AWLS Parent and Staff Update - 11/19/21

AWLS Board Member Election
I would like to share that this afternoon the District was informed by the Toledo Blade that the outcome of a tied race for the unfilled seat on the Anthony Wayne Board of Education was decided by a coin toss.  As many of you know, there were two open positions on the Anthony Wayne Board of Education that were voted on November 2. Kyle Miller received the most votes and will be filling one seat on the Board beginning in January of 2022. The unofficial vote total on November 3 had current Board member, Troy Lutz, securing one vote more than Andrew Prine. The Toledo Blade shared that two days ago they were informed by The Lucas County Board of Elections that their Board members would meet today. At some point, The Lucas County Board of Elections determined that after counting all of the votes there was a tie between Mr. Lutz and Mr. Prine. According to Ohio Law, a coin toss is used in a tie to determine who would be the winner of the election and receive the remaining seat on the Anthony Wayne Board of Education. The District, and we believe both candidates, were not informed of this tie or that the coin flip would take place today. According to the Toledo Blade, the winner of the coin flip is Mr. Prine. Due to there being a tie and it changing the results that had been reported November 3, there will be a recount of the votes. As always, the District will share any information that we receive concerning the process and results. The District wishes both candidates the best as the process continues and the election is finalized.

Fall Break
All of us here at AWLS would like to wish all of the AW families and community members an AWesome Thanksgiving Day and restful fall break. We look forward to seeing the students back on Monday, November 29.  

Have a great day! Go Generals!!

Dr. Jim Fritz
Superintendent

AWLS Parent & Staff Communication- 11/15/21

Social Media Post at the High School
This morning students at the High School made the administration aware of a threatening social media post from another high school student. This social media post contained a photo of a basement ceiling and a generalized threat that was posted this morning to Snapchat. The student was immediately brought to the office by the administration and Student Resource Officer. According to the student, the post was made as a result of disagreements with his friends. While the student was in the office being questioned a second social media post was shared with the high school administration that was of the student holding a gun while standing in front of a mirror with a statement about hunting. This social media post was made over the weekend. There was never a gun in the students' possession today nor on school property. The Whitehouse police department did take the student into custody based on the social media post and removed him from the school building. The BB gun was removed from the students house by the police. 

You can read Dr. Pfefferle’s communications to parents on our website. I would like to thank the students who made the high school administration aware of the concerning social media posts when they found out about it and the parents who contacted the administration to share what they had heard from their student(s). Please remember that students and parents can also use the SAFE OHIO reporting system when they become aware of potential school threats at (1-844-723-3764). 

Weather Delays/Schools Cancellations
It’s that time of year when the potential for severe weather can play a part in determining if there is a delay or cancellation on a school day. District personnel monitor several factors to make these safety decisions. As I have shared before, the District typically makes the decision for a 2-hour delay or cancellation before 6:00am and if we delay then need to cancel the school day that decision is made by 8:00am. These decision timelines are based on when our buses leave the transportation facility to pick up students. 

Weather delays or cancellations will be announced through our SchoolMessenger System to parents and staff. In addition, Channel 11 and 13 and some radio stations are contacted to share this information as well. The District will also use Twitter (@JimFritzAW) to communicate this information out as well.

COVID-19 Data
Parents can find COVID-19 data on our website that is updated every Monday at https://www.anthonywayneschools.org/Coronavirus. Also, later today we will post on our website the COVID-19 data update that I will present tonight at the Board of Education meeting. In general, over the last week, the number of students in quarantine and that are positive has increased. This trend is the same as the State and County data. In addition, other school districts have reported these same trends to me as well. At this time, while the data is slightly increasing, there will be no changes in COVID-19 safety protocols. 

November 22-26
Just a reminder there will be no school the week of November 22nd through the 26th. All of the AWLS staff wish all of our families and community members a Happy Thanksgiving. 

Thank you!

Dr. Jim Fritz
Superintendent

Operation StreetSmart Has Been Rescheduled to December 15th

AWLS Parent & Staff Communication- 10/26/21

The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) announced yesterday that quarantine requirements for those students and staff exposed to a positive COVID-19 person while at school have changed at this time. You can view the ODH new quarantine requirement options here. In an effort to make sure there is a clear understanding of these changes, and the District’s policy changes as a result of the ODH changes, please review the following information.

