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NEW PHILADELPHIA CITY SCHOOLS
talk
FEBRUARY 2016
N
ew Philadelphia High School’s
Project Lead the Way program
has been chosen to represent the
State of Ohio at the ACTE
National Policy Holder Convention in
Washington D.C. in March. Alana Parks,
Director of School Engagement for PLTW,
was so impressed with NPHS after her school
visit that she recommended New
Philadelphia for this honor.
New Philadelphia High School students
Jacob Andrews, Endrew Lautzenheiser,
Aalyiah Currence, Emma Stokey, and Tess
Affolter, along with PLTW Teacher Joe Pry,
will have the opportunity to display a project
from Introduction to Engineering, the first
class in the PLTW series.
The class focuses on the creative processes
engineers must employ to solve problems.
The product the team chose was the packag-
ing for an iPhone 5s - “The Case for a Better
iPhone”
Principal Eric Jurkovic shared his excite-
ment on the opportunities PLTW has created.
“We are so blessed to live in an area where
local business, industry, and civic organiza-
tions support our students. The Project Lead
the Way program in Tuscarawas County is
used as a model throughout the State for
schools that want to offer the curriculum. I
believe honors like this help to justify the
commitment from industry and is a testa-
ment to the dedication of the staff and stu-
dents involved with the program.”
A full story on this event is available from
our website at www.npschools.org
New Philadelphia High “Project Lead the Way”
students to represent Ohio at National Convention!
2 Quaker Talk - Feb. 2016
New Philadelphia City Schools
A note from the superintendent…
Dear Quaker Community Members:
A
s I write this note, I have been the
superintendent of the New
Philadelphia City School District for
almost six months. During that time,
I have learned much about the district, its staff,
and its residents. Quaker Pride and sense of
community has stood out to me from my first day.
Quakers in New Philadelphia and across this
country support each other in times of need and
celebrate successes together. New Philadelphia is
the definition of community!
Our students make us proud every day. They are living proof of the suc-
cessful efforts of families, the school, and the greater community. All of
these groups have a share and a stake in the successes of our children.
The staff of New Philadelphia is dedicated and truly care for each child.
That task requires attending to the physical, emotional, and academic needs
of the students. Each day, in classrooms and out of classrooms, teachers,
support staff, administrators, advisors, and coaches demonstrate their
responsibilities toward those in their care. I enjoy the many opportunities
that I have to observe these interactions.
The residents of New Philadelphia are proud of their schools. They sup-
port them with their tax dollars and through their attendance at special
programs and events. They volunteer in a host of school support organiza-
tions. It is rare to find a district where volunteerism and private donations
match the level of ours. New Philadelphia Schools clearly benefit from the
collective and individual generosity of our families - Thank you!
As you can see, New Philadelphia has many good reasons to be proud.
However, any district that believes itself to be as good as it could be, quite
simply, is not. All have room to improve. In our case, that means building
upon our strengths to become even stronger. It also means examining cur-
rent practices to determine if they truly achieve their intended purpose and
changing those that don’t. It means making decisions that are based upon
what is best for students versus what is easy or convenient.
Finally, as I reflect on my first six months as your superintendent, I want
to say “thank you” to the residents, students, staff, and Board of Education
for your support. It has meant a great deal to myself and my family. If you
have ideas for helping our schools become even better, please share them
with the administrative team or feel free to contact me by phone, letter, or
dropping in. I look forward to visiting with you soon!
Go Quakers!
Dave Brand
Superintendent
New Philadelphia City Schools • 248 Front Avenue SW - New Philadelphia OH 44663 • 330 364 0600 • www.npschools.org
Dave Brand
Superintendent of Schools
In a first-of-its-kind statewide transparency initia-
tive, New Philadelphia City School District has part-
nered with Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel’s office to post
the district’s checkbook level spending online at
OhioCheckbook.com.
