1001 Park Avenue

Fostoria City Schools 419-435-8163

asprang@fostoriaschools.org

Andrew Sprang
Superintendent

What will 2018 Bring to

Fostoria City Schools?
As we wind down the first semester of the school year there are many
projects that will move into the second half of the school year. Many
of these projects will be in preparation for the upcoming school year but
some will take place this school year as well. Some of these projects
include a summit event where the district is hoping to have the State
Superintendent, along with many other education and political leaders
from the state and local area, in our district to specifically look a the
implementation of the 4 Disciplines of Execution, a revised strategic plan
for the district, work on expanding our course offerings in partnership with
the Fostoria Learning Center, and a revised school district calendar in
conjunction with the visible and increased activity of the building project.

The 4 Disciplines of Execution is a goal setting process that narrows the

focus of the district down to the 1-2 most important things that can be done
on a weekly basis with all district staff to help move the district forward.
This idea comes as an adult extension to the Leader in Me goal setting
that all of our students are working on. It was a natural progression as we
entered into Year 3 of our Leader in Me implementation at the elementary
schools and entered our first year of implementation at the JSHS with the
LEAD program. At our summit in February we will showcase our work to
this point and demonstrate how we have been able to connect this to the
work with our strategic plan and other initiatives in the district. It has been
exciting to watch the implementation across the district this fall.
Continuing with our goal setting, it is time to revise our three- year
strategic plan also known as the Ohio Improvement Plan (OIP). This plan
addresses goals in the areas of Reading and Math along with climate and
culture across the district. The action steps that are connected to this
become focuses of staff development, grant writing, and support the work
to secure federal funds supporting the work in the district. The goal of this
plan is to be completed by spring in order to finalize the implementation for
the upcoming school year.
As the calendar turns to 2018 and we start second semester there is
work being done to enhance course offerings for our students especially
at FJSHS. In partnership with the newly opened Fostoria Learning
Center we are working to utilize space and partnerships with local higher
education institutions to expand the opportunities in our College Credit
Plus program. We want to explore multiple pathways to allow students
to participate and earn college credits while still in high school. There
will be much more information during the second half of the year as the
scheduling process gets underway for the 2018-19 school year.
Another task is working to revise the district calendar for the upcoming
school year in order to accommodate the construction phase that will
begin this spring. This information will be finalized within the next month
so stay tuned for more information on the calendar.
It is going to be a busy second half of the year, but it will be one that
continues to move the district forward and shine light on the positive
activities going on in the district.
OFCC Building Project Update
As the weather turns colder there is still a lot of work being done on the building project. Currently, the
work has been a collaborative effort between the architects and teachers to determine the basic needs
in classroom design. Then the architect and our construction manager are working to price our various
aspects of the project in order for them to give us a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) by the beginning
of February.
Another exciting part of the project is the collection of historic artifacts and memorabilia. These items are
being collected in my office in order to be a part of an interactive display as well as a historical wall in the
administrative offices. If you have access to any photos/historical information that you are willing to let the
district borrow, we would greatly appreciate it. We will make sure to get everyones contributions back to
their owner as soon as possible. The goal of the project is to make sure that all buildings in the districts
history are included in this current project.
Intermediate Elementary Net Promoter Score
School Earns An area of focus identified as part of the districts
2nd Momentum Award 4DX process is to increase our Net Promoter Score
from 16.3% to 36.3% by the end of the year. Net
Last month the State Board of Education Promoter Score asks two simple questions How
recognized the progress being made at would you rate FCS on a scale of 1-10? and Why
the Intermediate Elementary School. did you give us this score? The rationale behind
For the 2nd year in a focusing on this measure is to gather data on parent
row, the students and community opinion and perception of the district
and staff earned overall. Baseline data was collected in August, which
all As on the is the 16.3% measure. Most recently, data was
collected during late October/November. The surveys
Progress portion
were made available at family engagement events,
of the Local
parent teacher conferences, and via Facebook. The
Report Card. districts current NPS score is a 27.24%. The scores
What this
and comments gathered through these surveys have
means is been reviewed by the administrative team and District
that the students demonstrated above Leadership Team. The NPS data will be collected two
expected growth on the state assessment. more times throughout the year. The survey will be
This is a great example of the hard work shared via the district website and district/all schools
that is being done in the classroom to Facebook pages. Parents and community members
continue our improvement as a district. are encouraged to participate and help us continue to
make FCS the best it can be!
 Fostoria City Schools
Thrive Mentoring Program
The Thrive Mentoring Program pairs 8thgraders with
adult mentors from the community.
The 8th graders were also be partnered with 10th
grade peer mentors from the High School.
In this program, peer mentees and mentors are working
on the following objectives:
Students work together to learn a variety of skills to
help them Thrive.
Finding their spark
Following their GPS work on goal setting strategies
and brainstorm solutions to obstacles they may
encounter along the way.
Mindset Focus on understanding the difference
between growth mindset and fixed mindset. They will
practice a growth mindset through many different
challenges.
Reflection understand and practice reflection as it
is important to achieving goals and being successful in
life.
Soft skills that help youth to have successful
relationships with their peers, parents and teachers.We
will also focus on future workforce goals by exposing
them to different professionals in the community to
speak about their journey to their career.
Conflict resolution, leadership, and lessons in self-
esteem, acceptance, and respect will also be a part of
this program to help youth learn what it means to Thrive.
Peer mentors and mentees meet every Tuesday to
learn and practice the skills mentioned above.Youth will
meet with their adult mentors once a month to practice
soft skills and work on life goals.Student mentors will
have a planning session once a month to plan the next
months objectives and lessons.
This program is designed to help both the mentee and
student mentor learn leadership skills that will help
youth in the 21st century workforce while building life
skills they can apply to all other areas of their life.

