×

Board members take field trip to Eisenhower K-12

Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry The Squire, Eisenhower High School’s school newspaper, Editor In Chief Brittany Arp shows some of the school’s social media presence to school board members Mike Zamborik and Paul Mangione.

Warren County School District’s board members have been getting closer looks at the district’s buildings.

On Wednesday, three board members, President Donna Zariczny, Paul Mangione, and Mike Zamborik, visited the Eisenhower K-12 school.

The board members spent the morning at Eisenhower Middle High School.

Principal Kelly Martin and Assistant Principal Ericka Alm led the tour with stops that featured ways the students and school are involved.

The student wellness pantry is stocked and operating, with food, clothing and personal hygiene items available for students who need them. The pantry is stocked by donations, including non-perishable food items that were the price of entry for a sweat pants dance. Students, families, and the community have all been pitching in, with the largest donations coming from Hooktown Holidays and St. Joe’s.

Eric Shotts’ classes have been making the furniture for the courtyard, including planters, benches, and bench/tables. Future projects could include a pergola and gazebo and some green energy, solar panels and wind turbines.

They saw examples of how the school and students are invested in their community — with a recycling effort by student council — in their school the student Wellness Pantry, which includes

The student council collected more than 100 pounds of materials during a recycling effort, about 5,000 pounds of clothing to be donated to Goodwill — at a return of 15 cents per pound.

The tour also included the arts.

Art teacher Dave Allenson showed off the work by students in the Art 4 program and the board members stopped in for serenades by both the band and the choir, which sang I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You.

At the elementary school, students of the month presented welcome packets to the visitors before Principal Shannon Yeager led a reading-centered tour.

In order to provide more time for reading and ELA (English language arts), the school “embedded science and social studies in ELA,” he said.

There are multiple programs for students who need additional reading time.

Board members visited classrooms while students worked on System 44 and the multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) program — supplemental reading programs.

In both cases, the students were working on iPads.

Students working on System 44 had written letters to the board and Director of Pupil Services Dr. Patricia Hawley. Following are sentences from those letters:

“System 44 helps build up my reading skills.”

“Thank you for letting Dr. Hawley get the iPads.”

“I have read 11,964 words on System 44.”

“I like how it challenges me.”

“Thank you for letting me do System 44 so I can read better.”

“They’re making great progress,” Superintendent Amy Stewart said.

Kindergartners showed off their reading skills for the board members. “These kids have come such a long way,” Yeager said.

While the visitors observed a Fundations lesson, kindergarten students wrote “I see a big fish.”

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

COMMENTS

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today