Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Andrew Sprang
Superintendent
Welcome to the 2018-19 school year! With these changes it is hard not to be excited for the new opportunities that our students can have in the upcoming
school year as well as into the future. I look forward to working with all of you to make this school year a great year for
The new school year is rapidly approaching and preparations are under way to continue to build upon the progress that our students.
the district has been making. One of our goals is to provide the best opportunity possible for our students and doing this
within budget. This year we have continued our work with updating curriculum materials, course offerings, and technolo-
gy. Building Project Update
As the new school year starts there will be new materials in the science classrooms, as the district has purchased new This summer has brought about a great deal of construction work on our JSHS and Intermediate campus. With the
materials for all grade levels. These materials in many cases were between 10-15 years old. With the implementation excitement of this work also comes some logistical points that need to be addressed. Many of these items were in place
of the new science programs you will see more hands-on activities that will engage the students in the discovery and last year, but with the start of a new year, families in new buildings, as well as new families to our district it is a good time
learning at a higher level. A goal of the district’s work with curriculum and materials is to provide these resources in a to revisit these as well.
manner that is relevant to the students and also prepares them for the types of activities that they will see as they move
into careers and everyday life. The exciting pieces are the parts that are in progress right now. Construction of the new 7-12 is going well to the north of
the existing JSHS. The projected completion date is December 2019 for this building. Over at the Intermediate the ad-
Another endeavor that the district has taken on is the implementation of a 1:1 program with students in grades 5-12. dition is coming along well. It is not visible close up as it is on the north side of the building, but if you go out on Stearns
Technology is a significant part of the lives of students today, whether it is in the classroom through lessons and assess- Road it can be seen from a distance. The remodeling of the building on the inside has already started as well. There will
ments, or there lives outside of the school day. This year these students will be given a chromebook that they will be able be a very different look coming into that building this year. The attendance office is moving to the south side of the build-
to use in the classroom and take home to complete assignments in the evening. Most of our curriculum programs have ing. This will be important to know for access to the building during the day, and for signing students in or out. It is also
technology components that have been underutilized, whether it is tutorials or readings at various levels as examples. important to know that the Intermediate is going to be a work in progress throughout the school year as the renovation
continues. The key is going to be patience and flexibility for all of us as we work with the construction team to continue
With these devices students will be able to take advantage of these opportunities to enhance their classroom experience. their work and to keep our students safe. I want to acknowledge that the crews on site have been background checked
and safety measures will be taken to keep the students away from the construction as much as possible. However, there
It has often been said that it takes the entire community to raise a child. A very exciting opportunity has presented itself may be opportunities for our students to be part of the construction as a learning experience, but all safety precautions will
this year for the district to expand opportunities to work with the Fostoria Learning Center and Terra State Community be taken during the experience.
College to start an early-college high school program. This year will be the first cohort to begin taking classes at the
learning center that will put them on course towards an associates degree as an expansion of our College Credit Plus When attending events at the JSHS it is important to know that access to the building will be on the east and west
Program. This program allows students to be earning college credits for free as long as they maintain a passing grade in entrance doors. The main area for parking will be the lot on the south side of the building. You can then walk up the side
the course. Partnering with our community resources will allow our students to experience instruction from college pro- and enter either side of the building. If you are in need of handicapped parking there are spots on both the east and west
fessors and have more of a structured college experience while being able to stay in our community. We are extremely sides of the building as well as the front row of the parking lot on the south side as well.
grateful for the opportunity to develop this program, and look forward to expanding it beyond this initial cohort of students
after this school year. At this point in time the project is progressing on schedule and we look forward to working on bidding out our technology
and furniture package between now and the first of 2019. The elementary building is still on schedule to house all PK-6
Along with the changes that have been explained we are looking to continue our progress in existing areas of what the students at the start of the 2019-2020 school year. The JSHS portion of the project will be completed shortly after that in
district offers. Last year Longfellow obtained Lighthouse status as one of 8 schools in the state of Ohio to have this dis- December with the hope to move into the new JSHS for the second semester of the 2019-2020 school year.
tinction. Across the district we want to continue to develop our young leaders as we have Leader in Me programs across
all of our district. Beyond the Leader in Me active involvement is crucial to student success in all areas of their learning. We ask that all of you please follow the traffic signs around campus as they have been prepared in a manner that will
It has been a proven theory that if students are involved in something within the school, whether it is the arts, athletics, promote safety and help us to work through the duration of the project. The construction team has worked with the city in
DECA, or any of the clubs that we offer that they will be more successful in the classroom. I encourage all of our students order to devise the best plan that they could to aid in this process. The one key piece that I will point out is that the south
to take advantage of the numerous opportunities and continue doing something they have done in the past or to try some- drive at the JSHS is a one way going east to west. Thank you for your support and understanding on these issues as we
thing new in order to enhance their school experience. work to make the best out of what is going to be a year of transition.
