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July 2008
Attorney general sees conflict
The Ohio Attorney General issued a statement last week saying it was a conflict of interest to hold the positions of township administrator and board of education member in the same county.
Madison Board of Education member Todd Farler, who took the post of Madison Twp. Administrator in January, said he doesn’t see the conflict.
The school board will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 5 to discuss the issue.
According to the attorney general’s office, the opinion is simply a well researched opinion, and requires no action. It states because both positions deal with tax dollars, there is a conflict of interest as both jobs compete for the 10-mill limitation.
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TweetBig ideas from governor’s discussion
About 50 teachers, parents, city officials, superintendents and others gathered in Middletown Tuesday to discuss education reform after viewing by video Gov. Ted Strickland’s talk on education, held in Dayton.
Middletown Journal reporter Justin Thompson attended the event, and told me the attendees broke into small groups and discussed their ideas, eventually selecting one to submit to the governor’s office:
Their “big idea” was:
Ohio will develop schools with full service centers emphasizing accountability that foster health and wellness, cultural competency, parental involvement, continuing education, and intergenerational learning, thus preparing students for employment and using the schools as centers of community activity.
The group’s other recorded ideas were:
Holistic Education-Arts, academics, physical and mental wellness, life-skills.
Parent involvement. Employers giving incentives to parents involved in schools.
Breaking the barriers that stop education reforms. Unions, funding, and turf issues.
Valuing the whole child. Emphasizing successes and skills of the individual child. Teaching successful parental skills.
Community involvement. Jobs during the summer-internships. Business involvement. Transportation, using existing public.
We will develop schools with full service centers emphasizing health and wellness centers, cultural competency, parental involvement, continuing education, and intergenerational learning, thus preparing students for employment activity.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Miami University Middletown, Middletown City Schools
TweetBusiness manager to resign
Franklin Business Manager Jeff Johnson is set to give his resignation, as he finalizes plan to take a job at Butler Tech, according to Board of Education President Chris Sizemore.
Sizemore said the board will likely hold a special meeting before their regularly scheduled Aug. 11 work session to approve Johnson’s resignation - as well as approve the hiring of a new principal for Hunter Elementary School, who has not yet been selected.
The district will likely post the position after Johnson formally announces his resignation, but Sizemore said it is not yet decided if it will be immediately filled with another full-time employee, or if the duties will be handled by a supplemental contract temporarily. He said Superintendent Arnol Elam will be a part of that decision.
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TweetSecurity breach doesn’t affect MUM students
Last week, Miami University mistakenly sent 3,100 first-year student ID numbers to 148 incoming students in an e-mail about an online survey about starting college, reporter Rich Wilson wrote for the Middletown Journal.
The security breach did not affect any students from Miami’s regional campus in Middletown, according to Miami Middletown’s Web site. They posted the following statement:
Recent news reports have described the efforts Miami University is taking to ensure the integrity of incoming student information after university-issued ID numbers for a large portion of the freshman class were accidentally included in a series of e-mails. No Miami Middletown student records were involved in this incident, and no information involving incoming MUM students was part of the security breach. The incident involved first-year students who enrolled on the Oxford campus. The university knows of no improper use of the accidentally released information, but is replacing the ID numbers for all those students as a precaution.
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TweetCarlisle board members say it’s not the right time for levy
If you checked Middletownjournal.com before coming to my blog, you already know the Carlisle Board of Education took their first - and possibly last - step toward a November levy attempt.
Board members approved the first of two required resolutions at their meeting Monday. The resolution passed Monday asks for the Warren County auditor to compute the amount of money that would be collected with a 6.98-mill property tax.
The two board members who made public comments and two I spoke to privately after the meeting all said they felt personally it was not the right time to ask voters for more money.
However, if they did not take the first step Monday, there would not have been enough time for the auditor to make the required computations before the Aug. 20 deadline to get the levy on the ballot.
What you didn’t read about in Tuesday’s newspaper:
Director of Operations Wayne Maxie reported all buses that will be used in the upcoming school year passed a second inspection by the Ohio State Highway Patrol. The buses were inspected earlier in the summer, and five buses did not pass inspection at that time for reasons including a soft spot on the floor and a stop sign that didn’t function.
