Cincy Magazine August/September 2018 by Cincy Magazine

Widmer Case: 10 Years Later

BEST SCHOOLS

100+ Schools Ranked PLUS:

Private Schools Guide Jasmine Horner, Student at Winton Woods High School

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Contents

The Magazine for Business Professionals

A u g u s t /S e pt e m b e r 20 1 8

Best Schools 2018

View 4 Publisher’s BY ERIC HARMON 6 Contributors 8 Web Exclusives Cincy 9 Inside Behind the scenes of Lebanon’s

31 A&E Calendar 39 Gaming Guide 2018

Country Applefest, discovering the Westside Market and what Cincinnati’s sales tax goes toward.

12 Scene

BEST SCHOOLS It’s time for our annual guide to the region’s education offerings. Read on for our ranked list, private school guide, educational programs, outstanding educators and profiles of Cincinnati Public Schools and St. Gertrude School.

46 Rankings Area casinos offer amenities and features that stretch far beyond gaming. BY KARINA BAFFA

CINCY LIVE

44 Dining

28 Saddle Up

53 Programs 56 Outstanding Educators 60 Cincinnati Public Schools 62 Private School Guide 74 St. Gertrude School

The Old West Festival in Williamsburg promises a day of fun and history. BY JESSICA BALTZERSEN

Artists 30 Supporting The Warren County Historical

Society puts a strong emphasis on artists. BY MADISON RODGERS

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Nicola’s in Over-the-Rhine mixes homey Italian recipes with topnotch service. BY WILL JONES

COMMUNIT Y

76 Reflections on Leadership

LIVE WELL

BUSINESS

89 Team Building Guide 2018

103 The Right Kind of Help

Karen Bankston has joined the ranks of those who have fought poverty in Cincinnati. BY DAN HURLEY

View 78 Another ECOT charter scam has Ohio GOP on the ropes. BY DON MOONEY

Guest Column

Local companies offer plenty of opportunities for team building, no matter your goals or interests. BY ERIN GARDNER

94 Serving its Members Students with learning disabilities like dyslexia can often flourish in school if they are diagnosed and helped early in their education. BY DEBORAH RUTLEDGE New Democratic Party co-chairs have big plans for Hamilton County. BY GWEN MCFARLIN & CONNIE PILLICH

HOME

108 Not Just for Seniors

Ranger in the House

L&N Federal Credit Unionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s services are available to Hamilton County residents. BY ERIC SPANGLER

Calendar 96 Business & Directory Warren Davidson parachutes into Congress. BY PETER BRONSON

Homeowners of all ages are moving into the patio home market. BY AMY THORNLEY

Years Later, Widmer 84 10Case Still Mystifies

An excerpt from the new book, Submerged: Ryan Widmer, his drowned bride and the justice system. BY JANICE HISLE

112 Love Cincy

Cincy (ISSN-1934-8746) published in February/March; April/May; June/July; August/September; October/November; December/January for a total of six issues by Cincy, 30 Garfield Place, Cincinnati, OH 45202. Periodicals postage paid at Cincinnati, Ohio, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Cincy, 30 Garfield Place, Suite 440, Cincinnati, OH 45202. w w w.

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Publisher’s View

Time to Celebrate “I firmly believe that any man’s finest hours—his greatest fulfillment to all he holds dear—is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle—victorious.” - Vince Lombardi It is in this sentiment and with great joy that we announce that last month we were named Best Magazine at the Society of Professional Journalists Greater Cincinnati Pro Chapter Excellence in Journalism awards for 2017. You could say it’s been a quest of ours since we launched the magazine almost 15 years ago. The “quest” has seen some real characters as a part of the Cincy team, many with talents that far exceeded the salaries we could afford at the time. If you are one of these—and you know who you are—keep an eye out on the Cincy party line as we are looking to hold a soirée to celebrate sometime soon. You are very much a part of this win. Corinne Minard, our managing editor, should be given much of the credit. I continue to forget whether she started as an intern or hourly, but within her first months with the company she took ahold of responsibilities faster than we could figure out her titles. Five years later, she runs the show and has an awesome team of editors, writers and local freelancers that all make solid contributions each issue. Gu y Kel ly i s ou r creative director. It’s the highlight of our week when he presents upcoming cover concepts. To give him credit, he sits w ith patience as we debate the merits of his work; we usually end up liking his favorites anyways.

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Locally, veteran and family owned Editor & Publisher Eric Harmon

Managing Editor Corinne Minard Associate Editor Eric Spangler Contributing Writers Jessica Baltzersen, Peter Bronson, Liz Engel, Bill Ferguson Jr., Janice (Morse) Hisle, Dan Hurley, Will Jones, Gwen McFarlin, Don Mooney, Connie Pillich, Deborah Rutledge, Amy Thornley Editorial Interns Karina Baffa, Erin Gardner Creative Director Guy Kelly Art Director Katy Rucker Digital Content Editor Madison Rodgers Contributing Photographer Joe Simon Sales and Operations Manager Anthony Rhoades Custom Sales Manager Brad Hoicowitz Advertising Director Abbey Cummins Account Executive Tiffany Lacock, Susan Montgomery Inside Sales Ian Altenau, Katelynn Webb

Other all-stars that have been with the team 3 years or more include: - Abbey Cummins - Laura Federle - Brad Hoicowitz - Keith Ohmer - Katy Rucker - Eric Spangler Lastly, I would like to thank you, our readers, who afford us the opportunity to create something, which we believe makes a difference for our community. Thanks,

Advertising Manager Laura Federle Audience Development Coordinator Alexandra Stacey Events Director Hannah Jones Production Manager Keith Ohmer Events Intern Chris Riehl Audience Development Intern Mackenzie Gentile Cincy on the web: www.cincymagazine.com Cincy Co. LLC Cincinnati Club Building 30 Garfield Place, Suite 440 Cincinnati, OH 45202 Contact Cincy: information@cincymagazine.com or call (513) 421-2533. Go to www.cincymagazine.com to get your complimentary subscription to Cincy.

Contributors

Jessica Baltzersen holds an M.A. in English from Northern Kentucky University and works as a freelance writer and adjunct English instructor in the Greater Cincinnati area. Her background is in journalism, creative nonfiction and web content development.

Cincy Magazine contributing editor Peter Bronson is an author, editor, publisher and owner of Chilidog Press LLC. He is a former reporter, columnist and editor at The Cincinnati Enquirer, The Tucson Citizen and other newspapers in Arizona and Michigan.

Liz Engel is a business writer, runner and once-upon-atime volleyballer who found her way back to the Queen City following stints in North Carolina and Tennessee. She’s spent more than a decade covering topics like health care, transit and entrepreneurship.

Bill Ferguson Jr. is a writer/ editor/communications consultant who has spent 40-plus years as an editor and reporter for six newspapers, beginning at age 14 as a sports reporter for his hometown daily.

Janice (Morse) Hisle was a Cincinnati Enquirer reporter for 15 years, mostly covering suburban public safety, and has done freelance work for the Associated Press. She recently finished writing her first truecrime book.

Dan Hurley is a local historian and the president of Applied History Associates, which works with museums and historical societies throughout the Eastern U.S.

A marketing communications professional born and bred in Cincinnati, Will Jones enjoys telling the stories behind brands and making them appeal to any and everyone.

Gwen McFarlin and Connie Pillich are the new co-chairs of the Hamilton County Democratic Party. They are the first women to lead the party in the county.

Don Mooney is a Cincinnati attorney, a past member of the Cincinnati Planning Commission and active in local politics.

Deborah Rutledge is a freelance feature writer, originally from Northern Ohio, who has lived and worked in Cincinnati for nearly 20 years.

Joe Simon is a Cincinnati native but travels back and forth from Cincinnati and Chicago. He’s a freelance photographer and been shooting since 1997. He’s been a regular contributor to Cincy Magazine and The Cincinnati Enquirer.

Amy Thornley is a freelance writer, studio manager, event planner and yoga teacher. She and her family fell in love with Cincinnati eight years ago.

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Web Exclusives CINCY TOP 5 STORIES 1 Rating the Burbs 2018 by Bill Ferguson Jr.

INSIDE: 43 Top 10 Communities 45 Inside Montgomery

2 The West Side’s Little Gem: Nathanael Greene Lodge by Eric Spangler

46 Education Chart In our 12th annual Rating the Burbs feature, we look at our local communities to see how they stack up against each other. See where the Tristate’s top communties fall on this years list.

Compiled by Bill Ferguson Jr.

48 Top 50 Communities 54 Crime Chart 56 How We Did It

3 More than an Eye Exam: Tristate Eye Health by Deborah Rutledge

another business area in the northern part of the city. Madeira operates three parks: Sellman Park (10 acres); McDonald Commons Park (17 acres); and Nelle V. Hosbrook Bird Sanctuary (2 acres).

3 Reily Township (Butler)

Reily Township breaks into the top 10 for the first time, after making the top 50 list almost every year. One of 13 townships in Butler County, Reily was formed out of St. Clair Township in 1807. With a population of just more than 2,700, the township ranks highly in safety, experienced a 51 percent gain in its median home-sale price in the past five years, to $237,250, and has one of the highest homeownership rates in Greater Cincinnati. The township is still rural and peaceful, with many rolling hills, woodlands and agricultural fields. The Indian Creek winds through the township, which was home to many Miami Indians in the early days.

Kentucky International Airport. The first known permanent settlers arrived about 1785 from Virginia. Landmarks include River Ridge Elementary School, Villa Madonna Academy and Sisters of St. Walburg Monastery. Thanks in part to a loan of $300 from the Villa Hills Civic Club, the city was incorporated June 7, 1962, after fears of annexation by Covington. Six parks and fields provide residents with recreational opportunities.

Union Township 4 (Warren County)

Good schools, low crime and a strong housing market keep Union Township in the top five for a third consecutive year. The township, which sits in the central part of Warren County, is served by four school districts, with high-scoring Kings Local School District and Lebanon City School District being primary. The township of 5,084 residents maintains two parks, William H. Hackman Park and Willard E. Spicer Park, as well as two cemeteries. Union was formed Jan. 3, 1815, from parts of Deerfield and Turtlecreek townships and is one of 11 townships in Warren County.

4 Another View: Remembering Boss Cox by Don Mooney 5 Honoring a Promise: Western & Southern by Eric Spangler

1 Montgomery

A regular top 20 Rating the Burbs community, Montgomery consistently ranks well in almost all categories and this year sits atop the list for the first time since 2008. The Sycamore Community School District provides a strong educational foundation for the city’s students (No. 6 among school systems this year). Despite already being one of the most expensive areas for houses, Montgomery’s median home-sale prices jumped almost 60 percent in the past five years to $420,000. The 5.3-square-mile city of 10,582 was settled in 1796, when six families moved from Orange County, New York, and grew to a city in 1971. The city’s six parks and a nature preserve, with 96-plus acres of protected green space, plus a pool, provide recreation and relaxation for residents. The parks are connected by more than 10 miles of sidewalks and bike paths.

2 Madeira

With the exception of one year, Madeira has placed No. 1 or No. 2 among the Burbs since 2010. A strong city school district and a relatively low crime rate Villa Hills, Ky. make this suburb an attractive place to Villa Hills, a city of almost 7,500, is live. Access to Interstate 71 is convenient, built on what was once rolling farmland with downtown Cincinnati just 12 miles along the Ohio River. Low crime (No. 3 away. Median home-sale prices were up this year), strong homeownership and almost 40 percent from five years earlier, a 54 percent gain in median home-sale to $310,000. The upscale Kenwood Towne price propel it back into the top 10 after Centre mall also is nearby. Although its a year off. The city is more of a bedroom land area is zoned 90 percent residential, it community, containing mostly residential still has a thriving central business district housing with quick access to downtown containing more than 150 enterprises and Cincinnati and Cincinnati/Northern

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6 Fort Thomas, Ky.

This city of 16,445 residents celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2017. Strong schools, low crime and proximity to downtown Cincinnati make Fort Thomas an attractive place to live. Named in honor of Civil War Gen. George Henry Thomas, considered one of the top Union generals, the city has a vast military history. Originally named District of the Highlands, property owners changed the name to w w w.

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DIALOGUE AAF Cincinnati @aafcincinnati Whoa! Nice win, @CincyMagazine! Congrats from @aafcincinnati @AAFDistrict5 and @AAFNational. Your staff is amazing! Northern Kentucky Tri-ED @NKYTriED Congrats to @AquiSenseTech on your @CincyMagazine MANNY Award for innovation! @AquiSense

VIDEO Cincy Magazine has kept busy this summer with its many events. Not able to attend them? Visit YouTube.com/CincyCompany to see a video re-cap of our MANNY Awards.

ONLINE EXCLUSIVES Looking for more stories about the Tristate and its many events? Visit CincyMagazine.com/ Main/online-exclusives.aspx to read onlineonly stories each week. Current stories include a Q&A with Rob Reifsnyder as he retires from the United Way. 8

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Michelman @Michelman Thank you @CincyMagazine for hosting the 12th annual #MANNYAwards last night. Along with @CINCINNATI_INC, The Metal Working Group, @MesaIndustries, and @RichardsInd we were honored to win a 2018 MANNY Award for “Best Place to Work. ow.ly/RvfF30kv7fr Sycamore Schools @SycamoreSchools Congrats to @MontgomeryOhio for being named the Top Community of 2018 by @CincyMagazine! “We like to say that great schools make great communities, and great communities make great schools.” We agree! #SycamoreStrongcincymagazine. com/Main/Articles/…

InsideCincy

Handmade Fun LEBANON’S COUNTRY APPLEFEST MIXES LOCAL, HOMEMADE CRAFTS WITH FALL FLAVORS By Karina Baffa

Lebanon’s Country Applefest features plenty of food (left) and music (above).

ood, art, hayrides and music—as summer comes to an end and the school year begins, Cincinnati gears up for a fall full of festivals. One in particular showcases work from local handmade craft vendors, is perfect for the entire family and gives back to the community. Held on the Warren County Fairgrounds Sept. 29, the 36th annual Country Applefest keeps it local, from its vendors and entertainment to its volunteers, all the way to its donations. “We’ve got over 200 craft vendors that do all their handmade craft items—it’s the only way they’re allowed to be permitted in our festival. But they are also local within a 50-mile radius, so we try to keep it at home,” says Jessie Lyn Fisher, the entertainment director of the Country Applefest. To be specific, 72 percent of this year’s vendors come from a 30-mile radius of the festival and 30 percent are from a 10-mile radius. The festival also features local nonprofit groups and is passionate about giving back.

Throughout the past nine years, the festival has donated $25,000 to the local food pantry as well as $10,000 to local nursing home residents. “Our community is very special to us. Being as we have the largest running festival in Warren County, we try to give back as much as we can,” Fisher says. From 2010 to 2013, the festival donated almost $3,000 to local Lebanon nursing home’s secret Santas. In addition, Country Applefest’s donations have supported the boosters club at Lebanon High School as well as Lebanon High’s AFJROTC. Members of Lebanon High School’s boosters club, along with cadets from the AFJROTC, serve as the festival’s parking coordinators. “We could hire out companies to come in and park our cars and things like that, but we put our trust in our local schools with their ROTC,” Fisher says. “Those cadets are amazing.” As for entertainment, Country Applefest brings in local dance studios and local bands to perform. Fisher’s venue, the Lebanon Grand Opry, is the sponsor

of the stage and her band is set to be one of the headliners. Although the rest of the headliners have yet to be narrowed down, Fisher assures that they strive to keep it local, and sponsorships help them bring in bigger headliners. “Sponsorships are important to us. They reach out and we try to give it right back,” she says. There’s not a chance the food booths won’t get you in the fall spirit. This year’s festival has a new requirement—all the food booths must offer something applerelated. You’ll be able to enjoy apple fritters, apple pies and caramel apples. Not feeling apples? You’re also welcome to kettle corn, southern barbecue ribs, burgers, hot dogs and much more. Country Applefest Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization and is made up entirely of volunteers. The festival is an alcohol-free, familyfriendly environment and will include homemade crafts, a variety of food and entertainment. Admission and parking are free. n w w w.

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Q&A

Six Questions with Krystle Gaiser WHAT TAKES PLACE AT THE WESTSIDE MARKET?

CO-FOUNDER OF THE WESTSIDE MARKET By Erin Gardner

ory and Krystle Gaiser founded Westside Market with the goal of shopping local. The couple, who are Michigan natives, own a beekeeping company, Gaiser Bee Co. Having lived in New York, Michigan and St. Martin, the Gaisers moved to Cincinnati to raise a family. In Monfort Heights, they have an 8.5-acre honey farm, which sparked Westside Market. Located at the parking lot next to NYPD Pizza in Cheviot, the small business pop-up market takes place on the first Saturday of every month MaySeptember from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. We spoke with Krystle Gaiser to learn more.

WHAT IS YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN THE WESTSIDE MARKET? I am the coordinator for the market. I make sure that that the vendors we have in the market are good quality vendors.

Everything. Our market is a monthly small business pop-up market. We provide an outlet for small business who are just getting started to present their products and their brand to the West Side because there isn’t anything like that over there. It allows people from all over to go shopping from local businesses.

IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU’RE DOING DIFFERENTLY WITH THE WESTSIDE MARKET THIS MONTH? The whole point of the market is to have something fresh and fun for everybody. Something we do different every month are the activities we do in the morning. Westside Fitness is exercise that is seen in a different perspective. Every month we have different farm animals. That’s something we wanted that separated us.

WHY SHOULD PEOPLE ATTEND THE WESTSIDE MARKET?

We want to create an area for local businesses to sel l t hei r stuff. We’re wrongfully labeled a farmers market—we’re a small business pop-up market. We’re putting money back into the economy because you’re buying tea f rom a g uy t hat lives a half a mile from the market that lives in Westwood. You’re spending money on him and his business. It all circles back and go e s bac k i nto ou r neighborhood. It can boost our economy. The Westside Market also includes exercise activities. 10

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Cory and Krystle Gaiser

WHAT WAS THE GOAL IN CREATING WESTSIDE MARKET? When we moved here, we have a [honey] store. We had contacted the zoning commissioner about doing [a market]. A couple months had gone by and just to make sure I had everything covered legally, we called him again. He said we couldn’t do it—it was against the law. Within 20 minutes of us deciding we weren’t going to do it anymore, one of the city council members from Cheviot came up to us at an event. He said he would love to have it in downtown Cheviot. Our mission was never to do this, it just came about. With our experience of doing markets already, it was meant to be.

WHY CHEVIOT? We wanted to get people to come into Cheviot and spend money and buy from local people that live in Cheviot and Westwood. A lot of people focus on OTR, but there’s a lot of great people in the West Side. It would be nice to develop this area. n

By the Numbers

Sales-Tax Facts The Hamilton County Board of Commissioners voted 2-1 June 18 to raise the county’s sales and use tax by 0.2 percent, effective Oct. 1, which would take the tax to 7.2 percent. Sales-tax rates range from 6.5 percent to 8 percent across Ohio, with the vast majority of the 88 counties (52) levying a 7.25 percent rate. The state of Kentucky does not allow counties to add to the state rate, which stands at 6 percent across the state. (Research by Bill Ferguson Jr.)

Highest sales-tax rate in Ohio:

8% (Cuyahoga County)

Butler County – 6.5% Clermont County – 6.75% Hamilton County – 7% Warren County – 7%

$30 million

Expected annual revenue from additional 0.2% in sales taxes in Hamilton County

$200.5 million Amount raised by Hamilton County sales tax in 2016

Hamilton County’s 7% sales-tax breakdown: 5.75% State of Ohio base sales-tax rate (2013) 0.5% Paul Brown Stadium/Great American Ball Park/ The Banks area (1996) 0.5% Piggyback on state tax rate for general use (1970) 0.25% Cincinnati Museum Center restoration (2015)

$10.8 billion

Amount raised in fiscal year 2017 by state of Ohio 5.75% sales tax (42.6% of revenue for the state)

SOURCES: OHIO DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION, KENTUCKY DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, COUNTY OF HAMILTON, OHIO w w w.

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SCENE

Scene

MANNY Awards

Cincy Magazine celebrated some of the top manufacturers in the Tristate at the 12th annual MANNY Awards June 13 at the Sharonville Convention Center. Gary Conley, former president of TechSolve, was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award. The event was sponsored by VonLehman, Gateway Community & Technical College, Wood Herron & Evans, Commerce Bank, EGC Design/Build and TechSolve. The community partners were the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and Clermont County Department of Community and Economic Development.

1 Amy and Lyle Hamilton of Richards Industries 2 Andreas Brockman, Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, and Craig Todd, Metal Working Group 3 From Commerce Bank: Steven Bloemer, Dawn Juriga, Benjamin Jackson and Hong DeVault 4 From Wood Herron & Evans: Dana Wothe and Jorge Tameron 5 Amy Padgett, Deceuninck North America; Chris Owens, Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber; and Greg Buscher, Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber 6 From Indelac Controls: Brittany Kendrick, Jason Robinson, Matt Robinson and Ashley Pilon 7 From Gateway Community & Technical College: Doug Penix, Teri VonHandorf, Christi Godman, Sam Collier and Rebecca Tuelmer

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Scene A Taste of Duveneck: the Art of Wine The Cincinnati Art Museum welcomed guests for its 28th annual food and wine event A Taste of Duveneck: the Art of Wine on June 8 featuring an extensive assortment of wine and beer, delectable local food, live music from the Naked Karate Girls and access to the entire museum, including free admission to special exhibition “Terracotta Army: Legacy of the First Emperor of China.” 1 Guests were free to explore the museum during the event. 2 Attendees could enjoy both the museum and its garden during the event. 3 Beer and wine were on hand. 4 All proceeds from the event support the Rosenthal Education Center (REC), a dedicated space where families can discover the Cincinnati Art Museum’s

collection in a fun and hands-on manner. 5 Restaurants like Eli’s BBQ, 3 Sweet Girls Caker y and Oriental Wok were at the event. 6 The Naked Karate Girls performed at the Taste of Duveneck 7 The event started at 6:30 p.m. and ended at 10 p.m. 2

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This year, we celebrate our 5 year anniversary. Please help us continue the mission of honoring those who have served us by joining us as a race sponsor. With your help, the events of the 2018 Honor Run Half Marathon will once again be the largest running, health, wellness, and exercise event based solely in Northern Kentucky. 14

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Scene City of Florence Memorial Day Parade & Event Each year, the city of Florence honors the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country by presenting its Florence Memorial Day Parade and Program. Held May 28, hundreds of residents and visitors attended the event to see floats, bands and vehicles of every kind march down Burlington Pike. Once the parade was completed both guests and veterans from all branches of the military gathered at the Veterans Memorial located on the campus of the Florence Government Center to hear the Florence Community Band and Chorus as well as a performance from Melissa SingerReed who sang “God Bless America” and “America the Beautiful.” 1 Children stood ready to fill their bags full of the candy and goodies thrown from the floats and other vehicles. 2 The parade featured veterans, Girl and Boy Scouts, motorcycles, jeeps, bands, fire engines

2 and police cars. 3 Mayor Diane Whalen emceed the program. 4 Veterans from all branches of the military were invited to attend.

