Northpoint Meadows Community

Olentangy Local Schools is inviting all community members to a very special night celebrating the Olentangy community on Friday, September 3 with the Olentangy Orange High School (OOHS) versus Olentangy Liberty High School (OLHS) football game.

The festivities kick off at 5 p.m. with an NBC 4 Football Friday Nite tailgate for all Olentangy students in the parking lot outside the OLHS stadium. NBC 4 is providing food from Raising Cane’s, music from WNCI D.J. Matt Ryan and a tent with games, contests and prizes sponsored by the National Guard. Members of the NBC 4 sports and weather teams will showcase Olentangy students during brief live television appearances from the tailgate between 5 and 6:30 p.m. In addition, FOX 28 is also covering the game and will be collecting canned good donations. Further coverage by other local media outlets includes ABC 6, Time Warner Cable and WNIF Radio.

Liberty Friends of Football will also host a tailgate open to all Olentangy families. The cost for this event is $5 per person with a family maximum of $20.

Tickets for the game are on sale now through Friday from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. at OLHS and between 10 a.m. and noon at OOHS. You may also purchase tickets at the gate beginning at 5 p.m. on Friday. Adult tickets are $6; student tickets are $4. The game is at OLHS and begins at 7:30 p.m.

All four Olentangy middle schools earned the prestigious Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) Harold A. Meyer Award for Sportsmanship, Ethics and Integrity for the 2009-10 school year.  Olentangy Hyatts Middle School (OHMS), Olentangy Liberty Middle School (OLMS), Olentangy Orange Middle School (OOMS) and Olentangy Shanahan Middle School (OSMS) are four of the just 14 middle schools in the state to achieve this honor.

“We are very honored to be among such a select group of middle schools,” said Derrick Gilliam, athletic director for OLMS and OHMS.  “This is proof of how fortunate we are to have such a supportive community that makes great sportsmanship a priority.”

The award is presented to schools that develop and implement a comprehensive program that reinforces the importance of sportsmanship, ethics and integrity in school culture.  Some of the criteria for these programs are:

• Presentations emphasizing the school’s philosophy on sportsmanship, ethics and integrity;
• Evaluations of all coaches in the areas of instruction and demonstration of sportsmanship, ethics and integrity;
• A procedure for receiving, investigating and acting upon complaints regarding sportsmanship, ethics and integrity; and
• A method for acknowledging/rewarding examples of good sportsmanship, ethics and integrity.

“Our coaches do an excellent job of modeling and promoting sportsmanship among our athletes,” said Cathy Beck, athletic director for OSMS and OOMS.  “In turn, our athletes do an excellent job of displaying good sportsmanship.  We expect them to be winners in sports, whether or not the outcome of the game is victory.”

In total, Olentangy middle schools have received the Harold A. Meyer Award 24 times.  All four schools will receive banners from the OHSAA during an upcoming school assembly or athletic event.

Olentangy Local Schools Board of Education member Dimon McFerson announced during the August 25 meeting his intention to resign from the board effective September 30, 2010.

“I have immensely enjoyed my time on the board,” said McFerson. “Seeing the progress this high-achieving school district has made and addressing the significant challenges has been very rewarding. However after long deliberation, I feel that now is the appropriate time for me to step aside so I may spend more time with my family.”

McFerson was first appointed to the board to fill an unexpired term in April 2004. He was later elected to the board in 2005 and served as president for nearly two years. In August 2006 he resigned from the board due to health reasons. In 2008 McFerson was again elected to the board and served as vice president that same year. His unexpired term ends December 31, 2011.

“Olentangy Local Schools is fortunate to have had the pleasure of Mr. McFerson’s service as a board member for six years,” said Olentangy Board of Education President Julie Wagner Feasel. “His leadership and financial background will be missed but I know he will continue to be involved in supporting our community and our schools.”