To Close or Not to Close? ---- That is the question

Fostoria City Schools utilizes the School Announcement messaging
system for communications with district families for emergencies,
school delays/closings, announcements and other information. If you
miss the call, please follow the link included in the message left on
your phone or go to the FCS district website (www.fostoriaschools.org)
and/or FCS Facebook page for the message information that was in
the School Announcement call. Please note: Your caller ID will show
the call/message coming from 419-436-6402, this is an unattended
dedicated line assigned to the School Announcement program and is
NOT a call back number. If you call back to the 419-436-6402 phone
number, you will NOT get an answer or hear the message.
School delays/closings are also available on the Review Times website,
WTOL 11, WFIN, WTVG 13, WNWO 24 and the WFOB radio station.
If you are not receiving the messages, have changed your telephone
number recently or would like to add an email address to the School
Announcement program, please update your contact information in
the office of your childs school. You can also call, 419-436-4170 with
questions and/or updates.
 Fostoria City Schools

Sue Lehmann
Treasurer
The Changing Landscape of State Funding
When residents talk to me about state funding, they frequently state that districts receive about $6,000 per student through state foundation payments. This is a misconception. That figure
relates to what the state calls the base per pupil amount. The base per pupil amount for this school year is $6,010 per pupil. In actuality, schools receive just a portion of that figure based
upon its state share index.
The state calculates a state share index (SSI) for each school district. SSI is used to measure the wealth of the district in terms of the property tax base and the ability to raise money. The
calculation uses the property valuation (3 prior years average), income and wealth of the district to determine SSI. For FY18, Fostorias SSI is set at 77.4%. This means that FCS will receive
77.4% percent of the per pupil amount in base aid or $4,651 (6010 x .774). The remaining 22.6% is expected to be raised through local tax dollars.
In addition to base aid, districts receive additional funding primarily based on the demographic data of the district and the student body. This can include special education, economically
disadvantaged, gifted education and transportation funding to name a few.
Base aid and additional funding are combined to arrive at the total funding amount. At this point, the state compares the districts funding to the year prior and then takes corrective action to
correct imperfections in the formula. They apply a cap to districts which would experience a significant gain in funding. FCS is funded on the cap which is limited to a 3% gain in FY18. The
total lost by the district as result of this cap is $3,276,442 this year.
Districts who would receive less than the year prior once the formula is applied are placed on the guarantee. The guarantee does just what it indicates. It provides the district with the same
amount of funding from the prior year.

In the prior fiscal year 52% of school districts in the state were funded on straight formula; however, a significant pivot has occurred this fiscal year resulting in just 27% of the districts being funded on
the formula. This means that 73% of public schools now are funded using one of these correcting measures, the guarantee or the cap.

As you can see by this chart, there is a significant rise in the districts funded on the guarantee. This is 2017 Tentative Residential Valuation Changes
largely occurring due to change in valuations. Many school districts which are small and agriculture heavy
Tentative Tentative Tentative
are growing faster than the state. Current Agricultural Use Values (CAUV) values spiked in 2014 and have County County County
consistently fallen since. This decline is predicted to continue into 2020. On the flip side, residential values Increase Increase Increase
are rising. Of the 41 counties going through reappraisal or a triennial update, 11 are expected to have double Ashland 12.2% Auglaize 8.9% Mahoning 2%
digit increases in their residential values. FCS is not impacted by the changing CAUV values, but we are Ashtabula 5.7% Clinton 11.1% Mercer 6.8%
seeing residential values increase. Hancock County experienced this in tax year 2016, payable in 2017 and Athens 7.1% Darke 12.2% Morrow 8.1%
Seneca and Wood County residents are experiencing revaluations now. Increase to residential property Butler 8.6% Defiance 7.9% Perry 7.9%
values are not just happening here, the increases are indicative across the state. Clermont 14% Delaware 11.9% PickA 9.9%
Fulton 10.4% Franklin 13.7% Preble 7.6%
Reductions in agriculture valuation along with increases to residential valuation mean there will be an ongoing
shift of local tax burden from farmers to homeowners. This shift will impact our rural neighbors more than FCS Greene 5.4% Gallia 5.2% Putnam 11.1%
residents because little agriculture makes up the districts total valuation. Knox 8.1% Hamilton 5.2% Richland 4.6%
These valuation changes will impact state aid (recall the SSI calculation) as we move into the 2020-2022 Madison 15.7% Hardin 6.2% Seneca 5%
biennium. Changes in valuation will also push more districts onto the guarantee and further exacerbate a Montgomery 6.3% Harrison 1.5% Shelby 6.5%
flawed funding formula. Noble 8.8% Henry 9% Trumbull 3.1%
The combination of a funding formula which isnt working properly and uncertainty about the 2018 elections Summit 7.8% Jackson 7.4% Vanwert 3.3%
leave school district treasurers uneasy about predicting state revenue in their five year forecast. For those Wayne 6.5% Licking 13.4% Wood 10.2%
who follow the districts five year forecast, you will want to watch for updates to this important line of funding.
Source: Public Finance Resources: Empowering the Publics Financial Leaders

