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Berlin High School
March 24, 2023
Dear Bear Family,
I just wanted to send a quick note to all of our Bear Families as we head into a very well deserved and anticipated spring break. This has been a great week at 3140BSR, and all of us have so much to be proud of at Berlin. I attended our opening night of the musical Addams Family last night, and it is amazing! If you were not able to attend last night, no worries, there is a 7:00 show tonight, a 2:00 show tomorrow and then the final performance is tomorrow night at 7:00. Once again, it is really good! Additionally, our lacrosse, volleyball and track teams are now in full swing. So, if the weather permits, check the schedules and come out to the track, gym and fields and watch the Double blue compete!
Academically, 3 of our teachers, Mr. Haugk, Mr. Meadows and Mr. Weaver were able to set up and coordinate two separate business presentations through our BridgED program and both Wexner Medical Center and Elford Construction presented to our students. The WMC presentation was to the entire building in a homebase and the Elford presentation was geared towards specific classes each period to a more targeted audience. With that being said, both were great and very informative! Check out the district website in regard to information about the BridgED program.
That is all for now, so please follow the twitter page, Instagram and website to keep up dates and times and with everything Berlin related, especially if you have a senior, they need to be up to date with the senior timeline. Please enjoy some time with family and friends and help us remind all of our Bears that when they come back, they need to be prepared to FINISH STRONG!!
Remember, Berlin Pride....It's Forever!
Clawsup!
Mr. Todd Spinner
Principal
March 17, 2023
Dear Bear Family,
Great things happened, as always, in and around 3140 BSR this week. There were exciting events and activities, such as the senior breakfast this morning with four hundred of our finest singing the alma mater shoulder-to-shoulder and each bear received a finish strong T-shirt, as well as a class of 2023 keychain. Grades nine through eleven worked on a collaborative diversity project. This project highlighted inclusiveness, family, diversity, and many other areas. Please touch base with your students if they are in grade nine, ten, or eleven and ask them more about the activity!
I was able to go to a principals preview of the upcoming production of Addams Family Musical. Wow! This is going to be a great show and you do not want to miss it. Please check the social media sites for more information and be ready to tap your feet and sing along with the Addams Family!
Additionally, our boy's volleyball team continues to win night after night. Winning is not easy and takes a lot of hard work, practice, determination, and togetherness. However, they are relentless in their approach, and I am excited to see the rest of the season unfold! With that said, please continue to support everything in the double blue nation. I have mentioned some of the things that we are proud of at Berlin, there are so many other reasons that we celebrate being a part of the Bear Family. Please see below for some additional dates, times, and activities.
March 21- Homebase Schedule/Student of the Month Ceremony
March 23-25- Addams Family Musical
March 27-31- No School/Spring Break
April 7- No School
April 15—Junior/Senior Prom
April 13, 18, 20, 27- OST Testing
CLAWSUP and remember…. Berlin Pride… It’s Forever!!
Mr. Todd Spinner
Principal
March 10, 2023
Dear Bear Families,
It was another great week this week! We had a shortened week due to the teacher workday today, but that was not an issue, as our Bears responded and made the most of it! As always, we had tons of things happening in and around 3140BSR. Our sophomore English classes had a career night on Thursday night and well over fifty parents and community members were here to share their talents and expertise in their given career field. It was a great learning experience for all our students. Also, our Interdisciplinary 10 students took a field trip to the National Veterans Memorial and Museum this week, and it was impactful and powerful for everyone involved.
Our performing arts students have prepared for the choir competition tonight in Sunbury, the band performance tomorrow in Newark, and the Addams Family Musical at the end of this month. Athletically, we have a wrestler, Chloe Tompkins, headed to the state tournament, and our spring athletes are in full swing with practices and scrimmages. Last, but certainly not least, our very own Berlin gymnastics team finished second in the state, with several girls placing in the top one or two spots individually. That said, I am so proud of all our Bears and excited to see what the future holds!
I will end by reminding our seniors that we will have a senior homebase meeting this Friday, March 17th in the commons. All other students should remain in their second period class during that time.
Now, here are some dates and times of some upcoming activities:
March 17- Homebase (Seniors Only)
March 21-Homebase/Student of the Month Ceremony
March 23-25-Addams Family Musical
March 27-31- No School/Spring Break
April 7-No School- Conference Exchange Day
April- 13, 18, 20, 27- OST Testing
April- 15- Prom (Juniors/Seniors)
Thank you as always for your continued support and dedication to all things Berlin!
