Aptitude - South-Western City Schools!

Green Columbus
New schools to be Earth-friendly
Innovative Learning
Conference from ESC, Hilliard, ODE
Race to the Top
ESC aids Ohio implementation
Aptitude
A showcase for Central Ohio education
Fall 2011 • Vol. 1 Issue 1
iAdapt
Technology constantly
reshaping education
A publication of the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio

Publication Center
Commercial-quality printing and
graphic design at nonprofi t prices
The ESC Publication Center can help from initial
design to final printing. Plus as part of a nonprofit
agency, the Publication Center keeps its prices low.
The ESC Publication Center can assist with projects
such as:
• Forms
• Newsletters
• Spiral-bound books
• Annual reports
• Letterhead
• Envelopes
• Brochures
• Business cards
• Student/Employee handbooks
• Carbonless Forms
Experience, quality and value all combine to make
the ESC Publication Center a tool that enables area
schools and nonprofits to deliver messages clearly,
whether they are print-ready or starting with only an
idea.
For more information or quotes contact
Printing/Copying:
Cliff Smith or Dwayne Stout
614.542.4133
Graphic Design/Writing:
Aaron Reincheld
614.542.4116
www.escofcentralohio.org
Aptitude
A showcase for Central Ohio education
Editor in Chief
Aaron Reincheld
Editor
Jacob Lammers
ESC of Central Ohio Contributors
Samantha Donegan
Chris Downey
Matt Goodwin
Dee McGlothlin
Thomas Reed
Joseph Weitz
District Contributors
Doug Baker, Dublin City Schools
Gary Barber, Big Walnut Local Schools
Chris Bowser, Groveport Madison Local Schools
Dan Donovan, Upper Arlington City Schools
Marsha Link, Delaware Area Career Center
Chad Myers, Eastland-Fairfield Career & Technical Schools
Sandra Nekoloff, South-Western City Schools
Vince Payne, Hamilton Local Schools
Ed Rebmann, Fairbanks Local Schools
Michael Straughter, Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools
Amy Thompson, Bexley City Schools
Karen Truett, Olentangy Local Schools
Greg Viebranz, Westerville City Schools
Jeff Warner, Columbus City Schools
Questions, Comments, Ideas
Please contact:
ESC of Central Ohio
Office of Communications
2080 Citygate Drive
Columbus, OH 43219
communications@escco.org
614.753.4709
www.escofcentralohio.org
Submissions
Next Issue Deadline: Nov. 18
Publishing Date: Early December
Theme: Evolution of Assessment
The ESC of Central Ohio accelerates the missions
of its member school districts and helps students
achieve more through career and college-ready
research-based programs and services.
Contents
8
12
Aptitude Features
Technology benefits Bexley students with special needs 7
Innovative Learning Environments 2011 8
Olentangy online academy 10
Big Walnut 5th grader’s blog getting attention 11
South-Western upgrades radio system 12
Columbus City Schools going green 14
SMARTBoards, iPods give fairy tales new twist in Groveport 19
Students, alumni lend helping hands 20
New Gahanna school a unique partnership 22
ESC grad attends state Leadership Forum 24
Westerville’s new Early Learning Center 25
Delaware Career Center student wins national competition 26
ESC of Central Ohio aiding Race to the Top work 28
10
25
Fall 2011 • Vol. 1 Issue 1
16
Cover Story
26
Cover Story
Teaching the Touchscreen Generation 16
Opinion
Superintendent’s Note: Our aim with Aptitude 4
ESC Op-Ed: Bring your own technology 31
Briefs
Central Ohio education briefs 5
Policy Brief: Technology in education 6
Upper Arlington adopts 21st century learning logo 27
Dublin remembers student with reading nook 28
OCALI raises autism awareness at White House 30
ESC directors published in national newsletter 30

About the
ESC of Central Ohio
The Educational Service Center of
Central Ohio works to help Central
Ohio school districts and their
students achieve more.
The ESC of Central Ohio serves
25 school districts in Delaware,
Franklin and Union counties with
a total enrollment of more than
200,000 students. The provided
services vary with the needs and
goals of each partner district or
agency. The agency totals more
than 1,200 full-time employees.
The Center for Student Services
is the central pillar of the agency’s
work, partnering with districts
throughout Central Ohio to educate
students with special needs, such
as developmental disabilities,
Autism or hearing impairments.
The Center for Achievement and
Leadership Services also houses
many tools for district, principal and
teacher development. The center
also offers myriad professional
development options along with
curriculum development and gifted
and talented consultation.
The State Support Team for
Region 11 is an Ohio Department
of Education grant-funded project
that provides school improvement
technical assistance and special
education compliance for the seven
county Central Ohio region.
The statewide mission of OCALI
is to build state- and system-wide
capacity to improve outcomes
for individuals with autism and
low-incidence disabilities through
leadership, training and professional
development, technical assistance,
collaboration and technology.
Additional ESC offices fill the
roles of fiscal agent, professional
employment organization and
printer, in addition to assisting with
school attendance and substitute
staff areas.
614.445.3750 | www.escco.org
Superintendent’s Note
Our aim for Aptitude
Welcome to the first issue of Aptitude, a magazine that celebrates
education in Central Ohio.
Aptitude will be a publication that serves as a nerve center,
featuring news from public school districts in Franklin, Delaware
and Union counties.
The ESC of Central Ohio developed this issue with the significant
help of our member school districts, and future issues will follow
the same format.
However, this magazine isn’t only about the ESC because the
ESC is all about you.
We are excited about what Aptitude can become and believe
this issue you now hold is a firm foundation to build upon.
In this inaugural issue, you will find information on not just
school districts, but the latest news in statewide education policy.
We will also share grant opportunities when they are available.
This issue focuses on technology in schools and how some
school districts are going beyond pen and paper.
Some stories you will find include:
At Groveport Madison Local Schools, a literacy consultant has
been using a variety of electronic devices to teach middle school
students the structure of a story.
Using a screen and projector, Hilliard City Schools incorporated
interactive videoconferencing at all three of its high schools. Although
miles away, a Mandarin Chinese teacher uses the technology to
instruct Hilliard students on correct pronunciation and grammar.
Olentangy Local Schools created the Olentangy Online Academy
(O2A) that introduces online technology courses for students.
Aptitude also draws from experts on the changing tides in
education and new innovations in aiding teachers and helping
students learn.
Aside from the general education population, educators are
finding that technology is helping students with special needs close
the gap with their peers.
The crucial step is providing access to technology as well as
training to teachers and students. And the ESC is proud to assist
districts in every step in this process.
As we continue to compete in a global economy, we must find
new, inventive ways to educate our youth. Technology can certainly
be one of the tools to open that door.
In Service to Children,
Bart Anderson
Superintendent, ESC of Central Ohio
Central Ohio Briefs
Hamilton high school selected as School of the Year
Hamilton Township
High School was selected
as “School of the Year” after
making improvements on 12
state indicators.
Executive Director of the
Ohio Lottery Dennis Berg
recently presented Hamilton
Township High School with the
designation of “School of the
Year” during a school-wide
assembly. David McCreary
hosted the ceremony and
provided comedy and magic
for those in attendance.
Also paying a visit were
the mascots of the Columbus
Crew and Cincinnati Cyclones
to keep the crowd’s energy up
during the event. A $500 gift
certificate to Staples was also
awarded to the school for use
in buying office supplies.
“We are very proud of our
students and all they have
accomplished inside and
Bexley Schools
The Bexley High School
student newspaper, The
Torch, received awards for its
work in 2010-2011 from the
National Scholastic Press and
Columbus Scholastic Press
Associations. Three Bexley
High School seniors (the class
of 2012 numbers 169) have
earned semifinalist status in
the National Merit Scholarship
Program: Thomas Gundy,
Aaron Pelz and Emily Rapport.
They are among 16,000
semifinalists nationwide who
will compete for recognition
and scholarships. For more
info, visit bexleyschools.org.
-Amy Thompson
outside of the classroom,”
Hamilton Township High
School Principal James
Miller said. “Our teachers
work before, during and after
school hours to make certain
our students are successful in
Fairbanks Elementary
School started a new
mentoring program for
students who need a little
extra help in reading. Project
MORE is a one-on-one
program where the mentor
works with the student for
30 minutes a day. Teachers,
principals, high school
students and community
volunteers serve as mentors.
If you are interested in being
a mentor, please contact Amy
Sines at asine@fairbanks.
k12.oh.us or 937.349.9000.
In other Fairbanks Schools
news, Fairbanks Middle
School eighth grader Michael
Fornadel competed in the
the classroom, on the playing
fields, and in life. Receiving
this acknowledgement
reinforces why we do what
we do at Hamilton Township
High School.”
-Vince Payne
Hamilton Township High School was selected as the Ohio Lottery’s Partners
in Education School of the Year. The high school earned an Excellent
designation from the state and improved in all 12 state indicators.
Fairbanks Schools
state Geography Bee in
Mansfield. Michael earned a
trip to the state competition
after winning his school’s
geography bee and took a
written exam to become one
of the top 100 scorers in the
state. At the state competition,
Michael correctly answered
seven of eight, tying for first
place in the preliminary round.