Jenny Abell
Student Services
The Student Services department has been busy providing students with social, behavioral,
and academic needs the interventions and services needed to experience school success.
Here are some areas of focus since the beginning of the school year.
Professional Development Provided
During the 2 days of fall conferences, a 2-hour in-service on Trauma-Informed Care was
provided by the Family Resource Center (FRC) Mental Health Therapist, Marcia Kostoff and
Case Manager, Tonya Hinke to each of the buildings and all staff, including bus drivers,
Summary of information discussed:
1) Frequency (1 in 4 students have experienced trauma) and how trauma can impact school
performance: Lower GPA Higher rate of school absences Increased drop-out More
suspensions and expulsions Decreased reading ability
2) A trauma informed approach: Realizes the widespread impact of trauma and understands
potential paths for recovery; Recognizes the signs and symptoms of trauma in students,
families, staff, and others involved with the system; Responds by fully integrating knowledge
about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices; Seeks to actively resist re-traumatization
4DX Focus
In regards to goals for the year, through the 4 Disciplines of Execution (4DX) process, there
has been a focus on how student services can impact the District Goal of increasing our
Performance Index by: Reducing chronic absenteeism and improving community perceptions
of the district. My individual focus has been through attending community events and making
personal contacts with parents. Additionally, I have committed to determine and establish a
resource guide to school and community agency resources which target non-academic barriers
and have begun exploring interventions and educational options for our most behaviorally-
challenged students. Lastly, there has been an analysis of the special education Report Card
data for the past two years, which includes identified patterns and trends, and sharing of the
information with all special education staff to begin brainstorming what educational strategies
have proven successful and what changes may be needed to benefit these students to close
the achievement gap.
Special Education Profile
Our Special Education Profile was received at the beginning of the year. As a district, we
accomplished our compliance standards with no Action Plan needed. Compliance has been
and continues to be an area of strength and focus for the district. This includes meeting all
state-mandated timelines and producing high quality, standards-based documents focused
on students accessing and progressing within the general education curriculum. Continual
communication with special education and related services staff, provision of frequent feedback
needed to ensure compliance, and communication of updates on policy/procedural change is
provided. Our goal will be to shift our focus from compliance to improved instruction to get more
of our students earning proficient scores on the state tests, as this becomes an area of focus
on the Profile beginning next year.

