Page 1 The Standard Is Excellence

Home he all of t The F s Rover Rootstown 2017 Communicator Rootstown Local Schools • 4140 State Route 44 • Rootstown, Ohio 44272 • (330) 325-9911 News From Around the District Flexible Seating in the Classroom By Emily Nyszczy The world is changing, but classrooms have stayed the same. With learning becom- ing more student-centered and self-directed, it was time for the classroom to reflect that change. I was ready to make the change in my classroom and sought out inspiration from other teachers, Instagram, and online blogs. During my journey to this classroom, I stumbled across the article, “Why the 21st Century Classroom May Remind You of Starbucks” by Kayla Delzer, where she poses the question, “Why do people go to Star- bucks to work?” She goes on to explain people have the opportunity to choose where they will sit and be the most productive. They have the opportunity to work together on a couch, or by themselves at a table, or even outside. I set out to bring this learning opportunity to my classroom for the 2017-2018 school year. In a typical high school, students are seated in rows with little freedom to move about. In the flexible seating classroom, yoga balls, stools, cushions, and couches greet students as they enter the room. Flexible seating gives students an opportunity to choose the seat and location that works best for them, allowing them to be more focused and en- gaged in the lesson. It also allows students to sit in teams to be creative problem solvers or sit and work independently. This model mimics and prepares them for the workforce that many of our students will be entering in the years to come. During the first week of school, many students were excited to see a change from a standard classroom and even exclaimed, “I actually want to come to class now so I can sit in this chair!” as they left the classroom. This change is about teaching the whole 21st century student, creating a space where they feel socially and emotionally safe so they can reach their full potential.

Superintendent’s Message Welcome to the 2017-18 school year! The Rootstown Local School District staff is excited to again be working with the students, parents, and community and is committed to providing our students with the best all-around education possible while being fiscally responsible as we follow our district’s mission statement: “Rootstown Schools, in collaboration with the community, will provide a quality education in a safe environment for students to become productive, life-long learners.” Andrew Hawkins After a year of community engagement, the Rootstown Local School District will be asking the community to approve Superintendent a ballot initiative on November 7th to address the district’s facilities. The proposal is to build one new building, which will house all students from preschool to grade 12, on the school’s current site. The new school will provide a safe 21st century, student-centered learning environment that will be ADA compliant. The project will also include a 600 seat multi-use auditorium, an all-weath- er track, artificial turf, locker room and concession stand at the stadium, baseball and softball fields, wrestling room, and a weight room. Fur- thermore, 41% of the project cost will be funded by the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission. The issue will consist of a two-part funding proposal:

• 0.5% Earned Income Tax (only paid by Rootstown residents actively working) • 3.95 Mill Property Tax For additional levy information, please visit the website www.yesforrtown.org. Thank you for your continued support of Rootstown Local Schools. If you have any questions regarding our school district, feel free to contact me.

Go Rovers! Andrew Hawkins Superintendent Page 2 News From the Treasurer’s Office Each year the Ohio Dept. of Education prepares an analysis of each district’s spending in relation to the state overall. The latest data indicates the average cost per pupil in Rootstown was $9,056.75, while the statewide average was $11,164.17. The majority of the general fund (59.7%) was spent on instructional salaries and supplies directly in the classrooms. Pupil support at 4.8% includes such items as student counseling, psychological services, health services, library services, and some ex- tra-curricular activities. Building operations totaled 19.9% and includes transportation, utilities, and expenses not covered by the Permanent Improvement levy. Another 12.8% was spent on administrative and secretarial salaries as well as the cost of the day-to-day operations of buildings and offices, 23% below state average. Lastly, 2.7% was spent on staff support for class- room aides, curriculum services, and continuing education to improve staff effectiveness and productivity. With the average cost per pupil in Rootstown at $2,107 below the state average, I believe the Rootstown School District is committed to preparing students for their futures Connie Baldwin in a cost-effective manner. Treasurer

Connie Baldwin Treasurer

(source: http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Finance-and-Funding/Finance-Related-Data/District-Profile-Reports/FY2016-District-Profile-Report) Assistant Superintendent’s Message Terri Hrina-Treharn - Assistant Superintendent, (330)325-2014 PC2: Portage County Collaborative Rootstown Local Schools is one of five school districts in Portage County that are participating in this project (Rootstown, Field, Garfield, Ravenna, and Crestwood). We were successful in obtaining a grant for $19,924.00 from the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation in order to promote collaboration amongst teachers and create multiple blended learning courses at the high school level. The outcomes for this project are as follows: • Deepened understanding of teacher pedagogy through technology integration and blended learning models to provide anytime/anywhere learning and more student voice and choice • Creation of blended learning courses for five high school classes: Physical Science,American Government, Ameri- can History, English 11 and English 12 Terri Hrina-Treharn • Utilization of technology as a vehicle to collaborate and have easy access to information Assistant • Building and continuation of teacher networks and collaborative environments Superintendent • Creation of a platform to serve as a repository for teachers to access content and collaborate more quickly • Developing participating teachers’ capacity to be able to develop/broaden this model within each of their districts With the attainment of these teacher outcomes, we also expect to have students graduate being college and career ready and armed with a 21st century skill set. Student learning will be transformed with technology through their blended learning coursework. These courses will lead students to become digitally literate citizens and experience working in a variety of environments (individual, small group and large group) much like the real-world. They will have to collaboratively work with others and become flexible thinkers, critique the work of others as well as be able to self-reflect. The work of this project will be completed in three phases during this planning and piloting year. The first involved a week long Teacher Digital Academy this past summer. The teachers involved got to work with both curriculum and technology consultants during this time. When asked to describe their weeklong experience, successes and what they were eager to implement, one teacher responded, (I’ve learned about) many new apps, extensions and websites that I’ve always wanted. I have never had a place to ask questions or find resources for using more technology and now I have that. As a newer teacher it is very helpful to have a cohort of colleagues who have shared experiences and can provide that help. Throughout the year teachers will meet monthly, after school for an hour, with the consultants for a Google Hangout and quarterly for face- to-face professional development. Teachers will be piloting assessments created, resources shared, usage of online platforms and blended learning lessons with students. Then, during the monthly Hangouts and quarterly face-to-face meetings, individualized and group support can be provided to teachers based on needs. This portion of those meetings will serve as the ongoing professional development and support needed to sustain any new initiative. During the 2018-2019 school year, all teachers involved will fully implement each of the created blended learning courses with their students. This will also be the year of sharing and dissemina- tion. The goal is to have select teachers and project leaders create and utilize a collaborative site, continue networking with one another, and present at three different conferences.

