Written by Kitty Davis, Greenville Elementary Principal

Mrs. Sherry Flora, Mrs. Ashley Miller, Mrs. Lori Duncan, Mrs. Lois Britsch, and Ms. Brittany Voke are in the process of teaching young fourth grade entrepreneurs.  Students will have the opportunity to experience a life lesson as well as put fourth grade social studies and math (economic) standards into action by first learning about “opportunity cost.”  Essentially, there is only so much money one has (scarcity).  Due to this, one makes a choice; opportunity cost is an item one has to forgo because in real life, you simply can’t have it all. With the “opportunity cost sundae activity” each student receives $.50 in classroom money.  There is vanilla ice cream and nine different toppings from which to choose.  Here the dilemma begins...an extra scoop of ice cream will take all of one’s money- not leaving any funds for toppings. In this case, the toppings are the opportunity cost.  If students decide to get toppings (priced $.05, $.10, $.15, and $.25) now the extra scoop becomes the opportunity cost.  

According to Educationdata.org, “Increasingly, Americans are skeptical about whether or not a college education prepares young adults for the workforce.”  There continues to be an ongoing debate about what is the best for students regarding college and/or career readiness.  I am not sure that the answer is a simple dichotomy.  In fact, I suspect the plan for students after high school should be as unique as the students themselves.  There are so many opportunities for students today.  Traditional routes such as 4-year college, 2-year college, technical schools and military still serve a large part of the high school graduates.  Today, however, students can consider other options including a 2-year to a 4-year degree bridge offered by most community and public colleges.  Adult education training programs are available to graduates as well for certification in skills such as welding or business. Some students even consider a gap year to explore their interests and gain some memorable experiences. An option that often goes unnoticed, however is entering the workforce directly.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, allows students to qualify for federal Pell grants, state grants, work-study, lower interest rate state and federal loans, and many scholarships.  Seniors in high school who fill out the FAFSA form are 84% more likely to enroll in some type of education after high school.   Here are three very good reasons that you and your student should fill out the FAFSA for the 2021-22 academic year.                

Ninety-five percent of Americans qualify for financial aid. According to one online FAFSA platform, anyone with a household income below $250,000 qualifies for some aid.  The financial aid may take a number of forms including scholarships, grants, and loans.

According to National College Attainment Network only 55.6% of high school graduates completed the FAFSA.  This means that 44.4% of students missed out on opportunities to receive financial aid.  Students missed out on their share of over $150 billion by not participating.  

Spring has sprung and the changes are plentiful; the trees are awakening, flowers are blooming, the sun is shining longer and warmer. You may notice changes in your children as well this time of year. They may have increased energy, impulsiveness and restlessness. Teachers may catch them daydreaming more in school and fidgeting during class. While doctors do not consider this an official medical or psychological condition, this real phenomenon has a name—it’s called SPRING FEVER.

There is an abundance of research on how seasonal changes impact children’s moods and behaviors. The problem with spring fever is, when restlessness and impulsiveness rise, trouble tends to follow. It is common for young people to experience attitude changes and display acting-out behaviors, and unfortunately, teachers seem to get the brunt of it. Additionally, schools see a drop in attendance this time of year, as well as their students’ ability to focus and stay on task.

So how can we help children finish out the school year strong, while keeping the attitudes and behaviors in check?

It’s spring, and love is in the air, regardless of there being a pandemic taking place. In fact, while COVID may be creating additional complexities for romance, young love is still blooming. Though some parents cringe at the thought of talking to their child about romantic relationships, it’s a must-have discussion. As we think about the ongoing “talks” we will have with our sons and daughters, it’s important to know that we would be amiss if those conversations focused solely on sex education, abstinence, how to prevent pregnancy and how to avoid sexually transmitted diseases. While these are all necessary and vital topics, there is another monumental part of the teen romance talk that needs to be addressed, that is, what it means to have a healthy romantic relationship and how to recognize when it’s not.

According to LoveIsRespect.org, all relationships fall somewhere on The Relationship Spectrum from healthy to abusive, with unhealthy being somewhere in the middle.
Healthy relationships involve:

Respect.
Good communication.
Trust.
Honesty.
Equality.

Are you, or someone you know, looking to become part of our academic team?

