May is here and we are in the final stretch of the school year. I hope you have the time to stop in and see our art shows and concerts this month. You can follow all the Danbury School activities on the school calendar on our website.

Quote of the Week: If a person does their best, what else is there.

George Patton

We have recently received some media attention concerning bullying behavior among students in our district. I encourage parents to review our bullying policy, program and procedures on the bullying link on our school website (https://goo.gl/s3Q5MP). Parents who are concerned that their children are being bullied on school property or using school equipment are encouraged to contact their building administrators. For bullying behavior that does not happen on school property or with school equipment, parents should inform the school and then contact the parents of the children where the bullying behavior initiated or the local police if it becomes persistent. Bullying behavior is a national problem. Only schools, parents, and law enforcement working together can help eliminate this problem.

What a great week last week with Science Olympics on Monday and the PTCO Basketball fundraiser on Friday. Neither of these events would have been possible if not for all of the individuals who annually donate countless hours to volunteer for our schools. Sometimes in the midst of all the craziness of the school year we forget to take the time to shout out a big THANK YOU to all of you who volunteer on behalf of our kids. We could not do it without you.

Quote of the week: If everyone who ever reached their full potential held a convention, they could all meet in the ballroom at the local Motel Six.

To better improve communication to our staff, parents, alumni, and community, Danbury Local Schools (@DanburySchools) is now on twitter. Mr. Miller (@DanburyMrMiller) is providing updates on grades 7-12, Mr. Humphrey (@Danbury_MrH) on grades PreK - 6, and Mr. Nitecki on district events. So if you are a twitter user ( P.S. I am not, so do not follow me, old dog and new tricks type of thing.) you can now keep up to date on district happenings.

Quote of the week: My words of wisdom to young people go like this: If you're going to work at something, no matter if it's cleaning out a trash can or running a race, do a good job. I can't imagine doing anything and not doing my best.

The Ohio Department of Education is currently accepting input from all stakeholders on the draft version of the state's Every Student Succeeds Act. This document is the new version of No Child Left Behind which was first enacted under the first President Bush. Please take a few minutes and review this document on the departments webpage at http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Every-Student-Succeeds-Act-ESSA

Have a Great Week

Quote of the week: We are never too old to learn new skills and polish the ones we have. To grow in strength and to increase our speed and endurance at any age.

In the next couple of weeks, you should be receiving a copy of our quarterly district newsletter in your mailbox. The purpose of these newsletters is to highlight district programs and individuals to keep you better informed concerning our schools. A digital sneak peek of the newsletter is also available on our website here.  Have a great week!

Quote of the week: Every person needs to have their moment in the sun, when they raise their arms in victory, knowing that on this day, at this hour, they were at their very best.

It has been a busy last couple of weeks of honoring current and former Danbury students for their academic and athletic accomplishments. One of the great honors that we bestow is the Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame. This Hall of Fame is for Danbury graduates who have excelled in their professional lives at the local, state, or national level. Applications can be found online at our website (link) or can be picked up in the District Central Office. Honorees will be recognized at the district graduation on May 21st. Previous nominees not selected applications will stay active for two years. Please take the time to nominate some of our great graduates.

Quote of the week: The importance of winning is not what we get from it, but what we become because of it.

Happy Monday, so I write a blog about clouds and everybody needs some sunshine in their lives and what do you know - sun. The power of positive suggestion I guess. If you are a football fan no matter what team is your favorite, you have to be amazed at the Super Bowl. What a great lesson of not giving up and always trying to do your best no matter what the circumstances may be. I think that if our kids learn to always try their best, we will always be proud of their outcomes.

Have a great week

Quote of the week: Champions have learned how to reach down deep for that extra reserve of spirit and pride.

Welcome to another busy week at Danbury. This week we will be honoring our Class of 2017 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees on Friday January 13th during the Boys Basketball game. Congratulations to these individuals for their contributions in athletics and in life. You are fine examples of the great student/athletes that come out of Danbury Local Schools. We will also be having our little laker cheerleader night on Saturday January 14th during the Boys Basketball game. If you want to see energy in action, you don't want to miss these youngsters.

Have a great week

Quote of the week: Where you find success, you find sacrifice.

Welcome Back and Happy New Year! The beginning of every year usually brings with it our share of resolutions and changes that we want to see in our lives. These usually revolve around losing some holiday weight - boy was the gym packed this weekend by the way - or other individual goals. I propose a simple resolution - Let's turn off the TV, video games, iPads, and telephones and take a couple of minutes each day talking to each other about things that are going on in our daily lives. We might be surprised what we learn about each other. Have a great week.

