District NewsBrought to you by PHS Junior Loren Stukey and Senior Chandler Roof

THE

Black & Gold Unfold Parkway

Vol. 10 No. 8 Official Newsletter of Parkway Local Schools April 2018

-Home of the Panthers-LocalSchools

Upcoming Events

Dear Parents, Guardians, and Community Members;

School safety is a topic that is always on the forefront of our minds at Parkway Local Schools. The recent series ofschool tragedies has led us to once again review the procedures we have in place to protect the students and adultsin our buildings. It is no secret that students who do not feel safe are unable to learn to their best abilities. In orderto create the safest environment possible for our students and staff, the district has invested in upgrades to the schoolcameras, phone systems, and MARCS radio system as well as implementing the use of NaviGate Prepared, an appdesigned to help staff members and emergency agencies respond to drills and emergencies in a quick, organizedmanner. One of the most important elements of school safety is the relationship we have with the police department,fire department, and the Village of Rockford. The Parkway administration recently met with a representative fromeach agency to review our school procedures and to discuss communication between the organizations. As always,addressing school issues of safety and security is an ongoing process.

Students, parents and community members are vital in the safety and securityof our students and staff. School safety is a team effort, requiring a consistentflow of communication within the entire community. Please report any suspiciousbehavior observed in person or on social media to a teacher, counselor,administrator and/or a police officer in the community. Safety is and always willbe a top priority in our school district.

Spring is an eventful time of year for our students. While the weather lately hasbeen unpredictable, our students are not letting it slow them down. Softball,baseball and track athletes have begun their seasons, looking forward to anotheryear of success on the field and the track. In the classroom, many of our studentsare gearing up to take their state tests and show all they have learned this year.For our seniors, few seasons are more exciting than this spring as they begintaking those last steps toward graduation. With so many exciting thingshappening inside and outside the classroom, we don’t want you to miss a beat.We would like to invite you to follow the Parkway Schools Twitter page@Parkway_School. This Twitter page will serve as your one-stop shop for schoolannouncements, delays/cancellations, student achievements and pictures ofevents. It will be a great way to stay connected and involved with our studentsas they continue to excel and show their Panther Pride!

As always, I would like to thank our parents and community members for yourconstant support of our students and staff. I wish you a safe and happy start toyour spring season.

Jeanne OsterfeldParkway Superintendent

May 2: Athletic BoosterClub Meeting (6:30 p.m.)

May 2: Red Cross BloodDrive (8:00 a.m. – 2:00p.m.)

May 4: Parkway Relay forLife

May 8: School BoardMeeting (6:30 p.m.)

May 16: Senior AwardsNight (7:00 p.m.)

May 20: High SchoolGraduation (1:30 p.m.)

May 21: Middle SchoolAcademic Awards (9:30a.m.)

District News2

Parkway Athletic Boosters Host Successful Ball Drop EventThe Parkway Athletic Booster Club held its third annual Ball Drop on Friday, February23 after the boys’ varsity basketball game. Parkway athletes worked hard selling ticketsfor this event, resulting in all 1,000 tickets being sold. The tickets are sold for $10each, and the winner collects $5,000 and the booster club keeps the remainder, whichis an additional $5,000 as long as all of the tickets are sold. This fundraiser has helpedthe Parkway Athletic Boosters to raise close to $15,000 in the three short years thisfundraiser has existed. The Ball Drop is a way for the athletic boosters to continuetheir fund raising efforts during the winter months to supplement the proceeds theyearn from the golf outing in the fall. Brent Agler came up with the idea of how to dropthe balls in the gym and designed the ledge the balls sit on as they are raised into theair. Several practice sessions were held the first year to get it right! This year ParkwaySeventh Grader Gabrielle Stober sold the winning ticket to her brother Gavin Stober.This fundraiser would not be possible without the support of Parkway athletes andparents who sell the tickets, and the community members who support the fundraiser. All of the money raised is usedto support Parkway athletic programs. The balls that are used were donated by Mercer Health and are able to be usedevery year. Thank you to our superintendent, Jeanne Osterfeld, for serving as the official judge this year. Go Panthers!

Football Coach Selection Nears Conclusion

Substitute Bus Drivers NeededInterested? Contact Dennis Hockett

419-363-3045 (Extension 705)

Parkway Relay For LifeMay 4 - School EventMay 5 - Community EventMay 12 - Rain Date

With the resignation of current Head Football Coach Shane Wellman, the search process started to find Parkway’s nexthead football coach. After the search process was completed, a committee interviewed several candidates. At the conclusionof the interview process, the committee anticipates recommending Mr. Dusty Rutledge for approval by the Board ofEducation.