Title I Programs According to Parents Right- to-Know (NCLB, 1111), you have the right as a parent to request information regarding the professional quali- fications of your child’s Title I teacher. If your child is in a Title I program and you wish to request this information, please contact Mr. Turner (at the elementary) or Mr. Campbell (at the middle school). Page 3 From the Office of Special Education Marcy Spence - Director of Special Education, (330)325-4144 Welcome Back! The Rootstown special education department has been working diligently since the close of the 2016-17 school year to ready itself for the opening of school on August 29th. We are very excited to welcome our new and returning staff members as well as all of our students across the district! As has always been Rootstown’s special education office’s mission, we will continue to manage, guide and support our families and students with disabilities as we work toward meeting our district’s 2017-18 focus – that is to help our struggling disabled and economically disadvantaged students close the achievement gap, utilize common formative assessments to inform instruction and focus on our English language arts curriculum across the content areas.

As Rootstown’s new special education director, I have the unique and enviable opportunity to work in unison with a talented administration and teaching staff to successfully address these district focus areas as well as to ensure that all of our Marcy Spence students are college and/or career ready upon high school graduation. In the special education department, you will find that Director of Special Rootstown Schools are committed to the provision of a free, appropriate, public education (FAPE) within the least restrictive Education environment for children with disabilities in accordance with state and federal laws, rules and regulations.

To that end, our district is embarking on an exciting new initiative for the 2017-18 school year that directly impacts our special education student population. This initiative is the formation of an educational cohort that will seek to lead reform in the specific area of least restric- tive environment placements. Historically, passage of the 1975 Education for All Handicapped Children’s Act required that all children with disabilities be educated in the least restrictive environment – meaning that once a child was determined to be eligible for specialized instruction, the IEP team was then charged with providing those services in an educational setting that gave the student the most access to their typically developing same aged peers – the least restrictive environment.

While careful decision-making regarding placing a student with a disability in a resource room setting, inclusive classroom, home instruction or perhaps even an alternative placement has always been a district priority, our current focus on standards, accountability and gap closing begs the application of a current data driven decision-making process by our educational teams. Among other outcomes, our cohort seeks to examine school and district-wide data in order to determine the current status of student services and the delivery of specialized instruction. Our goal in analyzing this data is to investigate the research of highly effective practices of integrated schools and develop a clear vision focused on equity and access in order to create a new service delivery map that meets the needs of all students.

If you have questions about this project or any special education topic, please give our department a call at 330-325-4144. We welcome input, ideas and suggestions from everyone in our community. Have a wonderful school year! The special education department thanks you for your continued support!

Rootstown District News

Rootstown Foundation and Alumni Association By Denny Pickens The Rootstown Foundation and Alumni Association were proud to present Brendan Mohan with The Spirit Award for the graduating class of 2017. This award is a $1000.00 scholarship to be used toward continuing education. Brendan will attend The University of Akron and will don the mascot outfit of Zippy! Congratulations and GO ZIPS!

A New Tradition By James Conley Starting with the class of 2017 each graduating senior was awarded an alumni medallion. The medallion serves as a keepsake and a reminder of our Rover Pride. After graduation students can use the medallion as a key chain or hang it up as a keepsake. This fall we have decided to sell the same medallion to any previous graduate. If you come to a home event this fall or winter, they will be available soon. They could make great gifts to a special Rover in your family.