-Ed Rebmann
Olentangy Schools
Six Olentangy students
took part in the Central
Ohio Leadership Academy’s
inaugural class this summer.
The students went through a
competitive screening process
to fill one of the 34 spots open
to all Central Ohio students.
The program was established
to provide a comprehensive
experience to help young
people with developing
leadership qualities realize
their potential. Student
learning was guided by an
instructional collaborative that
included educators from the
Fisher College of Business at
The Ohio State University and
the New Albany-Plain Local
School District. Students
earned college credit
from OSU for successfully
completing the program. For
more information, go to www.
coleadershipacademy.org.
-Karen Truett
Delaware Career Center
The Association for Career
and Technical Education
honored Delaware Area
Career Center Intervention
Instructor Tina Francis
and Superintendent Mary
Beth Freeman. In Francis’s
classroom, housed within
the Buckeye Valley Middle
School, she encourages
students to participate in the
likes of Make-A-Difference
Day, annual food drives and
various fundraisers. Last year
alone, Francis’s classroom
collected $1,700 for the
Leukemia and Lymphoma
Society. Freeman was chosen
to receive the Ohio ACTE
Distinguished Service Award
in the Administrative category.
Freeman was recognized as
having made the highest
contributions to improvement,
promotion, development, and
progress of career, technical
and adult education.
-Marsha Link
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APTITUDE APTITUDE

ESC Expertise: Education Policy
State policymakers stress
online, STEM learning
Joseph Weitz
ESC of Central Ohio
Technology in schools and education has grown in importance over the
past several years as policymakers continue to stress the need for online
and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) learning. This
push is a reaction to address the United States’ economic and workforce
issues as the world continues to operate more globally and becomes more
competitive. Ohio is no exception to this trend and recent policy is evidence
to this reality.
The recently passed state budget includes provisions that address how
technology may be used in schools going forward. The budget bill (HB153)
will repeal the moratorium on new e-schools beginning January 2013 while
also mandating standards be created for these schools by July 2012. HB153
also includes many provisions related to the ranking of schools and school
buildings according to expenditures per pupil and percentage of expenditures
for classroom instruction.
Governor John Kasich’s Director of 21st Century Education, Dr. Bob
Sommers, has said these rankings are intended to urge districts and schools
to look for new ways of doing business using technology, in order to achieve
greater savings and better efficiencies, while also improving quality.
Sommers would like to create a “digital-friendly state” and accomplish
this through better integration of technology in schools. Three ways he
wants to do this are giving students the right to choose online coursework,
simplifying and focusing the state’s educational-technology leadership, and
making available Ohio’s best teachers to more students across the state
through the use of technology.
In a paper released by Sommers this past March, he wrote, “students
only truly benefit when technology and technology-based instruction are
integrated into every aspect of the school experience.” The schools that are
able to do this will “capitalize on the capacity of today’s students, who are
digital natives, to learn in a technology-rich environment.”
The budget bill also establishes the Digital Learning Task Force, which
includes the chancellor, state superintendent, policymakers, appointed
individuals from local communities and more. The Task Force intends to
develop a strategy to expand digital learning, enabling students to customize
their education, while also producing cost savings and meeting the needs of
Ohio’s economy.
The task force will examine areas such as the use of digital textbooks, the
integration of formative and online assessments, the ability to individualize
content to specific student-learning styles, digital content pilot programs
currently operating, high quality professional development for educators
providing online or blended instruction, and funding strategies that create
incentives for high performance, innovation, and options in course providers
and delivery.
The importance of technology in schools and education is growing
rapidly and these policy provisions are evidence of Ohio’s efforts to keep
pace nationally and globally. A
Joe Weitz is the senior policy consultant for the ESC of Central Ohio.
Proposed legislation
regarding technology
pending in the Ohio
General Assembly
House Bill 205: The bill would
permit the establishment of hybrid
community schools to provide
students with a combination of
technology-based instruction,
including internet- or computerbased
instruction, and classroombased
instruction.
House Bill 227: The bill would grant
a tax credit to an individual who
graduates from an Ohio institution
of higher education (or a non-Ohio
institution approved by the Board of
Regents) with a degree in science,
technology, engineering or mathbased
field of study.
Technology in Bexley Schools
Serving Special Education Students
Amy Thompson
Bexley City Schools
Some Bexley special education students will soon benefit
from new technology tools that their school district is purchasing
with federal stimulus funds. In conjunction with that, Bexley
City Schools is exploring various means to achieve universal
design in learning and make instructional opportunities more
accessible.
“This affects not just how instruction is presented but how
it is received by the students,” Special Education Director
Frances Bauer-Morrow said as she showed some of the tools
at a recent board of education meeting.
She reported that her department has started to put
together a toolkit that can be used by students depending on
their needs. She estimated that about 15 percent of the school
district’s special education students would benefit from the
technology. About 10–11 percent of Bexley’s students are in
the special education program.
Bauer-Morrow demonstrated a word prediction software
program with a voice-activated feature. She highlighted a
text-to-speech option that provides e-books and works with
Word products. Programs convert text through a daisy file, a
certain way of organizing materials so that the student has the
text by chapters. A document produced by a teacher can be
e-mailed to a staff person who runs it through the converter,
turning a text file into a text file with audio embedded.
The text-to-speech tools might be used by students who
require education materials to be read aloud to them during
tests or in class. It would also be applicable for students who
require recorded versions of texts.
Using technology to fill this need versus having staff do
the oral reading would make the accommodation less timeconsuming
for staff and give students greater flexibility and
more accessibility, Bauer-Morrow said.
Students with this oral presentation accommodation
simulates the current CD-based version of the Ohio Achievement
Assessments and Ohio Graduation Tests, making this
accommodation on state testing a more familiar experience
for them.
Bauer-Morrow said that she anticipates school district
staff will determine who needs the tools by using a particular
assessment protocol suggested by her colleague Deb Dargham
from New Albany-Plain Local Schools. The assessment
compares student-writing samples produced under uniform
conditions using various production methods. “At this stage,
we’re still helping staff become acquainted with the tools,”
Bauer-Morrow said.
“We want to make sure they are used in a way that is most
effective for the students.” A
For more information about Bexley’s
new technology for special education,
contact Bexley Schools’ Public Information
Coordinator Amy Thompson at 614.238.6663
or KeyCommunicator@BexleySchools.org.
6 7
APTITUDE APTITUDE

ILE Conference
integrates
technology,
teaching
Samantha Donegan
ESC of Central Ohio
Attendees jotted notes on everything
from simple notepads to handheld tablets
as they filled auditoriums and classrooms
and listened to education experts from the
U.S. and across the globe.
In early August, the ESC of Central
Ohio, the Ohio Department of Education,
the Organization of Economic Cooperation
and Development (OECD) and Hilliard City
Schools presented the Ohio Innovative
Learning Environments 2011 Conference
at Hilliard’s Bradley High School.
The five-day conference gave 750
educators from all over Ohio the chance
to learn how to integrate new technologies,
teaching methods and innovations into
their school districts and classrooms.
In addition, attendees were able to
learn how other countries are integrating
teaching and learning innovations from
keynote speakers and breakout session
presenters who came from Finland,
Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom,
Hong Kong and New Zealand.
Valarie Hannon, keynote speaker
from the United Kingdom, said she
hopes her presentation gave educators
the opportunity to discuss important
challenges schools and children are facing.
“If I was still teaching or working in a
school district, I’d find it really helpful to
be hearing about what was going on in
Finland or Australia or New Zealand and
reflecting upon the learnings that are being
derived from those systems,” Hannon said.
This was the second year the
ESC has worked with Hilliard on the
conference. Ohio Department of Education
representative Constance Barsky was so
impressed with the 2010 conference that
she reached out to the ESC to collaborate
on this year’s event with a Race to the
Top grant she had received to do a similar
conference.
“It is critical for ODE to expose teachers
to innovative learning environments to
trigger more ideas for those teachers
who are already skilled and prepared to
innovate,” said Barsky, who also serves
as an ODE science initiatives administrator.
“For those not ready, it provides incentives
for them to get the training that will allow
them to provide a better educational
experience for their students.”
With ODE’s collaboration, its
partnership with OECD and its funding,
the conference was able to provide a
greater international presence and teacher
stipends for conference attendees.
Barsky hopes teachers gained an
appreciation for other countries that
have many of the same problems as
Ohio school districts, and learned from
the countries that have found ways to
overcome those problems.
“Our international guests expressed
much gratitude and appreciation for this
opportunity to come to the U.S. to not
only share their educational perspectives,
Clockwise from top left: ODE’s Leslie Yenkin
shows breakout session attendees online tools
that create innovative learning environments for
students; International presenter Valerie Hannon
speaks to educators about what other countries
are doing to become leaders in innovative
education; OECD’s David Instance speaks to
attendees; State Superintendent Stan Heffner
speaks to an auditorium full of educators.
but to learn from Ohio educators
during the break-out sessions,”
said Teresa Dempsey, ESC director
of professional development. “It
was really a win-win experience for
everyone that attended.”
