OTSEGO LOCAL SCHOOLS
Superintendent's Weekly Update - August 24, 2018
Another great week at Otsego! I hope everyone has an enjoyable Labor Day weekend! The weather is going to be beautiful.
As most of you know, we had a bus accident this week. Thankfully, no one was hurt on the bus or in the car that was involved. I want to thank the Middleton Township Fire and EMS Department, the Wood County Sherriff’s Office, and the State Highway Patrol for their help with the accident. I want to take this opportunity to give everyone an overview of what happens when there is a bus accident.
1. All students are checked by medical personnel.
2. Law enforcement investigates the accident.
3. Our bus driver is sent for a drug and alcohol test after.
4. The bus is thoroughly inspected by the Ohio Highway Patrol before it is put back on the road with students.
I would like to thank our bus driver, Amy Williams, and Eva Vasher for their assistance at the scene and for keeping student safety as their number one priority. #BeSafe #OtsegoKnights
Safety
I would also like to thank your students for bringing a questionable post to our attention this week. We want to personally thank the many community members and students that brought this to our attention and remind everyone that “If you SEE/HEAR something, SAY something.” We also ask that you please continue to talk with your child(ren) about what they post to social media sites and also the importance of reporting suspicious activities or disturbing information to a trusted adult. We fully investigate all rumors and information concerning threats to our schools. Please make sure you talk to your child(ren) about reporting information to us, but more importantly talk to them about the consequences of questionable social media posts.
Traveling Board of Education Meetings:
The Board of Education and the Otsego Administration will be taking the Board Meetings on the road starting in September. The Board meeting will start at 6 pm. The administration will be there by 5:30 if you want to come early and discuss anything with us. I hope to see you there!
Grand Rapids: September 20th – 6:00 pm at the Grand Rapids Branch of the Weston Library
Weston: October 30th – 6:00 pm at the Weston Public Library
Haskins: November 15th – 6:00 pm at the Haskins Village Hall
Tontogany: Regular Board Meetings resume. 3rd Thursday of the month in the High School Library. December 20th.
In closing, I look forward to another exciting year of watching our students learn, achieve, and grow! I wish you all a successful 2018-2017 school year!
FAMILY FUN NIGHT - September 14th
Knight In Shining Armor Nominations
Please use the following form to inform OHS Student Council about a family in need within the school district. While the family does not need to have students in the district, we do ask that they are a member of the Otsego Community. Use this form to share information about their current situation as well as how they can best be assisted.
Please be sure to understand that while Knight in Shining Armor (KISA) would love to help all community members in need, we are still a new program, and may not have the funds to do so. With that being said, we will consider each request on a case by case basis. Filling this form out does not guarantee that we will be able to assist the family, but we will try our hardest to do so!
Here are some things that we have done with KISA funds:
- School supplies were purchased for multiple families.
- Gas money has been provided to get to and from medical treatment.
- Food cards have been provided to help families afford meals while going through medical treatment.
- Cash donations have been made to families to help assist in paying bills during medical treatment.
- Gift cards and supplies have been provided to help make ends meet after housing emergencies have occurred.
We now have TWO ways that you can nominate a family in need. Bookmark the link below to use as the need arises. You can also find this link on the Otsegoknights.org webpage under the "District" tab.
Please do not hesitate to nominate a family in need, and KISA will do their best to help out!
Important Transportation Information
Elementary Bus Passes: We will no longer be able to accept bus passes for grades PK-5 for your child to ride home with a friend on another bus route. We have seen our transportation numbers increase over the past several years and in order to continue to operate the most efficient way possible, we will no longer be able to accept bus passes in the elementary.
If you have any questions, please contact the elementary school office or Eva Vasher.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Sign up to receive text messages from our Transportation Department!
Using the directions below, sign up for one or more of the notification groups.
You may opt-out any time by texting ‘unsubscribe’ to the appropriate group.
High School & JH Buses (Bus Routes for grades 6-12 & Penta)
Text: @otsbus6-12 to 81010
Elementary Buses (Bus Routes for grades PK -5)
Text: @otsbuspk-5 to 81010
If you have any questions about bus routing information, please contact me at evasher@otsegoknights.org or 419-823-4381 ext. 3156
Important Food Service Information
To better assist our parents, we have implemented an online free and reduced meal application. This will eliminate having to get a paper application, filling it out and returning it to your child’s school.
Fill out the online application under www.lunchapplication.com , just as you would the paper application. Once the application is completed we are notified so we can complete the application process. This will reduce your notification time.
Please make sure you have a correct mailing address on the application, so the notification letter gets to you.
- Lunch Menus
- High School - A Lunch Menu | B Lunch Menu
- Junior High - A Lunch Menu | B Lunch Menu
- Elementary - Lunch Menu
- LunchApplication.com
- Free and reduced lunch applications
- K12PaymentCenter.com
- Add money to your lunch accounts online
Pay It Forward Project:
We will be once again helping our students out with our Food Service Pay It Forward Project. This fund will provide meals to students who do not have lunch money in their account and cannot charge anymore. We want all of our students to get a hot meal every day. If you are interested in helping with this project you can send money into the central office or any of the buildings. Just put Food Service Pay It Forward on the envelope. You can make checks payable to the Otsego BOE. Thank you so much!!
If you have any questions please give Jeanne or I a call or send us an email.
