided to switch seats and have Michael sit with Valarie and Maddy.  Wouldn’t you know it; he slept the entire way, including the descent and landing.  Valarie said all he needed was his momma’s touch.  Whatever.  At least I could peacefully finish “Outliers.”

As always when flying where I have to make connection changes, I hold my breath when the baggage carrel reveals the luggage.  Sometimes the bags make the trip, sometimes they don’t.  I could immediately tell we were in California by the Louis Vuitton and Gucci bags that aristocratically filed by.  Bags made it!  We rented a hybrid Nissan Altima and were on our way to the Newport Beach Marriott.  The weather was beautiful, making me wonder why exactly I still lived in blustery Columbus.  I had never before driven a hybrid car, which at every stop made me think the car had stalled.  Motoring by the rows of waving palm trees, an exotic cream colored Ferrari smoked by me as if I were driving in reverse.  Altimas are nice, at least in Ohio, but the Ferrari made me feel like Axel Foley in his Nova puttering down Rodeo Drive in “Beverly Hills Cop.”  In between the Garmin voice and my wife trying to give me opposing directions, I had an epiphany.  I invented a new word – Valeocentric.  The meaning of Valeocentric is “the only correct view is from the perspective of Valarie.”  I live in a valeocentric world. 

The hotel is beautiful and very resort-like.  From our 9^th floor balcony, you can see Catalina Island and the Pacific Ocean stretching to the horizon.  Maddy excitedly announced that we were over a “golf field,” meaning the oceanfront golf course below.  Man, I didn’t bring my clubs!  After getting settled and realizing we were famished, we ventured out for something to eat.  We went to Balboa Island, which was a perfect recommendation from one of the hotel managers, and had pizza and spaghetti on the boardwalk.  The highlight was the spectacular sight from the Balboa Pier of the setting sun vanishing behind Catalina Island.

Sunrise in cold gray Ohio – sunset in sunny warm California – not too bad.  The day ended with a delicious glass of cabernet, watching Monday Night Football and listening to the kids giggling on the pullout in the other room.  Try as I might, I’ll have to catch the result of the game on Sports Center tomorrow.  Goodnight.  

Dear Pickerington Tiger Community - Letter #12

Dear Pickerington Tiger Community – Letter #12

We are now in the midst of the holiday season.  I hope that each of you had a great Thanksgiving Day weekend with your families!

As I shared in my last letter, we are proud of the large number of students that qualified for the Honor Roll after the first grading period.  Using that data, as well as discipline data, attendance data, and information about students who may have fallen short of the 3.0 GPA mark, but have shown academic improvement from last year, students are selected to be a part of our largest student organization, Renaissance.  Renaissance simply is our organization that honors, rewards and celebrates students that do well in the classroom, meet our behavior expectations and have no unexcused absences from school.  Incredibly, just over 1,000 of our approximately 1,600 students qualified to be a part of Renaissance based upon their first grading period performance!  That means that the overwhelming majority of our students are doing the right things!  Along with the names of the students on Honor Roll, the names of Renaissance students are proudly posted on our showcase for all to see!

Renaissance in partnership with Key Club, is sponsoring a “Feed the Need” food drive from December 7 -18.  We’ve submitted on our listserv the specifics of the food drive and think this is a worthy undertaking by our students to help families less fortunate than ourselves during this season.  All collections of items will be donated to the PCMA Food Pantry.  As an incentive for our entire student population to give, we are holding a contest for 3^rd period classes, rewarding the most giving two classes with a breakfast.  The students of PHSC truly exhibit the true meaning and spirit of the holiday season.

Staying in the spirit of giving this holiday season, the PHSC Cross Country program, in conjunction with the Columbus Running Company in Pickerington and Soles4Souls, are asking that you bring “gently worn” shoes taking up space in your home to PHSC (preferably walking and athletic shoes) or the Columbus Running Company store in order to be donated through Soles4Souls to those less fortunate and in need of adequate footwear.  There are unfortunately millions of Americans without adequate footwear, and an estimated 1.5 billion pairs of unworn shoes lying around in homes.  Please bind each pair of donated shoes together with a rubber band and place your unwanted shoes in the boxes provided in the PHSC lobby.  We will be collecting shoes through Friday, December 11.