Science Curriculum Selection Update
You may remember from the fall
newsletter, one of the curriculum
focuses for the 2017-2018 school
year is reviewing the needs of our
science department K-12. The
committee has committed many
hours to reviewing potential new
curriculum materials in an effort
to find the best fit for the staff and
students at FCS.
The next steps for the committee
will be to attend presentations
from the companies that have
made it through the first round
Fostoria City Schools
of the review process. Following
these presentations, the group will
narrow the options down and have
information on them available for
public review on the Fostoria City
Schools webpage. Look for these
items to be posted in January.
The committee welcomes your
feedback, the goals of this new
adoption will be to provide the
resources necessary to best meet
the needs of our students for
the 2018-2019 school year and
beyond.
8 Testing Tips for Parents
Tip #1: Make attendance a priority, especially on Tip #8: Talk to your child about how the test went, what
days that you know standardized testing will be he did well and what he would have done differently.
administered or there is a test in the classroom. Think of it as a mini-debriefing or brainstorming
Though its important for your child to be in school as session. You can talk about test-taking strategies
many days as possible, making sure hes there when after the fact as easily as beforehand.
the test is taken helps to ensure he wont lose more
learning time because he has to make up a test during http://childparenting.about.com
school.
Tip #2: Make a note of test days on the calendar --
from spelling quizzes to big high-stakes tests. That
way both you and your child know whats coming and
will be prepared.
Tip #3: Look over your childs homework daily and
check for understanding. If your child is struggling
with something now, it wont be easy for her to have
time to try again to learn it just before the test.
Tip #4: Avoid pressuring your child and provide him
with encouragement. Few children want to fail, and
most will try their hardest to do well. Being afraid of
your reaction to a bad test grade can increase anxiety,
which makes careless mistakes more likely.
Tip #5: Set a reasonable bedtime and stick to it.
Many parents underestimate the importance of a
rested mind and body. Tired children have difficulty
focusing and are easily flustered by challenges. Also,
make sure all electronics are turned off at least 1 hour
before bedtime. This helps the brain get ready to rest.
Tip #6: Make sure your child has enough time to wake
up fully before he has to go to school. Just as rest is
important, so is having enough time to get his brain
engaged and in gear. If his test is first thing in the
morning, he cant afford to spend the first hour of
school groggy and unfocused.
Tip #7: Provide a high-protein, healthy, low-sugar
breakfast for your child. Kids learn better on full
stomachs, but if their stomachs are full of sugary,
heavy foods that will make them sleepy or slightly
queasy, its not much better than an empty stomach.
 Fostoria City Schools
Tera Matz
Curriculum Director
District-Wide Title I
Parent Engagement Events
As noted in the fall newsletter, one of Fostoria City Schools goals
is focused on building an effective partnership between the district,
schools, and students parents/guardians. In an effort to strengthen
this partnership, FCS is committed to provide our families with many
opportunities to come together with school staff and participate in fun,
informational, educational activities an example of such activities
are our District-Wide Title I Family Engagement Nights. On these
four evenings throughout the year, the district has committed to
focusing on our families by not holding athletic events or practices,
encouraging staff to not assign homework or large tests the following
day to truly give our families an opportunity to come together and
spend time with one another without worry of the typical demands of
the busy weekday evening! Our first two events were a huge success
and we are already making plans to improve those events for next
year. Please mark your calendars for the final two District-Wide
Family Events on March 15 and May 3, 2018. More information will
be coming as these dates get closer.
On October 26th our Title I staff from each of our four school buildings
held our first District-Wide Title I Family Night FCS Fall Family Fun
Night. It was held at Fostoria Intermediate. We had a great turnout,
with about 120 people gathering together for the Title I event. Families
were treated to a wonderful fall meal including chili, hot dogs, and
corn bread! Throughout the evening families had the opportunity to
participate in a variety of fall themed activities. Sessions included:
Fall Food & Fun, which included several fall themed activities focused
around reading and math fun including making tasty treats, crafts, and
moon sand; Fall Games, focused on literacy and math early learning
activities to play with your child; Testing1-2-3, which helped families
find answers to questions they have about the Ohio State Tests and
Graduation Pathways; Escape Room, families completed different
reading activities in order to unlock the hidden treasure; Harvest the
7 Habits, allowed families to work together and synergize to learn and
explore the 7 Habits; Playing With a Full Deck, taught families various
math strategies using a common deck of cards; and Financial Aid &
College Applications presentations from BGSU and the University of
Findlay. For each session families participated in, they also earned a
raffle ticket towards some great prizes!
Our second district-wide family event was held on December 4th at
Fostoria Junior Senior High School. This event took a fun and festive
approach to education, and was focused around offering families the
opportunity to spend time enjoying one another while participating in
some age-old holiday traditions. The event served a dual purpose
along with being a FCS Title I family event, it was also a toy drive and
fundraiser for A Christmas for Every Child. We were overwhelmed at
the generosity of our families and staff who brought new unwrapped
toys to donate as well as supported our fundraising efforts through
purchasing tickets for our basket raffle! The evening kicked off with
special guests, Santa and Mrs. Claus, hosting the official tree lighting
ceremony. We would like to give a special thanks to the Fostoria Fire
Department and helpers from the high school for doing such a great job
with the lights! Following the tree lighting ceremony, families had the
opportunity to choose which of the sessions and activities they wished
to participate in for the evening. Options included: story time with Mrs.
Claus; literacy activities focused on Jan Brett books and decorating
gingerbread cookies; creating a sight word countdown chain; working
together on their family trim-a-tree; synergizing to make a beautiful
ornament; learning about scheduling for the following school year; and
having dinner together. There were plenty of photo ops for families,
including pictures with Santa and our therapy reindeer (dog) Ginger!
The event concluded with families and staff spreading some holiday
cheer by caroling throughout Wesley Commons.
I hope all who attended enjoyed our Title I events found them to be
fun, informative, and educational. FCS Title I staff enjoyed meeting
with the students and their families and having the time to share
strategies and activities that help continue your students academic
growth. I know how hard it is to take time out of your busy schedules
to spend an evening with us and we appreciate it and thank you for
your attendance.
Holiday Stress Affects Children Too!
As we approach the holidays, many of us look forward to spending time with family and friends and
sharing in the joys of the season. However, for some, the holiday season brings up negative feelings. At
this time of year, more than any other, we think about loved ones we have lost, how to finance the gifts
and experiences we want to give our family, how to make the rounds to all the places people expect
us to be, how to survive hours in the car with small children, and the list goes on.
Holiday stress affects children just as much as adults. The following tips may help parents relieve
holiday anxiety and feel less stress.
Set expectations Be honest, realistic, and forthright about the expectations for gifts and holiday
activities, especially when money is an issue. Use this as an opportunity to teach your children about
the value of money and responsible spending.
Teach the importance of family and family traditions Family traditions offer great comfort and security
for children. What are your family traditions? Perhaps your family would enjoy creating a holiday
calendar or baking cookies together. Help children view the holidays as valuable time to reconnect with
family and friends.
Teach the value of giving Volunteer with your children at a local charity (if age-appropriate). Give
to a child in need through an Angel Tree, Salvation Army Toy Drive, etc. Assisting someone in need
teaches children about the value of helping others. No matter how small the gift or deed, giving to
others teaches compassion.
It is better to give than to receive.
Take care of yourself and your family Engage in activities your family finds relaxing and enjoyable.
Dont overextend obligations to attend holiday affairs. Say no. You dont have to accept every invitation
you receive.
Cut back on time spent watching TV and get the family out for a winter walk, ice skating, touch football,
etc. Physical activity takes children away from sedentary time and the possible influences from
advertisers to wish and ask for unaffordable gifts.
Age-appropriate ways to alleviate stress in children:
Infants and toddlers Upsetting childrens routines and predictability are the main contributors to
holiday stress. Schedule activities around naptimes and mealtimes. Keep bedtime routines as close to
normal as possible. Watch for signs that your child is stressed and overly tired fussiness, ear pulling,
and clinging behaviors. Take your childs favorite blanket or stuffed animal when you run errands or
travel. A bit of home can reduce your childs holiday anxiety.
Preschoolers These little ones are old enough to experience the excitement and anticipation of holiday
celebrations. However, they can easily become over stimulated. This leads to tears of frustration and
a possible regression to younger behaviors. Keep plenty of healthy snacks available when youre
out shopping or visiting to ward off hunger-related tantrums. Be patient during these stressful times.
Remember when the holidays are over, things will improve.
Older children Extra-curricular activities during the holiday season add a great deal of stress. Be
on the lookout for signs your child is feeling anxious or overwhelmed stomach aches, headaches,
fatigue, and/or nervous behaviors such as nail biting. Do your best to see that your child gets plenty
of rest and is eating regularly. Have them tell you how they feel and what you can do to help them be
more calm and relaxed.
Laugh Laughter relieves stress and changes everyones mood from bad to good. Lighten the mood with
funny movies, sledding,
or cozy chats over cups
of hot chocolate. Dont
forget the marshmallows!
Find ways to cope with
your own holiday anxiety.
The less holiday stress
you feel, the more relaxed
your children will be.
Plan ahead and remain
flexible. Dont overbook
your time or take on
responsibilities you have
no desire to fulfill. Sit
quietly and think about
what the holidays really
mean to you, then make
your decisions based on
your true values.
by Becky L. Spivey,
M.Ed - http://www.
handyhandouts.com/
 Longfellow/Riley Elementary School 619 Sandusky St. 1324 Walnut St.
419-436-4135 419-436-4145
Grades PreK 2 kbauman@fostoriaschools.org

