The parents and students of Hawthorne Elementary lined up at the entrance of the Strawberry Farms subdivision, eager to welcome teachers and staff to their neighborhood as part of the school’s first-ever Back to School parade.

Several kids held signs with messages of love, support and excitement to return to school. Parents stood close by with their phones cued up to take pictures and videos. The parade hadn’t started and already Principal Ernest Clinkscale and Assistant Principal Kristen Millet were getting emotional.

“It was such a good reminder after having been away from kids for six months that they need us and we need them,” Millet said. “This is why we do what we do — to have those connections.”

The Westerville City School District’s Board of Education is seeking applicants for two open positions on the district’s audit committee, which serves as a professional link between the Board and external auditors.

A new broadband access pilot will provide refurbished computers and internet hotspots with a year’s worth of prepaid unlimited internet service, to low-income households with students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

The Westerville City School District launched a new dashboard in response to a state mandate requiring all Ohio school districts to report cases of COVID-19 among its school populations.

It wasn’t long into Principles of Biomedical Science at Westerville Central High School (WCHS) when Kendel Seabury knew she was all in on the district’s health pathway program. 

She was fascinated by lessons on how the body works and considered applying her interest in science to becoming a teacher. But the more classes she took — including Diana Arko’s Medical Interventions course — the more she realized that nursing better aligned with her interests in health care and working with people.

Westerville City Schools had previously announced Sep. 24, Nov. 12, Jan. 28, and March 11 as early release dates. Under traditional school year operations, students would be released from school one hour earlier than normal dismissal times to allow for staff professional development.