Rootstown Communicator Highlights

Page 1 The Standard Is Excellence

Home he all of t The F s Rover Rootstown 2018 Communicator Rootstown Local Schools • 4140 State Route 44 • Rootstown, Ohio 44272 • (330) 325-9911 News From Around the District 10 Under 15 Awards By Terri Hrina-Treharn The Boo Squad is a group for children ages 3-10 with a goal to actively volunteer and educate other kids within their local communities about being compassionate and understanding of others’ differences. Hosted by the Boo Squad, the 10 Under 15 Awards recognize children under the age of 15 that are champions in their community or have a vision to make an impact in their community. There are two categories for the awards: The Community Champion Award which recognizes children who currently volunteer in their community and are making a difference; and The Visionary Award that recognizes children who have a vision of how they want to make a difference in their community. After having received applications from children spanning 4 counties (Mahoning, Columbiana, Portage and Trumbull), I can proudly report our district had two of the ten finalists!!! These students are Autumn Riemenschneider and Hannah Hindel. They will both be honored with the other finalists at the Boo Squad’s 10 Under 15 Event at The Embas- sy in Struthers on October 24, 2018. One winner from each category will be selected. The winner of The Community Champion Award will receive a monetary donation toward the cause of their choice. The Vi- sionary Award recipient’s vision will be the Boo Squad’s next mission, From left to right: Mrs. Ray, Autumn Riemenschneider, in which the winning child will get to be The Ambassador. We are so Hannah Hindel, and Mrs. Burrell proud of Autumn and Hannah and wish them the best of luck!