Remember....Berlin Pride...It's Forever!
Clawsup!
Mr. Todd Spinner
Principal
March 3, 2023
Dear Bear Families,
What a great Spirit Week at Berlin! The Student Council picked the perfect week to hold one as we are inching closer to spring break in the Olentangy School District. Our students really represented and showed that double blue pride. Our teachers took it to another level as well and had a lot of fun with each day of the week. That said, we also had our Juniors take the ACT, and I know they nailed it out of the park. We have had Performing Arts concerts in the main gym and our spring athletes are gearing up for their seasons. Winter athletes are winding down and some are even involved with post-season tournaments. Gymnastics and wrestling are still competing at the highest level. In fact, we had a clap out for the gymnastics team just today!
Thank you so much for all the continued support you provide for our Bears, and I hope to see you out and about and in and around 3140BSR to catch some of the amazing things our Bears are involved with!
Here are some dates and times on the horizon:
March 10-No School-Teacher Workday
March 17- Report Cards Available
March 21-Homebase Schedule/Student of the Month Ceremony
March 23-25-Addams Family Musical
March 27-31-No School-Spring Break
Remember.... Berlin Pride...It's forever!
Clawsup!
Mr. Todd Spinner
Principal
February 24, 2023
Dear Bear Families,
Short week this week, but wow.... so much accomplished in and around 3140BSR!
Under our Speech advisor Mrs. Repko's tutelage, we had four students qualify for the State Speech competition this weekend in Austintown, Ohio. We wish them nothing but the best, I cannot wait to hear how they do, they are already winners for qualifying! Our swimmers have some Bears heading to the next step at the state swimming competition! Good luck Bears, swim hard! Other teams have more victories in sight too. Our bowlers, boys' basketball team, gymnastics team, hockey team, and wrestlers are all preparing to compete this weekend.
In other news, our Student Services Team set up shop in the Overlook to talk with any interested students about the opportunities available with CCP (College Credit Plus). This is a great way to get a kick-start on college credit and could be a good option for some of our students. Our Student Services Team is fantastic and goes ABOVE AND BEYOND every day to help our Bears. They truly are great members of the family! In the performing arts, the posters went up today for the Addams Family production. We are all so excited to see the show as our students and directors have been working hard!
There are many more remarkable things happening in and around Berlin, and I would encourage you to jump on Twitter, Instagram, our school website, and other social media Berlin related sites to see what is happening!
That is all for now, but as always, if you have any questions or would like to be in contact, please reach out to the building.
Here are some dates and times of upcoming events and activities:
February 28th- Student of the Month Ceremony
March 10th- No School- Teacher Workday
March 21st- Homebase Schedule
March 23-25- Addams Family Production
March 27-31- Spring Break- No School
Remember, Berlin Pride... It’s Forever!
Clawsup!
Todd Spinner
Principal
February 17, 2023
Dear Bear Families -
Even though it was a 4-day week, we had a highly successful week at 3140BSR! I almost made it to every classroom this week, and I am always amazed (but never surprised), at not only how quickly each day our students and staff dig into the content, but how early as well. I walk the building many times each day, but at 7:20am, books are open, notes are being taken, presentations are being finalized, and true teaching and learning is taking place! That is also true for the end of the day as well. We all know sometimes how we can slow down after lunch or after we eat. This does not seem to be the case at Berlin. Twelfth period is the same here as first period. Our Bears are on top of it!
That said, our Theater Department continues to prepare for the Addams Family performance in March. Our coaches also continue to coach and prepare for games and contests on a daily basis. Our Art teachers are entering contests daily. The Bears are up to the challenge. Last, our groups, clubs, and activities continue to be in full swing before school, during school, and after the day is over.
So, I thank you once again for all your help and support with our efforts, challenging your students to work hard and do the best they can, and communicate with us if they need additional help or support. We are all in this together!
That is all for today. Please continue to stay on top of upcoming dates, times, and activities, and you can always reach out if you need any help or assistance.
Clawsup!
Remember, Berlin Pride... It's Forever!
