District News

The Westerville City Schools Board of Education will hold a special meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, at the district's Early Learning Center located at 936 Eastwind Drive.

Westerville City School District (WCSD) Treasurer/CFO Nicole Marshall recently informed Board of Education members that her financial projections in November — where the district delayed entering deficit spending for at least one more fiscal year — have remained steady.

Westerville City Schools’ Summer Enrichment Theatre program will now be bringing “Mean Girls the Musical” to the stage this summer. 

Westerville City School District teenagers interested in volunteering for ArtSTART activities during Uptown Westerville’s 4th Friday event can complete this form and send to Dr. Jan Fedorenko, education coordinator for the Arts Council of Westerville, at fedorenj@gmail.com.  

Julianne Schaffer, an English teacher at Westerville Central High School, Angela Zimmerman, a fourth-grade teacher at Whittier Elementary and Lowry Wisner, a third-grade teacher at Emerson Elementary have been named Westerville Education Foundation’s (WEF) May Teachers of the Month.

Westerville families can enjoy hands-on educational activities with WOSU Classroom as part of Second Saturday Kids Day during the Columbus Arts Festival 9-11 a.m. Saturday, June 10 in front of COSI.

The courtyard in Genoa Middle School is now filled with cement pavers covered in brightly-colored tiles and clay symbols — each representing the student artist who created them. 

For years, Andy Zygmunt walked along the sidewalks of Westerville Central High School the day after the school’s annual Arts Alive Festival, marveling over the chalk art designs created by hundreds of students.

Westerville South High School junior Nabiha Ilkaqor launched the Power to Poets club this year to help her peers — within and beyond WSHS — express themselves through poetry. 

Lauren Orth, an athletic trainer at Westerville South High School, received the Ohio Athletic Trainers’ Association’s Linda Weber Daniel Outstanding Mentor Award during the association’s annual meeting earlier this month.

Westerville Central High School senior Isabella Williams is the recipient of the National Merit $2,500 Scholarship, according to a recent announcement by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC).

Rachel Shoemaker, a second-grade teacher at Wilder Elementary and Maureen Hogarth, a kindergarten teacher at Hawthorne Elementary have been named Westerville Education Foundation’s (WEF) March Teachers of the Month.

The WEF April Teachers of the Month recipients include Sarah Shaffer, music teacher at Genoa Middle School; Elizabeth Byers-Spurlock, a kindergarten teacher at Fouse Elementary and Jim Ledford, a first-grade teacher at Alcott Elementary.

Annie Corbett, the clerk at McVay Elementary has been named the Westerville Educational Support Staff Association’s Staff Member of the Month for May.

The Westerville North High School community raised $2,820 for the Friends of Faith Pruden Foundation as part of its seventh annual Faith’s Spirit Week and third annual Strike Out Cancer fundraiser on April 29.

Westerville North High School senior Cori Bohan signed a letter of intent on Monday to play soccer at William Smith College in New York.

Genoa Middle School’s sixth-grade team earned top honors at a district-wide Battle of the Books competition on May 11 at Westerville North High School’s auditorium.

The Ohio Department of Education is now accepting applications from families to establish Afterschool Child Enrichment (ACE) Educational Savings Accounts for the 2022-23 school year. 

The Westerville Sunrise Rotary recognized the eight recipients of this year’s Service to Youth awards at the group’s meeting on Wednesday.

Students in Emily Kessler and Kelly Balaz’s second-grade classes at Hanby Elementary collaborated with Generations Performing Arts Center to perform the Princess and the Frog Fairytale Dance on May 15 at Westerville Central High School. 

Westerville City Schools Treasurer/CFO Nicole Marshall presented testimony before the Ohio Senate Education Committee on May 10 on House Bill 33, the state’s budget bill for fiscal years 2024 and 2025.

The bill includes proposals to expand eligibility for the state’s EdChoice scholarship program and continue implementation of the Fair School Funding Plan — both of which were the focus of Marshall’s testimony.

The kindergarteners started the school year learning their letters and letter sounds. Then, they used drawings to represent stories. Eventually, they learned to connect letters with words and before long, they started writing out sentences with words they frequently encounter in class.

Genoa Middle School eighth-graders’ recent trip to Washington D.C. included a special stop: a visit with Westerville North High School alum Vijay Shanker, who serves as a judge on the District of Columbia Court of Appeals D.C. Court of Appeals.

The open fields at Westerville South High School offered Emerson and Hanby elementary students, staff and parents an opportunity to come together Wednesday for a combined field day.

