The Talk at Teays - Teays Valley Local School District

N E W S F R O M T H E T E A Y S V A L L E Y L O C A L S C H O O L D I S T R I C T
December 2010-January 2011
2010-2011 2011 Issue 4
The Talk at Teays
Important
Dates
December
20 Board of Education
Meeting, 6:30 pm
21 End of 2 nd 9 Weeks
22 Winter Break Begins:
Dec 22-Jan 3
January
3 Teacher Work Day—
No School for
Students
4 Classes Resume for
Students
17 No School
February
8 Parent/Teacher
Conferences @ MS,
4-7 pm
9 Parent/Teacher
Conferences @
Elementaries, 5-8 pm
10 Parent/Teacher
Conferences @ HS,
4-7 pm
15 Parent/Teacher
Conferences @
Elementaries, 5-8 pm
16 Parent/Teacher
Conferences @ HS,
4-7 pm
17 Parent/Teacher
Conferences @ MS,
4-7 pm
21 No School
Board of Education
Charlie Morrison, Pres.
Kevin Archer, V.P.
Daniel M. Litzinger
William McGowan
Peg Perrill
Preparing our Students for Life after Teays Valley
Too often, schools are measured by how students do on “the test” and often schools of today are
accused of just teaching to the test. Although we are evaluated by the Ohio Department of Education by
how our students score on standardized achievement tests, our goals actually go well beyond that.
We are most concerned about preparing students for life after high school. We realize that ultimately
that preparation is what is most important. We make efforts to accomplish this in several ways.
To begin with, nearly 100 of our high school juniors and seniors choose to attend Eastland or Fairfield
Career Center, where they take classes that prepare them for an occupation after high school or for
further training in that chosen field.
We also offer classes in agriculture and consumer education to prepare our students for life skills.
Although the Ohio Department of Education does not require that we offer these courses, we very much
value these offerings as an option for our students.
The Teays Valley District also recognizes that learned skills in technology contribute to success in
today’s job market, which is why we choose to require all Teays Valley graduates to complete a course in
Information Technology. We also try to incorporate technology in many parts of our curriculum for
kindergarten through 12 th grade.
Another focus for our district has been to encourage our students and families to set realistic long
and short range goals for attending college. While we realize that attending college is not the only path
that our students can choose that will lead to success, we want to help them remove any barriers that
will keep them from fulfilling that goal. Every September, the high school holds a college fair. They invite
around 100 2 and 4-year universities and colleges to attend and students and parents have the
opportunity to talk to the representatives to learn more about each school. In addition, the guidance
department makes a presentation about financial aid.
Our students and community members also have the opportunity to take advantage of college courses
that are given right on our campus by Columbus State, Ohio Christian and Ohio University.
I hope that every graduate of Teays Valley feels that he or she has been given the tools to succeed
after graduation, no matter what path he or she chooses.
Artsonia Artist of the Week
Go Vikings!
Jeff Sheets, Superintendent
Congratulations to Teays Valley West Middle School 7 th grader Daniel
Hachet for being chosen as the ‘Artist of the Week’ by artsonia.com
in November. He is the first Teays Valley middle school student to
receive this award.
According to its Web site, Artsonia was created to showcase artwork
from kids around the world.
As the ‘Artist of the Week,’ Daniel won a $50 gift certificate to an art
store and a personalized plaque that featured his winning artwork.
He also won a $100 gift certificate for TVWMS for art materials.
“Teays Valley West Middle School students and staff are extremely
proud of Daniel for receiving the ‘Artist of the Week’ award. Everyone
rallied together to help him achieve this award by submitting votes
via school and home computers each day of the competition,” art
teacher Linda Summers said.
Daniel is pictured with his plaque.

Important Dates
from Each School:
Ashville Elementary:
Dec 21—Classroom Holiday Parties
Jan 4—Market Day Pick Up, 6-7 pm
Jan 6—Grade Cards Sent Home & PTO
Meeting, 6:30 pm
Feb 1—Market Day Pick Up, 6-7 pm
Feb 3—PTO Meeting, 6:30 pm
Feb 11—Interim Grades Sent Home
Scioto Elementary:
Jan 28—PTO Family Movie Night
Feb 7—PTO Meeting
South Bloomfield Elementary:
Dec 21—Winter Parties, 2:30-3:15 pm
Jan 11—PTO Meeting, 7 pm
Feb 3—County Spelling Bee
Feb 8—PTO Meeting, 7 pm
Walnut Elementary:
Dec 20—Grades 1-2 Music Program, 7 pm
Dec 21—Holiday Parties, 1:30-3 pm
Jan 7—Grade Cards Go Home
Jan 13—PTO Meeting, 7 pm
Feb 11—Valentine Parties, 2-3 pm
TVEMS:
Dec 20—Holiday Assembly
Jan 10-14—Mock OAA
Jan 21—Dance
Feb 7-11—Book Fair
Feb 11—Valentine’s Dance
TVWMS:
Jan 21—Dance, 2:45-4:45 pm
Feb 11—Dance, 2:45-4:45 pm & Interim
Grades Sent Home
TVHS:
Dec 20—Holiday Choir Concert, 7 pm
Dec 20 & 21—Semester Exams
Jan 8—PR @ Marysville
Jan 13—Winter Band Concert
Jan 15—PR @ Beavercreak
Jan 29—PR @ Findlay
Feb 5—OMEA Solo & Ensemble
Elementary Schools Give Back
students and to put it into practice.