Expanding individual networks
into a community of learners was
one of the main hopes for Tom Reed,
executive director for the Center
of Achievement and Leadership
Services.
“Teaching can sometimes be a
lonely experience,” Reed said. “If
we’ve served in any way to connect
teachers in like grade levels, or
in similar situations, or perhaps
totally different situations that
would enhance that collaborative
experience, that’s a good thing.”
Krista Keir, from Dublin City
Schools, was attending the
conference for classes through
the Miami Cohort in Educational
Leadership. She found things to take
back to the classroom after only one
day of presentations.
“That was probably one of the
most important things,” Keir said.
“Being here I actually feel like I had
something to apply back in my
classroom, back in a meeting, back
with colleagues; especially with Ian
Jukes’ presentation.”
On the second day of the
conference, newly appointed State
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Stan Heffner gave a presentation on
the state of the Ohio Department of
Education and its future initiatives.
“Professional development
such as the Innovative Learning
Environments Conference helps us
work toward one of our primary goals,
which is to ensure that students are
prepared for college and careers,”
Heffner said. “Our students will be
entering a new world of work and
learning – and this new world calls
for new ways of teaching.
“I enjoyed participating in this
event and I am pleased that ODE was
a sponsor of this important initiative,”
Heffner added.
Reed’s hopes for next year
include greater team representation
from districts. He noted that the
ESC would begin much earlier in
promoting that this is not just a
conference for individuals, but a
conference for building teams and
collaboration at the local level. A
8 9
APTITUDE APTITUDE

Taking the
classroom home
Olentangy Local Schools embraces online learning
by creating an online academy for its students.
Fifth grader’s blog attracts attention
©
Karen Truett
Olentangy Local Schools
Educators across Central Ohio are
looking for ways to better integrate
technology into their classrooms, but
teachers in Olentangy Local Schools
are also using technology to bring their
classrooms right into students’ living
rooms.
It’s a new twist to the growing trend of
online learning. Instead of just purchasing
seats from an outside e-learning company,
Olentangy is also asking its own teachers
to put their expertise and curriculum into
an online environment.
Currently, 45 Olentangy teachers
are taking part in the Olentangy Online
Academy, or O2A. Each of these teachers
will be working throughout the year to
develop an online version of at least one
of his or her courses.
“We feel that our teachers are our
best resource,” said Keith Pomeroy,
Olentangy’s director of technology. “The
goal of this project is to make sure as
many of our students as possible have
access to those resources.”
By making existing classes available
online, students will have more flexibility
when scheduling classes.
“A lot of our kids really pack their
The group of teachers who developed the
O2A program meeting in June.
schedules,” said Tom McDonnell,
principal of Olentangy High School.
“They’re trying to fit in AP classes, band,
choir, art – sometimes they just can’t get
all of the classes in during the regular
school day. These online courses will
give them a lot more options.”
Olentangy Orange Middle School
helped pilot the program last year by
introducing two online technology
courses. Chris Deis taught both classes,
Web Design and Productivity Skills, in a
traditional classroom setting for years.
He found that students had no problems
adjusting to the online format.
“My students really seemed to
enjoy the environment,” Deis said. “It’s
something natural to them.”
Deis said it also allowed him to reach
students in the district’s other middle
schools.
“It was great to see students who
had never met develop these positive
relationships,” he said. “Someone would
post a question and before I could
respond, four or five students had jumped
in and really helped explain the topic. It
was a great learning environment.”
Olentangy Orange Middle School
Principal Brian Lidle was excited to have
the pilot project at his school.
“It provides the opportunity for
learning to take place at the
time that we want to make
learning convenient,” Lidle
said. “We aren’t here to
protect the traditional way
of doing things. We’re here to
facilitate maximum learning
for every student, and that
is to prepare them for what
the future holds.”
Pomeroy and Deis, who
has now moved into the role
of the district’s instructional
technology coordinator, lead
the O2A courses.
A screenshot of an online assignment through
the Olentangy Online Academy (O2A).
They start by stressing the differences
between a successful classroom course
and a successful online course.
“This isn’t as easy as taking existing
lesson plans and posting them online,”
Pomeroy said. “Teachers are used to all
of their students being in the same place
at the same time. When you go online,
you’re going asynchronous and doing
that well takes some major adjustments.
“There are also adjustments once the
class is launched,” Deis added. “Teachers
are still offering full support for their online
students – but that support happens at
different times and in different ways.”
Online class options do more than
offer additional flexibility for students.
Superintendent Wade Lucas said they
will also allow the district to operate even
more efficiently by letting teachers work
with students from multiple buildings.
“Olentangy is focused on providing an
excellent education at the most efficient
cost possible,” he said. “Not only does
this initiative help further that goal, it also
takes education into the environment
where our students are living their lives.
They are online all the time. We don’t want
to send the message that you always
have to power down to learn.” A
Gary Barber
Big Walnut Local Schools
Do you have a blog? Are you a fifth grader? Have you ever
interviewed U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan? Have
you been contacted by the Ohio Department of Education
after blogging the question “How’s your school year going
so far?”
To all these questions, one Big Walnut Local Schools
fifth grader can answer, “Yes.”
On kidsnewsohio.blogspot.com, RJ writes about issues
happening in the state, completes interviews and explains
why the issues are imporant to her readers. The blog has
received more than 1,200 hits and dozens of responses.
“We can listen to each other and share,” RJ said. “It
makes it easier to get through sad and hard things when
we work through it together and not by ourselves.”
One recent responder to the blog was U.S. Secretary
of Education Arne Duncan, who invited RJ to send in some
interview questions. Secretary Duncan responded to her
questions (the interview is available on her blog), using
some vocabulary words that her parents and teachers had
to define for her including “discrimination,” “diversity” and
“unprecedented.”
RJ does 95 percent of the writing, posting and responding
herself with help from her dad. She has received responses
from many places, including Arizona, Texas, Michigan,
California, Canada and China. To protect RJ’s safety, her
dad holds the password for her blog and is always there as
she reads the daily comments.
RJ uses an Apple computer attached to a TV screen
and feels that she’s “on her way” in the technological world.
When asked if her dad or mother are computer geeks, she
said, “No, but my uncle, for his job, creates websites.”
Using her blog, RJ has launched such topics as “make
a difference, make a friend” and “healthy school lunches.”
Most recently, her “9/11 project” asks fifth graders what they
know about 9/11 and how old they were when they first heard
about 9/11. She also asks readers to talk with someone 20
years old or older and to let her know how living after 9/11
has been different than life before the event.
RJ’s wish right now is that “anyone reading this
article go to my blog and participate in the 9/11 project.”
Readers can do that and join this 21st Century thinker at:
http://kidsnewsohio.blogspot.com/2011/08/911-project.html.
You can also follow the blog on Twitter: @KidsNewsOhio. A
10 11
APTITUDE APTITUDE

“The change to narrow-banding
frees up airways cutting down on usage
similar to folding a sheet of paper in half
in 2013 and again in 2020,” said Gary L.
Sigrist, Jr., South-Western’s Readiness
and Emergency Management for Schools
(REMS) grant coordinator.
South-Western determined that it
should re-engineer its entire radio system
after a review of its current system,
keeping in mind both the 2013 narrowbanding
requirements and expected
requirements for 2020, along with the
inter-operability requirements of the
National Response Framework.
In the event of a disaster, all radios
(building, property services and buses)
could be utilized by law enforcement to
provide emergency instructions.
Under the old system, school buses
operated on one frequency and buildings
operated on another frequency. Because
of that inconsistency, communication
between the school buildings and the
school buses was difficult.
With the new system, the 600 radios
in both buses and buildings will operate
on the same frequency utilizing separate
channels – a blended system of both
analog and digital technology. In the
event of an emergency, both could switch
to the same channel for communication
needs.
The radio upgrade required the
construction of a new tower. The new
tower is installed at South-Western City
Schools’ Transportation Center and is 130
feet high compared to the 60-foot tower
now in use. The tower is needed because
of the difference in power between a
hand-held radio
(4 watts) and a
bus radio (25
watts).
In addition
to the added
safety measures
the new system
provides, it also
boosts efficiency
while saving the district money through
the blended system.
An important component of the new
system is its inter-operability with local law
enforcement and fire agencies, especially
the Grove City Police Department. Grove
City and the Grove City Police Department
assisted the school district in creating the
functionality of the new system.
A radio installed at the Grove City
Police Department Dispatch Center will
be tied into the South-Western system
for use during an emergency or special
event.
During such an event, the Grove
City Dispatch Center will link the two
systems so law enforcement officers and
fire officials will be able to communicate
with the radios they currently use in their
vehicles or carry with them.
In the event of a disaster, all radios
(building, property services and buses)
could be utilized by law enforcement to
provide emergency instructions.
In the event of a major emergency,
the school district’s incident commander
could then communicate via any and all
radios with a single push.
“An unprecedented partnership
between the schools and city safety
forces will connect dispatchers with
school personnel in the event of an
emergency,” Sigrist said, “which greatly
enhances our ability to protect our
children.” A
South-Western is
on the cutting
edge of radio
technology
Sandra Nekoloff
South-Western City Schools
South-Western City Schools
has found a cutting edge way to
communicate quickly and efficiently:
radios.
