Ross Local Schools

Serving Our Community for 84 Years

Superintendent’s Message The first grading period has concluded, and I hope all of our students, parents, and staff members have enjoyed a great beginning to the 2015 - 2016 school year. The release of the 2015 District Report Cards by the Ohio Department of Education was delayed this year in order for the State Board of Education to set minimum score standards for the new state tests. The district recently received preliminary results of these tests and I am pleased to report that we exceeded the state minimum standard in each subject area at every grade level. While the passage rates dipped somewhat from previous years, that is to be expected in the first year of giving tests based on new standards and with a new on-line format. I am confident that we will compare very favorably with other districts when the District Report Cards are released. The beginning of this school year has been extremely busy with our staff members working hard to meet several new mandates from the Ohio Department of Education. Among them are continued implementation of new learning standards, new reading and math state tests, and new high school graduation requirements. We will also be continuing the implementation of our Personalized Learning 1:1 Computer Initiative. This initiative will help us meet the learning needs of our students in light of the fact that the two year state budget, approved by the Ohio General Assembly in July 2015, did not include any increase in state funding for our district. In this issue of Ross Reflections you will find information regarding: • • • • • • •

RHS receives National Blue Ribbon Award The District Financial Picture New District Treasurer Hired One-to-One Computing Update Earlier Start to School Year Considered New Staff Members Curriculum Update

“Kids Are Our Business”

Fall 2015

Ross High School awarded National Blue Ribbon from U.S. Dep’t. of Education U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan recently announced Ross High School as one of 335 schools nationwide and 14 in Ohio to earn the National Blue Ribbon Award for 2015. RHS was recognized as an Exemplary High Performing School and is slated to receive education’s most prestigious award this fall. Exemplary High Performing Schools are among each state’s highest performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests. Student subgroup performance and high school graduation rates are also at the highest levels in these schools. Ross High School has been consistently ranked at the highest level on the Ohio Department of Education’s State Report Card and the school’s most recent graduation rate of 98.6% marked four consecutive years that the graduation rate was above 97%. Since 1982, the U.S. Department of Education has sought out and celebrated great American schools. The National Blue Ribbon Schools award program recognizes public and private schools where students achieve very high learning standards. Elda Elementary and Morgan Elementary Schools received the National Blue Ribbon Award in 1988. RHS Principal Brian Martin and teacher Sharon Berlage will represent RHS at a recognition ceremony on Nov. 9-10 in Washington, D.C “This award is a testament not only to the outstanding individuals who work with our children each day, but also to the parents and other community members who support our schools in many ways,” stated Ross Superintendent of Schools Greg Young, “The Ross School District is blessed to have hard working students, committed staff members, exemplary administrators, and a supportive community”.

ROSS REFLECTIONS

The Financial Picture

Straight A Grant Allows 1:1 Computing

School funding continues to present a challenge to our district. The two-year budget recently approved by the Ohio General Assembly calls for no increase in state revenue for our district over the next two years. This is a concern since we have been operating the district with a cut in state revenue over the past six years. With the cooperation of our employees, the district was able to weather the recession by reducing expenditures, freezing salaries and making health care concessions. Since the recession, however, our local legislators and the Ohio General Assembly have continued to flat fund our district.

As reported last year, the Ross Local School District was awarded a $949,987 Straight A Fund Grant from the Ohio Department of Education. This competitive grant program is designed to support innovative learning initiatives. Our grant initiative titled Personalization through Digital Age Teaching and Learning began in January 2015. Every student in grades 5-12 was provided a Chromebook laptop computer. Through the re-distribution of technology devices, the district has now been able to provide one-to-one computing for every third and fourth grade student, as well. As we continue this initiative for the 2015-2016 school year, teaching and learning will be transformed through the utilization of digital resources to provide a more personalized online learning experience. In addition, formative assessments will be used by teachers to select resources and activities based on students’ identified needs. Reductions in spending for textbooks, paper, and copier and printer maintenance, along with the need to no longer maintain general use computer labs will provide funds to purchase new devices every four years. For more detailed information on this initiative go to the district’s web site and click on the “1:1” tab.

The district is operating on approximately $400,000 less state dollars than we received in 2009. While our expenses have continued to rise over this period of time, we have been able to operate the district without deficit spending due to cost saving measures. As the chart below shows, however, the district will need to seek additional revenue in the near future in order to avoid deficit spending.

District Considering Earlier Start To School Year

District Hires New Treasurer At the October meeting of the Ross Board of Education, John Kinsel was hired as the new treasurer of the school district. Mr. Kinsel comes to the district with experience as a treasurer in two other school districts and accounting experience in the private sector. He has been serving the district as the interim treasurer since the departure of Cathy McMonigle as district treasurer in mid-September. Mr. Kinsel and his family live in Oxford.

