FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
8/23/13
District Performance Remains Strong on Redesigned State Report Card
The Westerville City School District’s (WCSD) latest state report card indicates that students
once again attained high levels of academic achievement during the 2012-13 school year. The
Ohio Department of Education (ODE) yesterday released its revamped report cards for all Ohio
public schools and school districts.
Several significant changes have been made to state report cards, the most noticeable of which is
that schools and school districts no longer are rated with the familiar “Excellent” or “Continuous
Improvement” labels, but instead receive letter grades. The state issued letter grades on nine
performance measures for the 2012-13 school year:

Performance Indicators,

Performance Index,

Annual Measurement Objectives (AMO),

Four-Year Graduation Rate,

Five-Year Graduation Rate,

Value-Added: Overall,

Value-Added: Gifted,

Value-Added: Students with Disabilities, and

Value-Added: Lowest 20% in Achievement.
WCSD earned an A for meeting all 24 Performance Indicators on the report card; a B for its
Performance Index score of 102.7 out of a possible 120; a C for AMO; a B for its four-year and
five-year graduation rates of 92 percent and 94.5 percent, respectively; an A for its Overall
Value-Added grade; a C for its Gifted Value-Added grade; an A for its Students with Disabilities
Value-Added grade; and a Value-Added grade of A for students in the lowest 20 percent of
achievement.
The grades for these performance measures fall under six report card components:

