Wednesday, September 14th, 2016
State lauds Parkway district
By Cheryl McKirnan
ROCKFORD - Parkway elementary and middle school staffs have earned state recognition for their students' academic achievements.
The administrative report at Tuesday's school board meeting included an award to be presented to elementary principal Mark Esselstein and staff by the state board of education.
Recognizing the staff for exceeding expectations in student growth for the 2015 school year, the Elementary Momentum Award will be presented at Vantage Career Center at 5:50 p.m. Oct 20. Parkway Elementary School is one of only 53 statewide to earn straight A's on all value-added measures on the 2015 report card.
In addition, the Class DoJo Project has earned middle school principal Brian Woods and his staff an Ohio Middle Level Association award for exemplary practices.
The program allows teachers to monitor student effort and behavior. The data help identify struggling students and create interventions to help them become more successful. The award will be presented on Oct. 27 at the Cincinnati Hyatt Regency Hotel.
High school principal Brian Fortkamp also reported on a new life skills class that emulates real-life experiences as students plan meal menus, purchase supplies and cook and bake food for others. Students calculate costs and determine possible profits.
Board members also learned that in addition to the new camera surveillance system providing a safe environment, disciplinary situations have often been quickly defused when students see themselves in various situations and realize their actions are in plain view of teachers and administration.
Superintendent Greg Puthoff noted that he is joining six other Mercer County administrators as they gather with many more superintendents across the state to draw attention to three concerns. The groups will meet during the Capital Conference of Ohio School Boards to ask for less testing, more teaching time and more local control by school boards. Ohio students face 28 standardized tests, far outpacing the federally required 11 tests across grade levels.
During treasurer Debbie Pierce's report, it was noted that the district had a total fund balance of nearly $7.9 million at the end of August, with board controlled funds at $6 million, up $847,305 from last year's total of $5.16 million. Investment interest earns more than $1,690 per month, she said.
The board met in executive session to discuss personnel compensation. No action was taken.