District Communication
Alicia Swartzmiller Jenny Abell
Transportation Student Services
Parents/Caregivers, Greetings from Fostoria City Schools’ Student Services! It is hard to believe that the 2018-19 school year
Welcome back! The transportation department would like to share is almost here! During the summer, student services, in collaboration with the buildings, has employed
a few tips to help ensure a safe trip to and from school. several new staff for the 2018-19 school year. This includes multiple paraprofessionals, 3 new intervention
Students should be at the bus stop at least five minutes before specialists, and a new speech pathologist for the district. Additionally, we will be contracting with the North
bus arrives, ten minutes the first couple of weeks until the routes Central Educational Service Center for additional Occupation Therapy support district wide!
settle. This ensures that students aren’t late for the bus and try to Paraprofessionals: Michele Holman (Preschool), Samantha Reese (Preschool), Colleen Rhoads (Riley),
run after or chase it. Never ever chase a bus. Eva Crabtree (FIES), Normaris Mendoza (FIES), Kara Delarber (FJSHS), Kim Saunders (FJSHS), and
Use the designated place of safety the driver gives each student Michele Stevenson (FJSHS).
when getting on and off the bus, this allows for the driver to clear- Intervention Specialists: Alisha Bonner (FIES), Morgan Nye (FIES), Carrie Reimer (FIES)
ly see the students upon arrival and as the bus is leaving. Speech Language Pathologist: Rebecca Haas (District)
While on the bus talk quietly to seat partner, keep all things inside Occupational Therapist: NCOESC- Angie Sprang (District)
book bags, and keep aisle way clear.
Please remember our drivers main goal is to transport their stu- Special Education
dents to and from school safely, this means that driving the bus Regarding the Special Education arena, a major change for next year is the implementation of new
must be top priority. Your continued support and guidance in bus Evaluation Team Report (ETR) and Individualized Education Plan (IEP) forms. The Ohio Department of
safety with your students is very much appreciated. Education has updated the current format of both documents, with more significant changes occurring to
There have been a few updates to the parent/student handbook the IEP. We are required to begin implementing the new forms in August, so we will begin utilizing the new
regarding transportation discipline. Be sure to check them out. forms during the 2018-19 school year. All special education and related staff will be trained on these forms
Have a wonderful 2018-2019 school year!! prior to school starting so families should plan to see a new order of items, new sections/questions, and
Yours in Safety, some new procedures and expectations of how meetings are structured. If interested in looking at the new
The Transportation Department forms, here is the link on the ODE website:
http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Special-Education/Federal-and-State-Requirements/Ohio-Required-and-
Sue Lehmann Optional-Forms-Updated
The trick here is to plan ahead. Read through this list and identify some strategies that you think could help
you and your family stay organized and on top of things. Then, test these different approaches as a family
so you can figure out which ones work for you, and which ones don’t. This will help everyone transition back
into the school year with less stress and more excitement.
1. Set your kids’ sleep schedules back to “School Time” two weeks before the first day.
2. Encourage your kids to read at least one book before the school year begins.
3. Refresh your rules about screen time for the school year. What’s allowed and when
4. Discuss what your kids can expect on the first day so they feel more prepared.
5. Create a dedicated space for your kids to store their school supplies and technology.
6. Create an after-school schedule that allows time for snack, relaxation, play and study.
7. Touch base with teachers early on to troubleshoot any issues your kids may be having.
8. Encourage your kids to lay out their school clothes the night before.
9. Have your kids pack their school bags before they go to sleep that night.
10. Make homework caddies that can be used to carry school supplies through the house and keep things
together for easy access each day.
11. Shop for school supplies and clothes early. Avoid the rush.
12. Keep a single, easy-access file for vaccination records and other important papers.
13. Figure out different ways you can be involved in the classroom this school year.
14. Talk openly with your kids about their feelings about returning to school. Make sure to hit on these 5
Back-to-School Worries.
15. Do something fun as a family as a way to end your summer time together.
Source: https://www.care.com/c/stories/3192/101-back-to-school-tips-for-kids-and-parents/
1202 H.L. Ford Dr.
419-436-4125 Fostoria Intermediate Elementary School
kbernal@fostoriaschools.org Grades 3 – 6
Let Me Introduce...
Reflection
WHAT do we do?