Genoa Middle School art teacher Juls Rathje has taken a new approach to teaching perspective with her eighth-grade students thanks to a new project in partnership with the Arts Council of Westerville and Westerville Public Library.

Westerville City Schools students have multiple opportunities to receive meals over the summer. 

Four Westerville Central High School seniors who have chosen to enlist in the military following graduation were honored in the school’s annual Military Signing Day on Wednesday.

Twenty Westerville Central and Westerville South high school seniors pursuing degrees in the arts were honored at annual Fine Arts Signing events this week.

Ten Westerville City Schools seniors recently signed their letter of intent for a collegiate sport.

The Rotary Club of Westerville recognized its May 2023 Students of the Month during a recent meetings.

Westerville sixth-grade students in advanced math classes competed in the 2022-23 Continental Mathematics League Contest, which tests students’ problem solving, analytical reasoning, mathematical computation, and reading skills.

It’s a party that’s been years in the making at Westerville South High School.

For the past month, Emerson Elementary second-graders have researched people who have changed the world, examining their lives from their birth to death or present day. They then created poster displays and crafted dolls out of water bottles.

Hanby Elementary fifth-grader Molly Asher recently assumed the role of her teacher, Tara Norling, as part of her Teacher for a Day incentive she won during the school’s Spring Bazaar.

The Westerville North High School male athletes who served as peer mentors to students at Heritage and Walnut Springs middle schools marked their final meeting with an end-of-the-school-year gathering on Monday.

Following interviews on May 1 with three finalists, the Westerville City School District (WCSD) Board of Education selected Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates (HYA) to lead its upcoming Superintendent search.

Westerville North High School seniors Noah Hohl and Ali Ali were familiar with Westerville Public Library — until they toured the spaces only available to staff and learned how it functions from behind the scenes.

Intervention specialist Erin Focht saw an opportunity to bring consistency to the recycling program at Westerville South High School while showing her students how they can make an impact in their environment.

The upcoming Westerville Prepared event offers Westerville students and families a unique opportunity to connect with employers in a way that can help shape students’ career path after high school.

Westerville parents and community members are invited to hear from students participating in the district’s first-ever Westerville Middle School Make-A-Thon on Sunday, May 21 at The Point at Otterbein University, 60 Collegeview Road. 

Camden Kuhlman, a kindergarten student in Stephanie Sahr’s class at Fouse Elementary, proposed the winning theme for the Rotary Club of Westerville’s 2023 Independence Day Parade: “Red, White and Blue and Liberty Too.”

Six Westerville City Schools students were among the winners in the annual Celebrate the Arts Writing Contest sponsored by the Arts Council of Westerville, Westerville Public Library and Friends of the Westerville Public Library. 

Westerville South Theatre Troupe 513 have received multiple nominations for the 2023 CAPA Marquee High School Musical Theatre Awards.

The Westerville Education Association honored educators at its annual Spring Reception on Wednesday, recognizing the 2022-23 Educators of the Year and celebrating the 10 teachers retiring this spring.

Pat Palumbo, the graduation and basketball coach at the Academic Enrichment Center, has been recognized by the Westerville Sunrise Rotary for going above and beyond to serve students.

Westerville Central High School senior Mariam Melikishvili collected 90 pounds of food as part of a spring food drive she organized in honor of Global Youth Service Day last month.

Two Westerville students are among the winners in the Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District’s annual conservation poster contest.

Westerville Winds, an indoor performance ensemble of woodwind and brass high school musicians, capped off its inaugural season by placing fourth with their show, “Knights of the Red Table,” during the finals of the World Championships last month. 

Westerville North High School senior Beynah Barre signed a letter of intent on Wednesday to play volleyball at Central State University this fall. 

The first-graders in Jim Ledford’s class at Alcott Elementary resumed operations of El Toro Loco on Friday — the first time the pop-up, student-run Mexican restaurant opened since the pandemic.

The third-graders at Alcott Elementary stood by their decorated tri-fold displays ready to talk about the “just right” book they wanted to share during Wednesday’s Reading Fair.

Fourth-graders at Emerson Elementary have been reading “A Long Walk to Water,”  which is based on the true story of one of the 3,800 Sudanese “Lost Boys” airlifted to the United States beginning in the mid-1990s. 

Huber Ridge Elementary recently hosted multiple events, including a field trip to the Columbus Symphony’s Young People’s Concert, fifth-grade interviews for their upcoming field trip to Junior Achievement of Central Ohio’s BizTown and the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program's graduation ceremony.

The WCSD Treasurer’s Office has again been recognized by the State of Ohio with the Auditor’s Award with Distinction following a clean audit for fiscal year 2022 with no findings or citations. 

