“I Will Be There” Attendance Challenge Fun Day Held at Stanton
HAMMONDSVILLE-Efforts to bolster attendance have paid off at Stanton Elementary, which earned a Fun Day activity at the school on Jan. 22.
More than 400 students took part in the event, which was sponsored by the Jefferson County Educational Service Center and the Jefferson County Juvenile Court. Community partners included Sen. Lou Gentile (D-Steubenville), Rep. Jack Cera (D-Bellaire) and Walmart Distribution Center. The fun day included inflatable rides as a reward for participating in the “I Will Be There” Attendance Challenge, a two-month event between October and December where elementary schoolchildren competed to increase attendance. Among the schools involved were Stanton Elementary and John Gregg Elementary in the Edison Local School District; Wintersville Elementary and Hills Elementary in the Indian Creek School District; and John T. Karaffa Elementary in the Toronto City School system.
School liaison Sean Tucker created the challenge as a way to reduce excessive absences and truancy cases and reach children at a younger age so they get into the habit of attending regularly. At the conclusion, Stanton showed the best overall attendance rate at 95.18 percent.
“I believe it had a positive impact on the schools and gave the students a goal to achieve by competing against another school,” said Tucker. “It was pretty cool to walk into the schools and hear students saying, ‘We are still winning,’ ‘We are now in second place,’ ‘I hope we get the Fun Day’ and ‘I hope Olaf is there.’ These are all the reasons you love to do this job—to help the kids and have a positive impact.”
He also noted an increase within all of the elementary schools and said incentives were good tools if used properly. The long-term goal is to get them in the habit of attending so they can learn and be successful in the future.
“Teaching children that this is a small reward is something I’ve felt strongly about because after meeting with all of the school officials, the goal is to receive the ultimate incentive-- their diploma. That is the most important incentive we have to offer our students,” Tucker commented. “Starting at an early age, you start training and molding behavior in not only the students but the guardians as well. The state is very strict on school systems and attendance, and what many people don’t realize is that state funding is based on attendance in some issues. The more kids are in school and being educated, the better the funding. The better the funding, the more a school can improve on adding programs and technology. It’s a win for the students in the end.”
Although Stanton earned the Fun Day, John Gregg Elementary was the most improved school, going from 94.23 percent to 95.12 percent. He added that it was a difficult feat but it was a significant improvement from the past.
Meanwhile, he thanked the many supporters of the “I Will Be There Challenge,” including the county juvenile court, Juvenile Court Judge Joseph Corabi, Chief Probation Officer Fred Abdalla Jr., Magistrate Frank Noble, Rep. Cera, Sen. Gentile, Walmart Distribution Center, the JCESC and Superintendent Dr. Chuck Kokiko. He also extended appreciation to JCESC CEO Dr. George Ash and Director of Special Education/Benefits Coordinator Jeff Oblak, plus school superintendents Dr. T.C. Chappelear of Indian Creek, Fred Burns of Toronto, and Bill Beattie of Edison.
“Hopefully we can continue this challenge each year and make it an annual event, but it comes down to funding. All of the money to support this day has come from community and state leaders’ donations,” Tucker said. “It was a total team effort and I can’t say enough about the schools and awesome staff I get to work with every day. The principles and secretaries do such an amazing job. It’s also something that the schools are not thinking of ideas for next year, so it’s a total group effort.”
Community leaders made a point to visit the event and said it was a great way to motivate the children.
“I applaud the work of Judge Corabi, Sean Tucker, all of the school districts and all of those involved in putting this important program together,” said Rep. Cera. “The kids need to be in school and oftentimes they are not through no fault of their own. They need to get back into school to get the most out of their education.”
Sen. Gentile also lauded officials for their efforts to improve the situation.
“Having good attendance in school prepares a student for future success both inside and outside the classroom,” Gentile said. “I commend the ‘I Will Be There’ program for the work they’re doing to keep kids in school.”
“This was school liaison Sean Tucker’s idea, and while it is a great day and it’s a lot of fun, what he’s done to help the youth of Jefferson County is amazing,” noted Judge Corabi. “He’s done so much to get kids into school, which was the goal of the school liaison in the first place. This is a landmark for what he’s accomplished and what he’ll continue to accomplish.”
