DRUG ABUSE UPDATE
As reported in previous issues of the Photojournal, drug use in Vermilion is on the rise. Our police department is working hard to control the spread of this problem, and we continue to work with our resource officer to identify and manage incidents as they occur in school. Recently we were made aware of a new and highly addictive drug called “Opana”. Opana is a prescription pain-killer used to treat some cancer-related illnesses. One quarter to one half of a pill is enough to create significant health issues for the user. Swallowing a whole pill can lead to overdose and death. Law enforcement officials report that this dangerous drug is being sold across northeast Ohio, and has made its way into the student population.
Students at Amherst Steele High School created a video report and discussion about the use of Opana in our area. Their video is an excellent resource and is featured on the front page of our website. I urge all of you to view and listen carefully to the information presented. We invite you to join with our teachers and administrative team as we work to communicate the dangers of this drug throughout our community, and especially to those students who may be vulnerable to drug traffickers and/or drug use.
TEACHER RANDY COLE OFFERS FREE STUDY HELP FOR STUDENTS
Social Studies teacher Randy Cole has been gracious enough to offer his time to any high school student needing extra help in core subject areas. Beginning at 6:00 a.m. Mr. Cole makes himself available to assist students who need additional help or quiet study time. Every Monday a schedule is posted to let students know when the classroom “study area” will be available. Mr. Cole’s classroom is designated as a quiet study room where students can come and receive help or take advantage of quiet study time. Mr. Cole also created a room adjacent to his classroom that has a “lounge” feel to it and a much more relaxed atmosphere. Students know that they can go to that room to collaborate on projects and assignments given by their teachers. Listening to the feedback from students it is clear that the students appreciate the opportunity Mr. Cole is offering. The 6:00 a.m. start time may seem early, but so far Mr. Cole has had 15 to 20 students in attendance on a regular basis. Mr. Cole views this as an opportunity to give back to the community and perhaps inspire students to give back also. We truly appreciate Mr. Cole’s efforts to improve educational opportunities for students. This is just another example of some of the exciting things that are happening around our district. More information on the project will be presented on our website in the near future.
SUMMER SCIENCE CAMP 2012
We are pleased to announce that we will once again partner with the Great Lakes Science Center to offer a summer science camp and Lego robotics program for elementary students. This program was very popular last year and all those who participated had a great time. Vermilion teachers Brian Hayes and Jeff Olsen are the instructors once again this year. This year’s camp will be held July 23 through 27 and July 30 through August 3. Cost for all materials and instruction is $235.00. For registration and/or additional information, please contact Denise Zielske at the administration office, 440-204-1700, ext. 125.
GLOBALIZATION OF EDUCATION
Last weekend I attended a seminar at Ashland University focusing on new and innovative educational opportunities. One of the presenters was Dr. Yong Zhao, Presidential Chair and Associate Dean for Global Education in the College of Education at the University of Oregon. He is the author of numerous leading educational publications, including “Catching Up or Leading the Way”. Dr. Zhao has some very interesting ideas about our nation’s current focus on test scores and the effect on our nation as a whole. Standardized testing, while necessary, can have its drawbacks. Dr. Zhao argues that the United States, while lagging in test scores since the 1950’s, has remained a leader in innovation, technology and creativity. He believes as educational methods around the world are compiled and analyzed, the comparison should include more than test scores. In general, U.S. schools offer a wide variety of instruction and programming that is not available to our competitors. Our educational system has always fostered creative thought and satisfaction of learning for students. The results of this freedom are demonstrated by our continued leadership in innovation and entrepreneurial thought. The U.S. continues to be a world leader in the number of new patents awarded annually. If you would like to learn more about Dr. Zhao’s ideas, please view his website at http://Zhaolearning.com .
PROM HELP NEEDED
The Vermilion High School Prom is always a community event that is very popular with many residents. We work hard every year to put on a safe and economical Prom in our own facility to keep the cost as low as possible. However, each year it becomes more difficult to creating the “wow” factor for our students with the funds available. The theme of this year’s Prom is “Old Hollywood”. In an effort to insure that all students can participate in a low cost Prom, the committee is asking for help from the community this year. Please consider a donation or loan of one or more items to help our committee maintain the quality that we have offered in the past. Below is the list of items needed:
½” plywood sheets for backdrops and decorations
Large sheets of cardboard for decorations such as life size “peek through” standees of Hollywood stars
Poster board – white or silver
Tri-fold poster boards for “ticket windows”
Card stock in white for invitations and table markers
Felt board
Strings of white Christmas lights or tube lights (movie theater marquee)
Paint: gallons of black, white or red or Spray Paint in black or silver
Tulle or gossamer fabric in white, silver, red or black
Balloons – red, white, silver, black
Glitter
Wax paper (for “camera” effects)
Pedestals
Strobe lights
Easels
Please contact Anjeannette Caffarel at acaffarel@vermilionschools.org or Christine Reynolds at 440-204-1701, ext. 322 if you wish to donate or have an item to loan. We thank you in advance for any assistance you can provide.
