District News

It’s a new year and a new quarter! For news from the Board of Education 2020 Organizational Meeting visit our website news feed today. We hope you’ll take a few minutes to catch up on all of our News.

WHS/WMS Welcomes New Campus Supervisor

Starting on Jan 7th , Dave Gehringer (formerly of the Lebanon Division of Police) will be joining us as Campus Supervisor for the MS/HS campus. As campus supervisor, he will actively monitor hallways, parking lots, assemblies, cafeterias, and other common areas used by students, serving as a role model for students in how to conduct themselves as responsible citizens and students. He will collaborate and communicate closely with administrative team, and work to build and maintain positive relationships with students, parents, staff, and the community.  Mr. Gehringer retired from law enforcement at the end of December. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and training in Police Staff Command, Police Executive Leadership College and Ohio Peace Officer Program. He will have served the City of Lebanon as Captain of Administration, Captain of Operations, Sergeant and Patrol Officer. During his internship, he worked with the Clinton County Juvenile Court in the Probation Officer department.  Please help us to welcome Mr. Gehringer to the Hurricane family.

2020-21 School Calendar

For those that like to plan ahead, the Board has approved the 2020-21 Academic Calendar. The first day of school for students will be August 19, 2020 and the last day will be May 26, 2021. You can download the full 2020-21 Academic Calendar today.

Annual College Credit Plus Notice

Be sure to save the date for our College Credit Plus (CCP) Information Night. The meeting will be in the High School Auditeria on January 13, 2020, at 6:00 PM . For details and important deadlines please read our WCS Annual CCP Notice . For CCP FAQs from Ohio Department of Higher Education, visit ohiohighered.org/ccp/faqs .

School Delays and Cancellations Winter is here, and weather can impact our school day. Our District covers 161 square miles, and road conditions and visibility can vary widely from city streets to our most rural areas. Whether it's snow, ice, dense fog, or frigid temperatures, our administrators are keeping an eye on the weather. To learn more about our process and communication methods for delays and cancellations, please visit our Weather Delay/Cancel page . Stay safe out there!

Around the District

District Experiences over the last month: WCS hired a Campus Supervisor for the Middle/High School campus The Board elected Steve Murphy as President and Marty Beaugard Sr as Vice President for 2020 at their Organizational Meeting on 1/3/20. See news feed article here. The Board approved the 2020-21 Academic Calendar. Here are some highlights from our schools: Elementary Schools Students at Denver participated in a mock taxation as they learned about history. In a science experiment, they made ornaments with Borax.  Denver students collected items for the local humane society. Our elementary students are not only learning in academic subjects, they are also learning about their emotions and how to regulate themselves - improving behavior in our schools, building self-confidence, and giving students a better chance at academic success. Check out our SEL article series for more information. East End 5th graders participated in Project TRUST day camp.   Middle School 25 WMS students were selected to represent WMS at OMEA Honor Choir this year. 6th grade ELA teachers made the writing process visible and concrete by using their “think aloud” strategy as they composed a piece of writing in front of students. WMS students performed a wonderful Winter Concert for the community. WMS students participated in Project TRUST camp. WMS hosted Grandparents day. Subscribe today to our Middle School Newsletter to keep up with MS happenings. High School WHS Art Club held a staff/student ceramics workshop and had a great turnout. HS Student Council held a successful blood drive and will hold another one on March 17, 2020. HS student Elijah Martini bowled a perfect 300 game for the first time in WHS history. He also set a record for a two-game series score of 535 at Royal Z Lanes. The Lady Cane Volleyball team made fleece blankets for the Ronald McDonald House Charities. WHS Key Club members volunteered at a Cookies with Santa event. WHS students delivered over 250 meals in the community through their annual White Gift program.  WHS Theatre is planning auditions for their Spring musical, Singin’ in the Rain.   Every day at WCS is an opportunity to learn. We encourage you to follow our schools on social media for more WCS happenings. You can find links to our main channels for each building at wilmingtoncityschools.com/communication .

'Cane Parent Corner

Attendance Matters

Did you know that according to AttendanceWorks.org, Asthma costs students 14 million days of school? If you have a child with asthma and you are struggling to keep them healthy and in school, you might find helpful online resources at Ohio Department of Health, Asthma Management .    Be sure to check out the Asthma Action Plan stoplight template from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America! You can also download a care plan for childcare and school.

Social-Emotional Learning Series Part 3: Self-Awareness & Self-Management

We’ve been talking about Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) in this article series. This month we’ll explore the 1st two competencies, Self-Awareness and Self-Management, using the resources and research from the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) at casel.org *. Our intent is to create a connection to what we are doing in our classrooms and schools throughout the District.  Self Awareness: In December, Holmes Elementary teachers focused on helping students learn the language of emotions.. Teachers provided skits and scenarios for kids to see, name, and learn different emotions. “The kids really enjoyed the feelings coming to life and were still talking about it at dismissal out the door! I am excited to see the benefits of this work as we move forward this year!” - Marilee Tanner, Holmes Principal This YouTube video ** on Self-Awareness from ThinkTVPBS describes it best. According to CASEL, self-awareness is “the ability to accurately recognize one’s own emotions, thoughts, and values and how they influence behavior. The ability to accurately assess one’s strengths and limitations, with a well-grounded sense of confidence, optimism, and a ‘ growth mindset .’”*  Self-Management ThinkTVPBS has a short and informative YouTube video *** on Self-Management describes this competency and has wonderful tips for parents. As children learn to identify their emotions, they also need to learn that they can control how they react to those emotions. The knowledge that they can manage their emotions or “self-regulate” to get back to a calm state, can help improve their self-confidence and ability to problem solve. This is a critical step. If a child learns what anger feels like, but not how to calm down or how to make good decisions in that state, they may have trouble getting along with others or learning how to behave appropriately in school. How can parents teach self-awareness and self-management at home? Check out ParentToolKit.com for great advice and benchmarks for every grade. Just select Self-Awareness or Self-Management, choose the appropriate age/grade, then check out the advice and benchmarks to get started. And remember, kids often mimic the adults in their lives. We can help children learn by modeling effective self-management skills ourselves, and by talking about our choices and actions.   Next Month: Article 4: Social Awareness and Relationship Skills You can read the first 2 articles in the series in our November and December newsletters that can be found on our Communication page .   *”Core SEL Competencies.” Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), casel.org/core-competencies/ **”Self-Awareness.” YouTube, uploaded by ThinkTVPBS, 27 June 2019, youtu.be/dZL2eZBe4Ew?list=PLqSvevVI2ir-MthHDHyBhgEvWVsjgqbzO ***”Self-Management.” YouTube, uploaded by ThinkTVPBS, 27 June 2019, youtube.com/watch?v=tXKFNDFjKwY&feature=youtu.be (The linked sites are not under the control of the District and the District is not responsible for the contents of any linked sites, or any links contained in a linked site, or any changes or updates to such sites. The District is providing these links to you only as a convenience and the inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement of the site by the District.)

Celebrating Our Students

We've collected some recent articles highlighting recent student and staff accomplishments. We hope you'll take a minute and read up on our awesome WCS students. We think you'll be just as proud of them as we are.  WCS Students in the News

Events

It's important to stay connected to your child's education. We encourage parents and community members to check out our calendars and news items, and follow us on social media. Note: Please check the building calendar before any event to verify details.

View January Events by Building for up-coming events around the District. Visit our Communication page for: Subscribe to District Newsletter View Newsletter Archive Find District and Building Social Media Channels Visit our Calendar page for the academic calendar and links to the Elementary, Middle School, and High School Calendars.