Todd Spinner
Principal
February 10, 2023
Dear Bear Families,
Another wonderful week at 3140BSR! Awesome things are happening in and around Berlin. As I am out and in the halls a couple periods each day, I am always overly impressed with the level of teaching and learning in all our classrooms. For example, I was in a science classroom yesterday, and as I am staring at the periodic table of elements trying to quiz myself to see how many I remembered, two-three students started to say them aloud, and then three minutes later, the class of 25 reached the end of the table reading all of them together by memory. Now, not every student knew every one of them, but collectively, they knew them all. It was very impressive! I was in and out of a few social studies classrooms too and they were discussing the Great Depression, how and why it happened. It was awesome to see our students compare the 1920's and 1930's economic landscape to the 90's, 2000's, and today. In a few of our upper-level math courses, our students were working through problems and equations that our teachers say they will see during their 1st and 2nd year of college. They do this as an awareness and preparedness piece, but our students were up to the challenge and answered most of the questions correctly.
With all that said, everyone at Berlin is working hard to ensure we are moving forward on all fronts. The level of educational excellence is fantastic and something I know we are all so proud of!
That is all for today, but I appreciate the constant support and effort made by all of you to make Berlin the place it is today!
Remember, Berlin Pride...It's Forever!
Clawsup!
Todd Spinner
Principal
February 3, 2023
Bears Families,
It’s been another great week at Berlin. After a chopped-up week with 2 snow days, it was nice to be back on track with a full 5-day week. This message will purposefully be a short one, but I wanted to make sure I reminded everyone of a few things.
First, 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students should continue to talk to you, teachers, and then counselors about classes for next year. The timeline for that process of meetings is:
January 31st - Counselors will meet one on one with current Juniors in English classes
February 6th - Counselors will meet one-on-one with current Sophomores in Social Studies Classes
February 9th - Counselors will meet one-on-one with current Freshmen in Math classes
February 9th - Scheduling portal closes for all Grades. All requests must be entered into PowerSchool
March 24th - 23-24 Schedule request change forms due to Counselors
Next, seniors should continue to follow the senior timeline Path to Graduation so that they are on point. We want them to be as successful and prepared as possible. Please look at the timeline with them and let us know if you have any questions. Senior nights, activities, and events continue to keep us joyfully busy after school. Please join us for these events and celebrate the double blue right alongside us!
Parents, please also help us in continuing to remind your students that they can only do so much. We know they are working hard, academically, with activities, and trying to be the best Bear they can be. However, if they are feeling overwhelmed or stressed, please encourage them to reach out to a teacher, counselor, or administrator, and have those conversations. We want all our Bears to know we are always here for them and want to help them to be successful and enjoy their time in a healthy way at 3140BSR!
That is all for today. Here is a list of upcoming events and you can also find all of these on our homepage.
February 7th- Homebase Schedule
February 15th- Parent/Teacher Conferences 3:30-7pm
February 20th- No School-Teacher PD Day
February 20th- No School/President’s Day
February 23rd- Parent Teacher Conferences 3:30-7pm
February 28th- Student of the Month Ceremony
CLAWSUP and remember…. Berlin Pride… It’s Forever!!
Todd Spinnner
Principal
January 27, 2023
Hello Bears -
Even the winter weather has not kept us from moving forward here at 3140BSR. We continue to work and do our best to teach, motivate, inspire, and lead our Bears! Our students continue to impress us with their drive, dedication, and work ethic. This holds true in all areas and aspects of Berlin life.
Our Science Olympiad Team led by Mr. Bohland continues to do well in practice and competition preparedness. We are excited to see what the future holds for this talented (and smart) group of science students! Also, our Quiz Bowl team led by Mr. Bird are some of the best I have seen. They continue to compete week after week and have been highly successful. Keep your eyes and ears open for more news about both teams. Another group of students doing great things are those getting ready for our Addams Family production. They were recognized at the winter pep rally in front of the entire student body and continue to practice and rehearse like champions! It should be a great show! Last, many students that have pieces of art in the Delaware Arts Castle show have once again knocked it out of the park. Tons of ribbons and accolades to go around! Athletically, the W's keep piling up and the growth is evident even in those events and games where we do not come out on top when it comes to the final score.
That said, we are proud of ALL OF OUR BEARS and will continue to lead, motivate, support, guide and encourage the students here at 3140BSR! Below is a list of upcoming dates, times, and activities.
