By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Fifth grade camp is a magical week of “firsts” for many Bowling Green students.
For many, it’s the first week away from home – with activities from sunrise to after sunset.
“We kept them busy from 6:50 in the morning to 10 o’clock at night,” Conneaut Elementary fifth grade teacher Bob Marzola said during a presentation on the annual event to the Bowling Green Board of Education earlier this month.
For many, it is the first time ever to shoot a bow and arrow, hold squirmy reptiles, climb walls, and explore lake critters.
It is a week of learning that one person can make a difference, and working together they can do even more.
“We are a community. We support each other,” Marzola said.
For some students it was a rare week of plentiful food, with lots of options – and a week of cleaning up after themselves. Some parents have since remarked on the changed behaviors in their children, Marzola said.
“They grew up so much. They are so much more responsible,” taking on duties at home of vacuuming and washing dishes, Marzola said.
Heather Fallis, middle school media specialists, talked about camp opening up new worlds to students.
“They learned to try new things and have new adventures,” she said.
The week also provided a group of high school students the opportunity to be volunteer mentors at the camp. “They are far cooler than us,” Fallis said of the teenagers.
Fallis also talked about many school districts having to cancel their annual camp trips due to the expense. But Bowling Green City Schools continues to support the camp through the PTOs and the BG Schools Foundation.
“We are incredibly grateful for that,” Fallis said.
Also at the board meeting, Crim Elementary teachers Stacey Higgins and Michelle Thomas reported on the 10th anniversary of the 1BookBG program.
“Our program continues to evolve every year,” Higgins said.
Community partnerships continue to strengthen the program – working with Wood County District Public Library, and all the private elementaries in Bowling Green.
This year, the Bowling Green Community Foundation purchased books for every kindergartner through fifth grader – close to 1,500 books, Thomas said.
And 15 local businesses partnered with 1BookBG to be “mission stops” for the children reading the books.
In other business, Superintendent Ted Haselman reported that work has begun on the foundation for the new high school, to be followed by masonry work. The building should be taking shape next month, he said.
And as Haselman likes to remind the public, the project continues to be “on budget and still on time.”
District Treasurer Matt Feasel announced that BG City Schools will be earning an additional $13 per student from the state based on the improved state report card rankings. That will add up to about $155,000 for the district.
In other business, the board accepted the retirements of the following teaching staff:
- Tammy Beauprez-Ridley, Conneaut Elementary fifth grade.
- Daniel DeWitt, high school science.
- Amy Dible, middle school language arts.
- Jeffrey Nichols, high school social studies.
- Kimberly Stevens, middle school language arts.
- Amy Strata, Conneaut Elementary intervention specialist.
- Annette Teet, Kenwood Elementary kindergarten.
- Ann Strobel, Kenwood Elementary reading specialist.
Also at the meeting, Superintendent Ted Haselman announced donations totaling $35,418 in the past month. Among the gifts were donations for the high school Model UN, high school STEAM Club, Fifth Grade Camp, high school orchestra, high school choral, cross country, basketball, Bobcat Basics, lunch balances, high school Student Activities Board, Crim inclusive playground, snacks and bottled water, school supplies, shoes and clothing, hygiene and cleaning products, musical instruments, parks and recreation passes, Dairy Queen gift certificates and Dilly Bars.
