After President, Gail Moseley opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance, Mike Kostyack led us in a meaningful invocation. Gail then welcomed our guests Scott Campbell and Laura Trevorrow and thanked Steve Dunton and Dave Renninger for getting us checked in.
CELEBRATIONS:
Rotary Anniversaries: Leslee Salhaney (6) and Maria Ferrara (1) are observing Rotary anniversaries this week. Glad they are with the club.
Birthdays: Leslee Salhaney is celebrating her birthday along with her Rotary anniversary.
HAPPY BUCK:
Don Coughlin said that his granddaughter, Fiona Coughlin, has been nominated for the Dazzle Award for Best Actress. 32 high schools are involved in these awards. She is a senior at Firestone High School and will attend Baldwin Wallace University to study music in the fall.
DRAWING: De-de Mulligan had the winning ticket but drew the 2 of clubs.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Club Interact Banquet: will take place on Monday in Leona Ferris Lodge at Silver Springs Park from 6:00 to 8:00. They can also use help setting up about 3:00 in the afternoon for about an hour. Contact Dinah Henderson immediately with a text at 330-612-2100 tonight if you wish to attend the banquet and have not already told her so and to let her know if you can help with set up.
Heroes' Day; will be Saturday, May 13 with preparation Friday the 12th by the Club Interact students. On Saturday morning at 8:00 drivers should meet at the FOP Lodge behind The Church in Silver Lake at 8:00 a.m. to deliver the items. If you can drive, please let Jeff Film know with a text at 330-352-4895.
Golf Outing: Scott Miller reported that things are going well. He asked everyone to recruit golfers, whether they are a foursome, singles or doubles. 13 foursomes have already signed up. See the golfer sign-up attached to these minutes. The committee is also looking for donations of $25.00 gift cards, sleeves of at least 3 golf balls and items for the goodie bags.The event is Friday, June 16 at Fox Den.
Board Meeting: Our board's next meeting will be Friday, May 12 at 7:15 at City Hall.
Interact Carnival and Bulldog Bag Bus Pull: Rotarians are needed to sit at a carnival table. The event is this Saturday, May 6. One shift is from 9:30-12:30 and the other from 12:30 to 4:30. Please let Dinah know you can help by text at 330-612-2100.
Adopt-A-Spot: Marty Tass passed around a sign-up sheet for planting the Adopt A Spot on Saturday, May 20 at 10:00 at the Doughboy plot. Bring your planting tools. It will be a very colorful plot this year.
Bulldog Bags: This is the last week for our May Bulldog Bag donations. Please contribute any of the following items by next Wednesday, May 10. Needs are: individual bowls of cereal, packs of granola bars, cash for sunscreen, 16 oz. jars of peanut butter ad 18oz. jars of grape jelly. Bring your items to our meeting or drop them off at the lobby of City Hall or the library.
PROGRAM
Michael Kostyack, Program Host, began by thanking everyone for the passage of yesterday's levy. He explained that one of his favorite Rotary moments was seeing the Interact students all working together to make tie blankets. And, they talked while they worked and there wasn't a cell phone in sight.
Michael then introduced Scott Campbell, who is in his third year as the Director of Operations for Stow-Munroe Falls Schools. His journey here included Mount Union College, and Perry Local Schools. He has been, a coach, and Dean of Students, but it was as a kindergarten teacher that he first experienced the adult side of the education community. He discussed with us the state of public education today in the Stow-Munroe Falls Community.
The pandemic created a lot of changes because when students are not in school, they don't learn in the same way. Work is turned in electronically. They are not physically with their friends and teachers. And for some students who could not receive lunch at school, meals were even delivered to them. Our school system invested any stimulus money they received in the students and not in equipment. Another recent changes is the recognition that college is not for everyone and that the business world is crying for students coming out of a career tech environment to meet their need for employees.
Mr. Campbell discussed some of the top priorities for the system now.
1. Safety is a top priority. There is now a vestibule in all schools and police on each property.
2. The science of reading looks at how to teach students to read and how their needs are met.
3. The schools are the hub of the city. The demands to use the buildings have risen ten-fold.
4. Students must be readied for enrollment, employment or enlistment as they graduate. More community partnerships are needed to accomplish this.
5. Mental health needs of students and families must be recognized.
Moving forward, there is a Master Facility Planning Committee studying the facilities and their particular needs. The buildings are aging and decisions need to be made whether to repair or replace. This committee will identify community concerns, investigate options and come up with a master plan. Roof projects have already been completed at about a million dollars under budget. A new fieldhouse is being built at the high school which will benefit the students and the community. He closed by speaking of the immense pride there is within this community. Parents support the students, community members turn out for events and are unapologetic for their pride in the schools and city.
DATES TO REMEMBER:
Saturday, May 6 10:30 to 3:00 at the High School, Interact Carnival and Pull the Bulldog Bus, to benefit Bulldog Bags
Monday, May 8, 6:00-8:00 Interact Senior Banquet at Leona Ferris Lodge
Wednesday, May 10 7:30 a.m. Weekly Meeting at Bellacinos with "Welcoming Workforce" as our program
Friday, May 12, 7:15 a.m. Board Meeting at City Hall
Saturday, May 13, 8:00 a.m. pick up items to distribute for Heroes' Day.
Saturday, May 20, 10:00 a.m. Adopt-A-Spot Planting
Saturday, May 20, Stow Clean-up Day
Wednesday, May 24, 4:30-6:30 Volunteer time at the Akron-Canton Foodbank
Friday, June 16, Golf Outing at Fox Den
Wednesday, October 11 in the evening Reverse Raffle/Silent Auction
Submitted by Andy Denton