Eastwood Elementary Update

August, 2023

Welcome Back!!

We are looking forward to seeing everyone in a few days!

We hope you have had a nice summer break and we can't wait to begin our new school year!

Enjoy the last few days of summer and see you on Wednesday, August 23rd for grades 1-5!

Open House

Open House is set for Monday, August 21st.

Kindergarten through Second grade is from 5:45 until 6:45.

Third through Fifth grade is from 7:00 until 8:00.

You are welcome to bring in your child's school materials.

Don't forget to check in the gymnasium to check on your child's transportation if they ride a bus.

Kindergarten Staggered Start

Our incoming kindergarten students will run a staggered start schedule for the first 3 days of the school year. This means that your child will only come to school for the block of time that was listed in your welcome letter. If there is a question, please contact the office and we will let you know the time you were given. Remember that for your child's time, you will drive them to and from school, no bus service is available during the staggered start days.

All kindergarten students will attend starting on Monday, August 28th, and regular busing will begin.

Family Spotlight

Each month, we will be highlighting different grade levels and departments to allow parents and community members to get to know a little more about our Eastwood Elementary family. This month, we are beginning with our office staff.

Nikki Ohms

Your Job at Eastwood: Elementary School Counselor

Years at Eastwood: I actually worked at Eastwood from 05/06 through 08/09 and had started the 09/10 school year before moving in September 2009. Now I’m back 14 years later for my fifth year at Eastwood!

Hobbies: reading, creating educational and counseling resources

Family: Husband, Matt (“Mo”), daughter, Everly (2nd grader at Eastwood), son, Lincoln (Pre-K)

Pets: Bucky, our bunny (who we got from Mrs. Pease!)

Favorite Vacation: camping trip at Anchor Down campground in Tennessee

Favorite Meal: tie between pizza and steak

Favorite Dessert: warm brownie with ice cream

Favorite TV Show: Stranger Things

Favorite Sports Teams: Buckeyes!

Best Thing About Eastwood: feels like family, very warm and welcoming

Quote to Live By: “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ~Maya Angelou

Dannelle Sutton

Your Job at Eastwood: District Nurse

Years at Eastwood: 9

Hobbies: Home improvements, gardening, watching sporting events

Family: Married: Rob and 6 kids and 2 granddaughters

Pets: a 3-year-old golden doodle, Sadie

Favorite Vacation: Colorado mountains

Favorite Meal: Chicken noodle soup

Favorite Dessert: Peach pie

Favorite TV Show: Off the Grid - HGTV

Favorite Sports Teams: any team my kids are on!

Best Thing About Eastwood: I love that we are a big family. It takes a village to raise a family.

Danielle Brossia

Your Job at Eastwood: Secretary

Years at Eastwood: 5

Hobbies: Spending time with family and friends, anything outside, shopping, and reading but most of my time is spent shuttling my kids to and from sports and afterschool activities 🙂

Family: Husband - Kurt, Gavin- 9, Griffin-8, Brynn- 6

Pets: Charlie our Goldendoodle! He is the best boy!

Favorite Vacation: I love anywhere warm but you can’t beat Northern Michigan in the summer!

Favorite Dessert: Cast iron cookie from 5th Street Pub in Perrysburg!

Favorite TV Show: I don’t really watch much TV other than sports but I did enjoy the Yellowstone series.

Favorite Sports Teams: Ohio State, Lions, Detroit Tigers, Red Wings

Best Thing About Eastwood: My husband and I both graduated from Eastwood. We love the small-town community we live in!

Quote to Live By: Happiness is a Mood, Positivity is a mindset.

Shelly Vajen

Your Job at Eastwood: Elementary Secretary/Assistant Athletic Director

Years at Eastwood: Started subbing at Eastwood in 2016. Got hired full-time in 2019

Hobbies: Camping and spending time with family and friends. I also love helping people and that is why I became a Firefighter/EMT at Pemberville Fire.

Family: Married to my husband Mike for almost 18 years (poor guy, he deserves an award) LOL. Daughter Katie (23) and son Tyler(19). Also, have 5 step kids

Pets: Kids were enough

Favorite Vacation: Every July my entire family rents a cabin for a week.

Favorite Meal: Anything with chicken or anything made on the Blackstone is delicious

Favorite Dessert: Frozen Yogurt

Favorite TV Show: We don’t watch a lot of TV but if we do, it is always fire related. Chicago Fire, LA Fire/Rescue, Chicago Med.

Favorite Sports Teams: Ohio State-GO BUCKS and of course GO EAGLES!!!

Best Thing About Eastwood: Everything about Eastwood is great. Teachers, staff, coaches, and the community are top-notch.

Quote to Live By: It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy that makes happiness

Gary Gardner

Your Job at Eastwood: Assistant Principal

Years at Eastwood: 5

Hobbies: Golf, Softball, Running, Travel

Family: Married to Sue, Sons - Evan and Mitchell (both are married and expecting their first child in the next few months)

Favorite Vacation: Hawaii

Favorite Meal: Fettuccine Alfredo

Favorite Dessert: Pecan Pie or anything chocolate/peanut butter

Favorite TV Show: My favorite of all time is Big Bang Theory - nothing current

Favorite Sports Teams: Orioles, Knicks, and Michigan football

Best Thing About Eastwood: The great sense of “community” throughout the district - very supportive (of the schools and of each other)

Quote to Live By: Always leave something better than you found it

Joe Wank

Your Job at Eastwood: Principal

Years at Eastwood: 9

Hobbies: Biking, kayaking

Family: Married to Lisa, Allie-27, Derek-23, and Sidney-19

Favorite Vacation: Anywhere my family is all together.