As millions, perhaps billions of people worldwide watched, the PHSC Marching Tigers paraded phenomenally through the streets of New York City in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.  The Marching Tigers, marching in their 4^th Macy’s parade, was selected as the band to usher in Santa Clause in the parade.  All along the parade route, where an estimated 4 million people lined the streets, our students were cheered and applauded for their excellent renditions of several Christmas classics, as well as several dozen shouts of “O-H”!  Aside from representing the Pickerington Community and Central Ohio, the students of PHSC were also able to experience the energy of the largest city in the United States.  The members of PHSC along with their parent and staff chaperones attended the world famous Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular featuring the legendary Rockettes.  They shopped in the bright lights of Times Square and had the opportunity to sightsee many famous places such as the Statue of Liberty.  Thanks to the staff for a job well done and to the parents who accompanied the trip to make sure it was a safe and exciting experience for our students.  Next on the list is Pasadena for the Tournament of Roses parade.

In order to meet the educational needs of all of our students, we have a program called Success Academy, which is designed to get students back on their academic feet.  I am delighted to share with you that in the first grading period, every single 10^th and 11^th grade student who started the year in Success Academy raised his or her GPA from the previous grading period.  Well-done staff and students!  To celebrate their hard work and success, Success Academy held their quarterly celebration on Wednesday, December 2.

Finally, I’d like to address a more serious matter.  Recently, a young student in another part of Ohio took her own life as a result of the teasing and ridicule she received because of a text message she sent over her phone described as “sexting.”  She is the second student in Ohio to respond in this tragic manner.  Sexting, a play on the word texting, is basically sending sexually explicit messages or pictures to someone over the phone.  Students do not realize the dangers of sexting, and that once an image is sent, the student loses all control over where that image may end up.  In most cases, the explicit image is received and forwarded enough times to reach thousands of phones or computers in a matter of minutes, causing at minimum extreme embarrassment, to violations of codes of conducts of groups and athletic teams, and in extreme cases as we’ve recently seen – harassment and suicide.  Another factor less realized is that depending on the age of child in the image, forwarding the image could be considered “pandering child pornography” with those involved possibly being open to criminal prosecution.  As you see, this is a serious matter.  I share this with you to implore you to be aware of what your students are sending and receiving through their phones and their computers.  Periodically checking your student’s electronic equipment, although it may not be popular with them, will go a long way to keep them from getting into unintended trouble.  Check with your service provider as companies are constantly developing monitoring programs for parents.

I hope each of you had a happy Thanksgiving, and remember that this week is the halfway point in grading period two, so please work with your student so that they reach their highest levels of academic achievement.

Sincerely,

M. Scott Reeves

Principal, PHS Central

If you BELIEVE you can ACHIEVE, you will SUCCEED

Dear Pickerington Tiger Community - Letter #11

Dear Pickerington Tiger Community – Letter #11

Greetings!  We are heading full steam toward the Thanksgiving holiday, and certainly, despite the trials of life, we all have something to be thankful for.  Congratulation goes out to the football Tigers for another successful season and a valiant run in the State Playoffs.  I know the coaches, fans and the boys are disappointed they didn’t go a bit farther in the playoffs, but it was an outstanding season and everyone in the Tiger community is proud of their efforts.  I would also like to again congratulate the coaches and football program of the Pickerington North Panthers who made the playoffs for the first time in school history.  It was certainly a great year to be a Pickerington football fan. 

This is also an exciting time for the PHSC Marching Tigers as they depart from PHSC early next Tuesday, November 24 to head to New York City for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!  Our instrumental music students aren’t the only ones getting impressive invitations.  The PHSC Chorale was invited to sing the National Anthem to start the OHSAA State Cross Country Championships held at Scioto Downs in front of approximately 10,000 spectators.  An excerpt from a “Thank You” letter from OHSAA reads “I believe it is important that you know your students and director honored your school and community by their performance.”  Great job to Mr. Long and the rest of our Music Tigers!

Last week was also a big week for the Theatre Department.  The fall production this year was “A Few Good Men.”  The students, under the direction of teacher Shannon Cook, did an incredible job with their performances that hopefully many of you had the opportunity to enjoy.  On Thursday, November 12, the students performed a matinee for students from Ridgeview Junior High, and on Friday performed a packed matinee for their peers at PHSC.  As always, the set was appropriate and very well constructed.  Great job Mr. Womack.  Without question, the Performing Arts at PHSC are second to none!

To honor our veterans, the Music Department held our annual Veterans Day Program outside at our Gazebo, which is PHSC’s own veteran’s memorial.  Emceed by teacher Jay Sharrett, the entire junior and senior classes gathered around the Gazebo on the chilly Veterans Day morning to hear patriotic selections from both the band and the choir.  The students heard speeches from Pickerington Police Officer Dan Simcox, who is a Viet Nam veteran, and General David Hartley.  This is the very first time in the history of this program that a General attended to address our students.