Stanton Elementary Principal Julie Kireta was pleased with the outcome.
“It was very nice of the county to do this for the kids because attendance is so important for student achievement. Hopefully this helps our kids,” she added. “Sean Tucker has been valuable and he has resources to connect us to so many issues. He’s been helpful.”
Dr. Kokiko wished to see the trend grow in the wake of the attendance challenge.
“The hope is to have students realize the importance of coming to school so they can learn and eventually graduate to become productive adults,” he concluded.
(Photo Cutline: Stanton Elementary School fourth-graders Jaden Shannon and Kylee Leishman compete on an obstacle course during a fun day held Friday. Stanton won the “I Will Be There” Attendance Challenge out of five elementary schools and was rewarded with inflatable rides after reducing truancy in school. )
HAMMONDSVILLE-Efforts to bolster attendance have paid off at Stanton Elementary, which earned a Fun Day activity at the school on Jan. 22.
More than 400 students took part in the event, which was sponsored by the Jefferson County Educational Service Center and the Jefferson County Juvenile Court. Community partners included Sen. Lou Gentile (D-Steubenville), Rep. Jack Cera (D-Bellaire) and Walmart Distribution Center. The fun day included inflatable rides as a reward for participating in the “I Will Be There” Attendance Challenge, a two-month event between October and December where elementary schoolchildren competed to increase attendance. Among the schools involved were Stanton Elementary and John Gregg Elementary in the Edison Local School District; Wintersville Elementary and Hills Elementary in the Indian Creek School District; and John T. Karaffa Elementary in the Toronto City School system.
School liaison Sean Tucker created the challenge as a way to reduce excessive absences and truancy cases and reach children at a younger age so they get into the habit of attending regularly. At the conclusion, Stanton showed the best overall attendance rate at 95.18 percent.
“I believe it had a positive impact on the schools and gave the students a goal to achieve by competing against another school,” said Tucker. “It was pretty cool to walk into the schools and hear students saying, ‘We are still winning,’ ‘We are now in second place,’ ‘I hope we get the Fun Day’ and ‘I hope Olaf is there.’ These are all the reasons you love to do this job—to help the kids and have a positive impact.”
He also noted an increase within all of the elementary schools and said incentives were good tools if used properly. The long-term goal is to get them in the habit of attending so they can learn and be successful in the future.
“Teaching children that this is a small reward is something I’ve felt strongly about because after meeting with all of the school officials, the goal is to receive the ultimate incentive-- their diploma. That is the most important incentive we have to offer our students,” Tucker commented. “Starting at an early age, you start training and molding behavior in not only the students but the guardians as well. The state is very strict on school systems and attendance, and what many people don’t realize is that state funding is based on attendance in some issues. The more kids are in school and being educated, the better the funding. The better the funding, the more a school can improve on adding programs and technology. It’s a win for the students in the end.”
Although Stanton earned the Fun Day, John Gregg Elementary was the most improved school, going from 94.23 percent to 95.12 percent. He added that it was a difficult feat but it was a significant improvement from the past.
Meanwhile, he thanked the many supporters of the “I Will Be There Challenge,” including the county juvenile court, Juvenile Court Judge Joseph Corabi, Chief Probation Officer Fred Abdalla Jr., Magistrate Frank Noble, Rep. Cera, Sen. Gentile, Walmart Distribution Center, the JCESC and Superintendent Dr. Chuck Kokiko. He also extended appreciation to JCESC CEO Dr. George Ash and Director of Special Education/Benefits Coordinator Jeff Oblak, plus school superintendents Dr. T.C. Chappelear of Indian Creek, Fred Burns of Toronto, and Bill Beattie of Edison.
“Hopefully we can continue this challenge each year and make it an annual event, but it comes down to funding. All of the money to support this day has come from community and state leaders’ donations,” Tucker said. “It was a total team effort and I can’t say enough about the schools and awesome staff I get to work with every day. The principles and secretaries do such an amazing job. It’s also something that the schools are not thinking of ideas for next year, so it’s a total group effort.”