Achievement,

Progress,

Gap Closing,

Graduation Rate,

K-3 Literacy, and

Prepared for Success.
Value-Added grades, which comprise the report card’s Progress component, are calculated using
three years of student academic growth data. A grade of C means students, on average, are
achieving a year’s worth of academic growth in a year’s time, while an A means students are
achieving at significantly greater levels than one year’s growth in one year’s time.
Superintendent John R. Kellogg, Ed.D., noted that while the state’s transition to letter grades is
intended to make it easier for people to understand a school or school district’s performance,
their initial use also may result in the misinterpretation of performance levels.
“Many people may misinterpret some grades to mean that performance is slipping,” Kellogg
explained. “The fact is, while performance may be steady or even improving, the state is setting
the bar higher and expecting more from its schools.”
Kellogg illustrated this point by reviewing recent changes to graduation rate calculations. He
explained that the ODE used to calculate graduation rates by including students who needed
additional time to finish high school. A new calculation, however, includes only those students
who graduate within four years. WCSD’s report card results under the new calculation reflected
a slight decrease from the prior year’s reported graduation rate, but the district continued to meet
the state standard. The state also began using a five-year graduation rate calculation on this
year’s report card to reflect those students who need slightly more time to graduate.
Another significant change to the report cards involves the use of AMO instead of Adequate
Yearly Progress (AYP). AMO comprise the report card’s Gap Closing component, which
provides a measurement of how well schools and districts are improving student performance in
reading, math, and graduation rate among 10 student subgroups.
According to Kellogg, AYP on prior report cards served as extra credit that could help a school
or district improve their grades, while the new AMO is more like a graded class. Under the new
reporting system, failure to meet certain standards may result in a demotion to letter grades.
“Our academic performance remains strong, despite the state’s measuring stick being different,”
Kellogg said. “If a district achieved basic AYP requirements on prior report cards, it would be
noted that the standard was ‘Met.’ Now, schools and districts meeting basic AMO requirements
will receive a letter grade of C. What once helped boost your performance ratings is now
considered to be average performance.”
Kellogg said that some WCSD’s schools initially will be challenged in AMO, but the district and
its schools have shown in the past that they are able to make great strides in areas requiring more
focus.
“There’s no reason to believe that we won’t be able to improve student achievement in these
AMO categories,” Kellogg said. “We have several schools that have been very successful in
closing student achievement gaps, so we’ll be examining their past practices, identifying the
effective strategies that were used and replicating those practices elsewhere to ensure success for
all students.”
Statewide gap closure data indicate that this is an area of great need for all Ohio schools. Data
models projected that 38 percent of Ohio’s school districts, 48 percent of traditional schools and
77 percent of charter schools would receive a D or an F grade for gap closure this year.
The phase-in of report card changes and increasing state standards will continue over the next
several years. Beginning with the current school year, schools and school districts must have 80
percent of their students pass a Performance Indicator in order to meet that indicator on future
report cards. Additionally, the number of performance measures that could appear on a report
card will increase to 18 by the 2015-16 school year.
The state will not issue component grades or overall grades until 2015 so schools have time to
adjust to the new system and focus their efforts on being successful in all areas that are being
measured.
“We welcome these higher standards and the opportunities they bring,” Kellogg said. “The
bottom line is that if we keep our focus on improving student achievement, the state-issued
grades will take care of themselves.”
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
8/23/13
Kindergarten Students are off to a Good Start in Westerville
Hawthorne Elementary student Katie
Mehlo poses with an appropriate frame
commemorating her first day in
kindergarten.
Monday, August 19 marked the first day of kindergarten in the Westerville City School District,
when approximately 950 students began their educational journey at the 12 elementary schools
which house the district’s kindergarten classrooms. Many were sporting new clothes and big
smiles, but an apprehensive tear or two was spotted on a few children and parents. The
kindergartners lined up and marched into their rooms, where book bags were unloaded, revealing
an assortment of brand new pencils, crayons, glue sticks, folders and markers. After a gentle
explanation of rules and regulations, learning got underway. By the week’s end, both teachers
and students had settled into a happy routine. This year’s kindergartners will graduate in 2026.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
8/23/13
August 30 is Football Friday Night in Westerville
August 30 is Football Friday Night in Westerville. For the first time in many years, varsity
teams at all three high schools will host their inaugural home games that evening, with Central
playing DeSales; North pitted against Franklin Heights; and South going up against GroveportMadison. All games begin at 7:30 p.m. The community is encouraged to join in the fun by
showing up to support their favorite team. Pre-game activities are planned at all locations.
On the corner of Mt Royal and Tussic Avenue, Westerville Central will be holding a parent and