Finally, now that the 1^st grading period has ended, we’ve had the opportunity to take a look at some of the performance data of our students.  I am very proud to share that just fewer than 60% of the total students at PHSC achieved Honor Roll status.  That is an incredible mark of achievement for our students.  Last year, we were never able to break the 50% barrier as a school for Honor Roll achievement and we’ve gone way beyond that to start this school year.  That translates to 965 out of the 1620 students making Honor Roll!  All of their names are proudly displayed in our trophy showcase, and will be shown throughout the 2^nd grading period. 

Have a wonderful week and Happy Thanksgiving.

Sincerely,

M. Scott Reeves

Principal, PHS Central

If you BELIEVE you can ACHIEVE, you will SUCCEED

State Playoff Game Information

Greetings Pickerington Tiger Community!

I want to give you some information regarding our big state playoff game Saturday, November 7, 2009 against the Pickerington North Panthers.  Of course, excitement for this game has built over the course of the week.  With the anticipated warm weather, the high stakes and the friendly rivalry, PHSC is expecting a record crowd in Tiger Stadium.  As such, there have been some accommodations made to Tiger Stadium to safely raise our capacity and make Saturday's game an enjoyable experience for all.

Kickoff is set for 7 PM and the gates to the stadium will open for general seating at 5 PM.  Please note, as usual for Tiger home games, the far north (scoreboard side) section of the home stadium bleachers are reserved for the Student Section.  We are asking that fans of PHS North park at Victory Park and enter and exit on the visiting side of the stadium abutting the park.  PHS Central fans are being asked to park on the Hill Road/Ridgeview side of the stadium and enter and exit on the home side.  Once the game starts, students from either school will not be permitted on the opposing team's side.  The PHS Central parking lot will be available for overflow parking.

On either side of both the home and visiting bleachers, large sections of the track have been prepared and sectioned off with extra seating and standing room accommodations.  Extra port-a-potties have been brought to Tiger Stadium, as well as extra security from the Pickerington Police Department, Fairfield County Sheriff's Department, Violate Township Fire Department and Pickerington Local School's administration.  The "hill" section between the home bleachers and the scoreboard will be made available for overflow crowds.  Ideally, we'd like students from the younger grades such as Ridgeview Junior High, Diley Middle School and the elementary school students, to occupy this area.

Finally, tickets, space, seating, and parking will all be at a premium, and with the anticipated crowd and limited seating capacity, a fair percentage of fans for both PHS Central and PHS North will be Standing Room Only.  Patience and planning a little extra time will go a long way into making it a great night.  As well, both sides want very badly to win this contest as this is an incredible showcase of the football talent in the Pickerington Community as a whole, and I'm confident that no matter the outcome of the game, all Tiger fans and students will exhibit the highest level of sportsmanship and respect to our guests.  See you at the game!

Go Tigers!

Dear Pickerington Tiger Community - Letter #10

Greetings Pickerington Tiger Community – Letter #10

Without question, this is one of the most exciting weeks athletically in the history of the Pickerington community.  I’d first like to congratulate both the PHS Central and PHS North football programs for making the State Playoffs.  We are excited to host this game in the legendary Tiger Stadium and are making preparations to accommodate the anticipated record crowd for Saturday night’s game.  This Wednesday morning, representatives from PHSC, PHSN, the PLSD District Office, the Pickerington Police Department and the Violet Township Fire Department will meet to review the plans for the game.  After our meeting, we will share those plans on the listservs of both schools and on the district’s website.  Either way, space will be at a premium, both for seating and for parking.  Realizing that you’ll need a little extra time and a lot of patience will go a long way in ensuring that everyone has a great experience at the game.

In conjunction with the game festivities, there will be a bon fire on Wednesday, November 4, 7 PM at Victory Park.  Come celebrate the accomplishments of the football Tigers and cheer them on to victory!

This is also an incredibly busy time for the PHSC Marching Tigers.  In addition to preparing for Saturday nights pre-game, post-game and halftime show, the Marching Tigers will be participating in the State Contest on Sunday, November 8 in Welcome Stadium in Dayton, Ohio.  As well, the Tigers are also preparing for the first leg of their coast-to-coast trips, which is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in three weeks in New York City.  The band learned this week that they will be given the prestigious honor of being the band to bring in Santa!  Lastly, between the trip to New York and Pasadena, the Marching Tigers are the invited guests of the Cincinnati Bengals and will perform in Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati on December 6^th during halftime of the Bengals game vs. the Detroit Lions.  Our students certainly won’t be bored!

