Tipp City students competing were, from THS- Megan Bruening, Superior rating; Thomas Gaier, Good Rating, Ohio University Dept. of Physics Award of Excellence; Erin Rogers, Excellent rating; Elizabeth Walker, Excellent Rating; from TMS – Samantha Rowland, Superior rating, OSU College of Medicine Future Physician-Scientist Award; Brandon Bischoff, Excellent rating; Thomas Chaney, Excellent rating, Ohio Oil & Gas Energy Education Program Award, Edison Center Materials Science & Engineering Award, Governor’s Award for Excellence in Material Science, Society of Petroleum Engineers Award; Allison Chitwood, Excellent rating; and Adam Buynak, Superior rating, Ohio EPA Governor’s Award for Excellence in Environmental Protection Research.

All of these students are to be congratulated.  They did a great job presenting their projects and representing Tipp City Schools.

About Tippecanoe High School Science Program

The Tippecanoe High School and Middle School Science Fair Program is in its eighth season.  Coordinators for the program are: at THS, science teachers Scott Snyder and Jim Moore, and at TMS, teacher Len Kenyon.  The local science fair is supported by Tippecanoe STEAM Boosters, Inc. and its members.

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Photo 1:            TMS State Science Day Scholars  L to R

Adam Buynak, Samantha Rowland, Thomas Chaney, Allison Chitwood, Brandon Bischoff

Photo 2:            THS State Science Day Scholars  L to R

Erin Rogers, Megan Bruening, Thomas Gaier, Elizabeth Walker

Prom

You’ll find the prom preparations are well underway at the school as students order corsages and boutonnieres, buy tickets, and don’t forget figuring out WHERE to EAT that evening. Now begins the weekend of uncomfortable shoes, tons of photographs, and tugging at neckties.

Graduation

Set for May 27th at 1PM, the Class of 2012 will be graduating 202 of it’s seniors.