Save the Date

A Promised Moment Friday August, 24th 2018 • 6:30 PM - 11:00 PM The Bell Event Centre 444 Reading Road, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Tax Services Jeanette Altenau

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To purchase tickets, visit: Healthmomsandbabes.org or call (513) 262-4139

Assurance Services Small Business Accounting Consulting Services www.fhf-cpa.com

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Scene Marian University Day at Great American Ballpark From Indianapolis to Cincinnati, the Marian University Knights came from near and far to celebrate Marian University Day at the Great American Ballpark on June 23. Students and alumni, along with their families, came to watch Marian University President Dan Elsener throw out the first pitch to get the game started. A few alumni, David Haire ’71, Jen Waning ’94 and Luke Elsener ’18, joined President Elsener on the field while a section of Knights cheered him on from the stands. 1 Marian University students and alumni from throughout the region came to watch the game. 2 Marian University President Dan Elsener 3 Several Marian University alumni were also invited on the field.

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Scene Art of Making Memories – An Evening in Paris Nearly 580 attendees crowded the pavilion level of JACK Cincinnati Casino, helping raise more than $210,000 for the Alzheimer’s Association of Greater Cincinnati at the annual Art of Making Memories – An Evening in Paris spring benefit on May 3. Guests enjoyed cocktails, a sit-down dinner, the opportunity to view and bid on framed Memories in the Making artwork along with other auction items, including a trip to Paris. The guest speaker was Greg O’Brien, author of On Pluto: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer’s. 1 Special guest speaker Greg O’Brien signs copies of his book, On Pluto: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer’s, included with each ticket 2 Alzheimer’s Association Board Member Cristina Chuecos and husband, Marc Cop, bid on auction items 3 Ginny Uehlin, VP of residential housing and healthcare for Art of Making Memories Presenting Sponsor, Episcopal Retirement Services (ERS) 4 Honorary Chairs, Susan and Dr. Derek van Amerongen 5 Committee Chair Gerry Brogman and wife, Vicki 6 Steve and Margaret Dobbins with Moe the Alz-ephant 7 Board Member Elizabeth Kinney and husband, Doug 8 Serve with Liberty Volunteers, Liberty Mutual

The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association is proud to announce that Ohio National Financial Services is stepping up to lead the fight against heart disease and stroke in Greater Cincinnati. We welcome Barbara A. Turner, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer as chair of the 2019 Go Red For Women campaign and Ohio National as presenting sponsor of the 2019 Go Red Experience. “Learning that heart disease is the #1 killer of women shocked me. The American Heart Association is impacting heart health through awareness, research and education and as a woman, mother, sister and wife, I felt compelled to be involved. Ohio National associates have come together to support the AHA’s work and take steps to improve their own heart health by participating in the AHA’s blood pressure monitoring program -- Check. Change. Control. 72 percent of participants improved their blood pressure this year. Heart disease and stroke have impacted my family for generations, so I’m honored to lead Go Red For Women in 2019 and make a difference today and for generations to come. I want to personally thank every person who has given time and effort to support this important cause. Please join me in working to ensure that women live longer, healthier lives.” - Barbara A. Turner

Barbara A. Turner Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer Ohio National Financial Services

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THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX this Holiday Season Book Your Holiday Party by October 31, 2018 and receive a Free 3rd Hour*! To schedule your party, call 859-652-7250 or email sales@axisalleylevee.com *Valid on venue fee only. Event must take place between November 1 and December 31, 2018. Minimum of a two hour event. Must include food and beverage package. Valid on Sunday-Thursday events only. Max value $1700. Does not apply to all inclusive packages. Event must be booked through group sales.

Newport on the Levee ~ 1 Levee Way, Suite 1112 ~ Newport, KY 41071 ~ AxisalleyLevee.com w w w.

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Scene Truepoint Wealth Counsel hosts Jacquie Denny of Everything But The House Truepoint’s recent luncheon at the Cooper Creek Event Center featured EBTH cofounder Jacquie Denny, who spoke on the topic of decluttering to over 150 clients, guests and Truepoint team members. The event was hosted by Truepoint’s Women’s Wealth Counsel, which seeks to meet the unique financial needs of women.

PHOTOS: LAUREN KREMER

1 From left: Abby Tuke, Jacquie Denny, C h r i s Ca rleton a nd Dena Joh n son 2 Truepoint’s Dena Johnson introduces Jacquie Denny. 3 Jacquie Denny of EBTH 4 John Neiheisel and Sindur McRedmond of EBTH appraise an item. 5 Truepoint’s Lauren Niestradt has a painting appraised by an EBTH specialist. 6 Truepoint Wealth Counsel’s team members 1

Community & Technical College

WATCH THE RIVERFEST FIREWORKS AT Great American Ball Park September 2 • 5 p.m.

Tours of the Ballpark • Full Beverage Service* • Dinner Private Fireworks Viewing • Reserved Parking Available Purchase Tickets or become a sponsor Now: gateway.kctcs.edu/riverblast Sponsored by:

*The sale and consumption of all alcoholic beverages is subject to Ohio law.

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18_0017_CAM_CincyMagazineAd_TerracottaArmyAugust_C03_v03henry.pdf

6/26/18

3:49 PM

CMY

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Scene The Artisan’s Apprentice Craft Class Ten Thousand Villages of Cincinnati kicked off its series of craft classes, called “The Artisan’s Apprentice,” in June with a lesson on how to make beaded scarves. Classes aim to teach a skill perfected by the many artisans the stores support while providing a fun night out with friends. The classes are $30 and include all refreshments and supplies, including tools to take home and make more crafts. Registration is required in advance. Call 513-802-5721 or 513-871-5840 to reserve your spot. 1 Class participants were able to pick their own material. 2 Participants were given many options. 3 An instructor showed how to bead the scarves. 4 A beaded scarf 5 The class provides all tools and supplies. 6 The classes are ideal for large groups. 7 A scarf in progress 8 Participants received feedback as they worked. 9 A participant with her finished scarf

American Cancer Society is grateful to our top sponsors who are helping us to save lives, celebrate lives and lead the fight for a world without cancer! THANK YOU

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Lebanon Garden Tour 2018 The 28th Annual Lebanon Garden Tour was held June 23- 24. Five private gardens and the gardens surrounding the Lebanon Train Station were on display for the public to enjoy and gather ideas for their own gardens. The event helped raise funds for the upkeep of the Lebanon Train Station and bridge box gardens. 1 One of five gardens featured on the tour. 2 Visitors were invited to gather inspiration for their own gardens. 3 The Lebanon Train Station 4 The public was able to stroll by each garden.

Powering success

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Every day, you're there for your clients, your customers and your community. And we're here for you, with the technology and services that help you stay connected. Because success is better when everything works together. We're pleased and proud to support the Cincy Entrepreneur Hall of Fame and salute its 2018 award winners. <br >

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ÂŠ 2018 AT&T Intellectual Property. AT&T, Globe logo, Mobilizing Your World and DIRECTV are registered trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks are the property of their respective owners. <br >

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YOUR CENTER FOR INSPIRATION

Get Inspired! SPCA Cincinnati

Fur Ball During a planning meeting for the Orlando Humane Society annual gala 20 years ago, Jake White joked that the event should be called the Fur Ball (cue kitten coughing). What was meant to be just a funny play on words then became a name that many animal welfare organizations have adopted for their annual fundraising events. Today, Jake White is the President and CEO of SPCA of Cincinnati, having returned to his home state of Ohio. White, along with a strong team of staff and volunteers at SPCA Cincinnati, put on the Fur Ball each spring at the Sharonville Convention Center to raise funds that have a direct, positive impact on our community. Since SPCA Cincinnati is an independent, stand-alone organization, all efforts and funds stay right here in the Cincinnati area. The SPCA’s 16th annual Fur Ball was held on April 28, 2018, with a theme of Emerald City and The Wizard of Paws. What makes the Fur Ball event successful is the team, with staff as a backbone and volunteers as the lifeblood. Every role is important and integral—including that of the Sharonville Convention Center. “Coming from the Central Florida area, with all of the amusement parks and Disney, there is a high level of customer service that I’ve come to expect,” says White. “Sharonville Convention Center has exceeded those expectations. All of our wishes, wants, needs and requests have been met with quick and effective solutions. They even helped us problem-solve, creating a new VIP experience for donors and sponsors.” Plans for the 2019 Fur Ball are already in motion and you can find more information about the event and other opportunities to get involved at the SPCACincinnati.org. Photo credit: Bruce Crippen

Contact Lisa Hodge to reserve your date 513.326.6465 • lhodge@cityofsharonville.com 11355 Chester Road • Cincinnati, OH 45246 www.sharonvilleconventioncenter.com Now Open!

LIVE!

OLD WEST FESTIVAL

page 28

WARREN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY page 30

A&E CALENDAR

page 31

GUIDE TO GAMING

page 39

DINING

page 44

JOEY MARTINEZ

Gary Clark Jr. will perform at the Taft Theatre Sept. 11.

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Saddle Up

The Old West Festival returns for another year of Western-inspired shows, re-enactments, activities and more.

THE OLD WEST FESTIVAL IN WILLIAMSBURG PROMISES A DAY OF FUN AND HISTORY By Jessica Baltzersen

odge Cit y, Kansas, in the 1870s was a lawless, gun slingin’ town made up of buffalo hunters, railroad workers, gamblers, drifters and good ol’ fashioned cowboys. In essence, it was the original western frontier from which we often derive our quintessential John Wayne movie references. The city’s beginnings are said to have started in 1871, when a cattle rancher by the name of Henry J. Sitler built a three-room sod house near the Santa Fe Trail and the Arkansas River that helped him manage his expanding cattle operation. His home became a regular stopping point for many travelers and traders near Fort Dodge. A few short years later the town turned into a booming cattle trade industry and hub for wayward pioneers. Today, the legend of Dodge City lives on through the Old West Festival, a recreated settlement modeled after the illustrious town. Established in 2007, Old 28

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West Festival takes visitors back in time to Dodge City’s western roots and frontier past with an annual fall festival located in Willamsburg, Ohio. This year’s opening family-themed weekend takes place Sept. 8 and 9 complete with giveaways and other family-centered events. For six weeks, visitors can expect an immersive experience of 19th century prairie life packed with live shows, period activities and nostalgic food.

A FAMILY TRADITION In the mid-1800s, westward expansion meant freedom. Americans were leaving the eastern homestead in hope of economic opportunities, upward mobility and independence. Old West Festival has successfully bottled up the heightened energy of these frenzied yet electrifying times and released its magic for modern Midwesterners, far from the western frontier, to experience and savor firsthand. Visitors can stroll through the 19th century streets where they’ll be greeted by period interpreters and antique storefronts selling western-themed and handmade crafts including pioneer dolls, western art, cowboy clothing, Native American jewelry and pottery.

Lined throughout the dusty streets are six entertainment stages featuring educational tales, sing-a-long songs and enthralling re-enactments. The stages are appropriately named after iconic Dodge Cit y establishments, including Long Branch Saloon—the most popular saloon in the city at the time—that hosted late night music, cold drinks, gambling and an infamous gunfight that killed buffalo hunter and gunman Levi Richardson. Other activities include a horseback riding show in Dodge House Arena, lasso and whip shows, magic shows, historical first-person storytelling, a variety of live musical acts, the Saloon Show with cancan dancing, a comedy show, scripted gunfights throughout the day and much more. Also new this year is the Old West Robbery escape room where visitors put their smarts and western wits to the test. Of course guests can also expect a homage to hearty old-western dishes like turkey legs, rattlesnake chili, buffalo burgers, ice cream, fudge and the classic old-time soft drink, sarsaparilla. For the owner, Drew Deimling, Old West Festival is all about time spent with the family—an opportunity to step back in time, away from cell phones, tablets,

movie screens and other distractions. “The essence of Old West Festival is about a simpler time—a nostalgic time. Our goal is to provide a full day of family fun so people can create memories that last a lifetime,” he says. Deimling also founded Frontier Friends, a nonprofit organization with a mission to “foster hope, happiness, and healing for underprivileged children, children who have been victims of abuse, and children

with life-threatening illnesses.” Through Old West Festival, 10,000 children and their families are given the opportunity to relive the Old West free of charge so those who might otherwise miss out can experience a full day of carefree fun. Children can partake in the excitement through a ride on the A&A express train, panning for gold in the town’s mine, lassoing a steer or practicing their aim with beginner bow and arrow activities. They can choose to relive pioneer life by traveling the frontier in covered wagons, on ponies or horses.

PRESERVATION OF THE PAST Aside from the entertainment and participatory elements of Dodge City’s arduous past, Old West Festival at its core provides the educational opportunity to learn and remember the cultural impact of America’s western frontier. The “Wild West” may have had a reputation for lawless, unfiltered mayhem but it straddled the line between barbarism and civilized progression toward a hopeful future—one that stretched America’s physical and economic boundaries. Through Old West Festival’s revitalization of historical towns like Dodge City it’s

not only an ode to the cool cowboy images of America’s past, or where we derived our pop culture phenomenon like GunSmoke or Clint Eastwood eye squints and famous one-liners, it’s a reminder to how we started out and how far we have come. It’s a reminder that saloons weren’t just for sing-a-longs and drinking, but a social hub for communication and even local politics. Or that trains and railroads weren’t merely a means for transportation but a significant symbol in the transformation of America’s agriculture, manufacturing and economic life during the time. In 1882 Fort Dodge, Kansas, closed and an 1886 January blizzard put a halt to the town’s cattle driving industry. Traders, ranchers and townspeople eventually moved further westward thus retiring Dodge City’s exhilarating momentum to a sleepy deserted town. However, its historical importance lives on through Old West Festival on Saturdays and Sundays from Sept. 8-Oct. 14. Visitors can also plan their visit during one of their many themed weekends like Women of the West, Halloween weekend and America’s Pastime weekend. For admission details and prices go to oldwestfestival.com. n

ABOVE: Re-enactors can be found everywhere at the Old West Festival. BELOW: A re-enactor shows off his lassoing skills.

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Supporting Artists THE WARREN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY PUTS A STRONG EMPHASIS ON ARTISTS By Madison Rodgers

he Warren County Historical Society kicked off 2018 by doing something different. “We were trying to get away from the image of being a place that was just a bunch of dusty old stuff that we were holding onto for people to come and look at,” says Vicky Van Harlingen, executive director of the Warren County Historical Society. “We are really here for education.” The Harmon Museum wanted to allow people to not only see physical things, but also think about the things that they were seeing. “We happened to have a couple of members that were art curators and they offered to come in and inventory our art collection,” says Van Harlingen. “We found out that we had an art collection that had a lot of the same artists that the Cincinnati Art Museum has on their walls.” The museum decided to put a little more emphasis on its art. It decided to create gallery shows. “A gallery show is when artists bring in their art and we set them up an exhibit,” says Van Harlingen. “We have an opening party and they can sell their work. People are able to see the whole museum and the work of these artists.”

Blown glass by Jim Delange 30

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The museum has seen an increase in visitors over the last few months due to the galleries. “It’s worked very well,” s a y s Va n H a r l i n g e n . “We’ve seen an increase in visitors who just come to see the art and walk around and see the collection.” The museum is now booked with galleries until 2020. “A lot of people are really interested in being part of it,” says Van Harlingen. Previous galleries have included Jim Delange, a blown-glass artist whose work is in t he Day ton Art Institute; Mary Jean Weber, an oil painter; and John Koepnick, a sculptor. In September, the Harmon Museum will be showcasing Charley Harper and Edie Mckee’s work. “Brett Harper, Charley Harper’s son, is doing a gallery show of his father and mother’s work,” says Van Harlingen. The Charley Harper gallery show will begin Sept. 7. The final art gallery of 2018 will be photographs by Kelly Joslin, who was just accepted into t he Metropolitan Museum TOP: A sculpture by John Keopnick of Art. The Harmon Museum ABOVE: A picture by Kelly Joslin ha s t wo more ga l ler y shows for its 2018 season, but plans to have County Historical Society has been upsix gallery shows in 2019. grading to make its location have univer“This part of the country has so much sally accessible entrances since October. great art in it,” says Van Harlingen. The only way into the building previously The Warren County Historical Society was by going up 18 steep steps. Now visihas also made changes to its entrances. tors are able to enter through ground level “We have a nice big parking lot that without taking any steps. people can park in and they can enter at “We’re really excited that now everybody ground level,” says Van Harlingen. Warren can get through the door,” she says. n

SUNDAY

AUGUST

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY 4 [8/4] Paddlefest, the nation’s largest paddling event, draws more than 2,000 people to the Ohio River.

2 [8/2-5] The 127 Yard Sale, considered to be the world’s longest, winds its way through Covington.

3 [8/3] Charlie Puth, known for his hit “How Long,” is joined by Hailee Steinfeld for a show at Riverbend.

7 [8/7] Indie rock band Band of Horses will play songs off its five studio albums at Bogart’s.

8 [8/8] Head to Riverbend for a night of iconic rock when Jeff Beck, Paul Rodgers and Ann Wilson perform together.

9 [8/9] The Cincinnati Zoo’s Wild About Wine event supports the zoo while providing samples of unique wines.

10 [8/10] Chicago and REO Speedwagon will play their many hits during a show at Riverbend.

12 [8/12] David Byrne, former lead singer of the Talking Heads, performs songs from his first solo album in 14 years at Riverbend.

13 [8/4-25] Throughout August, the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra brings music to the community with Summermuisk.

14 15 16 [8/11-19] The Western & Southern Open, which has been held in Cincinnati for more than 100 years, brings the world’s tennis stars to the region. 21 22 23 [8/22] Folk-pop singer Jason Mraz, known for his song “The Remedy,” brings his Good Vibes tour to Riverbend.

26 [8/25-26] The Ohio Valley Indigenous Music Festival showcases the music of Native Americans and other folk singers.

28 [8/28] Hard rock bands Breaking Benjamin and Five Finger Punch take the stage at Riverbend.

29 30 [8/29] Musician Terry Bozio shows off the musical possibilities of the drums with a show at the Southgate House Revival.

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11 [8/11] Blues acts from all over the country, as well as the winners of the Cincy Blues Challenge, come together for Cincy Blues Fest. 17 18 [8/17] [8/18] Southern rock Rapper G-Eazy icons Lynyrd is joined by acts Skynyrd play like Lil Uzi Vert, hits like “Sweet Ty Dolla $ign and Home Alabama” at YBN Nahmir for Riverbend. his 2018 Endless Summer Tour stop at Riverbend. 24 25 [8/24-26] [8/25] The 47th annual Trombone Shorty Germania and his all-star Society of line-up of New Cincinnati Orleans musicans, Oktoberfest will called Voodoo feature traditional Threauxdown, food and many brings the party to German beers. Riverbend. 31 [8/31] Watch the Cincinnati Reds take on the St. Louis Cardinals from the comfort of your own home.

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A&E Calendar Shop Till You Drop The 127 Yard Sale covers 690 miles from Addison, Michigan, to Gadsden, Alabama, but luckily for the Tristate a portion of that route is in Covington, Kentucky. Anyone can participate after signing up, so who knows what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find while shopping the sale. Aug. 2-5. MainStrasse Village, Covington, Ky. 127yardsale.com.

TGI Wednesday Sometimes you need some fun to help get you through the week. The free Party on the Purple concert series, held on the Purple People Bridge, features food trucks, drinks and many local bands. Wednesdays through Aug. 1. Purple People Bridge. partyonthepurple.com.

CINCY MAGAZINE CUSTOM 2018 Bengals Team Guide & Season Preview

New Coaches 2018 Draft Class Homegrown Talent

The Magazine for Business Professionals

Schedule, Tickets & More

RETURNS SEPTEMBER 1 A.J. Green and the Bengals are Ready to Rumble in the Jungle SUPPLEMENT TO PERIODICAL PUBLICATION

Let us show you how we can give you your very own publication. 513.421.2533

freedomcenter.org

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SPECIAL EDITION

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All About the Goetta From Goetta fudge and donuts to goetta pizza and loaded tots, if you can imagine it with goetta youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find it at the annual Glierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Goettafest. All food vendors are required to have at least three goetta dishes, so goetta lovers will easily be able to indulge in this regional treat. Aug. 2-5. Newport Riverfront. goettafest.com.

9/11

Commemorative Ceremony Remembering 9/11 and Honoring Those That Serve Tuesday, September 11th, 2018 5:00pm - 7:00pm Florence Community Plaza Mall Road

City of Florence www.florence-ky.gov

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SEPTEMBER

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

2 [9/2] Celebrate Labor Day weekend at Sawyer Point with the Western & Southern WEBN Fireworks at Riverfest.

