Governor, gratitude highlight formal dedication of new school facilities
Lead Summary
By
Rory Ryan-hcpress@cinci.rr.com
An air of gratitude filled the Hillsboro High School/Middle School
campus Sunday afternoon.
As hundreds gathered to attend the formal dedication held in the
school auditeria, the overwhelming message from all speakers was one
of appreciation.
Following a five-selection prelude by the Hillsboro symphonic choir,
under the direction of David White, a series of speakers from students
to Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland paid homage to the Hillsboro taxpayers and
community for supporting the project.
In his opening remarks, Hillsboro Middle School Principal Chris
Burrows asked each taxpayer in the Hillsboro City Schools district to
stand and be recognized. "Thank you, each and every citizen and
taxpayer in the Hillsboro City Schools," Burrows said. "Thank you for
providing this state-of-the-art facility."
Burrows said the district's goal is to "create an environment where
all students want to come to learn; where all teachers want to come to
teach; and where all parents want to send their children."
After an invocation by the Rev. Maurice Mitchell of the Hillsboro
Presbyterian Church, the Pledge of Allegiance, national anthem and
school alma mater, Hillsboro City Schools Superintendent Art Reiber
introduced guests and, like Burrows, offered his appreciation to the
community.
"So many people contributed to this project," Reiber said. "But first
of all, to the kids, this building is for you. We thank our community,
whose tax dollars made this a reality. We thank our board of education
for their commitment of dollars and technology.
"The future for the students of Hillsboro City Schools is bright,"
Reiber said. "We give our children many gifts, but one of the best
gifts we can give them is a quality education."
As he introduced school board vice president J.D. Wagoner, who had
the honor of introducing Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, Reiber, a
Republican, thanked the governor for doing his best to "hold harmless"
Ohio schools during the difficult budget process.
Strickland opened by telling the people he has represented, not only
as governor, but also as the former Sixth District congressman, "I'm
very happy to be here. My first school was a one-room school on Duck
Run Road (in Scioto County) with a wood-burning stove. And I knew what
it meant to 'prime the pump.'
"Hillsboro is a special place and this is a special day," the
governor said. "I'm proud of the fact that we are building a number of
new schools and that they are energy-efficient schools. ... Ohio has
experienced some real challenges in recent months. We could have just
said 'woe is me,' but that would not be the appropriate course of
action. When times get tough, the tough get going. This school project
is consistent with our economic development plans for Ohio."
Strickland stressed the connection between quality education and
economic development and job creation. "We must support education in
Ohio. The quality education in our classrooms will determine the
quality of our jobs," Strickland said. "This is a beneficial facility
for you and you ought to be proud of it. The learning that will take
place in this facility will provide opportunities for our children and
grandchildren to be successful.
"I believe we are doing more in Ohio than is being done in any other
state to provide for our kids. This is only possible because people in
the local community cared enough about the kids to tax themselves."
After the governor's well-received address, Ohio Rep. David Daniels
talked about the positive impact the new campus provides. "This is for
you," Daniels told the students. "This is free. It's for a better life
for you. All you have to do is take it."
Daniels presented a proclamation from the Ohio House of
Representatives to the district.
Highland County Clerk of Courts Paulette Donley also presented a flag
to the district on behalf of Sen. John Carey.
Hillsboro City Schools Board of Education President Darrell Wilson
began his remarks with a single, exclamatory sentence: "Wow!" Wilson
said.
"We are so blessed. We live in a great area and a great community. We
have a great school board and on behalf of the board, I thank each of
you. May God bless you."
Hillsboro students Ali McKenna and Cody Mathews, representing the
middle school and high school, respectively, spoke on behalf of the
student body. They, too, thanked the community for supporting the
school facilities.
"We're very excited to make this new school our home," McKenna said.
"We want to thank Gov. Strickland and everyone for being
here...everyone except the McClain Tigers (Hillsboro's longtime sports
rival)."
McKenna's comment on the rival McClain Tigers drew a bit of laughter
except from Ohio Rep. David Daniels, a McClain graduate, who was
seated in the front row. "Hey!" Daniels responded, to even more
good-natured laughter and applause.
Mathews told the crowd "I've gone to Hillsboro schools my whole life
and I could never have imagined a building like this. This is a good
change and we must appreciate this building and all it provides for
us."
Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the 215,767-square-foot
structure and $34.5 million campus which houses some 1,319 students
and 85 classrooms, HHS Principal Rick Earley provided the closing
remarks for the district.
"We are very fortunate," Earley said. "The challenges to prepare our
students to be successful had a lot of barriers. Those barriers are no
longer there. We have a phenomenal staff. We'd be hard-pressed to find
a better staff."
Earley said the goal is to become a national Blue Ribbon school. To
much applause, Earley mentioned the district's agreement with Dr.
Sherry Stout, president of Southern State Community College, to
promote the Ohio Post-Secondary Enrollment Option Program at the high
school.
Earley closed the afternoon ceremony in much the same manner as
Principal Burrows opened it: by thanking the taxpayers and the
community.
