WestChesterBuzz.com

New standards will change teaching methods, tests

Michael D. Clark

This year marks the beginning of sweeping changes in the way Ohio students learn.

The largest wave of school reforms in decades is headed to your child’s classroom, likely impacting how every K-12 student learns. This “perfect storm” of school changes – most starting at the beginning of the 2013-14 school year in August – is designed to better prepare students for life after high school.

Lakota Superintendent Karen Mantia. Photo taken by Tony Jones.

The changes brought on by adapting national “core curriculum” standards will challenge students and are designed to prepare “students for college and careers,” says Mason School Associate Superintendent Amy Spicher.

“Kids will have to use higher thinking skills, and the tests will be more rigorous,’’ Spicher says. “And they will have to explain their reasoning behind their answers.”

Among changes coming:

• Students in all grades will be tested more often using in-class computers. They will apply what they learn to solving more real-life problems as part of their math, science and English instruction.
• For the first time, third-graders will be held to higher reading standards. If they don’t achieve them, they will be held back.
• Parents will have assurances that the teachers and “intervention specialists” helping their children in reading and other subjects have met new, state-mandated qualifications.
• Teachers and principals will have annual job performance evaluations tied to uniform state criteria. Salary increases will be based on meeting those criteria.
• Parents will have a better idea of the comparative quality of their child’s school when the state begins phasing in “A-F” letter grades rather than the current vague category labels that have been in place since 1999.

“I like the direction of the reforms,’’ says Lakota schools parent Kathy Cook, who is PTO president at Plains Junior School in Butler County. “It will mean more expanded answers for students and showing what they know.” (more…)

Posted in: Board of Education, News, Schools |

Tags: Tags: Bill Coley, Karen Mantia, Kathy Cook, Lakota Superintendent Dr. Karen Mantia, Lakota Superintendent Karen Mantia, Superintendent Dr. Karen Mantia, superintendent Karen Mantia

Approximately 200-to-300 concerned citizens attended a passionate debate on Issue 2 between a state senator and an attorney representing Ohio’s firefighters at a local school in Liberty Township Monday night.

The highly publicized Issue, where each campaign committee has aired television ads featuring firefighters, is a petition-driven referendum to repeal Senate Bill 5, a collective bargaining overhaul that limited the ability of public workers to negotiate for wages, working conditions and pension benefits.

Steve Lazarus, an attorney representing the Ohio Association of Firefighters, spoke against the law and encouraged the community to vote “no” on Issue 2.

“I ask this question to myself because I don’t know the answer and I am going to ask the same question to you, how much is too much to pay someone who goes to work everyday and says to their spouse and children ‘goodbye’ and they may or may be coming home at the end of their shift?’” Lazarus said.

Speaking in favor of Issue 2 and in approval of Senate Bill 5, State Senator Bill Coley said the law gives city, township and school officials more tools when to comes to balancing their budgets during poor economic times.

“Local government has to get control over its budget and when there are step increases and automatic pay raises and things like that and you don’t have the control you need over your budget and you get into situations where you must raise taxes,” Coley said.

During the debate, Coley focused on how Issue 2 restores balance and fairness by asking government employees to pay 15 percent of their health insurance, 10 percent of their retirement and have pay raises be based on performance.

West Chester Township Trustee Catherine Stoker questioned Senate Bill 5 after the township has lost its local government funds, tangible personal property taxes and estate taxes.

“Issue 2 is supposed to recoup this five to six million dollars a year?

“By making them (government employees) pay their health premiums from 12 percent to 15 percent saves us a couple hundred grand a year,” Stoker said. “I am sorry, I don’t know how we are going to maintain our roads with this kind of math.”

Despite the event being sponsored by the Liberty Township Tea Party, the majority of the crowd appeared to be opposed to Issue 2 and often cheered on Lazarus.

“There is no reason to have collective bargaining if one side holds all the cards. It is a sham,” said Lazarus on Issue 2. “Why are we wasting our time with collective bargaining when one side gets to make the decision.”

Meanwhile, Coley argued that the current collective bargaining laws have to be changed and if Issue 2 is not passed then change will never happen.

“We changed the law so you the voters have the final say what is or is not fair. Those who oppose change want you to vote ‘no’ on Issue 2, so we can give that power back to labor lawyers,” Coley said. “We trust you, they don’t.”

