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GEVSD board hears year-end highlights; two of district’s own recognized at Hopewell’s Exceptional Achievement Awards ceremony

The Highland County Press - Staff Photo - Create Article
Two of the GEVS district’s own were recognized at the annual Hopewell Exceptional Achievement Awards ceremony, and Greenfield's board of education also recognized them at Monday's meeting. They are Nathan Onusko, recognized as Highland County’s Outstanding Student; and Buckskin Elementary aide Kristie Adams, who received the Exceptional Achievement award. Both are pictured with school board members on Monday, May 15. (Photos by Angela Shepherd/GEVS)

By Angela Shepherd
GEVS

Greenfield school’s director of instruction has presented the board of education with highlights from the year of Greenfield students learning. 

One of the things Alisa Barrett, the Greenfield Exempted Village School District Director of Instruction, highlighted was the district’s involvement with LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling), an intense professional development program that “teaches our teachers the brain science behind reading.” 

Another thing Barrett shared were foundational reading skills testing scores for second and third graders and the improvement shown from the fall of 2022 to the spring of 2023. She explained that, ideally, students in these grades should be moving beyond foundational reading skills and display oral reading fluency. 

The scores from the beginning of the 2022-23 school year showed 75 percent of second graders and 51 percent of third graders not having surpassed the foundational skill level of reading. However, by the spring testing, those percentages had been reduced to 40 percent for second graders and 22 percent for third graders. That remarkable show of skill-building Barrett attributed not only to the LETRS training, but to the Wonders books used and the intervention at the elementaries. 

Barrett also highlighted the district’s years of work in Visible Learning, a concept based on the world-wide, years-long research of renowned educational researcher and professor John Hattie. Barrett announced that not only is the district the subject of a study by Corwin Press, but has now been awarded the distinction of a Level 3 Visible Learning + certification, the first district to be awarded this certification as all other educational bodies reaching this level have been individual schools. While Greenfield is the first district, the distinction puts them with schools across the globe, and puts Greenfield out there globally, too.

Another highlight was that of credentials, something students can earn and that count toward their ability to graduate. Additionally, credentials help students build skills for life after graduation. Barrett said that the district is working toward a plan to begin credentialing students as early as their sophomore year.

Students in the middle and high schools will be able to add a tool to their educational tool belt, according to Barrett, who said that a group of district educators recently went to a school in Dayton to witness first-hand, that school’s use of Prism virtual reality headsets. Barrett said they provide real-world experiences in science and math and the opportunity to students to not only witness, but apply, what they are learning to a real-world application so students can see there is purpose to what they are learning. She said the district will be purchasing 30 sets each for the middle and high schools. 

On other meeting matters, two of the district’s own have been recognized at the annual Hopewell Exceptional Achievement Awards ceremony. Those are Nathan Onusko, recognized as Highland County’s Outstanding Student; and Buckskin Elementary aide Kristie Adams, who received the Exceptional Achievement award. 

Superintendent Quincey Gray said attending this annual event is one of her favorite things, and this year’s was not only especially good as two people from the district were recognized, but this year everyone was finally able to come together in one place since before the pandemic. 

In her report, Gray also lauded senior Madesyn Wheaton, who recently signed a wrestling scholarship with Alma College in Michigan.

In other business, items accepted on consent agenda included the five-year forecast, a twice-a-year (May and October) requirement from the state. The five-year forecast is a snapshot of what is currently known, and projections are based on many different variables, like the state budget. As those variables become known, the projections will be modified accordingly. 

The five-year forecast presented by district treasurer Joe Smith on Monday showed the following projected year-end balances for the district: 2023 - $8.48 million; 2023 - $8.60 million; 2025 - $8.60 million; 2026 - $7.33million; and 2027 - $ 4.73 million.

Other items accepted on the consent agenda included the resignations of middle school secretary Diane Bell for the purpose of retirement; Buckskin aide Debbie Shumate for the purpose of retirement; Greenfield Elementary teacher Calee Febes; and middle school intervention specialist Robert Williams. 

Board members also approved the estimated travel time for the McClain FFA trip to Ireland set for the end of May to early June.

Upcoming events include McClain High School graduation ceremony on May 19th. The graduation ceremony will be held at 7:30 p.m. If the weather allows, the ceremony will be held on the football field. If the ceremony must be moved to the new gym due to weather, seniors will only be allowed 10 guests. Administrators will be monitoring the weather forecast in the days leading up to graduation and will make a decision on whether it will be indoors or outdoors by the morning of the event. 

Also coming up is the Senior Recognition Ceremony for the Laurel Oaks Campus on May 23. The ceremony begins at 6:30 p.m., but those attending are asked to be there before 6 p.m. It is going to be held at the Patriot Center at Southern State Community College in Hillsboro. 

Student Adivsory Council members Lily Barnes and Jacolyn Bolender provided their reports to the board.

Barnes’ report was regarding prom, from the concept of the theme for the night, the subsequent transformation of the new gym for the dance, and the all-night party that followed — a parent-sponsored event she said was full of fun and activities.

Bolender’s report was about MHS Day, which occurred on May 12. She talked about the big undertaking of the day, which sees the morning devoted to community service projects in and around Greenfield, and the afternoon, which is typically food and fun activities. This year, Grow Greater Greenfield, the Greenfield Rotary Club, and others contributed to feed the students lunch via two food trucks. After that came activities, like a seniors versus faculty Olympics.

Employment recommendations approved by the board were: Coty Barnhart - high school intervention specialist, girls varsity wrestling, and seventh grade football; Scott Howard - Rainsboro fourth and fifth grade math teacher; Connie Potts - Greenfield kindergarten teacher; Tammy Sexton - Greenfield second grade teacher; Lindsay Williamson - Rainsboro third grade math; Michael Noszka - middle school math teacher and high school boys basketball coach; Harley Jacobs - middle school secretary; Mark Bihl - girls basketball assistant, football assistant; Kelly Bolender - basketball cheerleading assistant; Tracey Cokonougher - assistant athletic director and ticket manager; Jeana Copas-McNeal - girls swimming; Loretta Flora - middle school girls swimming; Drew Hamilton - girls basketball assistant; Ethan Hurtt - football assistant; Nick McNeal - boys soccer and boys swimming; Richard Oakes - football assistant; Keith Penwell - head football coach; Vanessa Penwell - cheerleader advisor football and basketball; Leann Thieman - seventh grade girls basketball; Derrick Lyons - girls golf; Andie Stark - football cheerleading assistant; Richard Bivens - football assistant; Tim Gossett - football assistant; Taylor Alsop - volleyball; Blain Bergstrom - girls soccer; Matt Bineger - eighth grade football; Tyler Carman - girls bowling; Kaleigh Easter - eighth grade volleyball; Devin Penwell - eighth grade football; Kyndall Penwell - ninth grade cheerleader assistant and volleyball assistant; Erick Kegley - wrestling assistant; Sam Mincey - cross country; and Brad Calhoun, Tracey Cokonougher, Emma Gall, Brittany Massie, and Kristina McGuinness - all summer Tiger Bites cooks.

The next regular meeting of the Greenfield Exempted Village School District Board of Education is June 26 at 7 p.m. at the central office boardroom. 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. 

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Student advisory council member Lily Barnes' delivers her report during the May 15 Greenfield board of education meeting. Superintendent Quincey Gray and board member Rachel Fraley are also pictured. 

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