Hillsboro City Schools board discusses recent activities, schedules 2024 organizational meeting

Members of the Hillsboro City Schools Board of Education discussed several recent school events during a brief meeting Wednesday, Dec. 20, as the district is currently in its winter break.

The monthly meeting was rescheduled from its usual time of Monday at 7 p.m. to Wednesday at 8 a.m.

Prior to winter break, student board representative Maddisen Mikkelsen said the high school had several Christmas-themed activities and performances.

All of the high school choirs performed in the annual “Feast of Carols” Dec. 5, Mikkelsen said. 

“Each year at this performance, we ask for donations for a charity that's decided by the leaders of the symphonic choir,” Mikkelsen said “This year, they picked Shriners and the [Highland] Humane Society, and so all donations went to those two organizations.”

On Dec. 15, Mikkelsen said that “16 members of the symphonic choir” went to Highland District Hospital to go caroling. 

“This is the second year that they've asked us to do this, and they really seem to enjoy it,” Mikkelsen said. “They get a lot of joy from the holidays, which they may not otherwise be getting.”

In his report, superintendent Tim Davis added that all of the schools have “been very busy as far as performances go,” with the high school Drama Club hosting a Christmas fundraiser Dec. 9, the high school choir also singing at the monthly Hillsboro Rotary Club meeting Dec. 12 and the high school band holding a concert Dec. 13. Davis offered “congratulations to Mr. [Kevin] Grow” and the band for their performance. 

Along with the high school, the superintendent said that the middle and elementary schools have had a number of concerts and shows in the past month.

“We had a middle school choir concert on December 7, so great job to Mrs. [Laura] Jacky, all of our choirs and the students,” Davis said. “It's unbelievable, the amount of talent that we have. We say it a lot, but you just can't say it enough, with the talent that we have.

“We had second, third and fourth grade musicals in the auditorium since our last meeting, so great job by Mrs. [Deborah] Howard and Mr. [Ryan] Reilly. Second grade is probably our largest class, and it was great to see those kids, all of them together, on stage singing. It was outstanding, so great job to them.”

Also on Dec. 15 — which was the last day of school before winter break — Mikkelsen reported that the high school held the “Reindeer Games,” which are “very similar to the ‘Turkey Games’” held before the Thanksgiving holiday. Students enjoyed a variety of competitions and activities in the high school gym.

“During the school week, students were encouraged to bring in money as a way to vote for a teacher to get pied in the face,” Mikkelsen said. “I wasn't there because I was caroling, but I believe it was Miss [Sage] Buchanan [high school social studies teacher].”

As mentioned, winter break is underway, as it began Dec. 18 and will continue through Jan. 2 for students.

“Our students will be back in the building January 3,” Davis said. “We have PD [professional development] for staff on January 2. 

“I just want to wish all of our employees, students and their families a merry Christmas and a safe and happy new year.” 

In addition to those special events, board member Larry Lyons also reported on some academic activities, as he said he had visited several classrooms recently.

“On December 8, I went to the elementary school and presented some Indian artifacts to Ms. [Tina] Jensen’s class,” Lyons said. “They're studying Native American/Indian history, and that was several classes that came in. It was a lot of fun, and the kids enjoyed seeing all the artifacts. 

“On the 12th, I went to the high school and attended the elective Vietnam War history class with Cody [Mathews]. Phil Roush came in and spoke again. He’s done this on three different occasions and walks the students through his experience in the Vietnam War, and this time he brought some photos along, so they were very interested in that.”

In other committee reports:

• Board member Beverly Rhoads discussed the Dec. 13 Great Oaks Career Campuses Board of Directors meeting. Several board members were recognized, including Terry Gibson, who was named an All-Ohio School Board member; Kathryn Lorenz, who is stepping down after 32 years as a Loveland City Schools board member; and the following “Heritage Oaks Award” recipients for milestones in service to the Great Oaks board: Danny Ilhardt, Jim Perdue, JB Stamper, Mark Garen, Deborah Allsop, Bill Ferguson, Sandy Harrod, Rod Lane, Tim Sharp, Micki Spears, Greg Barr, Mary Cleveland, Bruce Kirkpatrick and Joe Schroeder.

The Great Oaks board also discussed several recent grant announcements, including a $697,428.57 RAPIDS grant from the Ohio Department of Higher Education “to start and expand adult workforce development programs for power line technician and licensed practical nursing” and a state Career and Technical Education expansion grant for Laurel Oaks. With the CTE grant, Laurel Oaks will expand a second Welding & Fabrication lab and start both a new law enforcement program and a new EV battery technician program.
 
• Board member Tom Milbery expressed condolences to the family of Alfred “Al” Martellotti, who passed away Dec. 18. Martellotti was formerly a teacher at Hillsboro High School.

• All of the school board members shared holiday greetings with the community and with the district’s staff, students and families in their respective reports.

In other discussion:

• The board voted to approve the 2024 organizational meeting date. On Jan. 8, 2024, the board will hold a finance committee beginning at 6 p.m., followed by a tax budget hearing at approximately 6:30 p.m.; the annual organizational meeting at approximately 6:45 p.m.; and the regular board meeting at approximately 7 p.m.

• Lyons moved, with Jerry Walker seconding, to appoint Bill Myers as the president pro tempore to lead the organizational meeting, prior to the selection of the board president for the 2024 calendar year.

• The board approved the financial reports as presented. District treasurer Ben Teeters reported a general fund cash balance of $11,112,230 for November 2023, up from $8,834,163 in November 2022; expenses of $2,557,790, an increase over November 2022’s $2,222,838; and revenues of $1,498,219, also up from $1,313,133 a year ago.

“Our expenses and revenues are running in comparison to the same as they were the year before, so we're still doing pretty good,” Teeters said.

• The board approved the following individuals for the contracts and positions indicated: sub classified, Sherri Holland (aide, clerical, cook); and volunteers Tayler Middleton (Hillsboro Elementary) and Robert Zugg (wrestling coach).

• The board approved Derrek Ayers, Levi Birkhimer, Christian Lowe and Brianna Meyer as early graduates.

• The board approved the awarding of a diploma to Seleicka Captain, a resident of the district who has completed the Ohio Department of Education’s requirements per HB 64.

• The board approved leaves of absence for bus driver Melody Evans, effective Dec. 22, 2023-March 22, 2024; HVAC maintenance specialist Mark Grooms, effective Dec. 5, 2023-Jan. 16, 2024; paraprofessional Kirsten Harp, effective Jan. 8-April 4, 2024; and principal Pam Hollon, effective Dec. 4, 2023-Feb. 4, 2024.