MasonBuzz.com

Sue Kiesewetter reports:

Eight southwest Ohio organizations will benefit Friday during Mars Hill Academy’s Day of Service.

Every student in the 300-pupil, grade K-12 classical and Christian school in Mason, will participate.

The day begins at 9 a.m. when kindergarten children make cards to go with blankets that will distributed by Southern Baptist Disaster Relief. The children will learn about the group through a visit with Judy Freeman, of the group.

First and second graders will host an appreciation tea for older adults from three senior citizen centers. During the tea, the children will perform for the senior and give them appreciation cards they made.

Third graders will visit with Mason Fire Department’s Deputy Chief Daniel Stitzel before helping to wash a fire truck. They will also hear a presentation about an upcoming mission trip to Togo from Roger Babik of Master Provisions. The children will give him cards to take on his trip.

Fourth through sixth graders are headed to Matthew 25 Ministries in Blue Ash to help assemble person care kits and repackaging liquid soap.

The Salvation Army’s Camp Swoneky in Oregonia will get help from the schools seventh through 10th graders. They will weed, rake, and clean facilities.

Juniors and seniors will go to the Teen Challenge women’s home and men’s ranch in Milford. There they will help make repairs, clean, and do farm chores.

Posted in: Schools |

Tags: Tags: charity, christian, community service, day of service, mars hill academy, mason, school

Michael D. Clark reports:

The aftermath of the Sandy Hook school massacre has brought tighter security to one of the region’s largest schools.

Mason High School, with more than 3,300 students, already uses dozens of security cameras, monitoring devices and an on-site security station to secure its 206 classrooms.

But the shooting deaths of 26 children and adults at the Newtown, Conn., elementary school last month prompted Mason officials to pilot-test a background checking system requiring all visitors to hand over a valid ID before entering the school.

“The tragedy caused many people to think hard about how to make schools safer. We wanted to do a better job at checking visitors’ IDs,” said Tracey Carson, spokeswoman for Mason City School District.

Officials at the school now run background checks on visitors in a matter of minutes or less before allowing access beyond the main entrance’s reception desk.

“We’re also meeting with the city of Mason’s police chief and safety director to go over additional ways to make our schools safer, and we’re listening to ideas that our parents have shared,” Carson said.

“Some of the measures we have in place now include a robust system of electronic camera surveillance that helps us intervene into situations that we might not otherwise know about.”

Mason High School parent Merle Coyle said she appreciates another security layer.

“It’s a wonderful addition,” Coyle said.

“I’ve always been impressed with how diligent our district is and how they are always looking for ways to strengthen school security.”

School officials say they will continue to explore other security upgrades, some based on public input.

Posted in: Schools |

Tags: Tags: mason high school, school, security, shooting, surveillance, tracey carson

Gail Kist-Kline
Mason City Enrollment: 10,503
State rating 2010-11: Excellent w/ Distinction
Salary: $170,000

Denise Amos reports:

After Ohio cut nearly $2 billion from public-school budgets over the last two years, districts throughout the state cut hundreds of teaching jobs and froze teacher salaries.

Many superintendents and treasurers also froze their salaries, sharing in the pain.

An Enquirer analysis of more than 130 superintendent and treasurer contracts in Greater Cincinnati, however, shows that many top school executives received perks in compensation packages that most other educators don’t receive and that many in private business don’t get. Further, as school districts struggle to compete for talent at the top, state salary databases show superintendent and treasurer take-home pay grew during the recession.

Among the Cincinnati area’s 49 school districts:

• At least 46 pay their superintendents’ contributions to the state retirement fund at a rate of 10 percent of his or her salary. Most teachers pay their own 10 percent contribution.

• At least 21 create and fund separate annuity accounts for their superintendents, contributing to them annually. Most teachers don’t have district-funded annuities.

• At least 24 pay superintendents’ Medicare taxes. Most teachers pay this tax through payroll deductions.

• At least 34 pay mileage or monthly car allowances for superintendents, 23 pay for or provide a cellphone and 10 provide a credit card for district business.

• Compare superintendents’ pay

‘There’s a shortage of talent’

Experts in employment practices agree that superintendents – and, in Ohio, treasurers – have benefits in their contracts not usually found in private industry. They say that doesn’t mean these school leaders are overcompensated, though, even in a recession.

