February 2016 Newsletter

South Central
Educational Service Center
FREE
February 2016 Newsletter
PAGE 1
Board President Belcher passes away
South Central Ohio ESC Board President Raymond Belcher passed away Jan. 9,
2016, at the age of 83.
Raymond Belcher, a member
and president for the South
Central Ohio Educational
Service Center and the Scioto
County
Career
Technical
Center, passed away Saturday,
Jan. 9, 2016, at the age of
83. He was a long-standing
businessman in the community
and an extremely long-tenured
educational board member,
serving on many boards since
the early 1960s.
“Mr. Belcher was committed
to education in Scioto County,”
South Central Ohio ESC
Superintendent Sandy Mers
said. “The pride he had for
the students in this county
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as well as the teachers and
administrators was apparent
through
his
continued
dedication as a board member.
Mr. Belcher was a very kind,
sincere, and nurturing person.
He will be greatly missed but
always remembered.”
Belcher was the owner of
True Value New Boston
and Toy Town for 43 years
before retiring in 1998. He
was a former member of the
Clay Local School Board,
and an avid member of
the Rubyville Community
Church. He received many
accolades during his service
to the educational community,
including awards for service
and tenure of both the Ohio
School Boards Association
(OSBA) and the Association
for Career Technical Education.
His longevity spanned over 60
years, leading on the state and
regional levels.
“He represented the best in
the qualities of a public school
board member and truly
understood what it meant to
make decisions in the best
interests for many, many
children in Scioto County,” said
Paul D. Mock, OSBA Southeast
regional manager. “He was a
true advocate for boys and girls
and will be greatly missed.”
Stan Jennings, superintendent
of Scioto County Career
Technical Center, said Belcher
gave time and guidance to
strengthen education for the
students of the county, and
every facet found there-in. He
added that Belcher has made
education better for the students
of Scioto County.
“I have a great appreciation
for the work that Mr. Belcher
has done in the District, and
find it very difficult to outline
a complete listing of the items
that make him special to the
Scioto County JVSD,” Jennings
said. “During my time with Mr.
Belcher he was always present
at all functions and on call 24/7
for working with the district in
moving forward district policy
and daily activities. During
times when Mr. Belcher has
had crisis or health issues in his
personal life he never relented
www.scoesc.org
in his efforts to improve the
educational processes of the
counties students. I am truly
honored to have been able to
know and work with such a
fine person. We will miss him
deeply.”
Jennings said Belcher played
a key role in the basic running
of the Career Technical Center,
and their most recent facilities
addition, “Belcher Hall,” is
named in his honor.
Former superintendents also
remember Belcher as a kind
man, dedicated to education
and students.
“Mr. Belcher was the epitome
of an excellent board member,”
said former South Central Ohio
ESC Superintendent Lowell
Howard. “His professionalism,
work ethic, and dedication to
the students and the educational
community could never be
exceeded. He will be greatly
missed.”
Former Career Technical Center
Superintendent Tom Reiser
shared Howard’s sentiment.
“I feel very fortunate to have
been associated with Ray both
as a friend and on a professional
basis. He was a unique
individual who was devoted
to his family, friends, and the
community, as witnessed by
his commitment to education.
His great humor and positive
presence will be missed by all,”
he said.
A public gathering was held in
Belcher Hall at Scioto County
Career Technical Center in
Lucasville.
Twitter: @SoCeOhioESC
South Central Ohio ESC February 2016 Newsletter
PAGE 2
ESC January Governing Board Notes
The Governing Board of the
South Central Ohio Educational
Service Center met for an
organizational and regular
board meeting on Jan. 14, 2016.
Among the actions taken by the
board during the organizational
meeting:
• Elected Paul Crabtree Board
President for 2016,
• Elected Gary Piatt Board Vice
President for 2016,
• Set regular Board meeting
schedule, to be held on the
second Thursday of each month
at 1 p.m., at the South Central
Ohio ESC in New Boston,
• Set compensation for
members of the Governing
Board at the maximum
allowable rate as determined
by the Ohio Revised Code.