Superintendent Mike Griffith announced the district will have a booth at Carlisle’s Railroad Days festival Aug. 16, where residents can pick up information like building schedules and supply lists.
The board unanimously approved a 3-year contract for High School Principal Matt Bishop, who Griffith said “has done a wonderful job.” The board also approved the resignation of band director Kenny Carpenter.
There was also a public discussion about retire/rehire. Read about it after the jump.
Superintendent Mike Griffith took a few minutes at Monday’s board meeting to discuss retire/rehire, a policy that drew questions from two people in the audience.
Griffith said there have been two school employees (not teachers) who have retired and been rehired this year. He estimates a total $70,000 savings over two years.
One man in the audience called it “double dipping” and asked why the district does not just hire someone with little experience who would be paid less. Griffith said if he can save the district money, be loyal to dedicated employees and keep a qualified person “to not do that would be irresponsible.”
Treasurer Jerry Ellender said in the case of the two retire/rehires, there was no one waiting to be promoted to those jobs. He said these decisions are made on a case-by-case basis, and once someone takes advantage of the policy, they do not advance in years with the district for pay increases. Also, those people lose their seniority in case of cut backs, Griffith said.
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TweetWatch the governor tonight
Tonight is the night to join other people interested in education and watch and discuss the governor’s speech on education reform.
Middletown City Schools and Miami University Middletown have teamed up to offer a place to watch by video the governor’s invitation-only presentation in Dayton.
Miami Middletown Dean Kelly Cowan will facilitate a discussion viewing the speech. Sen. Gary Cates, R-West Chester Twp., will also be on hand to join the discussion.
How to go
What: Gov. Ted Strickland’s Conversation on Education
Where: Room 142 of Johnston Hall at Miami University Middletown, 4200 N. University Blvd.
When: 4:30 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 29
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TweetThree boards meet tonight
Three local school boards meet tonight:
Franklin
Franklin’s new Superintendent Arnol Elam is available for a meet and greet today, July 29.
The district is holding an open house from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the Hampton Bennett Administration Building, 150 E. Sixth St.
Elam, who retired from Monroe Local Schools, started his new post Monday, July 21. He has a contract for the 2008-09 school year.
During the board meeting, board members will recognize the Franklin High School Envirothon Team, which placed fourth out of 343 teams in a statewide competition, as well as eighth-grader Chloe Cochran, who earned the “Wildcat of the Year” award. District to discuss November levy
Carlisle
The Carlisle Board of Education could take the first step toward placing a levy on the November ballot at their 6 p.m. meeting today.
Residents are invited to join the discussion and hear other regular business of the board during the meeting in the choir room of Carlisle High School, 250 Jamaica Road.
Edgewood
The Edgewood Board of Education meets tonight. Following in the footsteps of Carlisle and Madison schools, the board will be voting on an increase in lunch prices.
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TweetNew buildings near opening
For coverage of back to school (countdown to the first day of school: 24), I’ve been talking to principals and administrators about the new Wildwood and Mayfield elementary school buildings and the renovated school that will now house Central Academy.
The schools are the last of the district’s overhaul of all elementary schools. The buildings boast wooden gym floors, new technology and more.
Full coverage and plenty of pictures will print in our Aug. 10 paper. And dedication ceremonies will be held in September and October.
So, what do you think of the new buildings and the whole building project?
Update: I made a correction to this post. Only kindergarten classrooms in the new buildings will have sinks in the classroom.
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TweetBringing spanking back
A Georgia school is bringing spanking back as a discipline measure, but only with parent permission, the Associated Press reports.
The school’s board of education felt in many cases detention wasn’t cutting it.
Would you give the green light for paddling?
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TweetSchool estimates $35,000 savings
There’s been some questioning about Carlisle’s decision to approve the retire/rehire of a longtime bus driver. One anonymous writer even questioned if the district “created” a job for her.
It seems decisions to retire and rehire school employees often draw fire from community members, even when a retired educator takes a job at a different district.
Rose England, who has worked for Carlisle more than 40 years, was approved for retirement and kept on part-time to continue doing scheduling of bus routes, bussing for field trips and athletic events and other related duties.
Carlisle Superintendent Mike Griffith said he estimates the district will save a minimum $35,000 over the next two years. “It’s a significant savings for us,” he said. “Why would we not take advantage of that?”