Student Action Teams

Kelli Bauman Students PK-2 participate in teams each week. These student action teams promote leadership, collaboration and
experiences outside of the everyday curriculum and classroom lessons. Teachers choose areas of interest, hobbies
Principal and careers for students to work together to learn about and do projects to have an impact on our community and
school. The following teams exist at Riley and Longfellow:
Animals Fitness Random Acts of Kindness
Art Games Recycling
Longfellow- Going for Lighthouse Baking
Books
Gardening
Greeters/Hospitality
Science
School Spirit
The Leader in Me process with Franklin-Covey provides a coaching Building/Legos Indoor Beautification Service/Awards
system to help with implementation. Longfellow is now in year 3 and has Celebrations Music Sing and Sign Language
implemented all recommended components of the process. A tracking Cheer Nature Sports
system online gives an estimate of progress and completion. Our recent Cooking/Nutrition Outdoor Beautification Technology
on-site visit with our coach gave us enough information to show that we Dance Public Relations
are ready to apply for Lighthouse status. Applying for the Lighthouse Some of our teams have taken the opportunity to visit local businesses learn more about their teams content.
Milestone typically occurs three to five years after a school beginsThe The gardening club has visited local greenhouses and will visit Payne Bros. flower shop. Our recycling team at
Leader in Me. We will be reviewed in the spring and hope to have Longfellow took a trip to the Toledo Zoo to see behind the scenes ways that the zoo recycles.
results by the end of the school year. Becoming a Lighthouse School
is a recognition schools earn because they have produced outstanding If your business or career could offer an experience or a presentation for any of our groups, feel free to contact us
results in school and student outcomes through implementing The at Riley or Longfellow. Our goal is to bridge the classroom with career-readiness and life skills for our students to
Leader in Mewith fidelity. There are currently 3257 schools in the world be successful.
implementing the Leader in Me and only 348 schools who have achieved
Lighthouse. We are extremely proud of the progress we have made
with our littlest leaders and hope to report a victory with the Lighthouse
milestone.
 1202 H.L. Ford Dr.
419-436-4125 Fostoria Intermediate Elementary School
kbernal@fostoriaschools.org Grades 3 6
Mrs. Oleniks Band News
Kori Bernal BAND:
6th grade band is well into year two of the instrumental music program, and theyre making great strides. We just had
Principal our fall concert with the 5th grade band, and it went great! We are now looking at new music and concepts, while
reinforcing the material learned last year. We are now talking about repeat signs, new notes, more complex rhythms,
and will soon begin playing sixteenth notes. 5th grade band had their debut concert on November 15th where they
played their first five notes in common melodies such as Hot Cross Buns and Rain Rain. Now that theyre starting to
Its hard to believe we are already into December! During winter break, I understand how the instruments work, we are pushing ahead with new notes, rhythms, and musical concepts such as
hope you are able to relax and spend time with your family. It seems as dynamics and will learn eighth notes soon. A special auditioned group, the gig band, will perform at the Good Shepherd
if each year the time flies faster than the previous year. I want to thank Home onMonday, December 18th. This group will be by invitation only, based on audition performances of both 5th and
everyone for their ongoing support so far this year. As we move into the 6th graders. We continue to strongly
second semester, I look forward to continuing to work with you to provide encourage all band members to bring
your child with the best possible experience at the Fostoria Intermediate instruments home every day and
School. As always, please do not hesitate to contact the school if you over breaks to continue progressing!
have questions. We have begun challenges between
the different classes to spark some
competition and have a little fun (and
some rewards for the winners!).

Getting Fit with

Mr. Pessell
In physical education for the second
quarter, we have been focusing on
striking objects with implements.
For the 4th through 6th graders, this
meant playing wiffleball and tennis 5th and 6th grade band
racket baseball. concert from November
The students learned where to
position themselves defensively for
a wiffleball game. They also had to
learn when they had to run and when
they have to tag up when on the base
paths.
The OPEA standards that are covered
here are Standard 1B, and Standard
2A.