The Class of 2012

Jessica Adams
Matthew Alexander
Britton Altic
Shelby Anderson
Cecilia Alvarez
Jordan Amspaugh
Ashley Badertscher
Dustin Bailen
Alex Baker
Nathaniel Banks
Kimberly Banwart
Anna Barhorst
Brooke Barlage
Nathan Barnard
Morgan Beagle
Joshua Bechtol
Terra Belair
Brooke BenVenuto
Jessica Biller
Aaron Black
Kristen Blakey
Jacob Boggs
Evan Bourelle
Lucas Bradley
Chelsea Brown
Kyle Buehrer
Abigail Bullard
Audrey Butler
Tyler Callahan
Daniel Cantrell
Kyle Cloud
Chelsea Colbert
Jared Cole
Michael Collett II
Cyle Combs
Morgan Combs
Donald Cosip
James Coughlin
Wesley Cowell
Mallory Cunningham
Cory Davidson
Alexandria Dawes
Leah DeKold
Nicholas Demmitt
Nicholas DeNuzzo
Macie Dietz
Darion Dodson
Philip Donald
Zachary Dysinger
Julia Eastman
Callum Empson
Alexa Ernst
Nathan Evans
Brandon Ervin
Bethany Feitshans
Camille Felter
Sydney Flora
Kaitlyn Folk
Kevin Ford
Ellen Freeh
Anthony French
Megan Furderer
Thomas Gay
Cole Gilliam
Sarah Goetz
Ian Goodall
Scott Goubeaux
Augusta Grescowle
Angela Grim
Sehrish Gulfaraz
Joseph Gustin
Nicholas Hamberg
Jacob Harle
Connor Harmer
Tyler Heinl
Chelsea Hemmelgarn
Jesse Hester
Jordan Holzfaster
Kaitlyn Holder
Nathan Howard
Alex Huff
Damian Humbert
Jenna Jaynes
James Jenks
Kaleb Jenkins
Danielle Jones
Jake Jones
E. Kemper
Anna Kilpatrick
Jacob Kingrey
Kylie Kinser
Brittni Klosterman
Jonathan Korleski
Ethan Kraus
Alexa Lammers
Ashley Lanham
Emily Lankford
Heidi Layman
Windy Lee
Gregory Lehmkuhl
Stefan Lemmon
Michael Lesher
Alexa Liffick
Brett Mackenzie
Alexandra Mahan
Grace Marler
Madison Martin
Morgan Mason
Johnathan Mays
Chelsee McCormack
Michael McDermott
Nathan McKinney
Emily McKowen
Megan McLaughlin
Antohn ̒̒McReynolds
Aaron Meyers
Mackenzie Mikel
Rebecca Milas
Morgan Miller
Peyton Miller
Lindsey Millsaps
Tyler Mitchell
Ashley Mohler
Michelle Monce
Ashley Moor
Nicholas Muse
Raymond Naumoff, Jr.
Jenna Nelson
Madison Netherton
Lucas Nimer
Logan Niswonger
Robert Ochoa
Matthew Owens
Brittany Parman
Jessica Patrick
Benjamin Patzek
Emilie Paulus
Branda Peebles
William Perkins
Jonathan Perry
Adam Petrofes
Peyton Phillips
Christopher Preteroti
Caleb Proffitt
Kaitlin Prouty
Megan Rahaim
Emily Ranft
Christon Raypole
Darlene Reinhard
Joseph Renner
Brandon Ricciardi
Emily Rickmon
Katharine Roan
Olivia Roe
Drew Roemke
Jose Rojas
Anna Rosselit
Elizabeth Roth
Heather Rothery
Dallas Rowlands
Ashley Ruff
Kevin Ruyle
Jacob Salyer
Kaleb Sayre
Jessica Scharff
Alyssa Schulte
Elizabeth Schumann
Henry Scott
Dustin Seidenstricker
Ellise Sharpe
Nicholas Sheriff
Christina Shepherd
Courtney Shroyer
Jayme Shuk
Schae Silcox
Chealsie Sparks
Austin Stalhood
Alexander Stearns
Collin Stum
Kyle Stump
Paige Stutz
Lauren Subler
Sarah Sullenberger
Andrew Sutton
Haley Sylvester
Mary Tesch
Connor Thomas
Nicole Thomas
Tyler Turnbill
Joseph Turner
Hannah Walker
Mitchell Walton
Jessica Williams
Hannah Wilson
Stephen Winn
Megan Witwer
Jonathan Woodward II
Megan Wray
Demi ̒ York
Caitlyn Youngerman
Katie Zellers
Mitchell Zuzolo

By JOYELL NEVINS
Record Herald Editor

Courtesy of the Weekly Record Herald; Printed on 5.6.12

TIPP CITY – It’s official. Tipp City voters will see an emergency tax levy for the Tipp City Exempted Village Schools on a special August ballot.
The second resolution passed 5-0 at a special board of education meeting Friday morning.
The levy will raise $3,079,646 annually, with a term of five years. It is set for 7.95 mills, but allows for an increase of up to 10 mills.
“The millage may fluctuate, but the amount of money (coming in) won’t change,” board president Tom Merritt clarified.
According to treasurer Joe Smith, the levy will cost the owner of a $100,000 home approximately $240 per year.
“What we have on there is a fair number,” Smith said, stating the district could really use a higher number than that, especially with more state funding cuts looming on the horizon.
Since the levy will be the only one at this point on the Tipp ballot, the district will shoulder the expense of a special election (it gets split between issues on the ballot). Smith estimates the cost will be about $2,500, and be taken out of future property tax settlements.
The board is prepared to place the levy back on the ballot in November if it doesn’t pass in August. Because the day after the August election is the deadline to file for the November ballot, it would require a quick turnaround.
For more information:
• There is a list of budget cuts from the past year on www.tippcityschools.com under the “Departments: Communications” tab
• “Superintendent’s Corner” on the school home page also discusses the upcoming levy
• To be a part of the levy committee, contact co-chairs Matt Owen or Gordon Honeyman, or call the board office at (937) 667-8444.

