By Alex Hanna
Bluffton HS athletic director
This column was originally published in the school’s spring newsletter.

The high school and middle school sponsored seven sports in the fall season. Sports offered for athletes in high school include cheerleading, cross country, volleyball, tennis, soccer, golf, and football. Total participants for the fall season in the high school were approximately 200 students. 

At the middle school four sports were offered (football, volleyball, cheerleading, and cross country) with approximately 70 students participating.

Winter sports
The winter sports had approximately 80 athletes participating in sports at the high school level and 70 athletes at the middle school. Our sports included basketball, wrestling, cheerleading, and swimming.  Middle school athletes participated in basketball, wrestling, and cheerleading.

Congratulations to Kadin Basil for advancing to the OHSAA State Wrestling tournament this winter at Marion Harding High School. This was Kadin’s second year advancing to the State Wrestling tournament; however, he was unable to compete in 2020. Thayne Kleman also advanced to the State Wrestling tournament in 2020 but he too was unable to compete due to the pandemic.

Spring sports
Nearly 140 high school students participated in spring sports (baseball, softball, boys tennis, and track), and 60 middle school students participated in track.

Next year, the Bluffton Athletic Department will continue using and storing online physicals on PRIVIT, https://blufftonpirates-oh.e-ppe.com/index.jspa.

Before a student may participate in athletics at Bluffton, the student must be cleared by a physician, and all appropriate forms must be signed and uploaded on PRIVIT. If you have concerns, you may call the PRIVIT help desk at 844-234-4357 (Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m), or contact Alex Hanna [email protected]  (419) 358-7941.

Physicals are good for one calendar year; all forms must be completed and uploaded every year. After you have completed or updated the Physical History, uploaded  the  Physical Exam Form, the Medical Eligibility form, have read and signed the Acknowledgement of Warning, (the St. Rita’s Release and the Sudden Cardiac Arrest form), the OHSAA Eligibility Statement, Transportation Agreement, and have joined a team, your son/daughter will be able to participate in athletics at Bluffton High School/Middle School.

Step-by-step instructions can be found by going to the school’s home page:

https://sites.google.com/blufftonschools.org/bevs/home?authuser=0, scrolling to the bottom, and clicking on the link labeled SPORTS PHYSICALS.

Parents and athletes will need to complete this information prior to seeing the doctor for a physical. Anyone who does not have a computer, smartphone, or internet access, is more than welcome to stop at the high school and use a computer. This is approximately a 20-minute process the first year.

May 28 physicals for 2021-22
On Tuesday, May 28, Bluffton’s Blanchard Valley Hospital will conduct physicals for all current students in grades 6-11 who wish to play a sport during the 2021-22 school year. If you have any questions, call the high school (419)358-7941 or email Alex Hanna at [email protected].

Technology Department
By Mardy Herr, technology coordinator
Trying to stay ahead of the curve with updated technology hardware while being fiscally responsible is always challenging but extremely important.

With the demands of today’s classroom and the added value that working technology bring to the learning process, it is paramount to maintain our school electronics. We are in the process of replacing 10-year-old desktop computers in the elementary K/1st-grade wing and middle school classrooms.

These computers connect to a projector/Smartboard or interactive flat panel for teachers and students to use in the classroom.

After about six to seven years, Chromebooks become obsolete because they no longer update the operating system. An updated operating system is important for use with our state testing app.

We recently replaced about 150 seven-year-old Chromebooks used for state testing, which are no longer useful. Normal Chromebook wear and tear is also an issue to consider for longevity; however, our students continue to learn and practice responsible care for their school-issued Chromebooks as well as keeping them charged and ready for use each day.