April 23, 2008

Quote of the week:

“Always be nice to secretaries. They are the real gatekeepers in the world.”

--Anthony J. D'Angelo

District News:

• Today is Administrative Professionals Day!  Be sure to take a minute and let our secretaries know how much you appreciate all they do for our district.

• Winton Woods City Schools is looking for host families for 30 students from China who will be visiting the district this summer for Chinese Youth Camp. The Chinese students will be joining 30 Winton Woods eighth, ninth and tenth graders for camp at Winton Woods Intermediate School from August 4 – 15 to learn more about global leadership. The camp day lasts from 8:45 a.m. - 4:15 p.m. 

 Host family requirements are that students must have their own bed (not their  own room), a packed lunch and transportation to and from camp each day,  and transportation to and from the airport. There are no other financial  obligations, and the Chinese students are covered in case of an  emergency. If interested in hosting or for more information, please contact  Winton Woods Character Education Coach Mimi Gilmer at 619-2413 or  gilmer.mimi@wintonwoods.org.

Winton Woods High School News:

• Winton Woods High School juniors Randy Knepp and Aaron Nightingale have been selected to represent Winton Woods High School and the Hugh Watson Post 530 American Legion Auxiliary at Buckeye Boys State at Bowling Green State University from June 14-22. Luke Spencer was named an Boys State alternate.  The American Legion Post 530 is paying all expenses.

American Legion Buckeye Boys State is a nine-day hands-on experience in which students participate in mock government activities with other students from throughout the state of Ohio. While there, young men have the opportunity to learn about city, county, and state government through a non-partisan education approach. They also study the operation of the democratic form of government, the organization of political parties, and the relationship of one to the other in shaping Ohio government.

Buckeye Boys State is the largest Boys State program in the nation and has an attendance of 1,400 young men annually. Boys State programs throughout the United States are sponsored by the American Legion, the nation's largest veterans organization.

• Senior Megan Schneider was honored on Tuesday, April 22 by the Kiwanis at their 53rd Student Recognition Luncheon.  The purpose of the luncheon is publicly honor remarkable and deserving students from over 45 Greater Cincinnati public, private and parochial schools for their academic achievements and service to others.

• They’re just back from performing in China, but there’s no time to rest for the members of the Winton Woods High School Varsity Ensemble choir. Instead these gifted singers are busy preparing parts of 44 Disney songs for three upcoming performances with the Cincinnati Pops on May 9, 10 and 11 at Music Hall.

 “I believe that this is the first time that Disney has given the Pops permission to  perform all of this music as part of a major public performance,” said Winton  Woods High School Chorus Director David Bell. “We are really excited to be a  part of an opportunity like this.”

 Other performers at the Magical Music of Disney performance include the UC  College-Conservatory of Music Musical Theater Department, the Lakota East  High School Chorus, and the School for the Creative and Performing Arts  Children's Choir.

Bell said that his students have been preparing since late December and are looking forward the performances. “It is fun music that is an embedded part of our culture for both young and old,” said Bell.

Winton Woods High School choirs have participated in over 30 performances with the Cincinnati Pops and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

The Pops invites friends and family of Winton Woods High School to enjoy a 25% discount off the May 9, 10 and 11 “Magical World of Disney” show at Music Hall.   Tickets may be ordered online at www.cincinnatisymphony.org.  Insert promo code 2498 to receive your special discount, or call the CSO Box Office at 513-381-3300 and mention that you are a friend of Winton Woods High School.

• For Winton Woods High School junior Marizzel Garcia, the equation is simple: freedom = liberty + individualism + independence.

 “My definition of freedom is the right to live your life without constraints,” said  Garcia in the winning essay she wrote for the Freedoms Foundation contest. “To  live your life without constraints is to live life to the fullest. When I think of  freedom, I think of liberty, individualism, and independence.”

