Story update on Aug. 1 - Kindergarten orientation will be Monday, Aug. 19, at 5-5:30 and 6-6:30 p.m. Parents will receive a letter in the mail soon with their orientation time and their student's start date. Parents should bring supplies when they come to orientation.
When you remove July from the calendar you'll see that school is 21 days away and counting. Ada schools provided the Icon with lots of back-to-school details that follow;
• Ada Exempted Village School Open House is Monday, Aug. 19, from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
• The first day of school is Wednesday, Aug. 21, with a full day planned for grades 1-12.
• School begins each day at 8:35 a.m. for all students.
• Dismissal is 3:30 p.m. for all students, with the exception of town students in grades kindergarten, one, two and three, who will be dismissed at 3:10 p.m.
• All parents of students new to the Ada School District are urged to contact their respective school office if they have not already registered their child(ren): Grades K-6 (419-634-2341) and grades 7-12 (419-634-2746).
• Kindergarten students (and first grade students who have not already done so) must have completed their immunization program before the opening day of school.
State law requires that no pupil shall be permitted to remain in school for more than 14 days unless he or she has been immunized against poliomyelitis, diphtheria, varicella, hepatitis B, pertussis, tetanus, rubeola, and rubella, or is in the process of being immunized.
If a pupil’s parent or guardian objects to the immunization for a good cause, including religious convictions, the child is not required to be immunized, but parent or guardian must present a written statement.
State law also requires:
• All 7th grade students must have a TDAP and Meningitis vaccination prior to the start of the new school year.
• Proof of vaccination MUST be provided to pick up schedule.
• All incoming 12th grade students must have a Meningitis vaccination prior to the start of the new school year.
• Proof of vaccination MUST be provided to pick up schedule.
• All immunizations are offered at the Hardin County Department of Health.
BUILDING ADMINISTRATORS
Robin VanBuskirk, Director of Teaching and Learning
Dan Lee, High School/Middle School Principal
Ben Thaxton, Elementary Principal
ELEMENTARY STAFF
Secretary: Alane Collins
Kindergarten: Bridgette Jones, Stacey Klingler, and Meghan Kosier
First Grade: Melissa Gossard, Rachel Ludwig, Heather Etgen and Kim Smittle
Second Grade: Cindy Boehm, Christa Preston and Kyleigh Tabor
Third Grade: Brittany Daniels, Sherri Burnett and Julie Stavenger
Fourth Grade: Julie Butterfield, Deone Rieman and Susan Stuart
Fifth Grade: Erica Shadley, Julie Burris and Bethany Daft
Sixth Grade: Kim Guagenti, Kristie Reichert, and Shelleigh Alexander
Art: Kristie Winkeljohn
Physical Education: Jill Laughlin
Title I Reading Intervention: Arlene Allison, Brittany Lee and Debbie Poling
Special Education: Sheila Hughes, Gwen Jochims, Stefani Koontz, Elizabeth Vogt, Cristin St. Laurent
Vocal Music: Scott Henning (grade 6) and Tabitha McPeeks (grades 1-5)
Instrumental Music: Tabitha McPeeks (grade 5) and Tom Atkinson (grade 6)
Technology Lab: Barth Montel
Teacher Aides: Mary Garver, Valerie Hall, Amy Stover, Jean Stavenger, Collin Stephens and Paula Beverly
Elementary Library Aide: Linda Dysert
MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL STAFF
Secretaries: Andy Pifer and Angie Hall
English: David Ames and Melody Veltri
English 8 and Yearbook: Anna Yoakam
English 7: William Faine
American Sign Language: Elaine Garber
Spanish: Sarah Davis
Math: Rachel Temple, Joshua Klein and Camille Hesse
Math 8: Julie Thaxton
Math 7: Shawn Christopher
Science: Dave Lusk and Christina Bowden
Science 7 & 8: Alayne Schrock
Social Studies: Ken Jochims and Kristin Salyer
Social Studies 8 and 7: Michael Styer
S.T.E.M.: Jeff Hunt
Technology: Kurt Klingler
Health and Physical Education: Morgan Bass
Physical Education: Jill Laughlin
Vocal Music 7-12: Scott Henning
Instrumental Music (Grades 7 through 12): Tom Atkinson
Art and Ceramics: Gary Wells
Art: Kristie Winkeljohn
Vocational Agriculture: Tony Dyer
Special Education: Tyler Craig, Elizabeth Vogt, Sean Anderson and Sheila Hughes
Also serving the school district
Gifted Education: Suzanne Hardesty
School Psychologist: Melissa Fallis
Guidance Counselor 9-12: Erinn Prater
Guidance Counselor K-8: Tracy Breidenbach
Media Specialist: Chanda Smith
Athletic Director: Eric Perkins
School Nurse: Marlene Vermillion
Speech and Hearing Therapist: Sherry Miller
ONLINE FORMS
All parents of students review their information on FinalForms at the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year.