Community leaders made a point to visit the event and said it was a great way to motivate the children.
“I applaud the work of Judge Corabi, Sean Tucker, all of the school districts and all of those involved in putting this important program together,” said Rep. Cera. “The kids need to be in school and oftentimes they are not through no fault of their own. They need to get back into school to get the most out of their education.”
Sen. Gentile also lauded officials for their efforts to improve the situation.
“Having good attendance in school prepares a student for future success both inside and outside the classroom,” Gentile said. “I commend the ‘I Will Be There’ program for the work they’re doing to keep kids in school.”
“This was school liaison Sean Tucker’s idea, and while it is a great day and it’s a lot of fun, what he’s done to help the youth of Jefferson County is amazing,” noted Judge Corabi. “He’s done so much to get kids into school, which was the goal of the school liaison in the first place. This is a landmark for what he’s accomplished and what he’ll continue to accomplish.”
Stanton Elementary Principal Julie Kireta was pleased with the outcome.
“It was very nice of the county to do this for the kids because attendance is so important for student achievement. Hopefully this helps our kids,” she added. “Sean Tucker has been valuable and he has resources to connect us to so many issues. He’s been helpful.”
Dr. Kokiko wished to see the trend grow in the wake of the attendance challenge.
“The hope is to have students realize the importance of coming to school so they can learn and eventually graduate to become productive adults,” he concluded.
(Photo Cutline: Stanton Elementary School fourth-graders Jaden Shannon and Kylee Leishman compete on an obstacle course during a fun day held Friday. Stanton won the “I Will Be There” Attendance Challenge out of five elementary schools and was rewarded with inflatable rides after reducing truancy in school. )
Edison Schools Add ZPass System
HAMMONDSVILLE-The Edison Local School District is the latest site to incorporate a tracking system on its buses, and elementary school students are learning how to use the new device.
Superintendent Bill Beattie said the Zonar ZPass System has already been implemented with Edison High School students, but the younger set at John Gregg and Stanton Elementary would begin using the card-reading program starting Sept. 8. Beattie said the district’s fleet of 20 vehicles was outfitted with GPS and ZPass systems obtained through a five-year, $1.76 million Straight A Transportation Grant through the Ohio Department of Education. Edison was among roughly 20 districts across the region that participated, and the grant was obtained with assistance from the Jefferson County Educational Service Center and other ESC’s to improve transportation, safety, and cost effectiveness. The GPS provides data to help officials determine more efficient routes and ultimately save time and money, while the ZPass system uses an automatic card reader that tracks students entering and exiting buses.
“The high school started using it last Friday and the elementary buildings will start implementing them on Sept. 8,” said Beattie. “This will help us be more efficient with our bus routes.”
How it works is each student receives a card that may be attached to their backpack, which would then be scanned with the ZPass device upon entering and exiting a bus. Created by the Seattle, Wash.-based company Zonar, the ZPass reader logs the time, date, and location of the scan and the information is securely transmitted to a password protected website which district administrators can access when parents have questions about their child’s bus ride. Beattie said parents will eventually be able to obtain that data using their Smartphones or computers.
John Gregg students became acclimated on Sept. 2, while Stanton students were learning the ropes during bus safety sessions on Sept. 4 and 5. Stanton Principal Julie Kireta said an estimated 455 children were getting lessons on how to use the scanner and evacuate the vehicles.
“We’re going over bus safety and evacuations from the back of the bus, plus window exits and bus safety rules,” she added. “We’re going to pass out the cards and practice using them and how to put them on their book bags so they can get to it easily.”
Kireta sees the ZPass system as a positive addition for extra security.
“I think it’s a nice safety feature for parents so they can track students getting on and off the bus, and especially for older kids in elementary school who are home while their parents work,” she said. “If the buses run late, they will know what time they leave. It’s a nice way to track the students.”
(Photo Cutline: ZPass systems are up and running in the Edison Local School District and elementary kids will begin using it on Sept. 8. Pictured are Stanton Elementary third-graders Emily Cline, Mason Fox, Amelia Collopy, and Austin Abshire with school Principal Julie Kireta.)