During the August 25 meeting, the board discussed the process to fill McFerson’s seat. In 2006 a similar situation occurred with two separate resignations occurring within two months. At that time, the board simply selected two applicants from the first search to interview for the second vacancy. The current board has decided to use that same process to fill this vacancy and will interview Martin Johnson and Kevin O’Brien in early October.

The board recently appointed Stacy Dunbar to fill the unexpired term of former member Jennifer Smith, who resigned on July 6, 2010. That vacancy process included 76 applications. “We received a strong pool of candidates from the first search,” said Feasel. “The board has decided to follow past practice so we may fill this vacancy in a timely manner and move on with the important business before the board.”

Under Ohio Revised Code, the remaining members of the board may fill a vacancy within a window period of 10 to 30 days following the date on which the vacancy occurs. The board is expected to appoint the new member during their October 13 meeting.

The Ohio Department of Education will release the 2009-10 school year local report card on Friday, August 27. The data indicates that Olentangy will once again earn a rating of “Excellent.”

“At Olentangy Local Schools we expect excellence from our students and staff members,” said Olentangy Superintendent Wade Lucas, Ed.D. “While we are pleased with these high-level results, we are maintaining our dedication to students achieving even greater levels of excellence in the future. That has been and continues to be our focus towards our mission of facilitating maximum learning for every student.”

A district’s rating is based upon student data in four key measurements including State Indicators, Performance Index (PI), Value-added and Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). Olentangy met all 26 of the indicators, earned an all-time high PI of 105.8, met AYP and met the value-added measurement.

“You cannot define any school district simply by an individual system,” said Lucas. “This is why Olentangy also looks at multiple measurements such as Advanced Placement, ACT, Challenge Index and SOAR results to determine the type of complete educational product our staff members are offering the community. I’m proud to say that I live in the Olentangy Local School District, and as the superintendent of schools, I know our staff members will continue to offer an excellent quality education so that all students are well prepared for life after graduation.”

See: Frequently Asked Questions Regarding ODE Local Report Cards

View the report card (pdf)

Olentangy Local Schools Superintendent Wade Lucas, Ed.D. has posted a greeting to the community and the more than 16,133 students that are expected to walk through the districts doors on Wednesday. You may view this message and the rest of the Superintendent’s Community Messages online at olentangyschools.net/blog/superintendent/

Olentangy Local Schools will celebrate the opening of Cheshire Elementary School (CES) on Sunday, August 22 at 2 p.m. CES is located at 2681 Gregory Road in Delaware and is the district’s 21st school building and 14th elementary school.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony will last approximately 30 minutes. After the ribbon cutting, students, parents and community members will be invited inside the school.

On Wednesday, August 25, Olentangy Local Schools is expecting to welcome more than 16,000 students, including more than 500 at CES.

Olentangy Local Schools has been the fastest growing school district in the state of Ohio for the past seven years, adding approximately 1,000 new students each year. The district ended the 2009-10 school year with 14,967 students.

The funds to construct CES are from the $89.89 million bond package approved by voters on March 4, 2008. That package also provided the funds to build the Berkshire Bus Compound, which opened in February 2009; Freedom Trail Elementary School, which opened in August 2009; the addition to Olentangy High School, which was completed in December 2009; Olentangy Berkshire Middle School and the district’s 15th elementary school, both of which will open in 2011; as well as improvements at other facilities, technology, buses and textbooks.

CES sits on 21.64 acres of land donated to the district in 2007 by Dominion Homes. At the time of the donation, the land was valued at approximately $476,000. This is the 11th Olentangy school to be built on donated land, saving taxpayers millions of dollars.

Registration is open for the 11th Annual Olentangy Education Foundation (OEF) Golf Outing to be held on Monday, September, 27, 2010 at The Lakes Golf & Country Club. Plans are in place for a great day of golf and community connection in support of OEF’s mission.