Favorite Meal: Salmon and rice and vegetables

Favorite Dessert: German Chocolate Cake

Favorite TV Show: The Goldbergs

Favorite Sports Teams: Ohio State

Best Thing About Eastwood: Staff, students, and Community

Quote to Live By: Better Today than Yesterday, Better Tomorrow than Today

Car Drop-Off and Pick-Up reminders

Morning Car Drop Off

We would prefer that you drop your child/children off between 8:25 and 8:45 if possible. The morning drop-off will be very similar to past years. If you are dropping students off in the car line, you should have your students get out anywhere along the sidewalk so that multiple cars are having students exit at all times (instead of waiting until you are the front car to have your child get out). If you are parking in the parking lot and walking your child to the sidewalk or all the way to the front doors, please use the painted crosswalk that aligns with the sidewalk in front of the building. School begins at 8:55.

Afternoon Car Pick-up

If you are picking your child/children up in the car pick-up line, this line typically wraps around all the way to Sugar Ridge Road until students start exiting the building. Students will be brought out by a teacher at approximately 3:25 for car pick-up. Students report to the shelter next to the sidewalk to wait for their rides. If you are going to park and come across to the sidewalk to pick up your child (we do not want to send children unattended across the lot to cars), please use the crosswalk. We send students/adults across the crosswalk in groups and also send cars out of the lot in groups, so it is dangerous to cross at other locations as we are directing cars out of the lot. * Kindergarten students may also meet their parents at the back of the parking lot next to the playground since they will be walking from the back playground lot to the parking lot.

Overall, despite the many cars, particularly in the afternoon, parents and students have done a great job being safe. Please continue to be safe whether driving or walking in the drop-off or pick-up areas. Patience and looking an extra time are always the keys.

Morning Drop-Off routine

We will continue to look at the safety and security procedures of our building but would ask our parents to stop at the front doors when walking students up in the morning. If you have questions for a teacher, please stop in the office first to notify the teacher. I know the kindergarten parents may want to walk them down to the classroom, but after the first full week, please try to stop at the front doors and we can have safety patrol staff walk the students to the room.

We will be stopping any visitor who does not have a badge on and asking that they report to the office for signing in and going through our Raptor screening. You need to have your license to go through Raptor. It is a screening that would notify us of any offense that would require limited access to the building.

Help is available

If your family is in need of assistance with school supplies, please contact the office and we will be able to provide assistance with getting your child their school supplies.

Technology Thoughts

It is our responsibility as parents and staff to teach our children about online safety and responsible digital citizenship. Here are a few tips for parents (from Texas Tech University, Cybersecurity Awareness Program):

Talk with your children about online safety and etiquette/manners, and listen to their concerns.
Review their online activity including mobile apps, texting, posting, and contact lists.
“Follow" your child on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. Participate in the same social media platforms as they do.
Use everyday opportunities – such as TV shows, movies, and news stories – to discuss appropriate online behaviors and the consequences of inappropriate activity.
Stay up-to-date and informed with new technologies, apps/games, and privacy policies.
Use your own online behavior as a role model for your family, colleagues, and friends.

Staff

Secretaries

Danielle Brossia

Shelly Vagen

Office Area

Joe Wank-Principal

Gary Gardner- Assistant Principal

Nicole Ohms- Guidance Counselor

Angie Jones- Psychologist

Leslie Straka- Behavior Specialist

Shannon Stone- Speech Pathologist K-3

Marie Thornton- Speech Pathologist 4th and up

Preschool Teachers

Julie Sirse

Kristen Wolf

Kindergarten Teachers

Kelsay Hocanson

Rachelle Chaffee

Joy Powers

Holli Coger

Katie Chudzinski

Melissa Schimmoeller-Intervention Specialist

Sarah Hummel- K-2 Intervention Specialist

First Grade Teachers

Katie Eckel

Lisa Downey

Amy Kozma

Karen Selhorst

Bri Waddell

Melissa Schimmoeller-Intervention Specialist

Second Grade Teachers

Olivia Saunders

Kyle Szcublewski

Stacy Appelhans

Shay Nafziger

Jenny Pease

Tabatha Titus-Intervention Specialist

Third Grade Teachers

Missy Sandberg

Leslie Oestreich

Marnie Hartman

Mary Conkle

Lisa Wank

Courtney Eckel-Intervention Specialist

Fourth Grade Teachers

Eric Ward

Jessica Glanz

Amy Schaffner

Cory Schrader

Heidi Dohanos

Kellie Leady-Intervention Specialist

Fifth Grade Teachers

Julie Cross

Megan Ortinau

Jenn Griffith

Libby Wensink

Nicholas Smith

Mikayla Bingham-Intervention Specialist

Encore Staff

Adam Hoffmann-Physical Education

Amanda Speers- Art

Karen Walters- Music

Val Sponaugle- Technology

Leslie Myers-Library

Title One Teachers

Tammy Leady

Leslie Shiffler

Paraprofessionals in Elementary

Preschool Staff

Shelly Bedford/Julie Lauer, Elizabeth Kirwen, Elisha Shaner, and Stacey Hahn

Elementary Paraprofessionals

Mandi Canby, Polly Emch, Christine Rollins, Stacee Shultz, Rachel Beaudin, Dani Richards, Karen Schroeder, Erin Wolf, Madison Spangenberg, Alycia Emch, Heather Meter, Rita Phipps, Heather Villar, Andrea Sibbersen, and Ashley Harpel.

This group of staff works with students in a variety of roles from individual student support to grade-level small groups to playground monitors.