February 7th-Homebase Schedule
February 15th- Parent/Teacher Conferences 3:30-7pm
February 17th- No School-Staff PD Day
February 20th - No School- President's Day
February 23rd- Parent/Teacher Conferences 3:30-7pm
February 28th-Student of the Month Ceremony
Thank you for your consistent support and encouragement!
Clawsup and remember.... Berlin Pride...It's Forever!
Todd Spinner
Principal
January 20, 2023
Hello Bears,
It is a shortened week this week, but still packed with events, activities, and excitement! Academically, along with our entire Student Services team, I met with our entire 9th, 10th and 11th grade classes. We talked about scheduling, respect, culture, climate, and everything else in between. However, the focus was on the scheduling piece. So, please make sure that you have those conversations with your student(s) about making proper course selections for the upcoming school year. If you have questions, please contact your Student Services department, or refer to the sheet our team handed out and scan the QR code. That QR code will help answer many of your questions surrounding classes. After the meetings were completed, different content areas had tables set up in the commons to highlight certain classes and offerings. Our teachers will continue to talk in classes about the next suggested or possible steps in that subject area.
Athletically, we continue to move into Senior night activities and the heart of our teams' schedules. The boys' basketball team plays at home this weekend vs our cross-town rival. Also, the Lady Bears basketball team will be at Olentangy High School and are looking for a victory. Our Hockey team has had a great season, and it is senior night tonight over at the Chiller. In addition, our Wrestling and Bowling teams both had matches yesterday and competed at a high level. Our Swimmers and Divers are in the water on Sunday, and it should be a great one! Gymnastics, Cheerleading and Bowling are also competing, so please jump on our athletics sites to get exact event details about each sport. So proud of all our Bears!
In the Performing and Visual art world, our students are also gearing up to "compete" and perform. In Visual Arts, students have had pieces of art moved over to the Delaware Arts Castle for the annual Art Award show! This is always a great event, and the Bears never fail to do quite well! Our Performing Arts Students are rehearsing and practicing for the upcoming "Addams Family" performance. This promises to be a GREAT ONE! We have an exceptionally large cast and crew, and they are really working hard.
Here is a bullet point list of upcoming dates and activities:
January 24- Student of the Month/Homebase Schedule
February 7- Homebase Schedule
February 17- Staff PD/NO SCHOOL
February 20- President's Day/NO SCHOOL
March 23-25- The Addams Family Performances
March 27-31-Spring Break/NO SCHOOL
That is all for now, but please continue to stay up to date by visiting the website, our social media sites and everything related to Olentangy Berlin High School!
Remember, Berlin Pride... It's Forever!
Clawsup!
Mr. Spinner
Principal
January 13, 2023
BEARS, another great week is wrapping up at 3140 Berlin Station Rd. Between clubs, groups, and activities picture day in the gym, as well as visits to both Berkshire middle school and Hyatt's middle school and a great “Rising Bear Night” for our 8th grade students, it was a fantastic week!
That said, we have another weekend full of Berlin activities and class meetings for 9th, 10th, and 11th graders next week where we will discuss scheduling options, timelines, and opportunities. Our bear students and staff continue to work hard in and out of the classroom to make Olentangy Berlin High School a special place. I encourage you to check the website, follow us on social media, and look at the upcoming dates, times and activities listed below so that you are up to speed on everything double blue.
January 15th- Senior Formal Dinner @ 6pm
January 16th- No School MLK Day
January 17th & 18th- Freshman and Junior hearing and vision screenings
January 19th- Class Meeting Regarding Scheduling
January 20th- Pep Rally
January 24th- Student of the Month Ceremony/Homebase Schedule
That is all for now, please reach out if you have any questions or concerns, and I look forward to talking with you soon! Please always remember, Berlin pride…it’s forever!
CLAWSUP!
Mr. Spinner
Principal
January 6, 2023
Bears,
The second semester is off and running at 3140BSR! We have had a great first week back at school, and a lot of things at Berlin are already happening in and around the building. While we do our best to be very comprehensive with these messages, there might be things that slip off of the radar, so please make sure that you are visiting the website to view the calendar, touching base on social media (Twitter and Instagram), or if there is something specific you are looking for, please never hesitate to contact the building by phone or email.