Scioto Students get hands-on Lesson in Local Government
Ashville and South
Bloomfield Elementary
Schools donated around
3,000 items to the
Ashville Food Pantry
through a food drive
they held in November.
Elementary guidance
counselor Rebecca
Brown said the goal of
this project was to
reinforce the concept of
compassion with the
“They get very excited when they see the large amounts collected and all gathered
together. The students really want to help others and this is a way for them to feel they are
making a difference,” she said.
Walnut also held a community service project in November, ‘Operation Care Package.’
Through this project, they collected enough items to ship 3-4 boxes each to 5 different
units serving overseas. Three of these units contain a family member of Walnut students.
South Bloomfield student council members are pictured with the food drive items.
The 3 rd grade Scioto
students recently visited
the new municipal
building in Commercial
Point to reinforce
lessons they had been
covering in class. One
of their State standards
(required lesson), is
local government and
local history, so this
visit gave the students
an opportunity to meet
and talk to local leaders, including Mayor Allan Goldhardt, and local policemen and firemen.
According to 3 rd grade teacher Laura Nungester, the goal of the field trip was to give the
students a first hand knowledge of the local government, how it is run, where services are
organized and to see and meet the local leaders.
“The field trip was designed to give the kids a hands-on experience of their lessons about
government structure, locations and services. They were all amazed to have met their first
real mayor and visit their first government building,” Nungester said.
The students are pictured exploring the police car and talking with a local policeman.
TV West Middle School on Facebook
The administrators and guidance counselor at Teays Valley West Middle School have recently developed a facebook page for
West. According to principal Mike Kauffeld, it was created In an effort to communicate even more effectively with West parents,
students and community members. By becoming a fan of Teays Valley West Middle School on facebook, you will learn more about
what is going on at the school, view pictures of activities, learn about their student groups and much more.
“By developing this page, our goal is simply to provide resources for parents, celebrate academic accomplishments and to keep
all stake holders informed,” Kauffeld said.
Snapgrades
Teachers and administrators at Teays Valley High School and East and West Middle Schools are using a Web site called
Snapgrades to update the students' grades and inform parents of information about the school. If you have not visited this site
yet, please contact the principal at your child’s school for your username and password. The Web site is http://snapgrades.com.

Substitute Bus Drivers
Director of Transportation Jim Buxbaum is looking for substitute bus drivers. If you know anyone who would be interested in
applying, please contact him at 740.983.5014.
Students learn from Furry Friend
Fall Athletics Honors
Congratulations to the Fall Sports Teams and Athletes who got special honors:
MSL Team Championship: Girls Soccer
MSL Players of the Year: Megan Zealer—Girls Soccer and Adrien Leatherwood-Girls Tennis
MSL 1 st Team honors:
Boys Cross Country—Chris Varian Boys Golf—Jadee Davis Volleyball—Jess Passen
Girls Cross Country—Sara Toskin
Football—Colin Graves, Nik Schiff & Derrick Taylor
Girls Tennis—Adrien Leatherwood & Jamie Weber
Some of the schools in the district are using a unique “assistant” in
their classrooms with the help of Teays Valley East Middle School math
teacher Kristen King and her dog Brocky.
Kristen and Brocky are involved in the I.M.P.aC.t Dog Therapy Program,
which stands for Improve, Motivate, Promote and Connect. The focus
of the program is to improve learning by motivating students and
promoting a positive atmosphere and positive behaviors, as well as
allow the students to feel connected.
Brocky recently visited the students in intervention specialist Allison
Swanger’s class at Teas Valley West Middle School.
Allison said that by having the students work with Kristen and Brocky,
she hopes the they will work side by side on their school work, learn
how to care for a dog and feel motivated to learn and complete
challenging work with a great partner, Brocky, by their side.
