Reading program at Buckskin Elementary highlighted; student-athlete achievements recognized by board of education
Buckskin teacher Lynda Cottrill is pictured (left of the screen) during a presentation on a reading program used at the school. Teachers Julie Shonkwiler and Nate McNeal (both to the right of the screen) are also pictured. Seated in the background are (l-r) school board members Eric Zint, Marilyn Mitchell, and Sandy Free, Superintendent Quincey Gray and student advisory council members Katie Cook and Brooke Baldwin. (Photos by Angela Shepherd/GEVS.)
By Angela Shepherd
GEVS
A reading program used at Buckskin Elementary was highlighted by teachers at Monday’s school board meeting, which was held at the elementary school in South Salem.
The program is called Lexia and it is based on the science of reading. According to the teachers, it has helped students become not just better readers, but more engaged and confident.
Teachers Lynda Cottrill, Nate McNeal, and Julie Shonkwiler all talked about how students interact with the Lexia program and the positive learning they have witnessed.
Cottrill said the program is highly individualized according to each student and the diagnostic data the program provides helps teachers target particular instruction needs for students. All three teachers talked about how the students are engaged, and even excited, when it's time to do the Lexia lab.
The Lexia lab has even helped in relationship building amongst her kindergarteners, Shonkwiler said, as she has watched how they encourage one another.
McNeal said it’s been fun to watch the kids learn and improve their reading skills, which turns around their whole educational experience.
Cottrill echoed this with an anecdote about one particular student that struggled and that struggle manifested in poor behavior in the classroom. She has watched that student’s steady improvement this school year, and with that reading improvement, she said, the struggling student has become the one who wants to keep reading when it is time to put the books away and who volunteers to read aloud in class. He is just one example, she said, of the engagement and confidence that the program is helping children achieve.
In other meeting business, district food service director Stephanie Lanning provided the food services annual report. It included how many breakfasts and lunches are served daily, also comparing those numbers to previous years. Lanning also discussed the changes in nutritional standards and how those are being incorporated into the meal offerings. Last year’s inaugural year of the summer food service program was also recapped, showing that over the program’s 43 days, more than 400 children were served daily. Lanning also brought to the board’s attention possible avenues to explore regarding how the district is reimbursed from state and federal agencies.
Superintendent Quincey Gray in her report noted construction progress at the practice field, which has included performing adjustments to anchored steel plates. While the on-site work has faced delays, things are progressing.
Student advisory council members Brooke Baldwin and Katie Cook reported on some happenings with FFA, which included upcoming events and competitions. In that list of upcoming things for the FFA is a trip to Ireland, which the group has been planning and fundraising for for more than a year. That trip is coming this spring and will include visits to a variety of different farms on the Emerald Isle.
The board of education recognized student athlete achievements during the meeting. Students who were able to attend the meeting were: in girls swimming – Jillian Arthurs - 200 freestyle relay district qualifier; in girls basketball – Paisley Pryor - FAC all league and first team all district, Kaitlyn Jett - honorable mention all district; in girls wrestling – KC Foster - FAC champion, Sarah Kegley - FAC champion; and in boys wrestling – Ethan Hill - FAC champion, Josh Smith - district qualifier.
Students recognized, but not able to attend the school board meeting, were: in girls swimming – Laura Barber - 200 freestyle relay district qualifier and 400 freestyle relay district qualifier, Sierra Barton - 400 freestyle relay district qualifier, Allie Flowers - 50 and 100 freestyle FAC champion and 200 and 400 freestyle relay district qualifiers, Dixie Johnson - 200 freestyle FAC champion and 400 freestyle relay district qualifier, and Elana Unger - second in state for para 50 freestyle and third in state for para 100 backstroke; in boys swimming – Gunnar Bode - district qualifier for 100 butterfly and 200 freestyle relay and FAC champion for 200 medley relay; Jackson Crago - district qualifier for 100 freestyle, 200 freestyle relay and 100 breaststroke and FAC champion for 200 medley relay; Ethan Eakins - district qualifier in 50 freestyle, 100 backstroke, and 200 freestyle relay and FAC champion in 200 medley relay; Zach Scales - 200 freestyle district qualifier and 200 medley relay FAC champion; in girls basketball – Lily Barnes - FAC all league and second team all district; in boys basketball – Seth Weller - honorable mention all district; in girls wrestling – Lexie Burns - regional qualifier; Dayza Daugherty - regional qualifier; and in boys wrestling – Carlos Gonzolaz - district qualifier.
Employment recommendations approved by the board of education were: Natalie Rolfe - third grade teacher at Greenfield Elementary; Andrea Swackhammer Darst - van driver; Debbie Burgess - cafeteria; Kyndall Penwell - aide; Emma Gall - half year social studies department leader; John Wilson - half year social studies department lead; Madison Schumacher - softball volunteer; and certified substitutes Adam Bushatz, Bryn Karnes, and Sylvia Gray.
Monday’s consent agenda included the approval of a mowing contract with Mark Watson for Rainboro and Buckskin elementaries, February’s treasurer’s report, and the Washington, D.C. trip for eighth graders on May 24-27.
The Greenfield Exempted Village School District Board of Education meets next in regular session on April 22 at 7 p.m. in Rainsboro Elementary. For information and updates, go to the district website at greenfield.k12.oh.us or go to the district’s social media pages. The individual buildings also have Facebook pages. The district’s central office may be reached by calling (937) 981-2152.
Below, Student-athletes Jillian Arthurs, Paisley Pryor, Kaitlyn Jett, Kathryn Foster, Sarah Kegley, Joshua Smith and Ethan Hill are pictured with school board members (far left) Sandy Free, Rachel Fraley, and Marilyn Mitchell, and (far right) Eric Wise and Eric Zint.
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