Our seniors are all focusing on finishing strong so that they are on point to graduate and then move on to the next chapter. They have all worked so hard since starting this journey, and we want to make sure they are as prepared as possible and supported every step of the way. That said, one of the tools we have put together is the senior timeline. This link is a snapshot of what is on the horizon as far as events and deadlines for our 12th grade students. Path to graduation
Our 9th, 10th and 11th grade students are currently having conversations with teachers, counselors, and staff about classes for next year. We would encourage you to ask questions and continue to have those conversations as well. If you ever have questions about classes or what your student might or might not want to take, please do not hesitate to reach out. We will have all class meetings before things are finalized and make sure that all our Bears have all the information, they need to make informed and calculated decisions. Your support in the process is greatly appreciated!
In addition to the scheduling front, we are working hard in the Performing Arts department to put on a top-notch version of The Adams Family! Wow, I know everyone is familiar with that title. It promises to be a good show and something that the cast, crew, and directors will all be proud of when the time comes. Performances will be held on Thursday, March 23 @7pm. Friday March 24th @7pm, Saturday March 25th @2pm, and Saturday, March 25th at 7pm. More information can be found on the theater social media sites. If you have any questions about the production, please reach out to the building. Our Visual Arts Department produces top quality pieces of art as well. I am never surprised when I receive awards and certificates through the mail or from one of our teachers when it comes to our students and different contests in and around the state. They really are talented!
Lastly, our athletic Bears are once again competing at an extremely high level. Our student athletes in all sports are either practicing to compete or competing against other schools every day of the week. All our programs are working very hard to represent the double blue. Some examples, but not all, would be our hockey, swim, and wrestling programs. Our hockey team is racking up the wins and it is incredibly fun to watch! If you have never been to a hockey game, dress warmly and prepare to see a lot of hard-hitting action. Our swim and dive team has a big meet this Sunday, and it promises to be one of the best of the year. Opposite hockey, dress warm for arrival, but prepare to take off your hat, coat, and gloves, as they keep the natatorium very warm. Also, our girls' wrestling program is in the first ever year of completion and the girls are learning and competing to the best of their abilities. The boys continue to battle as well, and the record in duals is fantastic! Once again, check the athletic website and social media sites to keep up with scheduled contests. I know you will not be disappointed as you cheer on the Bears!!
Here is a list of upcoming dates and activities in and around Berlin:
Jan 6th- Grades available
January 8th-Last day to order Cap and Gowns
January 10th-Last day for Semester 2 Schedule Changes
January 11th-Rising Freshman Parent Meeting @7pm
January 15th- Senior Winter Formal
January 16th No School- MLK Day
January 19th- Class meetings- scheduling
January 24th- Student of the Month Ceremony
That is all for now, but please know that we are here if you have any questions or concerns and are excited about the upcoming semester and all it has to offer!
Remember, Berlin Pride....It's Forever!
Clawsup!
Mr. Spinner
December 9, 2022
Bears -
What a great Spirit Week here at 3140BSR! This has been a 5-year tradition and one that did not disappoint. We have 1,700 students and 170 staff family members, and the participation this year may have been the best yet. It really is a great way to have some fun during review week and prepare to finish strong next week.
So, with all of that being said, here are a few reminder items as we head into the last week before a well-deserved break!
First, I know that we make announcements about it every day, it is posted in every teacher's classroom, it is on the website, and has been in past editions of the Bear Tracks, but I want to send yet another reminder about exam week. With 1700 students, we send the message that the expectation for exam week is that students are to be in their exam when they need to be there. Otherwise, if they do not have an exam during a certain period, they can be out of the building or in the commons to study. So, if a student has a 1st-period and a 3rd-period exam on that day, they need to be there for those exams. If they do not have a 2nd-period exam that day, they may leave the building or study in the commons. Our students know this, but it is new for our freshmen, so we want to make sure everyone is on the same page for accountability purposes. Thank you for covering this with your student. Students will also not be permitted to bring food back into the exam rooms. We want the focus to be 100% on the exam. Semester Exam Schedule
Also, we are reaching the halfway point for our class of 2023 senior year! This is exciting, but also can be nerve-racking for students and parents. Over-communicating is the key, so we have a senior checklist of dates and times that is on the webpage, and we have also covered this with all of our seniors in their individual counselor meetings, but we want to make sure that you continue to see the information as well. Path To Graduation: 2023
Last, we are so proud of all of our BEARS at Berlin, but I want to make sure that you are aware of upcoming dates, times, and events in and around 3140BSR. Our Winter sports are in full swing, and those dates and times can be found on the athletic website and on the athletic social media sites. Our Performing Arts department has a concert on the horizon (Sunday night), and it promises to be one for the books. In addition, I know that we just had theater auditions for the Adams Family Spring Musical, and that will be an entertaining show as well! With that being said, please take a look at some of the bulleted items below, and please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any follow-up questions.