Greenville City Schools is looking for caring, service-oriented adults to substitute in our classrooms -- Kindergarten through 12th grade.  
In a school year affected by pandemic, Ohio House Bill 756 is declaring an emergency in our schools and is helping to provide a solution for districts that find themselves unable to cover classrooms due to absences created by the COVID-19 outbreak. This bill will “provide for discretion to school districts regarding educational requirements of substitute teachers for the 2020-2021 school year.” This means that, for the remainder of this academic year, school districts can lessen the schooling requirements for substitute teachers that have been mandated in the past with the hope of encouraging a greater number of candidates to work in our schools. Specifically, this means that the previous requirement of a 4-year college degree, will not be necessary. With the elimination of this requirement, our doors can now be open to caring, service-oriented adults who have life experience and a willingness to help.

Parents are encouraged to report any positive test, or case of COVID-19, to their school by calling in to the building principal or reporting to the building when they call in their child’s absence.

Known positive COVID-19 tests will be communicated by building, on the district website, if that information is confirmed.  It will be reported by building case number only.  No identifiable information will be shared or discussed.

April 28, 2021 

The Greenville City School District has one additional positive COVID-19 case.

The local health department is aware of the additional cases and will do appropriate follow up and contact tracing.

In order to keep our students and staff healthy, we ask you to keep a safe social distance, wash your hands often, and wear masks to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Thanks for your ongoing cooperation with our guidelines to deal with the COVID-19 virus.

Go Wave!

It is no surprise that young people are racking up more time on their electronic devices for both work and play due to the pandemic. What you may not know is that the presence of online predators has also increased as well as their chances of gaining access to our children.

Human trafficking is a $150 billion global industry that experts say is on the rise, especially online. In an interview with a local television station in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, prosecutors Melissa Hoppmeyer and Kathryn Marsh shared that children between the ages of 11 to 14 are being highly recruited by sex traffickers. They say these abusers are master manipulators that seek out both girls and boys they believe to be vulnerable. They are commonly connecting with unsuspecting youth through online gaming and in chatrooms.

The Greenville City School District is accepting public input regarding expenditure of federal grant funds for the current school year and also the 2021-22 school year; including Title I, Title II-A (Improving Teacher Quality), Title IV-A (Student Support and Academic Enrichment), CARES Act (ESSER), IDEA-Part B (Special Education), and Early Childhood Special Education. 

A hearing will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 20, 2021 @ Memorial Hall 215 W. Fourth St.  If you are not able to attend, but have suggestions or questions, please email Laura Bemus, Federal Programs Administrator ([email protected]) or by mail to 215 W. Fourth St., Greenville, OH 45331.

When one of the world’s most secure buildings recently came under siege, many young people witnessed the live images of protestors creating chaos and engaging in acts of violence. With the pandemic causing many families to be homebound, more young people were likely to have watched the assault taking place in real time. In addition to traditional TV media coverage, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and other social media outlets were quickly flooded with not only live images, but videos, memes, and individuals and groups sharing every viewpoint possible.

It was difficult for many of us adults to process, and likely even more so for our youth. In a recent survey, 63% of tweens and teens said watching the news makes them feel afraid, angry, sad and/or depressed. With all the disturbing and despicable acts that took place and were shown on the news that day and the days to follow, there was plenty to invoke fear and anger, in addition to worrying about what may happen next.

In the spring of every year, students select the programs and courses they will take in the following school year. In the month of February, Greenville Career Technical Education Center (G-CTEC) will be celebrating Technical Education programs and encouraging our student body to enroll in hands-on learning programs, apprenticeships, and work-based learning experiences to gain real skills for the real world. On February 9 & 10, 2021 G-CTEC programs will host GHS sophomores to introduce them to Career Technical Education opportunities at G-CTEC.  The goal will be engaging students and reaching parents with the message that CTE programs provide invaluable learning opportunities that equip students to launch successful careers. CTE programs bring Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) to life and teach students valuable life lessons like Teamwork, Leadership, and Dependability. At G-CTEC, we offer Technical Education programs that equip students with transferable life skills that can be used to launch rewarding careers.

The climate of our school building affects all aspects of educating our students.  A positive and healthy climate increases morale for students and staff, creates a better learning atmosphere, and increases community interactions with the school buildings.  Traditionally we can see the characteristics of a good climate from our students in things like participation in pep rallies, clubs, grades, and community involvement with attendance at school events.  In this pandemic year our traditional ways of measuring how our students and community are involved in our schools have taken on a non-traditional look. 