Further, the Board authorized
mileage reimbursement at the
established Board approved
rate for all meetings. Further,
the board authorized that all
Ohio School Board Association
and Southeast Region OSBA
meetings be approved board
training programs for 2016;
and,
• Appointed members of the
Audit and Finance Committee,
Personnel and Performance
Committee,
Governance
Committee, OSBA Delegate
and Alternative, and OSBA
Legislative
Liaison
and
Alternative.
Among the actions taken by the
board during the regular board
meeting:
• Approved the amended
agenda,
• Approved the minutes of the
regular Dec. 10, 2015, meeting,
• Authorized the use of a consent
agenda, where applicable, for
2016,
• Authorized renewal of
professional memberships for
the superintendent, assistant
superintendent, treasurer, and
the SCOESC organization for
2016,
• Approved a resolution to
delegate authority to the
treasurer for 2016,
• Approved a resolution to
delegate authority to the
superintendent for 2016,
• Approved a resolution to set
the mileage reimbursement rate
for 2016 at .50 cents per mile,
• Authorized fund advances
and/or transfer of funds,
• Approved a resolution to
employ substitute employees
for 2015-16,
• Authorized the employment
of personnel,
• Approved a resolution to
amend contract of Allison
Riggs, Speech Therapist,
• Approved a resolution to
declare urgent necessity and
authorize contract for boiler
replacement,
• Entered into executive
session for the purpose of
conducting the evaluation of
the
superintendent/treasurer
and discussing appointment/
compensation of a public
employee; and,
• Accepted the resignation of
Amy Payne, Personal Aide.
The South Central Ohio ESC
Governing Board meets on
the second Thursday of each
month in Conference Room
A of the ESC in New Boston.
Members are Arnold McCoy,
Mike Canter, Gary Piatt, Fred
Edgington, Paul Crabtree, and
Lisle Dill. Longtime board
member Raymond Belcher
passed away on Jan. 9.
The next special meeting of the
South Central Ohio Educational
Service Center Governing
Board will be Feb. 4, 2016.
Congratulations on your new arrivals
Curriculum Secretary Jan Thomas and husband Darrell welcomed their ninth
grandchild into the world. Baby Blake Thomas Hurst was born to Andrea and
Devin Hurst on Thursday, Jan. 21, 2016, at 9:50 p.m. Baby Blake weighed seven
pounds, 14 ounces, and he was 21 inches long.
South Central Ohio ESC February 2016 Newsletter
PAGE 3
Resolve to get your GED this New Year
ABLE helps you take that step for a new year, new you
Feb. 1
Jane Ruggles
Shelly Stall
Feb. 2
Karen Smith
Denise Booker
Julie Hannah
Feb. 6
Kay Gibson
Cathy Mullens
Feb. 7
Sarah Brock
Feb. 8
Ruth Singer
Feb. 9
Lisa Clifford
Feb. 12
Melissa Hall
Feb. 14
Sharee Price
Feb. 15
Dene DeGonzague
Feb. 20
Scott Holstein
Feb. 21
Debra Queen
Feb. 23
Stephanie Schaefer
Feb. 24
Douglas Hood
Feb. 25
Robert Seaman
Feb. 26
Andy Compliment
Feb. 27
Jodi Hamilton
Feb. 29
Jayne Swayne
and
you’re
thinking about
doing a job
search,
or
improving
your position
within a career,
the
GED
should be the
first thing you
think about.”
The
ABLE
p r o g r a m
offers classes
at
various
locations,
with flexible
locations. In
Felicia Pollitt (right) proudly displays her GED certificate
next to instructor Paula Baumgardner (left) after her
addition
to
graduation in December of 2014.
helping people
complete their
The new year is a time for
GED,
Scioto
County
ABLE
resolutions; to better yourself
also
provides
services
for
and set personal goals. The
workplace
literacy,
corrections
Adult Basic and Literacy
Education Office at the South education, distance education,
Central Ohio Educational and transition services.
Service Center (SCOESC) in The program is helpful to
New Boston is ready to help students of all ages. You are
you cross one item off your list never too old, or too young, to
change your life.