What has changed in the quarantine requirements?
While the same quarantine requirements remain in place for students who are exposed outside of school, the ODH developed the “Mask to Stay” and “Test to Play” options for students and staff exposed to a positive COVID-19 person while at school or an extracurricular activity. Once again, these two new options only apply to those students and staff exposed at school or in an extracurricular activity. Please know that students and staff exposed to a positive person outside of school are not impacted by these two options.

What is the “Mask to Stay” option from ODH?
Direct contacts, regardless of vaccination status, may remain in the classroom environment if they do the following:

• Wear a mask for 14 days after their last date of exposure.
   
• Self-monitor, or parent-monitor, for symptoms of COVID-19.
   
• Isolate and get *tested if they start to experience symptoms associated with COVID-19 (regardless of level of severity). 
   
• Students and staff may discontinue the above mask wearing/self-monitor procedures after seven days if they don’t develop symptoms and *test negative between days 5-7.

What is the “Test to Play” option form ODH?
Asymptomatic contacts may continue to participate in extracurricular activities if they do the following:

• *Testing on initial notification of exposure to COVID-19.
   
• Wear a mask when able (this includes transportation, locker rooms, sitting/standing on the sidelines, and anytime the mask will not interfere with breathing, the activity, or create a safety hazard.)
   
• *Test again on days 5-7. If they are negative at this time, they will test out of quarantine. 
   

*The tests referenced above are proctored PCR or antigen tests.  
 

What is the AWLS mask policy moving forward for students and staff?
As a result of the changes in the quarantine requirements from ODH, the Anthony Wayne Local Schools will move from a mask requirement to masks as an option for staff and students starting on Wednesday, October 27. The District does highly recommend that students and staff wear masks to eliminate the potential for a quarantine during an exposure at school. Please know that if an individual is wearing a mask at school and is exposed to a positive person, the individual will not be placed into quarantine unless the exposed person becomes symptomatic.

Please know that all students and staff are still required to wear a mask on a school bus or van per the requirements of the Federal Government. This mask requirement on buses and vans is set to expire on January 18, 2022, as described HERE.     

Did the quarantine requirements change for those individuals exposed out of school or who develop COVID-19 like symptoms?
No, ODH or the Toledo Lucas County Health Department (TLCHD) did not change the quarantine requirements for a student or staff member that is exposed to a positive person outside of school or for those that develop COVID-19 like symptoms. You can find these health department quarantine requirements HERE.   

Thank you and have a great day! Go Generals!!

Dr. Jim Fritz
Superintendent

AWLS Parent & Staff Communication - 10/14/21

I wanted to share information about the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds that have been discussed in recent social media posts and was brought up at the October Anthony Wayne Board of Education meeting.

Federal Government Funding for COVID-19 Relief in Schools
Since the spring of 2020, both the federal and state governments have provided additional funding to schools as a result of COVID-19. This past March, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act that authorized districts across the Nation to receive additional COVID-19 funding. Below is a description of that funding and how Anthony Wayne Local Schools is spending and plans to spend those funds.

What is ESSER and how did Districts qualify for these Relief Funds?
The Federal government approved the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding allocations for traditional public schools and community schools as a result of COVID-19. In doing so, specific funds were allocated to each public school district and community school based on the percentage of Title One funds each district receives. Title One funds are determined by the federal government based on the number of low-income families (defined by the Federal government) a school district has within its community. The ESSER funds were sent from the Federal government through the U.S. Department of Education to each state in the Nation. Each school district in Ohio will receive ESSER funds through the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) through their grants management system. The State of Ohio decided to allocate 90% of the funds directly to public schools and community schools. The other 10% has been dedicated by the state to support public schools and community schools through what they call “State activities” and/or emergency situations which will be determined by the Ohio Department of Education and state leaders.