Imagine being trained to learn and teach in front of an audience your entire life and in a matter of a few days all of that changing.  We used to rely on discussion, demonstration, teamwork and practice as the basic principles of teaching and learning.  We now must include things like logging-in, email, Zoom, wearing masks, attaching homework, all while relying on our technology to work. When outside factors like loss of income, product shortages, quarantines and illness are taken into consideration, students, staff members, and parents are struggling to keep up with our traditional expectations.

School certainly looks different this year than in years past. Not only with students wearing masks and socially distancing, but also how teachers and students are using technology to continue learning. Students and teachers are using the learning management system Canvas to create lessons and submit assignments, and take tests digitally all on their iPads. Canvas is being utilized whether students are learning in-person at Greenville schools or if they are learning remotely. This has been especially helpful when students are absent, so that they can keep up on any assignments.

As the school year has progressed, the district has been monitoring the success of students using this platform, and has reached out to several students and staff for their experiences with this digital learning.

    David Westfall is a 3rd grade teacher at Greenville Elementary School, and has been teaching for 41 years. Understandably, teaching using new technologies can be quite challenging. Mr. Westfall has embraced the challenge, incorporating digital lessons from websites, and using Zoom to connect with students who are unable to be in class. He says, “Canvas is easy and keeps me connected to students that are not here. Especially with Zoom meetings. It is also kid friendly and they love it. I was nervous at first, but now it is part of my life in and out of my classroom.”

We’ve happily kicked 2020 to the curb and welcomed in 2021 with open arms. Now it is time to figure out what we want to make of this fresh, new year. If we learned anything in 2020, it is the importance of self-care and connection for a healthy mind and body. We may still be wearing masks, social distancing, and dealing with other COVID-related regulations, however, the time to get motivated, set new goals, and create joy is now. Children of all ages can and should be encouraged to do the same.

When it comes to New Year resolutions, experts say that 60% of people abandon them within the first six months, while another 25% do so after just one week. With that in mind, instead of getting stuck on repeat, let’s focus on meaningful, achievable goals that promote well-being for ourselves and others.

This is to remind you that lunch and breakfast will remain free for all students for the remainder of this school year.  Again, there will not be any cost to our students for breakfast or lunch this school year.

Kitty Davis 

Greenville Elementary Principal


     Mrs. Sherry Flora has taught for Greenville Elementary for almost three decades.  During this time, she has educated many elementary students in the area of science.  Mrs. Flora is a scientist at heart- from the time of seventh grade when she burned a peanut in a can to determine the amount of calories it possessed.  As she entered college, Mrs. Flora focused on sharing her love for science with others and decided to pursue a degree in education.
     Her thirst for knowledge regarding archeological digs started in the mid 1990s in Ansonia.  Mrs. Flora recalled that a mastadon’s tooth was caught in a farmer’s plow.  Soon the field became a digging site in conjunction with an Ohio university and about a dozen teachers.  The bones were not well preserved as they were located in the surface of the topsoil. Therefore, the fragments were plastered prior to being removed from the dirt with brushes and shovels.   Mrs. Flora explained that it was a “semi-scientific” dig as the findings were not measured in depth or mapped.  She recalled finding teeth and ribs, and to this day, she still has rough chunks of mastadon bone.  

COVID-19 Fact Sheet
K-12 School Quarantine Guidelines

Governor Mike DeWine, recognizing that in-person classroom learning is critical for supporting the educational and social
development of children and adolescents,* has set a goal of reopening K-12 schools to in-person learning by March 1,
2021. With sustained COVID-19 transmission continuing across our state, schools, and public health systems must adapt to
ensure that the continued development of students is accompanied by protections for the overall health and well-being of
students, teachers, and staff in our communities.
The below guidance can be used to address COVID-19 exposures in K-12 in-person learning environments. This guidance
is supported by recent studies and pilot evaluations, including the Ohio Schools COVID-19 Evaluation, which indicate that
the risk of COVID-19 transmission in schools may be limited with strict adherence to prevention measures in a monitored
environment.

COVID-19 continues to present new challenges, burdens, and consequences in our daily lives and that of young people. A sneeze or cough in a public setting may have once elicited a “bless you,” but nowadays it’s more likely to prompt heads turning with looks of disapproval. For people who have, or have had COVID, they may feel as if they contracted the plague, based on the way others treat them. They may experience feelings of isolation, depression, and abandonment. The stigma that surrounds this disease must end, not only for the physical health and mental wellbeing of those who have COVID, but in order to help bring an end to this pandemic in communities throughout our nation and world.