OHS Speech and Debate scores at State Finals

Final round finishers, left to right: Daniel Crooke, Michael McGovern and Lincoln Guthrie.

Congratulations to the Oakwood High School Speech and Debate Team for their great showing at State Finals in Youngstown on March 1-3.

Placing in final rounds: Lincoln Guthrie and Daniel Crooke – sixth place, Duo Interpretation; Michael McGovern – third place, International Extemp: Semi-finalist - Tyler Rife, Humorous; Quarter-Finalists – David Wang – Julie Goff, Two–Person Debate; Becky Wenzke, Oratorical Interp; Jackie Malone – Siobhan Tellez – International Extemp; David Frydman – Kira Mikityanskaya – Duo Interp; Lindsay Handson – Nora Murphy – Duo-Interp; Brad Thomas – Humorous Interp. Also congratulations to Valerie Reaper – Dramatic Interp; Michael McGovern – International Extemp; tyler Rife – Humorous Interp. They will be going to the National Tournament June 16-23 in Wichita, Kansas.

The team is coached by Candis Pees, Brianna Doyal Kordik, Alex Kordik and James McFarland.   

Uphoff named to two OSBA committee posts

Oakwood Board of Education member Dr. James K. Uphoff has been named to the Federal Relations Network and Southern Region Executive Committees of the Ohio School Boards Association.

The Federal Relations Network is the NSBA’s major grassroots lobbying force involved in federal issues. The network consists of two board members in each congressional district who are appointed by the OSBA president and then ratified by the OSBA Board of Trustees. Members work with NSBA through the OSBA Division of Legislative Services.

The Southwest Region Executive Committee provides governance and leadership to school board members in Montgomery County as well as 16 other counties in southwestern Ohio. The committee is elected by OSBA members.

OSEF welcomes new trustees to board

The Oakwood Schools Education Foundation is pleased to welcome new Board Trustees, Steve Hayes and Linda Reed.  In addition, Elizabeth Reger is the newly appointed liaison of the Oakwood Board of Education to the Foundation.  

Linda Reed and her husband, David, are residents of Oakwood and the proud parents of three young children.  Linda is a former Montgomery County prosecuting attorney and is now an active community volunteer, serving in various roles for the Dayton Art Institute and the Dayton Opera Guild.

Steve Hayes is an alumnus of the Oakwood Schools.  The retired president of Industrial Distribution Group, Steve has been active in many Oakwood
organizations, including the Oakwood Athletic Boosters, Oakwood Youth Commission and Oakwood Housing Committee.  He serves as a Board member of the Engineers’ Club of Dayton.  Steve has three grown children, all Oakwood graduates.

Elizabeth Reger became a member of the Oakwood City Schools Board of Education in January 2006.  She and her husband, Bruce, have two children attending Oakwood Schools.  Elizabeth worked as a paralegal for 19 years prior to “retiring” in October 2005.  She has been an active community volunteer for many years, most recently as a volunteer at E.D. Smith, including serving in various capacities for the Smith PTO.

These individuals join current Foundation board members: Robert Curry, Jill F. Davis, Harry Ebeling, David Feldmiller (Treasurer), Ellen Ireland (President), Dottie Savage Kemp, Janine McQuillan, Jacqueline Miller, Mary Jo Scalzo, Chris Wallace, and Toni Winger.

The Oakwood Schools Education Foundation provides students and faculty with diverse and distinctive opportunities, which go above and beyond the reach of the district’s normal operating budget.  Pursuing its mission, “Enhancing Excellence through Philanthropy,” the Foundation provides significant annual support for quality initiatives, including teacher and administrative grants, scholarships and special wish list items.

Sam Andrews teacher nominations now being accepted

The Oakwood City School District is announcing that written nominations are now being accepted for the Sam Andrews Educational Hall of Honor. Nominations must be submitted to the Superintendent, Dr. Mary Jo Scalzo, and mailed or delivered to the Board Office, 20 Rubicon Road, Dayton, OH 45409, by April 20, 2007.  

The nominee should be retired from school employment or voluntary school-related service for three years or more.

Your nomination should include how the honoree has made “a distinguished and significant contribution toward the beneficial growth and education of the students in this community which shall serve to commemorate the high ideals that characterized the life and career of Sam Andrews.”

Please include adequate background information on the nominee so that he/she may receive optimum consideration by the selection committee. Once nominated, a person remains eligible during the year of nomination and for two additional
years.

A nomination form and information on the background of the award is available by calling Sandy Maresh at the Board of Education at 297-5332, or email at maresh.sandy-@oakwood.k12.oh.us; however, submissions may be made without using the form. The nominations will include a three-step process: Nominations for the 2007 Sam Andrews Educational Hall of Honor must be submitted by April 20, 2007.

Names of the nominees will be published in the local papers in April.
Supporting letters for these nominees should be submitted to the school district by May 25, 2007.

Prior nominees include: Year three nomination - Ralph Furguson, Oakwood Junior/Senior High English Teacher from 1968-1996. Year two nomination – Warner Simpson, School Psychologist/ Director of Special Services from 1981-1995). Letters of support for both Ralph Furguson and Warner Simpson are currently being accepted.  Nominees will be selected in June and the induction ceremony will be held in September 2007.

Former teacher donates piano to church

Central Christian Church will unveil its recently received gift of a 7-ft. Baldwin grand piano Sunday, March 18, thanks to the generosity of Madonna Goss who died Dec. 18, 2006.  Mrs. Goss, a well-known music teacher, choir director and organist in the Dayton area for over 50 years, had taught in the Dayton, Oakwood and Kettering school systems before retiring from the Kettering school system in 1983. Following dedication of the Goss Grand Piano by Rev. David Turner, Central Christian’s Senior Pastor, the first person to play will be Lois Sutherland, Central’s organist who will be celebrating her own 50th anniversary as the church’s organist September 9, 2007.  

According to Rev. Turner, “ Madonna Goss often told me over the years that she wished to make a special gift to our music program. Her goal now has been reached. We loved her, and know what a huge impact she made upon the Dayton music community throughout the years. We are honored and blessed by her rare gift.”  

Over the years,  Mrs. Goss had played the organ and/or directed the choirs at College Street Church of the Brethren, Ohmer Park UMC Church, Memorial Baptist Church, South Park UMC Church, Dayton First Baptist Church and Fairmont Presbyterian Church. She had been attending  Central Christian Church for the past decade, and filled in several times as guest pianist. Mrs. Goss was a member of the American Guild of Organists and past dean of the Dayton Chapter. She was secretary and historian of the Ohio Choral Directors Assn. for 12 years. She was named the Dayton Music Club’s “Person of the Year” in 2006, and was choral director of the first three Muse Machine musical productions.

The Goss Grand Piano will be unveiled at Central Christian’s 10:30 a.m. service on Sunday, March 18. The public is invited. There is no charge, parking is free, and the buildings are handicapped accessible.

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