Put-in-Bay School News – by Steve Poe, Superintendent

It is hard to believe we have already completed a quarter of the school year.  Our students have adjusted well to social distancing, wearing masks, and washing/sanitizing hands.  Communication between the school and parents has been good, and students are staying home when running a fever or showing flu-like symptoms.  On-line instruction is available when a student needs to stay at home long-term.

We are so proud of our students.  They have made the best of a challenging situation with no complaints!  Their attitudes have been outstanding, and many students are stepping up to promote school spirit. Even with the daily reminders of temperature tablets, face masks, sanitizing stations, and signage, this has been one of the best starts to school in years.

The end of the first nine weeks was October 30.  Report cards will go home on Friday, November 6.  Parents should contact their child’s teachers if they have any questions.  If a conference is necessary, we can arrange for a parent/teacher conference on a date/time convenient to all parties.   Please contact the school office if you need to meet with more than one teacher, and we can arrange for a small group parent/teacher meeting.

Due to the closure of Tipper’s Lounge, along with restrictions on indoor dining, the annual Harvest Dinner has been cancelled.  Money raised from the dinner benefits the Gustav Heineman Scholarship.  The public will be notified if/when an alternate fund raiser is scheduled.

We would like to thank the Booker family for raising $3,500 for the Jeffrey Verhoff Scholarship.  Each year The Boardwalk has specials on their last day and donates half the proceeds to the scholarship.    This year was another success!  Thank you to the patrons who came out for a delicious dinner and supported the scholarship.

The Put-In-Bay High School senior class will be doing a “take and bake” pizza night on Friday, November 6. The pizzas will be made to order and can either be picked up between 3:15-4:30 p.m. at Pasquale’s or delivered to your house after 3:15 p.m. All the pizzas will come uncooked with instructions on how to bake them at home. The cost is $15 per pizza. If you would like to order a pizza or if you just have a question, please contact us at pib2021 “at” put-in-bay.k12.oh.us or 419-285-3614. Please return your order form to the school or email by Friday, October 30. These pizzas will be perfect for winter stock up!

The 2020 cross country season posed some challenges. Though there were questions looming in the air about the season, a group of highly dedicated student athletes showed up to practice every day.  The runners put in tough miles around the island as well as on Middle Bass and Kelley’s. Multiple personal records were achieved this season at various meets, and each teammate received a medal in the Draft Day 5k race on Put-in-Bay. Congratulations to each member of the Put-in-Bay cross country team this year. They did a fantastic job! We hope to see them in the years to come. Go Panthers!

Last February the high school girls’ volleyball team committed to making Put-in-Bay history to be the first PIB School team sport to enter the Ohio High School Athletic Association State Playoffs. Due to COVID-19, plans for summer practices, camps, and training were cancelled.  However, the lady panthers never lost their focus or their desire to compete. On October 20 the Put-in-Bay Panthers completed the volleyball season with a sectional semi-final loss to Gibsonburg.  Despite the threat of a pandemic shutting down the season, the girls completed the season with a final record of four wins and seven losses.  Sophomore Macy Ladd lead the team with forty-seven ‘kills’, while senior Nora Ladd lead the team with thirty-one ‘aces’ and eighty-nine ‘digs.’  Junior setter Kate Byrnes lead the team with eighty-seven ‘assists.’  The team improved daily and fought hard all the way to the end.  Go Panthers!

Students in the junior class will have the opportunity to take part in the American Legion Auxiliary Buckeye Girls State as well as the American Legion Buckeye Boys State programs. These unique programs educate Ohio’s young men and women in the duties, privileges and responsibilities of citizenship.  Each year Put-in-Bay School has been sending students/delegates to take part in this nationally recognized program. Selections will take place during the month of November.

Once again this year our school will utilize “School Messenger” to inform parents of important announcements, such as school closings or delays.  We will now make this available to everyone in our community.  If you would like to be notified by text or voice message of school closings or delays, announcements of events, etc., please contact the school at 419-285-3614 to sign up.

Veterans Day

Veterans Day, originally dubbed as “Armistice Day” for the day that World War I ended, is a day of great importance. On November 11, we honor all those who have served this country in war or peace and recognize all of their incredible sacrifices. It is a time for people to pay respects to loved ones and community members who have served in the military. November 11 is a day when we reflect on the bravery of the men and women who have given themselves over to a great cause, the restoration and preservation of our great nation. Without these courageous individuals, the United States of America would be very different from what it is today. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Put-in-Bay School is unable to host an assembly to express our thanks for our local heroes. So, even though our community cannot gather in person, the members of the National Honor Society want you to know that on November 11, every student, teacher, faculty and staff member at Put-in-Bay School will have you in our hearts. Courage, honor, and sacrifice are all hard words to describe in a single phrase. However, this is what all of you veterans out there embody.  On behalf of all the students and faculty members of Put-in-Bay School, we thank you for your service.