Superintendent’s Message Welcome to the 2018-19 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 the Rootstown 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 Superintendent The Rootstown Local School District will be asking the community to approve a ballot initiative, Issue #9, on November 6th to address the district’s facilities. The proposal is to build one new building, which will house all students from pre- school to grade 12, on the school’s current site. The new school building will provide a safe 21st century, student-centered learning environment that will be ADA compliant. The project will also include improvements to our athletic facilities. Furthermore, 42% of the project cost will be funded by the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission. 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 My Property Value Went Up. What Does That Mean For The School Bond Levy? I remember sitting in an Ohio Treasurers’ Meeting on March 9, 2009, watching my phone as the stock market hit bottom, losing 54% of its value since October 2007. It was my son’s 18th birth- day, and I wondered how much worse the economy could get and how that would affect his future. During that professional meeting, Mike Sobul of the Ohio Dept. of Taxation estimated it would be the year 2018 before the real estate market began its full recovery. That seemed like a very long time to wait. My son would turn 27 before the market recovered. Here we are today, and homeowners have likely received new property valuation information from the Portage County Auditor. These property reappraisals take place every 6 years, with an up- date every 3 years. While residential values in Portage County are on the rise, some communities are still losing value. East Cleveland declined this year on average by 25%, meaning homeowners Connie Baldwin could remain underwater in their mortgages and struggle to sell their homes. As you see in the Treasurer chart, homeowners in Rootstown lost equity in their homes by more than 10% during the recession. However, with continued growth in the economy and real estate sales around the county, home values are finally returning to pre-recession figures. Farm values are changing as well. With the recent passage of HB49, the upward pressure on agricultural property values reverses. The CAUV portion of Ag values is required by law to be reduced by 12% this year. So, what does all this mean for the upcoming Rootstown Schools bond issue? By law, the County Auditor will charge a millage rate that brings in enough taxes to make the bond payments. The millage rate is based upon the total annual bond payment due, and the total property value within the school district. The millage used on the ballot request is an estimate of the taxes needed, based upon tax values for 2017. The County Auditor estimated that a tax rate of 7.32 mills, which costs a homeowner of a $100,000 home $21.35 per month, would be sufficient to make the bond payments. An increase in tax values will allow the Auditor to lower the tax rate for the bonds, since the total value of property will have increased. The result is that homeowners will still pay the same dollar amount as estimated for the bond issue even though their home value may have increased. Because the annual bond payment is a fixed dollar amount, no additional funds will be collected beyond what has been voted on to pay the principal and interest on the loan. Here is an example: The district has tried to alleviate some of the burden on homeowners and seniors by asking for a 0.25% school district earned income tax to fund part of the school construction project. This tax only applies to wages earned and does not tax retirement income or pensions. Without the earned income tax, the bond levy would have needed to be much higher. In summary, the increase in home values, because of the reappraisal, will not increase taxes residents will pay for the bond issue. Since the bond tax rate was based upon the estimated bond payment amount, as property values increase, the tax rate will decrease. The table above pro- vides an example of the way the tax rate will adjust so taxpayers pay the same tax payment. If you have any questions or would like more detail, please do not hesitate to call my office at 330-325-9911. Connie Baldwin Treasurer Assistant Superintendent’s Message Terri Hrina-Treharn - Assistant Superintendent, (330)325-2014 CHANGES in Graduation Requirements Earning a High School diploma for the Classes of 2019 and beyond will not look at the same. In addition to the course requirements, students must meet at least one of the three pathways below. 1. Ohio’s State Tests – Students must earn at least 18 points from taking seven end-of-course tests. For our students, these include: Integrated Math I, Integrated Math II, English I, English II, American History, Ameri- can Government, and Biology. For each of these tests, students can earn up to five points. There are minimum requirements that exist in getting to a cumulative total of 18 points. Students must score a minimum of four points from the two math tests, four from the two English tests and six between the three science and social studies tests. These minimums only give them a total of 14 points. Therefore, students must earn an additional four points on any of the above listed tests. For example, they can score a total of five points on the math tests, seven points on the English tests and six between science and social studies in order to reach a grand total of 18 points. Terri Hrina-Treharn Assistant 2. Industry Credential and Workforce Readiness - Students choosing this pathway must earn a minimum of 12 points by Superintendent receiving a State Board of Education-approved, industry-recognized credential or group of credentials in a single career field and earn the required score on WorkKeys, a work-readiness test. The state of Ohio will pay one time for students to take the WorkKeys test. 3. College and Career Readiness Tests – Students on this path need to score a remediation-free score in mathematics and English on the ACT or SAT. For more information on the graduation requirements, please go to http://education.ohio.gov/ and search “graduation requirements.” In order to better explain these changes and answer questions parents may have, we will be holding a Graduation meeting for all parents who have students in the high school this year. We encourage all parents of high school students to attend as they begin taking these tests their fresh- man year. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 18th at 6:00 p.m. in the High School Cafeteria. Instagram We are now on Instagram! Follow us at “Rovers_District.” The goal is to post positive messages/quotes for students as well as pictures from around the district. Of course, if you are not already following us on Facebook (Rootstown Local Schools) and Twitter (@Rovers_District), please do so as well. Title I Programs According to Parents Right- to-Know (NCLB, 1111), you have the right as a parent to request information regarding the professional qualifica- tions 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 The Rootstown special services department would like to welcome all of our students and families back from summer vacation to the start of another exciting and productive school year! We hope your summer break was filled with warm weather activities, relaxing times with family, friends, and many special memories. As the summer winds down and the anticipation of school builds, we would like to take this opportunity to look back on some of our district’s accomplishments, introduce exciting, new initiatives and offer some general tips and resources for a successful transition period back to school. During the fall 2017 and winter 2018 Communicator publications, we detailed the district’s dedication to examining the critical issue of Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) or, in other words, where a special education student’s educational needs are best served. During our study, we answered some guiding questions, an essential one being – what changes in the classroom should be implemented in order to meet the diverse instructional needs of both our general and special education students? The information we gleaned, in conjunction with refined implementation of data driven multi-tiered levels of instructional support (Response to Intervention), resulted in some exciting changes for the upcoming year. Among others, these changes include, restructuring our delivery of specialized instruction, providing more opportunities for intervention Marcy Spence specialists to effectively collaborate with grade level teams and, as appropriate, increasing general education classroom time Director of Special for identified students. A side benefit that we hope to realize is a decrease in the number of special education testing referrals Education - all outcomes that our district will be proud to count as accomplished! Looking forward, another school year brings additional opportunities for stretching the district’s growth mindset! This coming year, one of our targets will focus on improving Rootstown’s post-secondary outcomes for disabled students, an area called Secondary Transition and Work- force Development. In Ohio, students with disabilities ages 14 and up (or younger, if appropriate), formally enter into the secondary transition planning process. A truly successful transition process is the result of comprehensive planning that is assessed and driven by the student’s pref- erences, interests, needs, and strengths. Comprehensive planning moves students toward successful future outcomes in competitive, integrated employment, education, and independent living. To that end, last May, the special services department had the opportunity to collaborate with our curriculum and instruction department in order to obtain monies from an Ohio Department of Education Transition grant. In this grant proposal, we requested funds to facilitate additional access and instruction to research-based transition assessments and specific skill building and intervention activities in the areas of college and career readiness. We also earmarked some of the funds to support rigorous academic college/career-ready instruction by assuring that all of Rootstown’s intervention specialists were successful in obtaining highly qualified instructional status. Over the summer, Rootstown was fortunate to be awarded these funds! With these funds, we purchased assessment and instruction credits from the Conover Online Company. During the upcoming school year, the district will pilot this program with a small number of middle and high school students. We plan to identify their areas of greatest transition needs and deliver targeted skill intervention to develop the skills necessary for personal and professional success in a global workplace environment. Further, in the area of Transition, our district, in recognizing the importance of college and/or career readiness, acknowledged the need for a transition intervention specialist to assist with the assessment, instruction and documentation of transition needs and plans and reassigned one of our interventionists for such duty. This individual will work with all of our identified students, again, age 14 and up, to explore/plan college and career opportunities in the areas of post-secondary education and training, competitive and integrated employment and independent living. Finally, rounding out our newly structured transition program is a partnership with the Mahoning County Educational Service Center, which will allow the district to utilize a career counselor’s support and expertise as we assist our special education students in their transition planning. Finally, getting back in the grove of school can be difficult for any aged student. The Ohio Department of Education offers tools, tips and resources for many common and, not-so-typical challenges that parents face during this time of year. Suggestions on the website target every grade/age level from birth through college. The following link will take you the Family Learning Tips and Tools page on ODE’s website which will then direct you to additional grade level links: http://education.ohio. gov/Topics/Other-Resources/Family-and-Community-Engagement/ Getting-Involved-with-your-Child-s-Learning/Your-4th-to-5th-Grader/ Family-Learning-Tips-and-Tools If you have questions about any of our initiatives or any special education topic, please give our department a call at the above number. 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