4 3 [9/3] The West Chester Concert Series, featuring the West Chester Symphony, promises a musical night at Keehner Park. 11 10 [9/11] R&B musician Gary Clark Jr. takes the stage at the Taft Theatre.

9 [9/7-29] The Cincinnati Shakespeare Company presents its first musical with A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. 16 [9/16] Dispatch brings its summer and fall tour to Riverbend.

23/30 [9/23] Indie rockers Trampled By Turtles return to the Taft Theatre.

WEDNESDAY

SATURDAY

6 [9/6] Lady Antebellum and Darius Rucker join forces for a country show at Riverbend.

7 8 [9/7] Shops, restaurants and other businesses stay open late to welcome the public to Fairfield Avenue as part of the Shop Bellevue 14 15

[9/5] Three-time Grammy Award-winning Pentatonix performs at Riverbend Music Center. 12 [9/12] Take a closer look at the study of animals with Explore Zoology at the Creation Museum.

13 [9/13] Luke Combs and Lauren Alaina join Jason Aldean for a concert at Riverbend Music Center.

20 [9/20] Participate in the Lighthouse Fall Event at the Historic Samuel Allen House where the proceeds support Lighthouse Youth & Family 27

24 [9/24] 4U: A Symphonic Celebration of Prince honors his music and life at the Taft Theatre.

26 [9/26] Enjoy live music from Chaquis Maliq as part of the Thursday Night Concert Series at Summit Park.

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FRIDAY

17 [9/1-29] Playhouse in the Park presents its version of the Stephen King thriller Misery.

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THURSDAY

1 [9/1] Grab your wallet and shop local at Westside Market in Downtown Cheviot.

21 [9/21-23] Stuff your face with goetta and German beer at Oktoberfest Zinzinnati.

22 [9/22] American indie band Lord Huron brings its folkinspired sound to Bogart’s.

28 [9/28] Quirky indie band Modest Mouse, known for its hit “Float On,” comes to the Taft Theatre.

29 [9/29] Nicki Minaj and Future bring their NickiHndrxx tour to U.S. Bank Arena.

LIVE CincyLive is the home of all Cincy and NKY Magazine events, as well as our partners. From food and community events to professional and nonprofit ones, all can be found on CincyLive.

Alzheimer’s Association Reason to Hope

July 27, Cintas Center & Ronald Reagan Lodge John Beuerlein, Edward Jones; Nicholas Petricca, Walk the Moon; and Don Neyer, Al. Neyer, will talk about how their lives and work have been impacted by Alzheimer’s disease during this free event.

NKY Bourbon Festival

Oct. 4, Hilton Cincinnati Airport Northern Kentucky’s bourbon heritage runs deep. This new festival will honor NKY’s bourbon traditions while celebrating what’s new.

Seafood Boil & Beer

Best of the North

Cincy Entrepreneur Hall of Fame

Redwood Derby Club

July 28, Grainworks Brewing Compamy The first annual Seafood Boil & Beer features live island music with a 2.5lb individual serving of Crawfish, Crab Legs, Corn On The Cob, Shrimp and more.

Aug. 22, National Underground Railroad Freedom Center The Cincy Entrepreneur Hall of Fame showcases and honors the Tristate’s pioneering entrepreneurs and the entirety of the entrepreneur community.

Oct. 17, Sharonville Convention Center The Best of the North is will feature booths hosted by participating Best of the North finalists from categories including food, retail and service organizations.

Through April 23, Redwood Join the Redwood Derby Club! Three monthly winners will be drawn to receive $100 through April 23, 2019! All Derby Club members will then be invited to Night at the Races in May of 2019 celebrate the close of the 18-19 Derby Club year.

Best of the West

Sept. 27, Nathanael Greene Lodge Best of the West is back! This event is a celebration and competition between the top establishments from the West Side. (West of I-75)

Are you a nonprofit looking for a no upfront cost promotion for an upcoming event?

Contact: Eric Harmon, President & Publisher • eharmon@cincymagazine.com • 513-297-6205

A&E Calendar Music Fusion Musician Gary Clark Jr., whose version of The Beatles’ “Come Together” was featured in Justice League, is known for fusing blues, rock, hip hop and soul for a sound all his own. He’ll bring both his original songs and his covers to the Taft Theatre. Sept. 11. 8 p.m. $64.50-$39.50. Taft Theatre, 317 E. Fifth St., Downtown. 513-232-6220, tafttheatre.org.

September 27, 2018 at 5:30pm JACK Cincinnati Casino

Honoring Dianne Dunkelman and

Clever Crazes for Kids

http://events.cetconnect.org/live-on-cet

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Avengers Assemble Your favorite heroes from The Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy and more team up to save the world in Marvel Universe Live!: Age of Heroes. In addition to heroic feats, the show features cutting-edge special effects and aerial stunts. Sept. 20-23. Th-F 7 p.m., Sa 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., Su 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. U.S. Bank Arena, 100 Broadway, Downtown. 513-421-4111, usbankarena.com.

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HOLLYWOOD CASINO AT LAWRENCEBURG Lawrenceburg, IN

HOLLYWOOD CASINO AT COLUMBUS Columbus, OH

Must be 21. GAMBLING PROBLEM? In Ohio, call 800-589-9966. In Indiana, call 1-800-9-WITH-IT.

HOLLYWOOD GAMING AT DAYTON RACEWAY Dayton, OH

Gaming Guide 2018

MORE THAN JUST GAMBLING AREA CASINOS OFFER AMENITIES AND FEATURES THAT STRETCH FAR BEYOND GAMING By Karina Baffa

e’re all well aware of the area’s bustling casino scene. But all gambling aside—what else do these places have to offer? Turns out, a lot. We took a closer look at the area’s casinos in order to keep you—gambler or not—in the loop.

Miami Valley Gaming takes pride in its community ties. “We recruit locally, we buy locally and we are partners and sponsors of community events in all the surrounding areas,” says Jerry Abner, senior director of marketing at Miami Valley Gaming. Located near Monroe just off Interstate 75 at exit 29, Miami Valley Gaming is an active member in the surrounding areas chambers and tourism bureaus, and it also holds fundraisers for local charities four to five times a year. According to Abner, some of these charities include United Way of Warren County, Humane Association of Warren County, Dayton Children’s Hospital and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Not only does it give back to the community, but it also takes pride in its roots. “Miami Valley Gaming and Racing has only

been around since 2013, but our history and heritage traces back to the old Lebanon Raceway and we are very proud of that,” says Domenic Mancini, president and general manager of Miami Valley Gaming. “Harness racing is seeing a renaissance in Ohio. Miami Valley Gaming’s 2018 meet that concluded in May had a higher average daily handle for the fifth year and the highest purse distribution, over $14 million, in our brief history.” The casino recently underwent a $5 million expansion adding a second gaming patio and new high-limit areas. Pay Miami Valley Gaming a visit this Labor Day weekend at its Pigmania BBQ competition to enjoy live entertainment and all things barbecue. JACK Cincinnati Casino attracts both low w w.

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Gaming Guide 2018

Miami Valley Gaming recently underwent a $5 million expansion that added a second gaming patio and new high-limit areas.

cals and visitors alike with its ever-changing technology and variety of dining options. JACK Cincinnati Casino is constantly evolving to keep its guests on their toes. Synergy Table Games were introduced in March. “The arena-style adventure fuses electronic table games, high-energy dealer entertainment, live-DJs, pulsating lights, social interaction and giant video displays for a modernized approach to gaming,” says Chad Barnhill, senior vice president of regional operations and general manager. But besides gaming, the casino offers

endless attractions and its restaurants cater to whatever you’re craving. Head to Prism for seafood and steak or go over to Bobby’s Burger Palace by celebrity chef Bobby Flay if you’re feeling more casual. “There is no shortage of entertainment options at JACK Cincinnati Casino,” Barnhill says. “In addition to offering 2,000 of the latest slot machines, 90 table games, and a 31-table poker room, the downtown destination features an indoor event space that hosts a variety of live shows, concerts and events throughout the year.”

Located in the heart of the Queen City, JACK Cincinnati Casino is within walking distance of hundreds of attractions—U.S. Bank Arena, Great American Ball Park, Paul Brown Stadium and too many restaurants to count. Now let us venture over to Belterra Park Gaming. With live racing, over 1,300 games and five restaurants ranging from casual to formal, this facility has something for everyone. “We’ve obviously got an incredible location,” says Steve Newsome, Belterra Park Gaming advertising manager. Located east of Cincinnati in Anderson Township, the

avor ...

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– Equine Activities – • Minutes from the Kentucky Horse Park • Old Friends Retired Thoroughbred Farm • Whispering Woods Riding Stables

– Picturesque Downtown – • Specialty Shops • Antiques • Scott County Arts and Cultural Center • Cafes and One-of-a-kind Restaurants • Georgetown and Scott County Museum

– Unbridled Fun – • Toyota Motor Manufacturing, KY, Inc. Tour • Country Boy Brewing • Bourbon 30 Spirits • Golf • Elkhorn Creek • Geocaching Trails • Three Horses Winery • Ward Hall • Close proximity to the Ark Encounter

INTERSTATE

www.GeorgetownKy.com • 888.863.8600 40

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Where will your next vacation be? midwesterntraveler.com

facility overlooks the Ohio River winding along rolling hills. Belterra Park’s dining options seem to reel in Cincinnati locals whether they’re gamers or not. Voted Best Sports Bar by Best of the East magazine, Stadium Sports Bar and Grill is one of the restaurants that locals visit even if they’re not going to play at the casino. With 50 HDTVs and 100 beer options it’s the ideal place to watch the Reds, Bengals or any other team your heart desires. Another classic is Favorites Steak and Pasta where customers can indulge in handmade pasta, 35-day aged filet and hand-rolled gnocchi, all while enjoying a view of the River Downs Race Track. “There’s no shortage of really great food in there as well as great views,” Newsome says. Belterra Park Gaming’s thoroughbred racing season spans from April to the end of September this year. Although there are other racinos in the area, Belterra Park offers the only turf track in Ohio. This September, Belterra Park Gaming will serve as the venue for The Gentlemen

JACK Cincinnati Casino is located in the heart of the Queen City within walking distance of U.S. Bank Arena, Great American Ball Park and Paul Brown Stadium. Stakes 5K for Prostate Cancer. This event, hosted by the Urology Group, will mark the first time Belterra Park has served as a venue for a charity walk or run. Belterra Casino Resort, on the other hand, isn’t a stop—it’s a destination. Just a drive away from Cincinnati, Dayton, Louisville, Lexington and Indianapolis, this

resort near Florence, Indiana, is a relaxing getaway. “Even if you’re not a gamer there’s a ton to do,” says Newsome, who also serves as Belterra Casino Resort’s advertising manager. As Indiana’s largest casino resort hotel, Belterra Casino Resort has 608 newly renovated guest rooms. The recent renovations brought

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Gaming Guide 2018

Belterra Park Gaming, located east of Cincinnati in Anderson Township, offers live horse racing, more than 1,300 games and five restaurants ranging from casual to formal.

along updated furniture, carpeting, artwork and the addition of pet-friendly rooms. “And then, of course, the golf course is what really comes to mind when most people think of Belterra,” Newsome says. Golfweek ranked the 18-hole golf course as one of the Top 30 Casino Golf courses in the country. Spanning across 7,000 yards of land, the course winds through lakes and more than

2,200 specimen trees. The elevated parts overlook Indiana ridges, the Ohio River and Log Lick Creek. Players are also welcome to enjoy the practice facility that offers unlimited golf balls, a full-length driving range, putting greens, chipping areas and practice bunkers. Unwind at the end of the day—or make a whole day out of it—by taking advantage of Belterra Casino Resort’s full-service,

award-winning salon and spa. Translating to “beauty” in Portuguese, its salon and spa named “Beleza” offers body treatments, facials, manicures, pedicures, teeth whitening and a wide selection of massages. Make a trip to Belterra Casino Resort this September for the Mac King Comedy Magic Show or wait until October to see Little River Band perform live in its Center Stage Showroom. n

Nathanael Greene Lodge is located fifteen minutes from downtown Cincinnati in the heart of Green Township. The parklike setting is perfect for an intimate ceremony under the new outdoor gazebo or to have a reception in the 50 foot cathedral ceiling Continental Ballroom, which can accommodate up to 200 guests. Nathanael Greene Lodge also has the perfect setting for a memorable birthday party, stress free rehearsal dinner, or enjoyable family gathering. The Mulberry Room has seating accommodations for up to 80 guests and has access to an outdoor patio. The West Point Room is ideal for 50 guests or less and is perfect for a corporate gathering. For business meetings or corporate outings, Nathanael Greene Lodge is ideal because of its close proximity to hotels and highways. The quiet setting, upgraded audiovisual systems, ample parking and various meetings rooms accommodate the needs of any size group from 12 or 200.

6394 Wesselman Road | Cincinnati, Ohio 45248 | 513-598-3100 | greentwp.org/departments/nathanael-greene-lodge 42

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GET READY TO GET LUCKY.

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Dining

A Taste of Home NICOLA’S IN OVER-THE-RHINE MIXES HOMEY ITALIAN RECIPES WITH TOP-NOTCH SERVICE By Will Jones

Nicola’s is located at 1420 Sycamore St. in Over-the-Rhine.

ccording to Assistant General Manager and Event Coordinator Vinny Pelino, the history and atmosphere of the Italian delicatessen Nicola’s in Over-the-Rhine is something special, from the spacious rooms for private events to how warmth, kindness and courtesy are elements that are just as important as the dishes and wines. “The culture of the city Nicola [the owner] is from has a really deep connection to food,” Pelino says, describing the culinary background of the restaurant’s owner, Nicola Pietoso. Raised in an orphanage in Tuscany, Italy, Nicola and his brothers originally started a restaurant in St. Louis, Missouri, in the early ‘90s after attending the Culinary Institute of Florence. After meeting his wife Marine, a Cincinnati native, he decided to move to the Queen City and open Nicola’s on Sycamore in 1996. “He’s been in Over-The-Rhine since before it is what it is now. He likes the urban setting as it reminds him of home,” Pelino says. 44

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It is one of the few restaurants in the neighborhood that offers a spacious dining area. “We do a ton of business for our private dining rooms, especially wedding rehearsals,” Pelino says. With fives different spaces including a mezzanine and garden/patio, guests can hosts dinners from as few as 12 in the Wine Room through 80 people in the venue’s Main Dining Room. Pietoso believes warmth, kindness and courtesy are elements that are just as important as the quality of the food in determining the customer’s experience in an establishment. “Nicola’s has won four [AAA] Diamond Awards in five straight years and continues to be one of the best restaurants in the city. We continuously serve good food,” he proudly mentions. Nicola’s uses ingredients that are in season and shops from local food suppliers such as Crossing Creeks Farms and Creation Gardens. The restaurant has recently created a new menu that includes dishes such as a Caprese salad that comes with heirloom cherry tomatoes, buffalo moz-

zarella and basil sprinkled with pearled balsamic vinegar and finished with a cold tomato water soup, also known as gazpacho. Potato gnocchi and pasta bolognese are traditional menu items offered that are hearty, homey dishes that will surely satisfy those coming in with an empty stomach. “As he’s sharing food with people, that’s his way of sharing his identity,” Pelino says of Piestoso. The restaurant also carries an extensive wine list. From featured glasses such as Rosato di Toscana to super Tuscans like Castello Banf, Nicola’s is happy to advise guests on the right pairings with meals. “Nicola says Italian food always goes best with Italian wine,” Pelino says. Pelino also says that the restaurant wants customers to know how they’re treated is paramount to Nicola’s while dining at the restaurant. “We want for guests to have an enhanced, unique experience, and that’s the most important ingredient.” M-Th 5:30-10 p.m., Sa 5:30-11 p.m. 1420 Sycamore St., Overthe-Rhine. 513-721-6200, nicolasotr.com. n

Nicolaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Branzino, served over fregola sarda with baby squash, Brussel sprouts and pesto

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Best Schools 2018

For the fifth year in a row, we’re crunching the numbers and ranking Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky high schools to determine which are the best. Where did your school fall in our rankings?

I N SI DE:

46 Top Schools 48 School Rankings 52 Honorable Mentions 53 Special Programs 56 Outstanding Educators 60 Cincinnati Public Schools 62 Private School Guide 74 St. Gertrude School

OHIO

Madeira High School

MADEIR A CIT Y SCHOOLS DISTRICT

After a year off, Madeira High School returns to the No. 1 spot in our annual high school rankings. Madeira takes the top ranking so often because it consistently does well in all categories. It has the highest school performance index score of the schools ranked and is among the best in the categories of attendance rate, graduation rate, student/teacher ratio and ACT score. Outside of academics, the school had a student play in the French Open Junior tennis tournament, had its baseball team play in the state tournament, and celebrated 10 years of its Day of Service program.

2 Walnut Hills High School CINCINNATI PUBIC SCHOOLS

After sitting at No. 4 for the last two years, Walnut Hills High School has maneuvered itself into the No. 2 spot. A perennial member of many best schools in Ohio lists, the high school keeps itself at the top with the second highest school performance index score (89), a 100 percent graduation rate and a high pass rate of AP tests (81.1 percent). Its students also do well on ACT tests, with five students scoring a perfect 36 this year. However, Walnut Hills is also committed to having well-rounded students who excel in categories in areas other than academics. In the last year, 46

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students covered the mayor’s race for the school newspaper, raised funds for new band uniforms with a GoFundMe page and competed at the Prasco Charity Championship at TPC River’s Bend.

3 Indian Hill High School

INDIAN HILL EXEMPTED V ILLAGE SCHOOL DISTRICT

thanks to its girls soccer team being named Ohio Division II state champions and ranked No. 35 out of 16,000 girls’ varsity teams. One of the team’s players was also named the 2017-18 Gatorade Ohio Girls Soccer Player of the Year, the first from Indian Hill to do so in 33 years.

4 Wyoming High School

W YOMING CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

With the highest per-pupil spending in the region ($15,992) and one of the lowest student/teacher ratios in the Tristate (11.41 to 1), Indian Hill High School continues its reign as one of the best high schools in the area. Indian Hill found success both in and out of the classroom this year, though,

Seven Wyoming High School students received perfect ACT scores this year, an impressive number that is more impressive when you consider the entire school consists of 638 students. Though Wyoming dropped from No. 3 to No. 4 year this year,

the school continued to score well with the state (with the third highest school performance index score), a low student/ teacher ratio and a high percentage of students passing their AP tests (78.3 percent).

5 William Mason High School

KENTUCKY

1 Highlands High School

FORT THOMAS INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS

MASON CIT Y SCHOOLS

William Mason High School jumped into the top five this year for the first time since Cincy Magazine started the Best Schools feature. With the highest enrollment of any school in the Tristate with 3,467 students, its students perform well on Ohio’s End-of-Course exams. Mason students are also finding success in the arts. Mason students won four Tristate high school theater awards, called Cappies: best marketing and publicity, best props, best stage management and stage crew, and best lead actor in a play.

6 Turpin High School

F OR E S T H I L L S L O C A L S C HO OL DISTRICT

Turpin High School continues to do well thanks to its investment in its students and its teachers. The school has a low student/ teacher ratio of 15.77 to 1, and 79.4 percent of its teachers have master’s degrees. In addition, the school spends $9,717 per student. In return, students have been able to excel academically and athletically. One student was invited to play football for Team USA in the International Bowl and 58.1 percent of students who took AP tests received a 3 or higher.

7 Sycamore High School

SYCAMORE COMMUNIT Y SCHOOL DISTRICT

While Sycamore continues to offer a quality education to its students, it’s also given them opportunities to come together to support their community. For example, Sycamore High School engineering and architectural students gave the school district recommendations on features that would be beneficial for the STEAM bus, a redesigned school bus that travels throughout the district as a classroom. Students also came together to support one of their own when a senior was diagnosed with an inoperable neurological condition. They participated in the Heart Mini to show their support.

After two years at No. 2, Highlands High School is once again No.1 in our annual Northern Kentucky high school ranking. Highlands High School is in the 99th percentile of schools in Kentucky according to the state’s ranking and its students earn an average ACT score of 24.3. Outside of class, students earned two Cappie awards (best featured actress in a play and best critic team) and a student was named Kentucky’s Mr. Baseball for the 2018 season.

2 Beechwood High School

BEECHWOOD INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT

Beechwood High School’s students and teachers are carrying on its pattern of excellence this year, as many are winning awards for everything from academics to art. The Northern Kentucky Education Council named one student from the school an Academic All-Star during its annual Excellence in Education awards. The national Scholastic Art Awards honored four Beechwood students for their artistic submissions. And the Cincinnati Arts Association awarded one student the instrumental music Overture Award and a $4,000 scholarship for his skill with the saxophone.

3 Walton-Verona High School

WALTON-V ERONA INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS

Walton-Verona High School takes the No. 3 spot in Northern Kentucky yet again thanks to its low student/teacher ratio (15.97 to 1), high graduation rate (97.6 percent) and quality test scores. Outside of class, its students have excelled in competitions as varied as the Microsoft Office Specialist U.S. National Championship (a student took third place in the MOS Word 2016 category) and KHSAA state wrestling meet (with a student being named state champion in the 106-pound bracket).

