-
Digital Paw Print Newsletter - November 2024
Paw Print Newsletter November 2024 Welcome to the Paw Print Welcome to the November 2024 Digital Paw Print Newsletter, featuring stories about heartrate monitors at John Clem Elementary and a program at Newark High School that is connecting students with opportunities at a local business. Also, with December quickly approaching, check out our districtwide concert schedule and enjoy some holiday programming! Clem Heart Rate Monitors are a PE Game Changer Wearable technology has changed physical education class at John Clem Elementary School, and teacher Darren Athey is pleased with the results. The blue IHT heart rate monitors that 2nd through 5th grade students strap to their wrists every time they come into physical education class track their heart rates and chart the results, and the benefits of this are evident in both the short- and long-term. In the short-term, students can glance at the monitors, which look similar to a smartwatch, and see a color level that indicates what range their heart rate is in — blue for low impact, yellow for moderate and red for vigorous — and be motivated to move a little more. “I want it to be more of a social aspect, too; I don't want them to come in here and just sit around. So this really helps with indicating if they are doing that or not,” Athey said. “It just makes class more fun, because they actually are paying attention to their wrists, seeing what color they're on and if they need to start working harder because their friends are on a different color than them; it becomes a competition.” Athey stashes the watches — there are roughly 35 in total — in a special spot with pouches for each child. At the beginning of class they put the watches on, and then they return to the pouches at the end of class. Afterwards, the results are relayed via email to both Athey and students’ parents and guardians, who will be able to follow up with conversations. “It keeps the parents and guardians interested, too. I know not everyone pays attention to it, but it shows that (students are) engaging in class as well,” Athey said. “It keeps the kids on track, because I'll tell them if they're on blue the whole time and we're doing something where they're supposed to be running around, they know that they're going to have a summary sent home.” The watches also streamline metrics so Athey can easily track students’ progress, making it easier for him to pinpoint students’ individual strengths and weaknesses over time. Given an opportunity to invest in his curriculum, Athey said the heart rate monitors were an obvious choice for the benefits they offered: “We came up with the idea of heart rate monitors because it was something that (involved technology), because kids love technology. And it was something that was beneficial not only to us here at school, but can relay the message to parents,” he said. The benefits extend beyond merely physical wellness. “You could have kids coming in that are having a bad day. Usually, heart rates spike with behaviors and things like that,” Athey said. “So if I go around, I see that they're already on red and we haven't even started, I can pull those kids aside and say, ‘Hey, what's going on?’ And it's a nice indicator on that part as well.” Overall, the monitors have proven to be a success on multiple levels, and Athey sees them as a game changer in the way he plans and operates physical education classes. “I love them because it keeps the kids engaged,” he said. NCS Holiday Concerts Elementary Holiday Concerts Legend - 5:30 on Dec. 4 Cherry Valley - 9-1 on Dec. 7 (Holiday Bazaar) Carson - 5-6:30 on Dec. 12 (performance @ 6) Ben Franklin - 2:15 on Dec. 13 McGuffey - 2 on Dec. 18 John Clem - 6:30 on Dec. 18 Hillview - 6 on Dec. 19 Middle School/High School Holiday Concerts NHS Swingin' Sounds of Christmas - 6:30 on Dec. 10 (featuring Liberty Stage Band, NHS Jazz band) Holiday Concert feat. Band/Choir/Orchestra - 7 on Dec. 12 ($10) Heritage Band - 6:30 on Dec. 11 Choir - 7 on Dec. 13 Orchestra - 7:30 on Dec. 17 (at NHS) Liberty Choir - 6 on Dec. 9 Orchestra - 6 on Dec. 11 Band - 6:30 on Dec. 16 Wilson Band - 6:30 on Dec. 16 Orchestra and Choir - 6 on Dec. 17 (at NHS) Owens Corning For Lori Mye, it’s hard to go anywhere around town without seeing fingerprints of Licking County: The bottles containing fragrances that line the shelves of a Bath & Body Works store; the skirting on trucks that makes them more aerodynamic; the Holophane lights that light Newark’s historic Hudson Avenue. All manufactured within 20 miles of her room in Newark High School. And while this is knowledge she possesses as Workforce Development Coordinator for Newark City Schools, she’s hoping to strengthen the pipeline of students who not only have that awareness, but also are prepared to contribute