The Eagle Eye
Oak Hill United School Corporation - November 2021
From the Superintendent's Desk
It is getting to be that time of year again when Indiana’s own James Whitcomb Riley would say, “The Frost is on the punkin and the fodder’s in the shock.” As a former varsity basketball coach this has always been the signal for me that basketball season has arrived. Now as a superintendent, it is a reminder that inclement weather may be quickly approaching. Therefore, I wanted to take a moment and review our procedures for two hour delays and e-learning days.
Generally speaking and whenever possible, I will make the decision to delay or cancel school the night before school. If the night before is not an option, the decision to delay or have e-learning will be made by 6:15 am at the very latest. There is always the possibility that we may delay school and then be forced to have e-learning, and that decision will be made by 8:15 am the very latest. You should be receiving a Skylert in the form of a phone call, email, and text message if you signed up to get these alerts when you registered your student. If you are not getting these notifications please contact your student’s school and they will be happy to help you.
Also, this is the time of year when school corporations negotiate new contracts with their teachers. We are proud to announce that at Monday night's OHUSC School Board meeting the OHUSC Board of Trustees unanimously approved a new teacher’s contract and pay increases for all non-certified staff. The new contract will allow OHUSC to meet the new state requirements regarding minimum teacher salaries, keep OHUSC extremely competitive with other area districts in terms of teacher compensation packages, and provide an increase of $3,325.00 for all teachers with a Bachelor's Degree and $3,000.00 for teachers with a Master’s Degree over last year’s base salaries. Additionally, the OHUSC approved pay increases for all non-certified staff members.
The pay increases this year are the direct result of being fiscally responsible over the past 18 months by operating within a balanced budget, aggressively pursuing grant opportunities, and the implementation of the new high school schedule last year, which produced an untapped source of income in CTE funding. Furthermore, we have been able to accomplish this while increasing the number of certified and non-certified staff members and withstanding the negative financial impact of a declining student enrollment. Yet, more than anything, the increase is a thank you to all of our teachers and staff who do an amazing job for our students, schools, and community. Thank you OHUSC teachers and staff, you are AWESOME!
Sincerely,
Dr. Chad C. Cripe
Converse Elementary Food Drive for Samaritan Room
To Show Converse Elementary Cares!!!
Monday November 15th through Tuesday November 23rd - ends at 8:30a.m!
The class who brings in the most items wins a pizza party!
Helpful Non-Perishable items include:
Flour, Sugar, Vegetable Oil, Dry Noodles, Stuffing Mix, Spaghetti, Canned Fruit,
Canned Vegetables, Jell-O, Pudding,
Cereal Bags or Boxes, Spaghetti Sauce,
Peanut Butter, Jelly, Pancake Mix, Syrup,
Canned Chicken or Tuna, Boxed Instant Potatoes, Bar Soap, Dish Soap,
Laundry Soap, Toilet Paper, Shampoo, Toothbrushes, Toothpaste, Baby Food
or Formula items etc.
Converse Student and Staff Member of the Month
Converse is celebrating Jazzlyn "Jazzy" Jackson. She is a 2nd grade student at Converse. Jazzy is ALWAYS smiling...I mean ALWAYS! She greets everyone with her smile and she is always truly concerned about making sure others are having a great day. Here are some things that adults in our building had to say about Jazzy:
"This girl is ALWAYS smiling no matter what. She can fall down, and get back up and still be smiling. It seems like she doesn’t let anything get her down."
"This young lady always has a joyful smile every time I see her. Her smile is so contagious and I love it when I pass her down the hallway during dismissal every day. She always does her best in art class and takes such great pride in her work. I love her positive outlook and ability to bring joy everywhere she goes."
Joy...Jazzy brings JOY! Jazzy, we are so thankful you are a part of our Converse family!
Converse is celebrating Terry Grinslade, our Converse lead custodian! He always takes care of building needs in an immediate manner. When he sees that something needs to be done, he just does it without hesitation. He goes above and beyond his job description daily! He is a great communicator throughout the summer about cleaning schedules, and during the year he does the same! He always has a smile to greet the staff and students. He does an excellent job of interacting with our little Converse friends! We appreciate all that he does to make sure Converse is not only well maintained, but in top notch shape for our Converse Family! THANK YOU MR. GRINSLADE! Your Converse Family appreciates you!