Losing England as a full-time employee, Griffith said, will mean the district no longer pays on her health care. It also cuts her salary - one of the highest in the department because of her years with the district - as she moves to part-time work.
And with the district cutting bus drivers because of changes to the routes, Griffith said England’s retirement will result in a position between eliminated through attrition instead of laying off a worker. If England didn’t stay on, Griffith said, another person would have to be hired to do the work.
So what do you think? What are your likes, dislikes and questions about retire/rehire policies?
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TweetCoach pleads guilty, surrenders teaching license
Former Madison High School softball coach and teacher David “Jamie” Wagner had pleaded guilty to having sex with a student, Middletown Journal reporter Lauren Pack reports.
He pleaded today to one count of sexual battery, a third-degree felony, which carries a possible prison sentence of up to five years and a $10,000 fine. Wagner will also be classified as a Tier III sexual offender that will require him to register with the sheriff’s office every 90 days for the rest of his life.
As part of the plea, Wagner has agreed to surrender his Ohio teaching certificate, according to defense attorney Richard Skelton.
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TweetWatch, discuss governor’s talk on education
Middletown City Schools and Miami University Middletown have teamed up to offer the community a place to watch and discuss Gov. Ted Strickland’s talk on education reform.
The watch party for the governor’s “Conversation on Education” will be held at Miami Middletown from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 29, during Strickland’s invitation-only talk in Dayton.
“This is an important time for the community to come together and provide input to the governor’s office regarding the needs of our district,” said Middletown Superintendent Steve Price.
“At this meeting, we will view Gov. Strickland’s presentation and then have group discussions and a question and answer session,” Price said.
Miami Middletown Dean Kelly Cowan will facilitate the discussion and responses will be recorded and sent to the governor’s office, according to Middletown schools.
No other viewing parties are currently planned, but local school officials are encouraging residents to watch the talk on television or online, and send comments to the governor’s office.
For more information or to watch live online, visit ConversationOnEducation.org.
How to go
What: Gov. Ted Strickland’s Conversation on Education
Where: Room 142 of Johnston Hall at Miami University Middletown, 4200 N. University Blvd.
When: 4:30 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 29
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TweetMississippi school bans teacher-student messaging
A Mississippi school has banned text messaging and online communication between teachers and students, the Associated Press recently reported.
Students and teachers are not banned from creating profiles on popular social networking sites, like Facebook.com or Myspace.com, but are now not allowed to communicate through them.
With student use of social networking sites and text messaging continually increasing, local schools have been updating their Internet use policy for school computers. But even in recent months, inappropriate text messaging led to an investigation of a Madison teacher, who ultimately was fired when police uncovered a sexual relationship he had with a high school student.
So, what do you think? Should students and teachers be allowed to text message and communicate online? Should school districts enact such a ban?
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TweetTerminated coach wants pay
The Madison Board of Education voted this week to deny payment to former coach David “Jamie” Wagner for his softball coaching contract for the 2007-08 school year.
Wagner filed a grievance earlier this month to collect about $3,300 for his coaching contract, which the school district says he did not fulfill, according to records obtained from the school district through an open records request.
Wagner was terminated as a coach and teacher in June, following two sexual battery charges for allegedly engaging in sexual activity with a 17-year-old female Madison High School student, according to the Butler County Sheriff’s Office.
Wagner’s grievance - which asks for full payment of his contract plus interest, and any and all other remedy deemed appropriate - was first denied by the high school principal, who said he did not have proper authority to handle the matter. It was also denied by Superintendent Chris Cline, who cited language in Wagner’s softball contract that states he agrees “to abide by and maintain the rules and regulations and policies… (and) all pertinent Ohio laws.”
The Madison Board of Education unanimously voted this week to deny the grievance and, if necessary, move to arbitration rather than settlement to enforce the denial of payment.
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TweetMUM offers new bachelor’s degree
Miami University Middletown got the green light from the state Tuesday to offer a new four-year Bachelor of Integrative Studies degree.
It will also be offered at the regional campus in Hamilton. Both campuses expect about 60 to 75 people to enroll and will add one faculty member.
Read about another effort by the regional campuses after the jump.
Miami University Middletown and Hamilton have signed partnership agreements Cincinnati State Technical and Community College and Sinclair Community College’s Courseview Campus in Mason, according to a news release.