student tailgate before the big tilt against the Stallions. Double Warhawk burgers from the grill
will be featured, along with music, Frisbee tossing, corn-hole, and football throwing. The
marching band will lead the silver and black onto the turf right before kickoff, which “promises
to be a game for the ages.”
From 5:15-7:15 p.m. on August 30, Westerville North will hold an event being touted as the
“Tailgate Party of the Century,” with pregame activities featuring the band, food trucks, games,
prizes, and face painting. Jared Smalley, a sportscaster from NBC-4, will broadcast live from the
event, as fans get pumped up to cheer on their beloved Warriors as they kick off an exciting and
successful season.
Enthusiasm will be running rampant at Westerville South’s tailgate party, which will take place
from 3:00-6:00 p.m. near the baseball field/back concession area of the school. Food, games, fun
and prizes are on tap as students, parents and community members join forces to cheer for the
Wildcats.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
8/23/13
Walmart’s Donation to Westerville South’s Baseball Program is Greatly Appreciated
Pictured left to right: Walmart store
manager Andrew Bounds; State
Representative Anne Gonzales;
Westerville Mayor Kathy Cocuzzi; and
Tom Michaels, president of Westerville
South’s Pinch Hitters Club.
During the grand opening of the Westerville Walmart Supercenter on August 14, a $1,000 check
was presented to Westerville South High School’s baseball program. The money will be used to
make repairs to the field. Tom Michaels, president of South’s Pinch Hitters Club, was present to
accept the generous donation from store manager Andrew Bounds. Walmart, located at 50 E.
Schrock Road, is open 24 hours a day. It sells groceries, electronics, sporting goods, home
goods and pharmaceuticals.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
8/23/13
Kline Announces Retirement; Ebbrecht to Assume Duties at AEC
Dr. Machelle Kline, director of assessment and alternative education, recently announced her
retirement from the Westerville City Schools effective September 1, 2013, so that she may
pursue other professional opportunities.
“Dr. Kline is a tremendous administrator,” said Superintendent John R. Kellogg, Ed.D. “Her
skills and experience truly will be missed by our district. We wish her all the best in retirement
and this next chapter in her professional career.”
Kellogg earlier this week announced that Dr. Scott Ebbrecht will assume the responsibilities of
coordinating the district’s assessment and alternative education services upon Kline’s departure.
Ebbrecht has been shadowing Kline since Wednesday to familiarize himself with established
processes and procedures of Kline’s department, as well as Academic Enrichment Center
operations.
“Dr. Ebbrecht is an innovative, well respected administrator who is ready to lead the many
operational and academic facets of this position,” Kellogg said. “His experience as a teacher,
building principal and central office administrator has provided him with a full complement of
skills needed to be successful in this particular role.”
Ebbrecht’s current responsibilities of coordinating K-5 science, K-12 physical education,
health and music curriculum will be reassigned. Kellogg noted that the district’s management
team continues to work at a decreased capacity because several district-level vacancies remain
unfilled.
“In addition to the vacancy created by Dr. Kline’s retirement, we’ve not yet filled our vacant
Chief Academic Officer position,” Kellogg explained. “Though management personnel will be
stretched thin just a bit longer, the ultimate structure of our organization should be determined by
the results of our strategic planning process. We must ensure that we’re able to meet community
expectations for the future of their schools and provide a 21st century education for their
children.”
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
8/23/13
First Day of Preschool is Cause for Excitement among District’s Youngest Pupils
Kaelin Hartnell exercises with enthusiasm
on the first day of preschool.
For the first time ever, all preschool classes in the Westerville City School District are being held
at one centralized location, the Early Learning Center. On Monday, August 19, 216 children,
along with their parents, excitedly walked through the doors at 936 Eastwind Drive, ready to
learn. The newly-renovated space was designed to inspire young students and their teachers.
Until last year, preschool classes were scattered throughout the district in a number of
elementary school buildings. Now, space has opened up in those schools to accommodate
growth while preschool is held in close proximity to the district’s Special Education
professionals, whose offices are located upstairs. The facility, which houses 12 preschool classes
in the morning and 12 preschool classes in the afternoon, is a perfect setting for providing top
quality educational services to the district’s youngest learners.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
8/23/13
Westerville Education Challenge Awards $14,411 in Grant Money to Westerville Teachers
The Westerville Education Challenge has announced that $14,411.01 will be awarded to six
grant applicants in support of innovative educational programming for the Westerville City
School District.
Originally formed in 2009 to underwrite Challenge Day initiatives at all three Westerville high
schools, the mission of the Westerville Education Challenge (WEC) has evolved to also fund
creative projects that enrich curricular and extra-curricular activities, and that directly enhance
educational opportunities for a significant number of students in the Westerville City Schools.
Successful fundraising initiatives, such as “Boots ‘N BBQ at the Barn,” have allowed the nonprofit to achieve its mission through its competitive grants program, which began last school
year. Grant recipients this year are:

