News & Information from Xenia Community Schools

APRIL 9, 2019APRIL 9, 2019

HIGHLIGHTS FROM AROUND THE DISTRICTHIGHLIGHTS FROM AROUND THE DISTRICT

April 's Kids of CharacterApril 's Kids of Character

Congratulations to the following students for being named April's Kids ofCharacter! Mathew Burnett from Xenia Preschool, Nevaeh Rogers from

Arrowood Elementary, Miles Whitehead from Cox Elementary, Eleanor Miller fromMcKinley Elementary, Karlie Monroe from Shawnee Elementary, Evan Merriman

from Tecumseh Elementary, Quinn Lamb from Warner Middle School, andKarleigh Godfrey from Xenia High School. Read more about these exemplary

students on our website. (Not pictured: Eleanor Miller and Karlie Monroe.)

Spring State Testing Begins This WeekSpring State Testing Begins This WeekSpring testing began this week! Thirdgrade students took the ELA testMonday and Tuesday. Fourth gradestudents and middle school studentstake the ELA test Wednesday andThursday of this week. Be sure yourchild gets plenty of rest the nightbefore the test so they can do theirbest. You can download a testingcalendar and testing tips from ourwebsite here. If you have specificquestions about testing pleasecontact your child's school.

Kindergarten Registration May 21, 22, and 23Kindergarten Registration May 21, 22, and 23

Kindergarten Registration is May 21, 22, and 23 at Xenia Preschool.Call (937) 562-9003 to make an appointment to register your child.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM XENIA PRESCHOOLHIGHLIGHTS FROM XENIA PRESCHOOL

Learning toLearning toCode!Code!

During library lastweek Preschoolstudents learnedabout coding. Theyprogrammed arobot! Students arepictured withLibrarian JoChamberlain.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM ARROWOOD ELEMENTARYHIGHLIGHTS FROM ARROWOOD ELEMENTARY

Rock the Test!Rock the Test!

Arrowood's first floor teachersorganized a 'ROCK THIS TEST' assemblylast Friday for students. The showing ofsupport for the third, fourth, and fifthgraders was amazing! During theassembly they played the "Am ISmarter Than My Teacher?" game andwatched their teachers bust a move.

Basketball Jones pumps kidsBasketball Jones pumps kidsupup

Corey "Basketball" Jones also put on anassembly for third, fourth and fifthgraders last week to get thempumped up for the upcoming statetests. His message of working hard anddoing your best is going to shinethroughout the testing season.

Sl imy Scales and Tai lsSl imy Scales and Tai ls

Kindergarten students enjoyed the Scales and Tails program presented by theNewport Aquarium. They had the opportunity to touch a turtle, a snake and alegless lizard.

Friendly Choir ConcertFriendly Choir Concert

Mrs. Stivers directed an excellentchoir performance with Arrowood'ssecond and third graders. A smile wason everyone's face as they sang aboutfriendships!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM COX ELEMENTARYHIGHLIGHTS FROM COX ELEMENTARY

Improving the Design of Paper Airp lanesImproving the Design of Paper Airp lanes

STEM buddies in Keith McKinley's third grade class and Carla Skagg's kindergartenclass used a wind tunnel to design, test, and improve paper airplanes. They foundthat planes with larger, sturdier wings worked best in the wind tunnel, whilepointy sleek airplanes flew better when thrown.

Thank You Spring ValleyThank You Spring ValleyUnited Methodist ChurchUnited Methodist Church

Cox Elementary sends a great bigthank you to the Spring Valley UnitedMethodist Church for prov iding eachand every student with testingincentives. Thanks to their generosity,the students will have somethingspecial to snack on every day aftertheir state tests!

Chemistry Club VisitChemistry Club Visit

Xenia High School's Chemistry Club v isited CoxElementary school and wowed students withtheir hands-on experiments. Students not onlyenjoyed the science skits but also lovedconducting science experiments in their

classrooms.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM MCKINLEY ELEMENTARYHIGHLIGHTS FROM MCKINLEY ELEMENTARY

Look W hat I Created!Look W hat I Created!

McKinley hosted their first Art Show last week. Students and their families wereable to walk the halls of McKinley looking at students' art work. There were also"make and take" art activ it ies in the gym.

