PBL, fiscal concerns VWCS board topics

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The Van Wert City Board of Education saw what could be the future of local education, but also got another dose of future financial reality during its November meeting on Wednesday.

First off, eighth-grade gifted students from Van Wert Middle School gave a presentation on project-based learning program similar to the New Tech program being implemented in the high school next year.

The students’ multimedia presentation during the educational impact portion of the meeting segued neatly into Superintendent Ken Amstutz’s report later in the meeting on the New Tech program slated for implementation in the freshman class during the 2012-2013 school year.

In fact, Amstutz took the microphone following the students’ presentation to talk about his vision for having project-based education eventually at all grade levels in the district.

“This is pretty much of a start of where we are headed as a school district,” the superintendent noted. “As we move forward with New Tech, and we’re starting it a little bit in the middle school at this time, we’re getting a little bit of foundation, getting a little bit of a taste of it, getting a little bit of a, let’s say, a start of what high school will look like for these kids.”

“You can see with what they have done, what the benefits are,” Amstutz added, noting that he has talked to a number of local business people, who also see at least one big benefit of project-based learning.

“If you were to talk to most people who are employed in our school district, you will find that one major thing is lacking: it is not ability, it is not the intelligence that they have or the knowledge they have gained, it is the ability to work together,” the superintendent said.

Amstutz noted that, during a presentation on New Tech to a prominent businessman in the community, the man leaned back in his chair and told the superintendent: “We spend an exorbitant amount of time training our people on doing what: working together,” something Amstutz said the four eighth-graders have already learned in doing their project-based learning project.

“We have the knowledge, we have the foundation, but ‘sit and get’ in school is no longer what we need to have for our kids,” the superintendent noted. “And that is why we, as a school district, are looking at going in the direction of New Tech.”

Amstutz noted that, while traditional education rewards students who “get school, who understand school, who know how to get the As, know how to play the game with the teacher … those are the ones we think are the phenomenal students,” he said he bet the four eighth-graders “learned far more in the time they spent in that than they would had they been ‘sitting and getting’ in the classroom, and I see them shaking their heads up and down.”

Amstutz said project-based learning teachers 21st century skills, which is what students today need to be successful in life.

“We need to move forward, rather than moving backward,” he added.

Board President Mike Morrow also talked about how impressed he was during a recent visit by local school officials and community members to the Viking New Tech program in Huntington, Ind., and the self-confidence of the students in that program, as well as their communication skills.

”We walked away extremely impressed with the 14-, 15- and 16-year-old kids that we had the opportunity to interact with,” Morrow said, adding that those who may not think New Tech is the right way to go for Van Wert City School should visit a New Tech school to see what the program can do for students. “It is absolutely tremendous what these young people are doing, and the amount of learning that is going on in that setting is just awesome.”

The same skill-sets seen at Viking New Tech were also present in the eighth-grade students involved in the project-based learning project at VWMS.

Two other eighth-grade students also gave a presentation on the recent class trip to Washington, D.C., and Amstutz and Middle School Principal Mark Bagley both said that they hoped the community would continue to provide financial support for the trip, because of its educational benefits for the students.

Also during the meeting, Treasurer Mike Ruen provided an update on the district’s five-year forecast, noting that the gloomy forecast is currently predicting a $10 million shortfall by the end of Fiscal Year 2016, despite an increase in tax revenues of 3.18 percent in the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2012 over the same period last year.

Ruen cited several concerns, including the elimination of tangible personal property taxes, which he said would decrease local revenues by an estimated $2 million.

However, there were some positives in the treasurer’s report. Ruen said renewal of the district’s income tax levy would cut the shortfall in half, while an improving economy would also have a positive impact on projections, since he only projected growth of 1-3 percent over the five-year period.

In other action, the board:

Heard a report from Morrow on a recent Athletic Council meeting, including a discussion of policy for students involved in home-schooled students who want to participate in athletics in the district. The board president also reported on LifeLinks Community School, noting that Director Shawn Deitemeyer was doing a good job with the school, which currently has approximately 55 students — about the maximum he said the current facility at Trinity Friends Church could support. That will change, though, when the program moves to the S.F. Goedde Building after the new elementary school is completed.

Approved eight change orders for the grades 1-5 elementary school currently under construction. Amstutz said the changes would cost the district little, since several of the changes cut costs for the project. The superintendent also updated the board on the project, noting that the “dry-in” date was still December 21, and added that the project remained on schedule for completion in the fall of 2012.

Heard an update on the tennis court project from Amstutz, who said sealing and striping of the courts would have to wait until spring, which would mean the boys’ tennis team would not be able to practice on them prior to the start of the season.

Accepted, with thanks, the following donations: $1,750 from the Klein Fund of The Van Wert County Foundation for Ohio City area students; $1,000 from the Raymond James Charitable Endowment of the Cooper Family Foundation for the VWHS Renaissance program, and $2,000 from the fund for the Education Grant, both for the 2011-2012 school year; $2,750 from the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation to Donna Clark’s Leveled Literacy Program; and $400 from McDonald’s MAC grant program for Eileen Manken’s Make Activities Count program.

Accepted the resignation of Jerry Ramsay, VWHS special education teacher, for the purpose of retirement after 35 years in education, 33 of those in the local school system.

Approved the following supplemental contracts: Matt Hernandez and Luke Swartz, half-time assistant soccer coaches; and Brendon Moody, VWHS assistant swimming coach.

Authorized an agreement with Lincolnview Local Schools for the free attendance of Ashley Hilleary in the Lincolnview district, where several of her siblings already attend.

Approved a fiber optic lease agreement between the city schools and Central Insurance Company. VWCS Technology Coordinator John Butler said the agreement provides Central with an Internet gateway, and called it a “win-win” situation for both the district and Central, which is paying the district a fee. He also stressed that there would be no interaction with school Internet services.

The next meeting of the Van Wert City Board of Education will be at 5 p.m. Wednesday, December 21, in the First Federal Lecture Hall.