Superintendent’s Message
September, 2010
District Ready for 2010-2011 School Year!
Welcome Back!
Welcome to the 2010-2011 school year! We are extremely pleased to begin the school year on such a positive note! The first week started with cooler than usual temperatures which enabled our staff and students to enter the school year ready to learn! Findlay City Schools continues our commitment to creating outstanding learning environment for children and to promote the culture of excellence that supports and encourages our students and staff in their academic, extra-curricular and personal growth! We welcomed approximately 6100 students in our buildings this year. So on behalf of the Board of Education, our students and staff, I want to thank our parents and community for their continued support and unending cooperation as we start this new school year!
Findlay City Schools continues to serve a growing economically diverse student population in the middle of Hancock County. The district is comprised of one high school, three middle school, four intermediate (3-5 grades), four primary (K-2 grades) and one elementary (K-5 grades) buildings. We also house the Millstream Career and Technology Center which serves Findlay High School students as well as students from Hancock and Putnam County. The Findlay Trojan tradition of excellence in all areas such as academics and extra-curriculars is based on collaboration between our students, staff, parents, and community who enjoy watching our students succeed in all areas of their educational life.
On August 27th, the District Grade cards were released and Findlay City Schools are once again designated as an Effective district by the Ohio Department of Education. Celebrating with our community, staff, and parents is important and we celebrate the following:
Donnell Middle School – Excellent with Distinction
Central Middle School – Excellent
Glenwood Middle School – Excellent
Washington Intermediate School (Jacobs Primary School) – Excellent
Bigelow Hill Intermediate School (Northview Primary School) - Effective
Lincoln Elementary School – Effective
Chamberlin Hill Intermediate School (Jefferson Primary School) – Effective
Wilson Vance Intermediate School (Whittier Primary School) – Continuous Improvement
Findlay High School – Continuous Improvement
- K-2 buildings are not assessed and therefore receive the same rating as their “sister” school
- Findlay High School met 12 out of 12 indicators but did not have the Special Education and economically disadvantaged sub-group improve at a more accelerated rate.
ACT Scores
Traditionally, ACT scores are a great method of gauging how well students are prepared for college. The ACT (college-readiness exam) composite scores for Findlay High School consistently exceed state averages each year and again, we have done so this year. Last year, 246 Findlay High School students were tested and a composite score of 23.4 was a .3% increase locally and compared to the state average of 21.8 is considerably higher than the state average (see ACT document on our webpage).
Transitions
After the successful passage of our Bond Issue in November 2009, the design phase of the project has been on-going. The design of the buildings, all the planning it encompasses, as well as preparing for the transition years has been an important part that will be happening this school year. While the Board of Education has already voted on the transition process for middle school students with the 2011-2012
school year where 7th grade students will attend Glenwood and 6th and 8th grade students will attend Central, there are numerous other transition teams that are working hard this year in preparation for next year’s transition year. These teams are Staffing, Extra-Curriculars, Transportation, Moving, Findlay High School (after Millstream North moves into new Millstream building), and Transition after Students Leave Central. Our community will be kept informed as these transition teams make recommendations this year.
Community Partnerships
Part of our mission statement explains that Findlay City Schools is a community partnership committed to educational excellence and to instill in each student the knowledge, skills, and virtues necessary to be lifelong learners. This partnership was once again witnessed last year when the community stepped forward in November 2009 with the successful passage of the Bond issue. This collaborative effort pays off in numerous ways for our students. We continue to offer programs that help nurture the whole child including guidance, wellness, award-winning music programs, nationally recognized journalism and We the People, fine arts courses, intramural and competitive sports, and regionally awarded special education services for special needs and gifted students. We continue to promote character as an important part of a student’s experience at Findlay. The nine virtues are focused on one inspirational word per month and created to support our shared values of the entire population. Very shortly we will be housing our middle school and career tech students in new facilities which continues to show the collaboration of our community.