The partnership will make it easier for students to transfer credits between the institutions, with most upper-division courses to be taught at Miami’s regional campuses.
They hope the partnership and new degree program will contribute to the Governor’s goal of 230,000 new college graduates in Ohio over the next 10 years.
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TweetMadison keeps fees, ups lunch prices
So much happened at Madison’s Board of Education meeting Monday that it would not all fit into a story, so here’s a little more from that meeting (check out my story at middletownjournal.com for the big ticket items):
Just after approving a large reduction in fees for extra curricular activities, the board voted unanimously on school fees for the 2008-09 school year, despite comments by board member Todd Farler that he would rather see the school fees reduced. “This is a fee that affects every child in the district,” Farler said. “This is where we look at reducing costs.”
The board voted on increase lunch prices for the 2008-09 school year, upping prices 25 cents. Madison primary students will now pay $2.50, intermediate $2.50 and junior/senior high $2.75. “Costs are going up very heavily because of fuel,” said Treasuer Mark Zimov.
Board member Tim Young said he would like to see the district do a wider search for coaches, who have a large influence on children’s lives.
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TweetMeet the new superintendent
Community members are invited to meet Franklin’s new Superintendent Arnol Elam before the board meeting Monday, July 28.
The open house will be held from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the Hampton Bennett Administration Building, at 150 E. Sixth St.
Elam, who retired from Monroe Local Schools, started his new post Monday, July 21. He has a contract for the 2008-09 school year.
I’m planning on a question and answer story with Elam for next week, so what questions do you have for him?
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TweetKings passes over former Edgewood leader
Kings Local Schools has offered their top job to a Greeneview superintendent, passing over former Edgewood Superintendent Tom York, who was a finalist for the position, according to reporter Danielle Wilson.
Browning and York were the two finalists for the position. Neither has been reached for comment yet.
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TweetBoard looks at extra curricular fees
The Madison Board of Education meets at 6 p.m. tonight and will consider reduced pay-to-participate fees for sports and extra curricular activites.
Last month the board unanimously voted down a proposed fee schedule, which would have left fees equal to the amounts charged last year. The proposed fee schedule started at $180 for a sport, with discounts for multiple sports and multiple children.
Board members said they understood the fees were supposed to be reduced each year, and one board member said he would like to see the fees reduced to $50. Another said he would like to see them eliminated.
You can see the entire agenda after the jump.
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TweetDo you want to watch the governor?
I heard this week that Middletown school officials are working with the state to organize a watch party for Gov. Ted Strickland’s education talk in Dayton later this month.
The actual event in Dayton is by invitation only, but Middletown could arrange to have a video feed of it here in town. The meeting also will be broadcast on local PBS stations and streamed live on the Web.
Would you want to watch?
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TweetWhat do you need to know about the levy?
It’s no secret Carlisle needs extra funding to avoid budget cuts, but it’s also clear that families today are struggling to get by.
I think one woman at last week’s Carlisle Board of Education meeting said it best: “I want my children to have a good education… but I also want to be able to feed them.”
The board will meet again July 28, and could take the first step to a November attempt at a 6.98-mill property tax levy that would cost the owner of a $100,000 about $244 annually.
Before that meeting, I’m planning a question and answer story with information you need to know… so what questions do you have for Carlisle about the levy?
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TweetFranklin approves new superintendent
Arnol Elam will take over as Franklin superintendent for the upcoming school year.
Elam, of Fairfield, retired in December 2007 from Monroe Local Schools. He was approved by the Franklin school board for the 2008-09 school year at a base salary for $98,000, the same rate the district paid former Superintendent Doug Lantz.
Lantz, 51, left Franklin schools to take the helm of Northmont City Schools in the Dayton suburb of Englewood. He had two years left on his contract with Franklin.
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TweetSix football players suspended
Six Franklin football players have been suspended for the first game of the season, according to Athletic Director Rodney Roberts.
“They broke team rules. It’s a code of conduct thing,” Roberts said, declining to elaborate on which rules were violated or where the misbehavior occurred. “We’re handling the discipline and it’s a stiff discipline.”
Roberts said the players face no criminal charges and the incident occurred outside of school time about three weeks ago.
