Gallina: What Does the New Year Hold For North Canton City Schools?

Editor's Note: The following is a news release from Michael Gallina, superintendent of the North Canton City School District. 

Now that all of the confetti has been swept up, the party hats put away for another year, and the resolutions made (and broken by now), I thought I would share what is on the horizon for the school district as we begin 2012 together. Below, I have summarized some of the activity that has us excited for the final months of this school year and for the opening of next school year:

Our Unified Elementary Design

MUCH planning has taken place over the past several months with regard to our upcoming Unified Elementary Design. I am overwhelmed by the input of the internal staff team and by the external parent feedback team. Each group has provided great information and insight into our upcoming change. We are blessed to have such caring individuals who have given of their time to make North Canton an even stronger educational environment. Here are some of the activities that have taken place: 

• Our elementary staffs learned of their new grade level teaching assignments and their buildings for next year (pending any retirements that we are not aware of at this time). This occurred on December 9. They will meet as teacher teams on February 17 to begin their planning together. Our art, music, physical education, and special education staff members will learn of their assignments once the class loads and district schedules have been finalized for each building.
• The teacher input team has formed the following groups to help us with the transition activities. These groups are: spirit committee, vertical grade level team, kindergarten team, shared resources team, special education team, arts team, transportation-lunch-recess team. Each team will help with planning and activities that will enhance the experience for our students, staff, children and families.
• The external parent feedback team has provided the following topics for us so that we create the best service possible on: transportation, after school enrichment, orchestra-band-choir planning, gifted programming, open houses and parent night planning, technology planning, PTO/PTA collaboration, kindergarten registration, lunch routines, drop off and pick up times/locations at each building, multi-age programming, supply lists, and communication process for all of the above.
• Each of the above groups (teacher input and parent input teams) will be helping us with activities for the students’ transition to their new school buildings. We will have trips planned to the new schools this spring for all of our students.  special days will include visitation and tours, as well as the chance to connect with students from their sister schools who will be with them next year. This exciting planning will be done so that our children will have a nice “feel” for their new building well-ahead of the first day of school next year.
• A full “communication plan” will be launched in mid-January to begin the process of guiding our families and community with information related to all of the above topics. There will be a special icon on our district web site that will direct folks to all of the important information as it becomes available. 

 Welcome Todd Henne, Business Manager!

On February 10, Mr. Todd Henne will take over the reins of the business operations for the school district. , who is retiring at this same time. We want to welcome Todd and, at the same time, thank John for his commitment to the North Canton City Schools as a building principal and as our business manager. Congratulations to both men!

Next Year’s School Calendar

For the first time in the history of Stark County, all but a couple of school districts will be on the same school calendar for the 2012-2013 school year. Each district will be within a couple of days of one another, given the number of student days each has and given the holiday periods that each district establishes. Here are some key dates in our calendar that was approved on January 12:

• First Day of School: August 22 for grades 1-12. (August 28 for Kindergarten)
• Thanksgiving Holiday: November 22 – 26.
• Winter Holiday: December 21 – January 2.
• Spring Break: March 25 – April 1.
• Last Student Day: May 30.
• Last Staff Day: May 31. 

Contract Negotiations with our Classified Staff

We will conduct contract negotiations with our Classified Employee Union (The North Canton Classified Personnel Association) in late February-early March. This employee group represents such employees as bus drivers, mechanics, food service employees, secretaries, custodians, maintenance employees, monitors, aides, classified librarians, and technology support specialists. We really appreciate our classified employees and look forward to a successful collective bargaining process.

Welcome New School Board Members!

We welcome and to our school board! Both were elected this past November and took their new seats on January 12 during the Reorganizational Meeting of the school board. This space also allows us to thank for the outstanding service to our school and community as they leave us as board members. We applaud and honor Jordan and Nancy, while at the same time we do the same for Betty and Jennifer! North Canton has been, and will continue to be, blessed with a “service above self” mentality!