Fifth-graders at Hanby Elementary are commemorating the school’s 100th birthday with a song that serves as their footprint in Hanby’s history.

Diverse books, robotics materials and a variety of instruments to foster multiple creative pathways to music learning are among the seven proposals awarded a 2023 Spring Grant from the Westerville Education Foundation (WEF). 

Westerville South High School welcomed the newest members to its Alumni Hall of Fame at a special ceremony Friday.

Minerva France Elementary has been recognized for its innovative design in the Spring 2023 Learning By Design magazine’s magazine's Educational Facilities Design Awards Showcase.

Westerville Central High School senior Rohan Mawalkar is the recipient of a National Merit Battelle Scholarship, according to a recent announcement by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC).

Westerville City School Deputy Superintendent Mark Hershiser has been recognized by the Westerville Sunrise Rotary for going above and beyond to serve students.

Lauren Mattioda, a secretary at Westerville North High School, has been named the Westerville Educational Support Staff Association’s Staff Member of the Month for April.

Incoming Westerville City Schools kindergarten students for the 2023-24 school year can learn more about safety issues — from school bus safety to stranger awareness — during the annual Safety City program.

Eight students at Genoa and Walnut Springs middle schools were awarded for their projects in the Ohio History Day competition, with one student advancing to the National History Day contest in June at the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland.

Westerville North High School senior Simon Falayi signed a letter of intent on Friday to play volleyball at Central State University this fall. 

Heritage Middle School eighth-graders Quinn Evans, Holden Gray, Ben Rutti and Devon Welsh wanted to extend their engineering experience after their class ended last semester. 

So engineering teacher Jason Siwek offered them a challenge: build a four-player arcade game with a cabinet that can be moved throughout the school.  

Westerville Central High School welcomed the newest members to its Alumni Hall of Fame at a special ceremony Friday.

Kirsten Drummond, a curriculum and instructional coach for the district’s Special Education Department, is the recipient of the 2022-23 Special Education Professional Award by the Westerville Area Civitan Club.

When Wilder Elementary counselor Natalie Cross noticed girls — especially fourth-graders — continued to ask for help to work through conflicts, it was clear there was a need for a deeper conversation. 

Westerville South High School’s Troupe 513 was honored at the Ohio State Thespian Conference on April 14-16 at Riverside High School in Painesville.

Westerville Caring & Sharing will be offering school supplies for qualifying students for the 2023-24 school year. 

Four Westerville City Schools seniors recently signed their letter of intent for a collegiate sport.

Juniors and seniors pursuing their International Baccalaureate diploma held court in Westerville South High School’s media center Thursday, stationed at tables where they showcased key milestones in their IB journey.

Westerville Central and Westerville South high schools competed against central Ohio teams in the Ohio Capital Conference Battle of the Books competition, with WCHS placing third at the event. 

The virtual instrument museum just outside of Emily Church’s music room at Minerva France Elementary features an array of instruments designed, created and tested by the school’s fifth-graders.

Westerville children and teens can submit artwork for the Youth Art & Craft Exhibit at the 48th annual Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce Music & Arts Festival.

The Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting an Election Academy for individuals in Westerville interested in running for elected office.

As of the April 7 deadline, seven companies and/or organizations submitted a proposal to support the Westerville City School District Board of Education during its upcoming Superintendent search process. 

April is now considered Hanby Centennial Celebration Month following a City of Westerville proclamation at the April 4th City Council meeting. 

Twelve Westerville City Schools employees were honored for their contributions to students, dedication to their schools and their commitment to district values as part of the A+ Award recognition at Monday’s school board meeting.

Westerville North High School welcomed the newest members to its Alumni Hall of Fame at a special ceremony Friday.

Two seniors at Westerville North High School recently signed their letter of intent for a collegiate sport.

The Westerville Education Challenge is hosting a Night of Hope 5K and Family Fun Run to promote community, education and unity to raise awareness about mental health as well as combat mental health stigmas.

The event is Aug. 26 at Westerville North High School. Registration for the event opens in June.

The Westerville City School District Board of Education on March 24, 2023, issued a formal Request for Proposal (RFP) for executive search services as they seek a replacement for departing Superintendent Dr. John Kellogg.

Westerville North High School hosted its annual Warrior Way Leadership Summit on Thursday, bringing student leaders across the building together to foster relationships, build a community and provide an example of how students treat each other. 

Westerville South High School junior Nabiha Ilkaqor — who recently was re-elected as senior class president after serving as junior class president this year — is taking on another leadership role to serve students throughout Ohio.