Also the 4th through 6th graders

6th grade students received a lesson in Ohio history with
at Camp Willson the story of Simon Kenton and his
interactions with the Native Americans
in the 1790s. This resulted in a game
that they thoroughly enjoyed called,
Run the Gauntlet. The rolling of
the balls during this game is also
addressed in Standard 1B.
Our 3rd grade students learned the
basic fundamentals of throwing a
variety of game balls. They were
taught how to throw baseballs
and footballs. While they are
fundamentally the same, there are
slight differences to ensure the
successful and accurate throwing
of either one. This is addressing
Standard 1B of the OPEA.
They also learned the basics of hitting
a baseball by having the opportunity
to hit wiffleballs off of the tees. As they
advanced, they had the opportunity to
hit soft toss if they felt confident.
As of this writing, the third graders
Limo and lunch have moved on to learning to
locomotor in various ways on the
scooters. We have had some very
spirited scooter races.
 Fostoria Junior/Senior High School 1001 Park Ave.
419-436-4110
Grades 7 12 dbauman@fostoriaschools.org

Following the 1st Quarter

Drew Bauman FJSHS awarded its first
set of Black and Red
Cards. These cards are
Principal rewards for students who
have met the following
criterion.
Black Card = 100%
Hello and Happy Holidays! attendance & no failing
grades in the first quarter
Red Card = 90%
We are nearly halfway through the school year and students and staff alike attendance & no failing
have been busy this year implementing lots of changes, most notably the grades in the first quarter
goal setting and monitoring taking place during SUCCESS. I am excited Students who received
to report the significant progress students are making at FJSHS so far. Black cards are able to
skip to the front of the lunch line for the entire second
Following the 1st quarter we reviewed data from the last four years for quarter and Red card recipients go to the front of the
both student attendance rates and the percentage of students failing at line on Fridays. These students will also get a free hot
least 1 course. I am pleased to share that during the 1st quarter of the dog/piece of pizza (Black card) or bag of popcorn (Red
2017-2018 school year our students had the highest attendance rate of card) from the concession stand at the home basketball
any year since 2014. Also, our students saw a significant decrease in the games on December 7th and 22nd.
percentage of students who were failing 1 course or more as well as the
overall number of failing grades.

We are very proud of the students efforts during the 1st quarter and look
forward to seeing continued growth in those areas in the remaining months
of the school year. I believe a large part of this success can be attributed
to the goal setting that students are doing on a weekly basis. Each student
identifies three goals related to their GAP (Grades-Attendance-Personal
goal) and identifies action steps to achieve them. Students also review
these with their SUCCESS teachers and accountability partners each
week. At the start of the 2nd quarter students had the opportunity to define
new goals and action steps to help to continue their progress in the three
GAP areas and aide their development as young adults.
Begin with the End in Mind means to begin each day, task,
While we are extremely pleased by these improvements, just as important or project with a clear vision of your desired direction and
to us are our students social and emotional well-being. It is no secret that destination, and then continue by flexing your proactive
bullying, harassment, intimidation, etc. exist in the interactions of students. muscles to make things happen. One of the best ways to
This issue has only increased in recent years as the use of social media incorporate Habit 2 into your life is to develop a Personal
and other digital modes of communication have become more and more
Mission Statement. It focuses on what you want to be and
common. Fostoria Junior/Senior High School is committed to ensuring a
supportive and safe school climate where all students are accepted and do. It is your plan for success. It reaffirms who you are,
puts your goals in focus, and moves your ideas into the Students at FJSHS have begun writing their personal
are able to learn and grow. mission statements and these will be displayed proudly
real world. Your mission statement makes you the leader
In order to accomplish this goal, FJSHS aims to; of your own life. You create your own destiny and secure throughout the building for their peers and visitors to view
Identify what is and what is not bullying - Many behaviors that look the future you envision. as they walk through the hallways.
like bullying may be just as serious, but may require different response
strategies. Also, identifying what to look for aswarning signsthat students
might be involved in bullying and who might be at more risk for being
involved.
Establish a safe school climate - Often the first step to preventing bullying is
making sure the students, teachers, and administrators alike areeducated
about bullying. Engaging the parents and community members in the
efforts to build a safe school climate are also critical. The more information
there is being shared, the better students can be assisted.
Assess and respond In the interest of our students we will act in
accordance with our policies to assess every incident brought to our
attention and to address it to create a satisfactory resolution for all
individuals involved. Sophomores Justus
Moreno and Miquela
Parents can also play a key role in preventing and responding to bullying. Mundy stand with
If you know or suspect that your child is involved in bullying, there are Jack Patterson of
several ways to help. the Fostoria AmVets
Recognize thewarning signsthat your child is involved in bullying. They
could be being bullied, bullying others, or witnessing bullying. Although as they present their
these signs could signal other issues, you should talk to your child if they recently completed
display any sort of behavioral or emotional changes. Many timeskids will raffle board. FJSHS
not ask for help, so it is important to know what to look for. If your child is received a request from
at immediate risk of harming himself or others,get help right A. the AmVets for students
Talk to your childabout bullying. Opening lines of communication before who would be interested
your child is involved in bullying makes it easier for them to tell you when
something happens. It is also important tocommunicate with the schoolto in volunteering to
help prevent bullying before it starts. complete the board. A
If you know or suspect bullying has occurred, finding out what has combined total of over
happened with your child is the primary concern. Understanding what 20 hours of work was
has happened can also help in communicating with the school about the put into the project over
situation. the last 6 weeks. This is
We greatly appreciate your help addressing matters of this kind. A
another great example
collaborative relationship between students, parents and the school is of student service and
essential to establishing a positive, safe school culture. leadership benefitting
our community!
 Fostoria City Schools

FJSHS celebrated Veterans Day this year by recognizing two former Fostoria Redmen. Dennis Smith, Class of
1966 and Vietnam veteran, spoke to students about his experience in the military and the history of Veterans
Day in the United States.

