A VARIETY OF APPROACHES — The Jefferson County Educational Service Center once again has supported a variety of approaches to teaching students with the presentation of three Best Practice grants to teachers in the Toronto School District. On hand for the presentation of three grants were, from left, Ron Sismondo, the center’s director; and teachers Victoria Rosa, Raegan Stead and Lynda Donohue. -- Contributed

TORONTO — Three teachers in the Toronto City School District have received grants to help them engage youth in classroom projects through which they can learn about science, business and literature through hands-on activities.

Ron Sismondo, director of the Jefferson County Educational Service Center, attended the Nov. 20 meeting of the Toronto school board to present three grants, each in the amount of $700, to Toronto teachers.

“The Best Practice Grants initiative is designed to promote exemplary instructional practices that advance students’ learning in alignment with Ohio’s Learning Standards,” Sismondo said.

“By supporting projects that demonstrate innovation, sustainability and measurable impact on student achievement, the program reaffirms the Jefferson County Educational Service Center’s commitment to fostering high-quality education and continuous improvement across our schools,” he added.

One of the three grants was awarded to Victoria Rosa, a first-grade teacher at Toronto Elementary School, to create a hydroponics lab and weather station to teach children about life cycles and ecosystems.

About 65 pupils will use the lab and station to monitor the growth of plants, track weather patterns, record their observations and use them to draw scientific conclusions about the plants’ growth and make predictions about the weather.

Rosa said equipment purchased with the grant can be used for future classroom instruction.

Raegan Stead, a fourth-grade teacher at the elementary school, received a grant for a Market Day event for which pupils will gain experience in operating their own businesses, from advertising to sales.

Stead said the children will use math, reading and social studies to create and sell their products with help from their parents.

She said the products can include baked goods, bracelets the children have made and other inexpensive items, and pupils in graded K-5 and their parents will be invited shop at the market.

Proceeds will go to a charity of the students’ choice, Stead added.

And, Lynda Donohue, a language arts teacher at Toronto Junior-Senior High School, will use her grant for materials used by pupils from the school teamed with second graders at the elementary school to create bedtime stories together.

Donohue said the children will create their own books using felt, while additional hardback copies may be purchased by their families.

Also during the meeting, the board:

• Approved the hiring of Brian Hughes as head girls basketball coach at the high school and the appointments of Tatum Derrington as volunteer assistant coach for the junior high girls basketball team and Bryan Cattrell as volunteer assistant wrestling coach at the junior high school.

• Agreed to provide up to $1,600 toward expenses for the high school marching band’s trip to Disney World.

The band has been holding fundraisers for the trip while also preparing to perform in the amusement park’s Festival of Fantasy Parade.

Band Director Abigail Jenson said the students will participate in a recording session, led by a Disney staff member, in which they will learn to perform a section from the soundtrack of a Disney film and have their performance of it recorded.

• Applauded the Toronto High School football team for winning the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference Championship and the Toronto Titans varsity and junior varsity squads for winning championships for their respective divisions.

The board’s next meeting will be at 5 p.m. Dec.18 in the junior-senior high school library.