O l d F o r t L o c a l S c h o o l s

Kampus KeyholeOld Fort Local Schools7635 N. Co. Rd. 51Tiffin, OH 44883*Please note our new mailing address

Phone: 419-992-4291Fax: 419-992-4293http://www.oldfortschools.org/

Board of EducationLindsay Sooy, PresidentKristin Woodall, Vice PresidentNicholas Baker, MemberLarry Bowman, MemberJay Pence, MemberJohn Kahmann, Treasurer

AdministratorsSteve Anway, SuperintendentSonia Herman, High School PrincipalMichelle Dantuono, Elementary Principal

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Highlights 1Superintendent 2High School Principal 3Elementary School Principal 4Art 5Music 6Holiday 7-10January Calendar 11February Calendar 12

Keeping our s ights on Old Fort’s future and our thoughts on the community’s his tor y.

Kampus Ke yho l e i s a t eacher and s tudent - c rea t ed pub l i ca t ion .

If you have any questions, comments, or con-cerns regarding the Kampus Keyhole, please contact Kelly Leech at kleech@oldfortschools.org

December-January 2016-2017

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A Tribute to Our Old Fort Community VeteransThe Elementary Veterans Day program was a success. The sixth grade students led the assembly. We had student-written thank you letters, poetry and soloists singing the Bob Dylan song “Blowin’ in the Wind.” Grades K-5 also sang patriotic songs and shared talents. The hallways were filled with art and sentimental messages.

There were around 100 veterans in attendance. All seemed to enjoy the show and goodie bags. Many community businesses donated funds, coupons, and Ballreich’s chips to include in the decorated bags filled with artwork and cards from grades K-6.

We would like to thank the following 2016 sponsors:

American Legion Post #733Ballreich Company

Bettsville Friendship Gas Station/BecksFamily Video

Mark Miller ConstructionOld Fort Lions Club

Old Fort Teachers and StaffOlmstead Hauling

Taco BellVesuviusWendy’s

Presentation and Dismissal of Colors:Green Springs OH VFW

The High School hosted a Veterans Day lunch on November 11. Students invited neighbors, family, and/or friends for lunch as part of a PBIS challenge. Thirty veterans were able to attend over both lunch periods. Thank you to those who serve and have served our country.

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From the Desk of Steve Anway, Superintendent

On behalf of myself and our Board of Education I would like to thank the voters in the November 8 election for approving our renewal levy for another five years. We are humbled and thankful for your support. As I have said before in this column, we strive to run the district effectively and efficiently, while providing our students with the support they need to be successful in the classroom and ultimately productive in the ever-changing world in which we live.

As we enter the holiday season, there are many activities that our students and school are involved with to brighten the season. The choirs have sung at the lighting of the village Christmas tree in Bettsville. They have also performed their annual holiday Christmas program at the high school. At the elementary building, the younger students will perform their Christmas program on December 20. We know that in our district we have many things to be thankful for, including such wonderful support from the community and local businesses.

Finally, I wanted to take a moment to recognize both our high school and elementary school for the wonderful Veterans Day programs they put on November 11. At the high school a group of almost 30 veterans were honored and treated to lunch with

their children, grandchildren, and other relatives. At the elementary, I would estimate over 100 veterans and their families attended a ceremony designed by the students and faculty that honored veterans for their service with songs, poems, and technology. As Superintendent, I am quite proud of the work our staff and students put into these programs that honor such an important part of our society and Old Fort community. Well done by all, and “thank you” to all of the veterans who have served our country.

It is my wish for all of you that you have a peaceful, restful holiday season and that you take time to reflect on all the good things that we enjoy. Thank you for your support of our schools. Happy Holidays!

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From the Desk of Sonia Herman, High School PrincipalGreetings from the JH/HS

It is hard to believe that we are entering into our last few weeks of first semester and that Winter Sports have begun. The school year seems to be flying by. The year has been very busy between academic learning, organizational clubs, and extracurricular activities. Parent-Teacher conferences were a huge success in the JH/HS. It was good to see so many parents come in to see how their children are progressing in school. In regards to academics, we have received the results from the Spring AIR testing that all students in the state of Ohio participated in. The results of how your son or daughter performed have been sent home to you. Mrs. King has been keeping track of how your son or daughter is doing and making sure they are on track for graduation. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact the school.

As the year progresses, we are beginning to look at planning for next school year. This year we would like to set a master schedule for the 2017-18 school year and have students register for classes much sooner than we have in the past. When developing a master schedule, we must consider the following: student need, career tech, college credit plus offerings, and staffing. In a district of our size, once the master schedule is set, it

is greatly impacted with changes to individual schedules. Therefore, we will not allow schedule changes for next school year once your student’s schedule has been set unless there is an extreme circumstance. In an effort to get students placed correctly, there will be a scheduling meeting in February where parents will come in with their

student to schedule classes for the next school year. During this time, parents will be able to ask questions regarding course offerings and view course descriptions. Following this night, students will register for their courses for the 2017-18 school year after both the student and parent have signed off on the registration sheet. Begin discussing now with your child what classes he/she would like to take for next school year. For those students in grades 7-12 that are interested in taking college credit plus courses next school year, there is a mandatory meeting on Jan. 23rd with a make-up date of Jan. 30th. Many surrounding universities will be represented at this meeting. In closing, I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! There is so much to be thankful for and many times we forget that. Take the time during this season to reach out of your comfort zone and give to someone else. Whether that is simply a kind word of encouragement or another avenue your family feels is appropriate. Thank you again for being an amazing community that continues to support your school!

