Posted by With less than a week before the start of the new school year, faculty and staff throughout the Olmsted Falls School District are busy preparing for the arrival of our students on August 24th. We look forward to welcoming everyone back for what promises to be another successful year in Bulldog country. By now, all families with students enrolled in the District should have received their special Back-To-School issue of the School Report. This issue contains much information relevant to the start of the school year. This issue can also be viewed on-line by clicking here.
With positive feedback from parents, the District Blog Updates will continue for the 2010-2011 school year. It is our plan to post a new blog update EACH WEDNESDAY that school is in session throughout the school year. Be sure to verify your current e-mail address on your student’s Emergency Contact Card(s) so that your e-mail will be in the database to receive notice of these weekly updates, as well as periodic building-specific information.
On behalf of the faculty and staff of Olmsted Falls Schools, we hope all of our families enjoy these final days of summer and look forward to seeing everyone on Tuesday, August 24th.
FALL 2010 OPEN HOUSE SCHEDULE
District open houses begin with the 6th Grade Open House at Olmsted Falls Middle School. For your convenience, following please find a summary of Open House dates and times occurring over the next few weeks for all grade levels:
Wednesday, August 18th: 6th Grade Open House (5:30-7 pm)
Wednesday, August 25th: 4th Grade Open House (7-8:30 pm)
Monday, August 30th: Falls-Lenox West Learning Community Open House (7 pm)
Tuesday, August 31st: Falls-Lenox East Learning Community Open House (7 pm)
Tuesday, August 31st: 8th Grade Open House (7-8 pm)
Wednesday, September 1st: 5th Grade Open House (7 pm)
Thursday, September 2nd: Falls-Lenox South Learning Community Open House (7 pm)
Thursday, September 2nd: 7th Grade Open House (7-8 pm)
Thursday, September 9th: OFHS Open House (7 pm)
Wednesday, September 15th: ECC Open House – A.M. Preschool/Kindergarten (6:45-7:30 p.m.); P.M. Preschool/Kindergarten (7:30-8:15 p.m.)
WELCOME NEW FACULTY!
Front Row (Left to Right, including those seated): Megan Stack (Tutor – Falls-Lenox); Deana Harb (5th Grade Teacher – Intermediate School); Elizabeth Ehlke (Tutor – Falls-Lenox); Kristin Ostmann (Science Teacher – High School); Kristina Pekarcik (Tutor – Falls-Lenox); Christine Palmer (Guidance Counselor – Middle School); and Gabrielle Giamboi (Intervention Specialist Teacher – Intermediate School).
Back Row (Left to Right): Laura Sheldon (Health/Physical Education Teacher – Middle School); Tina Moreno (Speech Language Pathologist – Middle and High Schools); Jackie Moro (Language Arts Teacher – High School); Michael Yurmanovich (Intervention Specialist Teacher – High School); Katie Arnold (Language Arts Teacher – High School); and Amanda Apatzky (Tutor – Falls-Lenox).
ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT DR. JIM LLOYD AND DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SERVICES MERRITT WATERS TAKE THE HELM AT OLMSTED FALLS EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER
As many are likely already aware, Ms. Gina Sanfilippo – who served last year as both principal of the new Olmsted Falls Early Childhood Center and assistant principal at Falls-Lenox Primary School – resigned from her position with Olmsted Falls Schools in July. The Board of Education accepted Ms. Sanfilippo’s formal resignation at their monthly Board meeting on July 22nd. We would like to extend our sincere thanks and congratulations to Ms. Sanfilippo for her 18 years of service to the Olmsted Falls School District, and wish her the very best as she relocates to Pittsburgh, where she will be married this fall and will permanently reside.
With the school year quickly approaching, searching for a replacement for this unique administrative position presented a unique challenge. We are pleased to report that Dr. Jim Lloyd (Assistant Superintendent) and Mrs. Merritt Waters (Director of Student Services) have volunteered to cover administrative responsibilities for the Early Childhood Center as a team for the upcoming school year. Their offices are being relocated to the ECC this week and they will be in place, along with Student Services Secretary Pam Manas, ahead of the return of faculty and staff to the building on Monday, August 23rd. This new team leadership at the ECC ensures the preservation of the culture, beliefs and values of the Olmsted Falls Early Childhood school experience. Both Dr. Lloyd and Mrs. Waters are uniquely qualified to provide high quality administrative leadership in an early childhood setting, and very much look forward to meeting all of our littlest Bulldogs and their families. Both administrators will maintain their current positions while adding the administrative oversight of the ECC to their responsibilities.