According to Allison, the students responded very positively to Brocky.
“It was amazing to see them share and give their love and comfort to Brocky and to have him respond in the same manner. A
dog’s behavior is nonjudgmental and allows a person to feel special and needed. The goal is to provide the students with
unconditional love, to bring smiles to their faces and to have somebody to hug,” she said.
TVWMS students Wyatt Harrison and Harold Blazer are pictured with Brocky and Kristen King.
Girls Golf—Makala Pollock
Boys Soccer—Jeremy Young
Girls Soccer—Katie Eckel, Emily Kuehn & Megan Zealer
FROM THE NURSES
Let's Move to reverse child and adolescent overweight and obesity! This is the current campaign with the White House Task Force
and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The plan is to decrease childhood obesity within one generation and the
focus is on the environment where children live, learn and play.
According to the CDC, childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years. Diet related chronic conditions such as type
2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease are on an increase. Almost 32% of youth between 2 and 19 years old are at or above the
85 th percentile for Body Mass Index (BMI). As a part of this initiative, school nurses are now mandated to calculate the BMI for all
students in grades K, 3, 5 and 9. Body Mass Index is a good indicator of body fatness for most children and adolescents and
correlates to overweight and obesity in adults. BMI is gender specific and calculated from a child's weight and height.
We will see many more changes with the Surgeon General's "Vision for a Healthy and Fit Nation" to include recommendations for
upgraded school nutrition standards that promote healthy, nutritious foods, limiting amounts of high calorie snacks, which
include beverages in vending machines and increased health and physical education programs and opportunities during and
outside of school hours. The following sites have helpful resources that teachers and parents may use: www.letsmove.gov,
www.fueluptoplay60.org, www.mypyramid.gov, www.drink-milk.com, www.nutritionexplorations.org and www.cdc.gov/bmi.
Please also reference our Teays Valley Wellness Policy which can be found on the From the Nurse link. We have included
information about BMI on the link.
We recommend the following food items to be included for classroom parties: fruits, veggie trays, cheese cubes, pretzels and
whole grain snacks. Please ensure that healthy foods are at least 50% of the party treats. Water, milk and fruit juice should be
provided in place of soft drinks. Our district wellness policy was created for the wellbeing of our students and to help to ensure
a healthier future through more activity and healthier foods.

* Check us out online @ http://www.tvsd.us/*
Teays Valley Graduate completes Boot Camp 1 st in his Company
Teays Valley 2010 graduate Seth Eckel recently completed
boot camp with the Marines 1 st out of 538 in his company.
Seth was at boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina,
from August 16 through November 12. While there, Seth said
they were busy with classes every day. They also worked out
every day, which included running, lifting weights, hiking,
swimming and obstacle courses. In addition, they experienced
the gas chamber, shot weapons and learned first aid through
hands-on activities.
“I joined the Marines because I wanted to be the best of the
best and I wanted to protect my country because it has given
me so much. I felt that I had to give something back,” he said.
According to Seth, his favorite part of boot camp was the
gas chamber.
“You didn't really know what to expect and it was the most
challenging thing to me because not many people experience
it,” he said.
For Seth, the most difficult part was simply being away
from home for three months.
“I got homesick a lot, but it also opened my eyes a lot and
made me realize how much I took for granted and how much
support I really had,” he said.
He graduated from boot camp on November 12, where he
received the honor graduate and ironman awards for his
platoon and company.
As he looks to the future, his plans are to be in the Marines
for 20 years.
“I see myself leading Marines into battle because I feel that
I am a strong leader and I know that I have what it takes to
get the job done and take care of my Marines,” he said.
His next step, which he is currently working on, is Marine
combat training at Camp Geiger, North Carolina, which
consists of shooting various weapons and throwing grenades.
They will also learn survival techniques and how to conduct
patrols in a combat zone.
During his break between boot camp and combat training,
Seth visited the high school and was invited to speak to the 5 th
graders at South Bloomfield Elementary School by his former
teacher Shannon Bumgarner.
Bumgarner said she could not have scripted a better speech
than the one he gave to her students through which he
encouraged them to be responsible, to focus on their
schoolwork above all else, to dream and to not let anything
stand in their way.
“I am not surprised by his accomplishments and have no
doubt it's only the beginning. Seth left a responsible boy and
returned a man who is excited about all his endeavors and
determined to make a difference for this world,” she said.
Seth is pictured with 5 th grade South Bloomfield Elementary
students.
~If you have questions about “The Talk at Teays” or if you would like to submit information for the next edition,
contact Julie Lazzara, Director of Communications, at 740.983.5048 or at jlazzara@tvsd.us.
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