Page 4 High School A3: Academics... Arts... Athletics Ward Davis Building (330) 325-7911 • James Conley - Principal 4. Gives voice to the person who has been harmed Positive Behavior Interventions and 5. Engages in collaborative problem solving Supports 6. Empowers change and growth for all involved At the high school you will notice that our 7. Enhances responsibility for actions and attitudes for all involved handbook has many positive changes. As we reviewed our handbook and discipline data we The goals of these restorative practices are that… determined that we were not correcting behavior, 1. Rootstown High School will be a safe, friendly and enjoyable learning we were only punishing it. A team was created environment. and sent to a Positive Behavior Intervention and 2. Rootstown High School will foster an environment where every one feels Supports (PBIS) professional development work- valued, respected, and included. shop. That team then came back to the school and 3. Rootstown High School will be a school where students are motivated to trained the rest of our staff. To align with PBIS, James Conley learn, and faculty and staff enjoy meaningful and fulfilling work. our handbook needed to be rewritten. H.S. Principal Most importantly we strongly believe that it takes all stakeholders to Starting with our purpose of a handbook, help mold students into successful adults. I strongly encourage you to “Rootstown High School believes in the impor- come in or email me to discuss any concerns or questions. tance of setting forth high expectations for all community members. The code of conduct is designed to support the mission and vision of our school district to provide a positive environment with a focus on Say Something Week our learning goals aligned with communication, empirical reasoning, social reasoning, quantitative reasoning, personal development, and October 16-20, 2017 character development.” Our previous handbook was more of a list of Say Something Week is being brought to Root- rules and punishments. Whereas now it is a living document designed stown High School this fall. Say Something Week to support all students reach their full potential. Our school mission is an important event that will help to empower statement also changed to align with our district mission and our new students to become upstanders, look out for one PBIS culture. “The mission of Rootstown High School is to engage another and create a safer, more inclusive school our students through the discovery and development of their unique climate; imagine how much grief and tragedy interests; to empower students to develop self-confidence and create could be adverted if just one individual would say their own success through a positive learning environment; and, with something. Many times when it comes violence, Kalee Oberlin the support of the staff, graduate as confident and capable young adults, suicide, and threats at least one person knows prepared to make their mark on the world.” about it. The goal of Say Something Week is to H.S. Counselor At the heart of our handbook/code of conduct is restorative disci- teach students how to look for warning signs and pline. As stated before, our previous policies only punished the behav- threats from those who may want to hurt themselves or others. By ior. Again and again we would see repeat offenses. Whereas now we raising awareness, we can remind students the power their voices have hope to correct and change the behavior so it is not repeated. Below is which can prevent tragedies. the outline of our restorative practices. New Graduation Pathways RESTORATIVE PRACTICES In July 2017, a budget bill authorized two additional options only In the event that students misbehave and do not abide by the princi- for students in the class of 2018. These options are available for those ples outlined in the Guidelines for Behavior, Rootstown High School who do not otherwise meet one of the three pathways to graduate and will use the “restorative practices” approach to discipline, pioneered earn a diploma. This information can also be found on the high school by Ted Wachtel at the International Institute for Restorative Practices counseling webpage. (IIRP). Restorative practices are grounded in “restorative justice,” a way of looking at wrongdoing that focuses on repairing the harm Option 1: You must take and pass courses that are your curriculum done to people and relationships rather than on punishing offenders. requirements and take all seven end-of course exams. If you receive Restorative practices are based on the belief that human beings are a score of a “1” or “2” on any math or English language arts test, you happier, more cooperative and productive, and more likely to make must retake the test at least once. Additionally, you must meet at least positive changes in their behavior when those in positions of authority two of the below requirements: do things with them, rather than to them or for them. The most critical • Attendance rate of 93 percent during the 12th grade year; function of restorative practices is restoring and building relationships. • Earn a GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale in all courses completed during 12th Students, staff, faculty, and Board Members must meet with those they grade (must complete at least four full-year courses); have wronged, explore what happened, and make necessary amends. • Complete a capstone project during 12th grade that the district or school The restorative practices process can happen in groups as small as two defines; and as large as a whole class. • During 12th grade, complete a work or community service experience RESTORATIVE PRACTICES PRINCIPLES: (from Amstutz and totaling 120 hours that the district or school defines; Mullet (2005). Restorative Discipline for Schools.) • Earn three or more College Credit Plus credits at any time during high school; 1. Restorative Practice focuses on harms rather than rules or persons and the • Earn credit for an Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate consequent needs of victims, offenders, and communities. course and earn an AP exam score of 3 or higher or IB exam score of 4 or 2. Restorative Practice addresses obligations of the offender resulting from higher at any time during high school; those harms, as well as the community’s obligations to both victims and • Earn a WorkKeys exam score of 3 or higher on each of three test sections; offenders. • Earn a State Board-approved industry recognized credential or credentials 3. Restorative Practice uses inclusive, collaborative processes. that equal at least three points; 4. Restorative Practice involves all individuals (victims, offenders, parents, • Meet Ohio Means Jobs Readiness Seal requirements (under development). students, staff, and faculty) who have a legitimate stake in a given situa- tion. Option 2: If you are a student in a career-technical program, you must 5. Restorative Practice seeks to put right the wrongs that have been done, so take and pass courses that are your curriculum requirements, take all seven end-of-course tests and finish a career-technical program that that victims feel safe and valued, and offenders feel restored to the school includes at least four courses in a single career pathway. Additionally, community. you must complete at least one of the options below: RESTORATIVE DISCIPLINE: (from Amstutz and Mullet (2005). Re- • Earn a total score of proficient or better based on all career-technical storative Discipline for Schools.) exams or test modules; 1. Acknowledges that relationships are central to the building of the school • Earn an industry-recognized credential or credentials that equal 12 points; community • Complete a workplace experience totaling 250 hours with evidence of 2. Must establish policies and procedures in a way that strengthens relation- positive evaluations. ships 3. Focuses on harms done rather than rules broken Page 5 Middle School Learners Today - Leaders Tomorrow

Mabel Schnee Building (330) 325-9956 • Robert Campbell - Principal Welcome Back PTO News The middle school staff welcomed back nearly By Rebecca Schaffer 300 students during the last week of August to begin the 2017-2018 school year. The students Welcome back! We hope everyone had a great summer! We are now and staff alike are excited and ready for the new looking for parents to step into roles as officers as well as new mem- school year! Along with some of our students bers in the PTO. Plus, we always need volunteers to help with events! joining us at the middle school for the first time We put together dances, teacher appreciation, fundraisers and many this year, we also have the pleasure of welcoming other events throughout the year. Meetings are held on the 2nd Thurs- three new staff members to the building as well. day of every month at 6:30 p.m. in the middle school home ec room. Staff members who are new to the middle school Yearly dues are $5. include Mrs. Antoinette Gates - Title 1 Math, Robert Campbell Mrs. Kara Innes - 6th grade Language Arts, and The PTO also plans, Ms. Kelli Jerina - Spanish. Welcome to R-Town M.S. Principal fundraises and chaperones the and the middle school! yearly 8th grade trip. October 13-15th our 8th graders will Parent/Student Involvement be going to Washington D.C. As the 2017-2018 school year begins, I would like to take a mo- ment to encourage parents to become involved with their children’s If you have any questions academic journey. When considering the development of your child, or want to help out, contact it is important to realize the impact that you have on them. Each time Kathy Pruchenski-Galloway at 330-221-0683 or Jacqui Calvanese at you sit down with your child to help with homework, attend school 330-608-4040. Join the Rootstown Middle PTO Facebook page for functions, speak positively about school or your child’s teacher, or information, updates and events. generally convey a positive message about education, you are helping your child develop long term habits that will benefit them for life. It Rebecca Schaffer, Co President 330-968-7548 will be very helpful to your child, if throughout the year, you take time Kathy Pruchenski-Galloway, Co President 330-221-0683 to read with him or her and help with homework. It is also critical that students work hard to maintain the best attendance they can, so there are as few breaks in instruction for them as can be. Communication Starting the School Year Right! with your child’s teachers is also helpful in developing a positive aca- demic environment. Please feel free to maintain open lines of commu- Helping your child to begin the school year on nication with the teachers and staff at the school. a successful note is very important. By helping your child prepare and organize, he/she will be better able to handle whatever comes along during Industrial Technology the school year. It is equally important to make sure that your child knows they are responsible for By Jess Hluch homework, important papers, getting up and going The concept of “teaming” is stressed initially in the first 4 weeks of to sleep on time and that you are there to help industrial tech. Students are expected to work as a team in an indus- them. Parents need to reinforce the importance trial setting. A project surrounding a musical instrument is given to of doing homework, including preparing a place each group of 3 to 5 students in an attempt for them to work together at home where your student is able to sit down, Amelia Mohan to solve problems and find a solution set for the task at hand. Each complete problems or read lessons and take notes. M.S. Counselor morning, before proceeding to lab, conferencing takes place to discuss This place should be a quiet part of the house. the goals set before them. Parents should also ask about your child’s day and what they have to do for tomorrow. Please check book bags and if The basic approach to “teaming” is to orient students to an academ- necessary, lockers, often so that work and important notices do not pile ic and systematic approach of accomplishing the task at hand for any up or get buried in the bottom of things. Make use of the assignment given day. The steps required to complete a project are, but not limited books and the website to check for homework (www.rootstown.sparcc. to: org). Looking at each teacher’s assignments in the “Teacher Webpag- -Analyze the function of the project at hand and address any safety es” section of our website is great for keeping up with homework and concerns in designing the prototype information. -Design and Dimension the project If your child is “organizationally-challenged,” help them to see -Access materials and tools necessary for the project that being organized makes things easier. Post a list of -Implement and carry out machining both with hand and power what supplies will be needed tools each day as well as any weekly Students learn hand tool usage prior to power machinery usage. All assignments/upcoming tests students are trained in proper and safe operation of all tools. Our first and quizzes. Help them to sort project last year was an instrument called a thumb drum. This year out what is needed and what students will complete a one octave xylophone. Students will design, is not. Some papers will need process materials and tune the keys, then sand and apply a finish to to be saved, others will not. their project. Later in the semester students will progress to individual Trapper keepers and notebooks projects of their choice. will need to be updated weekly to keep the papers where they Some of last year’s projects were quite advanced for middle school belong and the zippers intact. students. Projects ranged from wooden bent toboggan’s to guitars, purple martin bird houses, wooden bowls, carvings of all kind, wood There have been many studies done on the effect of too little sleep burning, chairs, tables, leatherwork and jewelry making, violins, uku- for students; it affects both memory and concentration. Most stud- leles and cookie jars to name a few. ies recommend 8 to 10 hours of rest for students. Parents should be monitoring late night online activity, texting, and phone calls. If your We encourage and invite any caregivers who have children in the child is using these things instead of sleeping, they should be removed program to participate in their children’s endeavors. Tech Club this to ensure proper rest. year will introduce Lego Mindstorms robotics to our arsenal of learn- ing experiences. I hope that you and yours have an incredible school year! Page 6 Elementary School R o ve r P.R . I . D. E

