Voices Ringing Blog /

When I was 16, I got my first job at McDonald’s. I think I learned more at that job than I have at any other.

Getting a part-time job was the first unit we studied this year in Personal Finance. Memories of that first job cooking French fries and sweeping the lobby came flooding back to me when my students talked about their summer jobs. Funny thing, even though it was 40 years ago for me, we all learned the same lessons. My students shared with us in class that they learned:

• Time management skills
• Responsibility
• Customer service
• Value of money
• Listening and following directions

These life-long skills will serve them well as employees in any career field. The work ethics built today in the few hours a week stocking shelves or watching kids swim, earning minimum wage and juggling homework and fun with work schedules, are the foundation for their future career success.

Thomas Samuels '22 with Mrs. Stephanie (Pugar) Sagasser '08
 

Thomas Samuels '22, Mercy House

What activities do you participate in?

Football and Basketball

What’s your favorite part of being a student at Carroll?

I enjoy how friendly everyone is. It feels easy to start a conversation with anyone.

What should school “do” for you?

School should prepare me for college.

What’s a lesson you learned when you overcame a difficult obstacle?

I’ve that no matter how hard it’s going, that I should keep trying and never give up.

What’s your biggest dream in life?

I want to go to college and play professional basketball in the NBA.

How do you like spending your free time?

I like to spend time outside and go places with my family.

"Thomas is always courteous, polite, and kind to students and teachers. He comes to school and works his hardest every day. He deserves to be recognized for his hard work and great attitude each and every day!" - Mrs. Stephanie (Pugar) Sagasser '08

Welcome to the Intervention Department!  Here is a brief introduction to ourselves and what kind of services we proudly offer students at Carroll High School.

Allison Cleaver recently moved back to the Dayton area to be closer to her family, after teaching in Cincinnati for 3 years. She is currently the freshmen class moderator and a proud member of the Trinity House. She continues to be proud of her students every day and is grateful to be a part of the Carroll community

Ben Swick is in his second year teaching at Carroll. He’s a recent grad of the University of Dayton and an assistant coach for the women’s soccer program here at Carroll. His favorite part about working in the mod is the air conditioning. His second favorite part is working with students who have such a diverse range of needs. 

Stephanie (Pugar) Sagasser '08 is in her first year coming back home to Carroll after working as an Intervention Specialist at Bishop Leibold School for 7 years. Her favorite part about working as an intervention specialist at Carroll is getting to know her amazingly talented students and celebrating their daily successes.

Elizabeth (Liz) Terry is in her 14th year at Carroll. She is a proud member of Mercy House, the Youth in Government club advisor, and certified in Social Studies.  Liz is also a Resident Educator, helping to train new teachers. She loves to see the “lightbulb” come on, especially for those sometimes referred to as “underdogs.”

The intervention team’s overall mission is to provide all students with varying strengths and abilities the opportunity to thrive and reach their fullest potential as a member of the Carroll community. 

What exactly does an Intervention Specialist do?

We get asked this a lot, and are always happy to explain and answer any questions!  In short, we work together as an intervention team to meet the diverse needs of students with special educational needs. This includes planning, designing, and implementing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) that are tailored toward creating goals that incorporate each student’s unique strengths, challenges, interests, and needs in order to help them achieve his or her greatest potential. 

Why choose Carroll for a student with special needs?

Over the years, Carroll’s Intervention Department has expanded and grown, constantly seeking ways to better support our students in all aspects of their lives. We work tirelessly to provide support for our students, including individualized, small group instruction in specific subjects, support and modeling in how to prepare for tests and assessments, and co-teaching in all four core subject areas. Our end goal is to provide the student with the tools needed to graduate and successfully attend college or the training of their choice. Additionally, Carroll High School is a Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship provider, which allows for students with special needs to receive scholarship funds for their education and specially designed instruction and related services.

This school year has started off with a boom!  Now that we have finished the 5th week of school, the Family Rooms have become comfortable with their new friends.

In Family Room 106, the Mercy students went out on Thursday to chalk up the sidewalks. I asked Ronald "RJ" Sticka ‘21 what his favorite thing about Family Room was. RJ said, “The food parties that we have and all the friendships.”

