SCHOOL ZONE 2-27-14

ACT PRACTICE TEST AVAILABLE MARCH 8, 2014 

The practice ACT test is an opportunity for students to take an actual ACT test without having scores official recorded.  The test will be given at the Educational Service Center of Lorain County, 1885 Lake Avenue, Elyria.  After the test, students are provided with the test booklet and solution key to study.  A complete analysis of test results will be provided to each participant a few days after the test date, with results pinpointing areas of weakness.  Parents or students that are interested in participating will find a link to the registration form on our website.

VHS 2014-2015 COURSE REGISTRATION

Vermilion High School students completed their course registration for the 2014-2015 school year online this year, with assistance from faculty and guidance counselors. We would like to remind parents that your signature is required on your child’s course registration sheet.  If you have not already signed the registration sheet, please complete it as quickly as possible, and return the form to the Student Services office.  The 2014-2015 Course Guide is available on the high school website. Any parent wishing to discuss their child’s 2014-2015 course registration may call 204–1701, ext. 306 for an appointment.

CREDIT CARD FEE PAYMENT CHANGE

Effective March 15, 2014, it will no longer be possible for the Vermilion Local School District to pay the processing fees associated with credit card and electronic check transactions in PayForIt.  Payment of fees will become the responsibility of the end user effective on that date.  As always, we continue to accept cash or checks for fees and lunch payments in the main office or cafeteria of each building free of charge.

FEBRUARY EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

Kurt Habermehl, physical education teacher and longtime varsity basketball coach, is in the spotlight this month at Sailorway Middle School.  Influenced by an English teacher who told him he could be a good teacher, Kurt chose education as his major at Ashland University.  In 1997, he was offered the opportunity to return to Vermilion as a teacher and coach.  Being able to teach in his hometown was a dream come true and an easy decision to make.  He continues to live in Vermilion with his family.   When asked why he enjoys his job, Kurt explained that he really enjoys the students.  He has the unique opportunity to serve both middle school and high school students, and sees a variety of personalities throughout the day.  He works hard to make a connection with his students to help them realize that his class provides an enjoyable experience in a relaxed and safe physical education environment.  

The VHS employee spotlight is on school nurse Nancy Harmon.  Nancy is an important member of the school staff. She has a challenging job meeting a variety of student handicaps and needs throughout each day. Her quiet and calm demeanor allows her to put the staff and students at ease in her office.  Nancy believes it is important to teach students more about disease prevention and management. She recognized a need for VHS students struggling with diabetes and started a fun and interesting support group that meets monthly to help our students discover creative ways to live with the disease. Nancy earned her Bachelor’s of Nursing degree in 1986 and is a Registered Nurse. She currently works for the Erie County Health Department, and is assigned to Vermilion High School daily. 

Vermilion Elementary School students are fortunate to have access to technology every day at school, allowing us to provide a true 21^st century learning environment.  But it is a big job to keep all the technology operating seamlessly so that the learning can go on uninterrupted.  VES is putting the spotlight on technology supervisor Joshua Hovinetz this month, for his recent efforts above and beyond the call of duty to help keep SuccessMaker working at its best for our young students.  During a recent software upgrade, Mr. Hovinetz worked patiently with teachers and students to determine the source of difficulties, and tried to find workable solutions.  Many teachers commented on his patience and understanding with students, his perseverance in finding a solution, and his friendly and caring attitude.  He stayed at VES until the job was done to everyone’s satisfaction.  We understand that there will always be technical issues but we know that we can count on Mr. Hovinetz to provide us service with his patience and expertise in the future.   Mr. Hovinetz came to Vermilion Schools in 2010.  He is an Apple certified technician and an integral part of the technology support team. 