OEF is an independent, non-profit organization of volunteer community members that raises funds in support of Olentangy Local Schools and students. Proceeds are used to award teacher grants for innovative educational programs that are not funded by the school system’s budget, and scholarships for graduating seniors. In 2010, more than $30,000 in teacher grants and scholarships were awarded. Since 2001, the total amount funded by OEF is approaching $300,000. Please check out http://olentangyeducationfoundation.org/ to learn more and print out an event flyer and registration form.

Participants in the event will enjoy:

• an 18 hole scramble event at The Lakes Golf & Country Club including golf, cart, range and locker privileges;
• gourmet lunch buffet prior to the event and on course beverages;
• golfer gift;
• heavy hors d’oeuvres and reception following play; and,
• silent auction.

If you cannot participate, there are other ways to support the event, which include Family or Corporate Hole Sponsors, Event Sponsorship or donation of prizes or auction items. If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Kathy Perry at katharineaperry@gmail.com or Jim Waters at jwaters@superkickcolumbus.com

Please also mark your calendar and stay tuned for details of OEF’s 3rd Annual “Spirit of Olentangy” Community Night Out, to be held on February 5, 2011.

The OEF Board of Trustees is grateful for your support!

Important back to school information for parents related to the 2010-11 school year is available online via the district’s website. Details such as schedule pick up, food service information, student handbooks, athletic activity passes, school supply lists and much more is provided for Olentangy families. Parents are encouraged to bookmark the site and check back often as information is updated throughout the summer.

Olentangy Local Schools Board of Education President Julie Wagner Feasel announced August 3  that Stacy Dunbar was unanimously selected to fill a vacant seat on the board. “Ms. Dunbar is a dedicated community member with a vast array of business and community experiences who will be able to contribute immediately,” said Feasel.

Dunbar was sworn in as a member of the board during the August 4 meeting.

Dunbar is a Change Management Leader for Ashland Inc. and previously served as the Vice President of Marketing for Team America.  She holds a bachelors degree in business and communications from Point Loma University in San Diego, California and a masters degree in education from the University of Illinois – Urbana in Champaign, Illinois.

In addition to her professional experiences, she volunteers with Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Adopt-a-highway, mentorship of a sixth grade student in South Western City Schools, serves as a board member for the Powell Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) and Friends of COSI.  Dunbar also has a strong history of community involvement with Olentangy Local Schools.  She served as a volunteer with Olentangy For Kids (OFK) since 2002 including serving on the strategy team.  She is a founding member and community chair of the Superintendent’s Communications Committee and an active volunteer at Olentangy Liberty High School (OLHS).  In 2006, Dunbar applied for a vacant seat on the Olentangy school board and later ran for the board in 2007.

The process to fill this vacant seat began on July 6 when former member Jennifer Smith resigned. Under Ohio Revised Code, the remaining members of the board may fill a vacancy within a window period of 10 to 30 days following the date on which the vacancy occurs.  The board discussed the process to fill this vacancy during its July 8 business meeting.  More than 76 community members submitted applications to fill the vacant seat.  On July 13, board members reviewed all of the applications during a special executive session meeting.  On July 30, the board announced four finalists who were then interviewed on August 3 by the board during a special meeting.

“This has been a challenging and exciting process,” said Feasel.  “Olentangy Local Schools is fortunate to have so many talented community members who are willing to serve our schools.  The entire school board hopes that any one who applied for this seat will continue to or become further involved with the school district.”

Dunbar will fill the remaining 1.5 years of Smith’s unexpired term, which ends on December 31, 2011.  Smith served 2.5 years of her four-year term.

The Olentangy Local Schools Board of Education has announced the names of four finalists for the vacant seat on the board.  The following candidates were selected from a pool of 76 applicants:

• Stacy Dunbar;
• Martin Johnson;
• Kevin O’Brien; and
• Gene Oliver.

Board members will conduct interviews with each of the finalists during an Executive Session on Tuesday, August 3, beginning at 5:30 p.m.  Once the interviews are complete, the board will return to Regular Session and vote on the selection of the new member, who will be sworn in on Wednesday, August 4.

