Evergreen Local Schools “Building on Tradition, Committed to Excellence, Cultivating the Future” BOARD OF EDUCATION EVERGREEN LOCAL SCHOOLS Nora Kiefer, President 14544 County Road 6 Jason Miller, Vice President Metamora, Ohio 43540 Zachary Murry, Member Phone (419) 644-3521 Don Smith, Member Fax (419) 644-6070 Matt Vaculik, Member Eric J. Smola, Superintendent Daniel Curtis, H.S. Principal Kristy Schmidlin, Preschool/Special Ed. Denise Leu, Treasurer Brady Ruffer, M.S. Principal DeeAnn Simmons, EMIS Coordinator Dr. Dolores Swineford, Asst. Supt./Cur. Coord. Jane Draheim, Elementary Principal Angela Infante, Director of Technology February 5, 2021 Dear Viking Families, Five weeks of classes complete! It is hard to believe we have closed out January and are approaching the half-way point of our third quarter. As we tackle February and look forward to spring, we are making plans for the 2021-2022 school year: parents are registering their incoming kindergartners, our upper students are scheduling their courses for next year, and our fifth graders are looking forward to moving up to the middle school. As each day passes, it gives me great hope that we are getting closer to being on the other side of the COVID pandemic. We certainly have much to look forward to! As we begin February together, I want to share the following updates. I also need to address some of the community concerns regarding whether or not Evergreen will leave the Northwest Ohio Athletic League (NWOAL). Please continue reading for more information. According to the weather forecasters, it is supposed to get quite cold this weekend. Bundle up, stay warm, and as always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me. Sincerely, Eric J. Smola Superintendent Important Announcements! Thank You Counselors! As National School Counseling Week comes to a close, Evergreen Local Schools celebrates its counselors: Sharon Lapitsky, Amanda Brehm, Adrian Lumbrezer, and Megan Ansted. We thank them for providing Evergreen students with daily help and support. Each one of these individuals makes a huge difference every day! THANK YOU! EHS Girls Basketball Due to COVID quarantines, the EHS girls basketball program is required to take a break in action. The varsity girls will resume play and participate in their first tournament round on Thursday, February 18 versus Lake High School at Lake; all other scheduled games have been canceled. Congratulations to the JV team as their season play has ended. FFA Alumni Strawberry Sale Fresh Florida strawberries are on sale now through February 18. Customers will need to pick up their berries from the AG shop during the week of March 8. Full flats consist of eight, 1lb clamshells for $24. Half flats are made up of four, 1lb clamshells for $14. To order, call the AG Office at 419-644-2951 ext. 1163 or email [email protected]. ​ College Credit Plus Info Night Students interested in participating in the College Credit Plus (CCP) program for the 2021-2022 school year are strongly encouraged to attend an information meeting on February 9 at 6:00 pm in the HS cafeteria. The CCP program is open to students in grades 7-12 and allows them to take college courses for both high school and college credit. In the past, all students and parents who were interested in participating in the CCP program were required to attend this mandatory meeting; however, this year, only those students and parents who are new to the program are required to attend this meeting. All CCP participants will still be required to submit all necessary paperwork by the April 1st deadline. Fulton County Heart Radiothon The Fulton County Heart Radiothon will be live on WMTR (96.1FM) in Archbold on Thursday, February 11, from 6:00 am-6:00 pm. Call in pledges to 410-445-9050 or 1-800-686-9687. Money raised during this one-day live radio event pays for heart related programs and equipment in Fulton County such as automated external defibrillators and heart/health programs in schools, libraries, and churches. HS/MS Parent-Teacher Conferences HS and MS Parent-Teacher Conferences will take place Thursday, February 11 from 3-7:30 pm. Teachers will be available to meet via Zoom, telephone, or in-person. If you would like to touch base with any faculty member, please contact your student’s teachers regarding setting up a conference. No School There is no school for students on February 12 (Professional Development Day) and 15 (Presidents’ Day). Enjoy! All Juniors Taking the ACT As required by state law, the ACT test will be administered to all juniors on Tuesday, February 23 at 8:00 am at ​ ​ EHS. The February 23 test is state-funded, and there is no cost to students. Four County, CCP, and VVA students are all required to be at EHS for this test. In addition, on February 11 at 2:00 pm, juniors will complete the pre-registration materials for the test. Those students that are not on campus on February 11 will be required to stay after the test to complete the registration portion. College-bound juniors have the opportunity to submit this score to the institutions of their choice or use the experience as a practice test. City BBQ Fundraiser Dine in or take out from City BBQ on February 23 from 11:00 am-8:00 pm at the West Central Avenue location. Proceeds will benefit the 2021 Junior/Senior Prom. As the event gets closer, check out the district website for a digital flyer. 