Quote of the week: The only discipline that lasts is self-discipline.

I would like to wish you and your family a Happy and Safe Holiday season. Take the time to make and share memories with the ones you love. Gifts are fleeting but memories last a lifetime.

Quote of the Week: Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.

An alarming pattern that is starting to show in schools around the country is a lack of respect that is shown to others. I believe that a behavior that was modeled by many during the election season has been accepted by our children as ok. It is important that we continue to send the message that everyone deserves respect and that the old adage " Treat others the way you would like to be treated" still rings true. Our children are definitely our future and we need to model the behavior to them that we want to see from them.

Quote of the Week: The road to success is always under construction. You'll encounter potholes, detours, and delays. But you must keep your eye on your goal and keep moving forward.

Winter sports are now in full swing. Please take the time to stop in to watch our young men and women who do such a great job representing Danbury Local Schools. Also, now that winter weather is upon us, it would be a good time to update any of your information in ONE CALL NOW so you may receive up to date notifications on any weather related closures or delays. You can access your ONE CALL NOW account from the bottom of the districts web page. Have a great week.

Quote of the week: Victories that come as the result of fierce competition bring the most satisfaction.

Happy Monday! At Danbury Local Schools, it is important for us to provide our students a well rounded educational experience. Along with an excellent academic curriculum, we try to have our students involved in many other programs that enhance their school experience. I hope that you will take the time in the next couple of week to take in a football game, our fall play in November, or one of our holiday concerts put on by our band and choir. These performances help highlight the great talents that our kids have. Have a great week and GO LAKERS and INDIANS.

Quote of the Week: Champions use adversity like a kite uses the wind; rising against it, they soar to new heights.

Happy Monday, am I the only one who is counting the days until election season is over! It was so nice to see in the debate we scheduled here last week two individuals who modeled to our students how adults can have differences of opinions and still be able to agree to disagree and be respectful of one another. Respect, character, and class, what great attributes for our kids to see. I would also like to thank Sheriff Deputy Franks for his talk on internet and social media safety to our students. Very eye opening and a learning experience for our kids.

Have a great week

Quote of the week: Everybody ought to do at least two things each day that he hates to do, just for practice

William James

Even though academics are always our number one focus for our students, we are also very proud of our student/athletes. This fall, our boys and girls golf teams have just completed successful seasons, but you still have time to view our cross country, volleyball, and football teams as they round out their seasons. Our students who participate spend many hours dedicating themselves in practice and preparation and I would like to thank them for the great job they do representing Danbury Local Schools.

Quote of the week: A Winner is someone who talks himself out of his excuses.

Welcome to a fog day addition of my weekly blog. I think that this is an opportune time to remind students, parents, and staff to update any new information with our One Call Now feature. This can be accessed from our district website. Also, on our district website, under the District heading is our School Delay and Closing guidelines. This will help you when you are up in the morning wondering " What is that guy thinking" when it comes to the weather. To answer that question, we will always weigh student safety with the importance of the education of our students. Have a great week.

Quote of the week: The road to success is a tollroad.

One of the exciting things going on this school year is the incorporation of chromebooks into our 7-12 instructional programs. For the past two years, students in grades 3-4 and 5-6 have been using chromebooks to supplement their curriculums. This year, we have purchased chromebooks for all students in grades 7-12 with the goal of the students being able to take them home at the end of the day for independent study or homework. This goal will be achieved after some training for our students and parents.

Have a great week and GO LAKERS

Quote of the week: Winners commit themselves to constant self-improvement. Proper preparation always move the dream closer.

Welcome back to another school year. I hope you had a minute to stop by our open house last week and see and hear of all of the exciting new opportunities we will be offering our kids this year. I would like to offer a first school day welcome to our new employees - para professionals Keith Mora and Carolyn McDaniel, Athletic Director and Middle School Dean of Students Gary Quisno, custodian Keith Estes, and pre school Itinerant teacher Stephanie Bondra. Please take the time to offer them a big Danbury Family welcome when you see them. I will be doing a regular blog at the beginning of each week to try and keep the communication lines open with our parents, families, and community members. Please feel free to contact me or any of our district administrators if you have any questions or concerns.

And back by popular demand our quote of the week: Nothing is more expensive than a missed opportunity.

Please take advantage of all the opportunities we have to offer here at Danbury Local Schools because this is " WHERE OPPORTUNITIES MATTER"

Moving the school calendar to start after Labor Day and finishing the year before Memorial Day has made the school year just fly by. As we enter the last week of the school year, I would be remiss to not thank all of the people who have made this such a great year. I want to thank our students and staff for making it such a great year. I would also like to thank our parents and community members who volunteer to help on a daily basis but also to put on the many events that we have here at Danbury. From Athletic contests to plays and concerts and the Science Olympiad in between, you have been there whenever we have asked and we could not have done it without you. So to these unsung heroes along with our PTCO, Athletic Boosters and PRIDE group, a big THANK YOU for everything you do to help us provide a great educational experience for our kids.