Dr. Jim Lloyd began his career in Olmsted Falls as the District’s School Psychologist, and rejoined the District in August 2007 as Assistant Superintendent. Dr. Lloyd possesses a strong background in early childhood education. His Master’s degree thesis focussed on “Play-Based Assessment” for preschool students. Additionally, he began his career working as a psychologist at an early intervention center. Dr. Lloyd also brings to his new role at the ECC a parent perspective. With three children, in grades 2, 5 and 8, it has not been long since he had his own children in an early childhood education setting. For additional background information on Dr. Lloyd, please click here.
Mrs. Merritt Waters joined Olmsted Falls School District in August 2004 and served as a School Psychologist in the District for four years, prior to accepting her current position as Director of Student Services in August 2008. Mrs. Waters has more than a decade of experience serving as a School Psychologist for preschool and kindergarten students. For additional background information on Merritt Waters, please click here.
Mr. Neil Roseberry continues to serve as principal at Falls-Lenox Primary School, which now houses grades 1 – 3 following the relocation of preschool and kindergarten classes to the ECC last year. The District administrative team continues to work towards finding a solution to provide additional support for the faculty and staff at Falls-Lenox.
OLMSTED FALLS BOARD OF EDUCATION AWARDS NEW CONTRACT TO SUPERINTENDENT DR. TODD HOADLEY; CONTRACT INCLUDES VOLUNTARY WAGE FREEZE AND INSURANCE CONTRIBUTION INCREASE
The Olmsted Falls Board of Education approved a new contract for current superintendent, Dr. Todd Hoadley, at this month’s regularly scheduled Board meeting. The five-year contract (effective August 1, 2010 through July 31, 2015) includes a voluntary two-year wage freeze as well as a voluntary increase in the superintendent’s contribution for health insurance.
“Throughout his tenure with us, Dr. Hoadley has continually led by example and the terms of this new contract certainly reflect that,” said Mr. Frank Pedicini, President of the Olmsted Falls Board of Education. “Our Board has great confidence in Dr. Hoadley, and truly appreciates his proposal to freeze his salary for an additional two years and to increase his personal contribution to the District health insurance plan.”
The voluntary two-year salary freeze is a continuation of the administrative salary freeze put into place by the superintendent last year, and therefore maintains his salary at the level approved prior to the 2008-2009 school year. The voluntary salary freeze will remain in effect through the 2011-2012 school year. Additionally, the superintendent also increased his personal responsibility for the health insurance premium to 15% – an increase of 5% over the existing 10% employee contribution share in place for the Olmsted Falls School District.
“Health insurance is an ever-increasing part of a school district’s budget,” said Mr. Joseph Bertrand, Board of Education Vice-President. “Unfortunately, new federal health insurance programs will only further increase our health benefit costs. We are very pleased to see Dr. Hoadley take the initiative to increase his portion of responsibility in terms of insurance premiums, thereby lessening the burden on the District by decreasing costs.”
“Even with the passage of our District’s recent operating levy, we must continue to be diligent about all of our expenditures,” said Board member Jim Weisbarth. “We must demonstrate to our community a willingness to be fiscally conscious and responsible at every level, and it is gratifying to see this philosophy consistently at work through Dr. Hoadley’s actions.”
“In the awarding of this new contract to Dr. Hoadley, we maintain a continuity of proven leadership for our District, which has resulted in many positive milestones in the past several years,” said Board member Rhonda McCrone. “During his first five years, Dr. Hoadley and his administrative team have resolved space issues through the passage of a bond issue to build the new Intermediate School; secured more than $7.7 million in State funding to expand classroom space at the existing Middle School; worked to pass the District’s first operating levy in eleven years; and maintained top academic rankings on the Local Report Card issued annually by the Ohio Department of Education.”
“Throughout the District’s fiscal challenges, Dr. Hoadley has always remained focused on preserving the educational excellence that has become the hallmark of Olmsted Falls Schools,” added Board member Michelle Theriot. “We are incredibly proud to be one of the few districts to earn the top ranking on the Local Report Card consistently since its inception, and know that his desire for continuous improvement will continue to be of benefit to our students.”
“I truly appreciate the community’s recent passage of this District’s first operating levy in eleven years,” said Superintendent Dr. Todd Hoadley. “I clearly understand that many of our citizens will have to sacrifice to help support this investment in our schools and, in my heart, I do not feel this is the time to increase compensation for myself or our employees.”