Posted in: Board of Trustees, Election, Events, Government, News, Political events, Tea Party |

Tags: Tags: Bill Coley, Catherine Stoker, Doc Thompson, Doc Thompson 700 WLW, Liberty Township Tea Party, Ohio Association of Fire Fighters, SB5, Senate Bill 5, Senator Bill Coley, Steve Lazarus, Tea Party

The Liberty Township Tea Party will sponsor a debate on State Issue 2 at the Lakota East Freshman Campus, this Monday at 7 p.m.

The debate will feature State Senator Bill Coley (photo) speaking for Issue 2 and Steve Lazarus of the Ohio Association of Fire Fighters (OAFF) speaking against Issue 2.

Doc Thompson of 700 WLW will moderate the debate.

Questions from the audience will be taken. All concerned citizens in the community are invited to attend this event.

Issue 2 is a petition-driven referendum to repeal Senate Bill 5, a collective bargaining overhaul that limited the ability of public workers to negotiate for wages, working conditions and pension benefits.

Lakota East Freshman Campus is located at 7630 Bethany Lane in Liberty Township.

Posted in: Election, Events, Government, News, Political events, Tea Party |

Tags: Tags: Bill Coley, Doc Thompson, Doc Thompson 700 WLW, Liberty Township Tea Party, Ohio Association of Fire Fighters, SB5, Senate Bill 5, Senator Bill Coley, Steve Lazarus, Tea Party

In addition to a debate on Issue 2 to be held Oct. 3, local residents will be able to attend a public forum on Issue 2 Oct. 6 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the West Chester Activity Center.

The public forum will feature speaker Jim O’Reilly, who is the Vice Mayor of Wyoming, a law professor at University of Cincinnati and an author of numerous books and articles on the subject of labor relations. O’Reilly also serves as a trustee on the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments. He has also been on the associate general counsel at Procter & Gamble, an arbitrator and a police officer.

During the forum, O’Reilly will explain why he favors a “no” vote on Issue 2. He will also be on hand to answer questions.

West Chester Township Trustee Catherine Stoker will also be hand to give a local perspective on how Senate Bill 5 could affect the township.

Issue 2 is a petition-driven referendum to repeal Senate Bill 5, a collective bargaining overhaul that limited the ability of public workers to negotiate for wages, working conditions and pension benefits.

The West Chester Activity Center is located at 7900 Cox Road in West Chester.

Meanwhile, the Liberty Township Tea Party will sponsor a debate on State Issue 2 at the Lakota East Freshman Campus Oct. 3, at 7 p.m.

That debate will feature State Senator Bill Coley (photo) speaking for Issue 2 and Steve Lazarus of the Ohio Association of Fire Fighters (OAFF) speaking against Issue 2.

Doc Thompson of 700 WLW will moderate the debate.

Lakota East Freshman Campus is located at 7630 Bethany Lane in Liberty Township.

Posted in: Election, Events, Government, News, Political events, Tea Party |

Tags: Tags: Bill Coley, Doc Thompson, Doc Thompson 700 WLW, forum, forums, Issue 2, Issue 2 Ohio, Liberty Township Tea Party, Ohio Association of Fire Fighters, public forum, SB5, SB5 forum, Senate Bill 5, Senate Bill 5 forum, Senator Bill Coley, Steve Lazarus, Tea Party

The Liberty Township Tea Party will sponsor a debate on State Issue 2 at the Lakota East Freshman Campus Oct. 3, at 7 p.m.

The debate will feature State Senator Bill Coley (photo) speaking for Issue 2 and Steve Lazarus of the Ohio Association of Fire Fighters (OAFF) speaking against Issue 2.

Doc Thompson of 700 WLW will moderate the debate.

Questions from the audience will be taken. All concerned citizens in the community are invited to attend this event.

Issue 2 is a petition-driven referendum to repeal Senate Bill 5, a collective bargaining overhaul that limited the ability of public workers to negotiate for wages, working conditions and pension benefits.

Lakota East Freshman Campus is located at 7630 Bethany Lane in Liberty Township.

Posted in: Election, Government, News, Tea Party |

Tags: Tags: Bill Coley, Doc Thompson, Doc Thompson 700 WLW, Liberty Township Tea Party, Ohio Association of Fire Fighters, SB5, Senate Bill 5, Senator Bill Coley, Steve Lazarus, Tea Party

The House Republican Caucus selected Margaret Conditt Tuesday, June 7, to fill the 55th District seat left empty last month when Bill Coley was appointed to replace Gary Cates in the Ohio Senate, according to Cincinnati.com.

Conditt, who is a retired chemist and a former Liberty Township trustee, was among 13 Republicans who applied for the appointment and was the top vote getter of four candidates recommended by the Butler County GOP.