New Philadelphia City Schools joined this growing
transparency movement by launching their local
checkbook spending site on September 24, 2015. You
can view how your money is spent by visiting
N
ewPhiladelphiaSchools.OhioCheckbook.com.
In December 2014, Treasurer Mandel launched
OhioCheckbook.com, which for the first time in Ohio
history posts all state spending information on the
internet. Treasurer Mandel recently expanded
OhioCheckbook.com to include local government and
school districts across Ohio by inviting local officials to
partner with the Treasurer’s office to post their spending information online, at no
cost to local governments.
Since that invitation, hundreds of counties, cities, schools, townships and special
districts across Ohio have joined the movement towards greater transparency by
partnering with the Treasurer’s office.
“I believe the people of New Philadelphia have a right to know how their tax
money is being spent, and I applaud local leaders here for partnering with my office
to post the finances on OhioCheckbook.com,” said Treasurer Mandel. “By posting
local government spending online, we are empowering taxpayers across Ohio to
hold public officials accountable.”
New Philadelphia City School District is a part of the first wave of local govern-
ments and schools to participate in this transparency partnership and open the
checkbook for citizens to follow their money.
You can view New Philadelphia City School District’s online checkbook at
N
ewPhiladelphiaSchools.OhioCheckbook.com.
To learn more, visit OhioCheckbook.com and select the “Local Gov & Schools”
option.
New Philadelphia City School District
finances now online at OhioCheckbook.com
BY - JULIE ERWIN, TREASURER
Julie Erwin
Treasurer
On the evening
of January 14,
parents began
round two of the
Boot Camp train-
ing. The parents
at East
Elementary have
been in training
this year on the
Seven Habits of
Highly Effective
Families. The
evening started
with a family-
style meal provided by the East PTO.
Next, our own East Elementary 5th
Grade Teacher, Mrs. Morrell began the
training with hands-on activities for
the families, videos to view, and read-
ings to share that correspond to the
Habits. She
encourages the
parents to exam-
ine how the
Seven Habits can
fit into their lives
at home. We feel
that since the stu-
dents are learning
the Seven Habits
at school on a
daily basis, it is
important for the
parents not only
to understand
these principles but to incorporate
them outside of school as well. This
partnership has brought East
Elementary a step closer to reaching
their goal of becoming a highly regard-
ed "Lighthouse School."
Parent Boot Camp at East Elementary
Quaker Talk - Feb. 2016 3
NPHS Student Council, Key Club,
and National Honor Society supported
activities during the holiday season to
collect, contribute, and distribute to
the New Philadelphia community
members in need. Student Council
sponsored a "Santa Teacher" contest, a
student staff bubble soccer game, and
stocking collections to raise money for
our local Share-A-Christmas organiza-
tion. Student Council donated
$1250.00 this year. Student Council
members also volunteered to organize,
pack, and distribute food items at
Tuscora Park for the families in need.
Key Club sponsored the Share-A-
Christmas food drive at the high school
collecting over 1500 items. Students
also made over 30 fleece blankets and
pillows that were donated to the home-
less shelter. Key Club students deliv-
ered the blankets and pillows to the
homeless shelter, along with a birthday
cake to help celebrate December birth-
days for those living there. National
Honor Society collected and donated
wrapping paper and supplies to Share-
A-Christmas as well. All three organi-
zations will be combining in an
upcoming fund raiser called
"Community Cash." Students will par-
ticipate in a coin battle and the money
will be donated to someone in need
within the NPHS community.
High School students caring for community
HOW DO YOU SHARPEN YOUR SAW? - In December the students,
parents, and staff decided to Sharpen their Saws and spread holiday cheer to the res-
idents of the Shel-Mar Mobile Home Park. Every month, East Elementary hosts an
activity that highlights the Seventh Habit in conjunction with a fun activity that sup-
ports the habit with the students, parents, and staff. The sound of joyous voices
singing holiday songs could be heard throughout the neighborhood. Afterward, the
carolers warmed up on the chilly evening with hot chocolate. East Elementary fami-
lies look forward to our monthly Sharpen the Saw events as much as the staff does.