After these first couple weeks of school, the freshmen are now in the flow of Family Room. On Monday, Family Room 106 had a birthday part for Tyler Wuebben ‘20 and Preston Davis '23 helped make popcorn and pass it out. The House System is very important to help all the grade levels connect and participate with each other.
Not only do Family Rooms focus on the fun aspect of school, but they also help with academics. Tuesdays are the Academic Day, and that's when students can have help from each other with homework, whether it's studying or just help understanding a concept. Mercy House is excited to continue on with this already great year and cannot wait to see what the students have to bring over the coming months!

Greetings from the Guidance Department!

This is a year of change for us in two ways. Mrs. Lane retired after wholeheartedly serving 41 years at Carroll High School. She will be missed, but we are excited to welcome a new counselor and shake up the department. We have moved to 9th through 12th grade counseling. Now, instead of students changing counselors halfway through high school, they will have the same counselor for all four years. We look forward to the continuity this positive change will bring for our students.

Courtney (Limbert) Graham '97

I am the guidance counselor for students whose last names begin with letters A through G. I am starting my eighth year at Carroll and worked for three years prior as a counselor at Alter High School (It took me three years to come to my senses -- wink-wink!). In addition to my role as counselor, I am also a Dean of St. Mary’s House (Ave!) and the moderator of Harry Potter Club (where all muggles are welcome). I enjoy so many aspects of being a counselor, from aiding students in their college and career process to keeping track of graduation credit checks to offering a safe space when students are having a rough day.

Chris Pennington

I am the Director of Guidance as well as counselor for all students whose last names begin with letters P through Z. I have been a counselor for the past thirteen years with eight of them being at Carroll. My daughter is a current sophomore in college, so I have recent experience in the college process personally. The most enjoyable part of my job is working with students and families as they maneuver through the college process.

Jennifer Urbaniak

I am the guidance counselor for students whose last names begin with letters H to O. This is my first year at Carroll, and I could not imagine beginning my career as a counselor anywhere else. Prior to coming to Carroll, I served as a long-term sub for a counselor at Milford High School. I am very eager to meet all of my students, and I look forward to seeing all of the amazing things they will accomplish during their time at Carroll. My door is always open, and I encourage anyone to stop by if they need anything at all, or even just to say hello.

Bev (Amatulli) Lightner '73

I am the administrative assistant in the Guidance Department, also known as "Aunt Bev" in my Baltimore Family Room. I have worked in the Guidance Department for 17 years. The most enjoyable and rewarding part of my job is interacting with the students and watching them grow in to young adults. The 17 years I have worked in the Guidance Department has been a rewarding and sometimes challenging adventure.

Mr. Carl Soucek and Camdyn Marsh '20

Camdyn Marsh '20, Gonzaga House

What activities do you participate in?

Marching Band, Gonzaga House Captain, Frisbee Club

What is your favorite part of being a student at Carroll?

I enjoy how friendly everyone is. It feels easy to start a conversation with anyone.

What should school “do” for you?

It should provide you with a good base of knowledge to continue into higher education. Additionally, it should help you find friends and groups of friends.

What’s a lesson you learned when you overcame a difficult obstacle?

A good lesson I learned after joining band was that things are never as bad as they seem. Even if things are difficult at the time, you still get to reap the rewards later.

What’s your biggest dream in life?

My biggest dream is to be a professional video game player, but if that doesn’t work out, I want to be a physical therapist.

How do you like spending your free time?

I spend my free time playing video games, practicing mellophone, watching movies, hanging out with my friends, and planning activities for my Family Room.

"Camdyn is a tremendous student.   He has taken on the role of brass captain for the Marching Patriots this year and always sets a great example for other students. He's punctual, professional, and positive in his approach to what we do. He shows other students that he cares about their success, and he offers to help when others are in need." - Mr. Carl Soucek

Market yourself to the world

You will deepen your understanding of other cultures thus making you more marketable in the job market. Employers are seeking candidates who can help their company compete globally. The number of jobs in the last five years requiring a second language has doubled.

Keep your mind sharp

Studying a World Language improves memory, problem solving, and critical thinking skills and the ability to multitask.

Prepare for college

Studying a World Language gives students opportunities to earn college credits through our very successful AP language program.  Studies have also shown that being bilingual improves your cognitive skills unrelated to language and can even delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

Broaden your horizons

You will gain a deeper appreciation of art, literature, music and film in the original language.

Students at Carroll meet four days a week in Family Room, and it is very important that each room feels comfortable with each other and participate in activities that allow each individual at Carroll to feel like they belong to a family, and not just a school. Helping to spark investment in the House System by doing a variety of activities that suit each room is the goal for every captain and Family Room teacher. This week, Olivia Hickman ‘20 talked about her Family Room, Room 306.