Beth Dalin, Emerson Magnet School, $2,390 for the Emerson Early Risers Club. Eight to
10 incoming third grade students who have been identified as “at risk” in reading will be
invited to participate in a four-day-per-week, year-long, before-school shared reading
program that will pair one or two students with an enthusiastic, passionate volunteer
student reader from Otterbein University to develop a love of reading. Students will hear
and participate in reading great literature accessed through Kindle Fires.

Rachel Schultz, McVay Elementary School, $768.50 for a culinary arts project that is
designed to support young pupils with multiple disabilities in acquiring mathematical,
reading, and daily living skills while planning and preparing food. The project will
continue over the course of the entire school year, with 2-4 lessons per week. The money
will be used for cooking equipment and food.

Jane Elliott, Walnut Springs Middle School, $2,229 to expand the Leaders are Readers
Project. Last year, leaders from around the country were invited to Skype with seventh
and eighth grade students to discuss how reading was an important part of their lives in
business and leisure. This year, sixth grade students will be included. Through
participation in the “I’m Listening, Convince Me” program, pupils will learn to recognize
what constitutes good writing and see how good writing influences decision makers.

Lisa Huelskamp, Walnut Springs Middle School, $5,000 for National History Day
participation. Seventh grade language arts and social studies teachers, a media specialist,
and the middle school gifted education coordinator will collaborate to provide the
necessary preparation and instruction to facilitate students in the development of National
History Day projects. A class set of iPads will greatly enhance the educational value of
the projects and the final products prepared by students.

Susannah Lee, Westerville Central High School, $500 for microphones and adaptors to
aid students enrolled in Film and Literature courses, formulated around the overarching
question, “What does it mean to be a citizen?” Pupils will explore being part of a
community, and will analyze how film and literature are often used to embrace and
critique society, as well as to define the individual’s role. Students will participate in
various film projects throughout the school year.

Kyle Campbell, $3,523.51 for Conservation and the Preservation of Biodiversity at the
Westerville North High School Land Lab. Multiple grades, classes, ages and disciplines
will be invited to study, record, observe and experiment in this multi-annual
comprehensive study of game fish, turtle populations, nesting sites and habitat
requirements of the organisms that inhabit the land lab pond facility. The goal is to keep
the biodiversity of the pond in check.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
8/23/13
Blendon Students Learn About Math by Making Human Graphs
New teacher Mike Reinold instructs his
eighth grade math class as they prepare
to graph an equation.
Eighth grade students at Blendon Middle School continued their study of linear relationships by
making human graphs with their bodies outside on Monday, August 19. The activity is adapted
from the MCTP Professional Development Package and designed to give students a deeper
understanding of the coordinate system and the patterns that emerge in relation to a given
function. Activities such as these help to develop the Standards for Mathematical Practice that
are an integral part of Ohio’s New Learning Standards.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
8/23/13
Westerville Central Students to Participate in Peace Corp.’s World Wise Schools Program
Westerville Central High School students who take Emily Swank-Kavanaugh’s Cultural Studies
class will be engaging in the World Wise Schools program, available through the Peace Corps.
Throughout the school year, Swank and her pupils will be corresponding with an American
volunteer named Alice McCutcheon, who is teaching in a Chinese literature classroom at
Sichuan University in Chengdu, Sichua - a rural area of China. McCutcheon provides a unique
dynamic for Westerville students, as she is a 2011 graduate of Otterbein University.
The collaboration with Sichuan University will include video chats, pen pal letters, and lesson
plans. Students both in Westerville and Sichuan will:

Gain a unique global education;

Experience and reflection on culture and diversity;

Acquire global competency and tolerance; and

Experience a unique technological form of learning.
For more information about World Wise Schools, please visit the video link below:
http://www.peacecorps.gov/wws/videos/introductionvideo/ .
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
8/23/13
Positive Behavior is Encouraged at Walnut Springs Middle School
Kristin Koebel, 7th grade intervention
specialist, Marianne Troutman, school
nurse, and Robin Trueman, 7th grade art
teacher, perform a skit showcasing
Positive, Accountable, Willing and Safe
(PAWS) office behavior.
All 900+ students and staff at Walnut Springs Middle School participated in a gentle start to the
new year by engaging in a series of school wide positive behavior and support lessons, also
known as PAWS (Positive, Accountable, Willing and Safe). A PAWS assembly got the ball
rolling, followed by lessons about how to behave in different areas of the school, including the
office, the cafeteria, restrooms, and locker bays. Pupils also made posters and participated in
character building games and grade level celebrations to promote a respectful culture throughout
the building.
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