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TweetKids watch TV 150 percent more
In the hot days of summer, something rises even higher than the temperature: the amount of time kids spending watching TV.
The amount of time children spend behind the television jumps 150 percent percent during summer vacation, according to a press release from the Smart Television Alliance.
To fill some of those open hours during the day, Smart Television suggested a few activities, like this one from “Peep and the Big Wide World”
Get some sidewalk chalk and invite your child to stand in an agreed upon spot (mark the spot with an X) while you trace his/her shadow. Go out again several times throughout the day. Have her stand in the same spot and trace her shadow each time. How did her shadow change? When was it the biggest or the smallest?
What activities or places do you suggest for summertime fun?
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TweetTwo elementary schools demolished
This week, two former elementary school buildings are being demolished after a combined 100 years of serving students.
After demo is complete, the Creekview site will be used as a playground and Taft will also be maintained by the district.
As a former student of Wildwood Elementary, which saw the wrecking ball to make way for a new school in its place, I asked for your stories to honor these longtime elementary building.
What surprised me was how many people from out of state contacted me to share their stories. Many said they remain in touch with their former classmates or teachers.
One former Creekview student e-mail me to inquire about a time capsule his sixth grade class buried, but the district has no record of. I also got a call from a man now living in Virginia who shared memories of Creekview’s custodian in the 1980s, Louie, who “did everything.”
A Washington woman said the demolition of Creekview, where she taught for 28 years, can best be described in a quote from the Wonder Years: “Memory is a way of holding onto things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose.”
What are your memories from these schools?
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TweetBoard to talk levy today
The Edgewood Board of Education is meeting at 5:30 p.m. today to discuss a possible November bond levy.
The district has been examining the possibility of remodeling its existing buildings and building two new schools: a high school and another building for preschoolers and kindergarten, according to previous Journal stories.
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TweetBoard approved new superintendent
Doug Lantz has been approved has the superintendent of Northmont Local Schools, near Dayton, according to an article from the Journal’s sister paper, the Dayton Daily News.
“I feel truly blessed to be part of the Thunderbolt family,” Lantz said following the vote on a 3-year contract. “I want to continue the Northmont tradition of success.”
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TweetLevy talk tonight
The Carlisle Board of Education invites all community members to attend a special meeting today to discuss a possible future levy attempt.
Attendees will get information district finances, possible time tables for a levy attempt and information on what cuts would be made if a levy is not passed, said board Vice President James Campbell.
Even the type of levy might be discussed, but the board is looking at an emergency, 5-year property tax levy.
Carlisle has made about $919,000 in cuts to achieve a balanced budget and will have about a $5,400 positive balance at the end of the upcoming school year. But even with the cuts, the district will go back into deficit spending for the 2009-10 school year.
Carlisle currently collects about $1.8 million annually from a 1 percent income tax levy approved by voters in 2003. The district also receives the state-required 20-mill property tax automatically granted to every Ohio public school district.
The meeting is at 6 p.m. July 14 in the choir room of Carlisle High School at 250 Jamaica Road.
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TweetDayton-area board to vote on Franklin superintendent
The Northmont Board of Education is set to vote on the hiring of Franklin Superintendent Doug Lantz at their meeting Monday, July 14.
Lantz recently announced the Dayton-area district had offered him the superintendent position. Lantz has not submitted his resignation at Franklin yet, pending his approval in Northmont.
The Franklin Board of Education will meet twice this week. On Monday, July 14, the board has a special meeting set to discuss negotiations with their classified workers, as well as a staffing update.
The board will also voting on the resignation of: Jonda Hamilton, special education supervisor; Ryan Cherry, high school assistant principal; Jeff Rippl, high school science teacher; and Rachel Phillips, Hunter Elementary School principal.
The board will meet again Thursday for a mostly private discussion on their superintendent search, and could possibly interview a candidate for the position.
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TweetMiddletown board’s agenda
The Middletown Board of Education meets at 6 p.m. Monday, July 14.