Bertha Bradshaw Building (330) 325-7971 • Jeffrey Turner - Principal Dear Parents: TRUANCY HB 410: On behalf of the Rootstown Elementary School Please note the changes to the attendance procedures. staff, I would like to welcome our students and par- In conjunction with the Portage County Juvenile Court, schools may ents to the 2017-18 school year. It was great seeing refer a student to Juvenile Court once a student has met the definition of you during Open House on August 24th for grades a Habitual or Chronic truant as defined by the Ohio Revised Code. 1-5 and August 30th for kindergarten. The year promises to be filled with many opportunities for our A student is considered “habitually truant” when one of the follow- students to grow academically and socially through ing occurs: absent 30 or more consecutive hours without a legitimate varied instructional techniques and programs. It is excuse, 42 or more hours in one month without a legitimate excuse or our goal each year to plan instruction and programs 72 or more hours in one year without a legitimate excuse. A student is to meet the needs of all types of learners. Jeffrey Turner considered “excessively absent” when one of the following occurs: ab- sent 38 or more hours in one school month with or without a legitimate As we begin the year, I would like to share E.S. Principal excuse, absent 65 or more hours in one school year with or without a changes to the building and staff: legitimate excuse. We can only accept 10 notes from home. Beginning with the 11th, a doctor’s note must be presented or it will count as an • The building received new Chromebooks from our PTA. These unexcused absence. will be used on the mobile cart in the first and second grade hall- way and in fifth grade. Thank you to the PTA for their generosi- *Unexcused absences are determined by the school’s attendance policy ty! located in the student handbook. • Students will see some differences this year with state testing. Third grade will take the 3rd grade ELA test in October this year NOTIFICATION OF ABSENCE (October 24th and 25th) rather than November. The state does Parents must contact the school at 330-325-7971 by 9:00 a.m. and not require 4th graders to take the Social Studies AIR test this provide an explanation. When no contact with the school is provided, year. During the spring, third through fifth graders will take the the absence will be unexcused and the student will be considered truant. AIR ELA and Math tests. Additionally, fifth graders will take If the absence of a student appears to be questionable or excessive, the the AIR test in Science. More details will be communicated at a school staff will try to help parents improve their child’s attendance. It later time. is the responsibility of the student to obtain missed assignments. It is possible that certain kinds of schoolwork such as labs or skill-practice • New Kindergarten baseline testing procedures at the beginning sessions cannot be made up and, as a result, may impact a student’s of the year were developed to inform educational decisions for grade. If the absence is unauthorized by the principal, a student may not each child. make up the work. • There will be changes to the procedures for Principal’s Math Club this year. Details will be communicated at a later time. • Please note the new truancy laws established for schools accord- Back to School Sleep Schedules ing to HB 410 described in this letter. As we begin a new school year, we begin the Please join me in welcoming the following staff members to Roots- process of beginning our “back to school” routines. town Elementary: One of the most difficult routines to regulate is the • Ms. Heiskell - Intervention Specialist sleep schedule of our students. This is also one • Ms. Reese - Intervention Specialist of the most important routines related to student • Mrs. Dasco - Educational Aide success. Sleep helps with brain production, mem- • Mrs. Stanton - Educational Aide (coming from the HS) ory integration, and overall physical and mental • Mrs. Hunt - Educational Aide (coming from the HS) regulation. Proper sleep leads to good brain health • Mrs. Campbell - Educational Aide allowing for student success. Consequences from Danielle Ray lack of sleep include: limiting your ability to learn, Elem. Counselor • Ms. Spence - Director of Special Education for the District listen, concentrate and solve problems. It can also • Ms. Saborse - School Psychologist (MCESC) lead to aggressive or inappropriate behavior such • Ms. Pack - OT (MCESC) as yelling, impatience, crying, or sadness. The table below lists the • Ms. Irwin - PT (MCESC) recommended hours of sleep needed by age. As parents, you know While we had many changes to the building and staff, we will con- your child’s needs best and should only use this information as a guide. tinue to acknowledge students that display the various Rover PRIDE Some ways to ensure your child is receiving the proper amount of sleep behavior expectations with a PRIDE ticket. Students will be rewarded include: in the classroom and the bus for demonstrating their Rover PRIDE. • Creating nightly rituals such as a scheduled play time, time for Lastly, our monthly character trait and counselor lesson will reflect our homework, and time for bed. PRIDE theme. • Restrict all electronics, television, and heavy meals an hour before bed. I am looking forward to a great school year. Please contact me with • When creating a bedtime routine consider including activities any questions or concerns during the school year. such as bath time, reading, talking with family, or coloring. Go Rovers! When a strong bedtime routine is established, it allows for your child to perform to his or her best ability in school. Although regulat- Sincerely, ing the back to school sleep schedule is difficult, it is one that is impor- Mr. Jeffrey Turner tant to the success and happiness of students and families! Principal [email protected]

