I hope you were able to attend the musical production of Beauty and the Beast that took place in the middle of March. The dedication and hard work of the (30) member cast was evident and the production was outstanding! A special thanks to Directors Ashton Barnhouse and Summer Schooley, their crew, and our Music Boosters for a job well done. A big thanks also to our community for your attendance and support of our musical.  

 

The annual Hoops for Heart day was held March 13^th. Our students took advantage of this opportunity to participate in friendly competition for a good cause and raised funds ($8,268.50) for the American Heart Association. This amount was one of the larger amounts in the 27-year period of the event and elevates the total amount raised to nearly $104,579.87. Thanks to all who participated and helped with the event.

 

The month of April is the last full month of school, and as such, a very busy month. The busy month will get started with our annual Kindergarten Screening taking place April 3^rd – 5^th. School will not be in session Monday, April 1^st, and Tuesday, April 2^nd  in recognition of the Easter holiday and similarly, a mini spring break. There is no school Monday, April 8^th due to a Staff In-Service Day. If your schedule permits, please plan to visit our Spring Fine Arts program scheduled for Saturday, April 27^th. The program runs from 4:00 – 9:15 p.m.    From a core academic standpoint, our staff and students have been preparing for the annual state assessments that will be given to students in grades 3 – 12 throughout several days of the month and into early May. Our spring athletic teams have also been busy preparing for an onslaught of baseball and softball games and track & field meets that will take place throughout the month.

 

Construction of our wellness and recreation center is nearing completion with a few items to be completed in the next few weeks. A poured polyurethane flooring for the large recreation area will be completed in early April. Installation of a Lu Interactive Playground in the large recreation area will take place in early April as well. In addition, a portable astro-turf system for the large recreation area will arrive in mid-April. An audio system for the baseball/softball complex (located in the press box area of the Center) is scheduled to be installed during the first week of May. 

 

Congratulations goes out to senior Aewyn McMichael for her selection as the Franklin B. Walters All-Scholastic Award winner. The Award was established in 1990 by the Ohio Educational Service Center Association to recognize an outstanding senior student from each county within the State of Ohio. Congratulations also goes out to our middle/high school teacher Mrs. Kayla Bagley. Mrs. Bagley was recognized by Aewyn as the teacher who made the greatest impact on her educational endeavors. On the athletic side, we want to congratulate and recognize seniors Brooke and Hannah Molitor for their accomplishment of competing at the state gymnastics competition.   

 

Looking ahead to the month of May, prom preparations will be underway for the May 4^th event at Grants Reception Hall. Our seniors are set to graduate Sunday, May 19^th. Students in grades K-11 last day of classes will be Tuesday, May 21^st. School staff will have a teacher work day Wednesday, May 22^nd.

 

As always, thanks for your support of our school district.

Martin A. Miller, Antwerp Local Schools Superintendent

Congratulations to our middle and high school students who earned honor roll for the third nine weeks of the 2023-2024 school year. Click READ MORE to access the lists.

Congratulations to our elementary students who earned honor roll for the third nine weeks of the 2023-2024 school year. Click READ MORE to access the lists.

The month of March is a very busy time period for our students and staff.  Winter sports are either moving into their tournament opportunities or are winding down.   Our stu­dents athletes are also gearing up for their participation in a spring sport season.  A sizeable number of our students have also been busy in preparation for the High School musical entitled “Beauty and the Beast”.  Performances will take place March 15^th and 16th at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, March 17th at 2:00 p.m.  All performances will take place in our Auditeria.  We are also looking forward to our annual Family Literacy Night event that will take place Thursday, March 14^th  from 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.  The theme for this years’ event is “Western.”   

 

From an academic standpoint, the third nine-week grading period ends Friday, March 15^th.  As we work our way through the last half of the school year, our seniors are busy planning for their future after graduation by finalizing plans for college, work, or the military.  Similarly, during the last quarter of the school year, students in grades 3 – 11 will also engage in state assessments.  Additional information regarding the state assessments is available on the Ohio Department of Education website:  http://education.ohio.gov/

 

The effort to assure that educational needs and requirements are met for all the children in our school district, is a challenge especially when you consider that several of our school age children are receiving their education outside of the traditional school setting of our school building.  On any given school day,  Antwerp Local Schools provide an educational setting for 703 students in grades PK -12.   Twenty-one high school students are enrolled in at least one College Credit Plus (CCP) course that may involve traveling to a college campus or completing the course online.  Thirty-six students in grades 11 and 12 attend the Vantage Vocational school in Van Wert.  Nine students attend the Western Buckeye Educational Service Center Opportunity School located in Paulding, Ohio.  We have two students who are transported and attend the Bryan Autism Center.  There is also one student currently at home receiving their education through our NOVA online program.  While technically not Antwerp students, we have 29 school age children receiving their education in a “home school” environment.

We are excited to let you know that construction of  the “Range” Wellness and Recreation Center (located to the west of the baseball and softball complex) is nearing completion.  A significant portion of the project was funded through ARP ESSR federal funds.  The Center includes a recreation area, multi- purpose classroom, restrooms, concession and patio area, press box and storage areas.  Specifically, the Center will provide additional space for early childhood programs, a home base for our wrestling program, and space for community members to utilize for meetings or exercise.  An official Open House date will take place sometime this spring.  Stay tuned for more information.     