“We are gratified that so many in our community have expressed an interest in serving as a Board of Education member,” said Board President Julie Wagner Feasel.  “It is this level of community commitment that has helped to make Olentangy Schools the great place that it is and will help to ensure our continued progress.”

The new board member will fill the remaining 1.5 years of the unexpired term left open when former member Jennifer Smith resigned from the board on July 6.  Under Ohio Revised Code, the remaining members of the board may fill a vacancy within a window period of 10 to 30 days following the date on which the vacancy occurs.

The Olentangy Local Schools Board of Education members are seeking a member of the community to fill the remaining 1.5 years of an unexpired term. Former member Jennifer Smith resigned from the board on July 6 after serving 2.5 years of her four-year term.

“The board is looking for a resident who is interested in serving our community by working with the school district’s administration to achieve our mission of facilitating maximum learning for every student,” said Board of Education President Julie Wagner Feasel. “The board is excited to review applications and meet community members who are interested in fulfilling this position.”

An applications to fill the vacant seat is available online via the district’s web site at www.olentangy.k12.oh.us/pdf/2010BoardApplication.pdf
Completed applications must be submitted to Olentangy Local Schools; Attn: Treasurer’s Office; 814 Shanahan Road, Suite #100; Lewis Center, Ohio 43035 or faxed to (740) 657-4098 by 4 p.m. on July 14. The board welcomes, but is not requiring, further information in addition to the application.

The board will meet in executive session on July 14 at 6 p.m. to review all applications. If it is determined that interviews are necessary, the board will complete them on August 4 during an executive session. If an interview process is not necessary, the board will appoint the new member on August 4 during a special meeting.

Under Ohio Revised Code, the remaining members of the board may fill a vacancy at their first regular or special meeting within a window period of 10 to 30 days following the date on which the vacancy occurs. The appointee shall serve the rest of Smith’s unexpired term, which ends December 31, 2011.

The Olentangy Local Schools Board of Education members are seeking a member of the community to fill the remaining 1.5 years of an unexpired term.  Former member Jennifer Smith resigned from the board on July 6 after serving 2.5 years of her four-year term.

“The board is looking for a resident who is interested in serving our community by working with the school district’s administration to achieve our mission of facilitating maximum learning for every student,” said Board of Education President Julie Wagner Feasel.  “The board is excited to review applications and meet community members who are interested in fulfilling this position.”

www.olentangy.k12.oh.us/pdf/2010BoardApplication.pdf  Completed applications must be submitted to Olentangy Local Schools; Attn: Treasurer’s Office; 814 Shanahan Road, Suite #100; Lewis Center, Ohio 43035 or faxed to (740) 657-4098 by 4 p.m. on July 14.  The board welcomes, but is not requiring, further information in addition to the application. -->

The board will meet in executive session on July 14 at 6 p.m. to review all applications. If it is determined that interviews are necessary, the board will complete them on August 4 during an executive session. If an interview process is not necessary, the board will appoint the new member on August 4 during a special meeting.

Under Ohio Revised Code, the remaining members of the board may fill a vacancy at their first regular or special meeting within a window period of 10 to 30 days following the date on which the vacancy occurs.  The appointee shall serve the rest of Smith’s unexpired term, which ends December 31, 2011.

Olentangy Local Schools Board of Education member Jennifer Smith resigned from the board late on July 6, 2010. In her resignation, Smith stated that her resignation was to take effect immediately. She was elected to the board in 2008 and served 2.5 years of her four-year term.

“Serving as a school board member is a great responsibility,” said Board of Education President Julie Wagner Feasel. “I respect anyone who chooses to make a personal sacrifice by holding an elected position to serve the people. On behalf of the entire Olentangy Board of Education, I thank Ms. Smith for her service and wish her all the best in her future endeavors.”