NEWS FROM THE SCHOOL NURSE
Attention Parents:
Students taking prescribed medication need to have a form filled out and signed by the prescribing physician. New forms are needed at the start of EVERY school year. Forms do not carry over from the prior year. It is your responsibility to take care of this with your physician. No medication will be given without a signed form. It is not up to the school to take care of this.
Over the counter medication such as Motrin, Tylenol, Benadryl, etc. is available in the office if needed. Forms are available online. We have had several students in the office complaining of a headache already. This is to help cut down on having to call parents to bring medication to the office or sending children home.
Allergies are in full swing. This can impact your child in a major way physically, runny nose, itchy/watery eyes, stomach ache from drainage, headache…, as well as concentration in class. If your child has allergies please medicate them on a regular basis during allergy season.
Thank you,
Jane Gray, School Nurse
Music Boosters
ATHLETICS
Friday, August 31
7:00 - V FB @ North Baltimore
Saturday, September 1
10:00 - JV/V XC (H) Otsego Inv. (Mary Jane)
10:00 - JV FB (H) Pandora-Gilboa
5:30 - JV/V VB (H) Liberty Center
Tuesday, September 4
4:15 - 7th/8th VB @ Genoa
5:30 - JV/V VB @ Eastwood
Wednesday, September 5
4:15 - 7th/8th VB (H) Eastwood
Thursday, September 6
4:00 - BG @ NBC Shootout (Cross Winds)
4:15 - 7th/8th FB (H) Rossford
4:30 - GG @ NBC Shootout (Maumee Bay)
5:00 - BS @ Eastwood
5:00 - GS (H) Eastwood
5:30 - JV/V VB (H) Genoa
Friday, September 7
7:00 - V FB @ Bowling Green
Highlights from the week
COMMUNITY EVENTS SECTION
2018
Rhythm on the River
Sponsored by the Grand Rapids Historical Society
Programs at M.J. Wright Pavilion on Towpath
[In case of rain, concerts moved to Old Fire Station]
DC Taylor
Acoustic Guitar Duo – 50’s Through Today’s Hits
Dudley Yetter and Chris Watson
4:00 p.m., Sunday, June 17
Toraigh
Traditional Irish Folk Music
4:00 p.m., Sunday, June 24
Bliss
Acoustic Rock/Folk
4:00 p.m., Sunday, July 1
Quartet Bernadette
Unique Blend of Jazz, Pop and
Gems from the Great American Songbook
Quartet of Four String Instrument Players
4:00 p.m., Sunday, July 15
Buddy Love and the Coconuts
Fun, Energetic, 50’s and 60’s Rock Band
4:00 p.m., Sunday, July 29
North Coast Big Band
Jazz~Swing Music~Big Band Sound
Director: Gary Keller
4:00 p.m., Sunday, August 26
Ol’ Creek Road
Folk Band Playing Bluegrass, Gospel, Americana, 1970’s Tunes
4:00 p.m., Sunday, September 9
Otsego Swing Choir and Otsego Marching Band
4:00 p.m., Sunday, October 7
Local High School Organizations
Directors: Brien Sewell and Rich Dubler
4:00 p.m., Sunday, October 7
Questions, Concerns, Comments, or Rumors
Sponsors
Otsego Board of Education
President: Elizabeth Gorski jegorski@frontier.com
Vice President: Judy Snyder jasnyder715@gmail.com
Board Member: James Harter jameslharter@gmail.com
Board Member: Mark Tolles mdt814@cs.com
Board Member: Brad Anderson banderson.otsego@gmail.com
Adam Koch, Superintendent
Email: akoch@otsegoknights.org
Website: www.otsegoknights.org
Location: 18505 Tontogany Creek Road, Bowling Green, OH, United States
Phone: 419-823-4381
Twitter: @AdamKoch_Otsego
Lisa Austin, Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent/EMIS Coordinator
Email: laustin@otsegoknights.org
Phone: 419-823-4381
Lauri Dunham, Special Education Director
Email: ldunham@otsegoknights.org
Phone: 419-823-4381
Stephen Bihary, School Psychologist
Email: sbihary@otsegoknights.org
Phone: 419-823-4381
Luke Swartz, Technology Director
Email: lswartz@otsegoknights.org
Website: www.otsegoknights.org
Phone: 419-823-4381
Katrina Baughman, Elementary Principal
Email: kbaughman@otsegoknights.org
Phone: 419-823-4381
Twitter: @KBaughman723
Mike Wiley, Assistant Elementary Principal
Email: mwiley@otsegoknights.org
Phone: 419-823-4381
Twitter: @PrincpalWiley
Kevin O'Shea, High School Principal
Email: koshea@otsegoknights.org
Phone: 419-823-4381
Twitter: @KosheaOHS
Jon Rife, Junior High Principal
Email: jrife@otsegoknights.org
Phone: 419-823-4381
Twitter: @OJHS_Principal
Tom Ferdig, High School Athletic Director and Assistant Principal Grades 6-12
Email: tferdig@otsegoknights.org
Phone: 419-823-4381
Eva Vasher, Director of Transportation and Custodial
Email: evasher@otsegoknights.org
Phone: 419-823-4381
Jeanne Jeffers, Director of Food Service
Email: jjeffers@otsegoknights.org
Phone: 419-823-4381
Twitter: @Otsego_Cafe
Rick Haskins, Director of Maintenance
Email: rhaskins@otsegoknights.org
Phone: 419-823-4381