(more…)

Posted in: Schools |

Tags: Tags: benefits, cuts, gail kist-kline, jobs, layoffs, mason, mason schools, salary, school, superintendents, teachers

Mason High School recently welcomed the Class of 2016 with a Freshmen Spirit Party.

More than 600 incoming freshmen attended the event, where upperclassmen, known as “Sibs,”, lead students on tours of the building and helped them learn their schedules and locker combinations.

Motivational speaker Chris Bowers of Bowers Success Development spoke to students, who also participated in ice-breaker games and informational sessions.  The event ended with a spirited pep rally.

The annual event helps freshmen ease into high school life and that “high school is not a scary place–it is the place to discover yourself,” said Lorri Allen, student activities director.

“Having the upperclassmen work with the freshmen helps give the freshmen a sense of comfort,” she said

Posted in: Schools |

Tags: Tags: comets, freshmen, mason, mason high school, school, sibs, spirit party, upperclassmen

Students at St. Susanna School in Mason ended the school year on a high note with a Field Day last week.  The Enquirer’s Leigh Taylor was there to catch the fun.  Click on each image to see a larger-resolution version.

Posted in: Schools |

Tags: Tags: children, field day, mason, photos, school, st. susanna, students

Eric Messer served as principal of Western Row Elementary and Mason Heights Elementary this past school year. It marked the first time in Mason Schools' history a single principal has been in charge of two school buildings. The Enquirer/Cara Owsley

Paul McKibben reports:

This school year, Eric Messer served as principal of two elementary schools in the Mason City School District.

Messer led Mason Heights and Western Row elementaries. Before this school year, he was principal at Mason Heights. Next year, he’ll be the principal at Western Row as the district is closing Mason Heights. This school year, Mason Heights and Western Row had the entire district’s second and third grades. He maintains offices at both schools.

The father of three children grew up in the Columbus suburb of Reynoldsburg. His bachelor’s degree is from Miami University and he earned a master’s degree from the University of Cincinnati. He’s been with the Mason district for 15 years. He previously taught fifth grade and served as an assistant principal at Mason Intermediate School.

Messer, 38, answered Five Questions about the past school year and how he’s managed to juggle both jobs.

What’s the past school year been like as you’ve been managing both schools?

It’s been busy. You are in and out of a lot of meetings. You have a lot more responsibilities. It’s just been trying to manage time that has been the most difficult thing. I like to be with kids and be around the kids and you just got to make time to make sure you can still do those things. I can sit in meetings all day long but that’s not me.

What’s been the most hectic day for you this past school year?

There was one day I think I traveled back and forth three or four times. It might have been KISS (Kids Invite Someone Special) Day and what happened was KISS Day for Western Row and KISS Day at Mason Heights were on the same day. So I was going back and forth trying to make sure I was visible in both buildings. And also my two sons go (to Mason Heights) so I wanted to make sure they had their person here. Their grandma was coming in. Of course the opening day was hectic because you wanted to be in both buildings and make sure you’re visible and go over rules with kids.

Have the two schools worked together at all this past school year?

The schools are very similar. The (parent teacher organizations) have met and done some things together and have been doing some planning together. Our curriculum coordinators have met with both. I’ll meet with my reading teachers (at Mason Heights) and I’ll meet with the reading teachers at Western Row and we’ll kind of talk about ‘Hey this is what they talked about doing. What do you like? Do you like those ideas? And you know what, let’s take the good and bad from both and kind of combine them.” I have probably facilitated more of that. But there’s been more communication because I have both.

Is there anything that parents should be doing academically with their elementary-aged children during summer break?

Read. Read, read, read. Parents will say “My kid’s reading a lot.” Are they reading to you? Are they reading out loud? I have three kids and they could sit and read a page and they could skip words and they keep going. They read out loud though, you’re catching all those things and you’re hearing those things. Also, if they’re reading out loud you can ask them questions. They can read a whole page and you say “OK, what happened on that page? What happened to that character?” And you can get some dialogue with them and ask them questions. They do partner reading where you read a page and they read a page because at that point you’re modeling for them. You’re showing them what a good reader does with the influx of your voice and different things where you pause and don’t pause. For me with math, it’s practicing those addition and subtraction facts. It’s practicing multiplication facts and just continue to work on problem solving.

