Pictured at the Greenfield Exempted Village Schools Board of Education meeting are: (l-r) district treasurer Joe Smith, board members Charley Roman, Eric Zint, Sandy Free, Jason Allison, and Marilyn Mitchell, along with superintendent Quincey Gray are pictured during Monday's board of education meeting held at Buckskin Elementary. (Photos by Angela Shepherd.)
Pictured at the Greenfield Exempted Village Schools Board of Education meeting are: (l-r) district treasurer Joe Smith, board members Charley Roman, Eric Zint, Sandy Free, Jason Allison, and Marilyn Mitchell, along with superintendent Quincey Gray are pictured during Monday's board of education meeting held at Buckskin Elementary. (Photos by Angela Shepherd.)
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By Angela Shepherd
GEVS

The Buckskin Elementary cafeteria was chock-full of students and parents on Monday for the Greenfield Exempted Village School District Board of Education meeting, which focused on student recognition.

First up was the fifth-grade honor choir, comprised of 17 students from Buckskin and Rainsboro elementaries and led by music teacher Victoria Mikkelsen.

Mikkelsen said the children recently performed at Western Brown High School. There were seven schools involved, she said, with a total of 108 students from Highland, Brown, Adams, Ross and Fayette counties.

“It’s amazing every year,” she said, to watch all the kids come together in the morning, and then perform a concert that afternoon after learning songs together all day.

Mikkelsen played a video of a practice run of a song from that day, 108 kids singing a song in two parts. For board members on Monday, the children sang three songs, the first of which was in German.

The members of the fifth grade honor choir from Buckskin Elementary are Kaelin Burchett, Ady Calhoun, Colton Dennis, Larah Henson, Baylee Hickok, Raegan Johnson, Lillian Keller, Allison Shope, Brooke Smallwood-Martin, Natalie Stroud, Autumn Uhrig, Benny VanGundy, and Madison West. The Rainsboro Elementary Honor Choir members are Madison Brown, Lexie Burns, Brookelyn Thomas and Kyndee Williams.

Board members also recognized student athletes of boys and girls soccer, volleyball, boys and girls golf, and football who had received league and/or district recognition in their sport. Each student received a pin and certificate from board members.

Those recognized were: Trenton Newkirk, all-FAC boys golf; Wesley Potts, all-FAC boys golf; Brianna Weller, all-FAC girls golf; Shayna Beatty, all-FAC girls golf; Jaelyn Pitzer, all-FAC and honorable mention all-district volleyball; Griffin Foltz, all-FAC and first team all-district boys soccer; Braeden Bergstrom, all-FAC and first team all-district boys soccer; Noah Reeves, second team all-district boys soccer; Haydon Hice, second team all-district boys soccer; Richie Lester, honorable mention all-district boys soccer; Lyle White, honorable mention all-district boys soccer; Kerigan Pollard, all-FAC and first team all-district girls soccer; Kayla Anderson, all-FAC and honorable mention all-district girls soccer; Beckley Smith, second team all-district girls soccer; Payton Pryor, honorable mention all-district girls soccer; and Gabe Martinez, all-FAC football.

In her report, Superintendent Quincey Gray thanked the students recognized at the meeting. She also spoke about the Veterans Day programs throughout the district last week and the staff and student efforts that went into the programs.

“It is wonderful to recognize the veterans for their sacrifices, but it is also a great learning experience for our students,” she said.

The superintendent also noted the fall play that took place last weekend, saying McClain’s production of “A Christmas Carol” was “outstanding.”

Gray also reported that she, district treasurer Joe Smith, and board of education members attended the Ohio School Board Association Capital Conference in Columbus last week. She said they “participated in numerous learning sessions during which we were able to hear about innovative practices that will further enhance what our district is able to offer to staff, students, and families.”

In other business, employment recommendations as approved by the board were: certified Jennifer Harris, certified substitute; Timothy Campbell, certified substitute; Christina Everetts, clerical aide/monitor and cafeteria; Tosha Freeze, cafeteria and custodial; Kristen Wise, annual assistant; Madison Reed, junior high basketball cheerleading; and Kenneth Branscom, head baseball coach.

The board went into executive session to discuss personnel and property. There was no action when the board came back into open session.

The next scheduled regular meeting of the Greenfield Exempted Village School Board of Education is Dec. 18 at 7 p.m. in the central office boardroom. The meetings are public.