December 14-16: Semester Exams
December 16: End of Quarter 2
December 19: No School, Teacher Work Day
December 20-January 1: Winter Break
January 2: Classes Resume
January 8: Last Day to Order Cap-n-Gowns for Seniors
January 13: Group/Club Photos
January 16: No School, MLK Jr Day
January 19: Class Meetings, Scheduling
That is all for now. Remember, Berlin Pride...It's Forever!
Clawsup!
TODD D. SPINNER Principal
December 2, 2022
Hello Bear families,
I am hopeful that everyone had a great Thanksgiving Break and is ready for the final push before exams and the upcoming Winter Break. I wanted to reach out and make this a focused edition of the Principal's Message and The Bear Tracks regarding the upcoming exam week.
With 1700 students in the building, there are 1700 possible different combinations of exam schedules. With that being said, we have constantly reminded all our students and our Bear Staff, that buses will run on their normal schedules during exam week and students need to be in their exam assigned area, during their exam scheduled time. If they do not have an exam scheduled for a certain period, they do not need to be in the building. However, if they do stay in the building, they need to be in the commons area.
One example would be if a student has a first period exam and a second period exam on the first day of exams, but does not have any other exams that day, then they do not need to be here any other periods than first and second period.
Another example would be if they do not have a first or a second period class, but they have a third period class, on that first day they only need to be here during the third period exam period.
If you have any questions regarding how your student's exam schedule should look, talk with them first, and then reach out to us if you need further clarification. We are working hard to make it as simple and easy as possible so that we know for accountability reasons who is in the building and where they are located. Students are either in their exam or in the commons. This is for accountability purposes.
Also, yet in another effort to help our students be as successful as they can be around exam time, the week before exams is our traditional annual pre-exam Spirit Week
The days and themes are as follows
Monday: Wear your best Groutfit
Tuesday: Holiday Spirit Day (think crazy sweater)
Wednesday: Hollywood/Red Carpet Day
Thursday: Jersday Thursday
Friday: Double-Blue Friday
Last, I want to highlight some upcoming events and activities that will be happening in and around Olentangy Berlin high school. There are tons of events from now until the break and after, but one that I would like to point out is our winter concert. It is Sunday, December 11 at 7 PM in the auditorium. All of our Performing Arts programs will be performing, and I know it is going to be one fantastic evening of entertainment!
Here are some other dates and times for upcoming activities and events:
December 5-9: Spirit Week
December 6: Homebase Bell Schedule
December 14-16: Semester Exams
December 19: No School - Teacher Work Day
December 20-Jan 1: No School - Winter Break
January 2: Classes Resume
January 9: Last Day for Seniors to Order Caps -n-Gowns
January 10: Homebase Bell Schedule
January 13: Group/Club Photos
Finally, in an attempt to continuously over-communicate, here is our building Twitter page, and you can also find us on Instagram at Olentangy Berlin High School so that you can keep up to speed in regard to everything Berlin high school.
That is all for now. Thank you for your continued support and please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions regarding this edition of the Bear Tracks.
Remember, Berlin, pride, it's forever!
CLAWSUP
TODD D. SPINNER
Principal
November 22, 2022
Bears -
The last couple of weeks have been busy, but that is expected as we continue to do great things at Berlin! As we get ready to leave 3140BSR for a 6-day Thanksgiving break, I want to thank all of you for your support, communication and collaboration since the year began. The success of Berlin high school is not possible without all 3 parts (Parents, students, staff) working together for a common goal. So, thank you!
With that being said, I wanted to put a few things on the radar so that everyone is in the loop and you have all of the information you need to help your student be successful here at Berlin!
