Greenfield School Board members got to experience first-hand the district’s Prisms virtual reality headsets at the Dec. 18 school board meeting after hearing from teachers the impact the technology is having in the classroom. Pictured on the left is middle school intervention specialist Caden Wisecup, middle school teacher Stacie Smith and high school teacher Angie Barber. On the right, school board members Eric Zint, Sandy Free and Eric Wise are pictured with the headsets on.
Photo by Angela Shepherd
McClain’s weight room will be getting some new-to-McClain equipment, all from Michigan State University, courtesy of the many hands that came together to make it happen.
According to teacher Mark Bihl at this week’s school board meeting, the Greenfield School District has received about $300,000 worth of weight-room equipment for “a minimal percentage of that” cost. As an example, he said the flooring they brought back cost around $30,000, but the school district paid $1,000 for it.
He said 40-50 students use the weight room at McClain each day, and this new equipment will benefit all athletes.
None of it could have been accomplished, he said, without the coming together of the community. Bihl said the Sponcil family was “instrumental” in securing the equipment, the school administration recognized the good deal and helped make it happen, and local people and businesses stepped up to make sure everything was able to be not only transported, but also safely stored until it can be placed.
Some of those people were able to make the Dec. 18 meeting and were recognized by the board. Those were Heath McNeal, Matt Binegar, Mike Penn and Aaron Penn.
In her report, superintendent Quincey Gray noted that one of the two steel subcontractors working at the practice field has gone out of business and that the general contractor, Elford, is working to replace that crew. While this is not an unusual occurrence in the world of construction, it’s something that needed to be addressed since misinformation was spreading that it was the general contractor that went under, but that is not the case, she said.
In other business, director of instruction Alisa Barrett spoke about the Prisms virtual reality headsets that have been in use this school year and brought with her teachers that have seen the technology’s impact in the classroom.
High school math teacher Angie Barber said the virtual reality tool has “kind of breathed new life into our classrooms.”
Caden Wisecup, an intervention specialist at the middle school, said there is built-in support with the headsets between teacher and student, which adds to the experience and its effectiveness when the teacher, from their computer, is able to nudge a student toward the correct path in what they are working on.
Middle school math teacher Stacie Smith also spoke about how they use the headsets in the classroom. All three teachers assisted the school board members, as well as Gray, to experience the headsets for themselves during the board meeting.
Barrett said the headsets make it possible for students to apply the higher-level math and science concepts to real-world scenarios and show students how what they are learning relates outside of the classroom.
In other meeting matters, Charley Roman, speaking as a parent, coach, health professional and member of the community, he said, read a prepared statement to the board about concerns regarding the boys basketball program and the negative toll he fears the program is taking on student athletes and staff. Board president Eric Zint thanked him for his statement and said the board members would consider the matter.
Athletic director Tim Bolender provided an update on the fall and winter sports seasons. He also talked about the “face lift” of the new gym with new lighting, the reimagined display of banners and the league teams, a new American flag, and a change in how advertisements are displayed.
There were a number of resignations approved as part of the consent agenda, which included district treasurer Joe Pat Smith, who will be retiring at the end of the school year. Other resignations included teacher Joe Whitley, aide Tiffany Saunders, cook Heather Caldwell and substitute teacher Cathy Rivas.
Employment recommendations approved by the board were: Erin Dreher, aide; Michele Miller, cafeteria, secretary; Joshua Breakfield, bus driver; Emilly Ward, custodian; Haley Anderson, aide; Mark Bihl, seventh grade boys basketball; Christopher Murphy, volunteer Buckskin parent; Derrick Lyons, seventh grade boys basketball; Tyler Jackson, boys basketball assistant; Donnie Ary, baseball assistant; and certified substitutes Melinda McGhee, Amy Hester, Courtney Dodds, Charles (Mark) Eselgroth and Cierra Bolender.
The next meeting of the Greenfield Board of Education will be the organizational meeting held in early January, but the day and time is yet to be determined. The purpose of this meeting is for organizational purposes where the meeting days and times for the year are determined and the board leadership chosen.
Angela Shepherd is a correspondent for the Greenfield Exempted Village School District.