Congratulations to Rootstown Local School District employee, Matt Collins, for being named Rootstown Lions Club Citizen of the Year. Page 4 High School A3: Academics... Arts... Athletics Ward Davis Building (330) 325-7911 • James Conley - Principal Rootstown High Receives a New Look Love and Logic for Parents of Teenagers Rootstown High School staff have been dis- By Kathy Sandberg cussing ways in which to spruce up our school. As I was driving home from dropping off our There was a committee formed last year trying to youngest daughter for her sophomore year in find ways to make our hallways brighter and more college, I was thinking about how we as parents positive. With some coats of paint and volunteered prepare our children for the new school year. We time the committee was able to paint two murals in take great pains in making sure they have their the Science hallway. The committee also wanted school supplies, schedules, parking passes, back- to help with supporting our Positive Behavior pack, sharpened pencils, the right size binder, the Interventions and Supports mantra of Rovers are... James Conley first day of school outfit, a cleaned up haircut, and Kathy Sandberg Responsible, Respectful, Role Models. I would H.S. Principal the list goes on and on. All of the little details help H.S. Counselor personally like to thank Sarah Eaton, Emily Ny- create a positive beginning each school year. As sczy, and Ashley Gerez for volunteering their time a parent, it is important to guide your child to take ownership of the in the summer to complete these tasks. The committee has more plans details of their lives, for when they leave home for college or a career to reinvigorate other areas of the school and those will come through- they must be able to handle these things on their own. Hovering or out the school year. drilling teens won’t prepare them for the real world because they learn responsibility like they learn everything else--through practice. High school is a training ground like none other. It is a time of understanding self, a time to explore new things, a time to fail and a time to succeed. The most important thing you can do with your teen is show unconditional love. This doesn’t mean letting them walk all over you without logical consequences. It does mean “loving them through it” and giving them the time and patience to grow into successful young adults. On September 26th at 7:00 p.m., I will be leading a discussion on Parenting with Love and Logic as part of our “Coffee with the Counse- lor” series. Please consider joining me for this informative evening as we work together to assist our teenagers. The Love and Logic Parent- ing series was developed by Jim and Charles Fay. They believe that when you parent with love and logic, it’s a win-win situation. You win because love and logic takes the stress out of parenting as you effectively guide your teens without resorting to anger, threats, and power struggles. Your teen wins because they learn responsibility and the logic of life by solving their own problems and developing the tools they need to thrive in the real world. There is no greater joy than being a parent. Please consider joining me on September 26th to discuss topics such as curfews, dating, peer pressure, back talk, entitlement, and even the telephone. We will go over why empathy plus consequences equal success and how love and logic can lead to a lifelong positive relationship with your child.

Rover Media In an effort to stay better connected to our parents and students we have created an Instagram, Twitter (@Rtown_Rovers), and a Root- *September 16 and October 6: ACT Bootcamp--$25, both sessions are stown High School Facebook page. Now, with the addition of our required --please contact Mrs. Sandberg at 330-325-7911, Rover Media class, we will be creating a YouTube Channel that will extension 1012 for additional information, 1:00-4:00 p.m. display our daily morning announcements. You can access the channel *September 18--Graduation Meeting for ALL parents of ALL grades, by going to YouTube.com and searching Rootstown Local School Dis- 6:00 p.m. trict or going directly to the following link https://www.youtube.com/ *September 26--Coffee with the Counselor, “Parenting Teens using results?search_query=rootstown+local+school+district Love and Logic Strategies” *October 3--Optional Senior Trip to Kent State University College Fair *October 9--Financial Aid Night, 7:00 p.m. *October 23--College Credit Plus Meeting, 7:00 p.m. *November 7--Maplewood Visit for Sophomores Page 5 Middle School Learners Today - Leaders Tomorrow

