Elementary council members, student board rep among honorees at Hillsboro school board meeting

Much of the May 15 Hillsboro City Schools Board of Education was spent recognizing the district’s students, including through committee reports, a presentation from Hillsboro Elementary student council and honoring the outgoing student board representative, Ethan Kirk.

The meeting began with the report from the Hillsboro Elementary student council, all of whom are in the fifth grade. Hillsboro Intermediate Principal Darci Miles introduced the council members: president Ryker Cox, vice president Austin Inman, treasurer Jacob Robinson, secretary Bria McDonald (absent from the meeting), reporter Bella Perkins and ambassadors Joshua Hunt, Aubrie Jackman and Brianna Messer. Their advisers, Jennifer Chaney and Mark Koller, were also in attendance.

“These guys have done a great job this year with several different activities that help not just our fifth grade, but all of our students at Hillsboro Elementary,” Miles said.

The fifth graders took turns recapping the 2022-23 school year’s activities. According to their report, there was a primary election, then a general election, for the student council representatives at the beginning of the year.

The council members held several community service projects throughout the year, as discussed by Cox, Inman, Messer and Perkins. That included collecting 865 donated items for the Highland County Dog Pound and Humane Society; writing Christmas letters to residents at local nursing homes; organizing a canned food drive and working in the HES cafeteria; and holding a fundraiser for the Highland County Society for Children and Adults’ annual telethon.

Robinson and Hunt also recapped the elementary school’s annual participation in the Fuel Up to Play 60 program, which included making smoothies and brownies and engaging in activities listed on the Fuel Up to Play 60 website.

Jackman discussed how student council members wrote articles and made daily announcements every morning of the PBIS expectations and lunch menu as well as leading the school in the Pledge of Allegiance. She also told the board that student council members help clean up the school grounds by picking up litter and trash.

Jackman also explained that the student council members conducted a video interview with Elsa Peterson, who witnessed Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech.

After their report, the council members received a round of applause from the school board, staff and parents in the audience, while board president Bill Myers thanked them for their efforts.

“Thank you guys for coming in and for doing what you guys are doing,” he said. “We appreciate the time and effort that you guys put in.”

Later in the meeting, Kirk was also recognized by the board and by superintendent Tim Davis.

“We wish you the best of luck, and it has definitely been a pleasure having you with us, Ethan,” Myers said.

Myers congratulated Kirk, who will be attending Bowling Green State University this fall and majoring in resort and attraction management. He is getting a head start this summer with an internship at Cedar Point, as the BGSU program is a hands-on program in partnership with Cedar Fair.

“I started my summer class today with a letter of intent of graduation,” Kirk said.

Since it was his last meeting as student board representative, Kirk devoted part of his report to thanking the board members and administration. He distributed personalized pens as a gift to each of them, as well as graduation party invitations.

“I just wanted to thank the board for the opportunities provided for me during the school year as student representative,” Kirk said. “As a token of my appreciation, I'd like to give these pens to all the board members as well as Mr. [Ben] Teeters [district treasurer] and Mr. Davis. I instantly thought of this gift due to the amount of writing you all do during the board meeting.

“I believe that my time has taught me skills in leadership that will help me throughout my lifetime and with my upcoming internship with Cedar Point.”

Davis thanked Kirk for not only his tenure as school board representative, but for all the work he and his twin, Aidan, have done as office aides and as volunteers in the auditorium.

“I just want to personally thank you,” Davis told Kirk. “I don't think people realize that all the stuff that you, and I'll include your brother [Aidan], do in the office.

“He's there at the elementary concerts, he's there in the backstage running the sound and lights for the last at least two and a half years, maybe three. It’s students like you that step up and make Hillsboro City Schools a great place because of your leadership.”

Davis presented Kirk with a gift card and plaque in honor of “being our school board rep, but also for all that you do for us.” He added that Kirk gets to “keep his nameplate” at his spot at the board table for each meeting.

Also discussed by Davis were other student recognitions, including for FFA and high school sports.

At the Ohio FFA Convention, HHS senior Bryce Parsons “won a Jeep Gladiator and $1,000 for our FFA chapter through the Rise FFA career program, and through the Sunrise Cooperative,” Davis said. Also at the convention, Riley Collins, Alexandra Crago, Jolee Cummings, Reagan Eastes, Sarah Larrick, Addyson Miles, Parsons, Brogen Priest, Jenna Rhoades, Abigail Rudy and Gracie Thoroman earned their State FFA degrees. Other recognitions included Julie Bass, Trinity Ferrell and Ashley Kimball performing as members of the State FFA Choir; Claire Winkle being recognized as an ag science fair state finalist; and Breanna Cooper, Eastes and McKenzie Porter receiving gold ratings on their officer books.

For athletics, Davis noted that the Lady Indians varsity softball team earned a Frontier Athletic Conference with a third consecutive perfect FAC season and a sectional final, with districts this week. The baseball team fell in the sectional final Monday evening after winning their semifinal against Marietta.

