District Bi-weekly Newsletter | October 20, 2022 | Volume 3, Issue 7
Students in the Project Search program represented their lab and Eastland-Fairfield at the Fairfield County Fair.
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Dr. Kim Miller's Blog
Dr. Kimberly Pietsch Miller is the superintendent and CEO of Eastland-Fairfield Career & Technical Schools.
There is Nothing Quiet about Quitting - Part 1
Quiet Quitting. A new term that has suddenly become common in our culture. Some see the term as a positive. Some see it as negative. And some see it as nothing new.

One of my favorite podcasters, Patrick Lencioni, recently published an episode to discuss this trend. If you're unfamiliar with Quiet Quitting I encourage you to click the link above and listen. Paraphrased, the trend suggests two ideas: that employees reduce their career aspirations to focus on other, more personal aspects of life such as family, friends, and interests by subtly removing themselves from work OR (less positively) that an employee is unhappy so they resort to doing the minimum.

We certainly do not want our students to receive the minimum, so what does all of this mean for educators?
Around Eastland-Fairfield
Big News for Employability Prep Seniors
Senior Kaylee Thevenin (Groveport Madison High School) is named GMHS Student of the Month
Senior Timmy Caslin is crowned Homecoming King at Gahanna-Lincoln High School
It was a big week for a pair of students from the Employability Prep program. A pair of students earned impressive honors from their homeschools that reflect their hard work and strong character.

Congratulations to Kaylee Thevenin from Groveport Madison High School. Kaylee, a senior, was named one of the September GMHS Students of the Month for going above and beyond the expectations of students. As a part of the Employability Prep program, Kaylee works at the Reynoldsburg Chik-fil-A location and is in her second year working in the Chik-Fil-A family.

Gahanna Lincoln High School recently celebrated its Homecoming and as tradition goes, a Homecoming court and royalty are named. This year, EP senior Timmy Caslin was named to the court and then on the night of the dance received the grandest honor of being named Homecoming King at Gahanna Lincoln. Congratulations, "King" Timmy! Timmy is doing his placement at the Hilton Easton serving in a variety of roles.
Students Give Time and Raise Funds to Fight Cancer
BPA Holds Pink and Jeans Day
In support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, students at Eastland Career Center held a one-day fundraising event on Thursday, October 13th. Members of the Business Professionals of America (BPA) career-technical student organization held a Pink Shirt & Jeans Day, asking students and staff to make a $1 donation in order to wear casual pink and jean pants. All benefits were then donated to the Susan G. Komen For the Cure Foundation. At the end of the school day, the students were able to make a donation that totaled $396.45 while also covering ECC in pink attire.

Adding to their philanthropic work, BPA will also be holding its annual Red Cross Blood Drive on Friday, August 21st for staff and students.
BPA officers gather together to showcase their support for the fight against breast cancer during their one-day fundraiser.
L-R: Ava Lichwa, Danaya Dunbar, Abigail Smith (Pickerington Central/EP students)
Project SEARCH Students Walk to Fight Cancer
On October 8, Columbus held it's annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk, hosted by The American Cancer Society. Three students from the Project SEARCH program made it their mission to gather together and support the fight against breast cancer by participating in the walk and raising funds to donate toward the cause. Project SEARCH instructor Linda Ferguson joined students Denaya Dunbar, Abigail Smith, and Ava Lichwa (all from Pickerington High School Central) at the walk and visited our partner, Fairfield Medical Center, on-site.
Ag Partners Provides an Uplifting Experience
On Wednesday, October 12, the staff from United Rentals came down the road to pay a visit to the Agriculture & Heavy Equipment lab, and they brought some really big toys with them to share. They brought with them a small sample of the machinery and vehicles that could be used on the job in a variety of environments. Students spent time with the United Rentals staff getting to know, operate, and inspect the machines that are used on the job site, as well as hear from our guests about their jobs.

Our local business and business partners are critical in helping our students learn about their craft or industry. Thank you to United Rentals for donating your time and expertise to help educate our students!

If you'd like to learn how you can support our students through a business partnership, click here or visit www.EastlandFairfield.com/partnership
Junior Payton Sayre (Teays Valley) is excited to experience the scissor lift!
Students in the Ag/Heavy Equipment program had their guests roll straight into their lab!
School counselor, Mrs. Ferraro, suits up and gets in the crane!
Recap: Eastland-Fairfield at the Fair
With the Fairfield County Fair in the books, fair season in Ohio is officially complete. Students and staff from around Eastland-Fairfield once again took part in representing the school at the fair. While our time was short due to a shortened school week, students from 10 different high school and adult programs were on-site talking to fairgoers, sharing their stories, presenting freebies, and inviting visitors to our upcoming events. Construction students built and donated more than 40 pumpkin-shaped birdhouses, while Animal Management gave pet owners homemade pet treats. To all those that stopped by to say hello, thank you! We hope to see you again this year and at next year's fair!
Seniors in the Criminal Justice program at ECC break from their debrief.
Pam Glass (Whitehall-Yearling Transition Specialist), Sofia, Eliona, and instructor Cathe McKee represent Employability Prep.
Did you get your pumpkin? Construction students built and donated pumpkin-shaped bird houses!
Program Spotlight: Adult Facilities Maintenance
Attached to the back of what is commonly known as the "Auto Tech Building" is a little-known gem of a lab called the Customized Training Center (CTC). The CTC serves as the home to one of Adult Workforce Development's newest programs, Facilities Maintenance. On a field trip to the CTC, we opened the doors to a facility filled with materials, machines, and tools that can take the know-nothing and turn them into a work-ready handyperson.

While Facilities Maintenance trains students to have a strong foundation in multiple maintenance disciplines including electrical, HVAC, and framing, our trip to the CTC caught our students reviewing plumbing lessons with instructor Mr. John Stump. They gave us a lesson on cutting down and re-installing PVC piping, and then gave a general rundown of the plumbing work associated with restroom facilities and sink ware.

Mr. Stump is a firm believer in teaching and then using hands-on experience to work through mistakes and perfect the craft. That sort of correction, he says, is easier to retain and creates muscle memory that students can pair with their knowledge to do the job correctly. His students range from 18 to mid-40s, but the seasoned veteran is confident that anyone at any skill level can succeed in the Facilities Maintenance program and will be ready for a job or to take on those pesky at-home tasks at the end of their 9-month classroom journey.
Upcoming Events
OCTOBER
24-26: Aspire HSE Orientation

NOVEMBER
2-4: Sophomore Tours (FCC and satellite programs)
2: Applications for 2023-24 become available!
4: No school for FCC students
8: Election Day / No School! (Professional Development for staff)
16-18: Sophomore Tours (ECC)
18: No school for ECC students
23-25: Thanksgiving Break

Poll Question
What is the best board game of all-time?
Life
Monopoly
Scrabble
Catan
Other
Check out the results plus a new poll question in the next edition of the District Newsletter!
Last edition's results
What is the best TV game show of all-time?
Jeopardy: 26.9% **
Family Feud: 26.9%
Wheel of Fortune: 15.4%
Supermarket Sweep: 19.2%
Other: 11.5%

** Assistant Superintendent Shelley Groves cast the tiebreaking vote, and our winner is ... JEOPARDY!