Last week was Red Ribbon Week, and I’d like to congratulate Ms. Wiseman’s 3^rd period class for winning the “Wear Red” competition sponsored by SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions).  They will win a class breakfast for their efforts.  As you know, Red Ribbon Week is the nations most visible drug-free program.  During the week, SADD also received $1027 in student contributions and donated the proceeds to the Mid-Ohio Food Bank.  Great job Tigers!

Another student group doing great things recently is our Youth Connections.  PHSC Youth Connections students volunteered their time on Saturday, October 24 to assist the Pickerington Public Library at the Pickerington Barnes & Noble Bookstore’s “Make a Difference Day” as greeters, face painters and participated in the reading marathon.  A bit from the thank you letter received from the staff of the Pickerington Public Library reads “Several of the store staff mentioned how welcoming and polite they were to other shoppers.  Our Library Director and Juvenile Services Librarian were very impressed with their strong personal skills, positive attitudes and friendly smiles…we were proud to have them representing the library and our community should be proud to have such bright future leaders!”

The Pickerington Education Foundation awarded grants to two of our teachers, Mr. Ricchetti and Miss Ross, who are working on incredible projects with their students.  PEF is a charitable foundation organized to enrich and support the total educational process in the PLSD.  I’d like to thank them for enriching the education of our Central Tigers.  I’d like to say very warm congratulations to 41-year Chemistry teacher, Pat Funk, for being selected into his high school’s Hall of Excellence.

Lastly, this marks the first week of the second grading period.  Grade cards will be distributed next week, so please inquire about them to your student.  We have also discussed with our students about focusing on goals for themselves for this grading period.  We reminded them, as we often do, of our expectations of them academically and behaviorally, and are eagerly looking forward to an equally successful 2^nd grading period. 

See you at the game!  Go Tigers!!

Sincerely,

M. Scott Reeves

Principal, PHS Central

If you BELIEVE you can ACHIEVE, you will SUCCEED

Dear Pickerington Tiger Community - Letter #9

Dear Pickerington Tiger Community – Letter #9

Very quickly, the first grading period is coming to a close, ending this Friday, October 30.  Please double check your student’s grades and assignments on the Parent Assist Module to ensure that all work is completed and that they are prepared to do their very best to end the grading period.  The last week and a half has been quite interesting and filled with student events.  The week of the 12^th was Homecoming Week.  Usually Homecoming Week is filled with a full slate of activities, but this year, Homecoming fell on a shortened 3-day week.  There were still dress-up themed days and the Cheerleaders facilitated incredibly decorated hallways throughout the building.  Thursday the 15^th was Parent/Teacher Conference Day.  This year the district opted for the time of 11:30 AM – 7:00 PM.  Hopefully, that span of time was convenient for parents to work around their schedule to visit with their student’s teachers.

Athletically, most of our fall sports teams have concluded their seasons.  I’d like to congratulate all of our teams for a valiant effort this season and for the way they represented PHSC on their respective fields of play.  I’d like to offer an extra congratulation to our Girls Tennis team for winning the OCC Ohio title and to Coach Kelli Rings for being selected the OCC Ohio Coach of the Year.  We also had a talented Lady Tiger tennis player named Player of the Year and an OCC Ohio champion in Girls Cross Country.  Great job team!  We also wish our football Tigers the best of luck, as they will win the OCC Ohio championship by defeating rival Reynoldsburg this Friday.  The Tigers have also clinched a spot in the State Playoffs yet again and have gone 17 straight quarters without being scored on.  Congratulations Tigers!

I’d like to thank teachers Amie Ladd and Katie Weekley for their leadership of our Student Council, and for doing an awesome job with the Homecoming Week festivities and the Homecoming Dance.  The dance, held Saturday, October 17, saw over 1,000 jubilant teenagers having the time of their lives.

PHSC has also had a few of our student activity groups participate in some very exciting events.  Advisor Amy Wilder, along with a contingent from Hilliard Davidson and Gahanna Lincoln, accompanied Renaissance leadership students to the Heartland Renaissance Conference.  The students came back from the conference full of great ideas for the betterment of PHSC.  I highly anticipate meeting with them in the near future to hear all about their experience and listen to their thoughts.  Our step team, led by advisor Susie Potter, was invited to perform at the Third Annual African Affairs Symposium held on October 24 at the King Arts Center.  The students had a wonderful experience and wowed the audience with their talented performance.  Ballet Met notified me that three PHSC students will be performing in this year’s production of The Nutcracker.  That is truly an amazing honor as all of these examples are indicative of the total experience of being a PHSC Tiger!