See the agenda after the jump
MIDDLETOWN CITY SCHOOLS BOARD OF EDUCATION MONDAY, JULY 14, 2008 6:30 P.M. - Combined Work Session/Business Meeting ADMINISTRATION BUILDING - BOARD ROOM A G E N D A
OPENING OF MEETING
A.1. President calls meeting to order
A.2. President calls on Treasurer to call the roll:
A.3. Pledge of Allegiance
A.4. Additions to Agenda
A.5. Deletions to Agenda
A.6. Approval of Minutes
The Treasurer recommends that the Middletown Board of Education approve the minutes of the 6/23/08 Business Board Meeting; the 6/25/08 Special Board Meeting; and the 6/30/08 Special Board Meeting.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
B.1. The president will recognize anyone wishing to address the Board of Education. Speakers are requested to identify themselves and their topic.
RECOGNITION
C.1. Recognition of the MHS Girls Track State Qualifiers and Coach Keith Vinson
C.2. Recognition of the MHS Boys Tennis Doubles State Qualifiers and Coach Tyrone Turner
SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT(S)
D.1. Legislative Update
CURRICULUM
STUDENT SERVICES
BUSINESS OPERATIONS
FINANCE
HUMAN RESOURCES
I.1. Recommend approval of the Personnel Agenda as presented by Mrs. Lisa Lowery, Director of Human Resources (see attachment).
I.2. Athletic Recommendations
Recommend approval of the MHS Athletic Supplementals Agenda as presented by Mr. Gary Lebo, Director of Athletics (see attachment).
TECHNOLOGY
K. BOARD OF EDUCATION REPORTS/ACTIVITY
L. MISCELLANEOUS
M. ANNOUNCEMENTS
M.1. 6/23-7/31 - High School Full Credit Class Summer School - MHS
M.2. 7/14-7/31 - High School ½ Credit Class Summer School - MHS
M.3. 7/14-7/31 - High School ¼ Credit Class Summer School - MHS
M.4. 7/14-7/31 - Session II Middle School Summer School - MHS
M.5. 7/7-8/1 - Elementary Summer Intervention - Gr. 3-5 - Rosa Parks Elementary
M.6. 7/30 - Vail Middle Parent Meeting for Athletics - 6:00 p.m. - Cafeteria
M.7. 8/4 - Joint Meeting of Board of Education/Middletown City Council
M.8. 8/6, 7, 8 - Leadership Academy
M.9. 8/11 - Board of Education Work Session Board Meeting 6:30 p.m. Board Room M.10. 8/12, 13, 14, 15 - Orientation for New Teachers M.11. 8/18, 19 - Orientation/In-Service - All Teachers M.12. 8/20 - First Day for Students M.13. 9/1 - District-wide No School - Labor Day
N. EXECUTIVE SESSION
O. ADJOURNMENT
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TweetTaft and Creekview to be demolished
Taft and Creekview elementary school buildings are set to be demolished next week.
I’m looking for your stories and photos from these schools.
If you’ve got something to share, send me an e-mail at mengle@coxohio.com or call (513) 705-2551.
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TweetFour-day workweek
This summer, Carlisle Local Schools is allowing summer staff to work a four-day week.
Carlisle staff are working 10-hour days to enjoy a free Friday each week.
The change was not made to save on gas - though I’m sure one less trip into work is saving them a pretty penny this summer - but as a reward for being good workers, the superintendent said. The school will go back to its regular schedule in August.
A recent article in USA Today said state workers in Utah are going to a mandatory four-day week. The change was made to reduce the government’s energy costs and is expected to reduce energy use 20 percent by 2015, according to the article.
The article also says younger people entering the workforce favor the schedule, which allows a better work-life balance.
What do you think of a four-day workweek?
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TweetFormer superintendent meets community
York, who has officially retired from Edgewood, explained that a strong administrative team and happy employees are key in an excellent school district, Danielle Wilson reported this week.
York said his main goal, if hired, is to create an environment of trust in the schools by building good relations with parents, students and staff.
Some at the community meeting questioned why York left Edgewood.
“I felt like in my career, I was ready for a new challenge,” he answered. “I haven’t applied to two dozen school districts,” he said, adding he was drawn to the district’s academic and extracurricular achievements.
Kings’ Board of Education met the day after the interviews to discuss the two candidates, but took no action.
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TweetAll veterans get in-state tuition
Gov. Ted Strickland signed an order this week to offer in-state status to veterans and their families for the state’s public colleges, Laura Bischoff reported in the Middletown Journal.
The benefits, which cover in-state costs, are available to veterans who served in active duty for at least 90 days after 9/11.