News From Sweetser Elementary
We have launched into Unit 2 of our new reading program with the informational unit. Our 3rd and 4th graders are working hard on developing their research skills and diving into new topics. 3rd graders are exploring weather and climate topics while 4th graders are exploring animal adaptations. Be sure to check in with your student about what is happening in the classroom!
Sweetser Elementary had 98% of our students represented through parent teacher conferences! Thank you for taking time to meet with us to ensure that all students have a successful school year.
Sweetser Students and Staff Member of the Month
4th Grader Ashlyn Nall was nominated by her teacher Mrs. Johnson. Ashlyn works hard and always has things completed on time and is cheerful and has a great attitude. She is a great role model each and everyday.
Swayzee News
Hello Swayzee Parents, Guardians, and Community Members
Well here we are and we are approaching Thanksgiving Break! This semester sure seems to be moving along quickly. Before we know it the semester will be over. The students and teachers continue to work hard as we push into the holiday season. RTI continues to be progressing and I can’t wait to see results of the hard work from both our students and staff during mid-year IREADY Diagnostics. Also, please remember that we have tutoring sessions for all students on Tuesday and Thursday after school. All 5th and 6th students are welcome to attend! Please see the attached flyer for more details. It is our hope that if your son or daughter needs help they take advantage of this opportunity provided by our staff.
As we move close to the holidays here are some events that will be taking place at Swayzee:
Veterans Day is November 11th. Miss Burton and Mrs. Drollinger have been working with the Swayzee staff to celebrate Veterans Day. Your son or daughter should have brought home a red form last week. Please fill out and return these forms if you have any family member or friend that has been or is currently in the military. We will hang these up at school to celebrate and honor those individuals serving or who have served our country. They will be displayed until Thanksgiving Break. Also, Mrs. Drollinger will be doing a unit on Veterans Day during library and students will work on sending out thank you cards to those who served.
Mid-Year IREADY Diagnostics will be on December 1st and 2nd for 5th and 6th grade English and on December 7th and 8th for 5th and 6th grade Math. Please make sure your son or daughter gets plenty of rest the night before his or her diagnostic. We want all the students to be able to perform to the best of their ability!
Band and Choir will have their Holiday Concert on December 13th at 9AM in the Swayzee Elementary gym.
Our annual holiday food drive will take place from November 15th through the 23rd. Prizes will be given to the homeroom that brings in the most food to help those in need.
Once we get back from Thanksgiving Break we will only have three full weeks until Christmas Break. Christmas Break and the end of the semester begins when the end of school bell rings on December 17th.
Swayzee Students and Staff Member of the Month
Isabella (Bella) Lavengood - November 5th grade Student of the Month
Bella Lavengood is the 5th grade student of the month for November at Swayzee Elementary. She has been an integral part of helping a new student feel welcome, accepted, and included. She has made adjustments to her own lunch/recess schedule to help the new student have a friend to eat and play with at school. Even if the other student makes her mad, Bella doesn’t ever complain. While Bella has gone out of her way to help this new student, I see her doing the same thing for other students as well. She is a good friend to all kinds of students, not just her typical peer group. She goes above and beyond to help others. We are blessed to have Bella at our school!
Callie Nuber - November 6th grade Student of the month
New to Swayzee this year, Callie Nuber has been a welcome addition to the 6th grade student body. Callie has a genuine smile for everyone she meets, and knows how to make her classmates feel welcomed and wanted. She leads by example, and isn't afraid to respectfully give her thoughts and opinions, while also welcoming the thoughts and opinions of others. We are excited to have Callie in sixth grade, and we look forward to the bright future she has!
Shellie Crowe and Kelli Pickering - Staff Members of the Month
Mrs. Crowe and Mrs. Pickering are both 5th grade English teachers at Swayzee Elementary. This year OHUSC has adopted a new English curriculum for grades 3-5 which includes both Sweetser and Swayzee Elementary schools. Adopting and implementing a high-quality knowledge-building core curriculum is very important and time consuming. A high quality curriculum has a strong positive effect on student learning, teacher efficacy, and overall school success. Both Mrs. Crowe and Mrs. Pickering have been working tirelessly learning the new curriculum in order to make the best use of instructional time to build students’ knowledge and engage them in more intellectually challenging work. Many times I have seen them in the building and collaborating until the early evening to make sure they are providing the best possible education for the Swayzee 5th grade students. Their effort has not gone unnoticed and we are already seeing the benefits in the classroom. Mr. Means truly appreciates the effort he is seeing from Mrs. Crowe and Mrs. Pickering. It is a privilege to recognize Mrs. Pickering and Mrs. Crowe as the Swayzee Elementary employees of the month for November. Keep up the great work Mrs. Crowe and Mrs. Pickering!