Edison Educators Get a Lesson in Learning
RICHMOND-About 100 educators met at Edison High School on Monday to get a special lesson in learning.
Dr. Mike White, a retired science teacher and school psychologist and current director of Educational Consulting Services in Cincinnati, has traveled throughout the country to share his message, “Tap Dancing to Work,” about improving student learning. He told teachers it really is a group effort.
“School is a place where everyone should get smart, not just students,” he said.
White discussed schools in his district which were located in impoverished and wealthy areas, but the poorest school in Lincoln Heights managed to vastly improve students’ test scores and learning capabilities. Educators came up with a plan and tested students to prove and improve the children’s skills, while teacher meetings were held to discuss ways to attain academic success. As a result, it was selected as one of the top 12 schools in the country by the National Staff Development Council.
“They changed how they tested and they changed how they talked,” he said. “Math scores improved from 45 percent to more than 90 percent and the school was recognized by the state. It was one of the first 90-90-90 schools—it had 90-percent poverty, 90-percent minority, and 90-percent achievement.”
Dr. White said it all comes down to teachers working together in a productive way to set and reach successful goals. Changes are occurring with learning standards and ACT and SAT tests now utilize common core methods into examinations. Sites are also implementing a process known as backmapping, or a downshift in standards which is increasing the difficulty of subjects in lower grade levels. For instance, eighth-graders are learning the Pythagorean Theorem instead of sophomores and irony and foreshadowing, a subject that is generally taught at the sixth-grade level, is now being instructed in the fourth grade.
He noted that teachers may be weary from devoting extra time on their plans, but working with a group instead of alone makes a huge difference since others could offer useful insight. He suggested they share lesson plans and outline goals, as well as developing pre- and post-assessments to gage student learning. Dr. White further encouraged them to collaborate around test scores through professional learning communities, child study groups, data teams, and classroom planning time. He also led several exercises to explain a true collaboration.
“Meet once a week and use two of your meetings for professional development and the other two for housekeeping,” he said, adding that they needed to focus on more than data but talk about lessons and bring student samples to discussions. “The entire staff works together to focus on priority skills and the walk-throughs reinforce the priorities.”
He also discussed developing a curriculum calendar and having grade-level teachers agree to teach some standards at the same time. Pre-assessments would be created and then analyzed to develop lessons, while post- assessments would be developed, administered, and analyzed to determine intervention for students who are not proficient.
Dr. White maintained that true collaboration is assessed on results rather than perceptions, projects, or positive interventions and teams should identify and pursue specific, measurable student outcomes. In the end, student performance is the barometer of success.
Assistant Superintendent Kimberly Wadas said Edison’s schools would definitely benefit from those ideas.
“As educators, our students aren’t the only ones learning in the buildings. As teachers, we learn from each other and the students learn from teacher collaboration,” she said.
(Photo Cutline: Dr. Mike White, a retired educator and current consultant, spoke to teachers in the Edison Local School District about improving learning for students and themselves through collaboration. He said an open line of communication with other teachers about lesson plans would help bolster student learning.)
EHS Augments Classes with Digital Learning
RICHMOND-Edison High School is looking to make students’ days more productive by augmenting how they learn.
This year, the school has opted to eliminate study hall periods in favor of either actual or digital classes. Principal Matt Morrison said it was a new concept at the school and the goal is to utilize all eight periods with classwork so students continually learn.
“We decided that our students should be engaged in learning projects and we encouraged them to take physical classes,” Morrison said. “We’re offering enough courses and we feel it’s only going to enhance their education if they are taking classes instead of sitting idle in study hall.”
He said the offering was new this year, but other districts such as Southern Local and Indian Creek are already utilizing the method. The school’s estimated 650 junior and senior high pupils have the option to take an elective or digital course, while the online lessons are provided by the Jefferson County Educational Service Center’s Virtual Learning Academy and Edison’s E-CAT program. Morrison said many students chose to take an actual class and those pupils who opted for computer work are currently online.