New Philadelphia City Schools are
very pleased to present our new educa-
tion plan, the “Quaker Compass.” This
comprehensive plan to guide New
Philadelphia in becoming one of the
elite schools in the country was devel-
oped from the input of staff, students,
parents and community members.
Superintendent Brand stated, “This
plan will touch every corner of the
organization in an effort to ensure that
all students are receiving a stellar learn-
ing experience at New Philadelphia
CSD.”
Our district has a longstanding histo-
ry of high student achievement, success-
ful educational program opportunities,
and a rigorous and challenging curricu-
lum. As we move forward, the Quaker
Compass will serve as a roadmap to
ensure that we will provide a personal-
ized educational experience for all stu-
dents. It will direct specific initiatives
and guide our decision making to
ensure that our students graduate pre-
pared for college, careers, and life as cit-
izens in a global society. The overall
student experience is the focus of our
plan.
The district believes that this compre-
hensive plan will allow us to use our
resources in the most effective manner
possible. Treasurer Julie Erwin stated,
“The Quaker Compass will help ensure
the district is aligning its expenditures
with our goals and priorities.”
Increased learning opportunities are
at the heart of every goal, initiative, and
strategy in this plan. High quality, rig-
orous teaching in safe, productive, col-
laborative learning environments will
inspire learning and increase academic
achievement for every student, in every
classroom, every day. To meet this com-
mitment, our education plan supports
and fosters a systemic culture of high
expectations for staff and students. This
plan is the responsibility of the entire
school system, our families, and our
community. We all share in our stu-
dents’ success!
Additional details and information
may be found at our website -
www.npschools.org
Planning for a Successful Student Experience!
As we move forward,
the Quaker Compass
will serve as a
roadmap to ensure
that we will provide a
personalized educa-
tional experience for
all students.
– David Brand,
Superintendent
“
”
NOTICE: Kindergarten Online
Registration for 2016-17 begins
February15 at
www.npschools.org
Link on the Left Side of Homepage!
4 Quaker Talk - Feb. 2016
Fourth graders at South Elementary
are involved in many activities and proj-
ects during the school year, however,
one extra special assignment is called
“The Grandparent Project”. Students
are given a timeline of specific assign-
ments and much of the work is com-
pleted in the classroom. For almost
three months, each student works on
creating and designing a scrapbook for
a grandparent or other special person.
The final product is a precious
Christmas gift for that significant per-
son in each child’s life.
The scrapbook includes personal
items such as scraps from blankets,
postcards, holiday cards, pictures, or
awards. Another special piece is for the
students to request personal letters
from friends and family members.
Students are required to research the
year in which their grandparent was
ten. A connection is made as the stu-
dents discover popular toys, fads, music,
and technology their grandparents
enjoyed when they were the child’s age
many years ago. The intention is to not
only have a special momento to gift
someone, but also to allow students the
opportunity to become more engaged in
their grandparent’s lives.
When asked what they thought about
the project and how their special person
reacted upon receiving it, students
responded with the following com-
ments.
“I liked getting the letters and pictures
from others, because I liked to see and
hear the experiences they had with
MieMie.” - Madisen
“When Grandma got it, she started to
cry a little bit. She said she really liked
it and even wants to be buried with it!”
- Olivia
“I enjoyed doing the scrapbook,
because it made me feel so happy when-
ever my Grandma saw it. She said
when she passes, we should read it out
loud at her funeral. She was crying a lot
when she read through it!” - Preston
“I enjoyed it because you get to say
‘Thank You’ to that special person for all
she does! She hugged me and kissed me
and said, ‘Thank you very much!” -
Maria
“Ama said, ‘This is the best gift ever!’
Then she cried.” - Caleb.