Also honored at the celebration was World War II veteran, Sherry Hayfield. Sherry left school in 1944 at the
age of 16, lying about his age so he could enlist in the Navy and serve his country. As a result, Sherry never
Holiday Cheer[leaders]
received his diploma from Fostoria High School. It gave us great pleasure to present Mr. Hayfield with his On Saturday, December 2nd the Fostoria Jr High Cheerleaders
official high school diploma as recognition for his commitment to service for our country and community. volunteered at Fostoria Community Hospitals Breakfast with
Pictured below from left to right are: Sherry Hayfield (WWII veteran), Calob Keller (Student Body President), Santa. The cheerleaders assisted in setting up, frosting cookies,
Caleb Brough (Student Body Vice President), Dennis Smith (Vietnam veteran), Dustin Smith (FJSHS staff making crafts, serving
member), and Andrew Sprang (Superintendent). donuts and juice to children
Fostoria High School celebrated the season of thanks by Avondre Reed for his great looking design. of the employees at Fostoria
giving back to our community with our first annual Community Community Hospital. The
Service Day. Students in Mr. Loomiss Leadership I and Thank you to Fostoria VFW Post, Burger King, Fostoria event was a great way to
Leadership II ACHIEVE courses presented this idea in early Pizza Palace and Kroger and our other private donors for allow our cheerleaders to be
October and began contacting local businesses as well your generous contributions to our efforts.
as writing press releases and distributing flyers that would involved in the community.
allow citizens to submit their residence as one in need of And the biggest THANK YOU to our beloved city. We greatly Those in attendance were
assistance with yard maintenance and other small tasks appreciate the support you give our students and teachers. Selena Denny, Neveah
around the outside of their homes.
Peck, Emma Pletcher, Elesia
After weeks of planning by these students this event became Guerra, Trinity Day, Libby
a reality on Friday, November 17 when nearly 200 Fostoria Welly, Belinda Burkett, Keiah
High School students and staff ventured into the community Flowers, McKinzie Johnson
and serviced over 35 residents throughout the city of
Fostoria. Hundreds of leaf bags were filled throughout the and Aleena Williams.
day while other small jobs were also completed, including
cleaning out mulch beds, washing windows and clearing
other debris from lawns.

Thank you to the transportation department for their

assistance with shuttling students throughout town so we
were able to reach all of the homes who had requested
assistance.

Thank you to Design Graphics Group for printing and

donating the yard signs and thank you to sophomore
 ATHLETICS
Tyrianna Settles
1,000 Kills