“We have eight periods in a day and the kids are in class. We feel this is going to be a positive addition to our curriculum.”
Among the available digital courses are a four-year ACT preparatory class and one semester each of study skills and reading comprehension, which are available through the VLA, but the senior high-level health class offered through E-CAT is needed to obtain a diploma. Morrison said nearly 150 freshmen are logging on to complete the course and fulfill the requirement.
“Due to the overwhelming number of online courses offered at colleges and universities and the growing trend in blended learning, we decided to make the kids take the health class and get credit online,” the principal noted, adding that pupils work in a computer lab to complete assignments. “[This helps] kids experience work online and complete assignments to graduate. We felt this would get the kids career and college ready.”
Superintendent Bill Beattie said officials got the idea for online health classes from Indian Creek Schools, which implements the program in its system, while Southern Local offered digital periods instead of study hall classes.
“It gives us an opportunity to give students the experience of taking online courses in anticipation of moving forward after graduation,” Beattie commented.
(Photo Cutline: Edison High School students now have an option to take elective or digital courses as a means to obtain a full day of education. Study halls have been eliminated in favor of more learning opportunities, while EHS is also providing online health classes as a graduation requirement.)
Lions Club Sets Vision Screenings at Edison Schools
RICHMOND-The Richmond Lions Club is doing its part to help the community beginning with vision checks at two local elementary schools.
The organization recently obtained donations to acquire a Welch Allyn SpotVision Screener which will be utilized at John Gregg and Stanton Elementary Schools over the next week. Lions Club President Ken Miser will appear at John Gregg on Oct. 13 and Stanton on Oct. 16 with eventual plans to test students at Edison Jr./Sr. High School. The club will work with school nurses at the respective sites and officials said the device would benefit an estimated 1,700 students.
“It looks like a camera but is handheld,” Miser said. “You lock it onto their eyes and in two seconds it screens their eyesight.”
The equipment can assess whether a person has farsightedness, nearsightedness, astigmatism, gaze (eye alignment measurement), anisometropia (unequal refractive power), or anisocoria (unequal pupil size). Students with detected problems would be advised to follow up with an optometrist, while those without insurance can also receive financial assistance from the Lions Club for doctor’s visits and glasses.
“It’s not taking the place of an optometrist but lets you know they should see one,” he noted.
Miser said the Lions Club is carrying out its purpose to focus on sight-saving causes, including Camp Echoing Hills, and hopes are to use the screener within the community to benefit all ages.
Superintendent Bill Beattie was grateful to the club for helping the students, saying the screenings definitely make a difference.
“We appreciate the Richmond Lions Club and Ken Miser for taking the initiative to provide every student in the Edison Local School District the opportunity to receive an eye exam,” Beattie concluded. “This is exam will identify whether or not a student needs to be further assessed by an optometrist by identifying exactly what the issue is. We appreciate the assistance because a student’s ability to see properly pays a huge part in their education.”
Chromebooks Make a Difference in Classrooms
RICHMOND-Edison Jr./Senior High School is utilizing Chromebooks in its classrooms to give students an important lesson on modern learning.
From math to literature, the computers have become vital tools to educate pupils and prepare them for online standardized tests. Principal Matt Morrison said the mission is to outfit each classroom with the technology.
“As of right now, everyone has access to a rolling computer lab as needed and our building’s goal is to get a rolling computer lab into every classroom at Edison Jr./Senior High School,” he said. “We have about 360 Chromebooks, or 10 rolling labs of about 30-40 apiece, and acquired them 2 ½ years ago. We started with four sets and had two extra sets last year. Now we have four more sets this year and will purchase as we go.”
Darlene Mason, who instructs grade 7-8 Language Arts, said the hardware helps implement her program, “English Language Arts Full Spectrum Nonfiction.” The program, which was funded through a Best Practice Grant from the Jefferson County Educational Service Center, includes nonfiction texts along with lessons and activities and the digital course, which meets Common Core standards, could be used on any device with an Internet connection. Mason said it gets students ready for testing.
“When it’s time to take the test, it is easier,” she said. “These programs have questions and are designed exactly like the state test. They have a passage to read and have to type answers for the questions. This will be practice for them, and they type and submit their answers to me.”