South Elementary’s Grandparent Project
The “Welcome to West Leadership”
team has welcomed a few new students
in 2016. Some of the students are new
residents from Guatemala. These 4th
and 5th grade students are working
hard to make friends and learn what
school is like in America. Whenever a
new student arrives they are greeted by
a small group of students and given
some West Elementary School items;
such as, a pencil and a few supplies.
The students then take their new class-
mate on a tour of the school, introduce
them to important staff members and
appoint a “buddy” for them in their new
classroom. This helps the new students
to feel more comfortable and make
some instant new friends. When the
students are with their classroom buddy
they show them how the classroom
operates and the daily schedule. Being
selected to assist the new student in a
classroom, is one of the first steps in
becoming a responsible leader. The few
new students from Guatemala are
teamed up with a Spanish speaking stu-
dent and an English speaking student to
help interpret. West Elementary stu-
dents are showing good leadership by
helping others and giving new students
the confidence to be successful in their
new school.
Welcome to West Leadership Team
NPHS CHEER WINNERS - The NPHS competition cheer squad took first
place at The Big Chill Competition… Congratulations Ladies!
Quaker Talk - Feb. 2016 5
The Christmas
season has passed
and the students
and staff of Welty
Middle School were
proud to be able to
help many area
families this year.
The National Junior
Honor Society led
by Debra Burkhart
and Shannon Smith
challenged the stu-
dents to set the lim-
its higher than they
had ever before -
raising the bar of
expectations from
300 cans to 1200
cans for the Annual
Canned Food Drive.
The six classrooms that brought in the
most canned goods to help our area
families would be able to participate
in a dodgeball tournament. Our stu-
dents and staff were challenged to
make this the biggest drive that any-
one could remember in our school
history. Multiple times per week in
the announcements classrooms would
hear the running totals and statistics
using football terms and analogies.
When the competition of fun ended,
canned goods lined two hallways.
Welty students collected over 3,100
can goods and 400 personal hygiene
items! This was only possible through
the generous donations and hard
work of many individuals. “Where
grace happens, generosity happens.” -
Max Lucado
Welty Students and Staff Helping Others
CANNED FOOD DRIVE
- The West Benevolence Team
and the Quaker Council
worked together to plan a suc-
cessful canned food drive.
The canned food drive ran
from November 23rd until
December 7th. The students
collected 2,131 cans during
this time. The winning class
was Mrs. Hatfield’s class with
567 cans and in second place
was Mr. Holmes Classroom
with 361 cans. We collected
so many items to donate that
it nearly filled the hallway.
West students showing that
good leaders do good things
for others!
The York Elementary Science Fair
provides a perfect opportunity for par-
ents to learn, work and discover with
their child. Students receive a Science
Fair Project Guidebook months before
the fair. This book, along with teacher
guidance, assists students and parents
in the process. The process includes
securing an adult helper, selecting a sci-
entific question, conducting the experi-
mental trials, creating a display board,
and finally explaining the project to a
judge on the day of the fair.
On February 22, the students will have
the opportunity to have their projects
judged. Three teachers from the high
school science department graciously
volunteer as judges for the science fair.
The judges aren’t looking for the most
elaborate scrapbooked boards with intri-
cate pie charts displaying data; they are
looking to see if the child had a question
they wanted to investigate about the
world around them and if they followed
the scientific method to find an answer
to that question. Judges want students
to be able to carry on a conversation
with them explaining their hypothesis,
observations and conclusions.
To support her students understand-
ing of the scientific method and per-
forming investigations, Mrs. Danielle
Evans has been doing full investigations
in her third grade classroom each week
and will continue up until the time of
the science fair. This will hopefully help
them understand what to do at home
with their projects.
One of the most exciting investiga-
tions that the third graders completed
was the dissecting of owl pellets, which
also fits nicely with their unit study of
the book, Poppy by Avi, which featured
the great horned owl, Mr. Ocax.
Students found various bones in each
pellet and identified what they may
have come from by using a provided
diagram. Lab reports with the students’
questions and hypothesis were created
and placed in each child's folder to
share with their families. The reports
included a bar graph created by the stu-
dents to show their findings in an easy
to read and understand visual. Mrs.