Dr. Todd Hoadley has been at the helm of Olmsted Falls City Schools since August 2005. He lives in Olmsted Falls with his wife, Angie, and their four children, who all attend Olmsted Falls Schools. Both Dr. and Mrs. Hoadley are actively involved in local community organizations.
PARTICIPATION IN OHIO SCHOOLS COUNCIL HELPS OLMSTED FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT STRETCH DOLLARS
DID YOU KNOW? Olmsted Falls School District is an active member of the Ohio Schools Council – a consortium of school districts created for the purpose of saving dollars through volume purchases. Participation in the OSC saves district like Olmsted Falls money on the purchase of products and services such as natural gas, electricity, school buses, and more. To learn more about the Ohio Schools Council, please click here to review the organization’s August newsletter.
OFHS STUDENT CALCULATOR PURCHASES EARN POINTS FOR TEXAS INSTRUMENT TECHNOLOGY REWARDS – PLEASE SAVE REWARDS POINTS COUPON TO TURN IN TO OFHS MATH TEACHERS
OFHS mathematics teachers Ms. Donna Langenderfer and Mr. Jeff VanArhem have created an informational letter for parents of incoming high school freshmen (and current 9th graders who may not have a calculator yet) to serve as a helpful guide in the required purchase of a graphing calculator. Click here for a copy of this letter. PLEASE NOTE: The Texas Instrument brand calculators recommended in this letter feature Rewards Points coupons on the boxes that can be collected and redeemed by schools for classroom technology products. Parents are encouraged to save their TI Rewards Points coupons from the calculator packaging and have their student(s) bring them in to their High School math teachers during the first week of school.
“I would love to be able to gather enough points to exchange them for a piece of classroom technology such as the TI-Nspire Navigator,” says High School math teacher Jeff VanArnhem. “This technology allows the entire class to be linked together with students having the ability to create their own digital portfolios and demonstrate their own calculator calculations for the class in real-time.”
OLMSTED FALLS ATHLETIC BOOSTERS POST MONTHLY UPDATE
Click here to read the latest news from Olmsted Falls Athletic Boosters.
UPCOMING EVENTS – ALL WELCOME:
Tonight! Thursday, August 19th – Olmsted Falls Heritage Day Parade – 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, August 21st – Operation Medicine Cabinet – 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Pease click here for details on this opportunity to safely dispose of outdated or unwanted prescription medications.
OLMSTED FALLS SCHOOLS Bulldog Blog 
Dr. Hoadley,
My family and I were very happy to hear about your new contract. We are excited that you will continue to be superintendent for Olmsted Falls.
Thank you for all of the time and effort you put into your job and for getting the levy passed. I know your job must be very difficult on your family and we want you to know we support you 100 percent.
Steve – Thank you for the kind words. My family and I are very happy here and I feel very blessed to live in such a wonderful community.
Thanks again,
Todd Hoadley
Please tell me why the school’s parking lots were being blacktopped this week! It cause such a huge, and needless stress on top of the normal back to school issues.
If the Company that was contracted to do it was late, tell them to do it over the weekend.
Thank you for your question regarding the crack sealing and seal coat application, which took place at the High School last week. The timing was certainly not the most ideal. However, as is the nature of many construction projects, schedules are subject to change. Delays in the selected contractor’s summer schedule – including weather related delays – had their schedule backed up a bit. Additionally, the District’s need to coordinate with our own facilities/grounds staff for the final striping of the newly sealed driveways also impacted the timing of the project. Unfortunately, we could not proceed over the weekend without incurring additional overtime expenses for our own staff’s portion of the work – a practice which our District prefers not to engage in during these continuing economically challenging times.
In the end, while a temporary inconvenience was involved, the District benefited from a high quality crack sealing and seal coat application which was completed prior to the start of the new school year this past Tuesday and at a competitive price. As with all construction / improvement projects requiring the services of outside contractors, Olmsted Falls School District used a competitive public bid process for the selection of the vendor which handled crack sealing and seal coat application. This improvement is estimated to last approximately 5 years.
I wanted to ask this question last year but failed to. My kids’ school pacakges have this free meal qualifications, tell me, on item #11 it reads: “May I apply if someone in my household is not a U.S. citizen? ”
Answer: “Yes. You or your child(ren) do not have to be a U.S. citizen to qualify for free or reduced price meals.
Please explain why such allowance is granted for the non U.S. citizen for free meals? Or are there more to this than what is on the surface?
Thanks.
Just a Mom,
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)is a federal program. Since the district receives federal funding we are required to follow the regulations they develop. There are limitations to which non-citizens can receive SNAP benefits. This link may be helpful: http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/faqs.htm