September 18, 2007 - Volume 16, No. 38

a Winkler Company publication

Also featuring photos from our monthly supplement...

An early history of 1200 Hathaway Road

Charged Up

Photo by Leon Chuck

Lumberjacks charge through the banner and onto the field at the start of the Oakwood-Valleyview bout at home last Friday.

Jacks spear Spartans 21-14

By John Lefforge

The Oakwood Lumberjacks hosted the Valley View Spartans at Mack Hummon Stadium on Friday night. A crowd of 3,500 fans rocked the bleachers and were entertained by two of the Miami Valley’s best teams. Valley View and Oakwood came into the contest undefeated and State ranked. The Spartans were ranked fifth in Division III and the Jacks were ranked 20th. The game was carried by MVCC and billed as the ‘Game of the Week.’

As the gold balloons filled the air, David Miller’s kickoff sailed out of the end zone to begin the contest. Valley View drove to mid-field, but back- to-back QB sacks by Chris Hardy and Barrett Doty forced a punting situation. The punt was shanked into the crown and Oakwood’s first offensive series began at their 44. Hardy ran for eight yards and AJ Lewis carried the ball for the first down. Lewis tossed a pass to Tony Lamb for a short gain. Lewis faked to Robby Sherk and sprinted 43 yards for the first score of the game. Miller’s PAT was good and Oakwood had drawn first blood, 7 – 0.

The kickoff was received on the 4 and Alex Byrd made a nice open field tackle inside the Valley View 20. The Spartans drove to the five, as JT Allen made a TD saving tackle. Valley View punched it in on the next play and knotted the score at 7 – 7 late in the first quarter. Hardy took the kickoff to the Jack 25. Hardy ran for five, and then Lewis hit Sherk with a quick pass and a first down.

Lewis’s next pass was picked off and returned to the Jack 24. The Spartans took advantage of the turnover and scored on a short run. Valley View now led, 14 – 7. The Lumberjacks went three and out, forcing a Damian Rudy punt. Valley View took over on their 40. The Spartans were driving again and were looking to blow out the Jacks. Joe Lefforge stripped the ball carrier and recovered a fumble to thwart the drive. The Jacks couldn’t move the ball and a penalty negated a big gain, forcing another Rudy punt. The Spartans, driving again, fumbled as Lefforge hit the ball carrier and Sherk recovered. The Jacks couldn’t capitalize and went into the locker room at the half, trailing 14 -7.

The Jacks came out fired up and after the Rob Stephen’s interview, play continued. The Jacks mishandled the kickoff and were forced to start at their 7. Hardy carried twice for nine yards, bringing up a 2nd and 1. The middle opened and Hardy sprinted 34 yards to midfield. An incomplete pass and a sack forced a punting situation. Rudy’s punt hit a couple of balloons and was fair caught on the Spartan 35. Valley View couldn’t budge the Oakwood defense. A QB sack by Lamb and Sherk forced a punting situation. Hardy was pinned at the Oakwood 9, but the Spartans were called for a late hit. Oakwood was prepped for a drive with the ball on their 24. Lewis found Ben Scott on the sideline for a gain of 17. Hardy ran for 4, and then Lewis hit Scott for a 15 yard pickup. Lewis called his own number for nine yards to the Valley View 21. Lewis took off again and dashed to pay dirt. Miller’s kick was good and the score was tied at 14.

Valley View began their drive from midfield, following a long kick return. The Spartans moved the ball into Oakwood territory. Lamb and Lefforge made another QB sack at the Oakwood 49. Doty came up big again, recovering a fumble on the Spartan 46. Lamb was interfered with and the 15 yard penalty moved the ball to Spartan 30. Hardy carried for 9 to the 21. Hardy, behind a Tommy Lambert block, scooted into the end zone for 6. Miller’s kick was good and the Jacks were up 21 – 7 late in the 3rd quarter. Valley View, not used to the situation, continued to misfire. The Lumberjack held the Spartans scoreless the rest of the game. Chris Hardy intercepted a pass deep in Oakwood territory.

The Jacks controlled the ball to end the game. The Jack’s front five controlled the line of scrimmage all night. Lambert, Brian Beck, Greg Ambrose, Matt Money and Lefforge were too big and strong for the undersized Spartans. Scott Feldmiller, Will Garner and Ben Scott blocked great from the receiver positions. The defense took it to the Spartans. JT Allen, Joe Lefforge, Brian Beck, Matt Money, Tony Lamb, Robby Sherk, Chris Hardy and Barrett Doty all made multiple tackles. Ben Scott, John Whalen, Will Garner locked down the aerial attack. Nolan Kronbergs, Aaron Sparks, Brad Auchtermann and Justin Macaulay made valuable contributions.

AJ Lewis finished the game 6 of 10 passing for 53 yards. Lewis carried 8 times for 76 yards and 2 scores. Chris Hardy carried 19 times for 123 yards.

