Milford Exempted Village School District
Eagle eNews
www.milfordschools.org
August 2014
In This Issue
School Supply Lists
District Report Card
Boot Camp for Healthy Cooking
New Science Curriculum
New Website Launched
Service Learning Added
Community Flyers

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Mark Your Calendar

   August 
19 First Day of School
21Board of Education 
meeting
7 p.m.
MHS Auditorium
September
1NO SCHOOL
Labor Day
26NO SCHOOL
Teacher Inservice



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Welcome Back!

The first day of school for the 2014-15 school year is Tuesday, August 19. Schedule pick-up days and school supply lists for Milford's elementary, junior high, and the Ninth Grade Community can be found on the home page of each school. High School students will be given their supply lists from individual teachers the first week of school.


 
School Supply Lists

NGC

Milford Junior High School

Boyd E. Smith

McCormick

Meadowview 

Mulberry

Pattison

Seipelt

District to Release Quality Profile; State Report Card Delayed


 

Milford is one of 20 school districts in Ohio to issue our own Quality Profile, which gives a broad focus of what makes a school district successful. This comprehensive report gives us the opportunity to showcase our district and our many successes in so many areas--academics, arts, digital learning, fiscal stewardship, parent and community involvement, and student services. Look for the new Quality Profile to be released on September 3, 2015.

 

The usual release of the Ohio Report Cards for school districts won't happen until September. The report cards - typically released in August - detail achievement scores, growth in student learning and graduation rates, among other items, from the previous school year. The delay is caused by the extreme weather conditions last school year and the need to extend the spring testing window. A link to the new report card and the Quality Profile will be posted on our website.

Boot Camp Teaches Healthier Cooking


 
Last school year, Milford Nutrition Services Department received a grant to participate in  Cook for America, a program designed to educate food service staff to prepare fresh, high-quality, made-from-scratch food that meets both state and federal regulations, that kids will enjoy eating. It is part of a movement that is taking place across the nation. Milford is one of three local districts to receive grant money to fund participation in the program, provided by Interact for Health, formerly The Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati.  

 

Over the summer, Milford food service staff participated in Cook for America's five-day Culinary Boot Camp. Our staff learned about food preparation, food safety, creating menus, and how to make foods from scratch that taste good and are affordable. Cook for America chefs will then do follow-up visits at each school's kitchen to provide assistance in implementing the changes, which will begin to take place during the 2014-15 school year.

 

"The boot camp was a great opportunity for my staff to learn how to make fresh and nutritious food that will be appealing to our students. We look forward to trying out these new recipes," said Gerry Levy, Milford's Director of Nutrition Services.

 

The program was featured in the Cincinnati Enquirer. Click here to read more.

New Science Curriculum for Grades K-12

 

 

 

Over the summer, Milford's Board of Education approved new science materials and curriculum beginning this school year. The recommendations for the new program and materials came after a year of study by teachers and administrators serving on the K-12 Science Committees. Milford's new science curriculum K-12 is aligned to the new Ohio science standards. Based on the committee's research, National Geographic Science was selected for grades K-5. National Geographic Education is the educational outreach arm of the National Geographic Society. This comprehensive and interactive program brings science to life using real-world examples. To learn more, visit education.nationalgeographic.com.

 

All resources for this program are online through myNGConnect, which includes eEditions, a digital library, lesson planner, assessment resources, and a video library. For grade 6, the science committee recommended Pearson's Interactive Science, which has the same digital pathway as the DIGITS math and social studies programs.

 

"The new science curriculum at the elementary level focuses on inquiry and interactive lessons," said Dr. Jill Chin, Director of Elementary Curriculum.

 

For the junior high students, the Science Committee recommended SEPUP (The Science Education for Public Understanding Program), a research-based program which includes an online program featuring all the classroom labs and activities. Click here to learn more about the middle school curriculum.

 

Pearson's Interactive Science program was selected for the high school courses. The program includes a set of textbooks for the classroom as well as a subscription to electronic texts. A sampling of high school science courses includes: AP Physics, AP Chemistry, Honors Chemistry, Honors Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, Environmental, Astronomy and Biotech.

 

"We are excited about the new high school electives and the tremendous opportunity it will give our students to explore a variety of science topics. It's rewarding to see the numbers of students who have already enrolled in these new classes," shared Nancy House, Director of Secondary Curriculum.

  

Here is a link to the Power Point presentation given to the Board in June with more details on the new science curriculum. Science Presentation

New Website Launched

Visitors to milfordschools.org will see a new and improved website for the Milford Schools.


 
"Our website is key to maintaining strong communication between the district and our school community. We want our website to be a valuable resource and hub of information to stay informed about the district," said Milford Superintendent, Dr. Robert Farrell.


 
In addition to the new look and improved navigation, the district is selling ads through the website designer Legend Web Works to offset the cost of the site. To provide feedback on the site, please email [email protected].


 
Parents are also encouraged to follow the district on Facebook @Milford_Schools and on Twitter @Milford_Schools.  Each of our schools also has a Facebook page.

Service Learning Expands at MHS

This school year, a group of 18 Milford High School teachers will be using service-learning as an instructional strategy in their classrooms. Over the summer, a group of high school teachers attended a full day of training by the Mayerson Foundation, which introduced the concept of service-learning and how to use it in their classrooms.

 

"We will be giving kids a chance to use their learning to create projects that address community needs. Milford students will be engaging with our community, all year long, as a way to learn current curriculum and connect learning in a relevant and meaningful way," shared Milford teacher, Janelle Schunk. 

 

Schunk has incorporated service learning into her classes for the past two years via the New Voices program, connecting photography students to residents of City Gospel Mission and the Drop Inn Center. She and a group of her students were invited to speak on this experience at a national service learning conference this past spring.

 

"We would love any local community organizations who have needs to partner with us, or for the community to contact us about what they would love to see done. The teachers can then identify ways their curriculum can be used to address those needs," she added.

 

A group of Milford High School seniors are developing a survey to assess community needs, which will be shared this fall at www.milfordschools.org. You can also email Mrs. Schunk directly at [email protected].

CMC Looking for Ideas for Main

In July, the Milford Board of Education approved a purchase agreement for both the land and Milford Main school building at 527 Lila Avenue, Milford. The purchase agreement is with CMC properties, the same developer of the Riverwalk Flats and Rowhouses, built along the Little Miami River in downtown Milford. The purchase agreement includes a $250,000 purchase price with $5,000 in earnest money to the district while CMC has inspections conducted and explores zoning options for the property.  

CMC met all of the conditions set by the Milford Board for the sale of Main and has discussed with the Board future uses that will benefit the community. CMC is currently seeking feedback from the community for future uses of Main. If you are interested in sharing your ideas, email Jim Cohen, CMC Properties at  (513)739-7200 or via e-mail at [email protected]. Mr. Cohen is interested in receiving business plans for the building, which includes provisions for management and financing.

Community Flyers Posted

The Board has a policy that allows for the sharing of local programs/events with our school community. A flyer distribution request form is located on our website. If approved by the Superintendent, we will post flyers on our website at milfordschools.org

 

Click here for the latest local after-school enrichment opportunities for our students.