South-Western incorporated
the Federal Communications
Commission’s banding width changes
to its radio fleet, which is required by
2013. The change to narrow-banding
will require school districts to update
many of their radios, as the hand-held
radios currently in school buildings will
no longer meet the requirements.
Opposite Page: Under South-Western
City Schools’ new radio system,
and in preparation for future Federal
Communications Commission guidelines,
school buses and school buildings must
operate on the same radio frequency.
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APTITUDE APTITUDE

Roof Drains
At Clinton Elementary School, rainwater from the roof is being captured and reused in the
building’s sanitation system. By using these systems, the building reduces its use of city water.
Columbus City
Schools going
Jeff Warner
Columbus City Schools
Columbus City Schools is building
a system of 21st-century learning
environments, supported by a Facilities
Master Plan that has resulted in 34
new and renovated buildings serving
Columbus students.
In the first segments, the community
and district—with state support—has
invested more than $521 million in new
facilities, with the work completed on
time and within budget. With the passage
of the 2008 bond and levy, an additional
investment of $164 million is being made
to build new or renovate nine additional
projects as part of segment three of the
Facilities Master Plan.
The quality of a teaching and learning
environment is a function of many things:
the arrangement of the classrooms; the
appropriateness (ergonomics) of the
furniture; the amount and quality of the
natural as well as artificial light; the quality
and temperature of the air; the scale of
the space; the materials used; the safety
features; and even the specifics of the
equipment used in physical activities as it
enhances the development of both large
and small motor skills.
All of these projects include
design features that are sustainable or
“green.” Hallmarks of a “green” building
include increased energy efficiency, the
expanded use of natural light, locally
produced and/or recycled materials,
increased air quality standards, improved
storm water management systems and
opportunities for innovative interior and
exterior teaching and learning spaces.
An illustration of an Olde Orchard Elementary School
classroom, which will use a combination of artificial light and
natural light.
green
Georgian Heights Elementary School
(Planned completion, Fall 2012)
With the availability of tutor rooms,
extended learning areas and an outdoor
learning environment, students at
Georgian Heights Elementary School can
work on small group projects, individually,
or be part of a larger learning community.
Olde Orchard Elementary School
(Planned completion, Fall 2012)
Computer stations and project
stations will provide alternatives to
student desks in a typical classroom at
Olde Orchard Elementary School. The
north and south elevations of the building
illustrate how daylight is brought into
classrooms with long horizontal bands
of windows placed high in each room
above the view windows. Combined with
south facing roof monitors and tubular
skylights, all classroom spaces will
receive high quality, consistent daylight.
The building will use sundials and
a sun tracking oculus, or window, to
provide learning opportunities for
students to study the sun from inside
and outside the building. Use of roof
monitors and tubular skylights in addition
to windows allows for classrooms to have
even lighting throughout the teaching
space. On an average day, classrooms
will be able to operate without the use
of artificial lighting.
Linden-McKinley STEM Academy
(Planned completion, Dec. 2011)
Featuring a demonstration green
roof, Linden-McKinley STEM Academy
will provide a safe and convenient area
for students to study how this type of
system is changing the thinking about
the function of a roof. Situated in an
internal elevated courtyard, the green
roof is easily accessed from adjacent
science classrooms providing space for
related studies.
Green roofs help to reduce the
amount of heat emitted by a building
and slow the discharge of rainwater into
The north and south elevations of the Olde Orchard Elementary School illustrate how daylight is
brought into the classrooms with long horizontal bands of windows placed high in each room.
the municipal storm water system. In
addition, the insulating factor assists
in maintaining temperature control of
the building and can reduce energy
consumption.
Cedarwood Elementary School
(Planned completion, Winter 2012)
The Cedarwood gymnasium includes
a climbing wall and other apparatus that
supports the school’s unique adventure
program.
Clinton Elementary School (Planned
completion, Fall 2012)
At Clinton Elementary School,
rainwater (gray water) from the
roof is being captured and reused
in the building’s sanitation system.
Implementing these systems reduces the
amount of city water used by the school.
Within the school, selected plumbing
fixtures will use 20 to 30 percent less
water than standard plumbing fixtures.
Not only is it important to conserve water
as it becomes an increasingly scarce
natural element, conservation also saves
operating costs for the school district.
The district’s segment three schools
are designed using an integrated
approach where the building orientation
as well as the selections for windows,
walls, and roofs are all taken into account
in determining the heating and airconditioning
systems. Most segment
three projects include geothermal
energy source wells that help increase
building energy efficiency by more than
30 percent over a standard building.
Appliances and equipment are
specified with Energy Star ratings to
ensure efficiency in operations. Lighting
systems include occupancy sensors and,
in large spaces, light-harvesting systems
that automatically reduce artificial light
as natural light becomes available.
While the goal is for each child to
succeed academically, children do learn
in different ways and there is no single
teaching model that works for all. With
these new facilities, Columbus City
Schools will provide opportunities for
small group learning, team building and
individual development.
This equates to anytime, any place
learning spaces that meet the needs of
students and the increased educational
requirements associated with the Ohio
Core and the Columbus City Schools
Operational Plan. A
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ESC
Teaching the Touchscreen Generation
The changing role of technology in the classroom
The days of teachers relying soley on chalk and a blackboard are long gone.
Now teachers demonstrate a lesson using a SMARTBoard, where they can
manipulate images and text from an overhead projector.
Instead of pen and paper, students gravitate toward mobile devices and
computers, where they can access unlimited information and complete
homework within minutes.
Students are so immersed in technology that schools have had to adjust to
keep pace, Grandview Heights City Schools Instructional Technology Specialist
Marc Alter said.
“They’re going to use technology; we can’t uninvent it,” Alter said. “It’s part
of their life so the best thing we can do is make effective use of it.”
by Jacob Lammers
Schools adjusting to technology
In Grandview Heights City Schools, cell phones and
laptops could soon become as common as calculators
and pencils.
This year, the Grandview Heights Board of Education
changed its policy on the use of personal electronic devices
and allowed them to be more accessible in school.
“Outside of school, children have technology at their
fingertips. It’s part of their life, part of how they think,”
Alter said. “Not allowing them to make use of personal
technologies can be a missed opportunity.”
Students can use anything from a mobile device to an
iPad or laptop – anything that has Internet capabilities.
Although Grandview Heights encourages the use of
these devices, Alter said they build in safety features to
protect the students.
“We’re going to have filters when they log onto the
school network,” he said. “It’s definitely not a free-for-all,
but there will definitely be some growing pains for teachers
and students as they use this technology.”
Grandview Heights teachers have sole discretion as to
whether an electronic device would be helpful in class or for
an assignment. Of course, staff must follow the acceptable
use policy guidelines outlined in the district’s handbook.
“We wouldn’t necessarily build that into every lesson.
It’s something else in the utility belt so to speak,” Alter
said. “It’s an exciting learning experience as we discover
and invent the best ways to integrate these technologies
into teaching and learning.”
Hilliard City Schools also allows electronic devices in
its schools.
“Kids are accustomed to having access to technology
24/7. I think they expect that,” said Mark Pohlman, Hilliard’s
coordinator of instructional technology. “Hilliard is looking
at that and seeing how we can use technology such as
cell phones in the classroom. A lot of it comes down to
providing adequate and appropriate Internet-safety training
to our teachers and students.”
Emerging technology
At the front of the classroom, Huisi Zhao, a Mandarin
Chinese teacher, directed her students how to pronounce
a verb in their workbook.
Zhao’s voice carried over the speakers and her two
dimensional image projected onto the screen in a classroom
at Hilliard Darby High School – several miles away from
where she was physically present.
Thanks to interactive videoconferencing, 24 students
can see and hear everything Zhao says and does in their
Mandarin Chinese classes. Through eTech Ohio and its
partners, students can connect to Zhao’s classroom at
the Metro High School in Columbus in real time.
Although there is lag time in terms of the delay of audio
and visual, Pohlman said it is a miniscule amount and it
typically goes unnoticed by students, who are, overall, very
pleased with the delivery.
“I don’t think it’s difficult,” said Aaron, a Hilliard Darby
student. “I think it’s the same thing – it’s really no different
than any other language class except she’s not physically
here.”
Aside from Hilliard Darby, the Mandarin Chinese lessons
are simultaneously transmitted to students at Hilliard’s other
two high schools: Hilliard Davidson High School and Hilliard
Bradley High School. Currently, each high school offers both
Mandarin Chinese I & II and students are already showing
an interest in a third year of Mandarin for next school year,
Pohlman said.
Prior to the introduction of Mandarin Chinese, Hilliard
had used interactive videoconferencing for the delivery
of a German language class utilizing one teacher in one
high school to teach students in classrooms located in all
three high schools. While the German language classes
were taught by a Hilliard teacher, the Mandarin Chinese
classes are being taught by a teacher located outside of
the district.
“This is another way we can bring in experts and
teachers from outside the school,” Pohlman said. “I think
in time more and more districts are going to realize that
videoconferencing will become a great asset to them and
their student body.”
