Over recent weeks, the Ohio Department of Education has released the 2014-15 State Report Card for school districts. Going into last year you may remember there was a great deal of concern about the new tests and the fact that those tests were, in many cases, being administered on-line. Everyone from state legislatures to school officials were being preemptive in warning parents that scores would likely dip.  The results are now available and Brookville Schools are once again proud to share with our community that our students scored at some of the highest levels in the Miami Valley.  Here are just a few highlights from this report card release:

There are more than 30 state exams over multiple grades and subjects. Brookville students met or exceeded the state established proficiency level on ALL exams.   We are one of only 4 districts in Montgomery County that can make this claim!!

• Our sixth grade Language Arts passage rate of 93.9% was in the top 3% of ALL 610  OHIO SCHOOLS.
• Our sixth grade Social Studies passage rate was the 2nd highest percentage of ALL 610 OHIO SCHOOLS and 85% of our students scored Accelerated or Advanced!!
• Brookville Schools had 100% of students meet the state established 3rd grade reading guarantee level.
• Brookville Schools had a Performance Index score of 101.29. This goes deeper than a simple 'yes or no' on proficiency, giving more credit for the highest performers on state tests and less credit for lowest scorers.  Of the 45 school districts in the surrounding seven counties, Brookville was 1 of only 7 with a Performance Index Score over 100!!  

It takes a TEAM effort:  Results such as these never come from individual effort.  Rather, they reflect everyone working together toward a common goal. We wish to share our appreciation with parents and caregivers, our wonderful staff and most importantly our students for making Brookville Local Schools a leader throughout the Miami Valley in academic achievement.

Under the direction of Mr. James Nelson, the students at BHS (along with help from some intermediate and elementary students and our own staff), are bringing one of the most popular Disney movies of all time to the Strausburg Auditorium.  

	A sneak peak at the world  of Mary Poppins

The jack-of-all trades, Bert (Hunter Feustel), introduces us to England in 1910 and the troubled Banks family. Young Jane (Katie Holp) and Michael (Josh Wissinger) have sent many a nanny packing before Mary Poppins arrives on their doorstep. Using a combination of magic and common sense, she must teach the family how to value each other again. 

Mary Poppins (Monica Impson) takes the children on many memorable adventures including meeting the magical conversationalist Mrs. Corry (Norah Hastings) and defeating the evil nanny Miss Andrew (Elizabeth Allen), but Jane and Michael aren't the only ones she has a profound effect upon. Even Mr. & Mrs. Banks (Garrett Hensley, Misty Grow) can learn a lesson or two from the nanny who advises that "Anything can happen if you let it."

The cast and crew have been hard at work for weeks learning lines, constructing the set and creating the magic (Mary Poppins really can fly), which will be on display from March 17-19, with showtimes at 7:00 p.m. each night, and a special matinee on March 19 at 2:00 p.m.  Tickets are $10.00 and can be purchased at the door.  If you have any questions, please contact BHS at 937-833-6761.

Do you have a senior graduating this year who wants to further their education?  Don't leave available money on the table.  One of the greatest sources of of funding higher education for BHS seniors is our very own Brookville Community Scholarship Foundation.  The BCSF was established in 1992 to create an endowment fund used to financially help graduates pursue post-secondary education. Each graduating senior is given the opportunity to submit an application describing past accomplishments and future goals.  From these applications, scholarships of varying monetary value are awarded at graduation. The following December, upon verifying that the recipient has completed their first term of college or technical school, the checks are awarded! (View pictures of this year's pizza party when checks were distributed here ).  

It is important to understand that this is not an elitist endowment that only provides funds to those at the top of the class attending Ivy League universities. To the contrary, virtually every senior who submits a properly completed application receives some level of scholarship. It is vital, however, to abide by the hard deadline for the application. For parents of this year's seniors, applications are due on Friday, April 8 .  An assembly was held both at BHS and the Miami Valley CTC in the last 2 weeks to distribute the information with directions and due dates. Scholarships will only be given to those who take the time to fill out the application and submit it!!   

Parents, don't let your graduate miss this funding opportunity. Encourage them to take advantage of the locally operated scholarship foundation. Since 1992, the BCSF has awarded 1,129 scholarships totaling $1,661,000 to Brookville graduates . Here is a link to the information regarding the  Albert Gruenig Scholarship  given by the Foundation. This scholarship is renewable up to four years and does require research and the writing of an essay.

If you would like to be a Foundation Family or Business donor, please contact BCSF President, Dansen Brown at 833-2470, today!

You can also find more scholarship opportunities by accessing senior guidance counselor Mrs. Donati's monthly newsletter  here .

We would like to introduce you to Mrs. Angela Sprada, our nurse at BHS and BIS. The Staff Spotlight is a regular feature in the Blue Connector and is designed to assist you in getting to know our teachers and staff. Please take a moment to learn a little bit about Mrs. Sprada and what she does at BIS.

Where is your hometown?

Brookville, Ohio.

 

Where do you live now? 

I live in Brookville, Ohio.