Miami University Middletown Dean Kelly Cowan said the change might not attract many more out-of-state students to the regional campuses, which don’t have residence halls, but Cowan applauded the idea.
“The GI Promise is a wonderful idea and I’m very proud that Ohio is the first state to implement such a plan. This comes at a fortuitous time as we are currently reexamining the ways in which we can support veterans on both regional campuses,” Cowan said.
“ If a veteran would consider relocating to Middletown or Hamilton or driving over from Indiana, we will make them welcome. Most veterans make exceptional students, very focused and involved, with a lot to contribute to the life of the campus.”
“When it comes to higher education, Governor Strickland and Chancellor Fingerhut continue to embrace innovative initiatives. We all benefit with programs like this,” she said.
What do you think of the offer?
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TweetState to generate lists for free lunch program
They hope this step will help ensure that no eligible students are missed because families failed to file paperwork.
The Ohio Department of Education obtained the lists of families receiving food stamps or state cash assistance from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and will supply them to school districts starting this month for the automatic enrollment.
Middletown City Schools is already using these lists to enroll children in the free lunch program. Some families will still need to fill out the required paperwork each year, like those who do not receive food stamps or state cash assistance.
About 620,000 children statewide — or about 35 percent of students — receive free or reduced-price lunches through the program in which the federal government reimburses the state. A family of four must make less than about $39,000 to qualify for either program.
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TweetSuper Saturday offers food and fun
A new event a Miami University Middletown offers picnic-style food, a cornhole tournament, karaoke, a climbing wall, children’s face painting, balloon animals and clowns.
“Super Saturday” will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 2 for current and future students and their families.
Prospective students can complete their application, sign up for assessment and register for orientation from 10 to 11 a.m., with the $35 application fee waived. New and future students will also have the chance to win a $500 Miami University Book Scholarship.
Faculty and student demonstrations from the engineering and nursing departments will be given. The Middletown Police Department D.A.R.E. officers are also scheduled to participate.
Information on scholarships and financial aid, majors, evening and weekend classes, on-campus child care, co-op and internship opportunities and more will be available at this event.
Super Saturday is free and open to the public. For more information call 727-3200 or 1-86-MIAMI-MID (toll-free) or visit www.mid.muohio.edu.
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TweetMiddletown bus inspections
Of the 51 Middletown City Schools buses inspected last week, only one required repairs, according to the district.
A part of the steering mechanism in the bus required repairs and the vehicle will be reinspected sometime this summer.
Every school bus in the state is inspected during the summer, and at our other local districts 5 of the 17 Carlisle buses, four of the 31 Edgewood buses and five of the 25 Franklin buses required repairs.
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TweetBoard hires dean of students
The Madison Board of Education approved the hiring of Darren Stevens as the new dean of students at a special meeting Monday night.
Stevens comes to Madison from Hamilton City Schools, where he was working as an elementary science teacher.
The relatively routine board meeting, which last only about 10 minutes, did include a bit of controversy, as board member Tim Young abstained from the vote on Stevens’ hiring.
Young abstained not because of any problems with Stevens’ qualifications, but because Young had not seen a job description for the dean of students position, and he did not believe someone could be evaluated with no job description.
“I just feel like we’re winging it and I don’t want to be somebody who just wings it,” Young said, noting he had requested the description two months ago.
The dean of students position was created last year, and the high school principal said he did not know of a job description for the position, and had evaluated the prior dean of students as an assistant principal.
Young asked his fellow board members if they understood his objection, but the question was met with silence. All other board members approved the hiring.
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TweetSpecial board meeting today
The Madison Board of Education will meet for a special meeting at 6 p.m. today, July 7.
The purpose of the meeting is to accept the resignation of Lee Corder, assistant principal of the high school, who is taking a job at Butler Tech, according to the superintendent’s office. The board will also approve the hiring of four teachers to fill vacancies.
The board meeting will be held in the administration building, at 1324 Middletown Eaton Road. The next regular meeting is schedule for 6 p.m. Monday, July 21.
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TweetFree breakfast for all students
With food prices on the rise, families in Middletown will get some relief in the coming school year.
Every Middletown student will be offered free breakfast each morning, as the district expands its participation in the universal and free breakfast programs, which use state and federal aid to reimburse schools who offer breakfast to every student, regardless of income.