Lastly, this week is Red Ribbon Week, which is the largest drug prevention campaign in the country.  Our Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) club is facilitating the week by passing out red ribbons, stickers, collecting donations and holding a contest for the class with the highest percentage of students wearing red for the week.  Show your support for their efforts and their cause by wearing red this week.  (Of course, wear purple on Friday night…it’s kind of red)  Have a great week.

Sincerely,

M. Scott Reeves

Principal, Pickerington High School Central

If you BELIEVE you will ACHIEVE, you will SUCCEED

Dear Pickerington Tiger Community - Letter #8

Greetings Pickerington Tiger Community – Letter #8

This past week started with an annual tradition at PHSC that began when we were still simply Pickerington High School, and that is nominated students and staff mentors traveled to an overnight camp for leadership training for the Sunny Side Up program.  Students are nominated by teachers as potential student-leaders; then selected by advisors, teachers Matt Young and Heather Peirano, to attend the leadership camp and become a part of Sunny Side Up.  It is an incredible experience for the students who come back from the camp ready to join current SSU members as student-leaders.  A quote from a parent of an attending student adequately describes the experience:

“I want to take time to tell all of you (teacher mentors) that (student) absolutely loved this weekend at Sunny Side Up.  He said it was the most spectacular thing he has ever been a part of. I have never seen him so positive about any other experience he’s had in his life.  Thank you so much for donating your time to help Sunny Side up be so successful and for doing all you did for (student)!”

If you recall, it was the student-leaders from the Sunny Side Up program, in conjunction with other student groups, which sponsored the FOG (Freshman Opportunity to Grow) Day for our incoming freshmen on August 25.

Athletically, it is time for OCC, sectional and district competition.  Our football Tigers beat Gahanna Lincoln and Groveport Madison by a combined score of 62-0!  After a five-week absence, the team finally returns to Tiger Stadium this Friday to face the Newark Wildcats.  In academic competition, we are proud of the victory of our In-The-Know team who defeated Dublin Jerome in a televised matched. 

Congratulations to the PHSC Marching Tigers for taking the Grand Champion honor at this weekend’s competition and qualifying for the state competition!  We would also like to congratulate two PHSC Orchestra students for making the South Central Region Orchestra!  The Region Orchestra concert will be Sunday, November 22 at Westerville South High School.  You may see our very fine orchestra perform this Tuesday, October 13 in the Performing Arts Center at 7:30 PM.  You may also see the Marching Tigers perform this coming Thursday, October 15 at 11:30 AM at the Fairfield County Fairgrounds in Lancaster, Ohio.

Academics, Athletics, the Arts, and Activities are all a part of the All A’s of High School!

I also invite you to read our school’s newspaper, Insights, as it is now being produced online.  You will find that our “journalists-in-training” are very talented, and under the direction of teacher Leslie Harris, produce an outstanding product.  The website for Insights is http://www2.pickerington.k12.oh.us/insights/

I’d like to remind you that this is a shortened week as school will only be in session for students Monday – Wednesday.  Thursday from 11:30 AM – 7:00 PM is Parent/Teacher Conferences.  In addition to email and checking your student’s grades on the Parent Assist Module, it is vital that you also maintain a personal communication with your student’s teachers and I strongly invite you to make an appointment Thursday to discuss your student’s progress with his or her teachers.  I look forward to seeing many of you then.  This week is also Homecoming Week!  As is tradition, students, teachers and parent volunteers have decorated the hallways of PHSC in celebration of Homecoming.  If you’ve never seen them, the decorations are spectacular and should still be on display for conferences on Thursday.  Also tradition is the annual Homecoming Dance this coming Saturday, October 17 from 7:30 PM – 10:30 PM.  Please note that tickets will only be sold during school in advanced and will not be sold at the door under any circumstances.

Finally, in the pouring rain near the end of the football game at Groveport Madison last Friday, I traded pleasantries with a parent who was getting soaked.  I offered her the use of my umbrella and she explained that her umbrella had dropped beneath the bleachers.  I was able to squeeze through an opening in the fence and retrieve the umbrella under the bleachers, but I was never able to locate the parent, nor did I get her name.  So “mom” if you are one of my subscribers, please get in touch with me because I have your umbrella!

Have a great week!