Mabel Schnee Building (330) 325-9956 • Robert Campbell - Principal Welcome Back Career Counseling The middle By Amy Mohan school staff wel- This school year the Mahoning County Educa- comed back approx- tion Service Center (MCESC) will be providing imately 290 students classes in the area of career counseling for grades during the last week six through eight. These classes will be offered of August to be- throughout the school year during study hall gin the 2018-2019 periods and include topics such as career interest school year. Stu- surveys, career exploration, interviewing skills, dents were greeted Robert Campbell information to include on a job application/resume Amelia Mohan with inspirational as well as interview skills. M.S. Counselor messages and best M.S. Principal wishes written in chalk by staff. The students and staff alike are excited and ready for the new school year! Parent/Student Involvement As the 2018-2019 school year begins, I would like to take a moment to encourage parents to become involved with their children’s Starting the School Year Right! academic journey. When considering the development of your child, Helping your child begin the school year on a successful note is it is important to realize the impact that you have on them. Each time very important. By helping your child prepare and organize, he/she you sit down with your child to help with homework, attend school will be better able to handle whatever comes along during the school functions, speak positively about school or your child’s teacher, or year. It is equally important to make sure that your child knows they generally convey a positive message about education, you are helping are responsible for homework, important papers, getting up on time your child develop long term habits that will benefit them for life. It and going to sleep on time, and that he/she knows you are there to help will be very helpful to your child, if throughout the year, you take time them. Parents need to reinforce the importance of doing homework, to read with him or her and help with homework. It is also critical that including preparing a place at home where your student is able to sit students work hard to maintain the best attendance they can, so there down to complete problems or read lessons and take notes. This place are as few breaks in instruction for them as can be. Communication should be a quiet part of the house. Parents should also ask about with your child’s teachers is also helpful in developing a positive aca- your child’s day and what they have to do for tomorrow. Please check demic environment. Please feel free to maintain open lines of commu- book bags and if necessary, lockers, often so that work and important nication with the teachers and staff at the school. notices do not pile up or get buried at the bottom of things. Make use of the assignment books and the website to check for homework (www. Connect with RMS rootstown.sparcc.org) and the “Teacher Webpages” section is great for The middle school staff will be utilizing Engrade again this school keeping up with homework and notes from the teacher in each class. year, so that families can monitor their students academic progress If your child is “organizationally-challenged,” help them to see that online. Information regarding account creation and login information being organized makes things easier. Post a list of what will be needed will be provided to each student and can be made available to parents each day. Help them sort out what is needed and what is not. Some through the middle school office. papers will need to be saved, others will not. Trapper keepers and note- Please feel free to contact the middle school office staff with any books need to be updated weekly to keep the papers where they belong. questions or concerns that you may have. We can be reached by phone The school year has gotten off to an awesome start! Have a great at 330-325-9956 or by email at the following addresses: Mr. Robert fall! Campbell (principal) [email protected]; Mrs. Christine Wright (secretary) [email protected]; and Mrs. Amelia Mohan (school counselor) [email protected]. RMS can also be followed on Facebook this year for the first time.

I n d u s t r i a l Te c h Tech is alive and well at Rootstown Middle school. This year, besides traditional wood-working, students will be offered some state of the art opportunities as well as traditional trades. A soon to arrive 3D printer will allow students to program and implement designs for a strata by strata project to develop in front of their eyes by means of 3D printing. Students will also be working with robotics, consisting of a Lego Mindstorms package with the latest generation of servo motors that Lego offers. Traditional crafts and trades such as woodworking, stringed in- struments of all kinds, turnings, carvings and traditional cabinetry & furniture activities are also offered. This year, metal-working and traditional blacksmithing will be introduced and allow students to forge metal as well as jewelry making and leathercraft. Students will have a great opportunity to develop their soft skills by working together in groups as well as individual projects that they are interested in pursuing. Page 6 Elementary School R o ve r P.R . I . D. E