As I close out my last blog of the school year, one of our goals this year has been to try and improve our communication with our parents, alumni, and community members. I hope the addition of our Facebook page along with our updated website, and our Schoology page has helped achieve this goal. So for my final quote of the day this year “Winners commit themselves to constant self-improvement. Proper preparation always moves the dream closer.”

We will continue to strive to improve the education for your child. In education, you either get better or get worse, you never stay the same.

Have a great summer, hope to see you around the peninsula.

Dan Parent

Superintendent

Danbury Local Schools

Just a reminder, this is open enrollment season. Current open enrollment students should have received an application for next school year in the mail. Please return these as soon as possible. Any other parents interested in open enrolling their children to Danbury may download an application form from our website. Danbury offers a great educational opportunity for students of all ages. Please feel free to call or stop by the central office and see me if you’re interested. I will be happy to sit down and answer questions or give you a tour of our facilities.

Congratulations and good luck to all of our athletic teams as they compete in state tournaments in their respective sports. Also, I hope you had time to catch the performances of our younger musicians and art students in their Spring Concert and Art Show last week. What a talented group of kids. The High School Art Show and 7-12 Spring Concert will take place next Monday, May 23 at 7pm so be sure to come and check it out. There is also still the opportunity to catch our marching band as they will be performing in the Marblehead Memorial Day parade.

Congratulations to Freshman Charleigh Steinbrick for winning our logo contest. Charleigh will be working with secondary art teacher Jane Letterhos and a graphic design company to polish up the finished product, which we hope to unveil in the fall.

Have a great week and here’s hoping the weather improves and the fish keep biting.

Dan Parent

Superintendent

Danbury Local Schools.

Growing up, one of the many lessons that I was taught by my father was that if something seems too good to be true, many times it is and you need to be wary of it.  Welcome to the world of College Credit Plus.  If you pay attention to the commercials or the news articles, College Credit Plus is a way to have your child begin to receive a college education for free beginning in the seventh grade.  When this was introduced, I attended meetings and always asked one simple question:  How is this possible?  Either we are doing such a great job educating our students that they are now ready to take college classes in seventh grade at the age of twelve or colleges have “dumbed down” their curriculum so much that even seventh graders can achieve.  The answer to those questions we have found is a little bit of both.  We have always had a few gifted, high achieving students who could handle the curriculum of a college level course. And High Schools around the state have found many students leaving advanced level and A. P. level courses to take college course because they are easier.  To answer the “free” part of the equation: it is not free. As a former economics teacher, one of the lessons that I always taught my student was the concept of TANSTAAFL, THERE AIN’T NO SUCH THING AS A FREE LUNCH, nothing is free, somebody is always paying for it somewhere. In the case of College Credit Plus, that “somebody” is the local taxpayer who passed tax levies to support K-12 education in their local schools and who is now, in reality, paying for the college education of many of those students. How does this happen you may ask? When students take College Credit Plus classes, the cost of the tuition and textbooks for each student is charged to the local school district. So now we know who pays. Secondly, as a veteran educator, I have always placed a high value on a K-12 education. I have many positive personal and professional memories of my times in a traditional school setting and I am sure many of you do also. These are the memories and experiences we are depriving many of our students of. Finally, my last concern is involving students in multi age classrooms where twelve year olds and adults are involved in many discussions on life experiences.   So I am asking parents to please weigh all of the pros and cons in making the decision to enroll your child in a “free” college education. Sometimes I wonder why we cannot just allow kids time to grow and be kids. Do we have to make them into “adults” so fast? 

Over the past three years, in an effort to improve communication with our students, parents, staff, and other members of our Laker Family, Danbury Local School District has updated our School District Webpage, introduced and incorporated the Schoology Learning Management System, and as of today we are launching our Danbury Local School District Facebook page. Our community will now be able to stay up to date on the events of our students and athletes by following our Facebook page. We are excited to open this new line of communication and will post frequent updates to keep you informed. Some classrooms, athletic teams and affiliated organizations will be creating their presence in the near future and we will promote their pages on our District page as they come online. A District Twitter and Instagram presence will be created in the coming weeks so stay tuned for future announcements.

You can find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DanburySchools/, so please “LIKE” us and keep in touch with the goings on here at Danbury!!

Dan Parent

Superintendent

Danbury Local Schools