The board is expected to discuss the process to fill the vacancy during their business meeting on July 8, 2010. Under Ohio Revised Code, the remaining members of the board may fill a vacancy within a window period of 10 to 30 days following the date on which the vacancy occurs. The appointee shall serve the rest of Smith’s unexpired term, which ends December 31, 2011.

Nine Olentangy high school students earned perfect scores on one or more sections of the Ohio Graduation Test during the spring administration of that assessment. Across the state, just 0.03 percent of students who took the OGT earned a perfect score on the reading test, 0.24 percent earned a perfect score on the math test and 0.08 percent earned a perfect score on the social studies test.

Olentangy High School (OHS) and Olentangy Liberty High School (OLHS) were named among the best high schools in America by Newsweek for the fifth consecutive year. Only six percent of all American public high schools were included on the 2010 list.

Newsweek lists OHS’s Challenge Index score as 1.463* with a 46.7 Equity and Excellence (E&E) percentage and an overall ranking of 1118*. OLHS’s 2.711 Performance Index score gives them a ranking of 324 with an E&E percentage of 55.5. Olentangy Orange High School (OOHS) was not eligible for this ranking as the data includes 2009 graduates and OOHS did not have seniors until 2010.

“This is a great example of the efforts of our staff in providing excellent learning opportunities for our students,” said Olentangy Superintendent Wade Lucas, Ed.D. “In addition, this would not be possible without our supportive community, parents and the hard work of our students.”

The Newsweek research looks at the total number of 2009 Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate and/or Cambridge tests a school gives then divides that number by the number of graduates from that same year. This calculations is known as the Challenge Index score that is then ranked from highest to lowest. The E&E percentage indicates how many seniors received a passing mark on an AP or International Baccalaureate exam.

While this system is designed to compare high schools across the country based upon a single set of data, it does create a true comparison problem for the 2009 OHS data. 2009 marks the first year that OOHS was open, but the did not have graduates until 2010. OOHS did give 191 AP tests in 2009, but students who would have graduated from OOHS that year remained at OHS. This creates an unbalanced AP tests to graduates ration for OHS. If you add the 191 OOHS AP tests to the OHS data, that puts OHS’s Challenge Index at 1.94 and ranks them at 724. This updated information also means that both OHS and OLHS have increased their Challenge Index score each of the past five years.

In Ohio, 36 high schools were named to the Newsweek list, including only 11 from Central, Ohio: Bexley (3.021), OLHS (2.711), Dublin Jerome (2.435), Upper Arlington (2.083), Dublin Coffman (2.076), Dublin Scioto (1.989), OHS (1.94*), Westerville North (1.451), Westerville South (1.236), Independence (1.025) and Westerville Central (1.018). Of the six Central, Ohio school districts, Olentangy has the lowest cost per pupil for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 of $9,461.

*The 2009 Newsweek Challenge Index and rating for OHS does not take into account the opening of OOHS. OOHS opened in 2009 and did give 191 AP tests, mostly to juniors, however there were no seniors at OOHS that year. OHS’s data includes an artificially large graduating class in comparison to the number of AP tests given, which decreases their Challenge Index score. If you add the 191 OOHS AP tests to the OHS data, this increases their Challenge Index to 1.94 and ranking to 724.

Board Business, a document that highlights the major items discussed and decided from each Board of Education meeting, is currently available online at
www.olentangy.k12.oh.us/district/board/pdf/2010/hilites/BB-060910.pdf

Items from the June 9 meeting included in this edition of Board Business are:

• food allergies;
• federal guidelines for school menus;
• strategic planning update;
• first reading of FY 2011 budget;
• athletic handbook changes;
• board policy services;
• family and civic engagement plan;
• all-day kindergarten update; and,
• superintendent evaluation process.