Best wishes go out to Tony Lamb, who broke his arm late in the fourth quarter. He will be out for the regular season, but hopes to be ready for the playoffs.

The Jacks move to 4–0 on the season. Thanks to the MVCC for carrying the game. That’s for sure!

AJ Lewis goes airbourne as he flies down the field to a touchdown.

Jacks exult in a victory over Valley View and a 4 - 0 record.

City Council passes on Countywide Regional Dispatch Center

By Lance Winkler

The Oakwood City Council unanimously agreed with City Manager Norbert Klopsch and Chief Alex Bebris regarding their joint recommendation to not participate in the Countywide Dispatch program. Chief Bebris pointed out that Oakwood currently has an under-two-minute response rate – the only city in Ohio that can make that claim.

On the other hand, Bebris also pointed out that all 911 calls currently go through the County Dispatch Center downtown. With the plan voted in last night, 911 calls will be routed directly to Oakwood dispatchers in what is estimated will take about a year to implement.

“Staff has studied the information over the past six months and believes the public wants us to stick with the dispatchers here,” Klopsch said. “Our citizens for many, many decades have been wanting that personal touch.” Based off the current count of 3800 households in Oakwood, the cost of the new system is estimated at about $26 per household. Council directed that budget estimates for the 2008 fiscal year be made to include the estimated cost of an upgraded local dispatch system.

Councilmember Stanley Castleman also put in a rider that the Countywide Dispatch Center also serve as a backup to the local system.

Health and Human Services Levy Chairman Frank Hoge was the only visitor last evening, giving a presentation on the need for a 2 mills replacement levy on the November ballot. Citing that over 75,000 in the Miami Valley are currently being served by Health and Human Services, and with federal funding declining, Mr. Hoge said that the levy would cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $123 a year on property taxes or about $10 a month.

In other business, City Manager Norbert Klopsch has marked five years in his current managerial position and was due for a five-year review. He came in for high praise from both the mayor and council members. Mayor Judy Cook called him “a 24/7 city manager” and one who “always has an open door toward citizens.” Councilmember Stanley Castleman noted that Klopsch “always inspires the best from his subordinates.” Councilmembers Roger Blumensheid and William Duncan were similarly effusive in their praise as well.

Plans for the 28-acre parcel purchased by the city will be coming under discussion at the Budget Review Committee to be held 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday (Sept. 18). Although a number of citizens and parents would like to keep all 28 acres as soccer fields and parking lots, a multi-phase project is also being proposed, including a proposal to build an indoor basketball court.

The next formal meeting is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 1, 2007.

Language arts strategy at OJHS discussed

By Dawn Beigel

“Our students do not fit a one-size-fits-all classroom,” said Oakwood Junior High School language arts teacher Susanne King about her use of differentiation strategies with her students.

The technique, presented at the board of education’s regular meeting last week, is designed to accommodate all the students at different achievement levels and uses multi-tiered evaluations based on the Bloom’s Taxonomy model. The model classifies thinking according to six cognitive levels: analysis, synthesis, evaluation, knowledge, comprehension and application.

King showed examples of a writing exercise from the classic story Goldilocks & The Three Bears and explained how students are given at least three choices of prompts from each tier.

“Each student is appropriately challenged…even my higher-level
students would certainly be challenged,” said King. “And when we talk about challenging our kids, that’s what parents want to hear.”

King will lead a professional development session this year for district teachers on the tiered assessments.

In other business at the meeting, district treasurer Kevin Philo presented to the board the Certificate for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the comprehensive annual financial report for FY 2006. The certificate comes from the Assoc. of School

Business Officials, and marks the tenth consecutive year the district has received it.
In commendations, the board recognized high school seniors Calvin G. Williamson and Sarah K. Deitz for getting the highest possible composite score (36) on the ACT this past June. They are among only 24 in the state and 177 in the nation to receive this score.

The board also commended:

• High school senior Patrick Murphy for being chosen as the alternate tubaist for the Ohio Music Education Assoc. All-State Band.
• High school forensic science teacher Melinda Wargacki for being featured in an article in Virginia Commonwealth University’s VCU View on her participation in the university’s DNA, Drugs and Law course.

In legislation, the board:

• Accepted donations of 12 Amtrykes therapeutic tricycles from Greenbucs and one Samsung air conditioner from Dewey and Ashley Weeda.
• Employed Peggy Holton as a prevention/intervention counselor at the junior and senior high schools effective this past Sept. 4. Previously, she taught high school for 24 years in a number of districts, and was a counselor for Kettering Schools for 10 years (including serving as Safe and Drug-Free Schools coordinator).
• Employed Vicky Glancy as a home instructor tutor on an as-needed basis.

The Oakwood Board of Education will hold its next regular meeting Oct. 8, 7:30 p.m. at the central office.

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