Note: The last day of school is Friday, May 25. Report cards for the last grading period will be mailed home on Monday, June 4. 

Another school year concludes.

The spring school newsletter summarizes many of the activities taking place as the year ends. A copy of the newsletter is attached at the bottom of this story. Here is a spring school summary provided by Greg Denecker, Bluffton superintendent. His complete column is in the newsletter.

Elementary
At the elementary, students of all grade levels experienced presentations and activities from SESA (Science Enhancement for Science Advancement), COSI, Lima’s Safety City, Bluffton University Lion and Lamb Peace Center, Mazza Center at The University of Findlay, Clymer Museum in Columbus Grove, Sauder Historical Village, and the D.A.R.E. program and concert.  The annual Field Day for the elementary students was a huge success.

Middle school
Our middle school students are exposed to unique learning experiences, too.  These include the Camp Berry outdoor school, Washington D.C. trip, and “Night at the Museum.”  This is a cross curricular activity for 6th and 7th graders who pick a country or famous person and then set up a visual display of that topic in the gym. In the cafetorium, 8th graders set up displays and dress up for a possible occupation they may want to have when they become adults. 

High school
The high school students engage in opportunities that help to complement the learning in the classroom.  Some of these activities are IVDL surgeries, various field trips (including art museums), an optional trip to Europe in the summer, the Air Force Museum, and nuclear reactor sites. 

Also, some students have painted murals throughout the district, and students in the Ocean Focus class travel to Florida each year in early June to study in the Florida Keys. 

Each year the OWE class continues to raise money through a silent auction for the Ronald McDonald House, and student senate members  volunteer in various capacities both inside and outside the school. 

Experiences and relationships
Our students perform extremely well on state assessments and consistently score near the top in the state in performance index.  However, beyond test scores, it is the experiences and relationships that we build with our students, parents, and community that really make a huge impact on the education of our students.  It is great to see each of our schools give our students these experiences, which they will remember for many years to come.

Open the attachment below to view the entire spring newsletter.