 |
Greenville City
School Update
January 2015
Superintendent Douglas Fries
Greenville City Schools has had a great first semester to the 2014-2015
school year, both academically and with extra-curricular activities.
Thanks to the hard work of our students and staff and support of our
parents and community, the first semester is nearing the end and has
been very educational.
Students return from Winter Break on Monday, January 5, 2015. There
will be no school on Martin Luther King Day, January 19, 2015 and the
first semester ends on Friday, January 23, 2015. Monday, January 26,
2015 is a teacher workday and students will not be in session.
We have been fortunate so far this school year to only use one calamity
day. We are again this year operating on days, not hours, for our
school year requirements. Thus, we have four calamity days available to
us before implementing any make-up days. The established make-up days
for this school year, if needed, are February 16th, June 1st, 2nd, 3rd
and 4th. February 16th would only be used if six days were missed
before that day. As we enter the coldest of the winter season, I
encourage everyone to dress for the weather, particularly at bus stops
with heavy coats, hats, scarf, and gloves. We try hard to arrive on
scheduled times at bus stops, but weather conditions sometimes dictate
being a little behind to maintain safety. I encourage all student
drivers to take their time driving to and from school and in and around
parking lots of the school throughout the winter season.
As the second semester approaches us this school year, many
instructional issues are on the horizon. First, we soon will be
implementing online PARCC testing for our grades four through eight
Ohio Achievement Assessments. This is likewise true for our upcoming
end of course exams at the high school in required areas. I salute our
curriculum and technology teams for preparing for these online
assessments and thank them for their dedication. I also thank the
students for their preparation for this new experience. We believe our
recent experience with taking online MAP (Measurement of Academic
Progress) testing will assist us with this new testing experience.
There is no doubt there will be a learning curve with necessary
adjustments as we implement the new testing model.
By next year, we are also working to implement the new College Credit
Plus curriculum at the high school. The CCP replaces Ohio's
Post-Secondary Enrollment Options Program (PSE0) and all alternate dual
enrollment programs. Our curriculum staff, high school counselors and
administrators have been attending workshops in preparation of
implementing this requirement signed into law on June 16, 2014 under
House bill 487. College Credit Plus requires two fundamental conditions
being the students who choose CCP courses must enroll in both college
and high school and the student is to earn both college and high school
credit upon successful completion of these courses. Our district is
presently reviewing and certifying as many high school teachers as
possible to instruct under the CCP program. Each public high school
must participate in the program next year and have developed two
pathway opportunities through CCP for a student to earn 15 or 30
college credits. We presently have signed a letter of intent to
participate in this program with Edison Community College.
Instructionally we are establishing a five year rotation to upgrade our
textbook and supplemental materials. This year our curriculum personnel
and principals are looking to purchase new materials in grades 5-8
mathematics and in high school geometry.
After more than a year of design phases for the new construction of our
K-8 building, visual construction should begin as soon as winter breaks
and continue approximately 18 months until mid-November 2016. The early
site package of the new site has gone well and should be completed the
first of the year. A small area of the front parking lot and driveway
on Ohio Street required soil stabilization but for the most part the
underground work went smoothly. Our early structural steel package came
in high on the budget estimate causing our CMR at Risk Shook
Touchstone, Garman and Miller Architects and Owner Agent Gilbane all to
recommend to us to redesign the exterior structural steel bearing walls
to CMU block bearing walls. This also required an adjustment to the
foundation drawings. Thus, after allowing time to redesign in these
respects, the foundation rebids are due in mid-January with the post
bid meetings to follow shortly after.
The board of education and the Ohio School Facility Commission are
presently finalizing the Guaranteed Maximum Price for Shook Touchstone
to build the new facility. This price should be approved by both
controlling boards within the next month. The construction documents
for the K-8 facility should be prepared by Garmann Miller Architects
and Engineers by late January and be on the street for review in
preparation of bidding. We expect the Guarantee Maximum Price bidding
for the entire building to take place in mid-February with construction
to begin as the weather breaks. The date of contract completion is now
scheduled for November 15, 2016. Of course, this is subject to no
weather delays in the process over the next couple of years.
There are two late packages that are bid out in the new K-8 facility.
These will be the furnishings and technology packages. These two
packages are typically delayed and bid closer to completion of
construction. Estimated money is set aside for these two packages.
Renovation continues at the high school. On December 22, 2014 we
started phase 5 of 9 on the upstairs front hallway next to the
courtyard. Approximately the end of January, to the first of February
we will enter phase 6 downstairs front hallway of academic wing. During
this phase the evening community walkers will have to do a U turn or go
up the stairs and back down to complete their walking laps. During each
phase we continue to remove ceilings and add piping to prepare for the
new HVAC system. The rooms are being painted, improvements are being
made to one white board in each room, new windows and doors and ceiling
tile have been added, as well.
I would like to thank our high school staff and students for their
flexibility and patience as we work through the renovation project.
Likewise, I want to thank Brumbaugh Construction, Garmann Miller
Architects and all the sub-contractors for completing this renovation
work while we continue to move forward academically.
Phase 9 of the high school renovation will be the major challenge next
summer as we renovate the high school media center, as well as the
science wing. We will also be painting all the hallways, installing new
lockers and remodeling the kitchen, public restrooms outside the
kitchen and enhancing the concession stand in the cafeteria all over
the summer. There will also be work done at the front doorways and at
two of the entrance walks by the flagpole and next to the cafeteria on
the front side. The renovation at the high school this summer will
again be on a tight schedule.
Because of the renovation schedule this summer at the high school there
will be no building rentals from graduation through the start of the
school year to allow construction and renovation to take place. Summer
school for 2015 will be assigned to appropriate approved areas. Our
goals for both construction projects continue to be to get the best
educational facility for student achievement in the twenty first
century and maintain the safest environment within the allotted budget.
At the K-8 new facility this also requires following all the
established rules of the Ohio School Facilities Commission.
I remind everyone that construction site pictures are available on the
school website (www.greenville.k12.oh.us). Please feel free to monitor
construction pictures throughout the length of the projects. We have
also added a camera that will take pictures daily of the new K-8 site
once construction begins.
We again had some wonderful school performances by our band, orchestra,
jazz scene and choirs of many grade levels before leaving for our
winter break. I commend our students and directors and assistants for
their dedication to these performances. The programs were each well
done. Thank you also to the community for your outstanding support and
attendance at these events.
Special congratulations to our thirty two high school juniors and
seniors who were inducted into National Honor Society at Greenville
High School on November 25, 2014. This was a wonderful Tap Assembly
coordinated by Advisor Amber Warner. I salute all our new inductees for
their commitment to scholarship, leadership, service and character.
Likewise, congratulations to Logan Emrick who was elected as Secretary
for the State of Ohio Business Professionals of America. Also,
congratulations to instructor Jim Anderson for being elected to the
position of Vice Chairman of National Automotive Technicians Education
Foundation beginning in January. He will become Chairman of the Board
of Trustees for the 2016 year.
The results of our community survey conducted on demolition of
buildings following new construction were as listed in each case in
favor of demolition - East School 91.5%, Junior High 82.1%, South
School 92.1%, and Woodland Heights 69.1%.
In closing, let me again thank our entire community for your ongoing
support of the Greenville School District. I invite all community
members, parents, grandparents to continue to be an active part of our
school district. Please feel free to attend as many student activities
as your schedule allows. The students, staff and administration
appreciate your support.
Everyone is always welcome to call me at 937-548-3185 or email me at
dfries@greenville.k12.oh.us if you have any questions about our school
district or school activities. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday
break. Best wishes in the new year.
|
|
|
|