their skills to Licking County’s strong manufacturing sector. When a representative from Owens Corning, the longtime Licking County-based insulation manufacturer, reached out to Mye about having students come tour the facility, she was immediately on board. “My goal was to pretty much introduce (local manufacturing connections) to our students and to show them there are direct pathways from the graduation stage to going into these jobs and maybe even starting ahead of time,” she said. While Owens is a household name, particularly in Licking County, which has produced generations of workers, she is working against the dated perception that manufacturing is “the three D’s — dark, dangerous and dirty.” “I'm not saying that those environments are not still out there, but we have so much advanced manufacturing in this community, in the health field, in the food industry, just high-tech stuff that's happening,” she said. If any students or staff entered their interactions with Owens with those perceptions, they were immediately proven wrong. In mid-October, representatives from the company visited students at NHS to talk about their products, culture and work-life balance; in turn, a group of more than 20 students visited the Owens facility near downtown Newark to see the operation in person. NHS junior Rae Morse, who attended the trip, left feeling inspired by what she’d heard. “I felt like that was something worth learning about and going to go see. And I enjoyed it a lot. I think that it'll help if I do choose to go down that career path in the future,” she said. A highlight of the experience for Rae was working together to build a wall — using power tools to screw together boards, which they proceeded to pack with insulation. NHS mathematics teacher Logan Stroud, who attended the tour as a chaperone, cited that activity as a highlight for many students. “I think that was a lot of the students' favorite part of the day, to see not only what they are making there, but how is it used and what is the relevance of a place that is in Newark that is global and the impact that their community is making,” Stroud said. “I think many of them were impressed that this was in their back door, that they didn't know that it was happening in their town.” Junior Darnell Cleaves said the experience was the first time he’d been able to use a drill, and he appreciated many aspects of how he spent his day at Owens. “I think it was pretty good. The people there were nice. They let us do hands-on things. If we had questions about the equipment, they gave us a little tour around the building” he said. Living within a short distance of the Owens factory, Cleaves said the opportunity to experience up-close what happens there was enlightening. “Since I'm about to graduate, it possibly could be a place I might end up,” he said. Overall, Mye is pleased with how the experience went and has high hopes for similar connections being made in the future. “I have been in communication with Owens. We're still trying to figure out what this looks like moving forward. We had three or four, maybe five seniors indicate, ‘I'd like to work there when I graduate.’ Which is why we do this. That's why we do it,” she said. “There's a lot of time between now and graduation, and I don't want this to be a one and done event.” Thanks for reading! Thank you for reading the digital edition of our Paw Print Newsletter. If you have ideas for future topics, please email Communication Coordinator Seth Roy at sroy@newarkcityschools.org. Keep up with district happenings on X or Facebook, as well. Go Cats!
Tuesday, Nov 26 2024
-
World Kindness Day is November 13 (tomorrow)
World Kindness Day is observed on November 13th each year. This year, it falls on a Wednesday (tomorrow!), providing an opportunity for people to fill their week with acts of kindness and goodwill. At Newark City Schools, we share kindness in many ways everyday! We are making a special effort to share and notice kindness for KINDNESS DAY 2024! Check out our kindness highlights on social media and share some kindness yourself! "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about" -Wendy Mass "The Candymakers"
Tuesday, Nov 12 2024
-
Thanksgiving Lunch on Nov. 20
NCS Food Service will provide students with a Thanksgiving Lunch on Wed., Nov. 20. The meal will include Oven Roasted Turkey Breast, Mashed Potatoes, Turkey Gravy, Buttered Corn, a Frozen Fruit Cup and Milk. As a reminder, all meals are provided to students for no charge as a part of the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). *Adult meals previously mentioned referred to staff meals offered during the day. We apologize for any confusion. [Thursday, Nov 7 at 4:17 PM] *Adult meals previously mentioned referred to staff meals offered during the day. We apologize for any confusion.