Embrace failures and educate students what to do, when they don’t know what to do
Empower all to achieve their personal and academic goals
Model how to be respectful, thoughtful and independent learners
We are excited to welcome new staff It is my hope that every student has a successful and enriching school year. Please feel free to
members to our FIES family! contact me with any celebrations or concerns you may have. It is exciting to think about all that will
be achieved over the course of this school year, let’s make it great!
Supply Drop-off
Night
Parents will be able to drop off school
supplies in the classroom on Thursday,
August 30th from 1:30-3:30. If you are
not able to make it, you child is able to
bring their supplies on the first day of
school on September 4. We will host
an Open House Tuesday, September 18
from 5-5:30 for third grade and 5:30-6:30
for all grades. During the Open House
night, teachers will review classroom
procedures, homework, behavior
expectations and answer any questions
you may have. We look forward to
seeing you!
Fostoria Junior/Senior High School 1001 Park Ave.
419-436-4110
Grades 7 – 12 dbauman@fostoriaschools.org
Drew Bauman
Principal
The 2018 – 2019 school year is quickly approaching and we are excited at Fostoria High School to begin another year working with our Redmen students. As always, our goal is to create
engaging educational opportunities and help our students grow both academically and personally as they mature into adulthood.
There will be a large focus this year on career awareness and readiness with our high school students. We will be working with the Fostoria Chamber of Commerce and other business and
agency leaders in our community to inform students of the various opportunities available to them after they graduate and venture into the next chapter of their lives. We hope to extend these
opportunities in the future to include Fostoria High School alumni and create networking opportunities between Redmen of the past and present.
Also this year our students and staff will continue their use of the 7 Habits to build leadership and interpersonal skills that will allow them to achieve success in the
classroom and their lives. There will be a concerted effort this school year to make the 7 Habits a more integral part of the environment that can be seen and heard
by all those who come into our building.
We are proud to announce that Fostoria City School swill be implementing a 1:1 initiative this school year meaning that all students, grades 7 – 12, will receive their
own Chromebook laptop to use at school and at home for the entire year. Not only will this extend learning opportunities beyond the classroom walls, but it will also give
students the chance to create, collaborate, and communicate with one another in a way that was not previously possible. The role of technology in education should be
to engage students in the learning rather than simply replacing traditional paper and pencil assignments with digital versions of the same thing. Teachers and students
will be experimenting and growing in the use of these new tools together as the year progresses. We encourage our families to interact with their students and the
Chromebook to gain a better understanding of how they will be used to enhance learning and become more familiar with the advantages they provide.
On Wednesday, August 29th Fostoria High School invites all incoming ninth grade students and their families to attend our “Freshmen Focus”
evening at 5:30 p.m. at Fostoria High School. We would like to welcome our new high school students to the next chapter of their educational
journey as they prepare for the start of their freshmen year. Students and families will hear about requirements for graduation including state
testing requirements, athletic eligibility, extra and co-curricular opportunities, tips to a successful start to high school, and more. We look forward
to seeing everyone back in school soon!
Aug. 30 A 4:15P @ Upper Sandusky Sept. 11 A 5:30P @ Rossford Aug. 25 A 9A Seneca East Invitational
Sept. 4 Sept. 13 H 5:30P Elmwood Aug. 28 A 4:45P NBC Jamboree @ Elmwood
H 4:30P Bluffton
2019 Sept. 15 H 10A Tiffin Columbian Sept. 1 A 9A Columbus Grove Invitational
Sept. 6 A 4:30P @ Fremont Sept. 18 A 5:30P @ Otsego Sept. 8 A TBA Tiffin Carnival
Sept. 8 H 9A Fostoria Invite Sept. 19 A 5:30P @ Whitmer Sept. 15 A 9:30A Myron Cline CC Invitational
Sept. 11 A 4:30P @ Ottawa Glandorf Sept. 20 H 5:30P Woodmore NBC Jamboree @ Otsego
Sept. 12 H 4:30P Rossford Sept. 18 A 4:45P
Sept. 25 A 5:30P @ Eastwood (Mary Jane Thurstin State Park)
Sept. 17 A 4:15P @ Bucyrus Sept. 27 H 5:30P Genoa Sept. 29 A 9A Eagle Invitational
Sept. 20 A 4:30P @ Lima Bath Oct. 2 H 5:30P Lake Oct. 6 H 9A Fostoria Athletic Boosters CC Invite
Sept. 24 A 4:15P @ Tiffin Columbian Oct. 4 H 5:30P Rossford NBC Championships
Sept. 26 A 4:30P @ Rossford Oct. 9 A 5:30P @ Elmwood Oct. 13 A 9A @ Otsego (Mary Jane
Sept. 27 H 4:30P Whitmer Oct. 11 H 5:30P Otsego Thurstin State Park)