Cincinnati.com reporter Sheila McLaughlin covered the selection:

The others were central committee member George Nafziger of West Chester, current Liberty Township Trustee Christine Matacic, and Don Spurlock, a West Chester businessman who has run a number of campaigns for Butler County politicians.

Conditt will be sworn in Wednesday during a House session.

Conditt, who served as a Liberty Township trustee from 1998 to 2001, retired from serving in Professional and Scientific Relations at Procter & Gamble in 2006. She received her Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Colorado.

She has remained active in various Republican endeavors, such as working with the Butler County Republican Party, serving as a delegate alternate for the Republican National Convention in 2008, and assisting with various statewide and national political campaigns.

Coley left his House seat to fill the Senate seat left by West Chester’s Gary Cates, who was appointed by Gov. John Kasich as senior vice chancellor for the division of Innovation and Enterprise Development at the Ohio Board of Regents.

Coley, who was serving his fourth term representing House District 55, was barred from running for his House seat again because of term limits.

For more on story, visits Cincinnati.com’s “Retired chemist replaces Coley in House.”

Posted in: Government, News |

Tags: Tags: Bill Coley, Christine Matacic, Don Spurlock, Gary Cates, George Nafziger, Liberty Township trustee, Margaret Conditt, Senator Bill Coley, Senator Gary Cates, State Rep. Bill Coley

The Butler County Republican Party screening committee meet Thursday, June 2, night at the Ronald Reagan Lodge at Voice of America Park in West Chester Township in order to make its recommendations for the open House seat left by state Senator Bill Coley of Liberty Township.

The local GOP gave the seal of approval to Margaret Conditt, George Nafziger, Christine Matacic (photo) and Don Spurlock, in that order, according to Cincinnati.com. The four recommended candidates were among 12 seeking the open seat.

Cincinnati.com reporter Sheila McLaughlin provided more about the recommendations:

Those four names will be forwarded to the House Republican Caucus, which has 13 candidates who have expressed interest in the seat to them, including the 12 who applied to the Butler County Republican Party.

The caucus does not have to consider the local GOP’s recommendation in making its appointment.

The appointment will be announced Wednesday during a regular House session.

The job pays about $60,580 a year. The winner will have to run in 2012 to keep the seat, which represents Middletown, as well as West Chester and Liberty townships.

Conditt is former Liberty Township trustee, while Matacic currently serves as a Liberty Township trustee. Nafziger and Spurlock are both residents of West Chester Township.

Coley left his House seat to fill the Senate seat left by West Chester’s Gary Cates, who was appointed by Gov. John Kasich as senior vice chancellor for the division of Innovation and Enterprise Development at the Ohio Board of Regents.

Coley, who was serving his fourth term representing House District 55, was barred from running for his House seat again because of term limits.

For more on the recommendations, visit Cincinnati.com’s story titled “Butler Co. GOP recommends four to replace Coley.”

Posted in: Government, News |

Tags: Tags: Bill Coley, Christine Matacic, Don Spurlock, George Nafziger, House, Margaret Conditt, Senate, Senator Bill Coley, State Rep. Bill Coley, State Senate

According to a report from Cincinnati.com, a dozen Butler County Republicans – including sitting trustees and a former mayor – want to succeed former state Rep. Bill Coley, who moved to the Senate last week.

Here is the list of candidates from Cincinnati.com:

Margaret Conditt, former trustee in Liberty Township; Mark Haverkos, a small business owner from West Chester; Candice Keller, a central committee member and executive director of the Community Pregnancy Center in Middletown; Bruce Jones, an unsuccessful candidate for West Chester trustee in 2009; Liberty Township Trustee Christine Matacic; Doug Mink, an online social studies instructor at Butler Tech; Philip Morrical III, a former Talawanda School Board member who made an unsuccessful bid for Liberty trustee in 2005; central committee member George Nafziger of West Chester; former Middletown mayor David Schiavone; Don Spurlock, a West Chester businessman who has run a number of campaigns for Butler County politicians; West Chester Township Trustee Lee Wong; and Burt Young of West Chester.

Coley of Liberty Township left his House seat to fill the Senate seat left by West Chester’s Gary Cates, who was appointed by Gov. John Kasich as senior vice chancellor for the division of Innovation and Enterprise Development at the Ohio Board of Regents.

This Thursday, June 2, the Butler County Republican Party’s screening committee could make up to three recommendations for the seat at its meeting at the Ronald Reagan Lodge at Voice of America Park. Candidates can then expect to screened the week of June 6 and, after a vote of the House Republican Caucus, the new member should expect to be appointed during House session June 8.