Thursday, Nov 07 2024
-
2025 You Made a Difference Award Nominations
Coughlin Automotive Group created and sponsors the YMAD program to honor local teachers from Licking County School Districts. The main purpose of the award is to recognize recipients for their outstanding effort to make a difference in the lives of their students. If you know a teacher who has made a difference in your student's life, please consider filling out this nomination form. Newark City Schools will accept nominations for the 2025 You Made A Difference award through Nov. 26, 2024. Here is the link for the form: https://forms.gle/Um38oqiAYfHURCHG7 If selected, the nominee, student and family will be invited to attend a reception on March 13, 2025, at C-TEC. The nominating family will present the award and say a few words about why they nominated the teacher. If you have difficulty filling this form out, please contact NCS Communications Coordinator Seth Roy at sroy@newarkcityschools.org.
Wednesday, Nov 06 2024
-
Digital Paw Print Newsletter - October 2024
Paw Print Newsletter October 2024 Welcome to the Paw Print Welcome to the October 2024 Digital Paw Print Newsletter. In this issue, you will meet our transportation supervisor Jersie Walcott, IT director Mike Haudenschild, and learn about a recent partnership between the Newark Granville Symphony Orchestra and Newark High School's ceramics students. A pilot program that introduces a new "house system" at Carson and Cherry Valley. NHS students create art for NGSO performance Several Newark City School students got to experience the life of working artists in conjunction with a Midland Theatre show entitled “The Firebird.” Meant to be a “marrying of the performing and fine arts,” the Midland show, held on Oct. 19, was a collaboration among the Newark Granville Symphony Orchestra, design studio Spork Fine Art and Newark High School art students, whose works for the show were inspired by Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition.” “Pictures” is a 10-movement piano piece by Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky. Inspired by the works of artist Viktor Hartmann, a friend of Mussorgsky’s who died suddenly of a brain aneurysm, the piece incorporates themes based upon artwork with titles ranging from “The Hut on Hen’s Legs” to “Catacombs.” “My students listened to the music and to get inspiration, and they designed pieces to illustrate the movements,” said NHS art teacher Kathy Lorenz. Photographs of the students’ work were shown on a screen behind the orchestra as they played. The idea for the collaboration came from NGSO Executive Director Susan Larson, who served as Newark City Schools’ orchestra director from 2006-2011. “The season for the symphony is (themed) ‘music and art reimagined,’” Larson said. “And with my public school teaching background, I know how talented and gifted and dedicated high school students are; students in general are. And I just thought it would be a really wonderful collaboration to work with artists in some way.” Art Gallery (click here) Larson approached Lorenz with the idea, and “Pictures” began to take shape. Lorenz was intentional about fostering independence and creativity among her students in every facet of the process, from planning their work to displaying it to pricing it for sale. “It's been a really great experience for them — real-world setting up an art show and pricing their work and coming up with titles and working as if on commission, working with a client to produce art that suits their needs,” Lorenz said. That included some hard lessons about competition in the art world. “When they listened to the music, because there were only 10 movements and we needed to have representations for all of them, they were designing for what they wanted to illustrate, but they didn't necessarily get their first choice or even their second choice,” Lorenz said. “So they had to come up with designs, and it was a very real world experience of, ‘You're in competition against your classmates. The best ideas, the best designs will get chosen for that particular movement.’ And so that was maybe a harsh reality for some. But all in all, they were willing to do whatever they were given.” The gallery of the students’ work was displayed at “The Bank,” 42 N. Third St., Newark, on Oct. 17 and 19, and a steady crowd of parents, fellow students and community members wandered through to take in the pieces, which ranged from ceramics to watercolor to photography. And this particular piece was illustrative of the intention behind the exhibit: A collaboration between schools, arts and community. “It's stunning. I walked in here and I am just blown away by their creativity, their dedication,” Larson said from the exhibit hall as students set up. “This is what art can do. ‘Art’ meaning music, art, theater — whatever. It's about community. It's about collaboration. It's about being our better self. When we do collaborations, in the arts, especially, it's about bringing beauty to the world. Mike Haudenschild, Technology Director When you started in your position: July, 2024 Educational background & work history: Masters in Teacher Education from University of Utah, where I also taught undergrad ed tech courses BA in psychology and education from Denison University Grades 7-12 computer