Bertha Bradshaw Building (330) 325-7971 • Jeffrey Turner - Principal Dear Parents: Notification of Absence On behalf of the Rootstown Elementary School Parents must contact the school at 330-325-7971 by 9:00 a.m. and staff, I would like to welcome our students and par- provide an explanation. When no contact with the school is provided, ents to the 2018-19 school year. It was great seeing the absence will be unexcused and the student will be considered truant. you during Open House on August 23rd. The year If the absence of a student appears to be questionable or excessive, the promises to be filled with many opportunities for our school staff will try to help parents improve their child’s attendance. It students to grow academically and socially through is the responsibility of the student to obtain missed assignments. It is varied instructional techniques and programs. It is possible that certain kinds of schoolwork such as labs or skill-practice our goal each year to plan instruction and programs sessions cannot be made up and, as a result, may impact a student’s to meet the needs of all types of learners. grade. If the absence is unauthorized by the principal, a student may As we begin the year, I would like to share Jeffrey Turner not make up the work. changes to the building and staff: E.S. Principal Important Dates: • The building received new Chromebooks from September 28 - No School for students our PTA. These will be used on the mobile cart in the first grade September 17-20 - Fire Safety Week hallway. Thank you to the PTA for their generosity! September 27 - Interims Distributed October 8 - (Pre-K, K-2 only) School Pictures • During the past few years, the district adopted the theme and ac- October 9 - (PreK, 3-5 only) School Pictures ronym “Rover PRIDE District-wide” which directed expectations October 12 - NEOEA Day - No School for behavior in the building, including the bus. This year, we are October 25 - Race for Education starting the “Rovers R Respectful, Responsible and Role Models” October 18 & November 1- Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:00-8:30 p.m. as our new PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention Supports) theme. October 26 - Fall Parties - 1:50 p.m. Please note the new signage throughout the building reflecting this. November 9 - First Nine-Week Report Cards go home November 21-23 - Thanksgiving Break • Please join me in welcoming the following staff members to Roots- town Elementary: Welcome back to all students and families! I Mrs. Strope - Intervention Specialist in 4th grade replacing hope that you had a relaxing and enjoyable summer Ms. Heiskell vacation! This year in the elementary school, we will con- Mrs. Byers - Kindergarten Teacher replacing Mrs. Leemaster tinue emphasizing the importance of our positive Mrs. Voytkiv - Speech/Language Pathologist replacing Mrs. behavior intervention and support system (PBIS) Thrasher within the district. The theme for our district, Rover PRIDE District-wide, has changed this year I am looking forward to a great school year. Please contact me with to emphasize the key expectations and behaviors a any questions or concerns during the school year. Rover should demonstrate. Our 3-R’s theme lists Go Rovers! specific behavior expectations that include demon- Danielle Ray strating the following skills and behaviors: Sincerely, Elem. Counselor Mr. Jeffrey Turner When a student demonstrates the expected Principal behavior, he or she may earn an R-Card. [email protected] Each week, two students from each grade level will have his or her R-Card chosen and will win a prize. R-Cards can be Acceptable Use Policy earned throughout the school day with Please sign and return the Acceptable Use Policy as soon as possi- a greater focus being placed on increas- ble. ing expected behaviors in the restroom, cafeteria, and out on the playground. Student Handbook Reminders Each week, all grade levels also have the chance to earn an extra recess through On the first day of school, your child received the student handbook demonstrating outstanding cafeteria expectations! Please see below for regarding expected behavior at school. Please review the handbook the specific behaviors and expectations: 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. TRUANCY HB 410: Please note the changes to the attendance procedures established by law last year. In conjunction with the Portage County Juvenile Court, schools may refer a student to Juvenile Court once a student has met the definition of a Habitual or Chronic truant as defined by the Ohio Revised Code. A student is considered “habitually truant” when one of the following occurs: absent 30 or more consecutive hours without a legitimate excuse, 42 or more hours in one month without a legitimate excuse or 72 or more hours in one year without a legitimate excuse. A student is considered “excessively absent” when one of the following occurs: absent 38 or more hours in one school month with or without a legitimate As part of my role in the building, I will be visiting classes peri- excuse, absent 65 or more hours in one school year with or without a odically throughout the year for guidance lessons and am available legitimate excuse. to meet with students individually to ensure academic and emotional We can only accept 10 notes from home. Beginning with the 11th, success. In addition, I will be offering several small group experiences a doctor’s note must be presented or it will count as an unexcused throughout the year. If you would like your child to meet with me or absence. participate in any of the small group experiences, please contact me at 330.325.2011 or at [email protected]. *Unexcused absences are determined by the school’s attendance policy located in the student handbook. I hope that each student has a wonderful and successful 2018-2019 school year! Page 7 Athletics Keith Waesch - Athletic Director, (330) 325-2006 Rootstown Wins All-Sports Trophy Race Homecoming Game set for Sept. 28 Rootstown High School won the 2017-18 Portage The annual Homecoming football game has been scheduled for Trail Conference County Division All-Sports Trophy Friday, Sept. 28, vs. Southeast High School. race. Homecoming festivities will begin at approximately 6:20 p.m. with The trophy is awarded to the school with the kickoff at 7:00 p.m. highest number of points earned in both the P.T.C.’s County and Metro Divisions at the conclusion of the The Homecoming dance will be held in the high school gym on school year. Points are earned based on a school’s Saturday, Sept. 29. finish in each sport in which at least five schools in the division field a program. Keith Waesch Follow Rover Athletics on Twitter Athletic Director Rootstown athletic director, Keith Waesch, has established a Twitter The race came down to the final contests of the account to keep Rover fans updated on upcoming events and game spring sports season. Rootstown finished with scores involving our middle and high school teams. 60.5 points edging Garfield, which totaled 57.5 points. The rest of the County Division You can receive daily tweets by following us @roverathletics, the included: Crestwood (52 points), Mogadore official Twitter home of Rootstown athletics. (49.5), Southeast (49), Lake Center Christian Those who don’t have a Twitter account, can still receive updates (31.5) and Valley Christian (24). via text message. Simply send a text to 40404. In the body of the text, The Rovers won league titles during the type follow @roverathletics. 2017-18 school year in football, boys’ soccer, wrestling and baseball to propel Rootstown to Rover Sports Schedules on Internet its first All-Sports Trophy since the 1986-87 school year. Rootstown earned second-place Rootstown high and middle school sports schedules are available on finishes in girls’ soccer, boys’ cross-country, the Internet. Schedules can be accessed by logging on to www.sched- girls’ track and boys’ track. ulestar.com and then searching under Rootstown High School. Crestwood (County Division) and Wood- The schedules are as up-to-date as those in the athletic office. ridge (Metro Division) won the All-Sports Schedules are subject to change. Trophy a year ago as the trophy was awarded for the first time in over 20 years. The above All-Sports Reverse Raffle Set for March 16 The Rovers won the trophy three times Trophy from the 1986-87 The annual Rover Reverse Raffle/Silent Auction/Vegas Night is (1981-82, 1985-86 & 1986-87) during the school year currently re- scheduled for Saturday, March 16th at the Immaculate Conception Hall 1980s. sides in the high school in Ravenna. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with dinner served at 6:00 p.m. trophy case. The grand prize is $1,500. Carpenter Finishes 5th at State Meet Tickets are $50 per person and include dinner, beverages and one chance at the grand prize. Tickets without a meal are $30 per person. Proceeds from the event benefit Rootstown athletic teams. For more information, contact Rootstown athletic director, Keith Rootstown boys track Waesch, at 330-325-2006. coach, Larry Bailey, and Logan Carpenter following Carpenter’s Booster Club Meetings Set regional meet discus title The Rootstown Sports Booster Club regularly meets on the first at Massillon Perry High School Sunday of each month in the high school cafeteria at 7:00 p.m. All Rootstown residents are welcome to attend. For more information on the booster club and its meetings, contact athletic director, Keith Waesch, at 330-325-2006.