Student Handbook Reminders On the first day of school, your child received the student handbook regarding expected behavior at school. Please review the handbook with your child and sign and return the last page to your child’s teacher. As we are experiencing warmer weather this time of the year, please make sure your child is following the dress code policy. Thank you for your assistance in this matter. Page 7 Athletics Keith Waesch - Athletic Director, (330) 325-2006 P.T.C. Landscape has Changed in 2017-18 The Portage Trail Conference begins its 13th year of existence with the start of the 2017-18 school year. The P.T.C., which formed in 2005-06 with the addition of six schools (Coventry, East Canton, Kent Roosevelt, Norton, Ravenna & Springfield) to the former Portage County League, has undergone several changes over the past decade. This fall, the P.T.C. landscape has changed once Keith Waesch again. Follow Rover Athletics on Twitter Athletic Director Long time P.C.L. & P.T.C. member Waterloo has Rootstown athletic director Keith Waesch has established a Twitter departed and joined the new Mahoning Valley Ath- account to keep Rover fans updated on upcoming events and game letic Conference, while Valley Christian (Youngstown) joins the P.T.C. scores involving our middle and high school teams. Here is a breakdown of how the P.T.C. looks this fall: County You can receive daily tweets by following us @roverathletics, the Division – Crestwood, Garfield, Lake Center Christian, Mogadore, official Twitter home of Rootstown athletics. Rootstown, Southeast and Valley Christian; Metro Division – Clover- Those who don’t have a Twitter account, can still receive updates leaf, Coventry, Field, Norton, Ravenna, Springfield, Streetsboro and via text message. Simply send a text to 40404. In the body of the text, Woodridge. type follow @roverathletics. The divisions are formed based on enrollment numbers. The biggest schools in the P.T.C. compete in the Metro Division, while the smaller schools are in the County Division. Homecoming Game set for Oct. 13 The middle school divisions match the high school alignment. The annual Homecoming football game has been scheduled for Friday, Oct. 13, vs. Crestwood High School. Rovers are Runner-up in All-Sports Trophy Race Homecoming festivities will begin at approximately 6:20 p.m. with For the first time in nearly 20 years, the All-Sports Trophy was kickoff at 7 p.m. handed out following the 2016-17 school year. The Homecoming dance will be held in the high school gym on The trophy was awarded to the school with the highest number Saturday, Oct. 14. points earned in both the P.T.C.’s County and Metro Divisions. Points are earned based on a school’s finish in each sport in which at least five schools in the division field a program. Booster Club Meetings Set Rootstown, which won four championships (boys cross country, The Rootstown Sports Booster Club regularly meets on the first golf, wrestling and baseball) a year ago – the most ever in one school Sunday of each month in the high school cafeteria at 7 p.m. All Roots- year, finished second overall in the race for the County Division town residents are welcome to attend. All-Sports Trophy. The Rovers totaled 61½ points, 8½ points behind For more information on the booster club and its meetings, contact champion Crestwood High School (70 points). Here are the remaining athletic director Keith Waesch at 330-325-2006. County Division schools and their total points: Southeast (59½ points), Garfield (58), Mogadore (49), Lake Center Christian (33) and Waterloo (33). Rover Sports Schedules on Internet Woodridge won the Metro’s Division’s All-Sports Trophy. Rootstown high and middle school sports schedules are available on The Rovers hope to improve one spot in the standings and win the the Internet. Schedules can be accessed by logging on to www.sched- trophy during the 2017-18 school year. ulestar.com and then searching under Rootstown High School. The schedules are as up-to-date as those in the athletic office. Rover Spring Sports Scholar-Athletes Schedules are subject to change. The following spring sports participants earned scholar-athlete status during the 2016-17 school year. A student-athlete becomes a scholar-athlete by earning a varsity letter and a 3.4 grade-point average Reverse Raffle Set for April 7 or higher during the season. The annual Rover Reverse Raffle/Silent Auction/Vegas Night is scheduled for Saturday, April 7th at the Immaculate Conception Hall in Ravenna. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with dinner served at 6 p.m. The GIRLS TRACK: grand prize is $1,500. Audrey Burns, Emma Burns, Mira Clavecilla, Molly Green, Emily Tickets, which will be available in February, are $50 per person and Drago, Tricia Fowler, Jenna Atkinson, Ashley Coffman, Lauren Hou- include dinner, beverages and a shot at the grand prize. Tickets without sley, Abigail Longstreth, Savannah Munger, Jeanette Noveron, Alyssa a meal are $30 per person. Proceeds from the event benefit Rootstown Reinagle & Debbie Vogt athletic teams. BOYS TRACK: For more information, contact Rootstown athletic director Keith Dominic DeSalvo, C.C. Hluch, Connor McHugh, Brandon Rhodes, Waesch at 330-325-2006. Kyle Borbely, Sam Di Tirro, Matteo Serao, Ryan Boyle, Alex Stein- lechner, Josh Vogt, Brian Waligura, Roger Williams, Zachary King, Gavin Schlaubach & John Zingale SOFTBALL: Sam Galambos, Holly Gordon, Paige Knoch, Kyleigh Slagle, Abigail Go Rovers! Riley, Nicole Bobbs & Hannah Dougherty BASEBALL: Brandon Tasker, Brad Trescott, Matt McGrath & Ben Shank Page 8 Around the Campus Take some time to get to know all the new faces around campus this year. We have new staff in each of the buildings and hope these pages allow you to learn some interesting things about them. Let’s hear what they had to say about them- selves…

In the District - Meet Ms. Spence (Director of Special Education) My name is Marcy Gillcrist-Spence and I have the good fortune to be Rootstown’s new special education director. I’m originally from the Washington, DC area where I earned my undergraduate degree in speech and hearing scienc- es at Towson State University. Following this, I completed my master’s degree at George Washington University in speech-language pathology. I spent the bulk of my career as a speech-language pathologist, and, more recently, a tran- sition coordinator for Beachwood City Schools. During the same time period, I owned and operated a private practice specializing in pediatric language learning disorders in Shaker Heights, Ohio. Several years ago, my passion for student success led me to pursue post-graduate work in educational administration. I obtained my pupil services administration license from Cleveland State University. Completion of this licensure led me to accept a position as a special education director at Trimble Local Schools in southeast Ohio where I was employed before coming to Rootstown. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my two grown children, reading, volunteer- ing and hunting down flea market finds! I am honored, excited and proud to have become a Rover and look forward to working with an excellent and dedicated staff!