– helping you get your GED.
“With the way the economy Felicia Pollitt completed the
is now, one of the first things program in four months, and
you can do to put yourself in a graduated in December of
better position to be successful 2014. She said she wanted to
in your job search is to get your set a good example for her
GED,” said ABLE Director Rob 14-year-old soon-to-be stepSeaman. “I think economically, daughter.
it makes sense when you look “I just literally got bored,” she
at how much money someone said. “I wanted to show her
makes who has a GED or a high that there’s so much more you
school diploma, compared to can do. So I enrolled in a GED
those that don’t. So when you class. Paula Baumgardner was
want to start the year off right my instructor. She’s amazing.
Any day that I came in and I
was depressed about it, or if
I was getting down because
I wasn’t learning as fast as I
wanted to, she was right there
with everything you could
think of to help me learn.”
After graduating the program,
Pollitt immediately enrolled
at Shawnee State University
where she is now pursuing a
degree in photography and
journalism. Now feeling like
there are no limits to her own
success, she would like to work
for a newspaper, and open her
own photography studio.
Pollitt said she is very proud of
her GED.
“I feel achieved, accomplished,
and just ready to do more. Like
there’s too much to learn and
not enough time to do it in,”
she said.
For more information about
the ABLE program, contact
them at 740-354-0211, or visit
one of their many locations
– at the ESC in New Boston,
the Scioto County Career
Technical Center in Lucasville,
or at Shawnee State University
in Portsmouth. The program
works around the student’s
schedule and can be as quick
or as long as the student needs
to complete. Day and evening
classes are available, and all
classes are free. The student
only pays for the cost of the
GED test itself, and the ABLE
program offers assistance with
that fee.
focused on Fourth Amendment
protection against unreasonable
searches and seizures as it
applies to use of force by an
officer to deter or eliminate
threat of harm to the officer or
the public.
Local students participated
in the Scioto County District
Competition on Feb. 19.
Regional winners will compete
in the State Competition on
March 10-12 in Columbus.
The 2016 State Champion will
represent Ohio in the National
High School Mock Trial
Championship in Boise, Idaho,
May 12-14.
High school students compete in Mock Trial
Assistant Superintendent Scott Holstein and wife Heidi welcomed their first
grandchild into the world on Friday, Jan. 15, 2016. After 14-hours of labor, Baby
Bo Abram Massie was born just after 10 p.m. to Derek and Caitlyn Massie. Baby
Bo weighed eight pounds, nine ounces, and he was 20.5 inches long.
Looking for Thin Mints and Somoas? Nate Webb is
selling Girl Scout Cookies for his daughter, Abigail,
age 11, of Girl Scout Troop 2659. If you’d like to buy
cookies, see Nate in the Treasurer’s Office (Room 205).
You won’t pay anything until your order arrives.
More than 3,000 high school
students entered courtrooms
across the state on Friday,
Jan. 29, to take part in the
Ohio Center for Law-Related
Education’s (OCLRE) 33rd
Annual Ohio Mock Trial
Competition. The 2016 Ohio Mock Trial case
Mock Trial from Notre
Dame, Minford, Portsmouth,
Portsmouth West, Sciotoville
Community, South Webster, St.
Joseph (Ironton), Valley, and
Wheelersburg schools.
Teams that advanced from
the District Competition will
compete in the Regional
PAGE 4
South Central Ohio ESC February 2016 Newsletter
Students present projects at Scioto County Science Day
The 35th annual Scioto
County Science Day was held
at Southern Ohio Medical
Center’s Friends Center on
Friday, Jan. 15, 2016.
Science Days provide students
the opportunity for display and
evaluation of their own inquirybased
scientific
research
projects. This process helps
students improve their in-depth
knowledge of science, develop
communication skills, improve
organizational abilities and
develop their creativity and
problem-solving skills.
This year 119 students
registered to participate in
Scioto County Science Day,
attending from Bloom-Vernon,
Clay, Minford, New Boston,
Notre Dame, Portsmouth,
Valley, West, and Wheelersburg
schools.