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416

$11,283

7 out of 8

89.2

96.1%

WALNUT HILLS HIGH SCHOOL

Cincinnati City

2,840

$10,367

11 out of 12

97.5%

INDIAN HILL HIGH SCHOOL

Indian Hill Exempted Village

606

$15,992

6 out of 8

85.9

95.1%

WYOMING HIGH SCHOOL

Wyoming City

638

$12,201

6 out of 8

87.2

95.3%

WILLIAM MASON HIGH SCHOOL

Mason City

3,467

$9,305

7 out of 8

86.3

96.8%

TURPIN HIGH SCHOOL

Forest Hills Local

1,093

$9,717

5 out of 8

83.2

96.3%

SYCAMORE HIGH SCHOOL

Sycamore Community City

1,584

$11,809

5 out of 8

83.5

96.3%

BELLBROOK HIGH SCHOOL

Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Local

807

$9,525

6 out of 8

83.2

95.7%

MARIEMONT HIGH SCHOOL

Mariemont City

501

$11,718

5 out of 8

85.6

93.8%

ANDERSON HIGH SCHOOL

Forest Hills Local

1,231

$9,717

4 out of 8

81.1

95.5%

SPRINGBORO HIGH SCHOOL

Springboro Community City

1,797

$7,507

4 out of 9

82.1

96.8% 96.7%

LAKOTA EAST HIGH SCHOOL

Lakota Local

2,414

$9,380

5 out of 8

81.1

WAYNESVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

Wayne Local

460

$8,217

5 out of 8

81.3

95.6%

LOVELAND HIGH SCHOOL

Loveland City

1,448

$9,067

3 out of 9

76.2

94.5%

LAKOTA WEST HIGH SCHOOL

Lakota Local

2,192

$9,380

3 out of 8

80.7

96.9%

ROSS HIGH SCHOOL

Ross Local

716

$8,150

2 out of 8

77.9

95.3%

LITTLE MIAMI HIGH SCHOOL

Little Miami Local

1,110

$8,264

4 out of 8

78.6

95.0%

KINGS HIGH SCHOOL

Kings Local

1,176

$9,047

3 out of 8

78.3

94.6%

GOSHEN HIGH SCHOOL

Goshen Local

692

$8,389

3 out of 8

72.2

94.3%

SCHOOL FOR CREATIVE & PERFORMING ARTS HIGH SCHOOL

Cincinnati City

1,374

$10,367

7 out of 23

71.8

97.1%

BETHEL-TATE HIGH SCHOOL

Bethel-Tate Local

408

$6,923

2 out of 8

73.3

92.5%

WILLIAMSBURG HIGH SCHOOL

Williamsburg Local

508

$7,283

2 out of 16

73.6

94.9%

LEBANON HIGH SCHOOL

Lebanon City

1,542

$7,795

1 out of 8

75.1

95.8%

DEER PARK JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Deer Park Community City

535

$9,989

4 out of 13

94.0%

NEW RICHMOND HIGH SCHOOL

New Richmond Exempted Village

628

$8,779

2 out of 9

71.8

94.0%

MILFORD SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Milford Exempted Village

1,849

$8,807

1 out of 8

75.6

94.2% 95.6%

CLINTON-MASSIE HIGH SCHOOL

Clinton-Massie Local

560

$7,989

2 out of 9

73.3

READING COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL

Reading Community City

362

$8,359

1 out of 8

70.7

93.4%

BLANCHESTER HIGH SCHOOL

Blanchester Local

439

$8,086

1 out of 8

94.6%

CARLISLE HIGH SCHOOL

Carlisle Local

443

$9,233

2 out of 8

73.3

95.1%

MONROE JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Monroe Local

1,066

$7,226

3 out of 13

75.5

94.5%

TALAWANDA HIGH SCHOOL

Talawanda City

892

$10,429

1 out of 8

71.7

94.3%

OAK HILLS HIGH SCHOOL

Oak Hills Local

2,209

$8,216

2 out of 8

70.5

93.8%

MADISON HIGH SCHOOL

Madison Local

395

$8,004

1 out of 8

70.6

95.0%

TAYLOR HIGH SCHOOL

Three Rivers Local

847

$8,134

2 out of 13

71.3

94.4%

EDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

Edgewood City

944

$8,361

0 out of 8

71.2

93.8%

FRANKLIN HIGH SCHOOL

Franklin City

756

$8,606

2 out of 8

68.6

94.5%

WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON HIGH SCHOOL

Southwest Local

916

$7,981

0 out of 8

70.9

92.7%

BATAVIA HIGH SCHOOL

Batavia Local

546

$6,870

1 out of 8

67.2

93.6%

CLARK MONTESSORI HIGH SCHOOL

Cincinnati City

699

$10,367

2 out of 13

61.9

97.7%

NORWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

Norwood City

524

$9,855

1 out of 8

65.2

93.2%

CLERMONT NORTHEASTERN HIGH SCHOOL

Clermont Northeastern Local

391

$9,609

0 out of 8

64.5

93.6%

WESTERN BROWN HIGH SCHOOL

Western Brown Local

825

$7,420

0 out of 7

63.5

95.8%

NORTHWEST HIGH SCHOOL

Northwest Local

714

$8,293

0 out of 8

59.8

90.6%

GLEN ESTE HIGH SCHOOL

West Clermont Local

1,107

$7,365

0 out of 8

60.7

94.4%

FELICITY-FRANKLIN LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL

Felicity-Franklin Local

245

$9,092

0 out of 8

61.4

91.7%

AMELIA HIGH SCHOOL

West Clermont Local

1,117

$7,365

0 out of 8

60.6

94.0%

COLERAIN HIGH SCHOOL

Northwest Local

1,578

$8,293

0 out of 8

61.6

92.7%

ST. BERNARD-ELMWOOD PLACE HIGH SCHOOL

St. Bernard-Elmwood Place City

403

$9,492

0 out of 12

58.5

92.9%

FINNEYTOWN SECONDARY CAMPUS

Finneytown Local

630

$10,027

0 out of 13

56.7

96.2%

PRINCETON HIGH SCHOOL

Princeton City

1,612

$9,736

0 out of 8

58.4

93.7%

HAMILTON HIGH SCHOOL

Hamilton City

1,812

$8,086

0 out of 8

92.6%

JAMES N. GAMBLE MONTESSORI HIGH SCHOOL

Cincinnati City

483

$10,367

0 out of 13

97.5%

FAIRFIELD HIGH SCHOOL

Fairfield City

1,874

$7,213

0 out of 9

63.3

94.0%

MIDDLETOWN HIGH SCHOOL

Middletown City

1,251

$7,282

0 out of 8

53.2

92.6%

NEW MIAMI HIGH SCHOOL

New Miami Local

138

$10,633

0 out of 7

49.9

91.8%

WINTON WOODS HIGH SCHOOL

Winton Woods City

1,018

$9,939

0 out of 8

52.5

92.0%

*All school buildings are listed by the state as enrolling 12th-graders. These can be traditional 9-12 schools, such as regular public high schools, or K-12, many of which are community schools. NC — Not calculated or not reported (unranked schools had incomplete data) UR — Unranked

Attendance Rate

School Performance Index Score

Madeira City

Enrollment

Rank

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57

State Performance Index Grade

District

MADEIRA HIGH SCHOOL

Research by Bill Ferguson, Jr.

Per-Pupil Spending (District)

High School* (2016-17 data except where noted)

Number of State Standards Met

Southwest Ohio Public and Community Charter High Schools

State Percentile (Among High Schools)

Best SCHOOLS

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Teacher Attendance Rate

Average ACT Score**

High School English I EOC at or above Proficient

High School English II EOC at or above Proficient

High School Algebra I or Math I EOC at or above Proficient

High School Geometry or Math II EOC at or above Proficient

Number of Advanced Placement Classes***

% of Students Taking AP Test***

% Scoring 3 or Higher on AP Test***

96.3%

25.12

93.5%

92.9%

83.1%

90.7%

97.2%

89.7%

99.1%

66.7%

63.8%

71.6%

96.6%

25.92

97.1%

94.1%

89.7%

92.7%

91.9%

99.8%

98.4%

85.9%

81.1%

96.8%

11.41

88.3%

96.6%

92.0%

89.3%

52.4%

80.3%

95.2%

92.2%

92.7%

74.6%

75.6%

98.8%

13.84

75.0%

95.0%

26.07

89.6%

91.5%

65.1%

89.5%

91.9%

89.2%

89.8%

82.7%

78.3%

97.1%

21.27

84.0%

95.8%

24.59

91.3%

90.4%

83.1%

86.1%

92.7%

93.7%

94.0%

69.4%

49.8%

95.6%

15.77

79.4%

95.8%

23.89

83.9%

86.9%

79.1%

74.5%

87.1%

92.4%

93.2%

60.3%

58.1%

96.0%

13.28

70.5%

95.3%

23.59

84.9%

88.9%

70.8%

71.2%

85.4%

92.0%

91.7%

53.8%

48.4%

97.7%

17.70

75.4%

95.9%

22.71

86.4%

82.9%

64.9%

80.0%

92.9%

93.8%

92.5%

38.5%

15.7%

97.6%

14.52

87.6%

97.0%

24.72

88.0%

90.2%

16.1%

79.8%

84.2%

91.7%

100.0%

61.1%

56.3% 35.1%

High School History EOC at or above Proficient

Teachers With At Least a Master's Degree 83.8%

22.19

High School Government EOC at or above Proficient

Student/Teacher Ratio 13.08

High School Biology EOC at or above Proficient

4-Year Graduation Rate (Class of 2016) 97.3% 100.0%

94.1%

16.66

75.5%

96.2%

22.56

86.6%

84.8%

75.5%

69.9%

79.7%

82.1%

90.8%

53.9%

95.6%

23.04

72.0%

95.6%

23.12

84.4%

79.5%

73.4%

71.2%

84.7%

89.9%

93.3%

30.4%

9.9%

92.9%

20.95

74.9%

95.5%

22.22

88.1%

80.2%

62.4%

70.5%

84.6%

88.9%

90.3%

32.2%

23.8%

97.4%

20.18

60.6%

96.4%

21.64

84.2%

80.5%

61.6%

63.8%

83.5%

88.8%

92.8%

11.9%

18.9%

96.6%

17.38

88.0%

95.6%

22.47

76.5%

78.3%

69.9%

59.6%

88.8%

86.8%

85.4%

39.9%

33.2%

95.5%

20.13

67.3%

95.5%

22.11

82.9%

78.8%

64.1%

69.1%

75.2%

85.7%

89.2%

31.4%

23.2%

98.1%

15.40

51.6%

97.1%

20.44

76.2%

72.1%

76.9%

71.1%

80.1%

73.7%

87.2%

27.4%

23.3%

96.1%

19.89

69.9%

96.8%

20.59

86.2%

79.7%

69.2%

47.6%

86.7%

80.7%

90.8%

21.8%

18.7%

93.2%

17.93

63.9%

95.9%

21.98

72.4%

75.7%

60.5%

67.1%

67.5%

80.3%

88.0%

24.9%

38.3%

97.6%

17.84

76.8%

95.2%

18.85

71.9%

69.9%

44.1%

59.9%

87.2%

83.2%

85.6%

13.0%

12.7%

99.1%

16.67

77.5%

95.4%

21.87

82.5%

80.0%

42.4%

38.8%

72.6%

94.1%

84.5%

30.6%

20.1%

94.1%

11.90

60.2%

94.0%

19.30

84.8%

74.1%

50.0%

52.8%

74.3%

67.9%

80.6%

5.9%

3.6%

93.2%

16.88

77.4%

95.4%

19.33

73.1%

68.7%

57.6%

53.8%

77.8%

81.8%

72.8%

18.6%

4.5%

94.3%

21.27

61.4%

95.4%

20.94

77.7%

68.1%

59.6%

54.5%

77.6%

78.2%

83.7%

32.6%

19.6%

94.5%

14.23

70.7%

93.8%

19.13

80.4%

61.4%

63.0%

46.4%

64.6%

87.5%

26.0%

15.5%

96.1%

16.84

73.2%

96.5%

18.78

85.9%

61.3%

62.8%

46.9%

73.6%

73.0%

80.8%

17.0%

12.3%

96.5%

17.78

76.9%

96.2%

21.50

73.7%

61.0%

35.5%

44.2%

74.2%

73.6%

87.9%

45.0%

37.3%

92.2%

18.36

59.0%

96.3%

20.21

73.5%

70.3%

50.8%

56.9%

73.4%

81.6%

84.4%

0.8%

0.0%

90.5%

10.37

85.7%

94.3%

18.09

68.3%

57.5%

54.2%

35.9%

79.0%

84.3%

76.6%

14.0%

6.3%

94.4%

15.62

64.4%

96.6%

19.04

67.0%

63.9%

50.4%

54.0%

59.0%

78.9%

83.6%

0.0%

3.1%

90.8%

15.94

69.4%

96.5%

19.08

73.2%

61.3%

50.0%

49.0%

62.8%

81.1%

82.7%

4.2%

3.3%

95.6%

18.80

21.2%

96.3%

20.23

71.3%

68.8%

54.6%

48.4%

79.2%

85.3%

84.9%

29.1%

22.9%

91.2%

15.38

77.6%

95.3%

21.24

61.5%

59.9%

51.9%

54.8%

70.9%

84.4%

78.5%

25.1%

10.0%

94.6%

17.33

70.2%

94.1%

20.29

68.0%

70.2%

44.3%

53.1%

73.2%

84.0%

87.4%

43.3%

31.9%

94.2%

10.51

57.5%

96.3%

19.46

66.4%

47.6%

45.8%

58.9%

69.6%

82.4%

70.3%

7.2%

0.0%

98.0%

17.29

46.9%

96.4%

20.04

68.3%

63.3%

47.8%

53.6%

66.3%

82.0%

81.8%

20.0%

23.6%

90.7%

17.48

48.1%

94.4%

18.27

73.3%

60.4%

44.1%

41.4%

70.6%

78.4%

79.8%

33.8%

11.4%

93.1%

17.18

61.4%

94.9%

19.24

68.0%

67.8%

31.3%

53.0%

64.0%

80.8%

85.9%

15.2%

3.9%

95.7%

18.77

71.5%

96.5%

19.55

64.8%

58.1%

37.9%

47.7%

65.7%

67.1%

75.7%

40.8%

20.7%

94.9%

17.06

65.6%

93.8%

19.47

69.1%

62.6%

34.1%

46.9%

59.5%

70.8%

81.4%

20.3%

13.4%

88.5%

15.46

66.8%

97.1%

21.27

63.8%

78.9%

30.4%

27.5%

85.2%

89.4%

78.5%

31.5%

21.6%

84.7%

14.89

57.4%

96.2%

17.78

65.2%

59.7%

43.4%

36.3%

71.8%

80.7%

71.2%

19.5%

5.2%

89.4%

14.12

59.6%

95.6%

17.91

58.9%

51.2%

27.2%

43.8%

75.0%

68.8%

71.8%

16.5%

10.0%

89.7%

19.50

75.6%

95.1%

18.23

56.4%

50.8%

26.4%

36.5%

55.6%

61.8%

73.4%

0.0%

89.5%

15.45

74.0%

94.4%

17.15

48.3%

44.9%

29.6%

28.0%

63.1%

70.7%

64.5%

30.9%

12.3% 8.3%

94.3%

18.36

82.6%

95.7%

18.65

61.3%

39.0%

36.4%

26.3%

53.1%

56.9%

62.8%

30.3%

88.9%

15.51

51.1%

96.4%

17.55

61.4%

52.1%

26.9%

29.7%

61.6%

65.7%

58.8%

5.8%

0.6%

91.0%

19.67

67.2%

95.8%

18.34

55.8%

47.7%

22.3%

34.9%

59.3%

68.2%

71.0%

37.3%

6.9% 18.4%

92.4%

18.94

56.0%

94.2%

18.10

51.6%

40.3%

31.7%

27.7%

53.0%

75.9%

78.7%

25.4%

84.9%

13.08

61.7%

95.3%

17.27

38.1%

34.7%

30.8%

31.1%

52.3%

79.5%

63.3%

14.6%

0.6%

90.3%

14.75

62.2%

94.8%

19.61

49.2%

28.1%

30.6%

37.9%

56.3%

73.6%

58.4%

15.5%

25.1%

85.2%

17.26

64.8%

93.8%

55.5%

45.1%

31.8%

24.6%

54.7%

70.0%

65.6%

31.0%

13.5%

77.1%

17.85

44.3%

95.4%

17.50

26.0%

52.5%

11.8%

22.4%

63.2%

75.9%

68.5%

16.8%

8.5%

86.8%

11.58

58.5%

96.0%

16.80

60.2%

41.0%

23.5%

6.7%

32.1%

53.2%

54.4%

12.7%

7.6%

92.8%

18.41

15.7%

94.5%

19.04

19.0%

57.2%

11.3%

32.3%

56.1%

69.0%

31.5%

26.7%

11.0%

90.0%

14.93

56.6%

95.2%

17.02

42.0%

37.6%

20.3%

23.1%

39.1%

42.6%

44.7%

20.5%

2.4%

75.4%

6.90

55.0%

96.3%

14.90

34.0%

31.5%

13.8%

10.3%

37.5%

71.1%

46.4%

0.0%

83.2%

14.14

61.1%

93.5%

16.46

34.8%

30.0%

16.6%

13.5%

43.0%

57.8%

40.8%

24.7%

5.6%

**About ACT averages: Ohio did not report ACT scores for 2016-17 on the School Report Cards. Through a public-records request, Cincy obtained scores from the Ohio Department of Education; however, the department provided only scores it received from ACT. It said the scores were not for all students and should not be compared with previous yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; scores. Several schoolsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; scores were not provided. ***About Advanced Placement: Some schools have quit offering AP classes, replacing them with other dual-credit options. Data anomalies exist for some districts on Ohio report cards, and the Department of Education says there could be an issue with how the student data-reporting system is flowing the information onto the report cards. w w w.

m a g a z i n e . c o m : : A U G U S T/S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

District

Per-Pupil Spending (District)

State Performance Index Grade

Attendance Rate

GILBERT A. DATER HIGH SCHOOL

Cincinnati City

1,189

$10,367

0 out of 12

96.6%

CINCINNATI COLLEGE PREPARATORY ACADEMY

Cincinnati College Preparatory Academy

954

$6,059

1 out of 23

54.7

94.4%

MOUNT AUBURN INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY

Mount Auburn International Academy

427

$8,714

0 out of 23

48.5

90.2%

HUGHES STEM HIGH SCHOOL

Cincinnati City

890

$10,367

0 out of 12

42.4

92.9%

NORTH COLLEGE HILL HIGH SCHOOL

North College Hill City

370

$6,629

0 out of 7

51.8

92.8%

SHRODER PAIDEIA HIGH SCHOOL

Cincinnati City

764

$10,367

0 out of 12

96.8%

LOCKLAND HIGH SCHOOL

Lockland Local

142

$9,995

0 out of 7

50.9

91.7%

MOUNT HEALTHY HIGH SCHOOL

Mount Healthy City

792

$7,837

0 out of 9

42.7

89.9%

AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL

Cincinnati City

699

$10,367

0 out of 12

41.6

98.1%

OYLER SCHOOL

Cincinnati City

634

$10,367

1 out of 23

53.2

98.4%

Rank

Research by Bill Ferguson, Jr. 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 UR UR UR UR

Number of State Standards Met

High School* (2016-17 data except where noted)

Enrollment

(continued)

State Percentile (Among High Schools)

Southwest Ohio Public and Community Charter High Schools

School Performance Index Score

Best SCHOOLS

RIVERVIEW EAST ACADEMY

Cincinnati City

591

$10,367

0 out of 22

48.9

98.2%

WITHROW UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL

Cincinnati City

1,275

$10,367

0 out of 13

41.1

96.9%

WESTERN HILLS UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL

Cincinnati City

1,012

$10,367

0 out of 12

36.8

95.6%

ROBERT A. TAFT INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY HIGH SCHOOL

Cincinnati City

641

$10,367

0 out of 12

34.3

93.8%

WOODWARD CAREER TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL

Cincinnati City

920

$10,367

0 out of 12

34.4

90.5%

VIRTUAL HIGH SCHOOL

Cincinnati City

526

$10,367

0 out of 10

39.2

94.2%

CINCINNATI LEARNING SCHOOLS

Cincinnati Learning Schools

223

$9,065

0 out of 13

88.9%

CINCINNATI TECHNOLOGY ACADEMY

Cincinnati Technology Academy

161

$8,148

0 out of 13

41.9

84.8%

SUMMIT ACADEMY SECONDARY SCHOOL-MIDDLETOWN

Summit Academy Secondary School - Middletown

110

$5,923

0 out of 11

44.7

88.7%

SUMMIT ACADEMY TRANSITION HIGH SCHOOL-CINCINNATI

Summit Academy Transition High School-Cincinnati

$6,086

0 out of 5

41.3

90.2%

Rank

High School (2016-17 data)

District

Enrollment

Per-Pupil Spending (District)

State Percentile (Among High Schools)

Attendance Rate

4-Year Graduation Rate (Class of 2017)

Student/ Teacher Ratio

HIGHLANDS HIGH SCHOOL

Fort Thomas Independent

996

$15,682

97.1%

98.8%

17.79

BEECHWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

Beechwood Independent

650

$15,308

96.3%

97.2%

18.06

WALTON-VERONA HIGH SCHOOL

Walton-Verona Independent

527

$12,815

95.4%

97.6%

15.97

CONNER HIGH SCHOOL

Boone County

1,393

$12,925

95.0%

97.4%

15.65

LARRY A. RYLE HIGH SCHOOL

Boone County

1,800

$12,925

95.2%

16.51

CAMPBELL COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL

Campbell County

1,498

$13,441

95.0%

99.2%

18.05

LUDLOW HIGH SCHOOL

Ludlow Independent

368

$14,509

94.2%

95.2%

13.63

RANDALL K. COOPER HIGH SCHOOL

Boone County

1,307

$12,925

95.1%

93.8%

16.76

BOONE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL

Boone County

1,321

$12,925

94.3%

95.1%

14.84

SIMON KENTON HIGH SCHOOL

Kenton County

1,768

$12,224

95.1%

91.7%

20.09

DIXIE HEIGHTS HIGH SCHOOL

Kenton County

1,417

$12,224

94.0%

93.4%

20.54

SCOTT HIGH SCHOOL

Kenton County

1,034

$12,224

94.3%

89.2%

21.54

BELLEVUE HIGH SCHOOL

Bellevue Independent

362

$13,514

95.2%

98.3%

15.74

DAYTON HIGH SCHOOL

Dayton Independent

342

$14,080

93.0%

94.1%

11.79

LLOYD HIGH SCHOOL

Erlanger-Elsmere Independent

572

$13,534

93.8%

95.5%

14.67

NEWPORT HIGH SCHOOL

Newport Independent

613

$17,991

92.9%

91.4%

10.95

HOLMES HIGH SCHOOL

Covington Independent

773

$17,947

94.1%

86.6%

12.67

SILVER GROVE SCHOOL

Silver Grove Independent

163

$18,126

94.0%

93.8%

8.58

Kentucky Public High Schools Research by Bill Ferguson, Jr.