Dusty's hometown is Rockford, OH where he graduated from Parkway in 1986. Dusty’s wife Jennifer has a Master’s Degreein nursing and she is currently the nurse manager in cardiac rehabilitation and diagnostic cardiology at Banner Hospital inTucson, AZ. Dusty and Jennifer have two daughters Elizabeth and Maegan. Elizabeth is in her first year of law school atPace Law in New York and she will be interning in Washington D.C. this summer with the EPA. Maegan is a juniormajoring in chemistry and pharmacology at Duke University. She will be doing research at Duke University this summer.

As Mr. Rutledge prepares for his role at Parkway he is looking forward to getting to know the team and the students, helpingeach individual reach their personal goals. He also looks forward to our band as they blare “Hang on Sloopy” and “OurBoys Will Shine Tonight” at each game. Dusty feels his biggest challenge will be changing a culture and making peoplebelieve that we can and should be MAC champions. As Dusty transitions back to our area after working with the Universityof Arizona’s football program, his goal is to build the best football program in the state of Ohio.

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High School NewsBrought to you by PHS Senior Mackenzie Sipe and Sophomore Kaylee Bixler

Freshman Girls Attend S.T.E.M. Event atEdison State Community College

On Friday, December 7, nine freshman girls including McKaylaSites, Kelsey Nichols, Lydia Miller, Samantha Noll, Grace Etgen,Remi' Fokine, Abigail Browning, Andrea Miller, and AveryBoroff from Parkway High School participated in Edison StateCommunity College’s twelfth annual S.T.E.M. Career Day. Atthis event, students were introduced to S.T.E.M. (Science,Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and the relationshipS.T.E.M. has with different careers. The students were selectedto attend the S.T.E.M. Career Day based on their performance inmath and science classes.

Throughout the day, the girls were placed in small groups to solvereal world problems using science, technology, engineering, and math skills. The students learned how S.T.E.M.relates to the real world through fun and interactive activities in the breakout sessions. A few of the breakoutsession topics included: CAD/CAM Christmas, Human Simulator, CSI, Robotics, Chemistry, Business, andmore. In addition to the breakout sessions, they listened to professionals speak about their S.T.E.M. careerexperiences.

Anatomy and Physiology Students Visit Cadaver Lab

On Friday, March 16, the Parkway High School Anatomy andPhysiology class visited Heidelberg University in Tiffin, Ohioto tour the School of Medicine’s cadaver lab. The cadaver labgives medical students an opportunity to gain experienceworking with the human body. The Heidelberg students usethe cadavers to learn how the human body works rather thanlooking at diagrams and pictures.

During the tour, two Heidelberg students shared a Power Pointpresentation that showed the Parkway students what to expect

as they viewed the cadavers. Before the students could enter the lab, they were asked to put on safety glasses,a lab apron, and rubber gloves. After entering the cadaver lab, the class split into two groups. The two Heidelbergstudents explained and showed the class different parts of the body. The Parkway students were able to holdthe heart, brain, and other parts of the human body.

Many of the students who are in the Anatomy and Physiology class have an interest in a career in the medicalfield. Visiting Heidelberg's cadaver lab gave the students a view of what some of their college classes may belike if they pursue a major related to medicine.

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High School News

Science Club Visits S&S Family FarmsThe Parkway Science Club toured S & S FamilyFarms, LLC located just outside Rockford onMarch 27. Bryan Stephenson along with hisfather Dave built a greenhouse in 2006 andfounded their hydroponic lettuce business.

Members of the Science Club learned about themaintenance, science, and business of growinghydroponic lettuce. In the production area of thegreenhouse, the students were surrounded by6,400 heads of lettuce. Students got to see thegrowth process from seeds to mature heads forharvesting and packaging. Bryan and Daveanswered many questions about the growing process. Bryan shared with the students that when straight-linewinds damaged the greenhouse shortly after it was built in 2006, they had to battle mold and disease issuesin their products. The students also learned that besides lettuce, S&S Family Farms has also been successfulgrowing flowers, cucumbers, and strawberries. Thanks to the hospitality of Bryan and Dave, the members ofthe science club learned more about what it takes to run a hydroponic operation.