The Olentangy Local School District honored 25 teachers and classified staff members today for earning Teacher and Employee of the Year award honors. Twenty of the district’s 1,026 teachers were selected as the Teacher of the Year for their individual school. From this pool of candidates, Tracy Halpin at Olentangy Liberty Middle School (OLMS) was selected as the overall District Teacher of the Year for the 2009-10 school year. Haplin is an Intervention Specialist in a specialized learning center who has been with the district for seven years.

The honorees from each school are:

• Carol Burley, Johnnycake Corners Elementary School (JCES);
• Tiffany Clark, Oak Creek Elementary School (OCES);
• Donna Dunaway, Scioto Ridge Elementary School (SRES);
• Jamie Edwards, Olentangy Shanahan Middle School (OSMS);
• Liz Golowenski, Olentangy Liberty High School (OLHS);
• Tracy Halpin (OLMS);
• Sharon Hanson, Indian Springs Elementary School (ISES);
• Carrie Hunsicker, Liberty Tree Elementary School (LTES);
• Amy Kinser, Olentangy High School (OHS);
• Jessica Livelsberger, Glen Oak Elementary School (GOES);
• Melanie Miller, Olentangy Hyatts Middle School (OHMS);
• Carleigh Morgan, Arrowhead Elementary School (AES);
• Elizabeth Parker, Olentangy Meadows Elementary School (OMES);
• Melanie Shaw, Tyler Run Elementary School (TRES);
• Kelly Silwani, Olentangy Orange Middle School (OOMS);
• Kathleen Smith, Wyandot Run Elementary School (WRES);
• Tracy Stewart, Freedom Trail Elementary School (FTES);
• Kim Tantari, Alum Creek Elementary School (ACES);
• Andrea Vescelius, Olentangy Orange High School (OOHS); and,
• Sara Wortman, Walnut Creek Elementary School (WCES).

The district also congratulated five of the more than 600 classified employees who earned honors for their areas of service. These employees and their service area, as well as school/department where they currently work are:

• Sherri Beverly, secretary, Human Resources Department;
• Russ Johnson, aide/office personnel, Technology Department;
• Lynn Ramey, food service, OMES;
• Butch Worcester, maintenance, OSMS; and,
• George Zeoli, transportation.

Beverly was also named the district’s overall Classified Employee of the Year. She has been a secretary in the Human Resources Department for five years.

Olentangy Local Schools announced a third round of budget reductions today bringing the 2009-10 cost savings to more than $10.2 million. “Olentangy has reduced expenditures to create even more efficient operations for our residents while maintaining an excellent quality education for students,” said Superintendent Wade Lucas, Ed.D.

Throughout the 2009-10 school year, Olentangy has adjusted more than 20 programs and staffing areas to save the district $10,223,050 over the next four years. Items from the latest round of reductions are:

• six elementary schools will now have part-time elementary school assistant principal positions, previously only four schools had these positions. This change equates to three full-time positions and brings that total savings to $922,500 over the next four years;
• saving $410,000 by reducing all 2010-11 school budgets for supplies and materials by 20 percent;
• saving $235,000 in all non-union classified employees foregoing a cost of living pay raise for the 2010-11 school year;
• saving $175,778 in 40 elementary level department chair supplemental positions not being filled for the 2010-11 school year;
• saving $100,346 in salary and benefits costs by not filling the vacant assistant director for human resources position for the 2010-11 school year; and,
• saving $82,827 in salary and benefits costs by reducing two curriculum supervisor positions from full-time to part-time positions for the 2010-11 school year.

In September 2009, Olentangy Local Schools announced that the district lost $12.7 million in anticipated revenue from the state due to changes in the school funding system created by House Bill 1. Throughout the 2009-10 school year, the district has made adjustments to not only address this budget situation, but to also find greater operational efficiencies while still providing excellent academic programs for students.

A complete list of Olentangy’s 2009-10 cost savings efforts and other historical cost savings dating back to 1999 is available online at www.olentangy.k12.oh.us/district/finance/costsavings.html