Toronto teachers receive a boost from the Jefferson County ESC

TORONTO -- Three teachers in the Toronto school district will be able to lead their students in three special science projects, thanks to the financial support of the Jefferson County Educational Service Center.

At Thursday's Toronto school board meeting, Ron Sismondo, the center's executive director, announced three $650 grants will be awarded to Michelle Blazek and Jason Kodysz, both science teachers at Toronto Junior-Senior High School, and Nikki Wright, a Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math instructor at Toronto Elementary School.

Sismondo noted the grants are awarded each year to educators in school districts served by the center to support unique lesson plans and classroom projects.

Blazek said her grant will be used for materials to help students throughout her school to safely view and possibly photograph a full solar eclipse expected at 3 p.m. April 8.

"This really will be a once in a lifetime experience," she said of the event, adding a number of students have told her they are looking forward to it.

Blazek said the event also will be used to spur other activities, including measuring the eclipe's duration, creating art based on it, and studying literature inspired by past eclipses.

Wright plans to use her grant for a series of hands-on activities centered around magnetism, including building electromagnets and using electromagnetism to create a catapult, doorbell and compass; a study of the earth as a magnet and the flow of electricity through a magnet.

She added the study also will cover circuits, with students assembling snap circuits to perform various functions.

Sismondo noted Kodysz is a past Best Practices grant recipient, having use one last year to create a large, plexiglass reproduction of the periodic table of elements on his classroom's ceiling.

This year he will use a Best Practice grant to lead his students in creating a model of the solar system that includes not only the eight central planets but 27 other heavenly bodies within it, including Pluto and seven other dwarf planets, 16 moons, two objects in the Kuiper Belt, a doughnut shaped region of icy objects beyond Neptune; and an asteroid.

He noted each will be built to scale, indicating its size in relation to the others.

In other business, board members:

• Approved a resolution providing Thornberry Media of Toronto exclusive rights to record and sell highlights of various athletic events, performances and other events held in the school district.

Superintendent Maureen Taggart said the video service will receive no pay for the service but will have the sole right to sell its videos, with the school district receiving 10 percent from the sales.

She said the arrangement won't interfere with the school district's ability to have such events broadcast.

• Observed a moment of silence for the Tuscarawas Valley School District and those killed or injured when their charter bus collided with a semi on Tuesday; and for the Carrollton school district, where a student was recently killed in a fire.

• Applauded the Toronto High School football team and Toronto Junior High School Cheerleaders, each for winning the OVAC championships for their divisions.

• Heard from members of the Toronto High School Band Parents who praised Caroline Drake, volunteer coordinator for the school's recently revived majorette squad and asked them to consider making the position a paid one.

Board President Jay Foster said the board is considering doing so in a manner similar to the flag corps director.

• Announced their next regular meeting will be held at 5 p.m. Dec. 14, the second Thursday of the month rather than the third, when they usually meet.