Parkway Students Tour Charles River Laboratory

On Wednesday, March 28 Mr. Post's SeniorAgriculture class and Mrs. Morton's Biology andAnatomy and Physiology classes visited the CharlesRiver Laboratory in Spencerville, OH. Charles RiverLaboratories first started over 60 years ago primarilyperforming biomedical research. Over the years, thebusiness has extended around the world. At CharlesRiver, animals diagnosed with diseases are treatedwith different medicines to test their effect on thediseases. The animals are used in testing to see if themedicines could cure similar human diseases such ascancer. The animals, which are tested in a humanemanner, include: rats, mice, dogs, pigs, and hamsters.The students had an opportunity to tour the labs atCharles River and they learned about a variety of

different jobs that the employees perform. In addition, the students got to see how the medicines are madealong with how the microscope slides are made. They also learned how the animals are dissected and examinedto see how the medicines effect their organs.

Middle School NewsBrought to you by PHS Senior Megan Zizelman

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Parkway Middle School Students of the Month

5th Grade – Cali Bollenbacher - There are manyadjectives that describe Cali: studious, bright, kind,hard-working, and just a little chatty. Cali has beenputting forth her best effort in all of her classes, and ithas been noticed by her teachers. She is showing a greatexample of grit, right before testing. Cali is the daughterof Scott and Cara Bollenbacher.

6th Grade – Caleb Nusbaum - Caleb is a student whoalways puts forth 110% effort. He quietly goes abouthis business every day. Caleb gets along great with hispeers and works well in groups. He comes to classconsistently prepared and participates in classroom discussions. Caleb's teachers have really enjoyedwatching him continue to grow as a student. Caleb is the son of Carlton and Melissa Nusbaum.

7th Grade – Avery Cole - Avery is very focused on her grades and has accomplished a very good gradepoint average with much hard work. She has made important things, like her education, a priority in herlife. She has a calming effect on others, and is always willing to help others. Avery is the daughter ofChristopher and Erin Cole.

8th Grade – Blake Strickler – Blake has worked hard to improve his performance and is making greatstrides. He asks good questions and is conscientious about his work. He sets a good example for hispeers as well. Blake is the son of Bryan and Karen Strickler.

7th and 8th Grade Band Solo and EnsembleOn Saturday, March 24 Parkway Middle School’s 7th and 8th grade bands participated in the annualSolo and Ensemble contests. Each individual from Parkway did very well. There were 23 soloists whoparticipated and each received either a superior or excellent rating. In addition, many of the studentsperformed selections as part of a group. The groups that performed also did very well. The opportunityto perform in this event gives students musical experiences outside the classroom that gets them used toperforming in front of a panel of judges. Mr. Twigg is very proud of the students who participated inthe solo and ensemble event. They represented Parkway Middle School well!

Middle School News6

8th Grade Students Visit Washington D.C.

On Monday, April 9, Parkway’s 8thgrade class departed for WashingtonD.C. The first stop they made was inPhiladelphia, PA where they touredIndependence Hall and theConstitution Center.

Ford's Theatre and the HolocaustMuseum Tour

After arriving in Washington D.C. students toured Ford’s Theatre and the Holocaust Museum. At Ford'sTheatre, they saw the presidential box where Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. At the HolocaustMuseum, students were able to see things such as piles of shoes from people who were put into a gaschamber room and killed. Students also saw photos that covered the walls from the floor to the ceilingof different events from the holocaust. They also had an opportunity to read some of Daniel's diary.Daniel was a boy who was present during the holocaust and wrote about his experience of being in theconcentration camps and his life as a Jewish child.

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and Roosevelt's Memorial

The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, located in downtown Washington D.C., honors Martin LutherKing, Jr.'s legacy and the struggle for freedom, equality, and justice. While at the memorial, studentsviewed Martin Luther King, Jr.'s quotes engraved in the memorial. At Roosevelt's Memorial, the studentslearned that towards the end of his presidency, when he was sick, his wife actually ran the country forhim until he passed.

White House Tour

On Thursday, April 12, students were able to tour the White House. At the White House, students learnedthe State Dining Room will be the location of the first State Dinner with France just a week after theirvisit.

Tomb of the Unknown Solider

One of the last attractions the students visited was The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at ArlingtonNational Cemetery. Students were able to watch the guards walk up and down the pathway by the tomband see how they guarded it. The students learned that the tomb is guarded by someone 24 hours a day/7

days a week no matter what the weather conditions may be.