Students’ projects received a
rating of Superior, Excellent,
Good or Satisfactory from a
team of judges. Students who
received a Superior rating
at either their own school’s
Science Fair or the Scioto
County Science Day may
advance to the District Science
Day, which will be held at
Shawnee State University on
Saturday, March 19, 2016.
Students receiving a Superior
rating at District Science Day
then advance to State Science
Day in Columbus, in May.
“I really believe that doing
science is the best way to learn
it. When they do one of these
projects, they have to wrestle
with the same issues that
scientists do; what procedures
to use, how to be consistent,
how to make sure your results
are valid. Doing the science
teaches them more about what
science is than seeing a video
or reading about it, or hearing
a lecture about it,” said Judge
Dr. David Todt, from Shawnee
State University.
Receiving Superior ratings
for their Individual Projects
was Sophia Knight of BloomVernon; Lucy Grashel, Barrett
VanSickle, Ezra Veach and
Samuel Wiehle of Minford;
Avery Gosselin of New Boston;
Kathryn Davis and Taran Willis
of Portsmouth; Emma Gahm
SPOTLIGHT ON US
of Valley; Sydney McDermott
and Madison Russell of West;
and Rachel Davenport, Rohit
Kataria and Serena Kataria of
Wheelersburg.
Students were also eligible to
win various awards provided
by sponsors of this event. The
Scioto County Farm Bureau
Award was presented to Samuel
Allard of South Webster. The
Gahm’s Pharmacy Medicine &
Health Award was awarded to
Kathryn Davis of Portsmouth.
The Gahm’s Pharmacy II
Medicine & Health Award was
awarded to Madison Russell
of West Portsmouth. SOMC
Medical Science Award I was
awarded to Samuel Wiehle
of Minford. The SOMC
Medical Science Award II was
awarded to Rohit Kataria of
Wheelersburg. The SOMC
Medical Science Award III
was awarded to Aidan Wright
of Wheelersburg, and the
Spirit of Engineering Award
was awarded to Ezra Veach of
Minford.
The Top 5 ESC Special
Recognition Awards were
awarded to Rachel Davenport,
Serena Kataria and Rohit
Kataria of Wheelersburg, Ezra
Veach of Minford, and Kathryn
Davis of Portsmouth.
“My project was on cell phone
radiation,” said Kathryn Davis,
an eighth grader at Portsmouth
School. “I took nine phones
and I ordered an RMF machine,
which can detect radiation
levels, and I tested them all
twice. I did it in three different
modes; texting, calling, and just
on, and I recorded my results.”
The event was coordinated by
Gifted Services Coordinator
Sharee Price, of the South
Central Ohio Educational
Service
Center.
Sponsors
for the event were Gahm’s
Pharmacy, Gahm’s Pharmacy
II, Dr. George and Mrs. Carolyn
Pettit, Portsmouth Rotary Club,
Scioto County Farm Bureau,
Scioto Foundation, Shawnee
Nature Club, SOMC, Wagner
Rental and Supply, Wendy’s,
Dr. Wayne and Mrs. Saundra
Wheeler, and Robert and
Elizabeth Wood.
ESC Special Recognition Awards (Top 5). Pictured Left to Right: Ezra Veach,
Kathryn Davis, Rachel Davenport, Rohit Kataria, and Serena Kataria.
Christy McGraw; HMG Service Coordinator
Christy McGraw celebrated
her one-year anniversary in
January as service coordinator
in the Help Me Grow office.
When she’s not in her office,
Christy and her husband enjoy
spending time with her niece
and nephews. She is a Mary
Kay consultant, and enjoys
motorcycling and travel.
Together they have biked all
across the United States, to
Alaska, and more than 1,000
miles to attend the annual
Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in
South Dakota. This year they
are planning a trip to Arizona.
She said she enjoys the sights
out west where it’s less
crowded.
Contact Christy
at ext. 30284 or e-mail
[email protected]
Contact & Corrections
To add items to the monthly SCOESC newsletter, or if you find a
mistake and would like to print a correction, please contact Ryan
Ottney, director of communications, at ext. 30263, in room 220A,
or e-mail [email protected].