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From the Desk of Michelle Dantuono, Elementary Principal

Greetings from the Elementary!

October and November were busy months for the elementary students and staff. Besides all of the hard work on academics each day, the sixth grade students and teachers hosted Play for the Cure spirit week in October and the Veterans Day program in November. We’d like to thank all of the community members who donated to these events as well as those of you who attended them.

The teachers continue to participate in weekly teacher based team (TBTs) meetings to help improve the education our students receive in the elementary. The work in the TBTs, along with our co-teaching at several different grade levels, have shown an increase in our student scores. We’re very excited to see the growth our students are showing, and we’re very appreciative of the extra time the teachers are devoting to ensure this growth continues.

Attendance at school is vital to the students being successful. To this end, students earn tickets for no tardies and no absences. Six students are then drawn at the end of each month to eat at the Captain’s Table; the table is

decorated and small treats are provided. This has proven to be a very enjoyable time for all of us who have participated. It’s a great opportunity to talk with a small group and get to

know our students better. We encourage you to have your children at school on time and on a daily basis to help provide them with the best education possible.

Dismissal at the end of the school day at the elementary occurs at both ends of the building, so there is a lot of traffic in front of the school. The teachers do not release students to walk unattended through the parking lot. We ask that you leave your cars and come across the street to pick up your students. It is very important to us that our students are as safe as they can be. Your support in this endeavor is greatly appreciated.

As the holiday season approaches, all of us at the elementary wish all of you and yours a safe and happy holiday. As always, our doors are open. Only by working together can we provide the best education possible for your children.

Ms. Dantuono

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Art

I’m in Art 4. My favorite projects I’ve done are my silk paintings, chalk, and acrylic. Some of my hobbies include sleeping, playing games, and drawing weird sketches that are sort of creepy. My interests are working, going on long rides places, and working on cars when I can. I’m not in many school activities, except band, which I love. My plans for the future are that I want to be an RN and own my own medical clinic.

Senior Spotlight Artist: Vincent Grafals

Mr. Karle presented the students with their awards for the Lion’s Club Peace Poster Contest. Winners include Myles Miller- 3rd place, Sara Pemberton- 2nd place, and Jaislynn Woodall- 1st place. All winners received a money award. Jaislynn’s poster will move on to the next competition. Congratulations!

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Mark Your Calendars! OFHS will present this year’s Musical…

On March 17th and 18th. Hope to see you there!

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NewsOrigin of Santa Claus

St. Nicholas was a Bishop who lived in Turkey during the fourth century. He was a very kind man, who had a reputation of helping the poor and giving secret gifts to those in need. There are many legends about St. Nicholas, but the most well-known one is about a man who was too poor to pay his daughter’s dowry so they couldn’t get married. One night, Nicholas secretly dropped a bag of gold down the chimney, where it fell into a stocking that had been hung by the fire to dry. This same act was repeated for the second daughter. At this point, the father was determined to find out who had given him the money, so he secretly hid by the fireplace every evening until he caught Nicholas. Nicholas begged the man not to tell anyone but word soon got out and whenever anyone received a secret gift, St. Nicholas was thought to be behind it.

After the reformation in northern Europe during the sixteenth century, the stories about St. Nicholas became unpopular. However, gifts still needed to be delivered to the children, so different countries used the concept of St. Nicholas but changed his name. For example, in England he became “Father Christmas” or “Old Man Christmas” and in the United States he was known as “Kris Kringle.” Later, Dutch Settlers in the United States took the old stories of St. Nicholas with them and Kris Kringle soon became “Sinterklaas” or as we say, “Santa Claus.”

- Aleesha PattersonMiss Leech’s English 12 classes enjoy a live production of Dickens’

A Christmas Carol at Cleveland’s Playhouse Square

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Staff Favorite Holiday Foods

Mrs. Baker- candy baked apples Mrs. DeRodes- Christmas dipsMrs. King- funny dessertsMrs. Wax- prime rib Mr. Adelsperger- sugar cookies Mrs. Herman- desserts Mr. Dietz- Chinese Ms. Kozel- cookies

- Brandon Swartz

What’s your favorite holiday decoration?

Jordan Magers- Christmas trees and colorful lights.Trey Hossler- snowmanDevyn Smith- stockingsKiely Taylor- gingerbread housesJenna Clouse- stockings and the greeneryZack Miller-Christmas trees

What’s your favorite part about Christmas?Rachelle Martin- the Christmas moviesRyan Miller- the snow Aurora Burton- making cookies with the family Zack Dewese- NO SCHOOL Katelyn Drown- Christmas songs Andrew Combs- putting up the tree

- Anna Martin and Sarah Hossler

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Old Fort student in Grades 7-12 created “I am thankful for...” feathers for a Thanksgiving display.