As you can see, our teachers, students, and staff are very busy as we head toward the end of the semester. It’s awesome to walk into a classroom and see all the positive energy and hard work from both the students and teachers. Swayzee Elementary wishes everyone the best as we approach the holiday season!
Shawn Means
Principal
Swayzee Elementary
Oak Hill Junior High FCA Sponsoring Angel Tree
The Oak Hill Jr. High FCA is continuing to sponsor student dress up days between now and December 23rd. The purpose is to help raise some money to give towards the Grant County Angel Tree Foundation. For a donation of a dollar students will dress up in various themes to help raise the funds. Donations (to “OHJH FCA”) of any amounts are welcome. Then after raising the money students in the FCA will go shopping for about 10 local kids in the Angel Tree Program for Christmas, and deliver the gifts to the local Salvation Army for those selected children.
As of November 4th, over $500 has already been donated!!!
Angel Tree
OHJH Dress Up Days!
All Days except Costume Day--$1.00
November
5th (Fri.)- Disney/Marvel/Star Wars Day
12th (Fri) - Fake an injury Day
19th (Fri) - Teacher/Student Swap Day
23rd (Tues) - Pajama Day
All money raised will go to purchasing Christmas gifts for children on the Salvation Army Angel Tree.
Our goal=12 children, $100 per child.
JH Classes Build Strong Readers and Writers
~Spooky Snapshot Writing~
7th grade students focused on writing a short, spooky story with
strong imagery, dialogue, and plot twists.
8th graders have been working on The Narrative Life of Frederick Douglass in literature class. This is the first year we have read this novel with our new curriculum, and the students have enjoyed learning about his life as a slave.
OHJH Drama Soon Takes the Stage
OHJH Students and Staff Member of the Month
Elley Weaver is our 7th Grade Student of the Month for October. One of our staff members commented, “Elley is so joyful, kind and polite with everyone. Her smile and enthusiasm are contagious” Elley participates in cheer, dance and choir. Her favorite classes are ELA and History. She is the daughter of Bryan and Jenn Weaver. She has one brother, Sawyer.
Alexis Nuber is our 8th Grade Student of the Month for October. One of Lexi’s teachers commented, “Lexi is a wonderful addition to OHJH. She is incredibly responsible and attacks her work with vigor. She is an active participant in her education and has incredible attention to detail. It’s so great to have her here” Lexi’s favorite class is Math and she participates in soccer, cheer, FCA and church youth group. She is the daughter of Matt and Charissa Nuber and has one sister, Callie.
Mr. Andrew Hamilton who teaches Phys Ed and Health, is the OHJH staff member of the month for October. Mr. Hamilton is a very caring and committed educator with a kind spirit. He and his wife, Jordan, have been married for a little over 5 years. Jordan is also an educator. They enjoy traveling to new places, camping, hiking, cooking and watching Marvel movies. In addition to his classroom responsibilities, Mr. Hamilton also coaches Cross Country and Track & Field as well as being involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. OHJH is blessed to have Mr. Hamilton on our team!
Updates from Oak Hill High School
The month of November is National Gratitude Month. I imagine this is due to the Thanksgiving holiday that is looming on the horizon. I recently came across the following article that is a very short but worthwhile read that I would highly recommend:
10 Amazing Statistics to Celebrate National Gratitude Month
What a powerful tool we all have that doesn't cost a dime. The power of simply letting someone know they are recognized and valuable is something that we all possess. During a time of year where it is difficult to muster up the motivation to complete certain tasks, it is amazing how a thoughtful word spoken at the right time can energize someone in your vicinity to want to excel and grow as a person and/or a professional.
Gratitude also involves identifying the areas in our own lives where we are blessed. There are very few people at OHHS who know my story of what I went through this time last year. Exactly one year ago I experienced a life-threatening situation with COVID-19 that I wouldn't exactly recommend for anyone anytime soon. I am certainly going to take the time to be thankful that those days are over and I am in a much healthier place. This in itself motives me to do things I wasn't sure I was going to be able to this time last year.