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Courtesy of the Weekly Record Herald; Printed on 4.29.12

TIPP CITY – An emergency tax levy was unanimously approved for the August ballot during Monday’s Tipp City Board of Education meeting. The second resolution was scheduled for an emergency meeting on Friday.
The 7.95-mill emergency levy would last for the next five years if it passes on the ballot in August. If the levy does not clear with voters, Superintendent, Dr. John P. Kronour said that it will appear on the ballot again in November.
According to Kronour, the levy will generate more than $3 million each school year. Taxpayers who own a $100,000 home will approximately pay $243 each year.
With a shortfall of about $7 billion in its budget, Ohio has cut $1.3 million out of Tipp City School’s funding this school year.
“We really didn’t have time to plan for that,” Kronour said. “It was just that the state budget needed to be balanced, and obviously, education took a good chunk of that loss from the state budget.”
As a result, the school instituted several changes, including a decrease in the size of its staff for this school year to absorb the loss of the funding. Kronour said the district eliminated eight full-time positions and hired eight other positions at lower salaries.
Some teachers on staff were reassigned to positions held by now-retired staff.
According to the 2012 cut list, those who retired are Virginia Watson, Gail Ahmed, Janet Bishop, Judy Crowe, Chris Betz, Karen Jackson, Darlene McClurg, Marci Utt, Wade Mizer, Jackie Overbay, Carol Strunk, Nancy Hagen, Frank Goldsberry, Peg Wellbaum and Helga Thornton. Shannon Varvel resigned.
At the meeting, the board approved the resignations of Andy Meyer, an intervention teacher, and Joseph Tully, the middle School evening custodian.
The high school secretary, Denise March, was grouped with Meyer and Tully for resignation, but she informed the board that she did not resign. According to March, she was leaving the school because of financial reasons after being offered a part-time job that was half the salary she made as secretary. Marilynn Rowe was later approved to become the high school secretary.
They later approved the non-reemployment of Special Education Aides Amy Cornelison, Maria Hernandez-Avila, Melinda Seale, Dena Todd, and Marcy Trask for the 2012-2013 school year. They also cut Dale Pittenger and Megan Schaurer because of financial reasons. Pittenger coordinates the Career Based Intervention Program at the high school and Schaurer is a second grade teacher at Broadway Elementary.
The board also approved the re-assignment of regular bus driver Keith Bottles to a substitute bus driver while adding four other substitute positions. They also did not renew the contract of Miranda Watt, who had been hired part-time to take half of the Nevin Coppock Elementary music teacher position.
They also approved moving Jane Landis and Angela McMurray from full-time to part-time teachers. They tabled the recommendation to move Communications Coordinator Sheryl Brownlee from full-time to part-time until August though because of the levy.
Besides cutting and reducing the staff, the school also froze the salaries for all of the school’s employees. They increased the employee share of health insurance for single coverage, and they limited field trips and professional development outside of the district.
The school has also started participation fees for extra-curricular activities, which has produced more than $100,000 in income.
While these cuts have saved the school district money, the school hasn’t stopped there. They have also cut back on operation expenses. This includes lessening the amount of time the parking lights are on at the high school, switching phone services and eliminating a tech support contract, which amounts to over $80,000 in savings.
And with a year of continuing open enrollment, Kronour said that the school has seen an increase in its registration without increasing the amount of its teachers. This has produced a net gain of over $386,000.
For the 2013 school year, the school plans to make more cuts to staff and reduce their operation expenses, which will both amount to $1.1 million, if the tax levy is not passed.
While staff cuts and the tax levy dominated the meeting, another conversation was present in the early part of evening.
Parents were concerned about how the AP Biology and AP Physics courses had been eliminated and asked the board to bring them back.
Liz Robbins, a parent of three children, told the board that they were making an “egregious error.”
“I think that these potential cuts were made without ample information, without ample research, and without ample input from the very people you hired to make these decisions,” Robbins said.
Kronour then explained to the audience that the reason they had originally eliminated the courses was because the school’s numbers in science were down.
Another parent, Teresa Rohr, said that while she understood that cuts have to be made, science is still very important to our future.
“We can’t afford a science-illiterate society,” Rohr said.
This discussion concluded with Vice President Frank Maus grasping what was being said by parent after parent.
“I think what we’ve learned from the community here today is AP courses are important,” he said.

