Otsego Jr. High
Weekly Update - March 18, 2016
Mr. Wiley's Message:
One of the highlights of the 2015-2016 school year has to be the addition of Academic Assist to your child’s schedule. Each student’s day ends with an Academic Assist (AA). This allows the student to finish work that they had started in class and if they find that they are struggling with an assignment, to go back to that teacher and receive some additional help. My goal in starting AA was to allow students the opportunity to finish homework at school with the additional perk of seeking help from a teacher if they found they were struggling with an assignment. The bonus of that was that there would be less homework coming home and that meant fewer struggles between parents and students. The comments I have received from parents have nearly all been positive.
Throughout the school year, we have considered ways to improve AA. Recently, through our Professional Development, we have decided to use our AA as a way to deliver interventions to our students who are behind academically. Next week most students will change AA teachers. The students who are in danger of failing for the year will come together in one AA classroom and receive intensive interventions and reteaching. It is our hope to reach these students and raise their grades so that at the end of the year, we do not have to consider whether these students should repeat a grade. Studies show that these interventions are very successful and can help get a student back on track. Once a student gets their grades at an acceptable level, they can move out of the intensive AA. So the AAs will be more flexible from now on, with the hopes of being more helpful to students. All other students can still see any teacher they like if they need assistance from that teacher. We will monitor the effectiveness of this new AA and make any changes needed so that it continues to be student-center program.
March 24th Safety Drill
Otsego Parents and Community Members:
The safety and welfare of our students and staff is our highest priority at the Otsego Local Schools. We practice safety drills throughout the year to help our students know what to do in an emergency. The Ohio Department of Education has recently changed the guidelines regarding emergency response drills. Otsego is required to have six emergency evacuation drills, three tornado drills, three school safety drills where students must be secured in the school building or rapidly evacuated in response to an immediate threat, and one theoretical school safety drill to provide faculty and staff with instruction in the procedures to follow in such situations.
The school district is working closely with the Wood County Sheriff’s Office to correctly implement these procedures. The goals of the training drills are to improve our ability to protect students, save lives, reduce injuries, and communicate clear expectations for students and staff. These practice drills allow us to evaluate our emergency operation plans and improve our response skills.
On Thursday, March 24th, all buildings will be having a safety drill and will be evacuating to our off site locations. Each location is within walking distance. The evacuation safety drill will take place in the afternoon. We will also be having age appropriate conversations with our students before and after the drill. The conversations will be centered on a violent intruder. Teachers, building staff and students will have the option to evacuate, barricade, or use evasive distractions to get away from an armed intruder. (Run-Hide-Fight)
If you have any questions or need further information, please do not hesitate to call us.
State Testing for 6th, 7th and 8th grade will be held April 11-29
Spring 2016 State Testing
This year, as a 6-12 building, we are working as a team to minimize the disruption of state tests. The High School Building Leadership Team developed a rotating block schedule that will allow classes to continue (albeit in a different rotation) during the 3 weeks of testing in April.
Below is the testing schedule for 6th, 7th, & 8th grade students:
- April 11th-14th: ELA Exams (all grades)
- April 18th, 19th, 21st, and 22nd: Math Exams (all grades)
- April 25th-28th: Science (8th grade only) & Social Studies (6th grade only)
While state testing is never our primary focus here at Otsego, we still strive to give our students their best chance possible. Parents can help with this by ensuring students are at school on the dates listed above, have had a good night sleep, and a healthy breakfast. At school we focus on encouraging students to do their best and show us what they know, reiterating that at home might help students feel less stress regarding taking these tests.
As always, feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.
Check out what's going on in the JH!
Clothing Drive
Toilet paper drive!
Student Council is having a toilet paper drive for the Otsego Food Pantry. You may bring toilet paper in until March 24.
Congratulations to Jesse Wright and Jake Manley for competing in the State Wrestling Meet
Miss Hildreth's Class: Book Projects!
Mr. Rohn's Class:
6th Grade:
Mrs. Hamrick's Math Class:
6th grade camp May 25, 26 & 27!
modern camping complex nestled away in the woods adjacent to Harrison
Lake State Park in Fayette, Ohio. Camp features complete indoor and
outdoor living and recreational facilities. The classes that are held
during camp follow Ohio's state curriculum standards. Camp gives our
students an opportunity to learn in a different setting
4-H Opportunity for 2016
Green Meadows 4-H Club is once again opening up membership for the upcoming 4-H year. Due to the recent graduation of a couple long term members, our numbers have dropped and we would be comfortable adding a few new members. Green Meadows has traditionally been based out of Haskins, however, over the last several years, the meetings have been held within the Haskins, Tontogany, and Grand Rapids areas. Anyone is welcome to join whether your child would be a CloverBud (kindergarten thru 2nd grade), a first time 4-H member (in 3rd grade or has never been in 4-H), or a veteran 4-Her looking for a new club. Green Meadows is a smaller club, typically with membership numbers right around 15. Members take a range of projects from cooking to clothing to livestock to pets to muskrat trapping to scrapbooking to independent projects. The list is endless. Shannon (419-356-9401) and Kim (419-205-5939) are the advisors and would gladly discuss the array of projects available for your child to take. For more information regarding this club, its expections, and the benefits of joining, please call or text one of the advisors. Our first meeting will be held on Sunday February 28th at the 4-H Extension Office in Bowling Green so that the kids can review the variety of projects available and the books accompanying each project.
Jr. High Sports Schedule & Forms
Otsego Knights JH Track 2016
Wednesday March 30 Liberty Benton w/N. Baltimore (Home) 4:15
Friday April 8 @ Woodmore JH Invitational 4:00
Friday April 15 @Patrick Henry JH Invitational 4:00
Monday April 18 @Rossford 4:15
Wednesday April 20 Woodmore (home) 4:15
Saturday April 23 @Swanton MS Invite 9:00 a.m.
Monday April 25 @ Lake 4:15
Wednesday April 27 Genoa (home) 4:15
Friday April 29 @ Elmwood Invitational 4:00
Monday May 2 @ Eastwood 4:15
Wednesday May 4 Fostoria (home) 4:15
Tuesday May 10 Elmwood (home) 4:15
Friday May 13 NBC Championships @ Fostoria 4:00
Coaches: Scott Bernthisel, Brandon Fitch, Matt Rohn
Athletic Director: Charles Spencer
Athletic Attendance Policy (See item #4 in Athletic Responsibility Waiver)
To participate in a contest or attend practice, an athlete must be in school all day of the contest unless prior arrangements are made with the principal. In the case of a week night contest, an athlete or cheerleader must be in attendance the entire following day in order to participate in the next contest.
This eligibility policy will apply to any student athletes, managers, statisticians, cheerleaders, and other extracurricular activities at OJHS involving students in grades 7 and 8. The junior high school principal or district superintendent may declare a student immediately ineligible for involvement in a serious offense.
OTSEGO LOCAL SCHOOLS… There’s an app for that!
FOOD SERVICE UPDATE
The K12 online payment program is up and running and working Great!
OFFICE STAFF
Michael Wiley, Principal
Email: mwiley@otsegoknights.org
Website: http://otsegoknights.org/junior-high-school
Location: 18505 Tontogany Creek Road, Bowling Green, OH, United States
Phone: 419-823-4381
Twitter: @OtsegoJHS
Jessica Frank, Administrative Assistant
Email: jfrank@otsegoknights.org
Website: http://otsegoknights.org/junior-high-school
Location: 18505 Tontogany Creek Road, Bowling Green, OH, United States
Phone: 419-823-4381
Twitter: @OtsegoJHS