Per adopted board policy 5517.01 (Bullying and Other Forms of Aggressive Behavior), schools are required to semi-annually provide a written summary of all reported incidents of bullying/harassment/intimidation. Ohio law requires school policies to use the definition of bullying found in R.C. 3313.666, which defines "harassment, intimidation, or bullying" as:  Any intentional written, verbal, or physical act that a student has exhibited toward another particular student more than once and the behavior both: (a) causes mental or physical harm to the other student; (b) is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive that is creates an intimidating, threatening, or abusive educational environment for the other student.

In accordance with these laws of the State of Ohio, it is reported that the administrators of Antwerp Local Schools dealt with the following number of incidences of bullying during the 1^st Semester:

Gr. PK-5:  For the 1st semester of the 2023-2024 school year, there were 0 cases of bullying. 

Gr. 6-12: For the 1st semester of the 2023-2024 school year, there was 1 case of bullying.

Go Archers,    

Dr. Martin Miller

The second semester of the 2023-2024 school year is in full swing, and with many cold and snowy days before us, I would like to remind parents to have students dress warmly when waiting for the bus or in preparation for the trip to school. Student drivers should be reminded that road conditions change throughout the day and caution should always be used when driving in the winter. The decision to delay or cancel school is always difficult, but the determining factor will always be the safety of our students. Appreciation goes out to our bus drivers for their difficult job of safely transporting our students to and from school each day. A reminder that delays and closings are sent out by Instant Alert and the school app, along with a message on vari­ous television and radio stations.  

 

A great way to beat the winter blahs is to view our winter sporting events in person, or if the event takes place in the main gym, you can view it on your computer. The events are viewable on your computer by going to Youtube.com and typing Antwerp Athletics in the Search Bar. A specially designed camera has been positioned in the main gym to provide this service. Radio station 102.7 FM will also live-stream and provide broadcasters for all Antwerp home varsity boys’ and girls’ basketball games. Visit www.my1027.org to view the games.

 

With the start of the 2^nd semester, School Resource Officer Rich Phelan has assumed his duties replacing Paulding County Deputy Sheriff Caleb Miller. Rich has been employed with the Paulding County Sheriff's office for the past seven years. Prior to his current service, Rich worked in vocational ministries for 15 years and 12 years with the Michigan Department of Corrections. Rich and his wife Julie (an Antwerp Local School Aide) have four grown children and 14 grandchildren. Rich and Julie reside in the village of Paulding.

 

Construction of the Range Wellness and Recreation Center is progressing with completion currently scheduled for mid-March.  A special thanks to our Athletic Boosters organization for their efforts to provide a batting cage system, an adjustable basketball backboard, volleyball and pickleball netting, and equipment for the concession stand that will be located in the Center. The Boosters are also raising funds for other endeavors associated with the facility. Please mark your calendar and plan to attend the Boosters' 2^nd annual mattress fundraiser on Sunday, March 17, 2024. 

 

Looking ahead a couple of months, our musical department plans to present a spring musical program entitled Beauty and the Beast. The musical will take place Friday, March 15^th, Saturday, March 16^th, and Sunday, March 17^th.

 

We also have our Family Literacy Night scheduled for Thursday, March 14^th from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.  A western theme will be emphasized with the event. Specific events for the evening include literacy activities, a book fair, food, prizes, and educational-based games. 

 

Another major event to consider attending this spring is the annual Arts Festival. The festival is currently scheduled to take place Saturday, April 27th.

 

Go, Archers!

Dr. Martin A. Miller 

With November drawing to a close, we are looking forward with anticipation to the busy month of December. December is a wonderful time to visit the school and enjoy a concert, extracurricular activity, or athletic event. The choirs and band have been busy preparing for holiday concerts and athletic teams are preparing for their competition seasons. Your support at these events is appreciated by the students, directors, coaches, and advisors. Clip and save the list of events in this newsletter for future reference.

Our winter home sporting events that take place in the main gym will be viewable on your computer by going to Youtube.com and typing Antwerp Athletics in the Search Bar. A specially designed camera has been positioned in the main gym to provide this service. Radio station 102.7 FM will also live-stream and provide broadcasters for all Antwerp home varsity boys’ and girls’ basketball games. Visit www.my1027.org to view the games.

Winter weather and safety of the students is always a concern during the next several months. Although decisions on whether to delay or cancel school are always made with the safety of students in mind, changes in the weather and road conditions can happen quickly. Delays and cancellations of school are sent to parents through our Instant Connect system and through our school app. If you have not done so already, you can download our new school app! Go to the App or Play Store, search “Antwerp Schools,” and install the free Antwerp Local Schools App. The app has numerous features that will keep you updated on news, events, school delays and closings, and more. You can also choose what notifications and alerts you receive through the MY ALERTS title.

 

Friday, December 22^nd will be the final day of classes prior to the start of the holiday break. There will be no school December 25^th  – January 5^th. Classes resume Monday, January 8^th. I hope everyone has an opportunity to spend time with family and friends during this holiday season. A reminder that there will be no school Monday, January 15^th in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday.

January is School Board Recognition Month and a chance for all of us to say thanks to our school board members for the important work that they do for our school. The positive leadership of the board members and their concern for the well-being of the students in our district continue to make Antwerp a great place to work, a wonderful place to go to school, and a source of community pride. Our current Board of Education has 66 years of experience leading our school district. Board Member Bob Herber is completing his 22^nd year, Board Member Anita Bok is completing her 18^th year, Board Member Dennis Recker is completing his 12^th year, Board President Sara Schuette is completing her 8^th year, and Board Vice-President Jayme Landers has served for the past 6 1/2 years.

I am very thankful for the support from the community, students, staff, administration, and school board. I am surrounded by people who have a vested interest in making Antwerp Local Schools a great place for each child to reach his/her potential.  

Yours in education,

Dr. Martin Miller