At the Elementary - Meet Ms. Gearhart My name is Alexis Gearhart, and I am a recent graduate of The University of Akron with a degree in Early Child- hood Education. Throughout college, I worked as a Kindergarten-8th grade math tutor at Redeemer Christian School in Cuyahoga Falls. This was an amazing opportunity for me, as it allowed me to share the love of math with my students. The past year and a half I’ve been student teaching and subbing at Rootstown Elementary and love it here. I am excited about teaching 4th grade math and social studies this year and instilling the love of learning in my students. When I am not at school, I enjoy running, working out, cooking, and spending time with my friends, family, and dogs. We are going to have a fantastic year!

At the Elementary - Meet Ms. Reese My name is Jen Reese and I have been teaching special education high school students for the past 20 years. I also hold an administrators license and was an assistant principal for 2 years. I received my credentials from Kent State University and Ursuline College.

Prior to coming to Rootstown, I gained a great deal of experience in providing transition services and assessing stu- dents while working at Auburn Career Center in Lake County. I also taught a developmentally handicap classroom for 4 years at Cardinal High School in Middlefield. One of my greatest accomplishments in my career has been being award- ed Teacher of the Year in Community Service for organizing the logistics of a community wide fundraiser. I am looking forward to bringing my experience and knowledge to Rootstown as an intervention specialist. Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with my 2 boys (Troy -13 and Mitchell -16) and being a Kenston Bomber football mom.

At the Elementary - Meet Ms. Heiskell

Hello! My name is Aubrey Heiskell and I am a graduate of Slippery Rock University with a dual-certification in Early Childhood and Special Education. While at SRU, I also completed a minor in Elementary Mathematics and began work towards my master’s degree in Reading. Before coming to Rootstown, I student taught in Kindergarten, Learning Sup- port (4th-6th grade) and in Dublin, Ireland. I also completed a long-term substitute position for a 5th grade Intervention Specialist in Aurora this past spring. I was born and raised in Aurora. Outside of teaching, I also enjoy reading, traveling, playing/watching sports, and spending time with my friends and family. This will be my 1st year teaching and I am excited to begin my career at Rootstown! Page 9 Around the Campus At the Middle School - Meet Mrs. Gates

My name is Toni Gates and I am excited to be the new Title 1 math teacher at Rootstown Middle School! After ob- taining my bachelor’s degree in Middle Childhood Education from Baldwin-Wallace College I moved to Florida where I taught for eight years. In 2015 I earned my master’s degree in Educational Leadership from the University of North Florida. My husband and I welcomed twin boys in the fall of 2015, and in 2016 made the move back to Ohio. During the past year I was a home instructor for Field Local Schools. I am excited to get back in the classroom and impact student learning through small group instruction!

At the Middle School - Meet Mrs. Innes

My name is Kara Innes and this will be my sixth year of teaching. I received a bachelor’s degree in Middle Child- hood Education from Walsh University and I have recently graduated with a master’s degree from the University of Bridgeport in Elementary Education. I began my teaching career at Rootstown where I spent the first year as theTitle I mathematics teacher and the second year as a fourth grade teacher. I have spent the past three years teaching fifth grade in Stamford, Connecticut and am thrilled to be back at Rootstown. When I’m not planning awesome lessons for my stu- dents, I enjoy playing tennis, reading, and spending time with my family. I am looking forward to the upcoming school year and I am excited to be a Rover once again!

At the High School - Meet Ms. Jerina ¡Hola! My name is Kelli Jerina and I’m a graduate of both The Ohio State University and, most recently, Youngs- town State University where I obtained my Spanish teaching credentials. In addition to Spanish, I also teach English to students from China, South Korea, Japan, and Thailand. From working with a diverse group of students and travelling to Mexico and Spain, I’ve gained an enhanced appreciation and understanding of our multi-cultural world. I can’t wait to share my adventures with the Rootstown Rovers!

At the High School - Meet Mr. Morris My name is Chris Morris. I attended Cleveland State University and graduated with a double major in History and Social Studies. The 2017-2018 school year will be my first year teaching. Prior to completing my bachelor’s degree and obtaining my teaching license, I worked for ten years in several different industries including personal banking, retail, shipping and receiving, and driving a delivery truck. I am passionate about history and helping people. Outside of school, my interests include soccer, baseball, hiking, science fiction, and aviation. In education, I have found a reward- ing, enriching profession and look forward to a successful first year at Rootstown High School! Page 10 Around Rootstown Rootstown Township By Trustee Joe Paulus Trustees Joe Paulus, David McIntyre, and Linda Hankins The Rootstown Board of Trustees meets the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at 5:30 p.m. in the Town Hall. The township website is www.rootstowntwp.com.

The Township Road Crew welcomes new hire Devin Shipp to the team. Devin has been a part-time employee working with the Road Crew as part of a Portage County summer work program. He is a recent graduate of Rootstown Schools and fits in well with the other three on the Road Crew. All of our members of the Road Crew are Rootstown residents and so they have a vested interest and take great pride to be sure that the roads you drive on and the roads they drive on are the best product they can provide. We now have two small crews that can be safer and more efficient with the tasks they need to accomplish versus having all three together or one single crew member working alone.

The Community Park work finally started this summer and is ongoing with leveling part of the 35-acre open area. We hope to have grass growing by next spring, but not sure how mature it will be to have activities on it. The township is slowly working on the park development as funds allow.

Dunkin’ Donuts has been working on their building all summer and should be open by the time you read this. They are a welcome addition to Rootstown, as is any business. What many people are unaware about townships is that a 75/25 residential/commercial split is a healthy ratio. Rootstown is currently at that 75/25 ratio. Once a township gets a higher residential ratio than that, it can begin having problems providing services as residences generate a lower rate of taxes than businesses. Some townships with very large businesses have very low or no property taxes. There is no word on the status of the Comfort Inn hotel that plans to build behind Cracker Barrel. Building plans have all been approved by the township.

Election Day will be very soon and two Trustee seats will be up for election. The Trustee position is not to be taken lightly and is no place for personal agendas. Each Trustee should support the township and its three departments: Fire, Roads, and Zoning. Contact those running and ask them about their ideas, plans and reasons for running for the position. If you don’t get a response, consider that when casting your ballot.