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EVENT INFO
April 12th, 2012 7PM Broadway Elementary
SONGS OF THE PIONEERS
The Songs of the Pioneers presentation is a fun, interactive and educational way to expose children to the songs pioneers were singing as they traveled west. Les will be bringing a car load of acoustic mu-sical instruments with him, introduces each instrument with some of it’s history, sings songs from the 1800′s, and ties the whole presentation together with pioneer experiences.

Instruments include: guitar, autoharp, mandolin, dulcimer, banjo, bowed psaltery, fiddle, ukelele, harp, mouth bow, bass, harmonica, spoons, & limberjack.

Songs include: Arkansas Traveler, Turkey in the Straw, Home on the Range, Wait for the Wagon, Red River Valley, Oh Susanna, Camptown Races, Yankee Doodle, Shortening Bread, Liza Jane, Skip to My Lou, Polly Wally Doodle, Old Joe Clark, Coming Round the Mtn., and Buffalo Gals.

This performance brought to you by Broadway PALS

http://www.gustafsonzook.com/

Young Inventor’s Contest to Award $500 Scholarship

DAYTON, OHIO – Time Warner Cable’s Coolest Creations viewer’s choice award is underway with 10 local students vying for a $500 scholarship. Time Warner Cable (TWC) customers will choose the winner by watching the young inventors as they showcase their creations on TWC’s Local On Demand Channel 411.

To “vote with your remote”, Digital Cable customers should tune into Channel 411, select the Viewer’s Choice option, select Coolest Creations, then watch the clip of the inventor you wish to support. Each view counts as a vote. Contest runs now through 11:59 p.m. May 13. The winner will be announced on Tuesday, May 22.

The Coolest Creations contest is part of Time Warner Cable’s philanthropic initiative Connect a Million Minds, which promotes education and careers in science, technology, engineering and math and recognizes the creative efforts of students who show innovation, creativity, problem solving and perseverance.  The 10 finalists were selected from the 151 students who were invited to showcase their creations at the Just Think, Inc. Invention Convention held on March 17 at Wright State University.

2012 Coolest Creations Finalists:

About Time Warner Cable’s Local On Demand

Time Warner Cable’s Channel 411 is the source for local programming and is free to all Time Warner Cable digital subscribers. A variety of local programs are available 24 hours a day through a digital, on-demand platform. Community events, sports, news, entertainment and more are available at the touch of a button. Since programming is “On Demand”, viewers can watch when it is convenient for them – day or night. Viewers can browse the channel’s various categories, select topics of interest then instantly start the program. Once selected, viewers can pause, fast-forward, rewind, or re-watch the show with the touch of a button on the digital remote control.

About Connect a Million Minds

Time Warner Cable’s (TWC) Connect a Million Minds (CAMM) is a five-year, $100 million philanthropic initiative to address America’s declining proficiency in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), which puts our children at risk of not competing successfully in a global economy. Using its media assets, TWC creates awareness of the issue and inspires students to develop the STEM skills they need to become the problem solvers of tomorrow. Program highlights include: original PSAs that challenge public perceptions of STEM; a unique website, www.connectamillionminds.com, where parents and community members can pledge to connect young people with the wonders of science; “The Connectory”, a one-of-a-kind online resource that makes it simple and easy for parents and students to find informal science and technology learning opportunities in their communities; grants to support non-profit organizations that bring stimulating, high-quality and affordable after-school STEM learning to students; TWC employees, over 47,000 strong, who volunteer their time at community events like science fairs and robotics competitions, and share their passion for engineering and technology with students at CAMM career days. TWC’s national CAMM partners are CSAS (Coalition for Science After School) and FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology). Local TWC markets are activating CAMM across the country with community-specific programs and partnerships.