For more on Cincinnati.com’s story, visit “12 vie for Coley’s House seat.”

Posted in: Government, News |

Tags: Tags: Bill Coley, Bruce Jones, Burt Young, Candice Keller, Christine Matacic, David Schiavone, Don Spurlock, George Nafziger, Governor John Kasich, House, John Kasich, Lee Wong, Margy Conditt, Mark Haverkos, Philip Morrical III, Senate, Senator Bill Coley, State Rep. Bill Coley, State Senate

West Chester Township will have its second weekly West Chester Farmers’ Market of the season this Saturday, May 28, before having a Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 30.

The farmers’ market (picture above from last week) features all local vendors with produce and meats grown and raised locally and products made by hand. The availability of produce is dependent upon weather conditions, but shoppers a variety of foods including homemade breads and desserts, honey, jams and jellies and more will be available.

New to the farmer’s market this year is the Art Market, which will take place on the second Saturday of each month through the reminder of the season. The Art Market features the work of fine artists from throughout the region and will celebrate all aspects of the arts.

The market will be open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Square at Union Centre. The market season runs through Oct. 15.

To participate in the Art Market, email artscouncilwcl@gmail.com and for information about the West Chester Farmers’ Market, visit www.westchestersfarmersmarket.com.

On Monday, the West Chester Memorial Day Parade will begin at 10 a.m. at Union Day School. Marchers are asked to gather in the school’s north parking lot, located at 8735 Cincinnati-Dayton Road, at 9 a.m.

The march is being organized by the West Chester Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7696. World War II veteran Byron Seales will serve as grand marshal of the parade.

The parade path will proceed down Cincinnati-Dayton Road to West Chester Road and eventually to Brookside Cemetery.

Beginning at 10 a.m., the West Chester Historical Society will begin reading names of the veterans buried in the cemetery. When that is completed and the parade arrives, a 45-minute service will begin.

The service includes the playing of “Taps” and “The Star Spangled Banner” by the Lakota East and West bands. Ohio Senator Bill Coley will speak at the service. It will end with the Cincinnati Caledonian Pipes and Drums Band’s rendition of Amazing Grace.

Posted in: Events, News, Recreational events |

Tags: Tags: art, Art Market, artwork, artworks, Bill Coley, Brookside Cemetery, Byron Seales, Memorial Day, Memorial Day Parade, military, military families, service, Square at Union Centre, the Square at Union Centre, West Chester Farmers' Market, West Chester Historical Society, West Chester Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7696

According to a report from the Middletown Journal, Bill Coley of Liberty Township took the oath of office and was seated this Tuesday, May 24, as a member of the Ohio Senate.

The oath comes in less than a week after the Butler County Republican Party selected Coley for the Ohio State Senate seat, which was previously held by West Chester’s Gary Cates.

Gates left his seat on Monday, May 23, after receiving Gov. John Kasich’s appointment as senior vice chancellor for the division of Innovation and Enterprise Development at the Ohio Board of Regents.

Coley, who was serving his fourth term representing House District 55, was barred from running for his House seat again because of term limits.

According to the Journal’s article, Coley will serve on the Senate highways and transportation, health and human services, and education committees.

Currently, the Butler County Republican Party is accepting applicants for Coley’s former House seat for the 55th District (West Chester, Liberty Township, Middletown). The deadline to apply is this Thursday at 4 p.m. Candidates must give their intention, fill out a form and pay $125 to the Butler County GOP by the deadline.

Butler County GOP screening committee chairman Don Spurlock said this morning, May 25, that eight people have already put their names in for the seat. Those candidates include Mark Haverkos, Bruce Jones, Lee Wong (West Chester Township trustee), George Nafziger, Burt Young, Christine Matacic (Liberty Township trustee), Margy Conditt (former Liberty Township trustee) and Candice Keller.

The screening committee is scheduled to meet June 1 at 6 p.m. at its headquarters at Bridgewater Falls, which is located 3431 Princeton Road Suite 100 in Fairfield Township. Then on June 2 at 6 p.m. at the Ronald Reagan Lodge at Voice of America Park, the committee could make up to three recommendations for the seat.

For more information on how to apply, call Spurlock at 513-777-4550 or the party office at 513-893-5292.

Posted in: Government, News |

Tags: Tags: Bill Coley, Bruce Jones, Burt Young, Candice Keller, Christine Matacic, George Nafziger, Governor John Kasich, House, John Kasich, Lee Wong, Margy Conditt, Mark Haverkos, Senate, Senator Bill Coley, State Rep. Bill Coley, State Senate