What was your favorite subject in school and why?

My favorite subject in school was math. I always loved numbers. I loved solving problems. I loved calculating problems. I always liked to do it in different ways. I actually went to college originally to be a high school math teacher. And then I was taking math 421, 441 and calculus 3 and I was like “OK, not.” At Miami, even if you were a high school major, you still had to do experiences in all the grade levels. And my adviser said, “You know I watched you with those elementary kids. You should think about that. You loved it.” I thought you know what, he’s right. You know I love the elementary kids and they’re so much fun. So I switched over to elementary education and now I’m here.

Posted in: Schools |

Tags: Tags: eric messer, mason city school district, mason heights, mason schools, principal, school, western row

Fifth-grader Claire Toomb listens as first-grader Lori Ryan reads a book during Right to Read week at St. Susanna School in Mason on Wednesday, May 2, 2012. The Enquirer/Leigh Taylor

Students at St. Susanna celebrated Right to Read Week last week.  Activities included shared reading day in which students shared books and bookmarks and read together and an author visit.  Children were also encouraged to read at home.  The Enquirer’s Leigh Taylor captured some of the week’s highlights.  Click on each image below to see a larger resolution version.

Posted in: Schools |

Tags: Tags: mason, photos, right to read week, school, st. susanna, students

Great Oaks Career Campuses will hold open house events for its high school programs at its four area campuses in coming weeks.

Students and their parents will have the chance to learn about Great Oaks’ 35 career programs, speak with faculty and students and tour facilities.  Popular programs include dental assisting, animal science, practical nursing, cosmetology, aviation maintenance, robotics, lodging management and construction, among other programs offered.

Open houses will be held:

• Diamond Oaks Career Campus, 6375 Harrison Avenue, Cincinnati—Thursday, Jan.  26, 6-8 pm.
• Laurel Oaks Career Campus, 300 Oak Drive, Wilmington—Thursday, Jan.  26, 5-7 pm.
• Scarlet Oaks Career Campus, 3254 E. Kemper Road, Sharonville—Thursday, Jan. 26, 5:30-7:30 pm.
• Live Oaks Career Campus, 5956 Buckwheat Road, Milford—Thursday, Feb. 2, 5:30-7:30 pm.

Career programs are open to high school juniors living in one of 36 school districts in southwest Ohio.  For more information, contact:

• Diamond Oaks—Laura Domet, 513-612-7006 or dometl@greatoaks.com
• Laurel Oaks—Karie Emery, 800-752-5480 or emeryk@greatoaks.com
• Live Oaks—Sarah Taylor, 513-612-4914 or taylors@greatoaks.com
• Scarlet Oaks—Sarah Wilson, 513-612-5794 or wilsons@greatoaks.com

Posted in: Community, Events, Events, Schools |

Tags: Tags: career, diamond oaks, education, great oaks, high school, laurel oaks, live oaks, open house, scarlet oaks, school, southwest ohio, vocational

Second-graders enjoy a presentation of "The Energized Guyz" by the National Theatre for Children at St. Susanna School in Mason on Thursday. The Enquirer/Leigh Taylor

Students at St. Susanna school enjoyed a live theater production of “The Energized Guyz” today, performed by actors with the National Theatre for Children.  Duke Energy sponsored the theatrical program, which teaches children ways to conserve natural resources used to produce electricity.  The Enquirer’s Leigh Taylor was there to capture the buzz.  Click on each image to see a larger resolution version.

Posted in: Schools |

Tags: Tags: conservation, duke energy, mason, national theatre for children, school, st. susanna, st. susanna school, the energized guyz

Western Row third grader Cierra Tibbs enjoyed KISS Day with her mom, Pam, and dad, Scott. Photo provided

Hugs abounded last week at Western Row and Mason Heights elementary schools.

Students at both schools invited friends and family to share a part of their school day with them as part of KISS (Kids Invite Someone Special) Day.

Western Row students and their guests participated in the school’s Kids Caring for Kids campaign, in which students raise money to purchase and assemble craft kids for patients at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

Sam Graler was excited to bring his grandfather, Tom Graler, to share his school day.

“This is the best day of the year because I get to do fun things in class with my Papa,” he said.

Posted in: Schools |

Tags: Tags: family, friends, kiss day, mason heights elementary, mason schools, school, students, western row elementary