Rootstown Lions Club By Terri Haddad The Rootstown Lions Club is a group of Rootstown Citizens that are dedicated to serving the Community of Rootstown all throughout the year through a variety of Community Projects. Our Club was chartered on February 20, 1957. Our Club motto is “We Serve.” Are you or some- one you know looking for a way to get involved and give back to the Rootstown Community? We invite you to visit one of our meetings to learn more about our club and how we serve the Rootstown Community. Thank you to everyone that supported our Club by purchasing food from our booth at the Randolph Fair. All profits from our fund raising events are placed back into the Rootstown Community through various donations and community events. 2018 Calendar Fundraiser: This fundraiser has gone to the dogs! Our club will be selling 2018 calendars that will feature Rootstown Fur Babies. There will be a feature Fur Baby each month. Calendars will go on sale October 15, 2017.

Do you have a Reflective Address Sign? The purpose of a Reflective Address Sign is to help Police, Fire and your mail carrier locate your address. For more information, contact Lion Jeff Pickens at [email protected].

*Be sure to watch our Facebook page for information about our Christmas Tree Sales. *

“Like Us” on Facebook so that you can stay abreast of the many ways we are serving the Rootstown Community all year long through vari- ous donations and community events.

Rootstown Chamber of Commerce By Denese Schneckenburger, President Business and Community EXPO Saturday, October 28th (10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.) at The NEW Center at NEOMED Plan to attend this annual community favorite event hosted by the Rootstown Area Chamber of Commerce. This is a grand showcase of local small businesses with lots to offer our community. Returning this year for the adults is the ever-popular Chinese Auction and raffle ticket sales will benefit the Chamber Scholarship Fund. For the children, we will have trick-or-treating and an expanded Touch-A-Truck event. For more information, visit the chamber website at www.rootstownchamber.org. For sponsorship and table registration information, email secretary@ rootstownchamber.org.

Santa Comes to R-Town Saturday, December 9th (5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.) at Rootstown Elementary School Santa will greet area children at this fun-filled evening. Stop in for cookies, hot chocolate, carols and music. Santa will spend time visiting with the children to hear of their wishes for this holiday season. Bring your camera! This is a free event and everyone is welcome. Come celebrate the season with the Rootstown Area Chamber of Commerce. Page 11 2017/2018 School Calendar August December May 25,28 All Certified Staff in-service 8 Interims Distributed 4 Interims Distributed 29 First Student Day 22-29 Winter Break - No School 28 Memorial Day - No School

September January June 4 Labor Day - No School 1-2 Winter Break - No School 1 Last day for Students 22 Staff Prof. Dev. Day - No 15 MLK Day - No School 3 Graduation - Seniors School 19 1st Semester Ends 4 Staff In-service 29 Interims Distributed 22 2nd Semester Begins

October February 12 Parent/Teacher Conf. - HS/MS 15 Parent/Teacher Conf. - HS/MS Calamity Days begin on June 4, 2018 13 NEOEA Day - No School 15 Interims Distributed 17 Parent/Teacher Conf. - HS/MS 16 Staff Prof. Dev.Day - No 19 Parent/Teacher Conf. - Elem School 24 Parent/Teacher Conf. - Elem 19 President’s day - No School 22 Parent/Teacher Conf. - Elem November 3 1st Grading Period Ends March 22-24 Thanksgiving Break - 26-30 Spring Break - No School No School 23 3rd Grading Period Ends

The regular Board of Education School District Personnel meetings are held every month Superintendent...... Mr. Andrew Hawkins ...... 330-325-9911 at 6:00 p.m. Please visit our Treasurer...... Ms. Connie Baldwin ...... 330-325-9911 district website at Assistant Superintendent...... Dr. Terri Hrina-Treharn ...... 330-325-2014 www.rootstown.sparcc.org for Director of Special Education...... Ms. Marcy Spence ...... 330-325-4144 the specific dates. The public Elementary Principal...... Mr. Jeff Turner ...... 330-325-7971 is cordially invited to attend all Middle School Principal...... Mr. Robert Campbell ...... 330-325-9956 meetings. High School Principal...... Mr. James Conley ...... 330-325-7911 Director of Business Affairs/Trans...... Mr. Matt Collins ...... 330-325-0189 Note: Date may occasionally Director of Food Services...... Mrs. Peggy Shewell ...... 330-325-4139 change due to inclement weather Board of Education President...... Mr. Jay Kelsey ...... 330-221-5369 or holidays. Board of Education Vice President...... Mr. Norm Reynolds ...... 330-297-0431 Board of Education Leg. Liaison...... Mr. Norm Reynolds ...... 330-297-0431 The monthly board agenda and Board of Education Student Liaison...... Mrs. Stephanie Langguth ...... 330-297-9217 minutes can be found on the Board of Education Member...... Mr. Tom Siciliano ...... 330-325-2176 district website at Board of Education Member...... Mrs. Amanda Waesch ...... 330-351-1945 www.rootstown.sparcc.org.

Other Numbers of Interest Rootstown Schools, in US Senator Rob Portman...... 202-222-3353 collaboration with the US Senator Sherrod Brown...... 202-224-2315 community, will provide a US Representative Jim Renacci...... 330-630-7311 quality education in a safe Governor John Kasich...... 614-466-3555 environment for students to State Senator John Eklund...... 614-644-7718 become productive, State Representative Kathleen Clyde...... 614-466-2004 Ohio Department of Education...... 877-644-6338 lifelong learners. Page 12 The Standard Is Excellence

Home he of t rs Rootstown Local School District’s Rove Quality Profile

Great things are happening in Rootstown classrooms each day, most of which cannot be measured on a standardized test administered on just a few days of the year. Since the target benchmark set by the state keeps changing and the report card only reflects where we failed to meet the new standard, it does not demonstrate the progress made toward it. There is a story behind each piece of data that will be presented in this report. We hope that it will enhance your understanding of the true educational growth happening in the Rootstown School System.

(Artwork courtesy of Mark Frazier)

Ohio Schools: Hey, look! They’re trying so hard but can’t reach the finish line. Ohio Ed: That’s because it keeps moving!

