Community comes together to get things done for Greenfield schools
Pictured (l-r) are school board members Eric Zint and Eric Wise; community members Matt Binegar, Heath McNeal, Mike and Aaron Penn; teacher Mark Bihl; and school board member Sandy Free at the Dec. 18 school board meeting. These men, along with others in the community, were recognized for their efforts to help ensure new weight room equipment was secured and able to be transported and stored until it can be placed. The weight room sees 40 to 50 students a day, and the new equipment will benefit all of the student athletes. (Photos by Angela Shepherd)
McClain’s weight room will be getting some new-to-McClain equipment, all from Michigan State University, and courtesy of the many hands that came together to make it happen.
According to teacher Mark Bihl at the school board meeting on Dec. 18, the Greenfield school district has received about $300,000 worth of weight-room equipment for “a minimal percentage of that” cost. As an example, he said the flooring they brought back cost around $30,000, but the school district paid $1,000 for it.
He said about 40-50 students use the weight room at McClain each day, and this new equipment will benefit all athletes.
But none of it could have been accomplished, he said, without the coming together of the community. Bihl said the Sponcil family was “instrumental” in securing the equipment, the school administration recognized the good deal and helped make it happen, and local people and businesses stepped up to make sure everything was able to be not only transported, but also safely stored until it can be placed.
Some of those people were able to make the Dec. 18 meeting and were recognized by the board. Those were Heath McNeal, Matt Binegar, Mike Penn and Aaron Penn.
In other business, director of instruction Alisa Barrett spoke about the Prisms virtual reality headsets that have been in use this school year and brought with her teachers that have seen the technology’s impact in the classroom.
High school math teacher Angie Barber said the virtual reality tool has “kind of breathed new life into our classrooms.”
Caden Wisecup, an intervention specialist at the middle school, said there is built-in support with the headsets between teacher and student, which adds to the experience and its effectiveness, when the teacher, from their computer, is able to nudge a student toward the correct path in what they are working on.
Middle school math teacher Stacie Smith also spoke about how they use the headsets in the classroom. All three teachers assisted the school board members, as well as superintendent Quincey Gray, to experience the headsets for themselves during the board meeting.
Barrett said the headsets make it possible for students to apply the higher-level math and science concepts to real-world scenarios and show students how what they are learning relates outside of the classroom.
In other meeting matters, Charley Roman, speaking as a parent, coach, health professional and member of the community, he said, read a prepared statement to the board about concerns regarding the boys basketball program and the negative toll he fears the program is taking on student athletes and staff. Board president Eric Zint thanked him for his statement and said the board members would consider the matter.
The middle school recently held its spelling bee and second-place winner Preston Mossbarger was recognized at Monday’s meeting. As the other winners were unable to attend, they will be recognized at a future meeting.
Student advisory council members Anna Barrett and Abby Wise reported that on Dec. 20, the last day of school before Christmas break begins, there will be a Christmas assembly held during the last two hours of school. It’s something that has been organized by a student council committee and will include Christmas-themed performances by students, as well as games.
Athletic director Tim Bolender provided an update on the fall sports season and the winter season, too, as it gets underway. Bolender also talked about the “facelift” of the new gym with new lighting, the reimagined display of banners and the league teams, a new American flag and a change in how advertisements are displayed.
In her report, Gray noted that one of the two steel subcontractors working at the practice field has gone out of business and the general contractor, Elford, is working to replace that crew. While this is not an unusual occurrence in the world of construction, it’s something that needed to be addressed since misinformation was spreading that it was the general contractor that went under, but that is not the case, she said.
There were a number of resignations approved as part of the consent agenda, which included that of district treasurer Joe Pat Smith, who will be retiring at the end of the school year. Other resignations approved were those of teacher Joe Whitley, aide Tiffany Saunders, cook Heather Caldwell and substitute teacher Cathy Rivas.
Employment recommendations approved by the board were: Erin Dreher - aide; Michele Miller - cafeteria, secretary; Joshua Breakfield - bus driver; Emilly Ward - custodian; Haley Anderson - aide; Mark Bihl - seventh grade boys basketball; Christopher Murphy - volunteer Buckskin parent; Derrick Lyons - seventh grade boys basketball; Tyler Jackson - boys basketball assistant; Donnie Ary - baseball assistant; and certified substitutes Melinda McGhee, Amy Hester, Courtney Dodds, Charles (Mark) Eselgroth and Cierra Bolender.
The next meeting of the Greenfield Exempted Village School District Board of Education will be the organizational meeting held in early January, but the day and time is yet to be determined. The purpose of this meeting is for organizational purposes, where the meeting days and times for the year are determined and the board leadership chosen.
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.