Evans is being proactive and encourag-
ing her students to put first things first
and keep the end in mind which is all
about learning.
Investigative Scientists at York Elementary
6 Quaker Talk - Feb. 2016
The Third Grade
Students at South
Elementary had the
opportunity to become
business owners over
night. They have been
learning about the differ-
ent areas of business and
economics through the
Bizworld program. (3rd
grade Social Studies stan-
dards CS 14-20)
BizWorld, teaches chil-
dren the basics of entre-
preneurship, business, and
finance in a hands-on
manner. This project-
based learning (PBL) pro-
gram gives children the
opportunity to learn first
hand how to start and operate their
own business. Working in teams of
five, students started, funded, and ran
their own companies in the friendship
bracelet industry.
Prior to the start of BizWorld, the
students were visited by three business
owners, who taught the students about
different areas of business. Jim
Mastroine of M & M Market taught
the students about marketing, and the
strategies he uses to market products
in his store. Polly Vandall of Berry Fit
explained how to manufacture a prod-
uct and took the students through the
process, of drawing, designing and
manufacturing. Matt Dummermuth
of Dover News Agency talked to the
students about the importance of sales
in a business and explained to the stu-
dents why the right price on a product
is important.
The decisions that the
companies made were
entirely student-driven.
The students decided
everything: from what to
name their company, to
how many products to
make, and how much to
charge for them. The pro-
gram culminated with the
Sales Bazaar. During the
Sales Bazaar, students
sold their products
(friendship bracelets) to
customers (second, fourth
and fifth graders in the
building) using BizBucks.
After the Sales Bazaar, the
students counted their
revenue, paid back business loans,
paid their employees as well as any
other expenses they had and deter-
mined whether their business was
profitable or suffered a loss.
Throughout BizWorld, students have
multiple opportunities to practice
leadership skills and hone their math
and communication skills
It’s BizWorld in South’s 3rd Grade
The day before Christmas break sev-
eral of our 8th grade classrooms were
able to visit New Dawn Senior Citizen
Center. During their extended visit,
the students were able to discuss past
and current events, play cards and
board games, read books; as well as,
other activities with the residents.
Many of the students had made
Christmas cards that they wanted to
share with the seniors. This cross gen-
erational experience provided a rich
and rewarding experience for students
and seniors. Over and over again the
students and their “senior” partners
commented how much they enjoyed
their time together. There was no
doubt that the life experiences of the
seniors seemed to be a magnet to our
students. So much so, that several stu-
dents took time during their Christmas
holiday to stop back and visit with
their new found friends. This very suc-
cessful intergenerational learning
experience is one that Welty Middle
School will be making an annual event.
Welty Students Visit New Dawn Senior Center
Mid-East Golf Coach of the Year voted by fellow coaches
through the National Federation of High Schools – which
includes Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland and
Virginia. We are proud to have Matt as our Head Golf Coach,
and teacher at New Philadelphia High. Matt is well known for
his high level of character and commitment; as well as his coop-
eration and spirit with fellow coaches. Matt is dedicated to his
students and athletes he coaches. We salute Mr. Claxon upon
receiving this prestigious award.
Congratulations to Matt Claxon
GO QUAKERS!GO QUAKERS!GO QUAKERS!
Quaker Talk - Feb. 2016 7
SEE US FOR ALL YOUR
INSURANCE NEEDS!
I
NSURANCE
2146 E. High Ave., New Philadelphia
330-339-4211 • Fax 330-339-3858
Being people of high character, and
recognizing the critical importance of
living our character beliefs, is central to
our district mission. To fulfill that
promise, the students of Central
Elementary School are called to be peo-
ple of service. Throughout the course of
this school year, our young people have
immersed themselves in caring for oth-
ers. Whether it is collecting non-perish-
able food items for the T-4-C Food
Pantry, supporting St. Jude Children’s
Research Hospital, assisting the Central
Ohio Leukemia Foundation with our
Pennies for Patients effort, or raising
funds for the American Heart
Association, the students at Central
Elementary School continue to shine!