NC — Not calculated UR — Unranked

A U G S U T/S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 : : w w w.

maga zine.com

High School English I EOC at or above Proficient

High School English II EOC at or above Proficient

High School Algebra I or Math I EOC at or above Proficient

High School Biology EOC at or above Proficient

High School Government EOC at or above Proficient

High School History EOC at or above Proficient

Number of Advanced Placement Classes***

% of Students Taking AP Test***

17.05

39.3%

35.8%

15.9%

7.5%

39.7%

75.0%

57.0%

22.0%

6.6%

99.7%

15.71

44.0%

24.0%

12.1%

3.5%

43.2%

87.5%

76.2%

0.0%

0.0% 0.0%

% Scoring 3 or Higher on AP Test***

Teacher Attendance Rate 95.2%

15.2%

High School Geometry or Math II EOC at or above Proficient

Teachers With At Least a Master's Degree 63.2%

Average ACT Score**

Student/Teacher Ratio 17.49 20.74

4-Year Graduation Rate (Class of 2016) 77.5% 68.8% 80.0%

18.17

21.3%

97.7%

42.9%

28.6%

33.3%

46.2%

38.5%

54.5%

27.3%

0.0%

79.6%

13.97

63.9%

96.3%

15.71

32.4%

33.1%

13.9%

2.4%

18.8%

71.0%

53.3%

12.9%

0.0%

83.0%

15.95

57.6%

94.6%

15.50

36.6%

21.1%

12.1%

15.8%

23.5%

43.1%

40.8%

0.0%

78.0%

16.61

56.5%

94.4%

16.41

35.2%

28.9%

8.9%

5.9%

27.9%

65.7%

52.3%

47.3%

1.2%

74.5%

14.79

38.8%

97.4%

17.33

46.6%

37.7%

12.8%

6.2%

24.6%

46.7%

29.7%

0.0%

79.1%

18.08

52.9%

91.9%

16.69

32.9%

25.6%

22.6%

7.9%

29.1%

63.4%

51.5%

4.6%

0.4%

69.3%

13.31

62.9%

96.0%

15.05

32.8%

26.7%

9.6%

3.0%

23.3%

57.0%

36.4%

25.2%

1.3%

55.2%

14.74

62.8%

95.9%

14.41

18.0%

11.8%

21.4%

8.3%

10.3%

24.4%

36.7%

4.4%

0.7%

51.8%

15.93

55.5%

93.6%

16.03

39.7%

25.5%

17.7%

4.3%

24.8%

28.6%

27.8%

10.8%

0.0% 0.0%

72.2%

16.14

69.6%

94.9%

14.77

23.4%

18.7%

9.6%

4.7%

5.9%

53.1%

30.8%

0.2%

72.8%

13.32

55.3%

94.9%

14.25

21.1%

15.1%

6.3%

4.3%

14.1%

43.6%

29.5%

4.1%

0.9%

77.0%

14.06

58.3%

95.7%

15.06

18.5%

13.1%

7.1%

3.6%

23.0%

29.4%

26.3%

12.3%

0.8%

66.3%

13.33

50.7%

95.1%

14.67

21.1%

12.8%

6.3%

2.9%

14.4%

31.5%

19.9%

4.4%

0.6%

19.5%

30.94

94.1%

92.1%

14.45

21.5%

10.3%

5.3%

5.5%

14.3%

18.5%

29.6%

2.0%

1.0%

58.8%

31.86

100.0%

14.14

12.0%

23.3%

14.0%

11.8%

3.3%

46.7%

23.8%

0.0%

23.00

14.3%

98.9%

29.4%

38.5%

15.8%

0.0%

23.8%

23.1%

0.0%

5.64

33.3%

94.6%

13.0%

33.3%

4.2%

17.4%

28.0%

47.6%

0.0%

68.0%

6.79

41.8%

95.2%

15.6%

20.0%

7.7%

30.0%

23.1%

0.0%

Teachers With At Least a Master's

Average ACT Score

11th-Grade Writing % Proficient or Better

End-of-Course Math % Proficient or Better (Grades 9-12)

End-of-Course Reading % Proficient or Better (Grades 9-12)

End-of-Course Science % Proficient or Better (Grades 9-12)

End-of-Course Social Studies % Proficient or Better (Grades 9-12)

Number of Advanced Placement Classes

Advanced Placement Test Takers

% of AP Exams With a Score of 3 or Above

50.7%

24.3

87.5%

67.6%

81.3%

78.0%

82.7%

599

68.9%

56.4%

25.3

72.3%

62.0%

83.5%

78.8%

91.2%

215

51.8%

60.0%

21.7

79.1%

67.1%

75.6%

62.4%

78.5%

57.5%

21.1

59.5%

60.5%

66.1%

59.8%

67.6%

335

58.3%

58.4%

22.2

76.6%

52.4%

67.1%

49.5%

73.3%

505

63.0%

54.8%

21.8

73.0%

43.4%

69.0%

54.8%

69.2%

539

53.6%

35.5%

19.2

86.8%

31.5%

67.3%

59.6%

62.7%

47.5%

21.4

71.4%

42.2%

63.9%

46.8%

75.1%

393

55.5%

64.4%

20.2

67.0%

45.2%

52.5%

44.7%

72.2%

117

73.2%

59.1%

21.5

60.1%

47.6%

61.6%

52.1%

68.6%

310

63.4%

64.1%

21.2

51.8%

42.0%

55.7%

46.8%

65.2%

327

74.7%

48.6%

20.4

59.7%

37.7%

52.8%

53.9%

60.2%

55.1%

54.2%

19.1

52.5%

36.1%

54.5%

39.7%

64.7%

41.4%

20.3

68.5%

25.3%

58.2%

48.1%

47.2%

53.3%

19.3

66.2%

22.8%

52.7%

34.5%

37.8%

109

37.2%

50.0%

17.2

43.0%

37.9%

34.3%

24.0%

48.3%

47.3%

17.1

38.2%

30.7%

37.2%

17.0%

32.1%

128

7.0%

28.6%

10.0%

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m a g a z i n e . c o m : : A U G U S T/S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

Best SCHOOLS

Honorable Mentions Enrollment School

We’ve named the overall top seven in Ohio and top three in Kentucky, but that doesn’t mean other local schools aren’t great as well. That’s why we’ve compiled the top lists—from both Ohio and Kentucky—in four other categories: Student/Teacher Ratio, Four-Year Graduation Rate, Attendance Rate and Enrollment. While schools that did well in the following categories tended to do well overall, these top lists also contain plenty of surprises. Bill Ferguson Jr., who also puts together our Rating the Burbs project annually, collected and analyzed the data for this feature.

Enrollment

Attendance rate School

Rate

1 William Mason High School

3,467

1 Oyler School

98.4%

2 Walnut Hills High School

2,840

2 Riverview East Academy

98.2%

3 Lakota East High School

2,414

3 Aiken High School

98.1%

4 Oak Hills High School

2,209

4 Clark Montessori High School

97.7%

5 Lakota West High School

2,192

5 James N. Gamble Montessori High School

97.5%

6 Fairfield High School

1,874

5 Walnut Hills High School

97.5%

7 Milford Senior High School

1,849

7 Highlands High School

97.1%

8 Hamilton High School

1,812

7 School For Creative & Performing Arts High School 97.1%

9 Larry A. Ryle High School

1,800

9 Lakota West High School

96.9%

10 Springboro High School

1,797

9 Withrow University High School

96.9%

4-year graduation rate School

1 Walnut Hills High School

Rate

100.0%

2 Campbell County High School

99.2%

Student/teacher ratio School

1 Summit Academy Secondary School-Middletown

Ratio

5.64

2 Summit Academy Transition High School-Cincinnati 6.79

3 School For Creative & Performing Arts High School 99.1%

3 New Miami High School

6.90

4 Highlands High School

98.8%

4 Silver Grove School

8.58

4 Wyoming High School

98.8%

5 Reading Community High School

10.37

6 Bellevue High School

98.3%

6 Madison High School

10.51

7 Ross High School

98.1%

7 Newport High School

10.95

8 Taylor High School

98.0%

8 Indian Hill High School

11.41

9 Bellbrook High School

97.7%

9 James N. Gamble Montessori High School

11.58

10 Goshen High School

97.6%

10 Dayton High School

11.79

10 Mariemont High School

97.6%

11 Bethel-Tate High School

11.90

10 Walton-Verona High School

97.6%

12 Holmes High School

12.67

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maga zine.com

Programming the

Future

While our school list gives you great information on the raw numbers of local schools, sometimes greatness can’t be measured. That’s why we looked at four programs offered by schools to find out what they’re doing to help students be prepared for future learning and careers. Read on to learn about what local schools are doing that may not be reflected in test scores, but will certainly help students later in life.

THE SCHOOL FOR CREATIVE AND PERFORMING ARTS Cincinnati

ELDER HIGH SCHOOL Price Hill The past four years, Elder High School has invested approximately $9.5 million in campus renovations. As the school prepares to welcome its 100th class, it continues to invest in its students’ futures by embracing academic alternatives. For the upcoming 2018-19 school year, Elder plans to transition to a daily modified block schedule. The new schedule comes with a number of benefits that will enhance students’ education and further prepare them for life beyond graduation. The modified block schedule is based on a seven-period day, however it will consist of three primary schedules throughout the week involving seven periods, four periods and three periods with built in flex time. This flex time, according to Kurt Ruffing, principal of Elder High School, will provide more space in students’ schedules for activities like school-wide and class masses, standardized test prep seminars, college and career planning, motivational speakers, club meetings and pep rallies. A block schedule will also allow time

for more college dual credit courses. Elder High School will now offer the following: Biology, Physics 1, Intro to Engineering, Engineering Models, Economics, Business Analytics 1 and 2, Government, World History and Intro to Sports Management. Another opportunity through the block schedule is a partnership with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) located in Western Hills. Students who have an interest in a career as an electrician will have the opportunity to complete one year of electrical apprenticeship while attending Elder. “The school endeavors to prepare students to be lifelong seekers of both knowledge and skills, and to be followings of Jesus Christ in word and deed,” says Ruffing. – Karina Baffa

The School for Creative and Performing Arts, a gem within Cincinnati Public Schools, is no stranger to breeding success. In a testament of SCPA’s core values, “we have achieved a 100 percent graduation rate, with 90 percent of our graduates matriculating to college, with $12.5 million in college aid earned,” says Teresa SummeHaas, the external relations officer. While SCPA students have found success within the classroom, they are also finding it outside their regular classes. SCPA implemented its Summer Opera Technical Theater Apprenticeship Program in conjunction with the Cincinnati Opera in 2013. The program, in its sixth year, “pairs our high school students with professionals from the Opera and International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 5 to gain invaluable behind-thescenes theater work experience,” says Summe-Haas. “This summer apprenticeship program gives SCPA Technical Theatre majors the chance to work and learn alongside professional stage managers, set, lighting, costume and prop designers from the Cincinnati Opera.” Fifty students have participated in the program in which they earned a paycheck and irreplaceable on-the-job experience. Angela Powell Walker, SCPA’s artistic director, says that the program “affords our students an opportunity to be seriousminded about their career aspirations in technical theater, and to see for themselves that the technical theater profession is a viable career path.” – Erin Gardner w w w.

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Best SCHOOLS SETON HIGH SCHOOL Price Hill

WINTON WOODS CITY SCHOOLS Forest Park, Greenhills and Springfield Township Winton Woods City Schools is a “New Tech Network” district as well as a project-based learning district. These programs give students from preschool to 12th grade a hands-on learning approach incomparable to others. Project-based learning engages students by beginning each new unit of study with a complex and authentic task assigned, in turn resulting in peer-to-peer collaboration and critical thinking about a realworld problem. “Our innovative approach to education is unique because [Ohio’s Learning Standard] are embedded in projects for every student in every grade,” s a y s C o r i n a D e n n y, community and public engagement coordinator for Winton Woods City School District. The district began to practice project-based learning in the 2010-11 school year at the Academy of Global Studies, a school within Winton Woods High School. The first graduating class of the New Tech Network in 2015 was a clear indication of project-based learning’s success. “PBL 54

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[project-based learning] fosters a student’s creativity, inherent drive to learn, critical thinking skills all while mastering subject content and much more,” Denny says. Winton Woods City Schools is currently in the process of designing two entirely new campuses that will be specifically for project-based learning. Located in Forest Park, the first campus is expected to open in August of 2020 and will house students in grades seven through 12. The second campus, expected to open in March of 2021, will be located in Greenhills for students in kindergarten through sixth grade. The brand-new campuses will include student and teacher collaborate common spaces, large combined classrooms, maker space, distributed dining, an outdoor theater and a community commons area. - Karina Baffa

Seton High School cares about its students, and its shows that by having an exclusive program between Seton and TriHealth. The Seton TriHealth Summer Employment Program between Seton and TriHealth exposes students to a variety of jobs in the medical profession and is made possible by the SC Ministry Foundation. Seton is the only high school in Cincinnati that has been given this unique opportunity through TriHealth, says Christy Schutte, the marketing and public relations coordinator for Seton. More than 50 students at Seton High School have had the opportunity to intern at 50 different TriHealth locations throughout the area, including Good Samaritan Hospital. Jobs range from clerical work to patient transporting to having the opportunity to watch surgeries. Students who participate in the program can earn competitive wages that may be used to offset educational expenses, choose from options for full-time or part-time schedules, develop business-critical soft skills, gain awareness of the health care field, develop professional relationships, gain confidence and receive coaching and training from a professional mentor Sophomore Ava Pieczonka, who participated in the program, says “I decided to work at TriHealth this summer because I have always been interested in the medical field. I saw this as a great opportunity to learn things early. I knew I would enjoy it, especially at TriHealth. I love it there and am blessed to be given this opportunity with such amazing people.” – Erin Gardner

Lakota Local Schools

5572 Princeton Road, Liberty Township, OH 45011 513-874-5505 • lakotaonline.com

ocated in southwestern Ohio, Lakota is the eighth largest school district in the state, and the largest in Butler County. Through an innovative, studentcentered approach, Lakota strives to provide an engaging and personalized educational experience centered around critical thinking, exploration and collaboration. With two high schools including two freshmen campuses and alternative high school option through the Career Readiness Academy, four junior schools, eight elementary schools, and six early childhood schools, Lakota has grown from a rural district to a suburban district with a student population of about 16,500. The school system has innovative spaces for collaboration and hands-on learning, including a STEAM2 or Wonder lab in every early childhood and elementary school. It’s one of just 93 districts nationwide to be accepted into the League of Innovative Schools, a national coalition of forward-thinking school districts with the mission to accelerate innovation in education through technology and research. Lakota’s Career

Readiness Academy is a unique alternative program, offering students the opportunity to earn their high school diploma in a smaller, more flexible environment that combines online learning with one-on-one instruction. An all-day kindergarten program is also available to every early learner.

EDUCATION PROFILE

Lakota Local Schools is proud to be a leader in redefining the K-12 educational experience. Our studentcentered approach to learning values critical thinking, exploration and collaboration to prepare our students for the college or career awaiting them after graduation.

www.LakotaOnline.com (513) 874-5505 lakota@lakotaonline.com w w w.

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The Best of the Best THIS YEAR’S OUTSTANDING EDUCATORS ARE JUST A SAMPLING OF OUR REGION’S GREAT TEACHERS

his year’s winners of our eighth annual K-12 Outstanding Educator Recognition Program are from public and private schools in both Ohio and Kentucky. Our committee picked teachers who went above and beyond expectations, and we’re honored to list these exemplary educators as well as tell some of their stories.

2018

AND THE WINNERS ARE

Kristin Andrews St. Gertrude School Cincinnati, Ohio SCIENCE Cheryl Brandenburg Bishop Fenwick High School Franklin, Ohio TECHNOLOGY/BUSINESS Pat Brennan DePaul Cristo Rey High School Cincinnati, Ohio ENGLISH

Gina Brown Our Lady of Victory Cincinnati, Ohio FIRST GRADE Mike Code Highlands High School Fort Thomas, Ky. HEALTH Drew Courter Bishop Fenwick High School Franklin, Ohio THEOLOGY/RELIGION

OPEN HOUSE

DISCOVER

YOURFUTURE Saturday | October 27 | 2-4 PM

scpa.cps-k12.org

No registration required.

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Carol Crowley Our Lady of Victory Cincinnati, Ohio LANGUAGE ARTS, RELIGION Michael Day Fairfield Creekside Middle School Fairfield, Ohio SOCIAL STUDIES Kristi DeCaprio St. Gertrude School Cincinnati, Ohio THIRD GRADE

Susan Dugas Middletown Christian Schools Franklin, Ohio ENGLISH Eric Froese St.Vivian School Cincinnati, Ohio SOCIAL STUDIES Lori Geeslin Our Lady of Victory Cincinnati, Ohio MATH, LANGUAGE ARTS

The School for Creative & Performing Arts 108 West Central Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45202 513.363.8000 • scpa.cps-k12.org

or more than 40 years, the School for Creative and Performing Arts has been committed to providing a world-class artistic and educational experience for students. This dual mission paves the way for students to reach their fullest potential as lifelong learners and passionate artists. The School for Creative and Performing Arts’ ongoing commitment to wholly educating students provides an academic experience unlike any other in the area. A robust academic curriculum, professional faculty and state-of-the-art resources consistently place the School for Creative and Performing Arts in the top-tier of Cincinnati Public Schools and among the country’s best arts schools. EDUCATION PROFILE

Christine Gladden Royalmont Academy Mason, Ohio SOCIAL STUDIES Beckie Hauer Fairfield Scouth Elementary Fairfield, Ohio KINDERGARTEN Dena Hill Fairfield Elementary School Fairfield, Ohio MATH Stephanie Junker St. James School Cincinnati, Ohio FIRST GRADE John Lane Covington Latin School Covington, Ky. HISTORY Rob Lauer Bishop Fenwick High School Franklin, Ohio WORLD HISTORY

Theresa Law Villa Madonaa Academy High School/Junior High Villa Hills, Ky. THIRD GRADE Shelly Lawson Villa Madonaa Academy High School/Junior High Villa Hills, Ky. MATH Jennifer Linn Fairfield Creekside Middle School Fairfield, Ohio ESL Kamaria Martin Winton Woods Intermediate Cincinnati, Ohio INTERVENTION SPECIALIST Dominic Masotti DePaul Cristo Rey High School Cincinnati, Ohio MATH Christina Merritt St. James School Cincinnati, Ohio SOCIAL STUDIES, RELIGION

Carol Mulcahey St. Ann Catholic School Hamilton, Ohio EIGHTH GRADE John Norman Archbishop McNicholas High School Cincinnati, Ohio THEOLOGY Jacob Ohnmeis Goshen Middle School Goshen, Ohio MATH Michelle Pitstick Royalmont Academy Mason, Ohio MATH Julia Sandmann DePaul Cristo Rey High School Cincinnati, Ohio RELIGION Jim Schriml St. Ann Catholic School Hamilton, Ohio PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Denise Smith Middletown Christian Schools Franklin, Ohio THIRD GRADE Loretta Spradling Middletown Christian Schools Franklin, Ohio ENGLISH Kelly Tedesco Bethany School Glendale, Ohio FIRST GRADE Stephanie Tewes Covington Latin School Covington, Ky. HISTORY Joey Versoza Purcell Marian High School Cincinnati, Ohio ART Mark Wolff Villa Madonaa Academy High School/Junior High Villa Hills, Ky. SCIENCE

Learning works! For business Great Oaks offers customized training and assessment to help local business and industry maintain their competitive edge.

For you Full-time and part-time career programs and individual professional development, computer training, and personal interest classes help you enhance career skills or pursue new interests.

www.greatoaks.com

For the community More than 40,000 adults each year turn to Great Oaks for education and training.

513.771.8881 w w w.

m a g a z i n e . c o m : : A U G U S T/S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

2018

WINNER PROFILES JACOB OHNMEIS

Math • Goshen Middle School Jacob Ohnmeis, who just completed his fifth year of teaching at Goshen Middle School, teaches eighth grade math and high school integrated math. “In short, the students are why I love to teach. Whether I’m in the classroom providing real life applications to the math concepts that I teach, or helping kids navigate these challenging middle school years, I am fortunate enough to experience the passion and reward of teaching every day,” says Ohnmeis. Ohnmeis also coaches high school football and middle school track. “Whether he is in the classroom or on the field, Mr. Ohnmeis is an outstanding example of what a teacher and coach should be!” says Theresa Scherzinger, curriculum director at Goshen Middle School. Scherzinger nominated Ohnmeis as an Outstanding Educator based on his teaching experience, participation in development activities, interest in students outside the classroom and distinctive qualities as a member of the community. - Madison Rodgers

Your first step to a better life.