 As a Hispanic American, Garcia says freedom is very important to her because  her parents immigrated to the United States when she was a little girl from the  Dominican Republic, a country she describes as poor and that doesn’t have as  many opportunities as the U.S. The Dominican Republic is “a country where  education isn’t free nor even an obligation, and where laws aren’t enforced as  much as they are in the U.S.,” said Garcia. “[The Dominican Republic] is a  country where freedom is lived to the fullest but in a negative way, meaning that  freedom has been abused.”

 Garcia’s essay has won her a $1,200 scholarship to attend the Freedoms  Foundation, "Spirit of America Youth Conference” in Philadelphia from April 24-  27.  Only 13 students were selected from the Cincinnati area to attend the  conference. Garcia is a member of the district’s Superintendent’s Advisory  Council and has been an after-school math and Spanish tutor.

 The four-day Spirit of America Conference is an exclusive program for high  school students interested in discovering what their role is as a citizen and  leader.  Conference highlights include a “Freedom Summit,” which gives students  the opportunity to discuss constitutional issues affecting American citizens such  as terrorism, the Patriot Act, and immigration; “Mock Trial,” where participants  travel to Philadelphia’s Federal Justice building and participate in a simulated  Supreme Court case; and “Leadership Challenges” where participants go  through several 30 to 40 minute blocks of leadership training designed to develop  their understanding and abilities in the areas of leadership, communication,  group dynamics, and attributes of an active citizen.  Students will also tour  historic Valley Forge and Philadelphia.

• They are the academic all-stars of Winton Woods High School and on Thursday, May 1, these 16 seniors will be honored at the school’s annual “Academic Signing Day,” a ceremony similar to the one for the school’s athletes.
 
 The 16 students will have the opportunity to announce the colleges they applied  to, where they have been accepted, and where they have chosen to attend.  Admissions representatives from Xavier University, The Ohio State University,  Miami University, the University of Cincinnati, Wilberforce University, and DePaul  University will be in attendance to congratulate their new students.

 Winton Woods High School’s top 16 students for the 2007-2008 school year are  (in order of class rank): Megan Schneider, Emily Russell, Karen Budke, Noleena  Booker, Katherine Siragusa, Jason Doan, Allison Hudson, Mitchell Williams,  Jamie-Lee Morris, Michael Day, Vinson Butler, Kierra Johnson, Lidya Tsegay,  Elizabeth Nightingale, Cherish Smith, and Brianna Davis.

 The Academic Signing Day ceremony will take place at 9:00 a.m. in the Winton  Woods High School library.

• Congratulations to Winton Woods High School Counselor Deb Bahner and Media Specialist Michelle Sisk for being honored by the Great Oaks Career Development Center. Bahner was presented with a certificate of appreciation for her years of service; Sisk was honored for her efforts on behalf of the Great Oaks CTPD Career Development Program.

• Preliminary schedule requests for Winton Woods High School students will be sent home the first week of May. All requests for scheduling changes must be submitted in writing by June 1.

• Winton Woods High School band members will be holding a Tag Day on Saturday, April 26 from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. to raise money for new band uniforms. Students will wear their old band uniforms and will travel door-to-door in neighborhoods throughout the district to ask for donations. “We are not asking people to buy anything,” said Band Director Dani Ashbrook. “We’re asking community members to please consider giving a donation of even a few dollars to help us outfit our Marching Band.”

• The Winton Woods High School prom, “Diamonds Are Forever,” will be May 3 at 8:00 p.m. at the Kolping Center

• The Senior Recognition Choir Concert will be Tuesday, April 29 at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium.

• The Senior Recognition Band Concert will be Thursday, May 1 at 7:00 p.m. in the auditorium

• Academic Awards Night will be Tuesday, May 6 at 7:00 p.m. in the auditorium.

Winton Woods Middle School News:

• Winton Woods High School graduate and former National Football League player Brandon Miree came to Winton Woods Middle School to encourage students to do their best on the Ohio Achievement Tests.  Miree, who played football for the Denver Broncos and the Green Bay Packers before retiring to write and produce feature films, talked to the students about turning dreams into goals, overcoming obstacles to their education, and being successful.