In addition to fiction and non-fiction, the program they use also provides lessons on drama and poetry, vocabulary words, figurative words, and areas to type notes. Students will also learn about the writing process and can work at their own pace with the capability to edit their work.
Jennifer Bahen’s seventh- and eighth-grade English/Language Arts classes utilize the Chromebooks to access Newsela.com, a website that links them to current events articles and follows up their reading lessons with a quiz based on their reading level. The program automatically scores the quiz and provides the grade in real time, leaving Bahen to grade the written test portion.
“It’s geared towards Common Core standards, and the feedback I get shows the percentages that need help and are on track,” she said.
Deborah Hendricks, who instructs seventh-grade math, science, and health, agreed that the Chromebooks give students a chance to practice. She uses the TenMarks free online math program, which provides differentiation for low-end and high-end students.
“In science, they can use the computers for simulations on potential and kinetic energy using rollercoasters. It’s a great tool to use for research,” she commented. “It gives them practice on their computer skills since the new tests are online. It opens up a whole new world for them.”
Hendricks added that much of her instruction also involves modern technology, such as PowerPoint, and students subscribe to “Study Island,” which also follows the Common Core curriculum.
“It’s available on Chromebooks so the students can practice in all academic areas.”
Kristin Granatir, who teaches seventh- and eighth-grade pre-Algebra and Algebra I and seventh-grade general math, agreed that the computers were a positive addition for her classes. She uses the computers for lessons through the Khan Academy educational program.
“It provides questions and is great because it gives immediate feedback,” she said. “While students are on the Chromebooks, I can help them as they go. It really is a great tool and I love it.”
(Photo Cutline: Edison Jr. High teacher Darlene Mason’s English/Literature Arts students are among the many classes that use Chromebooks to facilitate learning. Teachers said the technology helps them provide modern instruction and prepare for online standardized testing.)
Three Gaining State FFA Degrees
RICHMOND-Three Edison High School students will be recognized during next week’s Ohio FFA convention for their contributions to the organization.
Seniors Travis Brand and Matt Randolph and junior Rachael Cline will be awarded state degrees during the event at the Expo Center on the Ohio State Fairgrounds in Columbus on May 5-6. Twenty-six Edison High School FFA members are attending and will join several thousand other FFA members from across the state for leadership workshops, motivational speeches, a career show featuring colleges, universities, and potential employers, and also attend the awards ceremony. The school’s three honorees had to submit an application, earn over $3,500 through their programs, and attend 12 FFA activities at the state level, and they all said being part of the organization has been a valuable experience.
Brand will be awarded because of his leadership skills and his experience with agriculture. He operates a cow herd near Toronto and produces and sells hay to feed livestock, plus he plans to further his career in the field by studying ag mechanics.
“It gives you leadership opportunities you can’t really get anywhere else,” he said.
Randolph attained his through leadership activities and an essay on the Supervised Agricultural Education Program (SEAP). He also helps on the family farm near Richmond and raises market steer and hogs as well as beef breeding and feeder calf. He plans to attend Ohio State University and study ag engineering.
“I find it interesting and like that there are scholarships and opportunities,” he added.
Cline also earned accolades through leadership, an essay, and raising market and breeding sheep. She has also supplied market sheep for local fairs. In addition, she works at Island Creek Sporting Clay in Toronto as a trapper and maintenance worker, as well as M&M Tree Farm in Richmond trimming and selling Christmas trees.
“It’s an honor. We’ve all put in a lot of hard work and we’re being recognized for what we put in and the programs we’ve done on our own,” she commented. “I’m thankful for having the opportunity in school.”
Advisor Chuck Cline couldn’t be more pleased.
“All of them have been involved in FFA since freshman year,” he said. “This is the first time in seven years that we’ve had three members attain a degree. They will attend the convention and get recognized on stage during the state degree ceremony.”
(Photo Cutline: Edison High School FFA members Travis Brand, Rachael Cline, and Matt Randolph will receive state degrees during the Ohio FFA Convention on May 5-6 in Columbus. The students are being recognized for their leadership skills and successful livestock programs and said being part of the organization has been a worthwhile experience.)
