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CW Schools get back to business
(by Linda Dillman, staff writer - May 20, 2009)
With new operating revenue on the way, Canal Winchester Local Schools administrators and board members are able to turn their attention back to day-to-day business and end-of-the-school-year activities.
Following a promise made to voters prior to the May 5 election, the school board re-employed and recalled certified and classified staff according to a reinstatement plan adopted March 23. As part of the district's cost saving measures, special education classrooms under the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio were switched to district supervision.
In connection with the change in services, one year limited district contracts with additional special education teachers and paraprofessionals were approved by the board at its May 18 meeting. However, special education supervisor, psychologist, speech and hearing pathologist, occupational and physical therapists, visually impaired specialist, and transition teacher positions were contracted through the service center for the 2009-10 school year.
By bringing the bulk of special education instructional services back in house and putting 15 special education teachers, 15 paraprofessionals, and a behavior specialist under district supervision, administrators estimate a cost savings of $445,000 over the previous service center contract.
Tennis
The board approved the creation of a student activity charter for the Canal Winchester Tennis Association account at Indian Trail Elementary following a request by physical education instructor Kathy Eisnaugle, who will serve as the organization's advisor.
"Kathy applied for and won a small grant for tennis equipment and wants to have the ability to hold fundraisers for additional tennis supplies for the kids," said Treasurer Joyce Boyer. "She held a tennis workshop on May 16 with a member of the United States Tennis Association (USTA)."
Students worked on tennis skills throughout the school year and the youth tennis team association and USTA joined forces to bring a Quick Start program to the school. According to the school's newsletter, portable courts will be set up weekly in front of Indian Trail from June 10 through July 22 for tennis instruction scaled down to the size and age of the child.
The format affords participants ages 6-10 the opportunity to learn how to control the ball and have rallies and matches between teams.
Alert system
The board was updated on deployment of the School Central alert system, a text messaging and e-mail communications platform communicating important updates and time sensitive alerts such as weather related closings and delays. Traditional methods of communicating closings including radio and television will continue to be used as well.
Alert system users sign up online and create an account at http://canalwin.yourschoolcentral.com. They can choose to be contacted through e-mail and/or text message and are guided through the process via the School Central User Guide.
Subscribers are able to select notifications from specific schools and/or departments and a personal dashboard displays group news in a social network. It features discussions, calendars, news, alerts, and message boards and users can also send messages to friends within the School Central system.
Members have the freedom to join and leave groups as their students move throughout the district.
The service is provided by School Central to schools in the central Ohio area as a community service through advertisements on the website. There is no cost to Canal Winchester Local Schools.
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