SIDNEY — Students in Sidney City Schools will have a unique first day of classes for the 2017-18 school year on Monday, Aug. 21. They are returning to class on a day when the sun and the moon are going to cross paths for a solar eclipse.
“The Great American Eclipse is taking place on Aug. 21 (first day of school), between the hours of 1:02 p.m. and 3:51 p.m.,” said Superintendent John Scheu in a release to all staff members. “The principals and I have discussed this unique phenomena and the dangers associated with not having protective eclipse glasses when observing the eclipse.”
He consulted with Eric Elwell, chief meteorologist WHIO-TV; John Podgurski, board legal counsel; and Buckeye Association of School Administrators (BASA representing the state’s school superintendents) about the day’s events.
The plan for Aug. 21 for all students in the district includes:
• Only students with protective eclipse glasses will be permitted outside with staff supervision to observe the eclipse, and the school’s code of conduct will be in effect.
• Parents will have the opportunity to opt out of permitting their child to view this experience, by notifying their building principal.
• Under no circumstance should students be outside (eg.- recess) during this time without the protective eclipse glasses.
• Students should be reminded when departing for the day that they should not gaze at the eclipse.
• The school website and one call now will be used to inform parents of these guidelines.
“The concern is with the naked eye gazing at the eclipse for a period of time could result in damage to the retina of the eye, and may not show up until ‘down the road’,” said Scheu.
First day of school
Students in first through 12th grade will start school on Monday, Aug. 21, 2017
Kindergarten students start on a staggered schedule. Group A’s first day of school will be Monday, Aug. 21. Group B will attend class for the first time on Tuesday, Aug. 22. The first day of class for Group C will be Wednesday, Aug. 23. All kindergarten students will attend class on Thursday, Aug. 24.
New staff members
New staff members at Sidney High School include Molly Hirtzinger, school counselor; Anna Balfour, Spanish; Kristen Morgan, math; Carrie Sigler, science; Lauren Stefancin, intervention specialist; and Hilary Davis, science.
Sidney Middle School’s new staff members are Victoria Purk, intervention specialist; Marissa Thompson, intervention specialist; Aaron Wright, physical education; and Megan Gallaway, art/substitute
Erin Koesters, speech pathologist, has joined the staff at Whittier Elementary School.
Ashley Wiley, school psychologist, and Melissa Welch, school psychologist, are serving all the students in the district.
Sidney High School also saw changes in administrative staff with the retirement of Jon Geuy. Replacing him as head principal is former SHS assistant principal Doug Zimmer. Filling in Zimmer’s former position is long-time Sidney teacher Dan Barnes. Scott Atwood will serve as the Sidney High School Resource Officer.
Morgan Headings will serve as the district’s full time floating substitute. Also new to the district this year are the following classified staff: Bob Barnes, aide; Peggy Bean, aide; April Bogart, cook; Galen Cathcart, aide; Sara Cowan, aide; Julie Curtner, custodian; Travis Davidson, maintenance; Megan Gray, aide; Marie Masteller, cook; Abigail Morris, aide; Leah Stagno, cook; Kevin Stapleton, TAS coordinator at Sidney Alternative School; Amanda Stout, aide; and Diana Thobe, custodian.
New classes/programs
This school year, Sidney City Schools will be using NWEA MAP, a diagnostic tool for students in grades K-12. NWEA MAP is a way for teachers and staff to assess students’ abilities in real time.
Students in grades K-10 will access NWEA MAP online three different times during the upcoming school year in the areas of reading, language, and math. Because this online tool is not a “one size fits all” mastery test, it will adapt to each student’s level of knowledge in an individualized way. As students answer correctly, the tool adapts to increase the level of difficulty. As students answer incorrectly, the tool will adapt to decrease the level of difficulty until the student’s level of knowledge is determined.
Each student will have individualized information about him/her – a unique learning profile. Why would this learning profile be useful? Our educators will be able to have an accurate picture of what your child knows within the content standards in order to guide their classroom instruction, set learning goals with students, and share students’ growth in learning with students, colleagues, and more importantly, parents. We will also be able to see how our students’ learning grows each year in grades K-10.
MAP benchmarking dates for the upcoming school year will take place the following time periods: Aug. 24 to Sept. 19; Jan. 3 to 23; and April 23 to May 16.
Questions regarding MAP can be directed to the Curriculum Department at 937-497-2200.
Sidney City Schools will again use an online student registration/data validation system through InfoSnap Online Registration for the upcoming school year. The system is a secure and green process, which allows the district to verify all student demographic, emergency and medical information for your child prior to the start of the new school year. It allows parents to electronically sign the annual permission forms for school district policies.
InfoSnap online registration replaces all hard copy student registration and permission forms that students previously brought home on the first day of school. The online registration form is mandatory for families to complete.
To login to complete registration, families will need a SnapCode for their child. SnapCode letters and instructions will be given out prior to the start of school.
To make the process easier for families with multiple students, they will have the option to copy all generic family information to all other students in your family.
Anyone needing active assistance with the online registration process may contact Tiffany Rank at the Board of Education office at 937-497-2200 to arrange an appointment.
Facility updates
Facility updates throughout the district include:
• Replaced warped wood floor at Northwood.
• Extensive paint projects at Northwood (gym) and SHS (gyms and hallways).
• Repaired doors throughout the district including new double-doors at Emerson and
Longfellow.
• Installed new clock and bell system at SHS that is synchronized with digital displays in the hallways, gymnasium, and cafeteria.
• Installed state of the art camera system for all busses, including a stop arm camera.
• Removed five large, dangerous trees and 70 tree stumps throughout the district.
• Resurfaced a number of parking lots.
• Northwood Elementary drive-through was completely repaved, with two catch basins installed. This was a joint effort between the city of Sidney and Sidney City Schools.
• Improved parking lot lighting at SHS (east lot) and the Board of Education.
• Resolved major erosion problem on Whittier playground.
• Remodeled SHS cafeteria – including new chairs, flooring and paint using Food Services surplus funds.
• Refurbished playground mulching at all elementary schools.
• Installed a security camera and speaker system at all elementary schools for the playgrounds.
• Re-keyed all SHS doors; installed 12 key card entry systems at SHS.
• Saved $100,000-plus in heating and air from May 2016-May 2017. Project monitored and controlled by Waible Energy Systems, Vandalia, Ohio.
• Lighting upgrades throughout the district with DP&L rebates totaling $10,000+.
Special events planned for the year
Sidney City Schools, in conjunction with the Shelby County United Way, will host the annual Turf’s Up Fall Sports Kickoff on Friday, Aug. 18, and Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017.
Sidney will kick off the weekend with varsity football taking on Chaminade Julienne in scrimmage play. The game kicks off at 7 p.m. at Sidney Memorial Stadium. The Sidney Vespa Quarterback Club will be sponsoring chicken dinners on Friday evening from 3 to 8 p.m.; drive through service is available. Dinners cost $7.
On Saturday, Sidney boys soccer will take on Lehman Catholic in scrimmage play. The game kicks off at 1 p.m., also at Sidney Memorial Stadium.
Entry is $5 and good for both Friday and Saturday’s events. Proceeds will go towards the Shelby County United Way’s annual campaign.
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