Visit our Web Site www.rossrams.com

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“Kids Are Our Business”

The Ross Local School District is considering a one week earlier start to the school year in August, 2016. Most school districts are now starting earlier in August for several reasons. One purpose for the change would be to better align the school year with the state mandated testing schedule. An earlier start would allow more days of instruction prior to the state tests which are held in late April and early May in grades 3-8 and the state end-of-course exams and AP exams at the high school. Another reason for an earlier start to the school year would be to align the end of the first semester with the district’s winter break. This would eliminate the isolation of the final two weeks of the first semester in early January. All of the district’s buildings are now air conditioned, so hot weather in August would not be a factor as in the past. After the first year of the earlier start, students would have the same number of days off in the summer. If you have any thoughts or feedback regarding this proposed earlier start to the school year, please contact Ross Superintendent Greg Young.

ROSS REFLECTIONS

Meet Our New Staff Members

Safe Schools Hotline

The Ross Local School District is pleased to welcome the following new persons to our district:

The Ohio Department of Public Safety has established a school safety hotline called SAFEROH. By calling or texting 844-SAFEROH any student, parent, or community member can anonymously report anything that is suspicious or may endanger students or a school. The proper school authorities will be immediately contacted in order to take appropriate action to ensure the safety of students.

Amy Baccei – Elda Title I Tutor Kristin Bittner – Morgan Title I Tutor Colleen Brunner – Elda Intervention Specialist Adam Campbell – RHS Maintenance Cliff Carter – RHS Business Christy Avery – Morgan Spec. Education Aide Laura Counts – Elda Third Grade Courtney Deller – RHS Math Shelby Dourson – RMS and RHS Math Amanda Drake – RMS Language Arts and Soc. Stud. Tracy Eads – RHS Spec. Education Aide Dawn Ficorilli – RHS Math Kim Gordon – RMS Gifted Specialist Kim Halm – Elda Spec. Education Aide Nolan Henry – RMS Soc. Stud. and Spec. Educ. aide Karla Hoggard – RMS Intervention Specialist Cherie Hornfeck – RHS Math Deena Jacob – Elda Intervention Specialist Yanping Ji – RHS Chinese Language Kyle Jones – RHS Science Rachel Lieberth – RHS Counselor Brian Lien – RHS Technology Education Jessica Luehrmann – Sign Language Specialist Nick Lutterbie – RHS Maintenance Rebecka Mackie – Elda Title I Tutor Karla Moeller – RHS Media Manager Kristy Razzaghi – Morgan Speech Pathologist Jake Richards – RHS Language Arts Brittany Roberto – Morgan Kindergarten Heather Schulkers – RHS Spec. Education Aide Carolyn Shumate – Morgan Kindergarten Aide Chelsea Shumate – Morgan Kindergarten Aide Brian Streng – RHS Science Sarah Theiler – Morgan Pre-School Deborah Volker – Morgan Title I Elizabeth Wagner – Elda Intervention Specialist

Curriculum Corner The Ross School District has purchased new math and science programs for the 2015 – 2016 school year. The math program, Go Math, is being used in grades K – 8. The science program, Science Fusion, is being implemented in grades 4 – 8. We have also expanded our middle school social studies program, History Alive, to include courses at the high school. In the lower elementary grades the programs’ delivery is a blend between print materials and digital materials. The middle school and high school programs are completely digital.

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“Kids Are Our Business”

For Your Information Ross Local School District 3371 Hamilton Cleves Road Hamilton, Ohio 45013 863-1253 Greg Young, Superintendent John Kinsel, Treasurer Kathy DiBlasi, Curriculum Director Ray Lyttle, Student Services Director Deb Christophel, Food Services Director Ron Mandery, Transportation Director

ext. 2901 ext. 2904 ext. 2902 ext. 2908 ext. 1531 738-2900

Ross High School 3601 Hamilton Cleves Road 863-1252 Brian Martin, Principal, ext. 1515 Amy Webb, Assistant Principal, ext. 1513 Ross Middle School 3425 Hamilton Cleves Road 863-1251 Chris Saylor, Principal, ext. 2151 Tony Albrinck, Assistant Principal, ext. 2152 Elda Elementary 738-1972 Jesse Kohls, Principal

3980 Hamilton Cleves Road

Morgan Elementary 738-1986 Tom Perry, Principal

3427 Chapel Road

Board of Education Steve Stitsinger, President David Brown, Vice-President Edward Bosse John McCandless

867-8456 738-3426 738-2315 529-0177

ROSS REFLECTIONS

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CINCINNATI, OHIO PERMIT #1736

Ross Local School District 3371 Hamilton Cleves Road Hamilton, Ohio 45013

SUBSTITUTE WORKERS NEEDED FOR THE ROSS LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT Bus Drivers – CDL training provided by district Contact Transportation Dep’t. at 738-2900 Cafeteria, Custodial, Secretarial, and Paraprofessional Workers Contact Superintendent’s Office at 863-1253