Miree used an acronym that he learned as a young man, “E.A.S.Y. G.O.,” to help  students think about how to live their lives.  “E is for effort,” said Miree, as he told  students to put their best effort into everything they do.  “A is for attitude. Life is  10% what happens to you, and 90% your attitude toward it.”  Miree said that S  stood for systems like school and the OAT test that are part of everyday life. “The  OAT is designed to reward you if you try,” Miree said, “so try every answer.”

 For Miree, the Y, G, and O from the acronym are linked together. “It’s up to You  to make the most of every Opportunity that God gives you,” he said.

 The assembly also included a performance by the Winton Woods High School  “Spirited Steppers”--Skye Gillespie, Quentin Carr, Michael Speller II, Alandria  Allen Tiffany Peterson Jasmin Beavers, Chris Jackson and their coach Evelyn  Garcia. 

 Principal Dwight Campbell was impressed with Miree’s message to his students  and with Miree himself. “It says a lot about a man who once he has achieved a  level of success to come back and give,” said Campbell.

• Rionna Rice was the perfect tour guide for the recent open house at the Phoenix Academy, Winton Woods Middle School’s alternative education program. The seventh grader easily showed visitors through the Phoenix Academy’s three classrooms, while explaining how the alternative education program has increased her work ethic and given her a career goal to strive for. “I want to accomplish things and make good grades,” said Rice, who has recently discovered she’d like to be a nurse someday.

She said that discovery came in part when her brother broke his leg and she found that she “liked to help people out.” It also came from the career-based classes she’s taken from Melvina Musgrave, a Great Oaks instructor who’s based at the Phoenix Academy. “We investigate all different careers,” said Rice, whose career folder includes sections on goal setting and personal development. The class also teaches typing skills and has discussion groups about what they’re learning.

“We want to make sure our students are ready for wherever they’re going in the future,” said the Phoenix Academy’s Science and Social Studies teacher Dave Clark. “If it’s the high school, one of the Oaks programs, or Mr. (Larry) Day’s alternative education program in the Greenhills Community Building, we’re working to help them succeed.”

In addition to the career classes taught by Musgrave and the science and Social Studies classes with Clark, seventh and eighth grade students at the Phoenix Academy rotate through math classes with Maria Leiss and reading and language arts classes with either Jennie Tilton or Jana Wylds. While much of their work is computer based, the classroom also has an interactive white board that both teachers and students are able to use. Clark said the board has been especially helpful for students who find it difficult to continually work at a desk. 

In preparation for next year, the teachers at the Phoenix Academy will meet with Winton Woods Intermediate School Principal Tonya West-Wright, Assistant Principal Linda Frey, and their sixth grade staff to educate them about the program. “It’s sometimes an easier link for parents to talk to a teacher they know than to have one of us call them about enrolling their student in our program,” said Clark. "We want to make this transition as easy as possible."

The Phoenix Academy teachers say it’s fair to compare their students to the legendary phoenix, a mythical bird said to live over 500 years, which burned itself on a funeral pyre and then rose from its ashes to live again. Just as the phoenix symbolizes hope, so does this program to those students who had fallen behind in their academics.

“Our students are the phoenixes, and this is their new beginning,” said Language Arts instructor Jennie Tilton.
 
• Sixty-two Winton Woods Middle School music students competed in 30 events at the OMEA District XIV Jr. High Solo and Ensemble Adjudicated Event on Saturday, April 5, at Madeira Middle School.  

 Overview of Results:
 Nine ensembles and three solos received a rating of “I” for a total of 12 events.
 Seven ensembles and four solos received a rating of “II” for a total of 11 events.
 Two ensembles and two solos received a rating of “III” for a total of 4 events.
 Three ensembles went “Comments Only” (an ensemble member was absent).
  Forty-seven students participated in one event.
 Seven students participated in two events.
 Six students participated in three events.
 Two students participated in four events.