Aside from just the visual and audio of the teacher, the
videoconferencing equipment can also be used to share
Powerpoints, video clips, web resources and other lessons.
The technology also has a side benefit of saving money for
the school district, Pohlman said.
“Although there’s an initial outlet to buy the equipment,
we’re saving money because we’re not paying any insurance
benefits for the staff person. We’re just paying for the service
of the teacher,” Pohlman said.
Photos This Page and Opposite: Grandview Heights High
School students use a variety of new technology during
research in the library.
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APTITUDE APTITUDE

Aside from the general education population, educators
are finding that some technology will allow special education
students to close the gap with their peers.
Learning that technology does require more time in
the classroom, but because of state law, special education
students have until age 21, said Tom Diebold, a consultant
working with State Support Team Region 11 and the ESC
of Central Ohio.
“Before if you didn’t have technology, they couldn’t
get or give information as efficiently,” Diebold said.
Several software programs can be downloaded for
free. One such program from www.readplease.com is a
screen reader, which will verbally pronounce anything a
student types. With some programs, textbooks can even
be scanned and downloaded onto the screen reader and
it will achieve the same effect.
Diebold said this software is ideal for students who
are unable to communicate verbally or physically.
Diebold also recommended www.donjohnston.com,
a site that has such programs as Co-Writer, Draft Builder,
Read Out Loud, Write Out Loud. Co-Writer predicts the
word that a student wants, which is ideal for students
diagnosed with cerebral palsy and even attention deficit
disorder.
Learningally.org is a free website that provides
audiobooks for students who are visually impaired, though
it is also beneficial for students diagnosed with dyslexia.
Students must qualify for the free software.
“The key is access to technology and training kids how
to use it, although people should not forget that technology
cannot help with basic skills,” Diebold sad. “Once a student
has mastered learning to read then they can progress to
reading to learn, which is where technology can help a
student improve.”
The ESC of Central Ohio provides professional
development training for educators looking to use
technology or software within their school.
Impact of technology
Three years ago, Madison Plains Local Schools found
a way to reach students with learning disabilities.
Using Lexia, a reading education software program,
educators test students and discover areas where they
may need intervention. The program then creates games
or puzzles that aide in reading.
“Many students play video games or use electronic
devices,” said Trish Passwaters, Madison’s special
A Hilliard Darby High School student participates
in a Mandarin Chinese I class via interactive
videoconferencing technology.
education director. “Lexia creates games that reinforce
reading skills. The kids are getting immediate reward
for working on Lexia, but at the same time they’re
playing and learning.”
Aside from students, teachers can track which
skills are improving and which ones require further
intervention.
“The teachers have seen benefits from it. Students
have improved. We’ve got the program where parents
can access it from home,” said Passwaters, adding
that about 30 students used the program over the
summer.
Although it’s available in grades 7-12, Passwaters
said it’s more popular among grades kindergarten
through sixth grade, where children typically learn
consonants and vowel sounds.
In Grandview Heights, teachers and students are
using Google Apps for Education applications and
documents to learn.
Teachers and students throughout the district use
Google Docs, spreadsheets, email and other tools to
collaboratively work and learn, in and out of school.
Just because a teacher has the technology doesn’t
necessarily mean it’s going to be the best tool for
learning, Alter said.
“We’ll talk to teachers about their goals and
learning targets and how technology might become
a tool for achieving them,” Alter said.
“We focus on desired learning outcomes and ways
to use technology to support them, as opposed to
focusing on technology itself.”
In Madison Plains, about 1,000 students use the
Lexia software program, and that number includes
several students on Individual Education Plans. Aside
from an increased reading ability, Passwaters said
she’s seen an attitude change.
“The kids really enjoy it and they see success.
And when they see success they want to continue on,”
Passwaters said. “They’re feeling more comfortable
with their abilities. I do see an improvement, in not just
their reading, but their attitude.”
Technology is changing constantly and students
will be able to use that to become more effective
learners, Alter said.
“Our students are constantly raising the bar for us.
They have increasingly sophisticated technologies at
their fingertips in almost every aspect of their lives. This
impacts how they think, problem solve and experience
the world,” Alter said.
“Our challenge as educators is to provide learning
experiences that make authentic and meaningful use of
technology; the type of use that expands our students’
avenues for thinking, knowing and understanding.” A
SMARTBoards, iPods give
Groveport 6th graders a
different look at fairy tales
Chris Bowser
Groveport Madison Local Schools
Instead of students reading a book of fairy tales, a
Groveport Madison Local Schools literacy consultant
wanted them to use technology to learn.
Kim Shiplett, of Groveport Madison Middle
School South, worked with sixth grade students to
summarize the plot of a story – in this case a fairy
tale.
Shiplett used notebook software on the
SMARTBoard, navigating students through the who,
what, when, where and why. Students then had to
apply that to the plot, character, setting, etc.
As a class, students watched an interactive
cartoon Cinderella on the SMARTBoard to review
the parts of the plot. Using iPod Touches, students
listened to a digital version of Three Little Pigs. They
went back and scrolled through the pages finding
evidence from the story to answer the questions.
Shiplett continued through the parts of the plot
with students showing an understanding of the
elements by showing her the appropriate screen on
their iPod Touch.
On the final day of using instructional technology,
students put together all of the steps from their
previous learning and applied them to figuring out
the plot of a new book. Their final assignment was to
then explain the sequence of events in writing.
“By the end, the students were able to summarize
the plot of each book they read,” Shiplett said.
The combination of fairy tales and instructional
technology met sixth grade language arts benchmarks
in reading applications.
Ultimately students were able to identify the
main and minor events of the plot and explain how
each incident gives rise to the next. A
Groveport Madison Middle School South students use iPod Touches
to learn the main parts of a story. The school’s literacy consultant
began using technology as another way to engage students.
18 19
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Students, Graduates
Lend Help ing Hands
Fairfield Career Center Alumni volunteer
for Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Chad Myers
Eastland-Fairfield Career &
Technical Schools
Students Waste No Time
Affecting Their Community
Vince Payne
Hamilton Local Schools
Fairfield Career & Technical Schools graduates volunteered
their time and helped build a house for a Columbus family who
will be featured on ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.
Combined, 31 Fairfield Career Center graduates and one
current student spent more than 200 man hours on the project.
With help from P&D Builders and other volunteers, the house was
completed in seven days. The episode will air for a Christmas
special edition.
“This is a great opportunity for Eastland-Fairfield carpentry
students and graduates to put their skills to work and give back,”
said David Barnett, who graduated from Fairfield Career Center
in 2011. “It was the experience of a lifetime.”
Fairfield Career Center’s carpentry program prepares
students for work in the construction industry. Students can
enter into an apprenticeship at an advanced level with registered
apprenticeship programs. Paid school-to-apprenticeship
placement is available after the junior year for students who
qualify. By graduation, qualified students can complete the first
and second years of a four-year apprenticeship. College credits
are also available through Columbus State Community College
and Hocking College.
The Extreme Makeover: Home Edition show is about giving
back and bringing neighbors together – one environmentally
friendly brick at a time. It’s a race against time on a project
that would normally span several months, involving a team of
designers, contractors and hundreds of workers who have seven
days to totally rebuild a house. A
Fairfield
Alumni
Volunteers
Robert Jones ,1980
Andy Hosfelt, 1991
Dan Leland, 1991
Adam Roby, 1991
Kathy Wagner, 1991
Robert Gill, 1992
Rick Tiedtke, 1992
Chad West, 1992
Brian Courtright, 1994
Jonathan Walden, 1994
Chad Rupert, 2002
Brandon Hoffman, 2004
Patrick Theisen, 2004
Walt Williams, 2005
Jason Gaskill, 2006
Jeremy Langley, 2006
Kyle Chatterton, 2007
Sean Hilton, 2007
Adam Miller, 2007
Alex Presler, 2007
Ryan Barber, 2009
Zach Carr, 2009
Travis Burgess, 2010
Antionio Jenkins, 2010
Above: Fairfield Career
Center graduate Adam
Miller works on a roof for
the lucky family selected
for ABC’s Extreme
Makeover: Home Edition.
Left: Graduates Adam
Miller (on ground),
Dan Leland and
Walt Williams (on lift)
install windows at the
Extreme Makeover:
Home Edition site in
Central Ohio this past
summer.
Joseph Meeker, 2010
Devon Young, 2010
David Barnett, 2011
Brady Kennedy, 2011
Leonides Maldonado, 2011
Alycia McClelland, 2011
Jordan Michael, 2011
David Barnett, 2012
The spirit of volunteering and community involvement is alive
and well in Hamilton Local Schools.
The school district is preparing for its annual Volley for the Cure
event, which will raise funds for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure
and Komen Columbus.
Hamilton Intermediate School students, faculty and staff also
launched the annual supply drive for another nonprofit organization
Hannah’s Socks.
“Our students, district employees, and community members take
great pride in working together to combine their resources in order to
have a larger community service impact,” Superintendent Christopher
T. Lester said. “Needs are greater during these tough economic times,
and all of our stakeholders continue to do what they can to support
each other and the communities in which they work and live. It is a
wonderful display
of teamwork.”