About Time Warner Cable

Time Warner Cable Inc. (NYSE: TWC) is among the largest providers of video, high‐speed data and voice services in the United States, connecting more than 15 million customers to entertainment, information and each other. Time Warner Cable Business Class offers data, video and voice services to businesses of all sizes, cell tower backhaul services to wireless carriers and, through its NaviSite subsidiary, managed and outsourced information technology solutions and cloud services. Time Warner Cable Media, the advertising arm of Time Warner Cable, offers national, regional and local companies innovative advertising solutions. More information about the services of Time Warner Cable is available at www.timewarnercable.com, www.twcbc.com, www.navisite.com, and www.twcmedia.com.

Record Herald Editor

Courtesy of the Weekly Record Herald; Printed 3/23/12

TIPP CITY —Tipp City community members will say goodbye to long-time education administrators and hello to another levy, as announced at the board of education meeting Monday night.

High school principal Chuck Wray and high school media specialist Helen Prichard retirements were accepted by the board, with Prichard retiring on July 1 after 37 years of service at Tipp schools, and Wray retiring Sept. 30 after 35 years in education.

“I would like to thank them both from the board and on a personal level for their many years of service,” board president Tom Merritt said.

Even though changes inside the building don’t kick in until the start of next school year, changes outside will begin in May.

Brumbaugh Construction was awarded the bid for replacement and construction of the tennis courts and tennis court fencing at $174,200. Just like with the baseball dugout renovations, no funds for this building project are coming from the general operating budget. Since Good Samaritan and Upper Valley Medical Center already donate $75,000 annually for the sports complex, that money will all go towards paying off the dugout and now the tennis court project. Funds from the insurance claim for the Labor Day storms will also pay a percentage.

According to Kronour, Brumbaugh was chosen because they were one of the lowest bidders and are already doing an excellent job on the dugout construction.

In financial news, the school changed from EnergyUSA gas to Constellation NewEnergy’s natural gas program, saving almost $100,000 a year. The current contract was set up for a five-year period in June 2008 through the Ohio School Consortium’s Southwestern Ohio Educational Purchasing Council, a group that allows districts to make large purchases as a group, generally at a lower rate. EnergyUSA’s gas cost about $240-250,000 a year. The new contract with Constellation, still through the EPC, is set at a budget amount of $150,000 a year.

“Obviously, five years ago this looked like a pretty good deal,” Kronour said of the original contract with EnergyUSA.

To buy out of the contract, Tipp City schools will still have to pay $20,000 next year to the EPC. With Constellation, they have a three-year requirement with two option years. That contract will start in July.

The money savings of this move will not stop the need for a levy, though, according to Kronour. Although no official resolution was given, he indicated the definite need for a school levy.

“We are probably going to be on the August ballot,” Kronour said.

He plans to bring the board more details at the April meeting at 7 p.m. April 23.

The board also accepted several grants from both the Tipp Foundation and the Tippecanoe Educational Endowment.

The Tipp Foundation’s grants totaled $10,550, and included: Parents Who Care, after prom activities, $500; Nevin Coppock Elementary, third grade trip to the Ohio Caverns, $1,744; Broadway Elementary, first grade science and social studies programs, $4,000 and L.T. Ball Intermediate, Garst Museum trip, $1,296. Tippecanoe High received grants for a wellness speaker, $1,000; chess club, $210; Stagecrafters, $2,000; and World War II Virtual Musem, $100.