 Receiving a “Superior” Rating of “I” were:
• Tommy Foertmeyer, Alto Saxophone Solo
• Kelsey Randall, Violin Solo
• Ben Rocklin, String Bass Solo
• Bass Duet – Alex Strupe and Sam Rocklin
• Violin Duet -  Julie Ruehl and Haleigh Holtman
• 8th Grade Percussion Quintet B - Rajon McCall , Caleb Simpson, Jason Dudley, James Honaker, and Austin Phelps
• 8th Grade Alto Saxophone Trio – Tommy Foertmeyer, Katelyn Budke, and Drew Topits
• 7th Grade Woodwind Quartet – Kenya Williams, Taylor Baird, P.J. Layne, and April Otto
• 7th Grade Clarinet Quartet – P.J. Layne, Maria Fiore, Cassie Yery, and Emeral Lyles
• 7th Grade Trumpet Trio – Nathan Sempsrott, Andrew Garcia, and Elise Mills
• 8th Grade Clarinet Quartet – Keith Hamilton, Catherine Shelby Bowie Hightower, Maya Smith, and Michael Spalding
• 7th Grade Brass Trio – Paidra Harris, Simone Johnson, and Tiasia Cockrell

Receving an “Excellent” Rating of “II”
• Brittany McGovern, Soprano Solo
• Haleigh Holtman, Violin Solo
• Julie Ruehl, Violin Solo
• Sarah Drees, Violin Solo
• Flute Trio – Gabrielle Davis, Jasmin Shaw, and Johana Masin
• 7th Grade Woodwind Trio – Kenya Williams, Taylor Baird, and P.J. Layne
• 7th Grade Saxophone Quartet – Katie Schmittou, Tanner Varney, Taylor Kinley, and Kenya Reaves
• Trombone Trio – Tony Boateng, Mick Williamson, and Blake Howard
• 7th Grade Brass Quartet – Nathan Sempsrott, Andrew Garcia, Mick Williamson, and Blake Howard
• Brass Choir – Andrew Garcia, Elise Mills, Kristen Budke, Nathan Sempsrott, Tony Boateng, Mick Williamson, Cody Foley, and P.J. Rideout
• 7th Grade Percussion Trio – Sabrina Mercer, Khalil Howard, and Maurice Pope

“Good” Score of “III”
• Tanner Varney, Alto Saxophone Solo
• Samantha Fishwick, Vocal Solo
• 7th Grade Flute Trio – Kenya Williams, Jasmine Jones, Kelli Kress
• 7th Grade Clarinet Quartet – Aleithea Sims, Stacia Hackmann, Ashley Smith, Hayven Crockett

• Winton Woods Middle School chorus students will participate in “Music in the Parks” choral competition at King’s Island Amusement Park on Saturday, April 26.  Winton Woods Middle School has won first place at this competition for the last two years.

Winton Woods Intermediate News:

• Winton Woods Intermediate School MH Interventionist Marjorie Pitzer is hoping her second book is as popular as her first. Her first book I Can, Can YOU? is the top-selling book at Woodbine Publishing, the number one publisher of books for children with special needs.

 Pitzer’s second book, My Up & Down & All Around Book, is next in the series  and again features all models with Down syndrome. This time the children  demonstrate various prepositional situations (up/down, in/out).  Pitzer took all of  the photographs for the book and even took one on the playground at WWIS.

 Pitzer said the next two books in the series will focus on verbs and two-word  phrases. Her goal though is to write and photograph a book about special needs  children who are technology dependent, meaning they rely on a respirator or  have need of feeding or gastric tubes. 

 My Up & Down & All Around Book will be in stores in June.

• Winton Woods Intermediate School fifth grader Zoe Harvey has been invited to attend the Junior Presidential Youth Inaugural Conference (JrPYIC) in Washington, D.C. from January 17-21 and to attend the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States.  Zoe has been awarded this special opportunity due to her scholarly achievements as an alumna of the National Young Scholars Program (NYSP).

• Mrs. Eversman and Mrs. Pearson will hold an art opening and reception of outstanding student work from Winton Woods Intermediate School students at the Central Office Board Room on April 28 from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. 