 

How many years have you worked at Brookville Schools?

This is my 7th year at Brookville!

 

What is your position in the school district?

I am the school nurse for the intermediate and high schools.

 

Tell us about your family and hobbies outside of teaching?

I have been married to my husband, Brian, for 10 years. We have 2 great children, Sidney who is a second grader at Brookville Elementary and Blake who is in kindergarten, also at Brookville Elementary. We love anything to do with sports, so you can find us all outside playing a soccer game, hitting baseballs, or indoors watching the Buckeyes and Bengals play.

 

What is your favorite thing about teaching in Brookville?

I truly enjoy the staff I work with and helping the students have a healthy school year.

 

How do you spend June and July?

I spend most of my time outdoors with my family or vacationing on Lake Cherokee in Tennessee.

Brookville Schools are proud of our series "Where Are They Now", which features profiles of past Brookville High School graduates. These graduates have responded to brief questions concerning their education or training after high school, their current occupation and their words of wisdom to the students in our buildings.

Our current profile is of Joe Jackson, a 2005 graduate. Please take a moment to view this latest profile  here. You can also view our past profiles on our  website.

On Wednesday, March 9, the high school National Honor Society hosted their annual Teacher Appreciation Banquet at K's Restaurant.  After enjoying a wonderful meal together, 20 NHS seniors and their parents honored 13 Brookville Schools faculty members.  Those recognized and their presenters included:

Mrs. Sayre-Nickell....Devon Cook	Mrs. Boyd....Olivia Stefanoff
Mrs. Christina Davis.... Allie Conry	Mrs. Stephanie Davis....Anna Shockey
Mr. Brown....Marissa Newsock	Mrs. Porter....Michael Lander
Mr. Davidson....Jordann Gudorf &                         Michelle Smith	Mr. Broerman....Hunter Fuestel &                         Eli Landis
Mrs. Jenny Davis....Maria Hummel &                               Madison Lewis	Mrs. Rieger....Allison Hooper &                      Avery Porter
Mrs. Rhoades....Alayna Miller &                           Bayley Boston	Mrs. Stammen....Hannah Grimes                           Melissa Parish &                           Mallory Sommer

	Senior Devon Cook Honors Mrs. Sayre-Nickell

Attendees were treated to comments from guest speaker Courtney Boyd, a 2010 graduate of Brookville High School. Miss Boyd elaborated to everyone how her teachers made a significant impact in her life.  She emphasized the importance of honoring school staff who help us achieve our goals.  A small sampling of how the evening went is when Madison Lewis commented that high school librarian Jenny Davis has modeled for her how to "be a good person by showing both concern for humanity and displaying humility." Senior Michael Lander pointed to Mrs. Anna Porter as someone he enjoyed being around because she had a "positive and kind attitude and cares about others."

The night ended with Michael Lander giving the closing comments that the relationships built between our staff members and their students was not normal and could only be described as a "love shared between students and their teachers that graduates would be able to take with them when leaving high school."

Mrs. Ross, the NHS advisor and the club members should be commended for putting together an evening showcasing our faculty.

You can view a gallery of pictures here and videos on our YouTube channel here.   

Jeremy Penick, a BHS sophomore was recently judged at the Montgomery County Science Fair. He received a perfect score from his two judges (40/40), and was also the recipient of a special award from the United States Navy and Marine Corps - "The Office of Naval Research: Naval Science Award" for Chemistry. He gleaned extra judge interest, as he was visited by approximately 6 other judges who stopped by to ask some questions after his initial presentation. He will be moving on to West Districts, which we be held at Central State University on March 19.  We are proud of Jeremy and wish him the best of luck moving forward.

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Mrs. Kirsten Page , a multi-age classroom teacher at BES, received approval of her Master Teacher Renewal. Master Teacher is a result of Senate Bill 2 passed in 2011. It denotes teachers who demonstrate excellence inside and outside of the classroom through consistent leadership and focused collaboration to maximize student learning. A panel of peers from surrounding districts review the application for approval.  We congratulate Mrs. Page!

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Michael Lander LaSertoma Recipient

Michael Lander , BHS senior, recently was awarded the LaSertoma Award. The Dayton LaSertoma Club recognizes senior students from across the Miami Valley who have given outstanding volunteer service to their school and community.  Michael has given significant hours of community service exemplifying the criteria set by LaSertoma.

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Austin Delk , BHS senior, had another outstanding season in what has become a stellar athletic year. After receiving all-state honors in football this fall, Austin recently earned a trip to the OHSAA Division III State Wrestling Tournament. Only 16 wrestlers in each weight class advance to the state tournament. Austin finished third at the district tournament to advance to state. Congratulations Austin!!

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Devon Cook , BHS Senior, recently received the McAfee Heating & Air 'You Can Count on Me' $2500 scholarship. This scholarship is awarded to students who have shown a "can do" attitude in work, school, and community activities. Additionally a donation of $250 was made to the school district in the name of Mrs. Stammen who Devon recognized. Congratulations Devon!!