Sincerely,

M. Scott Reeves

Principal

If you BELIEVE you can ACHIEVE you will SUCCEED

Dear Pickerington Tiger Community - Letter #7

Dear Pickerington Tiger Community – Letter #7

It’s hard to believe, but our first month is over already!  September is behind us and October ushers in autumn with cooler temperatures, spectacularly colored trees, shorter days and a full slate of school events.  Without question, much attention has been focused on the upcoming flu season, especially regarding H1N1.  There is a wealth of information available at various health department websites, as well as the site for the Center for Disease Control.  The most important few things we can do to limit the spread of this flu is to limit personal contact, wash hands regularly, cough or sneeze in shirt sleeves as opposed to in a hand or open air, and most importantly, stay home and consult a physician if flu-like symptoms arise.  We remind students daily to practice those healthy habits and have helpful information posted on our district’s website.

Congratulations to our Girls Tennis team for capturing the 2009 OCC Ohio Championship.  Now it’s on to the district tournament!  PHSC hosted the annual Tiger Invitational Cross Country meet on a rainy Saturday morning.  Our girls finish in a muddy 3^rd place.  Girls Volleyball finished the week strong with two victories over Watkins Memorial and Licking Heights, and began the week with the annual Volley for the Cure game vs. PHS North.  Admirably, all proceeds from that game were given in support of the Susan G. Komen Foundation for cancer research.  Girls and Boys Soccer teams had key OCC league victories and our Girls and Boys Golf teams are readying for the district tournament with our boys finishing 2^nd in OCC Ohio standings.  Finally, the football Tigers had a thrilling 7-6 victory over our sister school, Pickerington High School North, in front of nearly 10,000 fans from the Pickerington community in Columbus Crew Stadium.  The pre-game activities featured a combined show from the PHSC Marching Tigers and the PHSN Marching Panthers.  The combined Chorales of both schools sang the National Anthem, and there was a very moving tribute to two exceptional Pickerington Local educators, Mary Ann Kirkby and Cindy Roepke, who both recently lost courageous battles with cancer.  It was an intense, well played game that showcased two well-coached teams that represented the Pickerington community proudly.  Best of luck to both the Tigers and the Panthers as they begin the second half of the football season and race toward qualification for the OHSAA State Playoffs.

This week marked the halfway point of the first grading period.  Traditionally, this time is designated for interim reports.  With the advent of our Parent Assist Module (PAM), there are no longer printed reports given to students to take home, as parents are able to review their student’s grades electronically.  If however, parents are unable to access PAM, current student grades can be requested from their student’s teachers. 

On Thursday, many World History students had the chance to witness the historical Renaissance period first hand as teachers Mr. Daugherty, Miss Eilers and Miss Ross took 46 students on a field trip to the Renaissance Festival in Waynesville, Ohio.  Employees of the park dressed in Renaissance attire and spoke in authentic Old English.  Students experienced a joust, the play “Beowulf” performed in the mud, pirates battling in a ship, saw daredevil tricks, had the opportunity to tour a castle, and even shot bows and arrows!  For those students, history really did come alive!

Speaking of Renaissance, the PHSC Renaissance program had their first event of the school year on Thursday by sponsoring a field day in the field house during lunch periods.  As you recall, Renaissance is a program at PHSC that honors and celebrates students who accomplish three basic things:  work hard in the classroom, have good attendance, and have good behavior.  The Violet Township Fire Department sponsored a hotdog-eating contest during the field day, there were corn hole contests, and in cooperation with the United States Marines, there were fitness tests and a fun but challenging obstacle course.  NBC 4 TV sent a camera crew out to provide footage of the great things that the students of PHSC accomplish. 

Lastly, on Tuesday, in cooperation with the Pickerington Police Department and several local law enforcement agencies, nine dogs from various canine units completely went through the halls, random classrooms and the parking lots of PHS Central.  The canines are trained to detect the aroma and presence of illegal narcotics.  This exercise was preplanned several weeks ago together with PHS North and local agencies, and will occur at random a few more times this school year.  The exercise took less than a class period to complete and disruption to the educational process was minimal.  As I have stated often, the safety of the students and staff of PHSC are one of our top priorities and exercises like this are but one tool to ensure our students and community understand our expectation that bringing drugs, weapons or anything that compromises our safety will not be tolerated – ever.

I told you our plate was full!  Have a great week.

Go Tigers!

M. Scott Reeves

Principal, Pickerington High School Central

If you BELIEVE you can ACHIEVE, then you will SUCCEED