Winton Woods Elementary News:

• Fourth grade students are currently taking their Ohio Achievement Tests.   Reading and mathematics are finished with writing on Friday, April 25.  This will finish up the testing cycle for this school year.  Third grade students will begin testing on Monday, April 28 with the reading OAT and will conclude testing on Wednesday, April 30 with their math. 

Because every student must take these tests by law, it is critical that all students be present on these days.  Please plan any out-of-town trips or schedule any appointments for days and times other than these weeks.  Please be sure that students get a good night's sleep during those weeks since the tests can be quite demanding both mentally and physically.  A full breakfast on the morning of testing days would also be ideal. We will still offer breakfast at school in-room first thing on those days.  Please continue to encourage your child to do his or her very best on these important tests.  We all want our students to have the very best opportunity to be able to show all that they know and have learned this school year.  Thanks for your ongoing support with this.
 
• Our entire school will be taking a field trip to the Underground Railroad Museum and Freedom Center on Tuesday, May 20 and Wednesday, May 21—and we need chaperones! The third grade will be making the trip on Tuesday, while the fourth grade visits on Wednesday.  This is a wonderful and highly educational opportunity for all of our children. 

To make this happen, we will need plenty of parent chaperones.  The ratio we are after is one adult for every 10 students.  Bus transportation and free admission will be provided at the 10:1 rate.  Any parent interested in attending may do so, but some parents may have to pay if there is more than one adult for every 10 children actually accompany our students.  Please call WWIS at 619-2450 to request the Winton Woods Community PTA's main office.  Thanks to our WWC PTA for their support with this, and thanks to the Freedom Center for sharing its "Schooled On Freedom" grant and financial resources with WWES. 

• Another high-powered, educational field trip is taking place for WWES fourth grade students on Wednesday, May 14.  Fourth graders will travel by bus to the University of Cincinnati to take part in a large-scale economics simulation that they've been working on in-class for some time entitled the StEP or Student Enterprise Program.  This is an entrepreneurial fair that several schools around the city take part in at UC each year.

Students create their own communities and economies within their classrooms and then market the products that they develop and produce to other classes and to other schools at the culminating event in May at UC at the StEP marketplace fair.  Our students will also have the opportunity to tour the UC campus a bit and see what a university is all about.  Again, we'll need a 10:1 student to adult ratio, so if you're interested in being a chaperone for this event, please contact the WWES main office at 619-2490.
 
• The fourth grade spring concert will be Monday, May 5 at 7:00 p.m. in the school gymnasium.
 
• Field Day will be Friday, May 23.  If you can help out or would like to donate water, juice, snacks or sporting gear/equipment for this great day of physical activity for our students, please contact the main office at 619-2490.
 
• The Dad's Club event for May will be Saturday, May 17 and will be a special evening activity starting at 6:30 p.m. at the school.   Stay tuned for more details.  Remember that the Dad's Club is open to students in our school district and any significant adult male figure in their lives--dads, step-dads, granddads, godfathers, uncles, older brothers, cousins...you name it.   We hope to see you there.

Winton Woods Primary News:
• Primary North and South Scholastic Book Fairs are scheduled for the week of May 12-16.  Family Night at the Fair is scheduled Tuesday, May 13 from 4:00-7:00 p.m.  To help the success of the Book Fair, we need volunteers.  If you can help at Primary North, please contact Jennifer Bedan at 825-4652 or Media Assistant Karen Emmons at 619-2390.  If you can help at Primary South, please contact Media Assistant Stephanie Wheeler at 619-2470.  Remember, reading is the gift you give for a lifetime!

• Primary North and South students and teachers want to thank all the families who attended the Primary Fine Arts Show on Thursday, April 17.  Everyone, including new families to the district, enjoyed a wonderful evening of viewing the creative talents of our students.  A special thank you to the primary art teachers, Mrs. Bleisch (WWPN) and Mrs. Forney (WWPS), for helping to spotlight our students’ talents.

• Spring picture money is due this week.  If you plan to keep the spring pictures, please send in your money. If not, please return the picture packet. 