Learn more at gateway.kctcs.edu/better-life

NEVER UNDERESTIMATE YOU. 58

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CHRISTINE GLADDEN

Social Studies • Royalmont Academy Christine Gladden, a junior high and high school social studies teacher at Royalmont Academy, cares for her students by going out of her way to add to their education. She is an eighth-grade homeroom moderator and she leads the eighth-grade trip to Washington D.C. Under her leadership, Adam Wilson won second place in the Sgt. Moses Adams Memorial Middle School Americanism Brochure Context, sponsored by Cincinnati Chapter of the National Society Sons of the American Revolution. Gladden was chosen to attend the 2018 Echoes and Reflections Advanced Learning Seminar at Yad Vashem 2018 in Jerusalem this past summer; she will attend the 10th international conference of Yad Vashem 2018. Gladden loves school and her students. “I love putting them in situations where they have to collaborate, to learn and appreciate the input of others to become a dynamic group,” says Gladden. “And because I love my students, I want the absolute best for them.” – Erin Gardner

CAROL CROWLEY

Fifth Grade Language Arts, Religion, Science • Our Lady of Victory Carol Crowley takes a conscientious, colorful approach to teaching by incorporating a variety of teaching strategies and interactive activities to meet all the needs of her fifth-grade students. “I witness a classroom of willing thinkers and doers,” Crowley says. “I am able to assist in the process with my knowledge and guidance, marvel at their ideas and capabilities and enjoy their successes and accomplishments.” Crowley has been a teacher for 29 years, and her classroom is nothing short of exciting. “All of her students are engaged in creative lessons that take learning to the next level,” says Amy Borgman, principal of Our Lady of Victory. “Carol models compassion,” Borgman says. “Our Lady of Victory is honored of Carol’s willingness to share her gift she has for education and our school community.” – Karina Baffa

Hello, Tomorrow! Tomorrow will be here before you know it. What you do today matters. Butler Tech can help you reach your goals faster. Make the most of your high school experience with more options to earn free college credit. More opportunities to travel and earn national recognition. More apprenticeships and internships. More pathways to careers that make a difference. The experiences you build at Butler Tech today can shape a brighter future. So come as you are, and leave who you want to be. And get ready to say hello to your tomorrow. Serving Butler County and Northwest Local Schools in Hamilton County.

ButlerTech.org | Follow Us @ButlerTech

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Best SCHOOLS

UC President Neville G. Pinto (left) and Cincinnati Public Schools Superintendent Laura Mitchell signed a bilateral agreement forming a new Early College Information Technology program on Sept. 20.

Life After High School May Not Look Like It Used To I CPS, the state’s fastestgrowing urban school district, says more and more students are opting to enter the workforce—and it has a plan to help By Liz Engel 60

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t’s a longtime ritual usually reserved for high school athletes committing to top college programs. But for seniors at Cincinnati Public Schools—including seven who graduated this spring as DHL employees thanks to a first-year, pilot program—so-called “signing days” have taken on a life of their own. Not only are post-secondary decisions celebrated districtwide, but job commitments are now, too. It’s part of a growing trend as more and more students decide to directly enter the work force after graduation. The pilot with cargo giant DHL, for

one, is part of a new career pathway program that’s expanding in the 2018-2019 school year. There’s still emphasis on college, too, and another recent partnership with Miami could fund the cost of college for up to 20 seniors this coming year. And there’s more. “Preparing students for life is really our overall goal. Our world has become very, very competitive. Jobs are tougher to get,” Frances Russ, communications officer for Cincinnati Public Schools, says. “Our job is to help our kids secure those jobs, to help them become critical thinkers, to be ready to take the next step.”

The DHL program, which has received a bulk of the attention, included three components and two high schools, Oyler and Dater, in its inaugural run. First, Cincinnati State sent instructors to teach two introductory courses on logistics. Next, students were taught banking and financial literacy. Then they went to work. DHL offered students a paid co-op, in which they made upward of $13.50 an hour working at least 10 hours a week. And DHL helped eliminate another huge barrier for students—transportation—providing rides both to and from its hub at the Cincinnati/ Northern Kentucky International Airport. CPS is developing other partnerships that will help students obtain their own vehicles at a low cost—along with instruction on how to maintain them. Brittney Cousins, CPS’ career based learning manager, calls it a win-win. DHL has been steadily expanding—and hiring locally—for years. Of the 17 CPS students who participated in the program, seven are now full- or part-time employees. “I think the students were amazed by the depth and the breadth of this field,” Cousins says. “We [as a district] learned we need to continue to provide exploration opportunities for our students, particularly working in an urban setting. I think it’s underestimated the lack of social capital our kids may have. If we don’t expose them to the variety of careers that exist, they’ll only apply for things that they know.” This coming year, CPS will expand the program to include more business partners and six high schools—Dater, Oyler, Woodward, Western Hills, Taft and another still to be determined—and will offer five additional career clusters, including manufacturing (multiple companies), hospitality/ tourism (Cincinnati USA Institute for Hospitality Leadership), public safety (Cincinnati Fire Department), automotive services (Superior) and cybersecurity (Belcan). Each will average 20-25 students; Cousins expects 75-100 to participate overall. She admits it’s a significant ramp up but says officials have spent months planning and preparing. The goal is to create a workforce pipeline; each sector is experiencing some kind of shortage. And it’s about more than just a job for grads—it’s a career. “Sometimes it’s negatively looked upon [going straight into the workforce],” Cousins says. “It’s, ‘Oh, you’re not smart enough

to go to college,’ or, ‘You don’t have the money.’ But in all actuality, [these students] sometimes end up with less debt; they end up with better paying jobs, and climb the ladder faster. We know from the business world that you have to go back to school for a lot of the management positions, but why not use that system to prepare you while also getting the experience you need?” For students who choose to attend college, CPS is also stressing readiness. While 93 percent declared some pathway— whether to “enroll, enlist or employ”— roughly 60 percent of CPS grads commit to college. Kayla Ritter Rickels joined the district in October as its college manager, a newly created position. She’s working on several partnerships with nearby universities, including: 1. Cincinnati Scholars, a pilot with Miami University, for 2017-2018. In the partnership, Miami agreed to sponsor up to 10 men involved in the CPS MORE, a peer leadership program—with full-cost scholarships. Five accepted the opportunity. Rickels says Miami has since increased its commitment. It will now extend the offer to up to 10 men and 10 women. The scholarships cover not just tuition, but room and board, books and more. It’s an exclusive partnership with CPS; the goal is to increase diversity on the Oxford campus. “It’s a really awesome opportunity,” Rickels says. “Miami carries a brand name that could feel intimidating to many of our students. It really shows a huge commitment on their part. And we expect that relationship to continue indefinitely.” 2. CPS is partnering with Miami’s College of Education to create a pipeline of teachers. The program, which starts this fall, targets eighth- and ninth-graders at Aiken High School. The first year will include a variety of out-of-building experiences to expose students to teaching as a career. After, students can enroll in college courses. The program could ultimately lead to an automatic acceptance to Miami with “robust scholarship” opportunities as well, Rickels says. “We know that education is the career students are most exposed to, yet our students are not choosing to be teachers,” she adds. “So [we thought], ‘How can we thoughtfully partner with our colleges and meet the teaching need?’ Because there’s

certainly a gap there.” 3. And CPS is expanding its IT pipeline. In a partnership with the University of Cincinnati, students, starting in ninth grade, can start IT college coursework. If they complete the program and earn at least a C in every course, they’re automatically a Bearcat—with their first full year of college complete. Last school year, the program was offered to 30 ninth-graders at Hughes, but it will be expanded to 90 ninth-graders in the fall at Shroder and Clark schools, too. CPS was the first site for the program, but Rickels says the model has expanded to over 14 districts in the state. “It’s a way for students to expedite through the program and really experience if IT is for them,” she says. “This is the best place to do that.” Additionally, Rickels says CPS is planning its first districtwide college night in October, which will include a college fair, information sessions for families and a FAFSA completion lab. The idea, again, is exposure. “A good chunk of our students that go to college go to one of two institutions: UC or Cincinnati State,” Rickels says. “Both are great, but we want our students to know there are other opportunities, so they pick the best fit. As a large urban [district], we are a strong recruitment ground for colleges. They want our students, and so we have a real opportunity there.” And the work is certainly not complete. Both Cousins and Rickels will continue to develop and formalize partnerships this coming year. And they want to work more and more with families—preparing them, too, for life after high school. “It means something completely different to be a parent of a college student or an employed student,” Rickels says. “…When a student goes to college [for example], the whole family goes to college, and we really need to be thoughtful about what that means.” Ultimately, both see their roles pulling younger and younger. For example, working with sixth-graders on their transition to high school—and beyond. “Our kindergartners right now—their jobs may not exist,” Cousins says. “Traditionally, education systems are behind, so we want to make sure we’re continuing to prepare [students] for careers of the future.” n w w w.

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Best SCHOOLS — GUIDE TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS 2018-2019

he following chart lists private schools in southern Ohio, southeast Indiana and Northern Kentucky. All schools listed have 30 or more students and are not charter schools. Catholic, nonsectarian and other religious schools are all represented on the list. All information listed is based on the most recent data. This information may be subject to change. School

Address

Zip

Phone

Website

Affiliation

Grades

OHIO CATHOLIC-ARCHDIOCESE OF CINCINNATI

allsaints.cc

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

K-8

Annunciation Catholic School

All Saints School

8939 Montgomery Road, Cincinnati 45236 513-792-4732 3545 Clifton Ave., Cincinnati

45220 513-221-1230

school.annunciationbvmparish.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

PK-8

Archbishop Alter High School

940 E. David Road, Kettering

45429 937-434-4434

alterhs.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

9-12

Archbishop McNicholas High School

6536 Beechmont Ave., Cincinnati

45230 513-231-3500

mcnhs.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

9-12

Ascension School

2001 Woodman Drive, Kettering

45420 937-254-5411

school.ascensionkettering.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

K-8

4855 State Route 122, Franklin

45005 513-423-0723

fenwickfalcons.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

9-12

Bishop Fenwick High School

Since 1952, Bishop Fenwick High School has been dedicated to promoting lifelong learning and Christian formation through spiritual, academic, service and extracurricular opportunities in a strong Catholic educational community. Students who walk through the doors of BFHS experience rigorous academic curriculum, highly engaged faculty and daily applications of our talons: faith, integrity, compassion and service. Cardinal Pacelli School Corryville Catholic Elementary School DePaul Cristo Rey High School Elder High School

927 Ellison Ave., Cincinnati

45226 513-321-1048

cardinalpacelli.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

PK-8

108 Calhoun St., Cincinnati

45219 513-281-4856

corryvillecatholic.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

PK-8

1133 Clifton Hills Ave., Cincinnati

45220 513-861-0600

depaulcristorey.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

9-12

3900 Vincent Ave., Cincinnati

45205 513-921-3744

elderhs.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

9-12

*PK PROGR AMS CAN INCLUDE FROM 18 MONTHS UP TO 4 YEARS

Royalmont Academy Catholic School • Preschool - 12th grade • Full and 1/2 Day Preschool • Full Day Kindergarten • Small class sizes

Bringing Souls to Christ by Forming Christian Leaders

Congratulations Class of 2018, 100% graduation rate, 100% college bound, 2.8 million in college scholarship offers 200 Northcrest Drive • Mason, Ohio 45040

513-754-0555 • www.royalmont.org 62

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School

Address

Zip

Phone

Website

Affiliation

Grades

Guardian Angels School

6539 Beechmont Ave., Cincinnati

45230 513-624-3141

gaschool.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

K-8

Immaculate Heart of Mary School

7820 Beechmont Ave., Cincinnati

45255 513-388-4086

ihomschool.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

PK-8

John Paul II Catholic School

9375 Winton Road, Cincinnati

45231 513-521-0860

jpiics.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

K-8

La Salle High School

3091 N. Bend Road, Cincinnati

45239 513-741-3000

lasallehs.net

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

9-12

La Salle High School is a Catholic, all-male, college preparatory high school for students who want to excel in and BEYOND the classroom. La Salle High School provides a unique, Christian brotherhood that fosters personal discovery through intentional, experiential, service-based learning connections to develop authentic men. Mercy McAuley High School

6000 Oakwood Ave., Cincinnati

45224 513-681-1800

mcauleyhs.net

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

9-12

Mercy Montessori School

2335 Grandview Ave., Cincinnati

45206 513-475-6700

mercymontessori.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

PK-8

Mercy Montessori provides a personalized education and a strong foundation for learning as Cincinnatiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first Catholic Montessori school (preschool-eighth grade). Located in East Walnut Hills, Mercy draws students from over 60 Tristate zip codes. Curriculum includes in-school swimming instruction, service learning, digital citizenship and a farm-to-table microeconomy program. Discover Our World. Discover You. Moeller High School Mother Teresa Catholic Elementary School Mount Notre Dame High School

9001 Montgomery Road, Cincinnati 45242 513-791-1680 7197 Mother Teresa Lane, Liberty Township 711 E. Columbia Ave., Cincinnati

moeller.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

9-12

45044 513-779-6585

mtces.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

K-8

45215 513-821-3044

mndhs.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

9-12

Mount Notre Dame is a Catholic, college preparatory high school for female students featuring over 150 academic course offerings, including 25 Honors classes, 20 AP Courses and multiple CCP opportunities. MND students are challenged to achieve more and graduate as empowered young women inspired to transform the world!

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Best SCHOOLS â&#x20AC;&#x201D; GUIDE TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS 2018-2019 School

Address

Nativity of Our Lord School Our Lady of Grace School Our Lady of Lourdes School

Website

Affiliation

Grades

5936 Ridge Ave., Cincinnati

45213 513-458-6767

Zip

Phone

nativity-cincinnati.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

K-8

2940 W. Galbraith Road, Cincinnati

45239 513-931-3070

olgcs.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

K-8

5835 Glenway Ave., Cincinnati

45238 513-347-2660

lourdes.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

K-8

Our Lady of the Visitation School

3180 South Road, Cincinnati

45248 513-347-2222

olvisitation.org/school

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

1-8

Our Lady of Victory School

808 Neeb Road, Cincinnati

45233 513-347-2073

school.olv.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

K-8

Purcell Marian High School

2935 Hackberry St., Cincinnati

45206 513-751-1230

purcellmarian.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

9-12

2550 Millville Ave., Hamilton

45013 513-863-8705

queenofpeacehamilton.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

PK-8

1740 Iliff Ave., Cincinnati

45205 513-471-6600

resurrectionschool.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

K-8

Queen of Peace School Resurrection School Roger Bacon High School Royalmont Academy

4320 Vine St., Cincinnati

45217 513-641-1300

rogerbacon.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

9-12

200 Northcrest Drive, Mason

45040 513-754-0555

royalmontacademy.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

PK-12

Royalmont Academy Catholic School, founded in 1996, serves preschool through high school students. Full- and half-day preschool and full-day kindergarten are offered. Royalmont offers an authentic Catholic education with pride in academic excellence, spiritual formation, leadership development, small class sizes and no-cut athletics. Sacred Heart of Jesus School Seton High School

400 Nilles Road, Fairfield

45014 513-858-4215

shjs.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

K-8

3901 Glenway Ave., Cincinnati

45205 513-471-2600

setoncincinnati.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

9-12

In the tradition of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, and through the charism of the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati, Seton High School develops young women of faith, service and leadership within a Catholic Christian community and provides academic excellence to a diverse student population.

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IN THE DOMINICAN TRADITION

ACHIEVE MORE

6543 Miami Ave, Madeira, OH | 513-561-8020

Empowered to Transform the World

NOW ENROLLING FOR 2019-2020 Nurturing Intelligent & Virtuous Leaders

Mount Notre Dame is Cincinnatiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oldest all-female Catholic high school, founded in 1860 by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, and is part of the worldwide Notre Dame Learning Community. MND provides a college preparatory learning environment with an average class size of 19 students. Led by its talented faculty, each student is challenged through a broad selection of engaging classes, including 25 Honors and 20 Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Instruction is enhanced through collegiate-style Block Scheduling and a One-to-One Tablet PC Program that supports a variety of learning styles. MND graduates are prepared for the journey that lies ahead.

A loving & supportive environment, where traditional values & modern teaching foster critical thinking, curiosity & collaboration.

Find out more at www.stgertrudesch.org or visit us on Facebook 64

A U G U S T/S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 : : w w w.

maga zine.com

www.mndhs.org

School

Website

Affiliation

Grades

St. Albert the Great School

104 W Dorothy Lane, Kettering

Address

45429 937-293-9452

school.stalbertthegreat.net

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

PK-8

St. Aloysius Gonzaga School

4390 Bridgetown Road, Cincinnati

45211 513-574-4035

saintals.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

K-8

6207 Portage St., Cincinnati

45233 513-941-7831

saoto.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

PK-8

555 Main St., Milford

45150 513-831-5277

saseasschool.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

6-8

3064 Pleasant Ave., Hamilton

45015 513-863-0604

saintanncs.com

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

PK-8

St. Aloysius-on-the-Ohio School St. Andrew Campus St. Ann Catholic School

Zip

Phone

St. Ann Catholic School is committed to the spiritual, intellectual, physical and social growth of each student. Our school strives for academic excellence in an environment interwoven with the Gospel values of the Catholic faith. Each student is prepared to meet future challenges and to practice Christian service to the Church and the community. St. Antoninus School

5425 Julmar Drive, Cincinnati

45238 513-922-2500

saintantoninus.org/school

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

K-8

St. Bernadette School

1453 Locust Lake Road, Amelia

45102 513-753-4744

stbameliaschool.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

PK-8

St. Bernard School of Taylor Creek

7115 Springdale Road, Cincinnati

45247 513-353-4224

stbernardtc.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

K-8

4305 Pitts Ave., Cincinnati

45223 513-541-5122

stbonifaceschool.net

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

PK-8

3324 Wunder Ave., Cincinnati

45211 513-481-7683

stcathos.org/school

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

K-8

St. Boniface School St. Catharine of Siena School St. Cecilia School St. Charles Borromeo School St. Clement School

4115 Taylor Ave., Cincinnati

45209 513-533-6060

school.stceciliacincinnati.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

PK-8

4600 Ackerman Blvd., Kettering

45429 937-434-4933

stcharles-kettering.org/school

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

PK-8

4534 Vine St., Bernard

45217 513-641-2137

stcschool.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

PK-8

St. Columban School

896 Oakland Road, Loveland

45140 513-683-7903

saintcolumbanschool.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

PK-8

St. Dominic School

371 Pedretti Road, Cincinnati

45238 513-251-1276

stdominic-k-8.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

PK-8

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Campus

5900 Buckwheat Road, Milford

45150 513-575-0093

saseasschool.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

PK-5

St. Francis de Sales School

1602 Madison Road, Cincinnati

45206 513-961-1953

desalescincy.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

PK-8

CAREER FIELDS:

Healthcare/Medical • Advanced Manufacturing • Information Technology • Cosmetology • Firefighter/EMT • HVAC Welding • Heavy Equipment & Site Construction Electrical Power Line Mechanic • Dental Assisting

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Best SCHOOLS — GUIDE TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS 2018-2019 School

Address

Zip

Phone

Website

Affiliation

Grades

St. Francis de Sales School - Lebanon

20 DeSales Ave., Lebanon

45036 513-932-6501

stfrancisdesales-lebanon.com

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

K-8

St. Francis Seraph School

14 E. Liberty St., Cincinnati

45202 513-721-7778

sfsschool.com

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

PK-8

18 W. Sharon Road, Glendale

45246 513-771-5220

stgabeschool.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

K-8

6543 Miami Ave., Maderia

45243 513-561-8020

stgertrudesch.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

K-8

St. Gabriel Consolidated School St. Gertrude School

St. Gertrude School is a loving and supportive environment, where traditional values and modern teaching foster critical thinking, curiosity and collaboration. Please call our school office at 561-8020 to arrange for a school tour and see for yourself why St. Gertrude School is so special.”

St. Ignatius Loyola School

5222 North Bend Road, Cincinnati 45247 513-389-3242

St. James the Greater School St. John the Baptist School St. John the Baptist School - Harrison St. John XXIII Catholic School

sainti.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

K-8

6111 Cheviot Road, Cincinnati

45247 513-741-5333

stjameswo.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

K-8

5375 Dry Ridge Road, Cincinnati

45252 513-385-7970

stjohnsdrschool.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

PK-8

508 Park Ave., Harrison

45030 513-367-6826

sjbharrison.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

PK-8

3806 Manchester Road, Middletown

45042 513-424-1196

stjohn23school.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

PK-8

St. John XXIII represents almost 150 years of Catholic Education dedicated to encouraging and developing well-rounded, self confident and compassionate children and young adults who lead successful, mindful, service-driven lives. We are committed to providing a challenging, structured and right-sized learning environment led by highly qualified and experienced teachers. Our school community is the foundation on which our core principles of faith and hard work bind us together as a family. We believe that here, you are home. TRADITIONAL VALUES. EXCEPTIONAL EDUCATION.

Discover Our Discover World. Discover scover Our World. You. You.

Mercy provides a personalized, Montessori for students in preschool-8th grade. Mercy provideseducation a personalized, Montessori • Cincinnati’s ﬁrst Catholic Montessori education for students in preschool-8th grade.grade school founded in 1969

• Cincinnati’s ﬁrst Catholic Montessori grade • Unique sliding scale tuition model school founded in 1969

• Conveniently located minutes from downtown

• Unique sliding scale tuition model Cincinnati in East Walnut Hills, attracting students from over 50 regional zip codes

Mercy provides alocated personalized, • Conveniently minutes fromMontessori downtown • Curriculum includes swimming instruction Cincinnati in East Walnut attracting students education for students in Hills, preschool-8th grade.

starting at age three, digital citizenship, from over 50 regional zip codes • Cincinnati’s first Catholic Montessori grade school founded in 1969 environmental studies, and service learning

• Unique sliding scale tuition model • Curriculum includes swimming instruction

For more or to arrange a tour, contact starting at information ageminutes three, digital citizenship, • Conveniently located from downtown Cincinnati in East Amanda Grimm at (513) 475-6700 or visit www.mercymontessori.org

Walnut Hills, attractingstudies, studentsand fromservice over 60learning regional zip codes environmental

• Curriculum includes in-school swimming instruction, service Catholic • Montessori • Preschool-8th Grade learning, digital anda atour, farm-to-table For more information orcitizenship to arrange contactmicroeconomy program. da Grimm at (513) 475-6700 or visit www.mercymontessori.org For more information or to arrange a tour, contact Amanda Grimm at (513) 475-6700 or visit www.mercymontessori.org

tholic • Montessori • Preschool-8th Grade Catholic • Montessori • Preschool-8th Grade 66

A U G U S T/S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 : : w w w.