During the
2010-11 academic
year, students
from Hamilton
Local Schools
accumulated
more than 50,000
community
service hours
and raised more
A Hamilton Local Schools pep rally shows the district’s
support for charity Autism Speaks
Need Volunteers?
If you are in Central Ohio and are in need of volunteers to help with
an event, please contact community service program coordinator
Mike Morbitzer at 614.491.8044 x1860 with questions.
Spirited group of Hamilton Local Schools students participate
in a local event for Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
than $30,000 for various non-profit organizations in the
process. Each school throughout the district coordinates
efforts to positively impact thousands of individuals,
families, and groups which include, but are not limited to:
• The Community Partners of Southern Franklin County
• Komen Columbus and the Susan G. Komen for the Cure
• Autism Speaks
• The Autism Society of Ohio
• Hannah’s Socks
• Local food pantries and animal shelters
Students also earn community service hours for their
efforts in their neighborhoods by shoveling snow, mowing
lawns and doing physical jobs for the elderly or those who
need assistance. They also offer civic assistance by working
for the Youth in the Booth campaign during each election day.
“The community that makes up Hamilton Local Schools
is one that takes great pride in helping others and utilizing
teamwork to meet or, in a lot of cases, exceed their goals,”
Lester said. A
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Gahanna-Jefferson forges unique
community partnership for high school addition
Michael Straughter
Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools
Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools
had a conundrum.
Lincoln High School was serving
more students than it was designed
to accommodate—considerably more.
Each time the bell rang, more than
2,400 students poured into the hallways,
clogging stairwells and key intersections,
all struggling to get to their next class. It
was not uncommon for lines of students
to come to a halt waiting their turn to use
the stairwell. A study by the Ohio School
Facilities Commission stated that Lincoln
High School needed an additional 80,000
square feet of space.
Officials had been examining for
years how to best solve the problem.
There was no adequate space for
expansion on the existing lot. The
estimated cost to build a new high school
was approximately $80 million – a step
the district was not financially prepared to
take. Additionally, students, staff, parents
and the community were (and remain)
committed to Gahanna remaining a onehigh-school
town. Every school in the
district is a blue-and-gold school, and
Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools’ newest addition - Clark Hall - was bulit with support from Eastland-Fairfield Career &
Technical Schools, Columbus State Community College and Education First Credit Union.
the addition of a second high school would have disrupted
that.
In August, the community joined Gahanna-Jefferson school
officials for a ribbon cutting and dedication of Lincoln High
School’s newest addition, Clark Hall. Clark Hall is a newly
constructed, $21 million, three-story building on the only empty
site adjacent to the current campus at the corner of Granville
Street and Hamilton Road.
Lincoln High School students (primarily juniors and seniors)
attend classes on the second and third floors of Clark Hall. The
first floor is leased to Eastland-Fairfield Career & Technical
Schools, Columbus State Community College, and Education
First Credit Union. These unique partnerships not only allow
Gahanna-Jefferson to provide a seamless transition from high
school into college but also finance the cost of construction.
Eastland-Fairfield Career & Technical Schools has
introduced two new programs into Clark Hall, bioscience
and teacher preparation. Similarly, Columbus State will have
daytime classes with new core courses in the building.
In addition, the Gahanna-Jefferson Board of Education
recently approved a resolution for a ground lease to
Wagenbrenner Development, Inc., for design and construction of
24,000 square feet of new commercial space on the remaining
undeveloped land adjacent to Clark Hall. Titled The Commons
at Clark Hall, Wagenbrenner is investing $5.9 million to create
two, one-story retail buildings. This ground lease will provide
Gahanna-Jefferson with an additional annual revenue stream
of $132,000 to begin as early as February 2012.
“Both components of the Clark Hall/Lincoln High
School project are an intelligent approach to finance and
educational programming,” Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools
Superintendent Mark White said. “Students are participating in
a 21st century curriculum, instruction and assessment that is
primarily Internet-based and available for students 24/7, 365
days a year.”
The impact of Clark Hall goes beyond the high school. A
strategic partnership with Cisco Systems, Dell and Intel has
provided opportunities to upgrade the network infrastructure
that has improved connectivity in all district buildings (as well as
kindergarten through eighth grade levels), and most importantly,
supports a philosophy of broad-scale, K-12 technology usage
for students.
All three firms have voiced a desire to partner in the future
to transform district education at the K-14 level and showcase
Clark Hall nationally for its financial model and broad-scale
use of technology.
“Clark Hall is more than a building,” White said. “It is a
philosophy of teaching and learning that stresses creativity,
collaboration, relevance, rigor and technology, all within a
non-traditional setting.” A
“Both components of the Clark Hall/
Lincoln High School project are an
intelligent approach to finance and
educational programming.”
-Superintendent Mark White
Students and faculty attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the new
Clark Hall. The Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools building will serve
juniors and seniors transitioning from high school to college.
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ESC grad attends state Leadership Forum
By Jacob Lammers
ESC of Central Ohio
ESC student Bianca’s leadership skills blossomed
thanks to an invitation to an annual forum for students
with disabilities.
Bianca recently graduated from the ESC’s Campus
Based Transition program Project PLUS, and over the
summer she attended the 13th Annual Youth Leadership
Forum, sponsored by the Governor’s Council on People
with Disabilities.
“I like to help other people that have my disability –
that’s the reason why I was really excited to join,” said
Bianca, who is diagnosed with a cognitive disability.
The Annual Youth Forum included about 60 students
from across Ohio. The four-day training program in July
featured a trip to the Governor’s Office, tour of the State
Capitol and programs with community leaders and local
celebrities.
Bianca met many peers who also had her disability.
“Just because you have this disability doesn’t mean
that you can’t accomplish anything,” Bianca said.
Bianca and other students were chosen because they
showed leadership in their school, said Donna Foster, an
ability advocate for the Governor’s Council on People
with Disabilities.
“I think one of the most important things students
get out of it – they gain a sense of belonging,” Foster
said. “There’s this community out there – they might
have different disabilities – but we’re all going through
the same thing. They find a place to belong.”
The Youth Forum is a great experience for Bianca and
could spur her own personal growth, said Kathy Kuhns,
an ESC transition specialist who has worked with Bianca
over the years.
“I saw a lot of potential in her when I first met her.
To have this under her belt, speaks highly of her,” Kuhns
said. “I’m just really proud of her.”
Bianca is one of at least three ESC students in the last
10 years to be selected for the Annual Youth Forum. The
Forum consists of high school seniors and juniors who
display leadership skills and are afflicted with physical,
mental or emotional disabilities.
“We thought she would be a good participant,” Kuhns
said. “She’s very well spoken and self aware enough to
know and communicate what she needs. She’s aware of
how her disability affects her.”
Through Project PLUS, Bianca worked at The Ohio
State University’s Recreation & Physical Activity Center
and Ohio Union.
Recently, Bianca was accepted into Goodwill
Columbus, where she will learn job development and
other skills.
“The Youth Forum helped me to become a better
leader,” Bianca said. “It’s about showing them the right
steps in life and showing yourself as a person that’s willing
to step up and do what it takes to be a leader to help
others.”
Bianca’s acceptance into the Annual Youth Forum
has built her confidence, mother Teri Allen said.
“I think she’s come so far,” Teri said. “With a little
tutelage and job coaches, she can really do whatever she
wants to do. She wants to be a role model. Her passion
is to help kids in her situation.” A
Top Right: Group shot at 13th Annual Youth Leadership Forum,
sponsored by the Governor’s Council on People with Disabilities.
Bottom Left: Bianca at the CBT graduation in May 2011
Westerville preschoolers enjoy new
Early Learning Center
Greg Viebranz
Westerville City Schools
Westerville City Schools opened its
doors this school year to enthusiastic
preschool students. They filled the halls
of their new “home away from home” with
laughter and excitement as they marked
the beginning of their educational journey
at the district’s new Early Learning Center.
Renovations to the first floor of the
center were completed over the summer in
order to consolidate Westerville’s federally
mandated special needs preschool
program into a single location.
As a result, classroom space once
used to house this program in elementary
schools is now available to help manage
enrollment growth.
The district was able to consolidate
the program and gain elementary space
as part of a no-new-millage capital
improvements levy approved by voters
in May 2009.
Purchasing and renovating an existing
facility was more cost-effective than
traditional approaches of building new
facilities or expanding existing schools
to gain space. The initial consolidation
involved eight classes previously housed
in six elementary buildings. Additional
future consolidation is planned.
The second floor of the Early Learning
Center serves as the district’s central
office, which means special education
professionals are located in the same
facility as the students they serve. This
arrangement creates numerous operational
efficiencies and academic benefits.
“This learning environment is unique
to preschool facilities,” Preschool Teacher
Jessica Marlatt said. “It allows us an
opportunity to flexibly group students,
offer differentiated instruction, provide
therapy and create meaningful student
and staff interactions.”
Program consolidation also
creates greater operational efficiencies
and enhances parental engagement
opportunities compared to having the
program housed in several locations.
