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.