Leadership Team
The district leadership team, which includes the Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, Directors, Principals, and Supervisors, worked countless hours preparing for this school year to lead, serve, and assist our staff. We have met numerous parents and family members at our Welcome Center at the Central Office and met with teachers over the summer, making sure that buildings were ready for your students.
Findlay City Schools Staff
Our teaching staff is outstanding and again this summer, has prepared long hours for your students’ return. Many of our staff members collaborated with their peers in analyzing student data, made plans following our district goals, and developed strategies and action steps to help your students continue the learning process in a more effective manner. Many of our teachers returned to the classroom, attended workshops, and made educational trips to refresh their skills, understand and bring back new methods and techniques, and for their own professional development to enhance your students’ performance. As our teachers were away in professional development opportunities, our classified staff continued their commitment of preparing buildings, upgrading their bus driving skills, and preparing new lunch ideas. Our classified staff feed, transport, and care for your students each and every day. Our district and building secretaries, aides, bus drivers, custodians, food service workers, maintenance, and grounds people work extremely hard to make our students life each day better.
Fiscal Responsibility
Under the leadership of Treasurer, Mike Barnhart, our leadership team continues to be focused on our financial health plan as the guiding document in the day-to-day operations of our school district. Fiscal responsibility and cost-effective operations are essential for smooth operations of a school district. The decisions we make as a leadership team at Findlay City Schools include the assistance from our Administration, Business Advisory Committee, and Board of Education Finance Committee. We continue to analyze the district budget and expenditures that assist in growing and sustaining our financial health. We closely monitor enrollment data to make sure we are not overstaffed. This year for example, we have reduced district staff by over 20 staff members through attrition and in the last five years, it has been over 80 staff positions reduced by attrition. Again, our Treasurer’s office has won numerous awards for its accounting practices.
Innovative Programming
Findlay City Schools continues to use the latest technology in making a great impact on our students’ learning and their development, offering gifted education courses, high school credit to middle school students, special education services, and many others. Our component of our curriculum offerings through the Findlay Digital Academy, middle school computer technology classes, website internet research, student broadcasting and innovative programming such as the pilot project for IBooks (just to name a few) provide our students the necessary tools to learn and compete in this changing, global society. Our staff continues its professional development in the 21st Century technology skills with constant professional development. Our facilities have been updated for wireless technology, smart boards in classrooms, computer laptops, and numerous software upgrades to enhance our student learning with the use of technology.
Permanent Improvement Dollars
Your permanent improvement dollars were hard at work again this summer with phase 4 of the high school window replacement project which included the west and south side elevations of the high school, library upgrades at the high school, concrete sidewalks at different locations, purchasing and installation of smart boards district-wide, purchasing classroom furniture and numerous other projects. We continue to use the permanent improvement dollars wisely to upgrade our aging buildings, purchase busses and improve technology.
Board of Education
We are blessed with an outstanding Board of Education that leads our district. This local elected legislative team works hard to be knowledgeable about many complex educational and social issues and carry out both state and federal guidelines. The Board members are: Rick Hoffman, Barb Lockard, Barbara Dysinger, Jeff Shrader, and Shane Pochard.
Challenges We Face
We are witnessing a slowly declining enrollment in these tough economic times and an ever changing student population that is increasingly more diverse. We welcome these new challenges! They offer us opportunities to meet the needs of our students and serve our constituents better, each and every day. Another major challenge is the looming state budget cuts along with local economic challenges. We have been able to weather this storm by reducing staff by attrition and following a conservative Financial Plan. With the excitement of the design, bidding and ground-breaking of our new schools at the end of this school year, these new challenges are positive and I am confident that our employees and community can meet each challenge.
Once again, the Findlay City School district remains committed to an outstanding educational opportunity for all of our children in this community.
Thank you for your continued support!
Dean Wittwer
Superintendent
Findlay City Schools
419-425-8212
dwittwer@findlaycityschools.org