“In the past, even if it’s not an Academic Day, we talk about academics and make sure that everybody is on track, which makes me feel really good about my grades," Hickman said.  "We also go outside occasionally and play frisbee.” Family Rooms are not all fun and games.  Sometimes, students need to focus on their academics, and this is what the aforementioned Academic Day is for. Tuesday is now a day entirely designed around students getting help and focusing on their studies for a little while.

Touching base with students even when it isn’t an Academic Day is a wonderful idea, but Family Room is about much more than studying and playing with frisbees. 

The way Family Room makes every student feel is very important. Olivia says, “Family Room makes me feel included and makes me feel like I have a safe space to go to.” This is truly the most important part. No matter how many fun games they do, the best part about Family Room is the way it makes students feel. They truly feel like the people in their room are there for them, and they feel like they belong there. That is the beauty of Family. Every week that passes makes every student feel more and more like a real family.

I promise this isn’t a click-bait headline. This is my attempt not to bury the lead. You see, I fail every single day. From my freshman year at Carroll High School (and definitely before) and through more than 20 years since leaving (and definitely in the future), my life has consisted of a series of micro-failures, and there was a time I feared that failure.

There’s very little I’m afraid of. Heights don’t bother me. I think spiders get a bad rap. I’m more comfortable flying on a plane than I am driving to the grocery store. Slasher films, zombies, running alone through Chicago – they all provide an adrenaline rush. But after I graduated from Carroll High School, I was afraid of failure. Was I ready? Could I succeed? Will I remember the definition of ‘health’ (Yes, Mrs. Lane, I remember it’s ‘optimal personal fitness for full, fruitful, creative and spiritual living)? These same concerns have tagged along with me as I’ve worked as a marketing turn-around expert for technology and media/entertainment companies.
But my ability to embrace, learn from, and build on my failures are a result of my time at Carroll.

Fail together, in public, with confidence

If you were in English class with Miss Wourms or a Latin class with Sister Mary Alice Stein, you can probably recall the repeated rework of diagramming sentences or conjugating Latin verbs. I can remember the frustrations of Calculus and trying to follow along with Shakespeare but what stands out the most were the teachers who encouraged us to own our failures while learning these concepts. We shared them as a class, discussed the challenges, and then broke down why they occurred so we could build on those learnings. This taught me throughout my career how to develop an environment that reinforces resiliency, risk-taking, perseverance, and adaptation. I learned how to focus on solutions instead of blame and how to respond to failure.

Fail fast, and incrementally, in order to create

In business we preach, “fail and fail fast” or “create an environment where employees have the freedom to fail”. Even if the company culture truly supports that, failure doesn’t happen often. Companies hire experienced employees who have proven success in their field. Failure is rare. However, when you’re in school and learning, almost everything you first attempt fails. I believe this is why so many professionals become averse to learning. At Carroll, I failed over and over and over and over again. In my academics, athletics, and social structure, I was pushed so incredibly far outside of my comfort zone. I learned to get comfortable with being uncomfortable, and that has served me well. It has taught me that micro-failures are necessary if I’m going to continue to learn and develop.

Fail free of judgment

While at Carroll, I was surrounded by teachers and coaches that encouraged authenticity. I was taught the importance of transparency, compassion, commitment, ethics, and setting the tone. I was never fearful – well, except when walking to the lunch room and my shirttail was untucked. These teachings have allowed me to foster a culture in my teams that embraces failure, free of fear. By developing a culture of authenticity, I’ve found that I can improve manager-employee relations, respond to change, and set goals. And when you fail free of judgment, you can begin to replace blame with curiosity. Relationships are better and more interesting when working together and building. It’s too easy just to fight, but relationships with tension and conflict make life interesting because not all tension and conflict is bad. Competing and differing ideas are great things.

I’ve been incredibly fortunate to spend the better part of seventeen years working for innovative companies and iconic brands like The Second City and Oracle. I’ve worked with immense talents that push the level of creativity and challenges common convention. I’ve also learned to view everyone as a person with a special story to tell, to foster talent, and to teach. All of these learnings and all of my success can absolutely be attributed to my time at Carroll High School. But the most important lesson is to follow the fear and do what scares me the most. Carroll has taught me that if it’s uncomfortable, do it more.