SCHOOL ZONE 2-13-14

INCLEMENT WEATHER - TWO HOUR DELAY

It has been quite a few years since our district used the option of a 2 hour delay due to inclement weather.  We believe that a 2 hour delay can be inconvenient for families and disruptive to the school day.  It is our intention to utilize this option only as a last resort, or in the event of an emergency.  If it is necessary for us to use the 2 hour delay option, here are some guidelines for families:  

• Students will be expected to report to school exactly 2 hours after the normally scheduled report time.  School will be dismissed at the normal time. 
• School buses will leave the bus garage 2 hours later, and will follow their established routes.  Students can expect buses to be at bus stops 2 hours later than normal.  
• Some students may experience a delay in pick up depending upon weather and road conditions.  Student safety is our priority. 
• Staff members will be in place to direct traffic following the same procedures used on a normal school day.   

We appreciate cooperation and patience of our families as we work through these difficult weather events.  

VHS INTERNET SAFETY PROGRAM

On Tuesday, February 11 Vermilion High School sponsored programs in coordination with Safer Internet Day.  The day featured a guest speaker from OverDrive, Inc who spoke with students at each grade level about their digital footprint and how Internet activity can impact individual safety now and in the future.  Safer Internet Day (SID) is organized each year to promote safe and responsible use of online technology and mobile phones, especially among children and young people across the world.  The theme this year is “Let’s create a better Internet together”.  For more information, visit www.saferinternet.org

SAILORWAY 2^ND QUARTER ATTENDANCE WINNER

Congratulations to David Mickle, who was the winner of the second quarter attendance challenge at Sailorway Middle School.  David’s name was drawn from the pool of all Sailorway students that qualified with perfect attendance.  He is the winner of a bicycle from Bicycle Bill’s in Vermilion.  We are very grateful for the cooperation of Bicycle Bill’s in helping us offer this special prize for student attendance this year.     

ATHLETIC EVENT RESCHEDULE DATES

The winter weather has been especially hard on our athletic teams, as many events had to be cancelled and rescheduled.  Athletic schedules have been updated on our website, and a complete list of reschedule dates can be easily accessed from our home page.  Despite the weather challenges, many of our teams are having a great year.  We hope you will come out and support our teams.  It’s a great way to beat the winter blues. 

2014-2015 PARCC ASSESSEMENTS

Ohio is among 22 states that are working as a consortium, called the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC), to develop a common set of K-12 assessments in English and math. The assessments will be anchored in what it takes to be ready for college and careers, and will be ready for states to administer during the 2014-15 school year.  Education professionals throughout Ohio are expressing concern about the increase in testing hours.  Below is a table demonstrating the increase at each grade level.    

Comparison of Testing Times - PARCC and OAA/OGT

PARCC ELA/ Literacy and Mathematics Assessments
Grade	Number of Sessions	Total Testing Time	Number of Sessions	Estimated Testing Time*	Net Increase in Testing*
3	3	7 hrs., 30 min	9	8 hrs	30 min
4	2	5 hrs.	9	9 hrs., 20 min	4 hrs., 20 min
5	2	5 hrs.	9	9 hrs., 20 min	4 hrs., 20 min
6	2	5 hrs.	9	9 hrs., 25 min	4 hrs., 25 min
7	2	5 hrs.	9	9 hrs., 25 min	4 hrs., 25 min
8	2	5 hrs.	9	9 hrs., 25 min	4 hrs., 25 min
9	NA	NA	5	5 hrs., 55 min	5 hrs., 55 min
10	2	5 hrs.	5	5 hrs., 55 min	55 min
11	NA	NA	5	5 hrs., 55 min	5 hrs., 55 min
Algebra 1 EOC	NA	NA	4	3 hrs., 50 min	3 hrs., 50 min
Geometry EOC	NA	NA	4	3 hrs., 50 min	3 hrs., 50 min
Algebra 2 EOC	NA	NA	4	4 hrs	4 hrs.

Parents are also expressing concern about the emphasis being placed on standardized tests, student scores on tests, and the impact it will have on our children, especially those who are high achievers.  For more information on the PARCC assessments, please visit http://parcconline.org/ .  We will be following the progress and reporting information as we know more.