Additionally, our students and staff sup-
ported a number of community activi-
ties such as sharing their musical talents
at the downtown Christmas Tree
Lighting Ceremony and Holiday Parade,
making several trips to the Senior
Citizen Center to entertain the guests,
and helping beautify our wonderful
Tuscora Park. We are proud of our
amazing students, faculty, and staff and
their desire to make a positive differ-
ence in our world!
OUTBACK RAY VISITS CENTRAL ELEMENTARY - Central
Elementary students and staff shared in a wonderful assembly entitled Animals
Around the World presented by Dynamic School Assemblies and our good friend
Outback Ray. Throughout the event, Central students were presented an up close
and personal opportunity to learn more about the various species and types of ani-
mals that make up our amazing world! This event was made possible through the
generosity of our Parent-Teacher Organization.
Central Elementary Students
Serve the Community
The third through fifth grade teachers
at Central Elementary School are cer-
tainly flexible when it comes to learning.
Flexible in that the faculty recognizes
the importance of small group instruc-
tion designed to meet the individual
needs of students while providing for
them a personalized learning experi-
ence. Utilizing data and information
from student performance on the
Measures of Academic Progress
Assessment (MAP) as well as other
means of formative assessment such as
daily work efforts and results from
quizzes, tests, and projects, teachers
align students to those groups that will
afford them the best opportunity to
grow as learners. Each teacher works
with a group of students tailoring
instruction to the group’s particular
needs. In doing so, students build a
strong foundation in critical content
while also growing in self-confidence.
Throughout the year, the teaching
team meets several days a week prior to
the start of the student day to appropri-
ately place students in groups. As stu-
dents progress and grow in their ability
to master academic content, they move
from one group to another. This fluid
process serves as motivation for growth
and achievement while ensuring stu-
dent learning is truly a personalized
experience that meets the needs, inter-
ests, and abilities of our students.
This commitment to academic excel-
lence, specifically fostering a culture
that allows each child to realize the full-
ness of his/her human potential, is the
hallmark of our school and district. As
always, we are proud of our outstanding
faculty and amazing students for mak-
ing Central Elementary School a won-
derful place to learn and grow!
Central Teachers are Flexible with Learning!
8 Quaker Talk - Feb. 2016
The New Philadelphia City School
District is asking voters to approve Issue
#11, a 7.1 mill emergency renewal levy
on the March 15th ballot.
The levy is a fixed-dollar amount and
imposes no new tax or additional taxes
for the owner of a home. If passed, the
levy would continue to bring in
$3,000,000 per year for the district.
The renewal will allow the New
Philadelphia City Schools to continue to
move forward without additional taxes.
New Philadelphia Superintendent
David Brand said, “Approval of the levy
would continue to pay for general oper-
ations, including instructional supplies,
utilities, transportation, special educa-
tion costs, co-curricular programs,
unfunded mandates and personnel.”
"It's important that we renew this
emergency levy so we may continue to
provide quality education for students
in New Philadelphia City Schools,"
Brand said. "We appreciate the support
from our community in the past, and we
ask that they continue to support us
through the renewal of Issue 11, and
remind voters that this renewal will
NOT increase taxes.”
NO NEW TAXES
Vote March 15th - Issue #11 (renewal)
New Philadelphia City Schools
THIS IS A "NO NEW TAXES" LEVY!
Thank you Quaker Community.
Support Issue 11
New Philadelphia
City Schools
RENEWAL
NO
NEW
TAXES
New Philadelphia School District is a good steward of
taxpayer monies. The district continues to receive excel-
lent ratings through State Audits, and ranks 6th in com-
parison of per pupil costs from area school districts, and
well below State Average Per Pupil Costs.