Junior Logan Carpenter and the Rover girls’ 4x100-meter relay team represented Rootstown at the state track and field meet this past spring. Carpenter earned All-Ohio first-team honors in Division III with a throw of 157 feet, 2 inches in Columbus on June 1. Carpenter cap- tured the regional meet discus title with a throw of 156 feet on his final attempt at Massillon Perry High School the previous week. Carpenter qualified for the state’s biggest stage for the second consecutive year. He finished in 13th place with a throw of 138 feet, 11 inches in 2017. The girls’ 4x100-meter relay team narrowly missed advancing to the finals. The state qualifying team included seniors Emily Drago and Meaghan Hahn, and freshmen Paige Cremeans and Alexis Washing- ton. The squad finished third at the regional meet with a time of 50.82 seconds. Page 8 Around Campus

Take some time to get to know all the new faces around campus this year. We have new staff in some 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 themselves… In the District - Meet Mrs. Voytkiv (Speech and Language Pathologist) My name is Katherine Voytkiv and I am excited to be the new Speech-Language Pathologist for Rootstown. In 2015, I graduated from Cleveland State University with a bachelor’s degree in Psy- chology with a minor in Speech and Hearing Sciences. In 2017, I graduated from the University of Akron with a master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology. I began my career as a Speech-Lan- guage Pathologist working at Nordonia Hills City Schools through the Summit ESC. Over the summer, I worked for Achievement Centers for Children at Camp Cheerful in Strongsville at the Sensa- tional Day Program for students with Autism. In my free time, I enjoy reading, baking, working out and going on walks with my dog and husband. I look forward to a fantastic year at Rootstown!

At the Elementary - Meet Mrs. Byers My name is Paige Byers and I am a proud Rover alumni who is excited to rejoin the Rootstown community in the classroom. I am a graduate of Bowling Green State University with a degree in Ear- ly Childhood Education. I have also received my master’s degree in Science, Technology, Engineer- ing, Arts, and Mathematics from the University of San Diego. I have five years of teaching experience in Tennessee and Florida, where I learned a variety of teaching strategies and skills I will utilize in my classroom. I look forward to sharing my passion for education and learning with the young members of our community. Outside of the classroom, I love spending time with my family, reading a good book, and watching any sports games I can.

At the Elementary - Meet Mrs. Strope

Hello! My name is Nikki Strope and I am the new 4th grade Intervention Specialist. I graduated from Kent State University this past May. My degree is in Special Education Mild/Moderate with a concentration in Language Arts and Reading. I grew up in Rootstown and graduated from Rootstown Schools in 2011. I look forward to beginning my career here and sharing my love of learning with all of my future students. On the weekends I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. I am anticipating a great school year!