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Discover the Beauty of Villa K-12 AWARD-WINNING SCHOOL

27.9 AVERAGE ACT SCORE

9:1 STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO

$200,000 AVERAGE SCHOLARSHIP OFFER PER GRADUATE

92ND

PERCENTILE AVERAGE COMPOSITE SCORE ON ELEMENTARY STANDARDIZED TESTS

OPEN HOUSE OCTOBER 21, 1-3 P.M. VILLAMADONNA.ORG

School

Address

St. Joseph Consolidated School

925 S. Second St., Hamilton

Zip

Phone

45011 513-863-8758

Website

Affiliation

Grades

sjcshamilton.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

K-8

Developing leaders, shaping lives, building enduring relationships for 150 years (1869-2019)… and still going STRONG.

St. Joseph School

745 Ezzard Charles Drive, Cincinnati

45203 513-381-2126

saintjosephchurchandschool.com

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

PK-8

St. Jude School

5940 Bridgetown Road, Cincinnati

45248 513-598-2100

stjudebridgetown.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

K-8

St. Lawrence School

1020 Carson Ave., Cincinnati

45205 513-921-4996

stlawrenceparish.org/school

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

PK-8

St. Louis School

250 Broadway St., Owensville

45160 513-732-0636

stlparish.org/school

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

PK-8

St. Margaret of York School

9495 Columbia Road, Loveland

45140 513-697-3100

smoyschool.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

K-8

3729 Harding Ave., Cheviot

45211 513-661-7609

saintmartin.org/schools

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

K-8

2845 Erie Ave., Cincinnati

45208 513-321-0703

smshp.com

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

K-8

St. Martin of Tours School St. Mary School St. Michael Catholic School

11136 Oak St., Sharonville

45241 513-554-3555

stmichaelsharonville.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

K-8

St. Nicholas Academy

170 Siebenthaler Ave., Reading

45215 513-686-2727

stnacademy.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

K-8

St. Peter in Chains School

451 Ridgelawn Ave., Hamilton

45013 513-863-0685

stpeterinchains.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

K-8

1720 Glendale Milford Road, Cincinnati

45215 513-771-7600

srsdeaf.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

PK-12

500 Reading Road, Mason

45040 513-398-3821

stsusannaschool.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

K-8

1194 Rulison Ave., Cincinnati

45238 513-471-4530

stteresa.net

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

K-8

St. Rita School for the Deaf St. Susanna School St. Teresa of Avila School

YOUR TIME IS NOW! H I G H

S C H O O L

Open House

Thursday, November 1 5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

There is no better time to become a Seton Saint! Faith, Academics, Leadership, Service, Athletics, Fine Arts and more..

3901 Glenway Ave • Cincinnati, OH 45205 • 513-471-2600 • setoncincinnati.org w w w.

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Best SCHOOLS — GUIDE TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS 2018-2019 School

Address

Zip

Phone

Website

Affiliation

Grades

St. Thomas More School

788 Ohio Pike, Cincinnati

45245 513-753-2540

sttmschool.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

PK-8

St. Veronica School

4475 Mt. Carmel Tobasco Road, Cincinnati

45244 513-528-0442

school.stveronica.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

PK-8

7754 Montgomery Road, Cincinnati

45236 513-791-6320

svf-school.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

K-8

St. Vivian School

885 Denier Place, Cincinnati

45224 513-522-6858

mystvivian.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

PK-8

St. William School

4125 St. William Ave., Cincinnati

45205 513-471-2989

saintwilliam.com/school

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

PK-8

Stephen T. Badin High School

571 New London Road, Hamilton

45013 513-863-3993

badinhs.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

9-12

St. Vincent Ferrer School

At Badin, students are more than just a test score. We welcome all students because we know that who they are now is just a glimmer of who they will become through the Badin environment. Class of 2018: 117 strong, nearly $21 million in academic scholarships. #BadinProud Sts. Peter and Paul Academy

231 Clark Road, Reading

45215 513-761-7772

sppacademy.org

Catholic-Archdiocese of Cincinnati

K-8

4460 Berwick St., Cincinnati

45227 513-271-4171

gscmontessori.org

Catholic-Independent

PK-8

1339 E. McMillan St., Cincinnati

45206 513-961-3410

saintursula.org

Catholic-Independent

9-12

CATHOLIC-INDEPENDENT (OH)

Good Shepherd Catholic Montessori Saint Ursula Academy

Since 1910, Saint Ursula Academy has prepared young women for future success with strong academics, a welcoming and nurturing environment, and endless opportunities to explore their unique interests through service, athletics, leadership and club opportunities. Choosing Saint Ursula Academy is an investment in your future. The Class of 2017 earned more than $21 million in scholarship offers. St. Edmund Campion Academy

4100 Taylor Ave., Cincinnati

45209 513-871-0331

stedmundcampion.info

Catholic-Independent

1-12

St. Gertrude the Great School

4900 Rialto Road, West Chester

45069 513-645-4216

sgg.org

Catholic-Independent

K-12

St. Ursula Villa School

3660 Vineyard Place, Cincinnati

45226 513-871-7218

stursulavilla.org

Catholic-Independent

PK-8

St. Henry District High School NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE Schedule a campus tour today! 859.525.5844 www.SHDHS.org

Come and see what makes NEW

CONSTRUCTION! Fine Arts Building STEM Labs (Opening in 2019)

THE LAST 4 YEARS Average ACT - 26.5 AP College Credit Earned - 81% Total Scholarship Money Offered - Over $44 million 3755 Scheben Drive Erlanger, KY 41018 P: 859.525.0255 www.SHDHS.org

FAITH • SCHOLARSHIP • ARTS • ATHLETICS • LEADERSHIP

Academic Excellence. Spiritual Growth. A U G U S T/S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 : : w w w. maga zine.com

Bethany different!

- Full Day Kindergarten - 8th Grade -15 to 1 Student to Teacher Ratio -On Site Before/After School Care & Activities

-Academic Excellence. Spiritual Growth.

OPEN HOUSE

Sunday, October 7, 2018 2:00 - 4:00 pm

555 Albion Ave. - Glendale, Ohio 45246 513.771.7462 - www.bethanyschool.org

School

Address

Website

Affiliation

Grades

45224 513-761-7600

stxavier.org

Catholic-Independent

9-12

2161 Grandin Road, Cincinnati

45208 513-871-4700

summitcds.org

Catholic-Independent

PK-12

5535 Pfeiffer Road, Cincinnati

45242 513-791-5791

ursulineacademy.org

Catholic-Independent

9-12

600 W. NorthBend Road, Cincinnati

The Summit Country Day School Ursuline Academy

St. Xavier High School

Zip

Phone

Founded in 1896, Ursuline Academy offers a rigorous curriculum and uniquely student-centered approach to learning specifically designed to prepare young women for college and beyond. Through this model, we provide a culture where students are empowered to learn through their choices, which is enhanced by Ursulineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s modular schedule and the design of our campus. 100 percent of Ursuline students graduate and continue their education. 90 perecent of the Class of 2018 received college scholarships exceeding $31 million. OTHER RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS (OH)

Aldersgate Christian Academy Beautiful Savior Lutheran School Bethany School

1810 Young St., Cincinnati

45202 513-763-6655

aldersgatechristian.com

Christian

K-12

11981 Pippin Road, Cincinnati

45231 513-825-2290

beautifulsaviorschool.com

Lutheran

PK-8

555 Albion Ave., Glendale

45246 513-771-7462

bethanyschool.org

Episcopal

K-8

The mission of Bethany School is to be a community where all members can thrive as learners, growing and developing academically, socially, physically, emotionally and spiritually; where students experience and learn respect, responsibility and an appreciation for diversity; and where academic excellence is provided in a Christian environment. Our mission statement is the reflection of our clear and continued commitment to these Core Values: Spiritual Growth, Academic Excellence, Diversity, Character Education, and Family Commitment. Central Baptist Academy

7645 Winton Road, Cincinnati

45224 513-521-5481

centralbaptistacademy.org

Baptist

K-8

Cincinnati Christian Schools Elementary Campus

7350 Dixie Highway, Fairfield

45014 513-874-8500

cincinnatichristian.org

Christian

PK-6

Cincinnati Christian Schools Junior/Senior High Campus

7474 Morris Road, Fairfield

45011 513-892-8500

cincinnatichristian.org

Christian

7-12

2222 Losantiville Road, Cincinnati

45237 513-351-7777

chdsonline.org

Jewish

PK-8

11312 Snider Road, Cincinnati

45249 513-247-0900

chca-oh.org

Christian

PK-3

Cincinnati Hebrew Day School Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy Edyth B. Lindner Elementary

Hamilton, Ohio www.sjcshamilton.org

Developing leaders, shaping lives, building enduring relationships for...

150 Years 1869-2019

and still going STRONG!

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Best SCHOOLS — GUIDE TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS 2018-2019 School

Address

Website

Affiliation

Grades

45249 513-247-0900

chca-oh.org

Christian

9-12

11300 Snider Road, Cincinnati

45249 513-247-0900

chca-oh.org

Christian

4-8

140 W. Ninth St., Cincinnati

45202 513-721-2422

chca-oh.org

Christian

PK-6

Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy Martha S. Lindner High School

11525 Snider Road, Cincinnati

Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy Middle School Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy Otto Armleder Memorial Education Center Cincinnati Junior Academy

Zip

Phone

3798 Clifton Ave., Cincinnati

45220 513-751-1255

nbf15.adventistschoolconnect.org

Seventh-Day Adventist

K-8

6277 Collegevue Place, Cincinnati

45224 513-542-0643

edengrove.com

Christian

PK-8

El-Sewedy International Academy of Cincinnati

8094 Plantation Drive, West Chester

45069 513-755-0169

intlacademy.org

Islamic

PK-8

Immanuel Lutheran School

1285 Main St., Hamilton

45013 513-895-9212

immanuelhamilton.com

Lutheran-Missouri Synod

PK-8

Lebanon Christian School

1436 Deerfield Road, Lebanon

45036 513-932-5590

lebanonchristianschool.org

Christian

PK-8

4900 Old Irwin Simpson Road, Mason

45040 513-754-1234

libertybibleacademy.org

Christian

PK-12

Eden Grove Academy

Liberty Bible Academy Mars Hill Academy Miami Valley Christian Academy Milford Christian Academy Rockwern Academy

4230 Aero Drive, Mason

45040 513-770-3223

marshill.edu

Classical Christian

K-12

6830 School St., Cincinnati

45244 513-272-6822

mvca-oh.com

Christian

PK-12

1365 Woodville Pike, Milford

45150 513-575-1708

mcabulldogs.org

Christian

PK-12

8401 Montgomery Road, Cincinnati

45236 513-984-3770

rockwernacademy.org

Jewish

PK-8

St. Mark's Lutheran School

5849 Buckwheat Road, Milford

45150 513-575-3354

stmarksmilford.org

Lutheran

PK-8

Zion Temple Christian Academy

3771 Reading Road, Cincinnati

45229 513-861-5551

ztca.org

Christian

PK-6

Central Montessori Academy

1904 Springdale Road, Cincinnati

45231 513-742-5800

centralmontessoriacademy.com

Nonsectarian

PK-6

Children's Meeting House Montessori School

927 O'Bannonville Road, Loveland 45140 513-683-4757

cmhschool.com

Nonsectarian

PK-6

PRIVATE NONSECTARIAN (OH)

Cincinnati Country Day School Cincinnati Waldorf School

6905 Given Road, Cincinnati

45243 513-561-7298

countryday.net

Nonsectarian

PK-12

6743 Chestnut St., Mariemont

45227 513-541-0220

cincinnatiwaldorfschool.org

Nonsectarian

PK-8

Everything You’re Looking For in a College • Minutes from downtown Columbus • Honors program and study abroad opportunities • Generous financial aid • Comfortable suite-style residence halls • NCAA Division II athletics • Columbus’ only Catholic university

Schedule a visit today! ohiodominican.edu/Visit Founded by the Dominican Sisters of Peace.

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KitchenAid

Cooks Up Success

Guide To Workers’ Compensation Is Ohio the Best State For Your Business? Growing a Business: ScottsMiracle-Gro Federal Tax Law Update

SPRING 2018 VOLUME 3

ISSUE 1

$3.99

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OHIOBUSINESSMAG.COM

School

Address

Zip

Phone

Website

Affiliation

Grades

45236 513-984-2215

lindengroveschool.org

Special Needs

K-8

Linden Grove School

4122 Mrytle Ave., Cincinnati

McGuffey Montessori School

5128 Westgate Drive, Oxford

45056 513-523-7742

mcguffeymontessori.com

Nonsectarian

PK-8

8293 Duke Blvd., Mason

45040 513-398-7773

montacademy.org

Nonsectarian

PK-8

Montessori Academy of Cincinnati Seven Hills School

5400 Red Bank Road, Cincinnati

45227 513-728-2400

7hills.org

Nonsectarian

PK-12

Springer School and Center

2121 Madison Road, Cincinnati

45208 513-871-6080

springer-ld.org

Learning Disabilities

1-8

The New School Montessori

3 Burton Woods Lane, Cincinnati

45229 513-281-7999

newschoolmontessori.com

Nonsectarian

PK-6

8100 Cornell Road, Cincinnati

45249 513-489-8940

schillingschool.org

Gifted Children

K-12

1 Twister Circle, Oldenburg

47036 812-934-4440

oldenburgacademy.org

Catholic-Independent

9-12

222 Mechanic St., Aurora

47001 812-926-2656

stjohnlcms.com

Lutheran-Missouri Synod

PK-8

The Schilling School for Gifted Children INDIANA

Oldenburg Academy of the Immaculate Conception St. John Lutheran School St. Lawrence School

524 Walnut St. Lawrenceburg

47025 812-537-3690

stlschool.com

Catholic-Independent

K-8

St. Louis Catholic School

17 E. St. Louis Place, Batesville

47006 812-934-3310

st.louisschool.org

Catholic-Independent

PK-8

6459 E. St. Nicholas Drive, Sunman

47041 812-623-2348

school.stnicholas-sunman.org

Catholic-Independent

K-8

4 Grove St., Alexandria

41001 859-635-2108

bishopbrossart.org

Catholic-Diocese of Covington

9-12

2407 Dixie Highway, Ft. Mitchell

41017 859-331-3062

school.bssky.org

Catholic-Diocese of Covington

K-8

St. Nicholas Catholic School KENTUCKY CATHOLIC-DIOCESE OF COVINGTON

Bishop Brossart High School Blessed Sacrament School Covington Catholic High School Covington Latin School Holy Cross Elementary School Holy Cross High School

1600 Dixie Highway, Park Hills

41011 859-491-2247

covcath.org

Catholic-Diocese of Covington

9-12

21 E. 11th St., Covington

41011 859-291-7044

covingtonlatin.org

Catholic-Diocese of Covington

7-12

3615 Church St., Latonia

41015 859-581-6599

holycrosselem.com

Catholic-Diocese of Covington

K-8

3617 Church St., Covington

41015 859-431-1335

hchscov.com

Catholic-Diocese of Covington

9-12

Notre Dame acaDemy Educating Women to Make a Difference in the World

OPEN HOUSE - November 4 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Open House

Sunday, October 28 1:00 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3:30 pm Come and experience the Welcoming, Family Atmosphere. Tour our beautiful Campus, including our new Theater, and Art/Design Wing. Plus, see how students are learning through advanced technology like 3-D Printing, Robotics, and our advanced one-to-one Tablet PC Program. Learn why Saint Ursula is the expert in All-Girls Education, empowering every student to achieve great Success in high school, college and beyond.

Experience the full value of an NDA education!

Tuition + Fees: $8,530 (in-diocese) $9,290 (out-of-diocese)

www.ndapandas.org

To learn more, contact Director of Admissions, Katie Caccavari

859.292.1829 | caccavarik@ndapandas.org Notre Dame Academy | 1699 Hilton Drive, Park Hills, KY 41011

Saint Ursula Academy Admissions Office 1339 East McMillan Street, Cincinnati, OH 45206 www.saintursula.org Contact: Michelle Dellecave, (513) 961-3410 ext. 183 www.mdellecave@saintursula.org Follow Us!

SUABulldogs

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SaintUrsulaAcademy

m a g a z i n e . c o m : : A U G U S T/S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8

Best SCHOOLS — GUIDE TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS 2018-2019 School

Website

Affiliation

Grades

Holy Family Catholic School

338 E. 16th St., Covington

Address

41014 859-581-0290

Zip

Phone

stbenedictcovington.com

Catholic-Diocese of Covington

K-8

Holy Trinity Elementary School

235 Division St., Bellevue

41073 859-291-6937

holytrinity-school.org

Catholic-Diocese of Covington

K-5

Holy Trinity Junior High School

840 Washington Ave., Newport

41071 859-292-0487

holytrinity-school.org

Catholic-Diocese of Covington

6-8

Immaculate Heart of Mary School

5876 Veterans Way, Burlington

41005 859-689-5010

ihm-ky.org/school

Catholic-Diocese of Covington

PK-8

Mary, Queen of Heaven School

1130 Donaldson Road, Erlanger

41018 859-371-8100

mqhschool.com

Catholic-Diocese of Covington

K-8

Newport Central Catholic High School

13 Carothers Road, Newport

41071 859-292-0001

ncchs.com

Catholic-Diocese of Covington

9-12

Notre Dame Academy

1699 Hilton Drive, Park Hills

41011 859-261-4300

ndapandas.org

Catholic-Diocese of Covington

9-12

Notre Dame Academy is Northern Kentucky’s ONLY Catholic college-preparatory high school exclusively for young women. Sponsored by the Sisters of Notre Dame of Covington, Kentucky, NDA provides a premier education empowering young women to become intelligent and compassionate leaders who strive to make a difference in the world. Prince of Peace School Catholic Montessori School

625 Pike St., Covington

41011 859-431-5153

popcov.com

Catholic-Diocese of Covington

PK-8

1322 Sleepy Hollow Road, Ft. Wright

41011 859-261-0543

school.saintagnes.com

Catholic-Diocese of Covington

K-8

St. Anthony School

485 Grand Ave., Taylor Mill

41015 859-431-5987

saintanthonytaylormill.org/school

Catholic-Diocese of Covington

K-8

St. Augustine School

1840 Jefferson Ave., Covington

41014 859-261-5564

staugustines.net/school

Catholic-Diocese of Covington

K-8

23 Rossford Ave., Ft. Thomas

41075 859-572-2680

stcatherineofsienaftthomas.com

Catholic-Diocese of Covington

K-8

St. Agnes School

St. Catherine of Siena School St. Cecilia Catholic School

5313 Madison Pike, Independence

41051 859-363-4314

saintceciliaschool.net

Catholic-Diocese of Covington

PK-8

St. Henry Catholic School

3825 Dixie Highway, Elsmere

41018 859-342-2551

sthenryschool.net

Catholic-Diocese of Covington

PK-8

St. Henry District High School

3755 Scheben Drive, Erlanger

41018 859-525-0255

shdhs.org

Catholic-Diocese of Covington

9-12

Saint Henry District High School, NKY’s largest Catholic coeducational high school, believes every student benefits from our personalized education. The faculty and staff are committed to providing a college preparatory education, and we encourage our students to be active in the community guided by our five pillars: faith, scholarship, athletics, arts and leadership. bishop-fenwick_dayton_june-18_ad2.pdf

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3806 Manchester Road, Middletown

A U G U S T/S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 : : w w w.

(513) 424.1196

maga zine.com

stjohn23school.org

Open House November 11 1-3:00pm fenwickfalcons.org | 513.428.0525

4855 State Route 122, Franklin OH 45005

School

Website

Affiliation

Grades

4011 Alexandria Pike, Cold Spring

41076 859-441-2025

stjosephcoldspring.com

Catholic-Diocese of Covington

PK-8

2474 Lorraine Ave., Crescent Springs

41017 859-578-2742

sjscrescent.net

Catholic-Diocese of Covington

PK-8

48 Needmore St., Walton

41094 859-485-6444

sjswalton.com

Catholic-Diocese of Covington

PK-8

St. Mary School

9 S. Jefferson St., Alexandria

41001 859-635-9539

saintmaryparish.com/school

Catholic-Diocese of Covington

PK-8

St. Paul School

7303 Dixie Highway, Florence

41042 859-371-8051

stpaulschool.net

Catholic-Diocese of Covington

PK-8

St. Philip School

1402 Mary Ingles Highway, Melbourne

41059 859-441-8949

stphilipky.org

Catholic-Diocese of Covington

K-8

348 Dudley Road, Edgewood

41017 859-341-4900

school.stpiusx.com

Catholic-Diocese of Covington

K-8

2516 Alexandria Pike, Southgate

41071 859-441-0449

school.sainttherese.ws

Catholic-Diocese of Covington

K-8

428 S. Ft. Thomas Ave., Ft. Thomas

41075 859-572-4641

sttschool.org

Catholic-Diocese of Covington

PK-8

Sts. Peter and Paul School

2160 California Crossroads, California

41007 859-635-4382

stspp.com

Catholic-Diocese of Covington

PK-8

Villa Madonna Academy

2500 Amsterdam Road, Villa Hills

41017 859-331-6333

villamadonna.org

Catholic-Diocese of Covington

K-12

5955 Taylor Mill Road, Covington

41015 859-356-9201

ccsky.org

Baptist

PK-12

11875 Taylor Mill Road, Independence

41051 859-356-7990

ccaky.org

Pentecostal

PK-12

10310 Dixie Highway, Florence

41042 859-371-9008

zionchristianacademy.com

Christian

PK-8

2625 Anderson Road, Crescent Springs

41017 859-331-3725

nkmacademy.org

Nonsectarian

PK-6

St. Joseph - Cold Spring St. Joseph - Crescent Springs St. Joseph Academy

St. Pius X Catholic School St. Therese Catholic School St. Thomas School

Address

Zip

Phone

OTHER RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS (KY)

Calvary Christian School Community Christian Academy Zion Christian Academy PRIVATE NONSECTARIAN (KY)

Northern Kentucky Montessori Academy

invest today, in your daughter’s tomorrow.