The state report card only includes letter grades for six key components (K-3 Literacy, Progress, Achievement, Gap Closing, Graduation Rate and Prepared for Success) and does not showcase the success being made in the schools. Therefore, this profile includes five additional compo- nents that provide a more complete picture of what’s happening in R-Town:

►► Student Participation and Involvement ►► Staff Participation ►► Local Academic Progress ►► Athletic and Academic Scholarships ►► Community Outreach State Report Card Page 13 State Report Card continued

Student Participation and Involvement - Student participation is defined as extracurricular and/or athletic activities, apart from academic or curricular, but essential for the well-rounded development of students. The Rootstown Local School District sponsors or supports these and applauds our students for their efforts. Studies have shown that participation in extracurricular and/or athletic activities: • Directly impacts academic performance • May improve grade and grade point averages • Leads to higher standardized test scores • Promotes important life skills including teamwork, leadership, time management, problem-solving, and communications skills • Enhances positive feelings of self-worth • Strengthens the social and emotional connection to the community • Decreases the likelihood of drug or alcohol abuse/related behavioral problems • May assist students in developing skills specific to their career path/employment success K-12 Extracurricular Offerings Rootstown Local Schools is proud to offer a wide-range of extracurricular activities to its student body that meet their diverse interests and goals within the following categories: academic, community service, cultural, political/government, and special interest. A few examples include Quiz Bowl, Art Club, and Fit Club. A total of 692 students participated in extracurricular activities. Athletics Rootstown High School offers 18 total varsity sports, with 9 sports for boys and 9 sports for girls. Rootstown Middle School offers 10 sport options, with 5 sports for boys and 5 sports for girls. We had a total of 20 qualified, board approved athletic volunteer staff. There were 521 total students (7-12) who participated in one or more sports. Rootstown participates in the Portage Trail Conference, which is comprised of 15 area public schools. The Rootstown Athletic program also works closely with the local youth and community sports programs in Rootstown and surrounding communities by hosting skills camps and tournaments.

Local Academic Progress - The state report card only captures and reports what a child does on a few days at specific points in time. In addition to state testing, Rootstown Local School District chooses to use multiple assessments at regular intervals throughout the school year. These are used to monitor student progress, guide teacher instruction, highlight student needs and successes, and provide communication to parents about their child’s progress. STAR ASSESSMENTS We employ Renaissance STAR Assessments for grades K-8. All reports from STAR Early Literacy, STAR Reading, and STAR Math indicate student growth from where students started at the beginning of the school year to where they finished at the end of the school year. ACCELERATED READER Accelerated Reader is another instrument utilized through Renaissance. During the 2016-2017 school year our students at the elementary school read 134,261,535 words!!! PRINCIPAL’S MATH CLUB Elementary students in grades two through five have the opportunity to qualify for the Principal’s Math Club or Principal’s Super Math Club. Requirements are set according to a scale. Second graders must master 78 out of 100 facts while fifth graders must master 98 out of 100 facts. Principal’s Math Club requires students to complete the timed test in 5 minutes. The Super Math Club requirement is 3 minutes. Ninety-seven (97) students mastered requirements for the Principal Math Club and 86 students achieved Super Math Club membership. HONOR ROLL/MERIT ROLL Page 14 The chart on the right illustrates the number of students who made Honor and Mer- it Rolls each grading period. Please note the numbers may include the same students if they obtained that status in more than one grading period. Staff Participation Above and Beyond - Many Rootstown teachers and staff go above and beyond their required duties to promote student success. By taking the opportunity to contribute above the scope of the classroom and school day, their in- fluence goes further than what we see in the day-to-day interactions within the school walls. Some contributions include: ►► Clubs • Philosophy • Technology • Pep/Blue Crew ►► Rover Round Table - A student initiated group which included faculty and stu- dents. The purpose is to give all students an opportunity to share their voice and make positive improvements to the school environment. ►► Clothing Closet - An area where donations of new or gently used clothing items are organized. Students have access to the closet by setting an appointment with a faculty member. Students can select garments free of charge. ►► Book Swap - This activity (supported by staff donations and PTA) takes place at the end of the school year in order to provide all students with a set of new or gently used books to begin their summer vacation. Books are leveled in order to meet individual reading needs. ►► Professional Learning Communities/Book Clubs - Groups of faculty meet on a regular basis to read and explore books which foster profes- sional growth in areas such as leadership, empowerment and mindsets. ►► Membership in professional organizations such as the National Music Association, National Council of Social Studies Educators, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, etc. ►► The AT&T classroom at Kent State University has been a partnership between Rootstown Elementary and Kent State for multiple years now. Four classrooms (nearly 100 students) participated in a four week program in the AT&T classroom housed at Kent State University (4 days per week for 3-4 hours). This innovative site provided teachers and students the opportunity to learn with and through multiple forms of technology at no cost to the school district. Students had 1:1 access to digital ewriters, laptops, iPads, and Android tablets. They also had access to a technology expert, 3D printers, a SMART Board, a document camera and more! Using cutting-edge tools, students generated projects that enhanced units of study based on Ohio’s New Learning Standards. The Cardboard Challenge was a new problem solving event this year. The entire district participated in this creative endeavor. Teams con- sisted of students from each of the three buildings. This event gave students the opportunity to create, collaborate and lead. Faculty and staff assisted in both the pre- and post-event tasks. Athletic and Academic Scholarships - District and student success can also be measured by examining achievements marked by both academic and athletic scholarships. The total amount of scholarships awarded through Rootstown community was $17,500. Mark Klima Scholarship Rootstown Lions Club Scholarship Gabbi Ravine Scholarship Rootstown Chamber of Commerce Scholarship Katie Iarussi Scholarship Life Share Scholarship Ryan Streem Scholarship Class of 2016 Scholarship Chris Wawrin Scholarship Portage Community Bank Scholarship Jeff Buskey Scholarship 7UP Scholarship Bailey Simons Scholarship Class of 1969 Scholarship Rootstown Alumni Scholarship After High School: Students in Class of 2017 = 93 Page 15 Community Outreach - The students and staff of Rootstown believe in the spirit of helping each other and members of the community by donating and participating in various service projects.

The Rootstown Local School District is also fortunate to exist in a community that cares deeply about providing for the needs of our students and families.

Ways the Community Meets the Needs of Our Schools Our students and staff are very grateful to have benefitted from the many contributions made by these and other organizations, as well as indi- viduals who may not have been included in this profile. Page 16 Rootstown Local Schools Non-Profit Org. Rootstown, Ohio 44272 U.S. Postage PAID Canton, OH Permit #207

The Rootstown Communicator Highlights