Barnhouse Committed to Help AHA
BERGHOLZ-As students at John E. Gregg Elementary topped school fundraising efforts with a record $7,773 collected to benefit the American Heart Association, one pupil has made it his mission to help to the fullest.
Sixth-grader Gavin Barnhouse has been the top contributor for four years running, and this year he managed to raise $1,155 of the total amount on his own. Barnhouse, the 11-year-old son of Mike and Casey Barnhouse of Amsterdam, couldn’t participate in the school’s Jump Rope for Heart contests throughout the week of March 14-18 because of recent surgery for hemivertebrae and congenital kyphosis. He was only recently diagnosed with the condition, which left him with half of his vertebrae and a spinal deformity. Congenital kyphosis occurs in the first to eight weeks of embryonic life and is a genetic mistake that results in the failure of formation or a failure of segmentation on the front part of one or more vertebral bodies and disc. This defect causes the spine to develop a sharp forward bend as it grows. Barnhouse underwent surgery on Dec. 28 at Akron Children’s Hospital to correct the problem.
“We found out by accident when he had pain and I took him for X-rays,” Casey said. “I’m an X-ray technician and saw that something wasn’t right.”
Although he seemed to be a normal, thriving child, there was no notice of his ailment.
“He walked, talked, and played and his body adjusted to it not being there,” she continued.
Barnhouse remains under some restrictions when it comes to physical activity, which made him unable to participate in the Jump Rope for Heart contests this month.
“This is the first time I haven’t participated, but we didn’t want to do [the surgery] in the summer because we go swimming and it’s my birthday. I had to do something since there was pressure on my spinal cord,” Barnhouse explained. “Everything’s getting better.”
Nonetheless, his health issues didn’t stop him from making the rounds and taking donations from family, neighbors, a local Veterans of Foreign Wars organization, and Facebook friends.
“My big pappy had heart disease and so does my grandma,” he said. “I took a week to raise the money this month.”
“He’s a good boy,” Casey added. “He wrote a letter and he wanted to explain why he couldn’t jump robe but he still collected money. Nearly every year he has raised the most money.”
The personal impact of heart disease has fueled his mission to raise as much money as possible, and he successfully collected $300 in third grade while nearly doubling the amount in fourth grade with a total of $500. Last year, he managed to gather $600 for the cause but sees his latest contribution as a crowning achievement in his final year of elementary school.
“It’s awesome. I feel like I’ve done so much,” he added. “I feel like this is the way I want to go out. This is my legacy for the school.”
In addition to receiving medals for his good deed, Barnhouse earned $10 from the school PTO, which sponsored the fundraiser. However, it was the efforts of Barnhouse and students like him which touched officials’ hearts.
“I’m so proud of him because I know him and his personal issues,” said PTO Treasurer Marsha Smith. “This is his last year to participate, and he couldn’t jump but he still put in the time and effort.”
She was also pleased with the overwhelming efforts of all of the students.
“We had jump rope activities all week and this was the most we’ve raised. This event began in 1980 and we’ve had great participation.”
Physical education teacher Jim Marcus said at least 90 percent of the student population took part in each grade, while some donated but did not participate in the contests.
“We try to explain that it’s a very good cause,” he said. “We need to be thankful that we’re all healthy and [like the story in our Jump Rope for Heart promotions], a boy can jump because of money donated to the association. I believe the kids want to help other people, and without the help of the PTO, parents, and former teacher Dr. Connie Crawford, I couldn’t do this myself.”
Principal Tammy Burchfield was also amazed by the outcome.
“At John Gregg, we have a lot of kids who are very caring and concerned about others. That’s very impressive when you are dealing with kids ages 4-12. It shows very strong character. They are always exceeding our expectations,” Burchfield concluded. “We give them high expectations and they go above and beyond. I’m proud to be here and there’s nowhere else I’d want to be.”