Pastries with ParentsPastries with Parents

Last Thursday morning McKinley students enjoyed Pastries with their Parents.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SHAWNEE ELEMENTARYHIGHLIGHTS FROM SHAWNEE ELEMENTARY

Students Recognized By The Dayton DragonsStudents Recognized By The Dayton Dragons

Each year the Dayton Dragons recognizes local fourth and fifth grade studentswho show outstanding character in and outside of the classroom. These studentsare recognized and awarded free tickets to a baseball game and a MVPDragons hat. Congratulations to the following students! Top left photo: MaddyBooks, ArieDancy, Kenzie Babb, Aiden Spencer, Cliffton Warren, Sierra Bice, and JiyaKaushal. Top middle photo: Faith Henderson, Chase Hawkins, Amar’e Roney,Camdyn McGrew, Kylie Luckett, Joslyn Guyton, and Jocelynn Futrell. Top rightphoto: Markus Holcomb, Erica Horton, Cameron Hinkle, Jaykob Slaven, DestineeCooper, Breanna Roby, and Gage Parker. Bottom left photo: Kelsey Fox, CoultonFloyd, Vincent North, Markaus Greenside, KC Terrell, Gage Gilbert, and AvaMcGrew. Bottom right photo: Jacob Thomas, Dee Dee Jones, Jasmine Ford, CalliRobinson, Alex McCatherine, Kaiden Weidenheft, Trentin Johnson, andZoey Elad.

Students of Character for MarchStudents of Character for March

Every month at Shawnee, teachers select one Student of Character from theirclassroom. The students selected are positive role models and they display theShawnee pillars of being responsible, respectful, cooperative, and problemsolvers. The honored students get to make a special guest appearance on theShawnee Buccaneer Video Announcements, where a personal biography of thestudent is read to the whole school from their teacher. Their picture is displayedin the main entrance of Shawnee, too. The Students of Character at Shawnee forthe month March were: Gracie Piner, Haylie Graham, Jamison Violet, AlexiaButler, Alizayah Goins, Karlie Monroe, Melody Bice, Emillya Butler, TheodoreLewis, Maelynn Thomason, John Smith, Zoey Violet, Haleigh Gosnell, MyaBruggeman, Sage Bush, Brandt Nosker, Mekhi Wright, Kyrese Johnson, LibertyPhillips, Zoey Elad, and Jocelynn Futrell.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM TECUMSEH ELEMENTARYHIGHLIGHTS FROM TECUMSEH ELEMENTARY

Learning about Sol ids, Liqu ids,Learn ing about Sol ids, Liqu ids,and Gases and Making "flubber"and Gases and Making "flubber"

Students in Mrs. Busch's second gradeclassroom completed science lessons onsolids, liquids, and gases. During one of thelessons, the students made "flubber" anddiscussed its properties and determinedwhich state of matter best matched itsconsistency.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM WARNER MIDDLEHIGHLIGHTS FROM WARNER MIDDLE

Going Blue In Support of AutismGoing Blue In Support of Autism

Students at Warner Middle School celebrated World Autism Day last Tuesday byparticipating in a "Blue Out." Students and staff were asked to dress in blue toraise awareness for Autism and bring donations for the national organizationAutism Speaks. Students were also able to pre-order special blue Xenia tumblerswith the puzzle piece logo and buy cookies to support this fundraising effort.Overall students raised more than $550.

Expressive Arts Class Begins Creating W orkExpressive Arts Class Begins Creating W ork

Students from the multiple handicapped classes are working with students in thegeneral education eighth grade class creating art projects together in thissemester's Expressive Arts 2 Class. On the first day the students participated in anonverbal conversation using only crayons and paper. Friendships were madeimmediately and the students all enjoyed themselves. Students will be workingtogether on art projects all quarter.

Students Tour Cox MediaStudents Tour Cox Media

Last Tuesday, 16 Warner Middle School students from Mrs. Black's Journalismclass v isited the Cox Media Building in Dayton. The students toured the DaytonDaily News newsroom, WHIO TV and radio stations, and the control rooms forMETV. The students met and interv iewed reporters from every part of thejournalist ic world. One of the highlights of the trip was when there was abreaking news story out of Washington D.C. that needed to get on air while theywere in the radio station; so the students got to be in the booth when thereporter went live on air with the breaking news.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM XENIA HIGHHIGHLIGHTS FROM XENIA HIGH

Students Compete at DECA State ChampionshipStudents Compete at DECA State Championship

