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Sandusky County
Park district to seek bids for nature center By Larry Limpf News Editor news@presspublications.com
Flooding
Last week’s heavy rains caused flooding throughout Northwest Ohio. Pictured, the rising Portage River brought flood levels to Pemberville homes and businesses. (Press photos by Ken Grosjean)
Backpacks — thing of the past?
Eliminating hardbound textbooks By J. Patrick Eaken Press Staff Writer news@presspublications.com
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There will be times when the teachers tell them, ‘Hey listen, it’s screens up’ or ‘screens down’
“
Oregon School officials said at a December board meeting they’ve noticed more students leaving school without their back packs. There’s no longer as much of a need for textbooks to do homework. The same is happening at other districts which have a long term goal of eliminating textbooks and replacing them with digital learning. Oregon and Eastwood schools have joined the technology race and are supplying students with devices such as iPads, laptop computers, and learning software. In Oregon, a five-year technology plan is in its early stages with Fassett Junior High students being given access to their own personal iPads this year. In 2014-15, Clay High School students will be provided with a laptop computer. The two districts are recipients of the state’s Straight A Fund Grant, collectively garnering, in collaboration with other learning centers, more than $1 million to spearhead technology and assessment programs.
Eastwood collaborated with Perrysburg, Springfield, Rossford, Maumee, Anthony Wayne districts as well as a local university and an educational service center. “We are forming a collaborative partnership to help develop online content, whether it be textbooks or resources, for classroom teachers basically with the goal that we will not have to continue to purchase hardbound textbooks,” Eastwood Superintendent Brent Welker said. Welker says the grant application had
to show how developing online content would save the district money. The grant will provide $855,583 toward the sevendistrict collaborative. ‘Screens up’ The Eastwood district has already purchased laptop computers for students in grades 8-12, which changes the classroom environment by leaps and bounds compared to when their parents and grandparents attended school. “There will be times when the teachers tell them, ‘Hey listen, it’s screens up’ or ‘screens down,’” Welker said. “Basically, the goal is to be creating content for class, let them have access to resources, hopefully creating more interactive lessons and basically taking instruction outside the classroom day.” Welker says grant funds are to develop online content for 10 study areas, including Biology, freshman Science, Algebra I and II, Geometry, English (for classes 9, 10, and 11), Government and American History classes. “Those are the areas we are target-
Officials of the Sandusky County Park District anticipate advertising in the next two weeks for contract bids for constructing a nature center building at Creek Bend Farm Park. Steve Gruner, director of the park district, said the planned 4,000-square-foot. $1.5 million facility will likely be open by September or October 2014 at the park, which is located in the Village of Lindsey. “It’s going to be a busy year,” he said. “We’re going to be on an aggressive schedule to get this up and going. Our fundraising efforts are going to continue in earnest through March. If we need to continue after that we will but we hope to have it completed by then.” Gruner credited a two-pronged fundraising effort for getting the project off the drawing board. “The park district board over the last 10 years has been setting aside money and committed half of the $1.5 million,” he said. Those funds came from rental fees, donations and revenue from wetland mitigation projects. Once the district reached its goal of earmarking $750,000 for the project, it then launched a public fundraising campaign and last August announced Joe and Sharon Wilson, of Clyde, were donating $100,000 toward construction costs. As of last week, Gruner said, the district has received about $421,000 in public donations and pledges, including the Wilson’s donation, which is one of the largest cash donations in the 40-year history of the park district. The building will contain a classroom and the park district has been consulting with the administrations of area school systems to ensure the room design is compatible with the science curricula of the schools. In addition, the center will house a library, window on wildlife room, open and covered decks, an exhibit area, office and restrooms. Gruner said the center will enable the
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You may not believe trade agreements affect you — but they do, profoundly.
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Ron Carver See page 9
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