August, 2014
School News – by Steve Poe, Superintendent
Coach Randi Wertenbach begins her eighth year as our cross-country coach and will begin workouts with her 2014 runners on Monday, August 4th. This year promises to be a good one as we return a number of talented distance runners. Leading the team will be senior Elliot Kowalski, a State Regional Qualifier from a year ago. Good luck cross-country team!
We had a long list of improvements and repairs to be completed at the school this summer. This past brutal winter and rainy spring exposed roof leaks, forcing us to replace ceiling tiles and drywall, along with resealing the roof in some problem areas. Besides the annual waxing of floor tiles, cleaning of carpets, painting of walls, replacing of bulbs and ballasts, and cleaning of gutters, the following maintenance projects were (or will be) completed: replaced four old windows; installed four air-conditioning units; replaced the original stove in the kitchen; trimmed trees; installed hand blowers in the gym restrooms; installed motion lights in the locker rooms; added cupboards and shelving in classrooms and storage rooms; replaced the music room door; cleaned the gym ceiling fans and vents; replaced cracked floor tiles; poured concrete at the corner of Catawba and Concord; replaced parts of the playground fence and gates; and installed a security window at the main school entrance.
The first day of school for students is Wednesday, August 27th. Letters went home last month listing the school supplies needed to begin the school year. Parents can also check the school’s website at: put-in-bay.k12.oh.us Students new to our district should register at least one week prior to the beginning of school.
When school does begin on August 27th, we would like parents to adhere to the following guidelines when dropping off and/or picking up their children:
1. No parking on the sidewalk (ball field side of Concord)
2. No parking behind the cars in the parking lot.
3. No parking across the street on Catawba (heading toward the State Park)
All drop-offs and pick-ups will take place in designated areas on Catawba Ave. heading into town. For those walking or riding their bikes to school, the corner of Concord and Catawba will be monitored by crossing guards, school faculty and/or local police to ensure a safe crossing.
Again, our students performed quite well on the Ohio Academic Achievement Tests this past school year. Of the 81 total tests taken by our students in grades three through eight, 54 of the scores were in either the advanced or accelerated categories. Parents should have received their child’s individual scores in the mail last month. Congratulations to all our teachers and students on another great year in the classroom!
Parents are encouraged to attend the Put-in-Bay School Open House on Wednesday, September 10th from 3:15 to 4:30. This is an opportunity to meet the teachers and hear about the academic goals for the year. Refreshments will be provided, along with free babysitting.
Students planning to drive to school this year must complete an application and display a parking decal prior to driving to school. Students driving to school, along with those students participating in athletics, will be subject to random drug testing. Drug testing consent forms, signed by parents and the student, must be on file prior to participation in driving or athletics.
Our school attendance/vacation policy was adjusted to encourage families to use the vacation breaks scheduled on the school calendar and limit absences for non-medical reasons. Attendance and vacation policies were sent home last spring and will be sent home again the first day of school. Parents are encouraged to review the attendance and vacation policies with their children and call the school if there are any questions.
Here are some important dates to consider when making appointments and travel plans this coming year:
Aug. 30 – September 1 Labor Day Weekend – No School
October 20 Appointment Day – No School
November 26-30 Thanksgiving Weekend– No School
Decembr 20 – Jan 4 Christmas / New Years Break – No School
February 21-March 1 Winter Break – No School
April 4-7 Easter Weekend – No School
May 23-25 Memorial Day Weekend – No School
And finally, we would like to offer a big “WELCOME!” to our two new teachers: Ms. Alyssa Wolff will be teaching 1st grade and Mrs. Melissa Kowalski is our new high school science teacher. We are happy they will be part of our “family.”