Summary

Overall the students had an amazing trip and were able to learnmany things about the history of the United States of America.Many of the students said that if they had to pick a favorite placethey visited, they would choose either the White House or theHolocaust Museum. The students arrived back to Parkway onSaturday morning after a fun week of touring historical places inWashington D.C.

Elementary UnleashedBrought to you by PHS Juniors Kara Heck and Lauren Henderson

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Students in Parkway’s third grade classes recently had anopportunity to learn about recycling. On March 26, Bonnie Wurstfrom the Mercer County Solid Waste Management District sharedwith students how to safely and properly recycle to help theenvironment. She taught students what types of items could berecycled such as aluminum cans, plastic, paper, and glass. Duringthe presentation, Bonnie explained to students the importance ofconserving our natural resources. One example that she shared washow important trees are. She explained that trees are importantbecause they provide building materials for many products we usetoday. She also told the students how useful trees are in keeping theair we breathe clean and healthy. The students were very attentive and enjoyed learning how recycling canbenefit the environment.

Parkway’s Third Grade Students LearnAbout the Importance of Recycling

On Friday, March 16 Parkway Elementary held its third annual Typing AwardsCeremony. Parkway students in the third-grade classes have been working ontheir typing skills throughout the school year using a program called TypingInstructor for Kids. This program tracks the progress of students’ typing skillsthrough a point system. Students earning awards included the students whowere in the top twenty-five percent of points earned, the top typing class

overall, and the top three typists outof all the classes. Mrs. Samples' classreceived the first place class awardwith 4,797,437 points. The top threetypists from all of the third grade classes were Sam Tickle in thirdplace, Jonah Young in second place, and Jacoby Triplett earned thefirst place award. Mrs. Beerbower was very impressed with howmuch the typing skills of the students improved throughout theschool year. She commented that the students worked very hard andtheir effort showed.

Third Annual Typing Awards Ceremony

Elementary Unleashed 8

Mayor Amy Joseph visits Third-GradeOn Thursday, March 8 Rockford Mayor Amy Joseph visited Parkway’s third gradeclasses. During the visit, Amy talked about her role as the first female mayor ofRockford. She described to the students the many tasks she performs on a daily basis.She also shared with the students how much the community means to her. Mrs.Joseph talked about some of the projects that are currently being worked on,specifically the Bicentennial for the Village of Rockford. The Bicentennial ishappening in the year 2020 when Rockford celebrates 200 years of being establishedas a village! The visit from the mayor helped the third grade students meet one oftheir learning standards, which is to learn about community and the government(federal, state, and local). As a result of Amy’s visit, the third grade students gained a better understanding of howa local government works and the jobs that are essential for a local government to operate.

High-Five Hosts Annual CarnivalThe Parkway High-Five group hosted their annual Elementary School Carnival on Saturday, March 17. Thisyear’s carnival was a success raising over $2,000 to be used for equipment and supplies for Parkway ElementarySchool classrooms. The grand prize for the raffle was an Amazon Echo bundle which was won by Jana Sigler.The carnival provided a variety of activities that children young and old enjoyed all day. Some of the activitiesincluded face painting, inflatables, games, a magic show and so much more! As the students moved from oneactivity to the next, they carried their paw cards with them and received a stamp at each station. Once the cardswere filled, they could be turned in for a chance to win a prize. Parkway's High-Five group would like to thankJessica Yoder for coordinating this year’s carnival. They would also like to thank all of the volunteers whohelped and everyone who came out and supported Parkway Elementary School.

McDonald’s Peeler Sales a SuccessFrom February 16 through March 2 Parkway Elementary students sold McDonald'sPeelers to raise money for programs at Parkway Elementary School as well as forthe Ronald McDonald House Charities which provides vital resources andcompassionate care to children and their families being servedby leading hospitals worldwide. The peelers have 24 differentcoupons to McDonald’s locations throughout Ohio andIndiana. For each peeler sold, $1 was donated to the RonaldMcDonald House Charities and $4.50 was earned for ParkwayElementary. This year’s peeler sale was very successful with

a total of 1,246 cards sold. The top sellers included: Kindergartner Kora Harrod, SecondGrader Albany Roth, Kindergartner Annabelle Harvey, Kindergartner Kohlton Shannon, andKindergartner Carson Vogan.