District officials researched children’s
museums while planning the design of the
Early Learning Center and found the most
successful facilities provided environments
where the physical space becomes part
of the learning experience, and where
developmentally-appropriate spaces
foster the development of the whole child.
A large community room provides
an excellent space for such physical
activity during the day, while permitting
an alternative use of the space during
non-school hours. The interactive
“Westervillage” creates a welcoming
environment for students and families as
they enter the facility.
“The Westervillage design
incorporates different types of surfaces,
such as stone, brick, paint and siding,
to offer students sensory experiences,”
Westerville’s Preschool Director Ann
Lockett said. “We also have an outdoor
learning environment that is an extension
of the classroom, incorporating traditional
playground equipment with a community
garden, various pathways, sand pits, rock
climbing structures, and unique musical
instrument stations, to name a few.”
The facility’s features work in concert
to help meet early learning standards
and expand opportunities for meaningful
community and family engagement,
Lockett said.
“The design team even worked
with the Westerville Parks & Recreation
Department,” Lockett said, “to find out
how to attract a variety of birds to the site
to stimulate the interest and observation
of students.” A
24 25
APTITUDE APTITUDE

A Delaware Area Career
Center (DACC) student
enjoyed her day in the sun
after winning first place in a
national competition for her
work on solar energy.
DACC student Tara shows off her
first place medal from the National
Leadership and Skills Conference.
Delaware Area Career Center student
wins first place in national competition
Upper Arlington adopts
21st Century visual and terms
Dan Donovan
Upper Arlington City Schools
The Upper Arlington Board of
Education has officially adopted a graphic
representation of the district’s work and
commitment to providing 21st century
learning opportunities for all students.
The visual is intentionally a play on UA’s
official logo.
The 21st century learner, at the heart
of the graphic, is surrounded by core
content – “the basics” – and the digital
literacies concerning technology, media,
and information. The outer ring contains
the descriptors, which identify a 21st
century learner as a complex thinker,
communicator, collaborator, creative and
innovative thinker, global citizen and selfdirected
individual.
Two years ago, a group of faculty,
administrators, board members, and
community members worked with Ken
Kay, past president of the Partnership
for 21st Century Skills (www.p21.org),
to set a direction for providing a quality
education for Upper Arlington students.
The goal is to better prepare students
for the rapid pace of change in an everincreasing
global economy.
This past summer, Upper Arlington
members worked on developing rubrics
that delineate descriptors for each of
these six terms. A
Marsha Link
Delaware Area Career Center
Tara Holeman won first place in the
Principles of Technology category during
the 47th National Leadership and Skills
Conference sponsored by SkillsUSA. The
competition took place in June in Kansas
City.
With a gold medal hanging around
her neck, Tara said she is still in shock
that she won.
“I cannot believe I’m No. 1 in the
nation, but it feels good,” she said. “I was
so shocked to hear my name announced,
it took me a minute for the news to sink
in. Luckily, my friends wasted no time
screaming, jumping up and down and
encouraging me up to the stage.”
Tara was joined at the competition
by teammates Ali Kelly, Dave Berry and
Kari Hysell, who took 10th place out of
32 teams in the Chapter Display category.
To qualify for this national event, the
DACC students competed at the local,
regional and state levels. All four students
took first place at the state level in May.
To secure her first place win, Tara
wrote a technical paper and presented a
demonstration about solar energy.
For her presentation, Tara built solar
panels mounted on a tri-fold board to
power light-emitting diodes that spelled
USA.
After the state competition, Tara
updated her presentation and materials
based on judges comments. Because
of that preparation, Tara said she felt a
little more comfortable at the national
competition.
“It was a little easier at nationals,
but I was still very nervous,” she said. “I
managed to make the judges laugh a little
though, and I did feel more comfortable.”
Tara, whose home school is
Olentangy Liberty High School, is enrolled
in the DACC’s Electronics program.
Students enrolled in the two-year
program learn about all the basics in the
electronics field and then can choose to
study in a specialized area.
“Two of the major goals of SkillsUSA
is to encourage improved skills in the
student’s program as well as developing
leadership skills,” said Jim Poole, DACC’s
electronics instructor.
Tara’s victory was all the more
impressive, considering she competed
against students from 12 other states.
She’s only the second student from
DACC’s electronics program to place
at nationals and the 13th to place at the
state level.
For Tara, the best part of the
competition was “going to Kansas – it’s
indescribable. I had so much fun meeting
other people from other states. I like
being No. 1 in Principles of Technology,
and I definitely want to do it again next
year.”
The Chapter Display Competition that
Ali, Dave and Kari competed in requires
that students come together from three
different classes to create a structure that
represents the true meaning of SkillsUSA.
• Ali is a senior in welding at DACC
and her home school is Big Walnut
High School.
• Dave is a senior in welding at DACC
and his home school is Westerville
South High School.
• Kari attended DACC’s career
graphics program as a sophomore
and will enroll in environmental
technology this year as a junior.
Her home school is Delaware Hayes
High School.
SkillsUSA is a career technical
student organization that helps students
prepare to be skilled and effective in their
industry.
Members of SkillsUSA compete
against each other at the local, state,
and national level.
More than 5,000 students competed
at this year’s SkillsUSA competition in
over 94 occupational and leadership skills
areas. A
2011 OCALI
CONFERENCE
NOvEmbER 16-18
THE NATION’S
PREMIER EVENT IN
AUTISM
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
LOW-INCIDENCE DISABILITIES
GREATER COLUMBUS CONVENTION CENTER
CONFERENCE.OCALI.ORG
614.410.0321
A division of the ESC of Central Ohio.
26 27
APTITUDE APTITUDE

ESC, ODE partnering
Race to the Top implementation
Tom Reed
ESC of Central Ohio
The Educational Service Center of Central Ohio was
recently named as one of 10 regional agencies to take the
lead in the Race to the Top initiative.
On behalf of the Ohio Department of Education, the
ESC of Central Ohio will support the deployment of Ohio’s
“Race To The Top” initiative. The ESC will be partnering
with Mid-Ohio ESC to employ Race to the Top specialists
and coordinate RttT activities in Ohio’s central region which
includes all or part of Crawford, Richland, Morrow, Wayne,
Holmes, Knox, Licking, Pickaway, Franklin, Delaware,
Marion, Union, Madison, Champaign, Clark and Fairfield
counties.
Accordingly, the ESC will be developing and deploying
services to help school districts achieve their respective
Race to the Top goals.
Performance measures, including training and support
for district level RttT “Transformation Teams,” will also be
required to effectively implement and monitor RttT plans.
The ESC will launch wide-scale professional development
activities to build capacity of educators to implement the
Common Core Standards in English Language Arts and
math as well as new state standards in science and social
studies. Race to the Top plans also include, utilizing a
new data-based instructional improvement system and
transitioning to new principal and teacher evaluation
systems.
Directed out of the ESC’s Center for Achievement and
Leadership Services, this designation by ODE compliments
a full range of services currently available to member
districts that align to Ohio’s Race to the Top initiative.
Standards and Assessment
Beginning in May, the Center for Achievement
and Leadership Services launched regional training to
teachers, principals and district leaders to raise levels of
awareness of what the revised standards are and are not.
Teresa Dempsey, director of professional development,
will lead training on what implications there may be for
leadership and accountability and how the new standards
may impact classroom activities, statewide assessments,
content sequencing, pacing guides and materials, and
job-embedded professional development.
The Center for Achievement will also be providing
ongoing technical assistance to teachers and principals
in the review of the structure and content of Ohio’s model
curriculum. Technical assistance will also be available for the
effective implementation of the revised standards, including
course content, essential questions, learning targets, and
recommended resources to support classroom instruction.
Data Tools for Teachers
The Center for Achievement and Leadership Services
also currently offers training to teachers and principals on
the effective use of a variety of readily available data tools
for improving student achievement. Cathy Heidelberg,
director of data, assessment and accountability, will lead
these workshops, which include basic data collection and
analysis techniques that enable teachers to disaggregate
data for focusing instruction and measuring academic
and behavioral student growth over time. Additionally,
Achievement and Leadership staff will be trained to provide
technical assistance to district- and building-level educators
in reviewing, interpreting and using value-added data and
reports along with other student progress measures to
inform planning, instruction and intervention.
Evaluation Systems
In addition to being named a regional partner for
Central Ohio, the ESC has also been awarded one of four
$45,000 statewide grants to introduce, build capacity for,
and implement the Ohio Principal Evaluation System (OPES)
in Race to the Top school districts and community schools.
Ted Knapke and Mindy Farry in the Center for
Achievement and Leadership Services will lead OPES
training and providing ongoing support to a maximum
of three cohorts of superintendents, district leaders and
building principals in the essential components of the
evaluation system. Additionally, the Center for Achievement
will assist in the roll out and district self-assessment of the
newly-released Ohio Teacher Evaluation System.
The ESC of Central Ohio is committed to supporting
both Race-to-the-Top and non-Race-to-the-Top districts in
effectively planning, monitoring and implementing statewide
education reform. To that end, it will continue to pursue
Race to the Top grants and other opportunities that help the
agency leverage resources on behalf of member districts.