This is the link to our exam schedule. For our returning students, it is already understood that students need to be in the exam room at the time that they are supposed to be there. For our first year Bears, please remember that this is not like middle school. So, once again, all students need to be in their exam room at the time that they are supposed to take the exam. If for some reason, a student is not able to be in the exam at the specified time, which should have already been worked out and communicated to the teacher and the attendance office way ahead of time. If you have any questions, students should ask their teachers. Thank you in advance for allowing us and your student to have a smooth exam week. There have never been issues in the past with this expectation, we know it will be smooth again this year!
Our school calendar on the Berlin website is a great resource for all parents. We try as hard as we can to communicate all Homebase schedules and adjustments to our calendar. We use our Instagram sites, our Twitter sites, the Bear Tracks Newsletter, morning announcements, the building website, TVs around the building and other resources. However, if you have any questions about adjustments or upcoming events, please reach out to the building. We want everyone to be on the same page. For example, we have a home-based schedule on 11/30/22.
Also, please know that we love to see our alumni Bears, but we would like to see them after 2:35pm and at events and activities. If they are home from college or just in the area, we would appreciate if they did not come up to the building during the school day. As we get larger and gain more and more alumni, we just do not have the forum to allow them to come in and out of the building during the day as we are working hard to prepare current students to be successful alumni. Thank you for passing this along to graduated Bears!
Last, please continue to come up and experience all things Berlin. We have Performing and Visual Arts presentations on the horizon, sports activities, concerts and many other things we would love for all of you to experience. Please check the Performing Arts and Visual Arts social media sites, the Athletic website as well as the building calendars for dates and times of upcoming activities and events. Also, it is always better to attend wearing something that is Double-Blue... So, make sure that you check out the school store to get the latest and greatest double-blue attire for the holidays!
That is all for now, I hope you have a great break, and I look forward to seeing everyone back in the building on Tuesday the 29th! Happy Thanksgiving!
Remember, Berlin Pride....It's Forever!
Clawsup!
TODD D. SPINNER
Principal
November 1, 2022:
Bear Families -
The start of another great week at 3140BSR! I just wanted to send a recap of last week, as well as some updates and a look ahead to what is on the horizon. As always, please continue to check the building website, Twitter and Instagram pages for all things Doubleblue!
Last week we had our Orchestra concert, and I continue to be amazed, but not surprised by the musicality of our Bears. They are a very talented group of young adults and every song seemed to be better than the one before! In fact, on Friday morning, they joined us again in front of Student Services and played for 15-20 minutes as students walked to class. What a special treat by a great group of students.
In addition, our girls' soccer team won 2 contests and will play tonight in the Regional semi-finals vs Orange high school at 7:00pm at Big Walnut higih school. Bif Walnut high school is only about 15 minutes from OBHS. Wouldn't it be great if we packed the bleachers? Tickets for all playoff games can only be purchased online at OHSAA.org/tickets
This is the same site that you can find and purchase your tickets for our Football game Friday night against Perrysburg high school. The athletic department has set up a Spirit Bus for our students and information can be found on Schoology. The deadline for the Spirit Bus permission form is tomorrow by the end of the school day, so please act fast!!
Our Band sure has had a great run during halftimes of games, as well as at the Circleville Pumpkin Show, Ohio University, and several other performance sites. They continue to impress me and put on collegiate level shows. That is why they are the "Pride of the Bears!"
Our district has a communication platform that they continue to use and send out surveys entitled "POSSIP". There have been 4-5 "pulse checks" this year, and 95-98% of what is coming back to Berlin is positive. There are some responses that constructively give suggestions and ideas, and I will continue to work through those individually as well as comprehensively. However, I would always encourage you to reach out to me directly if you feel it is a concern that you would like to discuss. With all of the responses coming back, I would hate to miss anything that you would like an answer to, as I am always happy to speak with you. I work hard to be easily accessible.
Todd_spinner@olsd.us is my email, and the phone number to the building is 740-657-5900. In addition, I am at most, if not all events and activities, please do not hesitate to ask me questions if you would like to discuss something of importance.
I would like to finish by thanking all of you for your continued support and communication when it comes to all things Berlin. This is a special place, and in order for it to keep moving in the right direction and building on the great culture and climate, we all need to continue working together and communicate. I will leave you with a list of upcoming dates, times and activities for the next month or so.