• Primary North is proud to announce the students who earned the Good Character Award the week of April 18: first grader Noah Bedan in Mrs. McGuire's class; second grader Seantez Smith in Ms. Lumsden's class; and second grader Gordon Smith in Mrs. Hart's class.  Mrs. Byrd's afternoon kindergarten class earned the "Golden Hand of the Week" award and won CiCi pizza coupons.  Congratulations to all our Primary North students who earned Good Character Hands this week.

• Primary North Free Popcorn day is scheduled for Friday, April 25.  Students should save their "Good Character Hand " this week to receive a free bag of popcorn at lunch on Friday.

• Primary North students attended an assembly with “Firefighter Phil” on April 18. The Firefighter Phil program visits local schools and educates children about fire safety. The program includes a puppet show, which teaches children what they need to know when it comes to fire safety. Firefighter Phil did a wonderful job in explaining important facts about fire safety using humor and storytelling.

• Primary South will present "Wind Around the Box,” a puppet presentation that provides students with information about tornado safety on May 2 for morning kindergarten students and on May 16 for afternoon kindergarten, first and second grade students.  The program is sponsored by the American Red Cross. 

• Primary South first graders will travel to Winton Woods on May 27 from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. for a picnic and Frisbee golf. Second graders will do the same on May 28.

• Primary South is looking for volunteers to help out with its annual Field Day on Tuesday, June 3 from 9:30-11:00 a.m. This fun celebration of the school year can only happen with your help. To volunteer, contact Primary South PTA Vice President Bobbie Johnson at 544-3080. Even a half hour of time would help so much.
 
Community PTA News:

• The Winton Woods Community PTA invites all pre-K to sixth grade students and their families to Family Fun Night on Friday, May 2 from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. at Winton Woods Intermediate School.  Join us for an evening of carnival games, prizes, a concession stand, and a PTA grand raffle.  Tickets for both games and food will be sold at the door and are four for $1 or a family roll of 50 tickets for just $10.  Wear your Warrior Spirit Wear for four free tickets at the door.  Each child in attendance will also receive a free kid’s meal certificate to CiCi’s Pizza, compliments of CiCi’s and the PTA.

The raffle includes the grand prize of a 2008 Greenhills Swimming Pool family membership pass (a $185 value), as well as Warrior Spirit Wear and additional prizes.  One free grand raffle ticket is included with the purchase of a family roll of game tickets.  Additional raffle tickets are available to purchase.  We hope to see you at Family Fun Night! (Please remember that students must be accompanied by an adult.)

 Parents interested in helping at Family Fun Night are asked to contact Eileen Mannira at tmannira@cinci.rr.com or 851-3369.

 Community News:
• The last letters for "Operation Letter Storm" to our troops this school year will be collected on Monday, May 5.  These letters will be put in care packages from the Dayspring Church in Forest Park and mailed in time for Memorial Day to those serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, Japan, and all over the world. The Dayspring Yellow Ribbon Support Group, the Thank You Foundation, and all our troops would like to thank Winton Woods students for their many heartfelt letters of thanks for the sacrifices our troops are making in fighting for freedom.

Special thanks to Girl Scout Troops 48736 and 48235 for donating over 60 boxes of Girl Scout cookies to send to the troops.  This little taste of home was greatly appreciated.  Please send all your letters to Media Specialist Karen Emmons at Winton Woods Primary North.

• The renowned African Children's Choir (ages 7-11) will present a free performance on Sunday, May 11 at the Dayspring Church, 1060 Smiley Road in Forest Park (near Wal-Mart) at 10:40 a.m.  The choir's joyful music is a blend of song and dance and of the diversity of the African people. It features more than ten languages and unique cultural dancing. The children in the choir come from very poor villages, and many are orphans who would like the opportunity to break the cycle of poverty and hopelessness they already know so well. 

Our students are becoming more aware of the world outside their community this year with events such as the Winton Woods High School Varsity Ensemble trip to China and the district’s Operation Letter Storm for our military troops. The African Children's Choir experience gives our students yet another great opportunity to broaden their awareness of children, just like them, who are in need.  You can visit the choir’s website at www.africanchildrenschoir.com.