By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
When Bowling Green City Schools reports on the needs of students, the community responds. And in the past month, they did so in record amounts.
At Monday’s Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Francis Scruci read aloud a list of $16,258 in donations from local residents, businesses and organizations. The donations were earmarked to pay for unpaid lunch balances for students, gym shoes, hats and scarves, clothing, hygiene products, food pantry items and school supplies.
Donations were also made to help with the after prom, Madrigals, Model U.N., the orchestra, DECA, Kenwood art program, high school choral program, 1 Book BG program, and high school boys basketball program.
Also during the past month, the Dear Santa program brought together volunteers who donated gifts and money, shopped, wrapped and delivered gifts to 56 families with 151 children.
“We definitely could not do it without the community support,” said Kenwood teacher Kisha Nichols, who heads up the Dear Santa effort with fellow teacher Jennifer Ostrowski.
“It continues to grow and grow and grow every year,” Nichols said.
In addition to toys and clothing for the children, the program delivered 63 hams and other groceries, snow boots, coats, diapers and brand new bikes to families, Ostrowski said.
“It really does matter,” Nichols said.
And just in case people want to plan ahead, Ostrowski announced, “it’s 336 days until Christmas.”
The school district also benefited from recent grants awarded by the Bowling Green Community Foundation. The foundation collects donations from local residents and businesses – and gives the money to organizations that serve the community.
Board member Tracy Hovest reported that earlier this month, the foundation awarded four grants to school programs, including:
- $2,000 to the high school drama club for teaching culture through folk tales.
- $2,090 to Crim Elementary to give students the experience of creating glass art. The program will later be expanded to Conneaut and Kenwood schools.
- $7,500 to the band boosters to purchase new quad drums for the marching band.
- $7,500 to the vocal music boosters to provide sound equipment and new risers for the choir.
But the needs continue.
Crim teachers Stacey Higgins and Michelle Thomas, along with BGHS StuCrew leader Chloe Higgins, talked about the district’s 1 Book BG program. Since 2015, the shared reading program has united the community in reading one book with the elementary students. Each elementary child in the district was given a copy of the book.
But due to growing expenses, the program had to evolve and instead of one book per child, in recent years it provided one book per family.
Author Jerry Pallotta and his “Who Would Win” book series has been selected for this year’s 1 Book BG program. And as usual, businesses will be enlisted to offer “mission stops” around the community for the young readers.
This year, the district is hoping to return to each child getting their own book, Higgins said. The schools are teaming up with the Wood County District Public Library, which is helping with the author visits to each school. And high school students will be involved in reading along with the elementary students.
But the program is in need of help from the community to put a book in the hands of each elementary student, Higgins said.
The books cost $3 each. So a donation of $50 to $75 could provide the books for an entire class. Donations should be made payable to the BG Board of Education, noting 1BookBG in the memo line.
Board member Ginny Stewart praised the generosity of the community for donations to the district. But as she does every month, Stewart listed the continuing needs at each school building.
“While we’ve hit a record, the need doesn’t end,” she said. The specific needs listed are:
- Conneaut Elementary needs individually wrapped granola bars, Goldfish crackers and Cheez-Its.
- Crim Elementary needs markers, crayons, colored pencils, and snacks like gummies, granola bars, Goldfish crackers and Cheez-Its.
- Kenwood Elementary needs snacks for students.
- Middle School needs individually wrapped snacks, with no peanuts, for the Bobcat Basics program, as well as tissues, chapstick and feminine hygiene products.
- High School needs water bottles for students.
The district’s food service department is continuing to accept donations for unpaid lunch bills, since students eat regardless of their ability to pay.
The food service director is encouraging parents in need to apply for free or reduced lunches. “It’s humbling to ask, but it’s kept confidential,” Stewart said.
In other business at the board meeting, the retirements of three teachers – Brenda Babcock, Bruce Corrigan and Paula Downie – were announced, all effective July 1.
Kenwood Elementary Principal Michel Bechstein said Babcock will be missed as a first grade teacher.
“The spirit and culture she brings to Kenwood will be very difficult to replace,” he said.
High School Principal Dan Black said Corrigan has shown great dedication and puts in long hours for the high school band program.
“Losing Bruce in the musical arts department is a major loss,” he said. After Corrigan retires, Black said he wouldn’t be surprised to see him “here in his band room at 11 or 12 at night.”
Middle School Principal Eric Radabaugh said Downie is not only a family and consumer science teacher, but also the quiz bowl coach.
“She is beloved at the Middle School by staff and students,” he said. “We’re going to miss Paula.”
Also at Monday’s board meeting:
- Scruci said the district still does not have enough bus drivers to reinstate bus service for all students who live one mile or more from their schools.
- Scruci updated the board on the pipe that burst at the high school over winter break. The cleanup cost about $16,000 and the repairs about $35,000. Kenwood Elementary is also continuing to have steam pipe issues, he added.
- Scruci reported that the school district’s AEDs need to be replaced since most of them are in excess of 10 years old.
- Stewart presented a legislative update, noting that the lawsuit filed by public schools against the state’s voucher system is moving forward.
- Art teachers recognized students whose artwork won in the Wood County Prosecutor’s Office Safety Kids Calendar Contest – Ethan Sauber, Kiera Novinsky, Sophia Ostrowski, Karsyn Hogrefe, Juniper Kieffer-Airhart and Ja’Niya Wilson-Blair.
