IMPACT –
A newsletter for parents & friends of DCHS
  January 2010
 
School Closing Requires Change in School Calendar
 
DCHS has been closed three days this year (August 27 for a water pipe break and January 7 and 8 due to weather emergencies). The August 27 closing will be made up on Monday, March 29, which was originally scheduled as a teacher work day.  The Board of Trustees will vote on adding two days to the school year during their February 18 meeting.  An up-dated school calendar can be found on our web site www.dohnschool.org
 
Charter schools, unlike traditional public schools, are required to make up school days closed for weather or other conditions that make attending school dangerous for students and staff.
 
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School to be Dismissed early on January 20 and 
Closed on February 8 for Staff Inservice
 
Our faculty will participate in an in-service program on January 20 conducted by Miami University’s School of Education, Health & Society. Students will be dismissed at 1:20 instead of the regular 2:20 dismissal time.
 
In addition, school will be closed on Monday, February 8 for an all-day staff in-service program. 
 
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Ohio  Graduation Test Results Show Improvement
 
Last October, the Ohio Graduation Test was given to juniors and seniors who have not yet passed all five subtests.  An analysis of the results indicated a majority of students in four out of five subject areas improved their performance on the test.  Almost 68% of our students improved their reading score, 58% improved in math, 57% in writing, 46% in science, and 67% in social studies.
 
While the school’s passing percentage is still lower than we would like, the number of students who improved their scores is encouraging, as is the number of students who are “within striking distance” of the 400 passing score.  Also significant is the number of students who improved their scores significantly - 27 students showed double digit increases. “Our improved showing is due to the emphasis we are placing on the test in every class,” reported Principal Pieter Elmendorf. He reported that the school is planning a series of special two-hour study sessions on Saturday for juniors and seniors who have not passed all five sections. Sophomores will have special in-class preparation during the school day. Letters explaining this program were mailed to parents last week. If you did not receive one, contact the school at 281-6100, ext. 1003.
 
The OGT will be given beginning Monday, March 8. State law requires all students to pass all five sections of the OGT in order to graduate from an Ohio high school.
 
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Lead Poisoning - A Real Danger especially to the young
 
Fact: Lead exposure can harm young children and babies before they are born.
Fact: Even children who seem healthy can have high levels of lead in their bodies.
Fact: You can get lead in your body by breathing or swallowing lead dust; or, for small children, eating soil or paint chips containing lead.
Fact: In most cases, lead-based paint in good condition is not a hazard.
Fact: Improperly removing lead-based paint can increase the danger to you and your family.
 
If not detected early, lead is especially dangerous to young children, and can result in serious health problems, including slowed growth, hearing problems, and damage to the brain and nervous system.
 
Young children should have their blood tested for lead. This is a simple blood test. Children’s blood levels tend to increase rapidly from 6 to 12 months of age, and tend to peak at 18 to 24 months. Being aware of the dangers of lead poisoning is especially important if your home has paint in poor condition and was built before 1978.
 
Additional information concerning the dangers of lead-poisoning can be found on the school web site, www.dohnschool.org under the heading “Announcements.”
 
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Key Bank Gives Students pointers on checking and savings accounts
 
Yolanda Copeland, Branch Manager, and Carlos Teran, Consumer Lending officer at the Walnut Hills branch of Key Bank, gave juniors and seniors an overview of checking and saving accounts, accessing accounts through the use of credit and debit cards, and the responsible use of credit. Their presentation ties into the Personal Financial Literacy component of the school’s Career Discovery class. Mr. Theurer is the teacher.