science and principal licensure 24 years of experience IT in K-12, government, and nonprofits, most recently technology director at Franklin County ADAMH and Lakewood Local Schools. What you like about your job: I learn something new every single day, and I know our work makes a difference in the lives of students. Goals in your job: I want teachers to have the tools they need to help their students be successful, and I want those tools to be reliable and easy to use. Once we build confidence in the tech and trust in the team, we can start helping teachers explore new tech and new ways to use it in their classrooms. We also have to figure out what the role of AI is going to be in education, which is already having tremendous social impact. What do you like to do in your spare time? My 10 year-old son occupies a lot of my free time, especially now that he's old enough for sports. I love golf (pending elbow surgery, I haven't been able to play in over a year, boo). Major Star Wars and Star Trek fan. I also love exploring new restaurants. Any fun facts about yourself, or anything else you'd like to add? I started college with the intent to become a high school band teacher, and student taught third grade. I went to grad school in Utah because I'd always wanted to live out west, and started a PhD program, but realized I enjoyed teaching about research a lot more than DOING research. Harvest Day Parade fun John Clem Harvest Day Parade Carson, Cherry Valley pilot "house system" Two NCS elementary schools are in the process of piloting a system that will help build their buildings’ culture and climate, motivating students and staff alike. The “House System” is a program, reminiscent of the one in a well-known wizarding book series, wherein students and staff are grouped into different “houses” that work together to support, encourage and spur one another on. The system was developed by the Ron Clark Academy (RCA), where NCS staff — including Jen Stokes, Dean of Students at Cherry Valley and John Clem — visited to witness the program in action. “The buy-in was unbelievable. There was no doubt that everybody bought into it,” Stokes said. “They're all working towards the same goal, and that's just to be good humans, basically. And they support each other, which was one of the biggest things that I noticed. These kids, even though they were in separate houses, they still cheered for the other kids in the other houses.” The program is currently being piloted at Cherry Valley and Carson elementary schools. At Cherry Valley, where Stokes spends part of her time, the program has been rolled out among staff, who have already sorted themselves among four “houses” — Amistad, Altruismo, Reveur and Isibindi — and begun team-building activities. The new system will be introduced to students before holiday break and then fully implemented when they return. In a letter sent home to Carson Elementary to introduce the system, the school noted that “We want our students to look forward to coming to school each day, and schools around the world that have implemented the program have reported many positive outcomes, such as a decrease in discipline referrals, more positive relationships among peers and staff, better school attendance, and improvements in academic performance. This is because the system encourages students to take ownership of their learning and behavior while working together to achieve common goals.” So far, Stokes said, the motivation seems to be working, and she and other staff are optimistic about what the House System will mean for their buildings in the new year. “Everybody's excited. I mean, if the kids are half as excited as the staff, I think it's going to be so much fun second semester,” Stokes said. Jersie Walcott looks to build connections as transportation supervisor Born and raised in Newark, NCS Transportation Supervisor Lisa “Jersie” Walcott never dreamed of being a bus driver. After staying home to raise her three children, who are now all grown, Walcott began searching for a way to bring in extra income. Her sister, who drove buses in Tennessee, loved her job, and Walcott began to dabble in driving after an opening for a bus aide came up at her church and others recommended her for the role. “I had a lot of people that were in my church that said, ‘You would really make a good bus driver,’” she said. “(And I was) like, ‘No, guys, it's too big.’ And then that's when they said, ‘Why don't you just give it a shot? I promise you, it's not as bad as you think.’” So Walcott did, and for more than two decades she’s never looked back. (Except to check her rearview mirror.) “The moment that you sit in the seat, the moment that you can see what you can see, you're like, ‘I can do this,’” she said. The job worked with her schedule and she loved children; it was an immediate fit. In addition to the church bus, Walcott worked for a few different districts, first as an aide and then as a driver, before landing in Newark. Two years after getting her commercial driver’s license she became an instructor, and she has continued to use her skills for the benefit of the district. The driving force behind Walcott’s career in transportation — whether as a bus aide, or an instructor, or at the wheel or in her current seat as Newark City Schools Transportation Director — has always been the children. “I would have kids that went up to me in a store, and (say) ‘Ms. Jersie, Ms. Jersie!’,” she said. “When they were really little and little kindergarten, they'd come up and wrap their little arms around your leg.” Walcott took her job as a driver seriously, but not too seriously. She baked the students cupcakes for Christmas and would pass out candy and dress up for Halloween; at Christmas, she dressed as Mrs. Claus. She also made efforts to connect with the children through music, letting them pick any G-rated song that she would play through the bus speakers via Spotify. “Being a bus driver, the most important part of it is to connect with kids, and to connect with your community and parents. So if you can't do that, it becomes very difficult,” she said. There was a period of time when an illness required Walcott to leave work on disability, and the thought that she might never come back was heartbreaking. But she came through and continued to work at building connections with students and staff. She stepped into her role as Transportation Supervisor in the spring of 2024. “It happened very, very quickly for me. And so I am very thankful. I love what I do here,” she said from her office at the Newark City Schools Bus Garage, which is bedecked with family photos and giraffe paraphernalia — she drove the giraffe bus during her tenure. “I could have just sat back and stayed a bus driver or an instructor. It was very comfortable for me. I really liked it.” But Walcott doesn’t believe in being comfortable; she believes in stepping out. Hence her “Test Drive a Bus” idea, for example, in which potential bus drivers were given an opportunity to…well, test drive a bus. It helped for the district to get exposure and for people to confront their fears of driving a vehicle as large as a school bus. Though school districts across the nation are experiencing driver shortages, Walcott is determined to hire with discretion. “It's not somebody walking in off the street, and I sit back there for five minutes, ‘Okay, I need a body,’” she said. “You go through an interview, I look at all of your credentials, I look at what you have. So we're not just hiring anybody. I want to hire somebody that loves kids. I want to hire somebody that at least likes them.” I want to hire somebody that has a good, strong work ethic because I need you here. So we changed how we do things, and we're seeing a lot of good success from it.” Walcott intends to continue to leverage her position to build the culture of the transportation department and has no intentions of leaving Newark anytime soon. “I want to leave my mark with Newark City Schools. I think that it's my home,” she said. “I think people bounce around too much…I'm not looking to do that. I'm looking to be a permanent fixture.” NHS Innovation Center Update Thanks for reading! Thank you for reading the digital edition of our Paw Print Newsletter. If you have ideas for future topics, please email Communication Coordinator Seth Roy at sroy@newarkcityschools.org.
Thursday, Oct 31 2024
-
iSee program for free eye exams and services
Newark City Schools is partnering with the Ohio Optometric Foundation, whose mission is to improve the visual health and welfare of Ohio’s citizens. The primary program to achieve this goal is the iSee, or In School Eye Exam, program. Studies show that there is a significant gap between children who are identified as having a vision problem and those who receive follow-up care by an eye care provider. Approximately 70% of the students who do not pass the school vision screening do not follow up with the recommendation to see an optometrist. Because the majority of learning comes through the visual system, these children are at a significant disadvantage when it comes to learning and succeeding in school. If a vision problem is not identified and corrected at an early age, a child may have permanent, uncorrectable vision loss, potentially limiting opportunities throughout his or her lifetime. The iSee program will bridge that gap by bringing the eye examinations and eyewear directly to the students and by doing so, promoting the importance of regular eye care and helping these students succeed in school. The program is a two-day event (November 6th and November 7) in one building and students that qualify will be transported to and from their home building to the iSee eye clinic. During the clinic, students will receive a full, comprehensive eye exam, and, if prescribed, lens and frame services through the Ohio Optometric Foundation. All services and eyeglasses are provided free of charge. The eyeglasses are brought to the schools and dispensed to the students about two weeks afterwards by a licensed optician. Your student may be eligible for this program due to failing their recent school vision screening. If you are interested in your child participating, please complete the attached forms and return as soon as possible to the clinic. Your consent, fully completed confidential history, and media consent are required for your student to be evaluated. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Olivia Haas RN, District Nurse at 740-670-7182 or by email at ohaas@newarkcityschools.org . We look forward to this opportunity to better serve our students and families.