Michele Wolf,
Athletic
Director
As our winter teams are now full
swing into their seasons, here is a
brief reflection on the successes
of our fall programs. The volleyball
team finished their season 16-
8, including a sectional win over
Genoa and a 4th place finish in the
NBC. Congratulations to Tyriana
Settles for getting her 1000th kill!
Receiving league honors were
Tyriana Settles (1st Team), Dakota
Thomas (2nd Team), Meredith
Grine (Honorable Mention), Mary
Harris (Honorable Mention) and
Oriana Settles (Senior Academic).
The district level honors included
Dakota Thomas who received
Honorable Mention and Tyriana
Settles who was voted Player of Wrestling 2017-2018
the Year.
The football team finished their
Varsity/JV Boys Date Place Time Opponent
season at 5-5 with big wins over
Oak Harbor and Toledo Scott Basketball 2017-2018 12/16/2017
12/22/2017
A
A
10:00 AM
10:00 AM
Mohawk Duals
Findlay Trojan Inv.
to start off the year. League Date Place Time Opponent
honors included Devin Mauricio 12/15/2017 H 06:00 PM Tiffin Columbian 1/5/2018 A 05:00 PM 45th Annual A Classic Woodmore
(1st Team WR), Collin Rice 1/6/2018 A 10:00 AM 45th Annual A Classic Woodmore
(Honorable Mention OT, Senior 12/19/2017 A 06:00 PM Eastwood
12/22/2017 H 06:00 PM Rossford 1/9/2018 A 05:30 PM NBC Quad @ Elmwood
Academic), Monty Stahl (2nd
Team C, Senior Academic), Skyler 12/23/2017 A 06:00 PM Arcadia 1/13/2018 A 10:00 AM Carey Classic
Garcia (2nd Team QB), Jace Boff 12/28/2017 A TBA Holiday Classic Evergreen 1/16/2018 H 05:30 PM NBC Dual v Eastwood w/Clay
(Senior Academic) and Weston
12/29/2017 A TBA Holiday Classic Evergreen 1/19/2018 A 04:00 PM Van Buren Invite
Weimerskirch (Honorable Mention 1/20/2018 A 9:00 AM Van Buren Invite
K). All Northwest District Honors 1/4/2018 H 06:00 PM Otsego
included Skyler Garcia and Devin 1/9/2018 A 06:00 PM Woodmore 1/27/2018 A 10:00 AM Galion Covert Wrestling Inv.
Mauricio, both 2nd Team Offense 1/12/2018 H 06:00 PM Elmwood 2/3/2018 A 10:00 AM NBC Championship @ Lake
Division VI. The roster will be 1/18/2018 A 06:00 PM Seneca East
graduating 13 seniors in May 2018
1/19/2018 A 06:00 PM Genoa
and will have a new look next fall.
The golf team lost two key seniors
to graduation in Trey Yates and
1/25/2018
1/27/2018
H
A
06:00 PM
06:00 PM
Lake
Hopewell Loudon
Varsity Bowling 2017-2018
Dalton Cook and welcomed new 2/2/2018 A 06:00 PM Rosford Date Place Time Opponent
faces to the roster. Jacob Counts 2/6/2018 H 06:00 PM Eastwood
led the team as overall scorer. 12/18/2017 A 4:00 @ Fremont Ross
The cross country team had 2/9/2018 A 06:00 PM Otsego 12/20/2017 H 4:00 Eastwood
two full rosters for boys and girls 2/16/2018 H 06:00 PM Woodmore 12/21/2017 H 4:00 Fremont Ross
this year and was able to gain 2/20/2018 H 06:00 PM Carey 1/3/2018 A 4:00 @ Rossford
success, in addition to a snapshot 2/23/2018 A 06:00 PM Elmwood 1/13/2018 A 11:00am NOBC Tourny @ Rossford
of a bright future. Dylan Sheets
qualified for the regional meet in 1/16/2018 A 4:00 @ Eastwood
Tiffin for the 2nd year in a row,
finishing in 25th place with a time Varsity/JV Girls 1/17/2018
1/20/2018
A
A
4:00
8:30am
@ Fremont Ross
Port Clinton Tournament
of 17:22.53, which was much
improved from last year. The girls
team highlighted their season
Basketball 2017-2018 1/25/2018
1/29/2018
H
H
4:00
4:00
Rossford
Woodmore
with a 5th place finish at the NBC Date Place Time Opponent 1/31/2018 H 4:00 Eastwood
Championship meet. League 12/15/2017 A 06:00 PM Otsego 2/7/2018 H 4:00 Fremont Ross
honors included Dylan Sheets 12/16/2017 A 06:00 PM Lakota **Sectional & District Tournament dates & Time are TBD.
(1st Team), Erika Gonzalez 12/21/2017 H 06:00 PM Lake
(2nd Team), and Cashara Durst 12/28/2017 A 06:00 PM Wapak Holiday Tournament
(Honorable Mention).
The girls tennis team had a turnout 12/29/2017
1/2/2018
A
H
06:00 PM
06:00 PM
Wapak Holiday Tournament
Genoa
Swimming 2017-2018
with record numbers, giving
several players the opportunity 1/5/2018 A 06:00 PM Elmwood Date Place Time Opponent
to play JV matches. The team 1/11/2018 H 06:00 PM Rossford
12/27/2017 A 05:00 PM Willard/Tiffin Columbian
experienced increased success 1/18/2018 A 06:00 PM Eastwood
over last year and was led by 1/23/2018 H 06:00 PM Otsego 12/30/2017 H 10:00 AM Ada High School
doubles team Kyhra Baeder and 1/26/2018 H 06:00 PM Woodmore 1/16/2017 A 05:30 PM Sylvania Northview
Shanelle Smith and singles player 2/1/2018 A 06:00 PM Lake 1/20/2017 A 9:30 AM SJCC/Willard/Colonel Crawford/Calvert
Abrianna Swartz. 2/8/2018 A 01:00 PM Genoa 1/27/2017 A 10:00 AM NCOSL Meet @ Colonel Crawford
For up to date results and athletic 2/10/2018 H 06:00 PM Seneca East 2/3/2017 A 9:00 AM Margaretta High School
news, follow us on Twitter @ 2/15/2018 H 06:00 PM Elmwood 2/5-2/10 A TBA Sectional Swim Meet - Exact date TBA
RedmenRundown FOR ANY CANCELLATION OR RESCHEDULE UPDATES, PLEASE FOLLOW US ON TWITTER AT FOSTORIA ATHLETICS @REDMENRUNDOWN
 Fostoria City Schools
From the Food Service
Department
As a reminder to parents/guardians, the State of Ohio requires
that schools have a policy in place regarding lunch charging.
In order to meet the requirement, Fostoria City Schools has
implemented a policy concerning charging school lunches.
Students will be allowed to charge a maximum of two lunches
($5.00). Repayment for any charged meals is expected the
next school day.Students who have reached their charge limit
will be offered an alternate meal that consists of a peanut butter
and jelly sandwich and a milk or juice. There is no charge for
the alternate meal. Students that do not have funds to pay for
their meal and are not able to charge should notify the first
food service staff member in line and will be given an alternate
meal. Students over the charge limit will not be allowed to
purchase or to charge ala carte items.
The purpose of this policy is to ensure consistency and fair
practices with student lunch accounts throughout the district
while making sure that no student goes without eating.
Prepayments for student accounts are strongly encouraged.
Negative balance status can be avoided by making payments
in the form of cash or checks at the school building before
meal service or with debit card or credit card online.
Parent/Guardians may check balances for food service
accounts on line at www.fostoriaschools.org Click on Total
Access school dining system online lunch payments. You
can also sign up for an email notification when your students
account balance is low.
Please call the Food Service Office for assistance with online
payment system or any questions about school lunch. Holly
Reinbolt, Director, hreinbolt@fostoriaschools.org, Donna
Elchert, Secretary, delchert@fostoriaschools.org or call 419-
436-4114.

Fun Nutrition Facts:

Crash and Burn Sugar
Ride the sugar rollercoaster
When you havent eaten for a while, your legs may get wobbly
and your brain may begin to lose focus more easily, causing
you to do poorly in class. These are signals from your body
that its store of energy is getting low as energy feeds both our
bodies and our brain.
All foods contain energy. Some food release their energy
quickly. A sugary drink or a piece of candy gives a quick
energy rush. But the effect fades and soon you may want
another drink or more food as your sugar level drops.

Foods like whole grains and fruit release energy more slowly
than candy or sugary drinks because they have fiber in them.
So when you eat toast, cereal, or a banana, your energy lasts
longer than If you had sweets or a fizzy drink.

Fun Fact: A normal-size candy bar contains a nearly amount

of sugar as a can of soda? Glucose, sucrose, fructose, and
maltose are all types of sugar. You can spot them in the
ingredients list because they all end with the letters ose.