Happening Now - Ohio County

Ready, Set, School

Ms. Marleah, a Communities In Schools (CIS) Site Coordinator, sent out a survey to families last school year and gained a lot of insight. “Many of our families didn’t feel connected to the school system or expressed a significant level of stress. We wanted to work together to create a system that led to a smooth start in the morning,” she said. At the start of the school year, Ms. Marleah and Elm Grove Elementary School Counselor Heather Hines sent a message to the Ohio County Family Resource Network (OCFRN). “I just told Claudia (from the OCFRN) that I’m not sure exactly what we need, but I know we need to work together,” said Hines. From that conversation, the idea of “Ready, Set, School,” was born.

Partnering with Expanded School Mental Health, CIS, OCFRN, Ohio County Family Support through OCFRN, and the Wheeling Housing Authority, “Ready, Set, School” opens the doors at the Exley Center at Hildar Housing every morning at 8:00 a.m. With parental permission, Elm Grove Elementary Hildar families can drop their kids off for a great morning of arts and crafts, attendance sticker charts, morning snacks, and supervision. The smooth transition of an extra set of hands in the morning has led to happy kids and a sense of camaraderie in the community, both for the parents, and for the 17 students attending. The current program also offers family engagement nights once a month as well as monthly support for any interested parent through Ohio County Family Support.

STEAM Activities

Students at Warwood Elementary are fully engaged in activities related to science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM). Through a partnership with Libera, inc. and Expand Energy, every student in Grades 2-4 received a Lila Bear Explores Math Box to take home after the interactive STEAM lesson. Continuing classroom learning at home helps parents/guardians understand what their child is learning in the classroom and provides an opportunity to foster a love of learning.

Arts Instruction

Twenty-four Wheeling Park High School students recently traveled to West Liberty University for the MAD Art Festival, where they received hands-on arts instruction. We are grateful for community organizations that collaborate with county school systems to enhance the learning experience. 

Classroom Learning on the Go

Mrs. Wheeler and Mrs. Ashbrook, third grade teachers at Elm Grove Elementary, are helping their students experience hands-on learning in a different way. This crew became a “classroom on wheels” to tour some of Wheeling’s famous landmarks and monuments. This annual bus tour and field trip has been a tradition for nine years. The children learn about many of Wheeling’s historical attractions during their social studies classes, and then go visit several of them.  Starting at Elm Grove Elementary, the group travels out Kruger Street and continues on National Road to downtown Wheeling where they get to tour the Capitol Theater and the Independence Hall. Several landmarks, such as Monument Place, the Madonna of the Trail statue, Wheeling Park, the Mingo Statue, and Wheeling’s suspension bridge are discussed and viewed as they travel. Students say this is one of their favorite field trips. 

The Bio-STEM Club

Wheeling Park High School recently founded the Bio-STEM club. Asher, a club co-president, recently submitted a grant to Expand Energy through the Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley to offer more hands-on learning opportunities for the club. They received the grant, and this crew has several upcoming interactive projects to explore. We can’t wait to see these future scientists in action.