(Photo Cutline: Gavin Barnhouse, a sixth-grade student at John Gregg Elementary, poses with his medals after raising an outstanding $1,155 for Jump Rope for Heart, despite being unable to participate in jump rope contests because of recent spinal surgery. In the end, Barnhouse and his 440 schoolmates managed to collect a record-setting $7,733 to benefit the American Heart Association.)
Blake is Tops as Stanton Reader
HAMMONDSVILLE- One might say that Jaycee Blake is an avid reader, and after accumulating 1,004 reading points through his school’s Reading Counts! Program, that appears to be true.
Blake, a fifth-grader at Stanton Elementary School, has consistently led the list of top readers since the beginning of the school year. He said his yen for the written word began more than a year ago, and so far he has read 53 different novels.
“I read a lot at school, and when I get home I take time to read after I do my chores and when I have time,” he said. “I’m reading books that are 25 points and one book was over 600 pages and [earned me] about 52 points.”
He said interest began while he was a fourth-grade student, but he has taken part in the Reading Counts! Program since he was a first-grader. Blake counts the “Harry Potter” and “Avalon Series” among his favorites, while he earned candy as a prize for being one of the top three readers during the past nine weeks.
“My interest in reading started at the beginning of fourth-grade,” he said. “I read the fourth Harry Potter book in two days, and I usually read most of my books in a week.”
Teacher Sheri Call said Blake already reads at a 12th grade level, while quite a few other students in her class read at the seventh-grade level or above. She also notices a connection between reading and test scores.
“It starts at home and with teachers. It’s a team effort,” she added. “Reading begins with verbal actions at home [as babies], and there are some that are ahead that generally start out being ahead. There’s definitely a correlation between those who read independently and those with the fastest growth.”
(Photo Cutline: Stanton Elementary fifth-grader Jaycee Blake is racking up the points by reading more than 50 books as part of the Scholastic Reading Counts! Program. So far, Blake has earned a combined total of 1,004 points for the current school year.)
Peer Tutoring Makes a Difference at Stanton
HAMMONDSVILLE-Fifth-graders at Stanton Elementary School are improving their math skills by helping each other through a new peer tutoring program.
Teacher Alicia Hartman began the program in January. Tutoring is held twice a week during the students’ lunch period in her classroom and it helps youth motivate each other and themselves by working together. Hartman said the plan has boosted the students’ knowledge and confidence, and she said the secret to its success is the way youth communicate.
“The peers explain it in their language,” Hartman added, saying the tutors express lessons in a simpler way. “If students hear it from someone else, they can understand better. Maybe they can express it more easily.”
The tutors are selected based upon their class performance on math topics and then sign contracts stating what is expected of them, such as adhering to class and school rules, assessing a fellow student to understand math topics, and building confidence within another student in regards to math ability. They partner with students in need of guidance and meet each Tuesday and Thursday for a half-hour. Participation is voluntary and Hartman said 22 students signed up as tutors but most of them regularly attend the sessions.
She said it has definitely made a difference when it comes to students’ math scores.
“Their grades have increased by at least one letter grade on tests,” she said. “Their confidence level in class is really high and the kids want to tutor because they are more successful. They also want to participate more in class.”
Hartman noted that pupil Chloe LaRue has flourished through the program and is now ahead of the game when it comes to learning. LaRue once struggled in math but now excels to the point that she is comprehending the subject at an eighth-grade level.
“She performs exceptionally well and tutors other kids,” Hartman commented.
“I didn’t really like math last year and always favored science or social studies,” LaRue said. “Mrs. Hartman was helping me and it became my favorite subject. I like to help others and I can really help my friends understand things. I like helping them a lot.”
Fellow student Gina Edwards also began on the other side and once received help, but now she helps others.
“Whenever I was in tutoring, I kept coming and became more confident,” Edwards said, adding that she enjoys sharing knowledge. “You get to teach people and [the confidence is] rubbing off.”
“I get to learn a lot and it helps to work with others,” added student Issac Crowe, who takes part in the program.
(Photo Cutline: Stanton students take part in a peer tutoring program that has proven to help improve knowledge and confidence in their math class. Among those participating are Amber Flenniken, Zoe Shell, Gina Edwards, and Morgan Martin.)