The breakfasts will vary and include cereal, bagels, muffins, fruit, yogurt or breakfast bars. Every Wednesday a hot item is available like breakfast pizza, French toast sticks, breakfast pockets or a pancake on a stick.
There’s no forms to fill out and no eligibility requirements.
Franklin City Schools also started participating in the universal breakfast program last year for grades kindergarten through six, and will continue to offer the program at those grades in the coming school year.
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TweetFirst round of bus inspections complete
Middletown, Carlisle, Edgewood and Franklin have undergone state inspections on their school buses in the last few weeks.
In tomorrow’s Middletown Journal, you can read a story about the results of the inspections, which turned up problems from a horn not sounding at the right tone to a stop sign that was not functioning.
Every school bus in Ohio is checked out by the Ohio State Highway Patrol during the summer. Those buses with violations will be reinspected later in the summer before they can be used.
What do you think of the bus inspections?
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TweetChildren affected by war
Happy Independence Day.
A lot of families are without their loved ones today, as they serve in Iraq, Afghanistan and other places around the globe.
In an upcoming story, I’ll be focusing on families living in the area without a father or a mother at home because of the war.
Jennifer Ellis is going through her daily routine with two young children without her husband, who is serving a year-long tour in Iraq.
“It’s been challenging in some ways,” Ellis said. “Life’s very different. It makes birthdays and special occasions and holidays sometimes just a little bit sad because you miss them.”
Ellis recently had a few precious days with her husband, Franklin’s police Chief Gordon Ellis, before he return to Iraq. She said her two oldest daughters drove 10 hours just to spend a day with their father. “They really miss him they’re very proud of them,” she said. “They both found it so important that they made that sacrifice.”
If you know a family living in a similar situation, send me an e-mail or call at (513) 705-2551.
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TweetScholarship available for Miami University kids program
Scholarships are available on a first come, first serve basis for Miami University Middletown’s Kids in College summer enrichment programs for students who will be entering grades 1 through 8 in the fall.
Students must be currently participating in their school’s free lunch program and parents are responsible for transporting their children to and from the class, which will be held the week of July 7.
Contact Miami’s Corporate and Community Institute at (513) 785-3131 for an application or for more details.
The scholarships are also available for the Hamilton branch’s program.
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TweetUpdate: Board may replace resigning member July 14
Carlisle Board of Education Vice President James Campbell said the board will hold a brief executive session tomorrow, July 2, to discuss how to proceed with replacing resigning board member Rick Amburgey.
The selection cannot happen for 10 days, but must be made within 30 days.
Campbell said the board hopes to appoint someone at their next meeting July 14.
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TweetBoard member to resign
Carlisle Board of Education member Rick Amburgey is leaving his seat on the board to take a teaching position in Kentucky.
Amburgey will formally announce his resignation at a special meeting at 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 2, at Carlisle High School. The meeting will be followed by a reception, where Amburgey said he hopes to thank all those who have helped him during his time in Carlisle.
Amburgey, a Carlisle graduate, took his seat in January, and has been working as a substitute teacher and freelance writer during that time. He will teach English in Murray, and will also oversee the school newspaper and yearbook. He will also work as an assistant speech coach.
“I absolutely loved the experience,” Amburgey said of his time serving Carlisle. “I knew I would love it, but I loved it even more than I excepted to.”
The school board is set to meet July 14 to discuss a possible operating levy attempt.
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TweetSuperintendent takes Dayton-area job
Franklin City Schools Superintendent Doug Lantz announced late last night that he was offered and accepted a job with Northmont Local Schools, a Dayton-area district of 5,914 students.
Lantz said the job with Northmont - a district which has achieved an “excellent” rating on the state report card since 2002 - was attractive because it could be a district he stays with until retirement. “It’s a nice size district that I think I could stay with and be challenged,” he said.
He also compared the district to Milford, a Cincinnati-area school district, where he and his family lived and where he worked as a business manager.
Board president Chris Sizemore said the board will meet at 5 p.m. Wednesday, July 2, to accept Lantz’s resignation, decide what route to take to generate a candidate pool and possible select a person to serve as interim superintendent. Much of the meeting will likely be spent in a closed-door session.
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