Our turkey was loaded with expressions of gratitude.

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Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 New Year’s Day

2 3 Staff Work Day No School Home JH Boys’ Basketball vs. Mohawk 5p 7th Girls’ Basketball @ St. Wendelin 5p JV/Varsity Girls’ Basketball @ Calvert 6p

4 Back to School

5 Home JH Boys’ Bas-ketball vs. Lakota 5p JV/Varsity Boys’ Bas-ketball @ Lakota 6p

6 Home JV/Varsity Girls’ Basketball vs. SMCC 6p

7 JH Boys’ Basketball @ Arcadia 9a Home JH Girls’ Basket-ball vs. Arcadia 9a JV/Varsity Boys’ Bas-ketball @ Calvert 6p

8 9 Home JH Boys’ Basket-ball vs. Calvert 5p JH Girls’ Basketball @ Calvert 5p Board Mtg. 6p

10 Home JH Boys’ Basketball vs. Columbian 5p JH Girls’ Basketball @ Columbian 5p

11 2 Hour Delay

12 Home JH Boys’ Bas-ketball vs. SMCC 5p JH Girls’ Basketball @ SMCC 5p Home JV/Varsity Girls’ Basketball vs. Marga-retta 6p

13 Home Boys’ Basketball vs. SMCC 6p

14 JV/Varsity Boys’ Basket-ball @ Danbury 6p Home JV/Varsity Girls’ Basketball vs. Arcadia 1p JH Boys’ and Girls’ Bas-ketball @ Lakota 10a

15 Homecoming

16 MLK Day No School

17 JH Boys’ Basketball @ Hopewell 5p Home JH Girls’ Basketball vs. Hopewell 5p JV/Varsity Boys’ Basketball @ Monroeville 6p

18 19 JV/Varsity Girls’ Basket-ball @ Carey 6p JH Girls’ Basketball @ New Riegel 5p Home JH Boys’ Basket-ball vs. New Riegel 5p

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21 JH Boys’ Basketball SBC @ Calvert 10a JH Girls’ Basketball SBC @ Lakota 10a JV/Varsity Boys’ Basket-ball @ New Riegel 6p JV/Varsity Girls’ Basket-ball @ New Riegel 1p

22 23 JH Boys’ Basketball @ SJCC 5p Home JH Girls’ Bas-ketball vs. SJCC 5p

24 Home JV/Varsity Girls’ Basketball vs. SJCC 6p

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26 Home 8th Girls’ Bas-ketball vs. St. Wendelin 5p

27 Home JV/Varsity Boys’ Basketball vs. SJCC 6p

28 JH Boys’ Basketball SBC @ SJCC 10a JH Girls’ Basketball SBC @ New Riegel 10a Home JV/Varsity Boys’ Basketball vs. Elmwood 6p JV/Varsity Girls’ Basket-ball @ St. Wendelin 1p

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30 CCP Info Make-Up 6p Home JH Girls’ Bas-ketball vs. Lakota 5p

31 JV/Varsity Girls’ Basket-ball @ Elmwood 6p

January 2017

Old Fort Local Schools 7635 N. Co. Rd. 51Tiffin, OH 44883

NON PROFIT ORGANIZATIONUS POSTAGE PAIDPERMIT NO.102TIFFIN, OHIO 44883

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 Parent Scheduling Night 6p

2 JV/Varsity Boys’ Bas-ketball @ St. Wendelin 6p JH Boys’ Basketball @ Calvert 5p Home JH Girls’ Bas-ketball vs. Calvert 5p

3 Home JV/Varsity Girls’ Basketball vs. Lakota 6p

4 JV/Varsity Boys’ Bas-ketball @ Arcadia 6p Home JH Boys’ and Girls’ SBC Finals 10a

5 6

7 Home JV/Varsity Girls’ Basketball vs. Oak Har-bor 6p 2 Hour Delay Parent Scheduling Night-8th Grade only 6p

8 Parent Scheduling Make-Up Date 6p

9 JV/Varsity Girls’ Bas-ketball @ Seneca East 6p

10 Home JV/Varsity Boys’ Basketball vs. Lakota 6p

11 Home JV/Varsity Girls’ Basketball vs. Calvert 6p

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13 Board Mtg. 6p

14 Valentine’s Day Home JV/Varsity Boys’ Basketball vs. Wood-more 6p

15 16 JV/Varsity Girls’ Bas-ketball @ SMCC 6p

17 Home JV/Varsity Boys’ Basketball vs. Calvert 6p

18 JV/Varsity Boys’ Bas-ketball @ Genoa 6p

19 20 President’s Day No School

21 FFA Week

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24 JV/Varsity Boys’ Bas-ketball @ SMCC 6p

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February 2017