Loveland Magazine

LOVELAND MAGAZINE

News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area

Without fear or favor

Since 2004

Tag: curriculum

  • Robert Hess: Something very disturbing occurring in Loveland School Board election

    Robert Hess: Something very disturbing occurring in Loveland School Board election

    by Robert Hess

    Something very disturbing is occurring in the elections for our Loveland (and possibly others) school board: The politicization of the board and the candidates. In the past, most people running for school boards truly had the interests of the students and the community at heart. Republican, Democrat, Conservative, or Liberal was not an issue. Even when the candidates may have been using the office as a springboard to future political venues. 

    This 2021 race is featuring a block of candidates running to achieve a political purpose. They appear to be running as a block to further their political ideals, regardless of what the ideals really have to do with education and the enhancement of our school district.

    One key issue this block keeps bringing up is Critical Race Theory (CRT) in the curriculum.

    First of all, Critical Race Theory is not a part of the curriculum and is not taught in the school system. (A point that several of the candidates who are not part of the “block” have stated.)

    Secondly, to be part of the curriculum it would have to be approved and instituted at the State level. That has not and is not being done. Yet, members of the block state unequivocally that whether it is here or not, it is coming. Is this a scare tactic? Is it possibly a tactic to unite certain people to vote for them to make sure Critical Race Theory never happens?

    Also, I ask, what is Critical Race Theory? Most people have either no idea or only a vague understanding based upon what rumors they have heard. Why are certain people afraid of elements of CRT. I have tried to study CRT and admit I still do not really know what it is. And if it goes toward teaching the truth, is that a problem. Should we cleanse our education system of the truths we do not want to believe or do not like? Isn’t that a bit scary? (Sounds a little like The Scopes Monkey Trial or Banned in Boston.) Many people are using CRT as a way to unite certain elements and scare those who do not understand what is and is not part of our local and state curriculum and what Critical Race Theory really means.

    Finally, do we really want block voting; i.e. Voting on issues that may not be in the best interest of students and education, but instead benefits a political point of view. Perhaps blocking good issues. Haven’t recent politics caused enough problems in our society without bringing it into the schools?

    Let us make sure that we get and keep politics out of the classroom and leave education to those who truly understand what and how to do it, with our oversight and assistance. Sure, a previous school board almost made some big mistakes. But they were in the best interest of the students and we, the voters, prevented them from implementing those mistakes. Most of those people, both board and administrators, are now gone. Let us make sure that we are trying to improve and broaden the education of our students so that they might avoid the pitfalls that our older generations have set up for them.

    Please vote responsibly, with understanding, and beware of the political tyranny that could be brought to our school system by political blocks attempting to take over our school system.

    Robert Hess lives in the Claiborne West Neighborhood in Loveland.

  • Loveland District Teaching and Learning team unveil the Portrait of a Tiger

    Loveland District Teaching and Learning team unveil the Portrait of a Tiger

    The community’s collective vision for the student experience at Loveland

    by Andrea Conner (Director of Teaching and Learning), Eric Dool (Director of Student Services) and David Knapp (Director of Technology and Innovation).

    What skills do children and young people need in today’s rapidly changing, interconnected and diverse world? Over the past school year, the Teaching and Learning team at Loveland City Schools has met with more than 800 students, staff and community members to pose the question of what skills and experiences we want our children to possess as they graduate from Loveland High School. From these meetings, the Portrait of a Tiger has evolved, identifying the collective vision that expresses the community’s aspirations for all our students.

    Andrea Conner

    We have systematically collected the feedback we received and diligently taken notes as we’ve shadowed our youngest students through their days at school. We’ve spoken to hundreds of elementary, intermediate, middle and high school students about what matters to them and how school can become more relevant in their lives.

    The Portrait of a Tiger encourages us to strive beyond the focus on high-stakes testing and grades, and comprehensively look at the skills students need to develop early to be successful in society and the workforce later. It is based on the “Portrait of a Graduate” – a concept developed by 21st century leader in education, Battelle for Kids – and is a first step toward transforming our school system so that it creates an all-embracing experience for students that allows them to develop the competencies that will make them thrive as effective, life-long learners.

    David Knapp

    The Portrait of a Tiger is a commitment to our students and will serve as a compass for the Loveland City School District, providing strategic direction for everyone involved in the education of our Tigers. It will continue to steer us in the right direction through professional learning for staff, our guaranteed and viable curriculum, and through Innovative Instructional Grants that will be awarded to trailblazing educators who embrace the challenge of change.

    Eric Dool

    To learn more about the Portrait of a Tiger, feel free to contact the Loveland City School District Teaching and Learning team. Email or phone (513) 683-5600 Phone.

    Andrea Conner, Director of Teaching and Learning
    Eric Dool, Director of Student Services
    David Knapp, Director of Technology and Innovation

     

  • Award-winning: Loveland High School Teaching Professions Academy

    Award-winning: Loveland High School Teaching Professions Academy

    Award-winning LHS Teaching Professions Academy students with State Superintendent of Public Instruction Paolo DeMaria at the Educators Rising Conference.

    Andrea Conner is Director of Secondary Programs Loveland City School District

    By Andrea Conner

    Take 40 Loveland High School (LHS) students with a passion for education and a teacher with a vision to not only provide rich course offerings for students but also help develop future educators, and you have Loveland’s new Teaching Professions Academy (TPA). That’s right – in Loveland, we are teaching Tiger students how to become Tiger teachers for their future careers.

