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

Though it is summer, many of our students are taking advantage of learning opportunities outside our school calendar year.  Ms. Riley Conway is teaching elementary students in summer school for six weeks; seniors Joseph Byrnes and Alexandra Knauer recently returned from Buckeye Boys State and Buckeye Girls State, respectively; and juniors Nora Ladd, Elena Schroeder, and Lucy Schneider spent a week at the Hugh O’Brian Leadership Program last month.  We also have students taking on-line courses and courses for college credit on Gibraltar Island.  Way to go, students!

On June 16, senior Joe Byrnes returned from a week at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, this year’s host for Buckeye Boys State.  Joe said he came back with a new appreciation in how our government works.  The highlight of the week for him was being the sole sponsor of two bills that passed the Senate unanimously while serving on the Economic Development Committee.  “Many bills that were introduced did not pass, so it was a very gratifying accomplishment.”

Our Buckeye Girls State representative Alexandra Knauer said, “This was a wonderful leadership experience I will value for a long time.  I loved my roles as a County Nationalist Chairman and as a clerk for county commissioners.  I learned the governmental process quickly and felt good in what we accomplished in a short period of time.  I also met many nice people along the way.” Buckeye Girls State was held at Ohio Northern University.

The Hugh O’Brian Leadership Program hosts over two hundred future leaders entering their junior year in high school.  Here are just a few things our students had to say about their experience at the Hugh O’Brien Leadership Program that was held at Ohio Northern University last month:

Nora Ladd – “It was fun to be around people who were not afraid to express their opinions. I also liked hearing all the ambitions each student had for their future.”

Elena Schroeder – “This was a life changing opportunity, I loved it!  One of our guest speakers, Tony Thompson, was outstanding.  He talked about not waiting and challenged us to jump into leadership now.  The best thing of all was meeting other students who shared your values and passion.

Lucy Schneider – “I loved the atmosphere and met some really cool people.  We plan to stay in touch and get together again!”

Summer is a time for completing a long “to-do” list of maintenance projects.  That list includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Paint hallways, multi-purpose room, and kitchen
• Wax all tile floors
• Shampoo all carpets, runners, rugs, and furniture
• Power wash building, clean all windows, clear all downspouts
• Inspect sprinkler and fire alarm systems

Summer is also a time for us to review and update board policies and student handbooks.  Last summer we made a number of changes in our student discipline code, most notably changing from a demerit system to a level system.  We developed a reward system, as well.  Student handbooks are sent home the first day of school each year for parents to become familiar.  These handbooks are reviewed and approved by our board of education every summer.  If you have any questions about our 2019-20 rules, policies, or procedures prior to school starting, please call the school at 419-285-3614.

Parents planning to withdraw or enroll a student should do so prior to school starting so we can plan accordingly.

Please mark your calendar with the scheduled vacation days this coming year.  We encourage families to be familiar with our attendance policy and Ohio House Bill 410 requirements when scheduling family vacations and/or appointments.  The 2019-20 school calendar:

• September 3 First Day of School
• October 19 – 21 (Appointment Day)
• November 27 – Dec 1 (Thanksgiving Break)
• December 21 – January 5 (Christmas Break)
• February 22 – March 1 (Winter Break)
• April 10 – 14  (Spring Break)
• May 23 – 25 (Memorial Day)
• May 28 Last Day of School
• May 29 Graduation