The Tippecanoe Educational Endowment’s grant package came to $9,210.45. Board member Scott Dixon noted that there were several more grant applications this year, to which board member Kate Johnsen said that was due to the $1,000 grant limit. In previous years, the grant maximum was $500. Johnsen pointed out that only one grant came under the $500 mark, which was Tippecanoe High’s National Honor Society tools at $310.

The other grants included: Nevin Coppock, “Read to Self” audio/visual tool, $968; Broadway Elementary, Write Again Lab Boards, $975; L.T. Ball Intermediate, Math Counts’s tutoring program, $1,000; Tippecanoe Middle, Kindle “A Fire” for reading, $1,000 and to the district for Applet Integration and Development, $979. Tippcanoe High also received grants for more Apples in the classroom, $827.53; SMART Board, $1,000; National History Bowl and Bee, $595; Visualizing Physics, $555.92, and Wellness Week speaker, $1,000.

“That’s just tremendous that they’re funding these projects,” Merritt said of the foundation and endowment.

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By MICHAEL SHANNON

Record Herald Writer

Courtesy of the Weekly Record Herald; Printed on 3-16-12

TIPP CITY – The Tipp City Schools Facilities Planning Commission hosted a community meeting March 13 at the high school. The committees goal is to put together a five year master plan to submit to the Ohio Schools Facilities Commission (OSFC). They want to get community’s input on what to build or renovate on current facilities.
Twenty-three people filled out surveys. Sixteen were members of the community, and the other seven were staff members.
“The feedback was very positive, but 23 is just not a large enough number,” said Sheryl Brownlee, School Community Relations Coordinator.
The community responded that they felt the middle and elementary school buildings are out dated.
The most popular suggestion was to tear down Nevin Coppock, Broadway elementary, and L T Ball Intermediate. The plan would be to remodel and add onto the middle school, and house kindergarden through eighth grade in that location. However, no official decision has been made.
“We have to put together a master plan if we want to build one school, or two schools, or even one school. Also, we need to do other things like a stadium.” Brownlee said.
Once a decision has been made, the district will submit it to the OSFC in Colombus. If the OSFC chooses Tipp Schools for the project, then a bond would be presented to the voters.
The bond would cover 70 percent of the total construction cost, and the remaining 30 percent will be covered by OSFC.
For more information or to fill out a survey, visit www.tippcityschools.com or call Sheryl Brownlee at (937) 669-6302.

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Connor Harmer signed a National Letter of Intent at the University of Findlay for Men’s Soccer. Connor is enrolled in the pre-veterinary medicine program that the University of Findlay excels in.

Connor is coming off a successful high school soccer career at Tippecanoe under the tutelage of Coach Scott Downing. In his senior year, he was Team Captain; awarded defender of the year by the coaching staff; and was All-Conference first team. The Tippecanoe Varsity team was also all conference champions the years Connor played there.

Connor has actively participated in a high level of soccer since moving to Tipp City in 2004. He currently plays his club ball for the Ohio Galaxies FC under Coach Todd Beall. Connor has also played for the Beavercreek Celtics organization and started his Tipp City career at FC Tippecanoe under Coach Brian Whitworth.

Connor is excited to play and advance for Andy Smyth, the University of Findlay’s Oilers Men’s Head Coach. He is also extremely excited about his academic potential at the University.

Tipp City, Ohio – The public is invited to participate in a Community Engagement Forum to discuss Tipp City School’s Facilities Master Plan and extra-curricular and co-curricular facilities. The Building Facilities Committee is seeking the community’s input in an effort to reach a consensus for a five-year facilities plan. The District is moving forward on a five-year capital improvement plan with the help of Ruetschle Architects. Mike Ruetschle, will be on hand to present to the public the process of putting together a five-year facilities plan and to discuss potential building configurations (focused on grades K-8) with discussion about athletic and co-curricular facilities. The public meeting will be held Tuesday, March 13th at the Middle School Cafeteria at 6 p.m.