At the conference track and field meet, the Indians boys team was FAC runners-up, with conference champions including Tate Davis, Ryan Howland, Steven Kibler, Ryan Mau, Cam Smart, Chris Sowders, Nick Turner (including an FAC record in the 800 meters) and Jack Wagoner. Girls track and field FAC winners included Ramsey Haines, Brooklynn Minton, Taylor Thoroman and Jailyn Williams. Track districts were slated for Tuesday and Saturday, Davis said.

Along with those recognitions, both Kirk and Davis gave an overview of many recent events throughout the district, with even more shoutouts to staff and students for achievements in the past month, during their respective reports.

Kirk said that the “annual catapult day” was held for HHS physics students, with last year’s winner, Travis Ross, defending his title and winning for a second straight year. Chemistry students were also scheduled to have a field trip May 15 at The Crofter’s Wheel.

The DECA chapter co-hosted the “Coffee and Commerce” event with the Highland County Chamber of Commerce May 2. The HHS Drama Club hosted a drama camp for elementary students May 9.

The graduating seniors are also enjoying many end-of-year events. Prom was held April 30 at the Roberts Centre in Wilmington. On May 3, the annual military recognition ceremony was held, with HHS seniors entering the military including LaWayne Curtis, Tifany Haynes and Gaven Lucas (Army) and Lane Wilson (Navy), Kirk said.

“It’s right up there with our Veterans Day as some of the best things that we do,” Davis added. “We just want to thank them for their enlistment, and best of luck in their career choice. It’s just great to see, and it was a great turnout with our high school seniors and juniors.”

The senior award ceremony took place May 15, while baccalaureate is May 21 and graduation is May 28, Kirk said. According to Davis, the high school ended up with at least 11 valedictorians this year.

“We’ll recount these, because there’s a possibility that more could be added, after grades are in,” Davis said.

As of Monday, Davis said the valedictorians are Kyah Chaney, Evan Fender, Kinsey Gilliland, Will Hart, Aidan Kirk, Wesley Kelch, Brooklynn Minton, Madalyn Ross, Travis Ross, Ava Strong and Nick Turner.

“We just want to congratulate them for having a high academic standard,” Davis said. “Basically, that's a 4.3 and above [grade point average].

“Evan Fender is going to be our speaker at graduation because he had the highest ACT score.”

Davis said that elementary art students were recently featured at an art show at the school, as well as through the Artist of the Month program for all grades that has been ongoing for the past few months.
 
“Mrs. (Stacia) Burke and Mrs. (Ashley) Badger have done an outstanding job of using our elementary art kids and decorating the school, and we do have some very talented young kids as well,” Davis said. “It’s amazing to see.”

The kindergarten and first grades also held a musical recently, with Davis thanking teachers Mr. Ryan Reilly and Mrs. Deborah Howard for the “outstanding job” they did.

“It’s amazing that the amount of people that we can fit in the auditorium, when you think 800 seats might not be enough,” Davis said. “When you go to an elementary musical in there, the place is packed. It's great to see, and it’s great that our elementary students get to utilize that facility and be in there. Every time I go, the people that are there for the first time are just amazed, and it's just an awesome environment.”

The middle school choir had a recent performance (with Davis thanking teacher Mrs. Laura Jacky), while the middle school and high school held their spring band concerts as well.

“Mr. (Kevin) Grow and all the band students do an outstanding job, and it was like a senior night for them, so that was also a good evening to recognize our senior band members,” Davis said.

Preschool graduation was May 11, with Davis thanking the preschool teachers, paraprofessionals and supervisor Mrs. Brandy Pitzer for organizing the event.

Myers noted that the Hillsboro FFA chapter also held their annual Food For America event May 11.

Upcoming events included: high school choir concert, May 18; seniors’ last day of school, May 19; and spring sports awards, May 22. In response to a question from Myers, Davis said that the dates of the Summer Food Program are May 30-Aug. 6.

Board member Larry Lyons also recapped the elementary school’s field day, which was held May 15, in his report.

“That was pretty exciting to watch all those elementary kids participate in track,” Lyons said. “It was a fun time.”

For a legislative report, Lyons said he expected the biennial budget to be approved in the near future.

“It's been through the Senate and the House both, it's been revised twice, and it’s in its third revision time now,” Lyons said. “It probably will get approved before long.”

In her report, board member Beverly Rhoads shared highlights from the May 10 Great Oaks Board of Directors meeting. Two Great Oaks board members received recognition, including Carole Ellis, who has served over 42 years and received the 2023 School Board Recognition Award for the ACTE Region 1 Awards; and Ed Medlock, who was named 2023 Advisory Committee Member of the Year. There were also several student recognitions.

Rhoads also invited the board to attend the Laurel Oaks Career Campus Senior Ceremony, set for May 23 at 6:30 p.m. at Southern State Community College.

Rhoads added that she also attended the Board Leadership Institute’s conference in April on the HCS board’s behalf.

For more from Monday’s meeting, see the story at: https://highlandcountypress.com/news/hillsboro-city-schools-board-oks-l….