Xenia's DECA group traveled to the Columbus Convention Center lastmonth along with 2,200 other DECA Members from around the state for The Ohio75th Annual DECA Career Development Conference. Congratulations to XeniaHigh School’s DECA State Competitive Participants: Sabrina Linebaugh andJackson Baker - Travel and Tourism Team; Haley Kumpf - Hotel and Lodging; andKemri Harris - Hospitality and Tourism/Professional Selling. Although they didn’tcome home with a win, the experience was very rewarding. This is the first year

Xenia students have made it to the state competition in only their second yearparticipating in the career-tech student organization. DECA supports acomprehensive learning program with current and real-world applications. Inorder to succeed in today’s workplace, employees must excel in the 4Cs: Crit icalthinking and Problem Solv ing, Communication, Collaboration, Creativ ity andInnovation. Through DECA, students get an opportunity to display those 4Csbeyond the classroom. DECA is organized into two unique student div isions, eachwith programs designed to address the learning styles, interest and focus of itsmembers. The High School Div ision includes 200,000 members in 3,500 schools.The Collegiate Div ision includes over 15,000 members in 275 colleges anduniversit ies. This is Xenia High School’s second year of participating in DECA with35 members. Students must be enrolled in one of the high school's Career-TechBusiness, Marketing, and/or Finance courses to become and/or remain amember. DECA members wish to express special thanks to the followingsupportive local businesses: Nick’s, Stephens and Stephens Law Group, XeniaGlass & Lock, The Law Office of Phillip L. Beard, and Montgomery Insurance &Investments. Pictured above, left, is Jackson Baker and Sabrina Linebaugh.Pictured middle: Haley Kumpf. Pictured right: Kemri Harris.

Excellent Ratings Earned atExcellent Ratings Earned atDistrict Science FairDistrict Science Fair

Nine Honors Spectra studentscompeted at the District Science Fairin late March. Allison Bogan, EmilyCalhoun, Allison Vandergriff, BryleeDixon, Garret Shaw, Alaigha Gore,Haley McManus, and Jacob Martin allreceived "Excellent" ratings. Manywere only one or two points shy ofmoving on to the state competition.Jessica Holland received a "Superior"rating at Districts, qualifying her tocompete at the State Science Fair.

Accolades for Academic TeamAccolades for Academic TeamMembersMembers

Xenia High School Academic team members IsabelTettau and Lorean Napper were recentlyrecognized for their outstanding achievement onthe team. Isabel was named to the 1st team forGWOC Adacamic Team and Lorean received anhonorable mention.

FFA Members Complete in Judging LivestockFFA Members Complete in Judging Livestock

During March five Xenia FFA members spent their Saturdays judging livestock.

From Miami Trace to Ohio State ATI, and Marysv ille to Mercer County - IsabelWickline, Hailey Thompson, Isabela Martin, Harley Thompson, and Jacob Martinwoke up early on Saturdays to judge beef cattle, hogs, goats, and sheep. Thecontest is an educational program that serves as a practical method ofteaching students to recognize quality production animals. The skills studentslearn in evaluating livestock are aimed at making them better producers andconsumers by prov iding hands-on practical experience in identifying andunderstanding characteristics that affect production and quality. FreshmanHarley Thompson led the team each week, placing in the top 25% at theMarysv ille contest out of nearly 700 contestants. The team finished up theseason at the state contest with Harley scoring three classes perfect and twoclasses nearly perfect, and both Isabel and Hailey each scoring one classperfect and one class nearly perfect. Pictured left to right above are IsabelWickline, Hailey Thompson, Isabela Martin, and Harley Thompson.

LET'S STAY CONNECTEDLET'S STAY CONNECTED

This e-newsletter is sent weekly on Tuesdays during the school year.

Let's stay connected ... our website is a great place to get information about ourdistrict and each of our schools.

Be sure to Like us on Facebook to stay up to date on district announcements andschool building news.

You can also follow Xenia Athletics on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to dateon all grades 7-12 sports teams.

As always, feel free to reach out to me directly by email or call (937) 562-9011.

Have a great week,

Dr. Gabriel E. Lofton, Superintendent

SHARE THE GOOD NEWS!SHARE THE GOOD NEWS!

If you have a highlight, story idea, or photo you'd like to share to be included inthis newsletter or other district communications, email Wendy Planicka,Coordinator of Communications.