    This program, designed and instructed by Bre Sambuchino, gives our high school students the unique opportunity to make real-world connections between the curriculum and instructional strategies they study in this new class when they apply them to field-placement experiences within our district. From Loveland Elementary School to Loveland Intermediate School, TPA students get hands-on experience learning the different skills teachers must possess to be successful at the various levels of student development. TPA students work together to prepare real, vibrant lessons for our young Tigers – taking care and pride in representing their program with professionalism.

    A table-top sized tree quickly grew with various versions of what might be the best technique to use to create a tree that both captured the passion of the group while still making certain it was versatile enough to be transported.

    The pinnacle of the program’s successful first year was evident on March 15 when the TPA students and Ms. Sambuchino traveled to the EdRising Ohio conference at Ohio Dominican. TPA students participated in various speaking and lesson-planning competitions and worked as a group to create their chapter display with the theme “Where do we grow from here?” A table-top sized tree quickly grew with various versions of what might be the best technique to use to create a tree that both captured the passion of the group while still making certain it was versatile enough to be transported. “Their ideas continued to grow with the tree!” commented Sambuchino.

    The conference and the tree certainly delivered in true LHS TPA fashion! The tree won first place (chapter display), and LHS Senior Maddy Butts won second place in the STEM lesson planning and delivery competition teaching a robust “states of matter” lesson to her field placement class. She is now a National Qualifier, and she will be competing in Orlando, Fla., in June. In addition to these accolades, Loveland High School’s program was awarded as an Honors Chapter, one of 12 out of 64 total state chapters. The students, along with their award-winning tree, even made State Superintendent of Public Instruction Paolo DeMaria’s Twitter feed!

    Success like this isn’t based on luck. It is the result of focused, strategic effort; the LHS TPA is the first of a series of Academic Pathways the Loveland City School District is developing to prepare our students for tomorrow, today. It is our mission, in action – and – it is award-winning.

    RP Diamond Printing & Embroidery

      RP Diamond is the exclusive retailer of LOVELAND HIGH SCHOOL SPIRIT WEAR Welcome to  RP Diamond Printing & Embroidery located at 370 Loveland Madeira Road
  • Opportunities for Tiger Growth – The State Report Card

    Opportunities for Tiger Growth – The State Report Card

    “It is my belief that the true value of any district cannot be limited to a simple grade on a standardized test.”

    By Dr. Amy Crouse,

    Our district mission is Preparing Students for Tomorrow, Today; our No. 1 district goal is Tiger academic growth. As such, our educational instructional leaders at every level – teachers in the classroom, principals managing the buildings and administrators specializing in Teaching & Learning at the Board Office – stay focused on measures of our performance. One data point we are equipped with to gauge performance is the annual State Report Card, which the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) released to the public Thursday, September 14.

    I want to be clear that – as an educator with 20-plus years of experience serving students – it is my belief that the true value of any district cannot be limited to a simple grade on a standardized test which is what the ODE State Report Card reflects. We are in the business of whole student growth, which encompasses the complete student experience, to include academic, social and emotional development. I invite you to take a look at the way we do business through our Quality Profile Report – it is a complement to the State Report Card scores and will give you a more intimate view of what it means to be a Tiger.   

    Whether we agree or disagree with our state assessments, I do have a strong belief in accountability, and understand that the State Report Card is one tool of accountability that can be of value. The State Report Card grades districts and schools on six components – Achievement, Progress, Gap Closing, Graduation Rate, K-3 Literacy and Prepared for Success. Districts and schools received an A-F grade on each of the six components and most of the individual measures. While this – on the surface – sounds like a simple pass/fail – the explanations behind those letter-grade measures are much more complex.

    In Loveland, we can celebrate a gain in the Gap Closing measure as all of our subgroups showed gains in reading, we made strides in the K-3 Literacy measure, and 20 out of 23 tested areas showed an increase in performance. While we will highlight our successes, we will not ignore the areas the State Report Card highlights as opportunities for growth.

    One area we are focused on is our Progress measure

    One area we are focused on is our Progress measure, which is an indicator of student growth. Our Board of Education made clear it was of paramount importance that we deliver on the expectation that every Tiger will demonstrate personal academic growth, which is the heart of our Growth goal for this school year. As such, entrenched in our building goals is increased time and focus for teachers to collaborate on: curriculum work planning lessons aligned to the state standards and vertically aligned to increase rigor for students as they progress through the grades; assessment work using student MAP data to meet students where they are and measure their individual growth; and, instruction work to improve student engagement and opportunities for their application of their learning. We feel strongly this focus will move the needle for us on Progress.

    We feel strongly this focus will move the needle for us on Progress.

    As always, I thank you for supporting our educational mission; I invite you to contact me directly should you have any questions or concerns regarding our State Report Card.    

    In service to our Tigers,

    Dr. Amy Crouse

    Dr. Crouse is Interim Superintendent of the Loveland City School District

    Loveland Magazine
    Published by David Miller

    We are celebrating and proud to be a member of the Ohio News Media Association along with more than 250 Ohio daily and weekly newspapers including, The Columbus Dispatch, Plain Dealer, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal, Dayton Daily News, and The Toledo Blade. Loveland Magazine was the first “digital only member”.