Viking Spotlight

Jennifer Holloway, Magen DePalmo, and Kathy Yaros from the district CARE team joined the podcast this week. The implementation of CARE Teams is comprised of teachers, administrators, and staff from multiple community agencies, including law enforcement, mental health, alcohol and drugs, and other social service agencies located throughout the county. The team works together in a school-based envir...

Viking Spotlight invites Hoover's current National Merit Finalists to the podcast. Henry Hu, Allesandra Saeger, and Evan Zepp discuss their experiences in and out of the North Canton City Schools classroom. Congratulations to these fine young students!

We have so much to be thankful for as we begin this new school year. In this episode of Viking Spotlight, NCCS Superintendent Jeff Wendorf reflects on past, present, and future projects happening in our district and community. What are our building principals looking forward to for this year? Where did all of the dirt come from on 7th Street? What is Facilities Project: Phase II? Tune in for the a...

This school year is the last for Orchard Hill Principal Darlene Howald and North Canton Middle School Associate Principal Renee Manse. In this episode of Viking Spotlight , they share their decisions to become educators and later administrators, as well as the highlights of their careers and some funny moments. We appreciate the contributions both administrators have made to the district, and we c...

Spring is traditionally a busy time for the North Canton City School District, but this year is more exciting and far busier than most. Director of Development and Special Projects, Tim Walker, stops by the podcast booth to update us on the Seventh Street Renovation, North Canton Primary School, and North Canton Intermediate School. Will Memorial Stadium be ready for graduation? When will Clearmou...

NCCS Superintendent Jeff Wendorf often says, "Our bus drivers are the first school employees to see our students in the morning and the last to see them before they return home." This state emphasizes the impact these individuals have on our students. Every member of the Transportation Department is crucial in making certain our students safely arrive at school and back home. Our Transpo...

Everyone has a different impression of what teachers do in their jobs. In this episode of Viking Spotlight , NCCS Superintendent Jeff Wendorf talks to three different teachers with different backgrounds in different subjects. One thing they do have in common is that they are in their first year of teaching. Christian Combs is a science teacher at Hoover High School. Natalie Mizer is an interventio...

Two NCCS teachers with two decades of classroom teaching will become assistant principals next year. Anna Stangelo, who currently teaches second grade at Northwood Elementary, will become assistant principal to Principal Ryan Kumpf at the North Canton Intermediate School. Tim Hulse, a math teacher at the middle school, will become an associate principal with Janet Peare. Mr. David Eby is the princ...

Administrative Assistants Day is Wednesday, April 26, this year, but in school districts, we feel we should celebrate them every day for the dedication, organization and resourcefulness they bring to their jobs. It's safe to say, our administrative assistants are integral to the success of the district. This year we are spotlighting Jennifer Plentovich of Orchard Hill Intermediate School and D...

Hoover graduate Josh Runner became the principal of Clearmount Elementary in 2020, during the height of the pandemic. Now he is leading the move from Clearmount Elementary to the new North Canton Primary School. Mr. Runner has faced the challenges successfully, and he attributes this success to family, staff, and supportive parents. He and Superintendent Jeff Wendorf agree that the North Canton Ci...

Morgan Brown joins Superintendent Jeff Wendorf on Viking Spotlight to talk about teaching theater arts at North Canton Middle School and her experiences directing two musicals at NCCS this year. Hoover High School students recently performed Titanic the Musical and next up students from North Canton Middle School will perform Matilda, Jr. North Canton City Schools has a proud tradition in the arts...

On this week's Viking Spotlight , NCCS Superintendent Jeff Wendorf talks with Hoover High School Counselor Amy Myers about the responsibilities and work done by high school counselors in today's high school. The guidance department has changed immensely in the last 20 years, and we believe you will learn a great deal about school counseling today. Topics include course scheduling, state testing, g...

North Canton City Schools Superintendent Jeff Wendorf talks to Santana Lopez, the new Marketing and Membership Manager for the North Canton Area Chamber of Commerce, and Zac Bissell, the new Events Manager for the North Canton Area Chamber of Commerce. Santana and Zac share their backgrounds and plans for the organization. The Chamber, which has over 400 active members, holds a number of events in...