Last month, Ilkaqor was elected student president for the executive board of the Ohio Association of Student Leaders (OASL), a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping middle and high school students foster leadership skills to make positive change in their schools and communities.

The American Sign Language lesson for the third-graders in Rachel Lysaght’s class at Mark Twain Elementary focused on animals. 

Westerville South High School senior Kaylie Clark and junior Talia Cole stood at the front of the classroom, teaching students the signs for dog, cat, cow, sheep, goat, snake and more. Wednesday’s lesson marked their fourth of eight visits scheduled through April to introduce kids to the visual language. 

The Kiwanis Club of Westerville recognized the top 10 graduates from Westerville Central, North and South high schools on Wednesday as part of its 61th annual Academic Varsity Awards.

Gianna Harvey, an eighth-grader at Walnut Springs Middle School, is a girls wrestling state champion after competing in the Ohio Girls Wrestling State Championships on March 19 at the Covelli Centre in Youngstown.

Westerville City School parents and community members can learn more about the programs, projects and initiatives throughout the district's classrooms at the Westerville Education Foundation's second annual Grow and Glow event at the new Minerva Park Middle School. 

Mason Wu, an eighth-grader at Blendon Middle School, competed in the U.S. Chess Federation’s National High School (9-12) Championships last week in Washington, D.C. 

Sarah Edelson, a second-grade teacher at Minerva France Elementary, and Tricia Hall, the music teacher at Annehurst Elementary have been named Westerville Education Foundation’s (WEF) February Teachers of the Month.

Two Westerville City Schools students received top honors in the 2022-23 Ohio PTA Reflections award program, which recognizes student achievement in literature, music, dance, film production, photography, music composition and visual arts.

The Westerville Public Library is hosting multiple author visits this spring and summer.

The students and staff participating in the latest project by Westerville North High School’s Young Feminist Club were prompted by the same question: What do you bring to the table?

The Westerville City School District (WCSD) Board of Education on Monday approved the resignation of Superintendent Dr. John R. Kellogg, who has accepted a new Superintendent in Residence position that will work jointly with Columbus State Community College (CSCC) and the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio (ESCCO).

Westerville North High School senior Carson Bopp signed a letter of intent to play football at the University of Findlay on Wednesday. 

The fifth annual Diabetes Dash 5K Run/Walk originally organized by Westerville North High School student Ryan Washburn is July 23 at the Westerville Sports Complex. 

The Westerville Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW), with cooperation from the WCSD Gifted Education Department, has awarded four $325 partial scholarships to the Be WISE Camp at Muskingum University in New Concord this summer. 

Kyle Guilliams’ second volunteer stint as part of Robert Frost Elementary’s Watch D.O.G.S was packed with activity.

He refereed a football game among fourth-grade boys, served as goalie during a soccer match with fifth-graders and alternated between kicking a ball with one student and joining his daughter and her friends for a game of four-square.

“It’s another adult presence — a dad — helping out and interacting with the kids,” Guilliams said. “And for those who might not have a dad at home, it’s an experience for them.” 

“I enjoy it as much as they do.” 

Carmen Dobbins, the athletic director at Heritage Middle School, has treasured her time with her granddaughter, who has been living with her for more than seven years.

Westerville City Schools is upgrading its current student medical records program to a new, easy to use, family accessible platform called SchoolCare. SchoolCare adheres to strict privacy regulations (FERPA & HIPAA) to ensure the confidentiality and security of your student’s school required health information. 

For the next six weeks, members of the Girl Talk-Power Circle at Heritage and Genoa middle schools will develop their leadership skills, learn how to advocate for themselves and find their passion.

It’s a journey their peers at Blendon and Walnut Springs middle schools recently completed as part of a new empowerment program for middle school girls that was launched by the Educational Equity Department at the start of the year. 

The fifth-graders at McVay Elementary have brought back an experience that hasn’t been in school since before the pandemic: the student performance.

Westerville City Schools’ Summer Enrichment Theatre program is bringing the musical “Barnum” to the stage. 

The Rotary Club of Westerville recognized its March 2023 Students of the Month during a March 2 meeting.

Since the start of the year, the kindergartner students in Stephanie Sahr's class at Fouse Elementary — much like their peers across the district — have learned about letters. They've explored the different sounds they make, practiced writing them and developed their ability to identify and manipulate individual sounds in words.

Rhonda Hoffman, an administrative assistant at the Academic Enrichment Center, has been recognized by the Westerville Sunrise Rotary for going above and beyond to serve students.

All across Westerville elementary schools, students are diving into their science lessons by exploring a variety of questions: How do you find animals in the woods? Where do clouds come from? Why did the dinosaurs go extinct?