‘First days’ of school set for Sidney students

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SIDNEY — There will be numerous first day of school memories for students in the Sidney City Schools District for the 2015-16 school year.

Sidney High School students will begin their studies for the year on Monday, Aug. 17. Students in grades 1-8 will have their first day of school on Wednesday, Aug. 19.

Kindergarten students will have three different “first day” of school. Group A will go to school for the first time on Wednesday, Aug. 19. Group B will have their first day of school on Thursday, Aug. 20. The third first day of school will be Friday, Aug. 21, for Group C students. All kindergarten students will be attending school on Monday, Aug. 24.

An open house at Sidney Alternative School is planned for Thursday, Aug. 13, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Sidney High School will hold its open house from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13.

Sidney Middle School’s open house was Wednesday, Aug. 12.

Open houses at all the elementary schools will be held Monday, Aug. 17, from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

New staff members

New teachers and certified staff at Sidney High School includes Lauren Morrow, math; Brian True, math; Ian Klinger, biology; Arun Nagpal, physics; Allison Zimmerman, multiple disabilities; Christian Taylor, English; John (Austin) Young, choir and will also teach at Sidney Middle School; Scottie Moore, orchestra and will teach at Sidney Middle School also; Allexis Davis, English; Michelle Wroda, science; Lynette Newton, Workforce Academy; and Michael Ward, Workforce Academy.

Transfers to SHS from other schools include Tim Tennant, intervention specialist; Kelly Kidd, English; and Cheryl Clark, multiple disabilities.

New teachers and certified staff at Sidney Middle School includes Kyle Coleman, physical education; Danielle McQuillin, intervention specialist; Danielle Boerger, math; Lawarence Jurosic, intervention specialist; Seth Meyer, science; Adam Zeller, multiple disabilities; Sam Young, math; Matt Eaton, intervention specialist; Laura Homan, math; and Logan Morris, business technology/math.

Transfers to SMS from other schools incldues Michael Roby, intervention specialist.

Chase Clark, counselor, and Joni Dunham, art, are new staff members at Emerson Elementary School. Maria Goffena, intervention specialist, has transfered to Emerson from another school in the district.

New Northwood teachers and certified staff includes Megan Williams, counselor; and Justin Setliff, intervention specialist.

Kerri Adkins, first grade., has joined the staff at Whittier Elementary School.

Travis Weldy, intervention specialist, will be teaching at Sidney Alternative School.

New school psychologists for the 2015-16 school year are Jayne Evans, Denny Klenowski, Stacey Lefeld and Anthony Moeder.

New classified staff members include Peggy Ahrens, Northwood cook; Jamie Barnes, SMS MD aide; and Kammy Bontrager, SHS cook.

New equipment/technology

Sidney High School, Sidney Middle School and Sidney Alternative School have more than 900 new Chromebooks. Emerson PTO donated money to split the cost of an iPad cart (30 devices) for the school. All elementary schools are now equipped with two mobile carts with iPads and/or Chromebooks. The technology department also updated elementary computer labs with more than 90 computers. Much of the addition of technology will help the district meet the demands of the transition to online testing, as well as the change in instruction.

New programs

The Workforce Academy program at Sidney High School continues to grow with the addition of the REC Academy. SHS now has Workforce Academy classrooms which feature state-of-the-art technology. The Workforce Academy program helps prepare students in grades 7-12 for both the world of work and higher education. Sidney High School has expanded the number of College Credit Plus (formerly Dual Enrollment) courses offered, making the district the most comprehensive post secondary program in the area.

Lunch prices

Lunch and breakfast prices remain the same for the 2015-16 school year. For students in grades K-5, breakfast is $1; lunch is $2.35; and additional milk is 50 cents. In grades 6-12, breakfast is $1.50; lunch, $2.60; and additional milk, 50 cents.

For students on free and reduced meals, breakfast is free; lunch is 40 cents and milk is 50 cents.

Athletics

Sidney Middle School will be adding baseball and softball to the spring sports schedule.

All sports in the district have a fee of $35.

Class fees/schedule pick-up dates

School fees for students in grades K-8 are $35, while fees vary for students in grades 9-12 based on the classes in which the students are enrolled.

Sidney High School schedules were mailed in early August; those that have recently enrolled can pick their schedule up at open house on Aug. 13. Every schedule will also be updated with locker information. Sidney Middle School schedules will be available for pickup at open house on Aug. 12.

Over-the-summer building/grounds updates

There’s been lots of work completed over the summer in the buildings of the school district. The addition of walk-in freezers to various buildings were completed. New lockers were installed at Sidney High School.

New doors were installed at Emerson, Northwood and Whittier schools. The parking lots at the high school, Emerson and Northwood were resealed. Mulching was placed on the playgrounds and around several buildings. New playground equipment, funded by the PTO, was installed at Emerson.

Sound system upgrades were installed at Sidney Memorial Stadium. There were also roof repairs Emerson. The district also replaced outside lighting with LED bulbs and fixtures.

At the high school, the RCI academy room was prepared for the upcoming school year.

District wide, two improvements were made. There’s a new computer infrastructure and network upgrade. Copiers throughout the district were also replaced.

Other dates to know

There will be a 30-minute early release on Nov. 12 for parent-teacher conferences. There will be no school on Nov. 13 for parent-teacher conferences.

The Thanksgiving break is Nov. 25-27. Winter break is Dec. 21 to Jan. 1. There is no school on Sept. 7 in honor of Labor Day and Jan. 18 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

There will be a 30 minute early release on Feb. 11 for parent-teacher conferences. There is no school on Feb. 12 for parent-teacher conferences. There is no school on Feb. 15 for Presidents’ Day. Spring break will be held March 25-28.

The last day of school is May 20, with graduation planned for May 21.

Sidney Middle School sixth-grade ELA teacher Carmen Reverendo, of Sidney, staples a paper apple to one of her classroom’s bulletin boards Wednesday, Aug. 12, in preparation for classes starting Aug. 19. Sidney High School students return to the classroom Monday, Aug. 17, while students in first through eighth-grade start Wednesday, Aug. 19. Kindergarten students will be divided up into three sections, with classes planned for Aug. 19, Aug. 20 and Aug. 21. The first day all kindergarten students will be together in school in Monday, Aug. 24.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2015/08/web1_SDN081215BackSchool.jpgSidney Middle School sixth-grade ELA teacher Carmen Reverendo, of Sidney, staples a paper apple to one of her classroom’s bulletin boards Wednesday, Aug. 12, in preparation for classes starting Aug. 19. Sidney High School students return to the classroom Monday, Aug. 17, while students in first through eighth-grade start Wednesday, Aug. 19. Kindergarten students will be divided up into three sections, with classes planned for Aug. 19, Aug. 20 and Aug. 21. The first day all kindergarten students will be together in school in Monday, Aug. 24.
Students have staggered days to go back to school

By Melanie Speicher

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Reach the writer at 937-538-4822; follow her on Twitter @MelSpeicherSDN. Follow the SDN on Facebook, www.facebook.com/SidneyDailyNews.

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