"Thank you for coming," Earley said. "And thank you for giving us the
opportunity to educate your children."[[In-content Ad]]
campus Sunday afternoon.
As hundreds gathered to attend the formal dedication held in the
school auditeria, the overwhelming message from all speakers was one
of appreciation.
Following a five-selection prelude by the Hillsboro symphonic choir,
under the direction of David White, a series of speakers from students
to Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland paid homage to the Hillsboro taxpayers and
community for supporting the project.
In his opening remarks, Hillsboro Middle School Principal Chris
Burrows asked each taxpayer in the Hillsboro City Schools district to
stand and be recognized. "Thank you, each and every citizen and
taxpayer in the Hillsboro City Schools," Burrows said. "Thank you for
providing this state-of-the-art facility."
Burrows said the district's goal is to "create an environment where
all students want to come to learn; where all teachers want to come to
teach; and where all parents want to send their children."
After an invocation by the Rev. Maurice Mitchell of the Hillsboro
Presbyterian Church, the Pledge of Allegiance, national anthem and
school alma mater, Hillsboro City Schools Superintendent Art Reiber
introduced guests and, like Burrows, offered his appreciation to the
community.
"So many people contributed to this project," Reiber said. "But first
of all, to the kids, this building is for you. We thank our community,
whose tax dollars made this a reality. We thank our board of education
for their commitment of dollars and technology.
"The future for the students of Hillsboro City Schools is bright,"
Reiber said. "We give our children many gifts, but one of the best
gifts we can give them is a quality education."
As he introduced school board vice president J.D. Wagoner, who had
the honor of introducing Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, Reiber, a
Republican, thanked the governor for doing his best to "hold harmless"
Ohio schools during the difficult budget process.
Strickland opened by telling the people he has represented, not only
as governor, but also as the former Sixth District congressman, "I'm
very happy to be here. My first school was a one-room school on Duck
Run Road (in Scioto County) with a wood-burning stove. And I knew what
it meant to 'prime the pump.'
"Hillsboro is a special place and this is a special day," the
governor said. "I'm proud of the fact that we are building a number of
new schools and that they are energy-efficient schools. ... Ohio has
experienced some real challenges in recent months. We could have just
said 'woe is me,' but that would not be the appropriate course of
action. When times get tough, the tough get going. This school project
is consistent with our economic development plans for Ohio."
Strickland stressed the connection between quality education and
economic development and job creation. "We must support education in
Ohio. The quality education in our classrooms will determine the
quality of our jobs," Strickland said. "This is a beneficial facility
for you and you ought to be proud of it. The learning that will take
place in this facility will provide opportunities for our children and
grandchildren to be successful.
"I believe we are doing more in Ohio than is being done in any other
state to provide for our kids. This is only possible because people in
the local community cared enough about the kids to tax themselves."
After the governor's well-received address, Ohio Rep. David Daniels
talked about the positive impact the new campus provides. "This is for
you," Daniels told the students. "This is free. It's for a better life
for you. All you have to do is take it."
Daniels presented a proclamation from the Ohio House of
Representatives to the district.
Highland County Clerk of Courts Paulette Donley also presented a flag
to the district on behalf of Sen. John Carey.
Hillsboro City Schools Board of Education President Darrell Wilson
began his remarks with a single, exclamatory sentence: "Wow!" Wilson
said.
"We are so blessed. We live in a great area and a great community. We
have a great school board and on behalf of the board, I thank each of
you. May God bless you."
Hillsboro students Ali McKenna and Cody Mathews, representing the
middle school and high school, respectively, spoke on behalf of the
student body. They, too, thanked the community for supporting the
school facilities.
"We're very excited to make this new school our home," McKenna said.
"We want to thank Gov. Strickland and everyone for being
here...everyone except the McClain Tigers (Hillsboro's longtime sports
rival)."
McKenna's comment on the rival McClain Tigers drew a bit of laughter
except from Ohio Rep. David Daniels, a McClain graduate, who was
seated in the front row. "Hey!" Daniels responded, to even more
good-natured laughter and applause.
Mathews told the crowd "I've gone to Hillsboro schools my whole life
and I could never have imagined a building like this. This is a good
change and we must appreciate this building and all it provides for
us."
Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the 215,767-square-foot
structure and $34.5 million campus which houses some 1,319 students
and 85 classrooms, HHS Principal Rick Earley provided the closing
remarks for the district.
"We are very fortunate," Earley said. "The challenges to prepare our
students to be successful had a lot of barriers. Those barriers are no
longer there. We have a phenomenal staff. We'd be hard-pressed to find
a better staff."
Earley said the goal is to become a national Blue Ribbon school. To
much applause, Earley mentioned the district's agreement with Dr.
Sherry Stout, president of Southern State Community College, to
promote the Ohio Post-Secondary Enrollment Option Program at the high
school.
Earley closed the afternoon ceremony in much the same manner as
Principal Burrows opened it: by thanking the taxpayers and the
community.
"Thank you for coming," Earley said. "And thank you for giving us the
opportunity to educate your children."[[In-content Ad]]