• News parents to the school district should complete and sign their online form before the first day of school. You may create your account and sign your forms immediately.
Register at – https://ada-oh.finalforms.com -– now and electronically complete ALL forms. You will also find a link to FinalForms on our website - www.adabulldogs.org - as well.
• High school (grades 7-12) students are required to have Emergency Medical Form completed prior to schedule pickup. Students who do not have their forms completed at their schedule pickup time will not receive a schedule.
WORKBOOKS
Workbooks for 7-12th grade students will be purchased through the school for those classes requiring workbooks. Middle School and High School fees are determined based on grade and if courses scheduled have fees attached.
Elementary workbook fees follow:
Kindergarten-$45
First Grade-$58
Second Grade-$48
Third Grade-$55
Fourth Grade-$65
Fifth Grade-$73
Sixth Grade-$45
Both the high school and elementary offices will have the complete list of fees. School fees may be paid during Open House.
CAFETERIA
Cafeteria Manager - Ann Hersey
Cafeteria Staff: Kelly Kloeppel, Amy Sheldon, Sarah Staley, Ramona Sumney, Angie Wurst and Elise Williams.
The cafeteria will be in operation on Wednesday, Aug. 21, and every school day thereafter.
Lunches will be $2.15 for students in Grades K-5 and $2.40 for Grades 6-12.
Students may pay daily as they go through the cafeteria line or have their lunch account debited. Cafeteria staff will be available at Open House for parents to make a deposit to their child’s lunch account.
Students will be advised when their account has a low balance. Ada Schools will participate in the Free and Reduced Lunch Program. Forms will be available during Open House and also sent home with elementary students on the first day of school. Information concerning this program will be available at Open House on Monday, Aug. 19. (The USDA is an equal opportunity employer.)
MAINTENANCE/TRANSPORTATION
Maintenance/Transportation Manager – Michael Lenhart
Custodial Staff –Jane Donley, April Guthery, Brock Sumney, Chaise Sumney, Matthew Waugh, Anthony Sumney and Dave Allen.
Transportation Staff - Chris Christopher, Jean Conley, Marie Gossman, Eileen Risser, Sharon Shaw, Amy Stover and Judy Williams.
BUS ROUTES
Transportation to and from school will be provided for children in Kindergarten thru Grade 6 who live in the following areas within the corporation limits:
A. South of the railroad
B. North of the railroad and east of SR 235; and
C. North of SR 81 and west of SR 235
D. Grades K-12 south of Lima Avenue
Transportation to and from school will be provided for children in Kindergarten through Grade 12 who live outside the corporation limits. Transportation may be provided to and/or from a babysitter, on a permanent or long-term basis, for Grades K-8.
Students are requested to be ready approximately 10 minutes early on opening day. Students will be scheduled for busing based on their home address. Any changes in pick-up or drop-off must be requested in writing and approved by the transportation supervisor.
Parents are reminded that students will go home their regular way unless a written note is received indicating a change and received prior to 2 p.m. during the school year.
Bus drivers and pick-up times follow:
Bus 1 – Eileen Risser
Approximate first pickup time 7:15 a.m.
Bus 2 – Sharon Shaw
Approximate first pickup time 7:15 a.m.
Bus 7 – Chris Christopher
First pickup time Apollo 7:20 a.m.
Bus 5 – Marie Gossman
Approximate first pickup time 7:15 a.m.
Bus 8 – Jean Conley
Approximate first pickup time 7:15 a.m.
The bus transporting the Apollo Career Center students will leave from the Vocational Agriculture Building at 7:20 a.m. each morning and will leave Apollo when classes are dismissed in the afternoon and return to Ada. These students must furnish their own transportation to the Ada School each morning. However, they may ride the rural buses home each evening if they wish. Students are to meet in front of the VoAg Building each morning.
PICK UP AND DROP OFF
Parents driving student(s) to and from school are to drop-off students in the front of the school directly off of State Route 81. Students will enter through the front doors (north side) of the building. Students should not be dropped off before 8:15 a.m., as doors will be locked prior to this time.
STAY ALERT ON SCHOOL DELAYS/CLOSINGS
Ada Schools offer text or email alert services in the event of school delays and/or cancellations. To sign-up, visit the school website and select “Sign-up for text/email alerts” under the quick link column on the right side. If you have problems or need assistance in signing up, call the school offices for assistance.
BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBERS AND CENTRAL OFFICE STAFF
Board members are:
Dr. Amy Mullins, president
Matt Gossman
Ron Fleming
Ernest Daugherty
Troy Erickson.
Kim Light is school treasurer
Cami Nichelson is assistant to the yreasurer
GiGi Fetter is executive secretary in the Central Office
Meri Skilliter is the superintendent of schools
The Ada Schools website is adabulldogs.org and we invite parents to visit to find a wealth of information including the following: district calendar listing various school activities, lunch menus as well as your student’s lunch account balance (password required), bus request form, and many other informational items. You can follow us on Facebook and/or Twitter as well.