Tuesday, Oct 15 2024
-
Rumble for the Cure - Oct. 11; Pink Day at School - ...
Our Wildcat football team asks fans to wear pink with their crimson to the game next Friday, October 11, to honor our family and friends touched by breast cancer and help them Rumble for the Cure! To help promote the event, students and staff are also invited to wear their pink to school on Monday, Oct. 7, as there is no school on Friday. Along with the pink out, there will be face painting and a Hometown Pride Raffle for a collection of several different bundles of items from supporting local businesses valued at over $1,000! All proceeds will go directly to the Licking County Health Department’s Screening and Survivor Support (SASS) for breast cancer patients. A special thank you to our Hometown Pride Raffle donors: 2nd Street Market, Bummie’s on Main, Don & Sue’s Pizza, DoubleTree by Hilton Starbucks, Downtown Fruit Passion Newark, Drip Dreams Ice Cream, Elliot’s Wood Fired Kitchen & Tap, Goumas Candyland, Guanciale Family (Andrew, Jill ’97 and Luke), Heisey Glass Museum, JAMCO, Kicks Mix Bookstore, Midland Theatre, Moe’s Original BBQ, OhioTRUE, Pugh’s Designer Jewelers, Red Oak Pub & Restaurant, River Road Coffeehouse, Rolls by the Pound, The Works, and Twins Pizza. Pink goes well with crimson, so let’s Rumble for the Cure together! GO CATS! Tickets for the game can be purchased here or cash at the door: https://www.newarkcityschools.org/activities/online-ticketing
Friday, Oct 04 2024
-
Girls Basketball sign-ups for grades 3-6
Click the following link to sign up for Girls Youth Wildcat basketball: https://tinyurl.com/NGBYouth24 The Newark Girls Basketball League (NGBL) practices once per week and has one game per week. The Central Ohio Basketball Association girls team tryouts will be on Oct. 13 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Newark High School gym. Games are on the weekends, with 1-2 practices per week. For additional information or questions contact Coach Jack Purtell jpurtell@newarkcityschools.org. [Monday, Oct 21 at 4:35 PM] There will be an additional COBA Try-out tonight 10/21 7-8:30PM @ Newark High School. If you attended the previous try-out, you can attend this date also but are not required to. Girls only interested in NGBL do not need to attend this try-out.
Tuesday, Oct 01 2024
-
Power of Positive Parenting Seminar - Oct. 15
You are invited to attend a virtual Triple P parent seminar hosted by Our Futures in Licking County. Tuesday, October 15, 2024 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. This program: • will give you a great start to the school year with your child • is free • will be held live on Zoom • welcomes all parents, grandparents, and caregivers with children from birth to age 12 Please register by calling (740) 522-1234, ext. 26, or email TriplePSeminar@hotmail.com at least four days prior to seminar date. You will receive a reminder and Zoom link prior to the seminar date that you wish to attend.
Tuesday, Oct 01 2024
-
NBBL Registration and Jr. Cats tryouts
Attention all future Wildcat Basketball Players, registration for the 3 rd /4 th and 5 th /6 th grade Newark Boys Basketball League is underway. Registration forms can be downloaded by clicking here . T he deadline for registration is Nov. 15th. Practices and games will begin on November 25th. For more information or for questions, contact Coach Quackenbush at 740-670-7435 The Newark Boys Jr. Cats Basketball Try-outs will take place on Sunday October 20th. 3 rd and 4 th Grade - 1:00 5 th and 6th Grade - 2:30 NHS Main Gym / Aux Gym The Junior Cats are an extension of the Newark Varsity Basketball Program. You will play teams from Columbus and the surrounding areas. If there are any questions, please call Jeff Quackenbush at – 740-670-7435
Monday, Sep 30 2024