What Requirements are there to Spend the Relief Money?
School districts are able to utilize and spend the ESSER funds through September of 2022 within specific areas. Each school district in Ohio was required to develop a plan on how to spend the ESSER funds and submit that plan to the ODE by August 20, 2021. Each school district was also required by ODE to submit an American Rescue Plan (ARP) so they could review and approve how each district plans to spend the ESSER funds within the specific allowable spending requirements. ODE asked each district to add a summary to the required Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan. This information is on the AWLS website and can be accessed here. The specific information starts on page nine of the document.

In what Specific Areas can Districts Spend these Relief Funds?
As mentioned above, school districts are required to spend ESSER funds within specific allowable areas. These areas include COVID-19 expenses, instructional support for students, intervention services for students, educational technology, mental and physical health support services for students, summer learning opportunities for students, improvement of facility conditions for students and staff, and maintenance of the current services provided to students.

The Anthony Wayne District has allocated the ESSER funds in these areas and is spending the funds in the above mentioned areas. For example, here are just some of the ways the District is spending the relief funds:

The District used the ESSER funds to provide several programs this summer to students that included STEAM activities, student academic intervention and enrichment, ACT study program, and a high school credit recovery program. Due to the success of these programs and the benefit to students, the District plans to use the ESSER funds for these services to be provided again in the summer of 2022.

The District will use these relief funds to continue mental and physical health services necessary during this time such as nurses, social workers, and other support services.

The District has purchased a significant amount of student technology to provide a one technology device to one student ratio in each school building.

Based on an independent review of the HVAC systems in each building and the work that was completed in the District’s last renovation and new construction projects, the District is in the planning stages of an approximate one million dollar HVAC improvement project that will improve air quality in specific identified school building areas.  

The District hired additional staff (I.e intervention coaches and tutors) for the 2021-2022 school year to provide specific instructional services to meet the individual needs of identified students. In addition, the District has and plans to continue to provide additional staff professional development within these intervention areas to help our students with their academic achievement.

The District is appreciative of the COVID-19 relief funds that have been approved by the Federal and State governments. These relief funds, spent in the allowable areas, will provide additional services for students, physical and mental health services for students, academic intervention for students, additional technology for students, improvements in HVAC systems, and additional summer school opportunities. While the relief funds are temporary, the District does appreciate that we can use them to provide services to students at this time while making improvements in HVAC and technology.  

Dr. Jim Fritz
Superintendent

Athletic Events - Online Ticket Instructions

As of this writing, we are excited to expect indoor and outdoor athletic facilities at full capacity for Fall of 2021! As we prepare for these events, it is essential to note to spectators that ALL AWHS and AWJH home athletic events will require tickets to be purchased online. We will sell NO tickets at the ticket entrance. As of this writing, no passcodes will be necessary to purchase tickets to any athletic event, and all are welcome to purchase event tickets. 

Below we have outlined a step by step purchasing process for AW athletic passes and athletic tickets:

1. Visit www.anthonywayneschools.org
2. On the lefthand side of the homepage, scroll down to "Ticket Box Office." 
3. This will lead you to the AW / Hometown Tickets page.
4. Search for the event/pass you are interested in.
5. Once you have completed your purchase, your ticket will be emailed to you. Print this ticket, or provide the QR code on your phone for admittance. 
6. We recommend printing and laminating any athletic pass or screenshotting the QR code to your smartphone. Please have this (and other tickets) prepared to be scanned by game day personnel upon arrival. 
7. A purchased ticket/pass is necessary for all individuals age five and up at all AW ticketed events, regardless of the level of play.
8. Tickets will be available for purchase 2 weeks before the said event's game date.
9. For those spectators not vaccinated, masks are recommended. 

Additional Notes:

* Please note varsity football season tickets will be unavailable after 8/20/2021, and purchasing game by game will be required. This is due to Hometown Ticketing software.

Questions:

For questions regarding AW Athletics, event tickets, and/or athletic schedules, please contact: 

John Snyder - Athletic Director - johnsnyder@anthonywayneschools.org
Judy Carter - Athletic Ticket Manager - judycarter@anthonywayneschools.org 
Tiffany Tully - Athletic Secretary - ttully@anthonywayneschools.org