A
Dublin classroom remembers
student through reading nook
Doug Baker
Dublin City Schools
Last March, Dublin City Schools lost a young member of
its family when Bailey Elementary School kindergarten student
Noah Maloney died in a tragic accident.
Students and staff have been working to keep Noah’s
memory alive this year and created “Noah’s Nook” in Early
Child Intervention Specialist Lisa Gates’ classroom.
The Maloney family donated money to Lisa’s classroom for
the purchase of books in honor of Noah because of Noah’s love
for learning and reading. A group organized by teacher Carol
Gasper collected the funds. Once she collected the funds, the
family asked the money be donated to Lisa’s classroom.
“I decided that I didn’t want to have items randomly in my
cupboards, I wanted to create an area in my room that would
always be his,” Gates said. “The ‘nook’ area has bins with all
of the books purchased with his family’s donated funds.”
Gates added that there is a photo album with pictures of
Noah playing in the classroom so that the children can see
how he engaged in the environment and with his peers.
Kris Truckly, a Bailey parent, made pillows for the space
where students are able to read the books in the classroom.
Dates Offered
Nov. 22, 2011
Dec. 15, 2011
Jan. 25, 2012
ESC Professional Development
Location
ESC of Central Ohio
2080 Citygate Drive
Columbus, OH 43219
Time
8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Students gather in Noah’s Nook in Lisa Gates’ Bailey Elementary
classroom. Noah Maloney passed away last year and the nook was
constructed in Noah’s honor.
“This project is an excellent example of the types of caring
teachers and parents we have in Dublin City Schools,” said
Superintendent David Axner. “I look forward to visiting Noah’s
Nook.” A
Project-Based Learning 201
PBL Advanced Practices
• Designed for educators who have taken PBL 101
• BIE-certifi ed workshop facilitator will work with participants’ classroom-related issues
• Learn how to incorporate 21st century skills into the problem-solving process
Contact: Teresa Dempsey, ESC director of professional development at Teresa.Dempsey@
escco.org or 614.445.3750 for more information.
Cost
Member Districts: $79
Non-Member Districts: $99
Register
Register online through the
MyLearningPlan link on
www.escofcentralohio.org.
28 29
APTITUDE APTITUDE

OCALI raises autism
awareness at White
House summit
Jacob Lammers
ESC of Central Ohio
A representative from the Ohio Center for Autism and
Low Incidence participated in a recent national summit
on autism spectrum disorders at the White House.
Jill Hudson, OCALI’s coordinator of national, state
and community partnerships, said it was an honor to
represent the agency, which is part of the ESC of Central
Ohio.
“It was really humbling, overwhelming and exciting
to be part of that group of people,” Hudson said. “To
provide that information to the Obama administration, it
will make a difference – a difference in the lives of people
with autism.”
Hudson was one of 70 people who attended the
summit, which was in recognition of National Autism
Awareness Month. Attendees included self-advocates,
parents, researchers, educators and practitioners.
“Each of us contributed to the conversation,” Hudson
said. “The ideas from our discussions will impact
and influence the revision and reauthorization of the
Combating Autism Act.”
OCALI will present a National Autism Leadership
Summit in conjunction with its own conference in
November. The summit will bring together national
partners and focus on the alignment and integration of
systems, paralleling the conversation at the White House
event.
“Our presence at the White House event underscores
the work we’re doing at OCALI and across the field of
autism. It confirmed that we’re going in the right direction,”
Hudson said. “It makes me proud to be part of OCALI.
We’re not just doing good work in Ohio, but across the
country.”
In December 2009, the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention issued a report concluding that the
prevalence of autism had risen to 1 in every 110 births
in the United States and almost 1 in 70 boys. Currently,
there are 1.5 million Americans living with the effects of
autism spectrum disorder.
To help people affected by autism, Hudson said it’s
important to stress interagency collaboration.
“The work we do is because of the individuals and
families,” Hudson said. “We want individuals with autism
to be active, productive and contributing members of
their community. Ultimately, it’s about trying to promote
a better quality of life for the individuals and the families,
supporting good work in Ohio and influencing the national
dialogue.” A
ESC directors
published in national
curriculum newsletter
Jacob Lammers
ESC of Central Ohio
Two ESC directors were recently published in a nationally
recognized web-based journal by the Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD).
Tom Reed, executive director of the Center for
Achievement & Leadership Services, and Teresa Dempsey,
director of professional development, co-authored an article on
professional learning communities in the June edition of ASCD
Express. Published every two weeks, the journal provides
quick-reads of topics essential for successful educational
practice.
The article “Curriculum Leaders Need a Professional
Learning Network of Their Own” can be found on the
organization’s website www.ascd.org or by clicking on the
article directly at ASCD Express.
“It was quite gratifying to reach that wide of an audience.
It gives our agency pretty wide exposure. Anytime you can
show our agency as relevant and adaptive, it is a good thing.”
Reed said.
ESC Superintendent Bart Anderson said it’s always
important to have ESC employees demonstrate their
knowledge and our agency expertise.
“This exposure also provides a means to validate our
professional development work,” Anderson said. “We like to
think of ourselves as a leading educational service agency
in the country; therefore, it’s necessary for us to maintain
national exposure. More importantly, it’s a credibility defining
opportunity.”
Reed and Dempsey showcased two ESC-based PLCs
in their article – Learning Leaders Network and Educational
Leadership Brown Bag.
Educational Leadership Brown Bag has grown to be quite
popular. While PLCs are common for teachers and other
education professionals, Brown Bag’s focus on curriculum
directors makes it unique, Reed said.
For Deputy Superintendent Tom Goodney, the ASCD
publication reinforces the point that employees should be
active in their respective professional associations and make
contributions through research, advocacy or commentary.
“It shows our emphasis on professional development and
the partnerships we’ve been able to build with highly regarded
organizations who are pursuing aligned work that improves
public education,” Goodney said.
The ESC of Central Ohio’s innovation is what will keep it
on the forefront, Reed said.
“It helps us make our case that ESCs are relevant,” Reed
said. “We can add value to the work of the profession.” A
ESC Expert Op-Ed: Technology
Bring Your Own
Technology brings power
Dee McGlothlin
ESC of Central Ohio
One of the hot topics around the technology
water cooler is Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT).
The incongruency of school districts ever-shrinking
budgets and the expansion and growth of new
technology has led to this phenomenon. It has
become evident for many district technology
leaders that the technologies that students carry
in their pockets are more powerful and up to date
than anything they can provide.
While much of this technology can be viewed
as the latest gadget or toy, the power behind
these devices is astounding. Within the pockets of
students are some of the most powerful learning
tools that currently exist. Unfortunately, most
teachers and students have not realized this power.
In many districts, students are asked to power
down.
There is much debate about eRate
requirements for filtering Internet access for students and the potential for lost
funding. When they bring their own technology, it becomes more difficult to put
the filtering in place and to manage it. I think the question becomes, should we be
filtering? It is something that I struggled with everyday as a director of technology.
We are told that we have to protect children from getting to inappropriate materials
on the Internet and of course we have to keep in mind the stranger danger concept.
My intent here is not to down play these risks; they are real. However, there are
dangers in the world no matter how our children access it. We don’t hide them in a
closet away from danger, we teach them to be safe. We teach them about the Golden
Rule. We teach them how to cross the street safely. We teach them how to be aware
of their surroundings. We should be doing the same with technology. If we are not,
I believe we are putting them at risk. Technology does not change how we behave
as a community.
As a technologist, I know that when I go to sleep – somewhere in the world
someone has created something new and innovative – I wake up obsolete. This is a
good thing because I get to run the race all over again. I learn the newest technology
and figure out how it fits into my life and so it should be with all educators. In the
Information Age, we are not the knowers-of-all; we have an opportunity to learn from
and with our students to become their partners in the endeavor we call education.
While they may know the technology, we understand teaching and learning. Instead
of spending our time every year updating acceptable use policies, I think it would
be more educationally appropriate to create units of learning around embedded
technology use as learning tools for our students.
The concept of BYOT is powerful and takes the burden of cost from the schools
and from the community, while at the same time opening up learning opportunities
that never existed before for all students. It is time to have our students power up
for learning. A
Dee McGlothlin is coordinator of instructional technology for the ESC of Central Ohio.
30 31
APTITUDE APTITUDE

Unpacking the Common Core
Social Studies/Science/Technical
Oct. 27, 2011
Dec. 14, 2011
English Language Arts
Nov. 1, 2011
Mathematics
Nov. 4, 2011
Dec. 2, 2011
Educators will develop an understanding of
how to integrate best practice research for
ELA, Mathematics and Social Studies/Science/
Technical subjects.
Participants will be eligible for one-hour Ashland
University graduate credit available for an
additional $249 if attending two content areas.
Location
ESC of Central Ohio
2080 Citygate Drive
Columbus, OH 43219
Time
8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Cost
Member Districts: $99
Non-Member Rate: $149
Register
Register online through the
MyLearningPlan link on
www.escofcentralohio.org
Questions
Please contact
Sandy Denney at
Sandy.Denney@escco.org
or 614.542.4111