2-Hour Delay Day Evergreen Local Schools will be operating on a 2-hour delay schedule for staff professional development on Monday, March 1, 2021. The school day will begin at 10:00 am. EYA Ball Sign Up The Evergreen Youth Association (EYA) baseball and softball sign ups are just around the corner. Programs are available for children from tee-ball to 8th grade. In-person registration takes place March 7 & 14 from 12:00-2:00 pm at the Metamora Park pavilion. Online/mail registration forms can be found at https://evergreenyouthassociation.com/ ​ Assistant Football Coach Needed The Evergreen football program is in search of an assistant varsity coach. Interested individuals can contact Aaron Schmidt, head coach, at [email protected]. Kindergarten Registration Kindergarten registration for the 2021-2022 school year is now open. Online registration is preferred and must be completed by using Final Forms accessible via the Evergreen website. First-time parents/guardians will need to create a new account to begin the registration process. Information regarding how to set up a Final Forms account can also be found on the district website under the “What’s New” tab. The following documents will need to be uploaded to complete a registration: ● Child’s state birth certificate ● Child’s immunization records ● Custody papers if applicable ● Proof of residency in the Evergreen Local School District Scholarships For Seniors Seniors -- more and more scholarships are available. Many local scholarships are now available, which means someone from the EHS Class of 2021 will win! Remember, students can’t win if they don’t apply. Each scholarship has its own requirements and deadlines are QUICKLY approaching. See the counseling office for more information and applications. Following are some of the local scholarships now available: ● FFA Alumni Scholarship - $1,000 ● Skilled Trades Scholarship - $500 ● MCS Manufacturing Scholarship - $1,000 ● Jennifer Ford Babcock Scholarship - $500 ● Mini Vikings Parents (MVP) Scholarship - $250 ● Tripp Family Memorial Scholarship - up to $1,500 ● David E. Springer Scholarship - $250 ● Dress Down Day Grant - Amount varies ● Metamora State Bank Scholarship - $500 to one business major and $500 to one agriculture major ● EHS Sportsmanship Scholarship - $500 to one male athlete and $500 to one female athlete ● Evergreen Music Scholarship - $500 to one band student and $500 to one choir student ● Sierah Joughin Scholarships - Amounts vary Is Evergreen Leaving the NWOAL? According to Mr. Smola, superintendent, “the honest answer is maybe.” The reason for the hedged answer is because the current state of several area athletic leagues is uncertain. Potential membership changes in the Toledo Area Athletic Conference (TACC), Northern Lakes League (NLL), Buckeye Border Conference (BBC), Three Rivers Athletic Conference (TRAC) and the Green Meadows Conference (GMC) could have a significant impact on the membership of the Northwest Ohio Athletic League (NWOAL). “Currently, the speculation of reorganizing the area’s leagues is playing out like a giant game of chess,” Mr. Smola explains. “If one school shifts to a new league, then all the pieces have the potential to also shift.” Over the last year, many rumors have circled regarding trying to keep the proverbial “playing fields” more even, thus allowing for more even-matched competition among schools while also keeping the all-league titles from being crowned on the heads of the same schools year- after-year. Mr. Smola confirms that the Evergreen administration has been part of some conversations with other comparable districts regarding changing leagues. Evergreen does not want to find itself on the bottom of any league forced to play powerhouse schools with two and three times our enrollment. “We can’t put our athletes in that situation, so we must be proactive and protect our athletes’ best interests,” he said. One thing is for certain, this is not a knee-jerk decision, and one that could take months to establish. According to Mr. Smola, if the right opportunity becomes available, Evergreen will first seek community and coaching staff support before any changes will be considered. In the event that a move to a new or different athletic league is determined to be the best for Evergreen’s student athletes, then the move would be recommended to the Board of Education.