At the High School - Meet Mrs. Sandberg My name is Kathy Sandberg, and I have assumed the role of High School Guidance Counselor. I am excited to serve the students, parents and staff members of the Rootstown community. I hold a bachelor’s degree from Bluffton University and a master’s degree from Miami University in College Student Services. I also hold a master’s degree from Kent State University in School Counseling. I have spent my entire career in some facet of education including Community Education Specialist for community mental health; Academic Advising and Career Planning at Miami University; Student Activities and Leadership at Ashland University; Admissions at Duke University and finally, serving as an administrative assistant. I enjoy working with students to assist them in meeting their goals, and I appreciate the students, parents, and staff members I have already had the opportunity to meet at Rootstown High School. I have many interests outside of school including reading, gardening, hiking the Appalachian Trail, and spending time with my husband and three grown children. Page 9 Around Campus At the High School - Meet Ms. Arrow My name is Jillian Arrow, and I am a graduate of Wright State University with a bachelor’s degree in Sign Language Interpreting and a master’s of education as an Intervention Specialist. For the past six years, I worked at Cox Elementary in the Xenia Community School District as an Intervention Spe- cialist, which is where I started my career. I value all of the experience and knowledge I gained from my previous school, and I cannot wait to share it with the Rootstown Community. When I am not at school, I am spending time with my family, especially my two year old son, Luke, and my dog, Aida. I also enjoy reading a good book and doing needlepoint when I have the time. I am ready to start a great school year, and I look forward to meeting everyone!

At the High School - Meet Ms. Banas

My name is Jessica Banas. I am a graduate of The University of Akron. I majored in Adolescent to Young Adult Integrated Mathematics Education and received my teacher certification shortly after graduation. While attending The University of Akron, I worked as a math tutor and volunteered my time as an AAU assistant basketball coach. Other than education, my interests include reading, coach- ing basketball, spending time with my friends and family and hanging out with my cats, Jax and Nala. I am excited to begin my teaching career with Rootstown Local School District and to become an involved community member. I am anticipating an exciting school year!

Rootstown News

Rootstown Foundation and Alumni Association By Denny Pickens, President

On behalf of The Rootstown Foundation and Alumni Association, I would like to say we are excited about the direction the school district is taking. We firmly support the levy committee and encourage everyone to invest in the future by voting YES on November 6th. Our association will be renewing our fundraising efforts now that we are certain the school campus will remain on the current site. We encourage everyone to consider supporting our efforts to improve the opportunities for our community wellness by donating. Please consider sending your donations to our PO Box #162 Rootstown, OH 44272. Lastly, in lieu of flowers for the passing of a loved one, you can make a monetary donation to the Foundation. We also offer Estate Planning in naming the Foundation as a beneficiary. Page 10 Around Rootstown Rootstown Township By Trustee Joe Paulus Trustees David McIntyre, Joe Paulus, and Brett Housley - 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 has completed sealing our township roads this summer. Road resurfacing will take place on Lynn Road from State Route 44 east to New Milford Rd. We have been awarded two grants worth a total of $111,000 (one from Job and Family Services and one from ODOT) to get this done with the township share of about $37,000. Lakewood Road from 5-corners at Sandy Lake Road into Ravenna will also be resurfaced thanks to the Portage County Engineer office. Both roads are heavily traveled and in need of resurfacing. The building that housed Angelo’s Pizza at the center of town has been razed and ODOT plans to install the turn lanes at that intersection in the summer of 2020. The Community Park behind Gracie Fields is still ongoing with leveling part of the 35-acre open area. The Ohio Operator’s Union is providing the earth-moving work, valued at $500,000, free to the township. We are providing fuel for their equipment. This collaboration gets our park leveled while they train their heavy equipment operators. While this process is taking longer than we anticipated, we cannot argue about the cost! The west half of the park should be completed with grass seed down and a baseball diamond being built by the first snowfall. The baseball field and a walking trail have been funded by a NatureWorks grant. Next summer we should have the east side leveled and grass growing. We have another grant application ready for next year to help with costs for permanent bathrooms, more walking trails, basketball and tennis courts, and a concessions/storage building. Many organized athletic groups are waiting to utilize the park for practices and games, but we are a couple of years out for that sort of activity to give the grass time to mature to be able to handle the heavy uses. The township has the challenge to balance the use of the open space for needs of community groups and the general public. The park development has been a major commitment from all the trustees, but with a limited budget, we are limited to a piecemeal approach to completing the park. There is no activity on any hotel development in Rootstown, so that door has closed. The Zoning Department has been very busy. The resident volunteers serving on the Zoning Commission have been putting in many long evening hours updating the township zoning laws that best serve the whole community. The resident volunteers serving on the Board of Appeals meet when necessary to interpret and approve or deny var- iances to the zoning laws. The Zoning Inspector office is extremely busy with enforcing the zoning laws. They are the ones who apply zoning laws to applications for buildings and other property issues. They respond to complaints from the public and violations that they may find while traveling around the township. They prepare mountains of documentation for court cases that might be avoided if residents were more aware of the rules. Voting is just around the corner again. Please learn the issues and about the candidates running for the various offices. Get the facts. Check different resources. Make your best decision. Make time to vote, so we get the government we deserve. And your vote does count, especially in local elections. Do not think for a moment that an issue or candidate is a shoe-in; they need your votes.