Put-in-Bay School News – October, 2020  by Steve Poe, Superintendent

Sixty-nine children in grades pre-kindergarten through grade twelve started the 2020–21 school year.  We wish a warm welcome our new students:  Rocco Scarpelli, pre-K; Skyler Stoiber, pre-K; Owen Woischke, pre-K; Brooklyn Williams, 1^st; Addison Dress, 2^nd; Duncan Breudigam, 3^rd; Nicolas Fiorilli, 3^rd; Brenden Breudigam, 5^th; Ava Fiorilli, 5^th; and Brennan Jones, 6^th.

Several students in grades 10-12 are participating in a new semester-long course offering called Career Explorations.  Students will create a portfolio that include items such as a resume and cover letter as well as other certificates and examples of student work that they can use during interviews.  Additionally, students are working toward individualized goals to guide them on their specific career path.  These goals include items such as college application submissions, applying for scholarships, determining potential college majors, and working towards earning the Ohio Means Jobs Career Readiness seal for their high school diploma.  One of the most exciting aspects of this course is the opportunity for students to learn about various career opportunities right here on South Bass Island.  Students, along with their teacher Mrs. Kowalski, have gotten the unique chance to tour various establishments and speak with island residents about their career paths.  Some of the industries that the students have already explored are construction with Fox Stone Products, hotel management with Commodore Resorts, and retail with Island Hardware Store.  Future explorations this semester include the Post Office, National Park Service, Police Department, EMS, Island Air Taxi, Ohio Edison, Miller Boat Line and more.

It is with great excitement that Put-in-Bay School announces the October arrival of Rebecca Lenke.  Rebecca will be sharing with our students, Grade 6 through Grade 12, information on Health and Sexual Reproduction.  She comes to Put-in-Bay having earned her Master of Science in Nursing, her Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Licensure as well as her Family Nurse Practitioner Specialty. Miss Lenke’s background and clinical experience has included settings such as: RW Minick Health Center, Franklin Pediatrics, Mercy Health, Bay Park Women’s Center, ProMedica and Ottawa County Riverview Healthcare Campus.  Her wealth of knowledge and career experience will be valuable for all students to learn from.  Students will also gain first-hand knowledge and insight regarding the nursing profession.

Members of the Put-in-Bay Police Department will be visiting the school on Friday October 9th to lead a variety of safety topics.  Put-in-Bay Police Captain Matt Mariano, Sgt. Eric Seitz, Detective Sgt. Dana Mullins and Detective Sgt. Randy Sehl combine over 60 years of police service and experience, and will be presenting “Stranger Danger Awareness” to elementary children, “Internet Safety” to middle school age students, and “Social Media Safety” to the highschoolers. In addition, all students will practice a mock “lockdown drill” in the classroom, followed by a soft lockdown/evacuation scenario presented to all students after lunch. The Put-in-Bay Police Department looks forward to teaming up for school safety throughout the school year.

Uncertainty became the new norm for 2020 and changed what the cross-country season would look like. Due to a limited meet schedule, this year’s team decided to take their running shoes to a couple neighboring islands.  They not only held practices on South Bass Island, but also on Middle Bass Island and Kelley’s Island. The team is led by veteran runner Elora Hubner and also includes returning runner Ava Heineman. Two new faces round-out the team with the addition of Cody Kowalski and Lukas Kostura. The team is looking forward to finishing out the season with runs at Osborn Park in Sandusky on October 3 and the Browns Backers 5K on October 11.  Elora will compete at the OHSAA District Meet on October 24.

Our running club program has returned for 2020.  This is a year around club and is open to all students, K-12, with the addition of a rookie running club for grades K-4. Combined, our running club is proud to have twenty-nine runners.  Running club is now the largest club activity we have at Put-in-Bay School!  We appreciate all the time and work Mrs. Johnna Danes has done to encourage our kids to get out and run.

The Put-in-Bay Panther Volleyball team has done whatever it takes to get the season going this year.  The team is wearing masks, social distancing, and sanitizing to comply with all protocols to in order to play this fall.  The girls are practicing hard and are grateful for every game and practice.  The current record of the team is 3-2.  The Panthers are led by three seniors:  Elena Schroeder, Lucy Schneider, and Nora Ladd.  They are providing great leadership and excellent play.  Kate Brynes, Macy Ladd, Lilian Frederick, McKenna Stacy, and Ella Kostura round out a small but deep squad.  The team has five regular season games remaining and for the first time in school history, the volleyball team will enter the state volleyball tournament.  Hopefully the girls can make a deep run in the tournament.  Go Panthers and Get your growl on!

The Great Lakes Islands Basketball Tournament scheduled for the first weekend in December is cancelled.  We look forward to hosting this tournament in 2021 with teams from Beaver Island, Washington Island, and Mackinac Island participating.

The annual Harvest Dinner is cancelled this year, as well.  A possible alternative fund raiser for the Gustav Heineman Scholarship is being discussed.

The 2020 school yearbooks have arrived and are on sale for twenty dollars.  Call or stop by the school if you would like to purchase one!

Our school utilizes “School Messenger” to inform parents of important announcements such as school closings or delays.  We will now make this available to everyone in our community.  If you would like to be notified by text or voice message of school closings or delays, announcements of events, etc.  Please contact the school at 419-285-3614 to sign up.