This week's Viking Spotlight is on Charlie Grandjean, a 1976 graduate of Hoover High School. While at Hoover, Charlie excelled in athletics and continued his football career at the Naval Academy, at Kent State University and in the USFL. His loyalty to his hometown has continued over the years, and we appreciate his dedication to academics, the arts, and athletics in North Canton City Schools thro...

About eleven years ago, Chas Pyle joined the maintenance crew at North Canton City Schools. He later became the head custodian at North Canton Middle School, and today he is head of maintenance for the school district. Chas is a vital part of the Viking team, and he is appreciated by those who work with him. He, like the rest of the maintenance and custodial crew, make NCCS a safe place for studen...

In this episode of Viking Spotlight , Mr. Ryan Kumpf is the principal at Greentown Intermediate, which has about 500 students in grades 3-5 and is located on State Street in the northern part of our school district. Mr. Kumpf shares his thoughts on educating elementary school students and his commitment to academics and community service. He also discusses how Jon Gordon's The Energy Bus and Jim T...

If you're from Stark County, you have likely seen video that has been completed by the hard-working students and staff of Hoover High School's Video Productions/Broadcast Journalism Career Tech Program. This episode of Viking Spotlight gives you a behind the scenes look at the curriculum and opportunities offered by this award-winning program. Coordinator Tom Wilson knows the class inside and out...

In observance of Board of Education Appreciation Month, NCCS Superintendent Jeff Wendorf talks to Board President, Dr. Bob Roden, about his career, his motivation for joining the board of education, and his insights about helping students succeed. Dr. Bob Roden, who once served as a teacher and administrator in the North Canton City School District, shares some wisdom for educators, parents, and c...

This week's episode of Viking Spotlight is an overview of the activities and programs offered at North Canton Middle School. As Superintendent Jeff Wendorf points out in the podcast, students experience more success in the classroom if they participate in activities beyond the school day. With Mr. Eby's leadership and an outstanding, caring middle school staff, programs have been expanded to reach...

In this episode of Viking Spotlight , North Canton City Schools Superintendent Jeff Wendorf and Director of Development Tim Walker provide an update on the two new school buildings being constructed and explain how the construction has resulted in modifications to the school calendar for this year and next year. They also share information about Phase 2 of the facilities project that will be discu...

Meet the coaches of the boys and girls Hoover basketball teams, Mike Bluey and Jim Gotshall. Coach Bluey, who is in his fifth year at Hoover, shares his philosophy of coaching and his thoughts on the Federal League. Coach Gotshall talks about returning to Hoover High School and his feelings about basketball, the school, and the community. Don't miss this episode of Viking Spotlight !

In this week's Viking Spotlight , Mr. Todd Alkire talks to Superintendent Jeff Wendorf about the curriculum and opportunities in the engineering classes through the Hoover High School Career Tech Program. Following the "Project Lead the Way" curriculum, students learn about engineering design and principles, digital electronics, computer integrated manufacturing, and engineering design and develop...

Megan Zahorec-Deierling is the school counselor for Greentown Intermediate's 500 students. In this episode of Viking Spotlight , she talks about the problems facing students today and explains how she builds relationships with her students. One of her tools is therapy dog, Chase, who is a German Shepherd that has become an important member of the Greentown staff. Mrs. Zahorec, a mother of two chil...

In this episode of Viking Spotlight , Kim Nidy shares the importance of technology in the North Canton City School District. NCCS has a one-on-one tech program as every student in grades 3-12 and every teacher is provided with a laptop that plays an important part in teaching and learning in the classroom. She discusses gradebooks, security, and the learning management system with Superintendent J...

This week's episode of Viking Spotlight offers a look at two Hoover High School programs. One is Culinary Arts of the school's Career Tech Education offerings, and the second is the extra-curricular activity, Esports. Mr. Phil Ogilvie talks to NCCS Superintendent Jeff Wendorf about the various aspects of his classroom, which includes a restaurant called the Tri-Star and a food truck known as the T...