Rootstown Lions Club By Donna Reckner The Rootstown Lions Club is a group of Rootstown Citizens dedicated to serving the Community of Rootstown through a variety of projects. Our Club was chartered on February 20, 1957. Our Club motto is “We Serve.” We are excited to offer documented opportunities for student volunteer hours this year! We run many projects and fundraisers where students can assist us (and would be most welcome) as we support and give back to our community. Thank You to everyone who supported our food concession booth at the Portage County Fair. Profits from our fundraising events go back into the Rootstown Community through various projects such as College Scholarships for Graduating Seniors, Memorial Day Parade, Easter Egg Hunt at Gracie Field, “GOOD Awards” for Rootstown Elementary and Middle School Students, and supporting the Backpack Ministry for Rootstown Students. It’s almost that time of year - Christmas Tree Sales - We will be selling live Fraser Fir Christmas Trees starting the Friday after Thanksgiv- ing. We’re at Wise Greenhouse on Tallmadge Road. Our trees are 6’ – 8’ and are fresh-cut right before delivery. Get yours early! Thank you to Kevin and Brenda Wise for providing space to our Club for this project. We provide FREE Reflective Address Signs to Rootstown Residents. The purpose of the Reflective Address Sign is to help Police and Fire locate your residence quickly in the event of an emergency. If you don’t reside in the Township, we charge $15.00. Contact Lion Jeff Pickens at [email protected] or any Rootstown Lion to request one. “Like Us” on Facebook so that you can stay abreast of the many ways we are serving the Rootstown Community all year long.

Rootstown Chamber of Commerce By Denese Schneckenburger, President 2018 Business and Community EXPO - October 27th (10:00 a.m.– 2:00 p.m.) The NEW Center, NEOMED Mark your calendar to attend this annual community event, showcasing local small businesses. Returning this year, for the children: costume contests, indoor trick-or-treating, and Touch-a-Truck. Coming back as well is the ever-popular Chinese Basket Auction, and raffle ticket sales for a chance at winning fabulous door-prizes. All proceeds benefit the Rootstown Area Chamber of Commerce Scholarship Program. If your business would like to participate as a vendor, visit the chamber website to download the booth registra- tion form. Santa Comes to R-Town - December 1st (5:30 p.m - 8:30 p.m.) Rootstown Elementary School Santa will once again be visiting the R-town community. Join the fun as we celebrate the holiday season with refreshments, car- oling, and a visit from Santa. This is a FREE community event, made possible through generous donations by Chamber member businesses and volunteers. If you are interested in supporting this event, please email: [email protected]. Page 11 2018/2019 School Calendar August December April 23 All Certified Staff In-service 7 Interims Distributed 19 Good Friday - No School (1/2 day) 24-31 Winter Break - No School 26 Interims Distributed 24,27 All Certified Staff In-service 28 First Student Day January May 1-4 Winter Break - No School 27 Memorial Day - No School September 18 1st Semester Ends 3 Labor Day - No School 21 MLK Day - No School June 27 Interims Distributed 22 2nd Semester Begins 2 Graduation - Seniors 28 Staff Prof. Dev. Day - No 5 Last day for Students School February 6 All Certified Staff In-service 7 Parent/Teacher Conf. -Elem/ (1/2 day) October HS/MS 11 Parent/Teacher Conf. - HS/MS 22 Interims Distributed Calamity Days begin on June 6, 2019 12 NEOEA Day - No School 15 Staff Prof. Dev. Day - No 16 Parent/Teacher Conf. - MS School 18 Parent/Teacher Conf. - HS/ 18 President’s day - No School Elem March November 25-29 Spring Break - No School 1 Parent/Teacher Conf. - Elem 22 3rd Grading Period Ends 2 1st Grading Period Ends 21-23 Thanksgiving Break - No School 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 Note: Date may occasionally Director of Business Affairs/Trans...... Mr. Matt Collins ...... 330-325-0189 change due to inclement weather Director of Food Services...... Mrs. Peggy Shewell ...... 330-325-4139 or holidays. Board of Education President...... Mr. Tom Siciliano ...... 330-325-2176 Board of Education Vice President...... Mrs. Amanda Waesch ...... 330-351-1945 The monthly board agenda and Board of Education Leg. Liaison...... Mr. Norm Reynolds ...... 330-297-0431 minutes can be found on the Board of Education Co-Student Liaison...... Mr. Eric Kline ...... 330-357-1495 district website at Board of Education Co-Student Liaison...... Mr. Scott Krieger ...... 330-389-8278 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 Rootstown Local Schools Non-Profit Org. Rootstown, Ohio 44272 U.S. Postage PAID Canton, OH Permit #207

The Rootstown Communicator Highlights