Board hears about technology, curriculum
Photo by ALLISON WOOD Sierra Grubb and Nick Gorris were named the high school’s Students of the Month.
YORK TOWNSHIP – The Buckeye School Board learned about new technology and curriculum along with updates at the high school during its March 14 meeting, which was held despite school being canceled that day due to the weather.
Intermediate Principal Rick Finley said a 2:1 technology program was started in the fourth grade this year with Chromebooks, which means there are enough devices for half of the students. Finley said fifth and sixth graders have the same program but with Macbooks; as these are more expensive, the choice was made to buy Chromebooks for fourth grade.
Unlike the 1:1 Chromebook program started this year for seventh-grade students, Finley said it was decided younger students don’t need to have access to a device all of the time and they will not be allowed to leave the building. At these grade levels, students still complete many tasks with pencil and paper. Next year, all ninth and 10th graders will receive their own Chromebooks for class.
High school updates
Principal Gabe Tudor said the school is adding three new Advanced Placement courses and a College Credit Plus Spanish class next year.
Tudor said these offerings help keep students in the building who might otherwise leave the school to take classes at a nearby college. In a College Credit Plus class, a student receives both high school and college credit (state college) upon successful completion, while Advanced Placement students take an end-of-course exam that could result in college credit if they receive a high enough grade.
The new AP courses include physics, English language and composition and European history.
In addition, the school will offer a biomedical science course, an elective, with the funding being provided by the Medina County Career Center.
Tudor said a recent community survey asked if the school should start one hour late once a week to incorporate what is called the Buckeye Period, a time where teachers can meet and students can have club meetings among other things. Currently, this is a daily period.
Curriculum
Christina Hank, curriculum director, discussed the new science curriculum the board was set to approve for grades K-3 and technology curriculum for grades K-6.
In the younger grades, students do not have science as a specific class, but lessons are incorporated into units and one of the goals is improving literacy skills, said Dawn Hartwell, primary school principal.
The board also passed a new technology curriculum, which has detailed requirements about what students are expected to be able to learn and complete in each grade.
Students of the Month
Students from each of the district’s schools were recognized at the beginning of the meeting. They include Buckeye High seniors Sierra Grubb and Nick Gorris; seventh-grader Ian Mason from the junior high; sixth-grader Corinne Anderson from the intermediate school and third-grader Kennedy Hanwell from the primary school.
Intermediate Principal Rick Finley said a 2:1 technology program was started in the fourth grade this year with Chromebooks, which means there are enough devices for half of the students. Finley said fifth and sixth graders have the same program but with Macbooks; as these are more expensive, the choice was made to buy Chromebooks for fourth grade.
Unlike the 1:1 Chromebook program started this year for seventh-grade students, Finley said it was decided younger students don’t need to have access to a device all of the time and they will not be allowed to leave the building. At these grade levels, students still complete many tasks with pencil and paper. Next year, all ninth and 10th graders will receive their own Chromebooks for class.
High school updates
Principal Gabe Tudor said the school is adding three new Advanced Placement courses and a College Credit Plus Spanish class next year.
Tudor said these offerings help keep students in the building who might otherwise leave the school to take classes at a nearby college. In a College Credit Plus class, a student receives both high school and college credit (state college) upon successful completion, while Advanced Placement students take an end-of-course exam that could result in college credit if they receive a high enough grade.
The new AP courses include physics, English language and composition and European history.
In addition, the school will offer a biomedical science course, an elective, with the funding being provided by the Medina County Career Center.
Tudor said a recent community survey asked if the school should start one hour late once a week to incorporate what is called the Buckeye Period, a time where teachers can meet and students can have club meetings among other things. Currently, this is a daily period.
Curriculum
Christina Hank, curriculum director, discussed the new science curriculum the board was set to approve for grades K-3 and technology curriculum for grades K-6.
In the younger grades, students do not have science as a specific class, but lessons are incorporated into units and one of the goals is improving literacy skills, said Dawn Hartwell, primary school principal.
The board also passed a new technology curriculum, which has detailed requirements about what students are expected to be able to learn and complete in each grade.
Students of the Month
Students from each of the district’s schools were recognized at the beginning of the meeting. They include Buckeye High seniors Sierra Grubb and Nick Gorris; seventh-grader Ian Mason from the junior high; sixth-grader Corinne Anderson from the intermediate school and third-grader Kennedy Hanwell from the primary school.