Kade Greer '20 with Mrs. Laura Wright

Kade Greer '20, Gonzaga House

What activities do you participate in?

Soccer, Gonzaga House Captain

What is your favorite part of being a student at Carroll?

My favorite part is the environment at Carroll.  My classmates and other students are all kind and supportive.  The energy and spirit is out of this world, whether it's sporting events or school competitions.

What Should school “do” for you?

School should help me develop a good work ethic.  It should show me why I should work hard in everything I do.

What’s a lesson you learned when you overcame a difficult obstacle?

I learned to think about how my decisions will affect others.

What’s your biggest dream in life?

I'm not sure what I want to do yet, but I just want a career that will make me happy.

How do you like spending your free time?

I enjoy listening to music, relaxing outside, and getting sun.  I also like to exercise and lift weights.

"Kade has been in my family room for all of his four years at Carroll. As a freshman, he hardly said a word. As time went on he became my top recycler. This year as Gonzaga's Spirit Captain, he has really blossomed. He led the entire house of Gonzaga with their cheer and has done so with great confidence and authority. He has become a great, enthusiastic, and friendly leader, and his personal growth has been noticed!"  - Mrs. Laura Wright

In conjunction with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), Carroll High School is spending the year researching, training, and presenting on issues related to greater awareness of mental health issues among teens. The AFSP is a national organization that provides sound, research-based programming on the prevention of suicide, as well as tools for greater awareness regarding issues of mental health. 

Faculty and Student Training

During an upcoming meeting with the Director of the AFSP, the faculty and staff learn how to identify signs of mental health distress in students and refer them for help. According to the AFSP's website, the program complies with the requirements for teacher education suicide prevention training in many states.”  Once the faculty and staff have those concrete tools, the students will go through training on how to recognize signs and symptoms of depression, understand the stigma of depression, and how to find help for themselves and others.  

ASIST Program

Soon after the student programming, a group of volunteer faculty and staff members will go through an intensive training over two days with other educators in the greater Dayton area called the ASIST program (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training).  ASIST is a two-day interactive workshop in suicide first aid. ASIST teaches participants to recognize when someone may have thoughts of suicide and work with them to create a plan that will support their immediate safety. Since its development in 1983, ASIST has received regular updates to reflect improvements in knowledge and practice, and more than 1 million people have taken the workshop.

Preparing the Class of 2020 for success

In the Spring, we hope to bring the AFSP in for the graduating seniors to present the program “It’s Real”. This program provides information on mental health issues for students in college and prepares our seniors for the next steps in their lives after Carroll.  

What are the resources for parents?

I’m glad you asked. One resource is checking out these quick videos from the AFSP.  When you visit the site, click on Children and Adolescents for quick research based information on mental health. Spend some time researching, exploring, and talking about these issues with your son or daughter. The more we speak about the topic, the better we can desensitize the stigma of depression and mental health issues with teens, which can begin breaking down barriers.

Hello everyone! This week has been an exciting week for the Carroll Patriots, especially for Family Room 210. Lead by religion teacher Mr. Brun and captains Abby Bertke and Jc Copley, Family Room 210 participated in Homecoming Spirit Week with gusto. Monday was pajama day, and most everyone showed up in their comfiest PJs. Monday was also the day that Family Rooms voted on their choice of song for the second House Event, which is the lip sync done every year.  Music videos were shown during this time and Family Room 210 had a dance party to go with it. It was very entertaining watching Mr. Brun dance! 

Tuesday was Family Room Color-Coordination Day, in which the Family Room picked what color shirts they wanted to wear on that day. It was a difficult choice for us, but we narrowed it down to three colors and eventually chose white. Tuesday also happens to be Academic Day, so most students were busy studying and doing homework during this time. Wednesday’s theme was 80s-90s Day, and seeing everyone's costumes was like a blast from the past! Thursday was Red, White, and Blue Day, and everyone in Family Room 210 was decked out in Carroll Spirit. The seniors and drama students left Family Room at this time to be a part of the Harlem Globetrotters' commercial. Because the captains of the room were gone, Kenny Shahady '21 took charge and coordinated a game for the room to play. Friday's theme was Tropical, which perfectly matched the Homecoming theme Aloha. The khaki’s and button up tropical patterned shirts were a sight to see! A Pep Rally also took place on Friday, ending up with the Seniors winning the Spirit Stick. Go Pats!