I think intentional gratitude gets unintentionally lost in the shuffle of our busy lives. As we kick off National Gratitude Month, I would encourage you to set a daily "Gratitude Goal." Identify something to be thankful for in your own life and send a word of gratitude to one person in your vicinity each day. Thank an educator for working to help our children earn success. Thank a farmer for their work in putting food on our plates. Thank a mechanic for keeping our modes of transportation reliable. Thank a child for making positive choices. Thank our friends, families, and loved ones for the support they provide. The ways we can share gratitude and the people we can thank are endless.
This is something I will be doing to eventually make this practice a daily habit. As this article mentions, taking this short amount of time will have positive benefits to everyone's mental health and will most certainly contribute to making OHHS the best place we can make it.
Important Dates
ISTEP Retest Practice Test - November 10
Marion Regional Career Center Presentation (Sophomores/Juniors) - November 11 (SRT)
ISTEP Retest - November 16-17
Midterm II - November 17
No School/Thanksgiving Break - Nov. 24-26
End of Semester I - December 17
OHHS Student and Staff Member of the Month
OHHS Student of the Month: Logan Ormsby
Logan Ormsby is a senior at OHHS. Logan models a desire to constantly seek growth opportunities through an ambitious goal he has recently set. Logan recently applied for the QuestBridge scholarship. As part of this application process, Logan identified his top twelve universities he would like to attend. These are all prestigious out-of-state institutes, many of whom are members of the Ivy League. Logan was recently selected as a finalist for the schools he ranked. If he wins, he will receive a full-ride scholarship to the school of his choice. Getting to this point has taken an incredible amount of Logan's time to prepare documents, participate in interviews, etc. None of this has taken away from his performance at school. We want to wish Logan well in his pursuit of this scholarship as he will find out in December if he is chosen. However, we are proud of him regardless of the outcome for setting ambitious goals and putting in the time to give himself incredible opportunities that will further his college and career plans.
OHHS Staff Member of the Month: Heather Reece
Mrs. Reece was board approved earlier this school year to serve as a long-term substitute. During this time, Heather worked to develop relationships with students and staff through her work ethic and positive attitude. Heather's last assigned date for this placement was October 14. On this last day before Fall Break, Heather made the following request: she asked to remain at school as a full-time volunteer. She reasoned that she wanted to continue to be dependable for the students and staff in the building. This is a testament to Heather's character that she was willing to come to school and work with students and staff free of charge. We are fortunate to have staff members like Heather whose desire is to make OHHS a better place for all.
Trunk or Treat
OHHS Drama presents "All Together Now!"
This weekend, Oak Hill HS Drama will be presenting the the music revue All Together Now! As this is actually a global event, we will be joining schools and theatres from around the country and world in hosting this production. This show involves students in other buildings and OHHS alumni as well. Showtimes are Saturday, November 13 (7:00pm), and Sunday, November 14 (2:30pm). Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for students.
Please contact Miss Kincaid at aeronki@ohusc.k12.in.us if you would like information on purchasing tickets in person. Tickets can also be purchased online using the included link.
This production is RESERVED STEATING and tickets are going fast, so get yours today!
It's a Wrap on "Murder's in the Heir"
State Qualifier
Congratulations on a great season, Owen!
Unified Robotics Wins Teamwork Award at State Competition
On Saturday, November 6th, Swayzee Elementary sent a team of 5 students to the State Unified Robotics Tournament hosted at Taylor University. After facing some technical difficulties with the robot during the first round, the team went back to the practice area and made the necessary adjustments to have a more successful second and third round. At the end of the competition, the Swayzee Unified Robotics team won the Teamwork Award! They were recognized for their hard work as a team together. “Always first to a team solution, this team knows that Together Everyone Achieves More.” Congratulations Ethan Leas, Carter Kreitzer, Luke Sutton, Addison Jeffries, and Xander Beatty!
OH Cheerleaders Compete at State
Congratulations!
Community Bulletin Board
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UPCOMING EVENTS
OHUSC School Board Meeting: December 13
End of 1st Semester: December 17
NO SCHOOL Christmas Break: December 20-January 3