November 11: Veteran's Day Celebraton November 11: Homebase Bell Schedule November 16: NHS Induction Ceremony November 18: DACC application's open November 21: DACC fieldtrip November 22: Senior Thanksgiving November 23: No School November 24-25: No School November 28: No School November 30: Senior Yearbook Photos November 30: Homebase Bell Schedule
Remember, Berlin Pride....It's Forever!
Clawsup!
TODD D. SPINNER Principal
October 14, 2022
Bears -
I just wanted to touch base with all of you regarding things happening in and around OBHS. This has been a shortened week in school due to the PSAT test as well as today's COTA professional day, but as you know, we still have a lot of great things going on in classes as well as with our athletic programs and Performing Arts department.
Our Theater department just put a wrap on a wonderful PANDEMONIUM play! The cast and crew worked nonstop to make sure that behind the scenes, up in the booth, on stage and everywhere in between was fantastic for everyone in attendance. What a special 3 days of theatrical magic! Congratulations to everyone involved! Athletically, our teams our wrapping up great seasons or in the middle of playoff runs. We had a tennis player and a golfer make great playoff runs. A couple other great example out of many that I could use would be our lady bears soccer team. They are the number 1 seed, 14-1, heading into tournament play. Our volleyball team celebrated senior night last night, and our football team plays tonight at 3140BSR.
Switching gears, our Performing Arts department has a BASS Day coming up in our choir classes. The BGSU men's chorus will be making an appearance at the building and Mr. Sribanditmongkol will be conducting our tenors and basses along with the men's chorus from BGSU. How exciting!
As all of you know, we did not have school today or Monday, and the next 9-weeks starts on Tuesday. As we do constantly here at Berlin, please remind your student that Academics is always the focus. All of the other activities (spirit week, theater, sports, pep-rallies, etc.) are great, but academics are the key. If there is something that they need to read, review, study, or prepare for over the 4-day weekend, please encourage them to do that and be as ready as possible for Tuesday back in the building.
Speaking of being back in the building, we have a special presentation from a new school community partner, BridgED that will be here on October 19th presenting a panel presentation starting at 7:00 pm. The invitation is attached and should be a very informative night for everyone in attendance. The presentation is geared towards our parents, but we will have several staff members in attendance, and students are 100% invited to attend. We will have plenty of room! The State of Central Ohio Workforce
Last, I have once again placed our Berlin Bear Belief statement below as a reminder of how important that is to all of us here at Berlin high school. This is a special place with great students, faculty and staff members, and we will continue to do everything we can make to continue to make this a great high school experience for everyone in the OBHS community!
Members of the Bear Family come from all walks of life and have many diverse backgrounds. We believe that the Berlin High School community should stand shoulder to shoulder as we practice, value and honor diversity, trust, a positive culture and climate, inclusiveness and respect for others. Any behavior that contradicts the Bear Family beliefs is not acceptable. Always remember to represent the double-blue in a positive way.
Thank you for your continued support and remember... Berlin Pride....It's Forever!
Clawsup!
Mr. Spinner
TODD D. SPINNER Principal
October 10, 2022
Hello Bear Families,
I wanted to take a few minutes and continue to update everyone on some upcoming dates and calendar items. Also, please know that if you ever want to take a look at upcoming dates and activities, these dates along with many others are on our school website or 3140news.com for your planning purposes.
This Wednesday, October 12th is OBHS' PSAT testing day. All Sophomores and Juniors that have registered to take the PSAT should report to their assigned room by 7:20 am. No different than a normal school day, students will wait in the commons, the bell will ring at 7:10 am to head to class and testing will begin promptly at 7:20 am. Room assignments have been posted outside the Main Office and Student Services. Be sure to bring sharpened #2 pencils and an approved calculator with you! All buses, including DACC buses, will run on their typical schedule.
Any student grades 9-12 who has NOT registered for the PSAT will have an at-home workday on Wednesday, October 12th and does not need to report to the building.
Also, on Friday, October 14th students will not have school due to (COTA) Central Ohio Teacher's Association professional development day.
Last, on Monday, October 17th, OLSD has a teacher workday so that they are able to finalize first quarter grades. This day is also not a school day for students.
That is all for now, but as always, I just want to make sure that everyone is looped in.
​Remember, Berlin Pride....It's Forever!
Clawsup!
TODD D. SPINNER Principal