Visit www.ursulineacademy.org or call our Admisssions Director, Ashley Higgins, at 513-791-5791, ext.1116 w w w.

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Best SCHOOLS

St. Gertrude School students are introduced to hands-on science like dissections from an early age.

Forming Educated Leaders ST. GERTRUDE SCHOOL DEVELOPS ITS STUDENTS WITH ITS APPROACH TO EDUCATION By Corinne Minard

t. Gertrude School in Madeira was founded about 90 years ago, but that doesn’t mean the school’s approach to education is old-fashioned. In fact, the kindergarten-through-eighthgrade school has implemented a series of programs to form its students into the leaders of tomorrow. One such program is the school’s household system. “From second though eighth grade, you’re in a household and you stay in that household [throughout your time at St. Gertrude],” says Sister Mary Aquinas, principal. The households consist of 14-16 students and a faculty adviser, and they meet twice a month. Originally started to create more of a family feel throughout the school, the households have also provided leadership opportunities to eighth-graders. “Your eighth-grade leaders lead community-building activities, they talk about the saints of the month or the virtue of the month,” says Sister Mary Aquinas. “They pray together, have fun together and it’s a 74

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way to know kids across the grade levels.” Sister Mary Aquinas says that students often start their eighth-grade year feeling uncomfortable with their leadership responsibility, but they grow into the role and gain confidence as the year progresses. Another way St. Gertrude looks to build its students knowledge is with its science classes. “Our hands-on science is pretty darn good,” says Sister Mar y Aquinas. In younger grades, that means learning about the outdoors with the school’s garden and apple trees. Students also assist in taking care of the school’s chickens. “Every year we incubate eggs and hatch chickens and then the chickens lay eggs for us,” she says. The students participate in dissections starting in sixth grade. “They do bullfrogs in sixth grade, they do sharks in seventh grade and then in eighth grade they actually do fetal pigs,” says Sister Mary Aquinas. “From what I’m told, we’re doing high school-level dissections at the junior high level because of our amazing science teacher and the parent support.” This same above-and-beyond attitude is also applied to the school’s theater program. Called the SG Players, the theater group puts on a musical each year at Madeira High School. Fifth-through-

eighth grade students are able to work on high-quality productions, complete with lights, microphones, costumes, makeup and high-quality sets. Past productions include The Lion King Jr., The Little Mermaid Jr., Seussical Jr., Alice in Wonderland Jr., Cinderella Jr., Beauty & the Beast Jr., Wizard of Oz Jr. and Annie Jr. “It keeps getting bigger every year,” says Sister Mary Aquinas. In addit ion to prov iding students with strong educational and artistic foundations, St. Gertrude also focuses on strengthening the students’ religious beliefs. The Dominicans, who are strongly founded in study, preaching and truth, founded the Roman Catholic school. A novitiate house (a house for Dominican brothers in training) is located on the school’s campus, so students are used to seeing religious men and women throughout the day. Sister Mary Aquinas and other brothers and sisters at the school are seen dressed in full habit at all times. This religious presence is reinforced with religion class, incorporating religion into other topics and religious discussions in the households. “[Students] have a good sense of why the church teaches what it teaches and they can defend that,” says Sister Mary Aquinas. n

Community KAREN BANKSTON

page 76

ECOT CHARTER

page 78

MCFARLIN & PILLICH

page 79

WARREN DAVIDSON page 80

WIDMER CASE

JOE SIMON

page 84

Rep. Warren Davidson

w w w.

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Reflections on Leadership By Dan Hurley

“I

t has been tremendously challenging to do this work,” says Karen Bankston, the CEO of the Childhood Poverty Collaborative. Bankston is a member of a long line of Cincinnati leaders who have worked to alleviate the effects of poverty. The challenges she faces have certain echoes in the past, but also a dangerous new set of assumptions. Over the decades most descriptions of poverty have largely come from the perspectives of the wealthy. At the very time local boosters bragged that this was the “Queen City of the West” and the “Paris of America” in the 1860s, early workers at the Children’s Home of Cincinnati noted that recent immigrants and rural migrants to the city were trapped in “narrow lanes and fetid alleys, among stagnant pools of liquid poison, offensive smells and dirty houses.” The Home’s 1872 annual report noted that “hundreds of poor and almost abandoned children” had to scratch out an existence in the streets. An 1878 report from the Ohio Bureau of Labor Statistics called out the horrible conditions in tenement housing in Cincinnati. Tens of thousands lived in flats in which the only source of fresh air was the building entrance, which often was also the site for the only indoor privy in the building. As a result, “it is almost impossible to prevent the gaseous exhalations arising from it being disseminated through the entire building.” Bankston feels that today, those with privilege and power—she includes herself in that group—are not good at listening to what the poor want. That is not new. One

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bold ex per i ment to give the poor a voice and power was the creation of the Mohawk-Brighton Social Unit in 1917. Neighborhood residents, organized by blocks, had power to direct the medical services to be delivered by doctors and nurses. Within two years, Mayor John Galvin declared the In the early 20th century, before Social Security for the Social Unit “a seri- elderly, millions of senior citizens were trapped in tenement ous menace to our housing. municipal government and but one step removed from Bolshevism.” Months over time would weed out those not later, the Social Unit was run out of town. capable of succeeding. From the very beginning, wealthier Twentieth century Progressive reformCincinnatians, even those engaged in al- ers, on the other hand, rejected the idea leviating poverty, often blamed the poor for that poverty was not an inherent condition, their situation. Today it is drug addiction, but the result of the systems that trapped but in earlier decades, reformers pointed certain people in poverty. Housing reformto the affinity of Irish and German immi- ers began by calling for stricter regulagrants for “King Alcohol” as the cause of tions on tenements. After W WI, Jacob Schmidlapp led an effort to privately build widespread poverty. Those anti-immigrant, anti-Catholic, dignified, affordable housing. racist prejudices blended easily into the Local poverty workers captured national rising popularity of Social Darwinism attention with two studies. Edward Clopin the 1880s and then into the wave of per’s 1912 “Child Labor in City Streets” eugenics in the early decades of the alerted people to degradation experienced 20th century. These ideologies not only by newsboys, messengers and others. blamed the poor for their suffering, but Frances Rich’s 1927 Wage Earning Girls also argued for a laissez faire response. in Cincinnati focused on women and the Helping the poor would simply interfere industrial jobs they were able to access. with natural selection of the fittest that The Great Depression of the 1930s was a

(PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE CINCINNATI MUSEUM CENTER)

Leading the Fight Against Poverty

KAREN BANKSTON HAS JOINED THE RANKS OF THOSE WHO HAVE FOUGHT POVERTY IN CINCINNATI

Karen Bankston

pivotal turning point. Jean Leach started her career as a social worker in 1933. She remembers traveling up the Mt. Adams Incline and then working her way down the side of the hill, visiting practically every flat in every tenement. They were all on her caseload. In the face of massive, grinding poverty, private relief was overwhelmed. Only the federal government had the resources to address the issues; whether support of the elderly, employment, food or housing, the government increasingly took the lead. In the case of federally funded “public housing,” even Sen. Robert Taft, the leading opponent of the New Deal, supported government involvement in affordable housing. The role of the federal government increased steadily, especially under President Johnson’s War on Poverty beginning in the 1960s. Collectively, the proliferation of public and private anti-poverty programs and

changes in tax policies beginning in the 1970s resulted in an unprecedented widening income gap. Combined with the destruction of millions of traditionally middle class industrial jobs, Bankston faces a new set of challenges. For the first time in American history she encounters poor people who have given up on the “American Dream.” Equally problematic, she also encounters those with wealth who have abandoned the belief that the American Dream ought to be available to everyone. The reality is that large sectors of American society, at either end of the economic spectrum, accept the idea that poverty is the inevitable state of millions. Addressing poverty has always been hard, but Bankston has come to the work at a time that is especially challenging. n Dan Hurley is a local historian and president of Applied History Associates, which works with museums in the Eastern U.S.

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Another View By Don Mooney

ECOT Charter Scam Has Ohio GOP on the Ropes G

reater Cincinnati parents have some great school choices for their kids. U.S. News recently ranked five Hamilton County high schools in their Ohio Top 10: (1) Walnut Hills, (2) Wyoming, (3) Indian Hill, (6) Madeira and (10) Turpin. (I’m proud that my four delightful daughters graduated from one of the top two!) Since the days of former Gov. George Voinovich, Ohio Republicans have sung the mantra of school choice, but not to boost our traditional public schools. Instead, the focus has involved diverting resources from public schools, first in the form of vouchers to religious schools, and then by creating an alternative system of tax payerfunded community (aka Charter) schools. Ohio Charter schools are funded based on enrollment. Per-pupil funding from the state is deducted from the student’s home district and transferred to the Charter they attend. Example: last school year about 6,693 students in the Cincinnati school district enrolled in charters. The state deducted about $50.5 million from Cincinnati’s funding and sent it to those charters, or about $7,551/student. In contrast, Cincinnati Public Schools get only about $3,900 from the state for each of the about 37,517 kids enrolled. About 113,300 students attend Ohio charters; 1,561,032 go to traditional public schools. The GOP General Assembly sent more than $895 million in state money to charter schools last year, or $7,900/ student. In contrast the state sends only about $4,520/student to traditional public schools. Local property owners must make up the difference. Bottom line: state legislators love charter schools. Traditional public schools? Not so much. Many Ohio Charters are run by for-profit companies. These operators can divert funds that a typical school would use to pay teachers, or buy school supplies, to 78

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“The GOP General Assembly sent more than $895 million in state money to charter schools last year, or $7,900/student. In contrast the state sends only about $4,520/student to traditional public schools. Local property owners must make up the difference.” pay executive salaries or buy advertising. At Cincinnati College Prep Academy, taxpayer funds paid for spas, jewelry and European travel for its superintendent. Many Charter operators quickly comprehended Columbus’s “pay to play” political culture and made generous campaign contributions to the (mostly) GOP politicians who created Ohio’s zany school funding formula. But as Ohio’s 2018 statewide elections head into the final stretch, the issue of school choice is turning against the GOP, all thanks to ECOT (The Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow). ECOT founder Bill Lager cleverly determined that under Ohio’s permissive charter school laws, he didn’t even need an actual school to bill taxpayers for that (now) $7,900 per kid. Just send an $800 PC to a student, offer a few online courses, stage the occasional graduation at a rented event center, and, hocus pocus, the state would send very big checks. To keep those checks flowing, ECOT associates and their families lubricated GOP candidates and committees with more than $2 million in campaign cash. Meanwhile, ECOT collected more than $1 billion from taxpayers since 2000. For more than a decade, those political donations were a good investment. Cheap computers were shipped out. State dollars flowed. But it turned out that ECOT could not prove that many of its students had ever logged onto their classes. When finally goaded into auditing ECOT’s attendance records, the state discovered ECOT had overbilled about $80 million for seemingly

phantom students. Rather than refund the money, ECOT shut down, leaving 12,000 students (if they ever existed) scrambling. Ohio Democrats gleefully point to the ECOT-related cash received by GOP Lt. Gov. candidate Jon Husted ($36,860), his running mate Mike DeWine ($15,657), and recently exiled GOP House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger ($59,240). (The GOP points to $600 once donated to Democratic Governor candidate Richard Cordray.) In fact, ECOT is just the tip of the Ohio Charter scandal. The FBI was already investigating 17 Horizon and Noble Academies operated by Concept Schools, an entity controlled by mysterious Turkish cleric Fetallah Gulen. The schools have imported more than 650 teachers from Turkey. Coincidentally, former GOP House Speaker Rosenberger enjoyed a free trip to Turkey compliments of the schools’ operators. The ongoing ECOT scandal has Democrats flashing back to 2006. That year, with its Coingate scandal (remember Bob Taft, Ken Blackwell and Tom Noe?), was the last time Democrats showed a pulse in statewide elections, electing Gov. Ted Strickland. But whichever party wins in November, let’s hope the folks in Columbus start making school choice about letting parents choose from among quality public schools, not “pay to play” Charter scams like ECOT. n Don Mooney is an attorney, a past member of the Cincinnati Planning Commission and is active in local politics.

Guest Column By Gwen McFarlin & Connie Pillich, new co-chairs of the Hamilton County Democratic Party

Creating a Blue Storm NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY CO-CHAIRS HAVE BIG PLANS FOR HAMILTON COUNTY

wo strong, seasoned politicians, who just happen to be women, were recently elected to co-chair the Hamilton County Democratic Party— Gwen McFarlin of Springfield Township, and Connie Pillich of Montgomery. They are the first women to head the local party, and they represent the first shift in party leadership in a quarter-century as the venerable Tim Burke stepped down on June 9. McFarlin and Pillich are well-known in this area as dedicated public servants, and with their experience in running campaigns and winning, they plan to use their knowhow to develop a bench of diverse, skilled candidates who believe in good governing and have the right stuff to get elected. “We want people to know that the Democratic Party is strong in Hamilton County and as we are winning more countywide offices, it is getting stronger. As the third largest county in Ohio, we are taking our first steps on the path toward making our county solid blue. Taking leadership at this time is an incredibly exciting opportunity as we are anticipating more than a blue wave this fall. We’re getting ready for a blue storm,” says Pillich. McFarlin, a Springfield Tow nship trustee, and the first woman and woman of color to hold this elected post, adds, “This is the year of the woman. As women, we are very comfortable stepping up to the plate to move Hamilton County forward. And importantly, we are working hard to turn what some see as a thankless job into a thankful job.” At this early stage of their leadership, McFarlin and Pillich are developing their goals. Short-term, they are looking to embrace strategies to help candidates win their local, statewide and federal races in November. Locally, there are a slew of judicial races, which if they are successful,

will turn the Hamilton County Court system blue, something the county has not seen in decades. To achieve these goals, there will be intense initiatives to turn out the vote, and as McFarlin explains, “We are participating in a coordinated campaign. The goal is to educate the community about our candidates, and engage people to vote for all of our local candidates first. This will bring more people into the party, and in the end, will help candidates at the top of the ticket, as well.” In a year with some big races, namely the gubernatorial and the U.S. Senate races, plus races for Congress and top statewide offices, fundraising is critical. And that’s where Pillich shines. In her six years as the representative from Ohio’s 28th District, and in her two statewide races, she has raised in excess of $6 million. Her fundraising talent will be very much in demand to support the campaigns of an array of Democratic candidates, particularly at the county level. “We need to be able to provide the resources they need in some very tough races,” Pillich comments. And there is the all-important focus on getting millennials to the polls. McFarlin, a long-time community activist who is seeking greater diversity, mentions, “To reach them, we are actively bringing in young people, which is the most effective way to reach other young people. Voter education will be key to their understanding that every vote is critical. Using this approach, we are going where Democrats traditionally haven’t gone. We will be visible in the community and will help them channel their energy by register-

ing them to vote, and then ensuring they actually vote.” With the new Democratic leadership in Hamilton County, there is an optimistic tone, and as Pillich notes, “Good leadership points the way. It changes everything.” n Gwen McFarlin, a Springfield Township trustee since 1995, earned her undergraduate degree in nursing from Miami University, and a master’s degree in Public Health from University of Cincinnati. She is passionate about improving our community and works diligently across party lines to make this happen. Connie Pillich, an attorney and former small business owner, has a military background. After graduating from University of Oklahoma, she entered the United States Air Force where she rose to the rank of captain. During her tour, she received her MBA from University of North Dakota. She later earned her law degree from the University of Cincinnati. She worked relentlessly to win Ohio’s 28th District three times, traditionally a Republican stronghold. w w w.

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Ranger in the House WARREN DAVIDSON PARACHUTES INTO CONGRESS

By Peter Bronson

hen Warren Davidson told his high school buddies he wanted to become an Army Ranger, they wondered, “You mean like a Forest Ranger?” No, not exactly. Army Rangers would eat Yogi Bear for breakfast. Ranger boot camp requires a minimum of 49 perfect pushups in two minutes, 59 perfect sit-ups in two minutes, a five-mile run in less than 40 minutes followed immediately by six perfect chin-ups, a 15-meter swim wearing full army combat uniform and boots, and a 12-mile march wearing a 40-pound rucksack. And that’s just a warm-up in the first muscle-pulling phase called “Crawl.” About half wash out, most in the first week. “Physically, it’s just incredibly demanding,” says Davidson. “They break you down to total muscle failure.” That’s no exaggeration. A Ranger training manual says, “Five-Mile Run training should include stretching and a calisthenics session with sufficient intensity to produce Total Muscle Failure (TMF) in a moderately fit soldier.” “It’s complete exhaustion. It doesn’t matter what kind of shape you’re in, everyone is crushed,” says Davidson, who was in top shape as a soldier in the 101st Airborne. Those who survive go to the next stages: “Walk,” then “Run.” That’s when it gets serious. “Sleep deprivation is huge, and you have limited food. You are burning more calories than you take in. You are in deficit for food and sleep,” he says. Even Superman soldiers lose 20 or 30 pounds. They freeze while climbing Georgia mountains. They parachute into 80

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sweltering Florida swamps on starvation rations and three hours of sleep a night. The grueling workouts are followed by intense study and mental stress that pushes willpower past the redline, where even the toughest human spirit begins to clatter, smoke and spiral into a crater of quit. Only a third make it without failing or being “recycled” back to the starting line. Davidson was in that elite third. He also was one of only 75 enlisted soldiers chosen from the ranks for his West Point class of 1,200. “I was afraid I would fail out. I wasn’t a valedictorian or Captain Everything like the ones who had appointments. That was not me in high school.” But the varsity wrestler who was nicknamed “The Professor” after the character from Gilligan’s Island at Sidney High School graduated in the top 10 percent at West Point. So it’s no surprise that he won his first race for any political office to become Ohio’s 8th District Republican in Congress, replacing a 25-year legend, former House Speaker John Boehner. Boehner resigned at the end of September 2015. In November Davidson was approached by Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Urbana, and asked if he would run. Once he made up his mind, he collected enough signatures by Dec. 14 and filed 10 minutes before the deadline on Dec. 16. He credits his wife and Hillary Clinton for making up his mind. When he told his wife, Lisa, about the meeting with Jordan, she asked, “What did you say?” “I told them it’s crazy.” “Call them back,” she said. “You’d be

great at that.” “Are you the same lady that gets upset when I’m late for dinner?” “But this is for the country,” Lisa said. That did it. Davidson was already a success. He earned an MBA at Notre Dame, but passed up a great job in Chicago to help run his father’s machine tool business that was smaller than his first rifle platoon. He took that to more than 200 employees and launched his own injection molding company, Global Source Molds in Troy. But he had seen firsthand how government interferes and strangles growth with regulations. He had gone to Germany to witness freedom be unleashed as the Berlin Wall was smashed. And he was seething about what he had seen on TV during the Benghazi hearings, when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was

“People want diverse experience. If you want different results, send someone with different experience.” —Warren Davidson

Rep. Warren Davidson with a map of his congressional district.

asked about the deaths of four Americans and angrily replied, “What difference at this point does it make?” “As an Army guy, that left me more than a little fired up.” So he defeated a primary field of 14 can-

didates, including seasoned politicians; won a special election in June 2016; and won again in the general election that November. “I figured the mood was ripe. People were sick of the same path: law school,

local office, state government, then Congress. People want diverse experience. If you want different results, send someone with different experience.” His motives to serve were never in doubt. He had already put his life on the w w w.

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Davidson is up for re-election in November.

line for his country. Phonies and poseurs don’t survive Ranger training. “I love this country with a soldier’s passion,” he told voters. “The Army gave me the best leadership training our country can offer,” he adds. “At West Point they liked to say that ‘Much of history was made by the people we taught.’” The Army is no chin-stroking think tank, he says. “You need a sense of urgency if you want to solve problems.” Dav idson is a member of Jordan’s “drain the swamp” Freedom Caucus, but insists, “I’m not Jim Jordan’s guy or John Boehner’s guy. I’m my own guy. I just try to be Warren.” And Warren’s top concern is feckless spending: “Despite all the campaign rhetoric, there is no will in Congress to control spending.” He hears the clamor that Republican cuts will tear holes in the safety net of entitlements, but wonders why that net 82

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gets wider and thicker when the economy is thriving and jobs are abundant. People who can work need to discover “the dignity of a job,” he says. “It’s not compassionate to bankrupt America.” Some members of his own party are “standoffish” in what he calls “the junior high lunchroom” of Congress. “A handful are still upset” that Boehner was not replaced by a country club Republican tested and approved by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. But Davidson is not intimidated. Ranger training says, “The challenge of leading a group of peers who have reached common levels of mental and physical exhaustion due to sleep and caloric restriction, while at the same time thinking critically to devise creative tactical solutions, is extremely difficult … [but] essential to creating combat-ready leaders.” He’s had swamp survival training that makes Congress look like Jellystone Park. n

Warren Davidson Born: March 1, 1970 The 8th District: Butler, Miami, Clark, Darke, Preble and Mercer counties. It’s one of the most conservative districts in Ohio. Democratic Party opponent in November: Vanessa Enoch of West Chester Township, a training and management consultant.

A magazine dedicated exclusively to Cincy: Its arts, businesses, communities, entertainment and most of all its people. Visit us at WWW.CINCYMAGAZINE.COM for a complimentary subscription

10 Years Later, A YOUNG BRIDE DROWNS IN HER BATHTUB. HER HUSBAND OF FOUR MONTHS IS ACCUSED OF MURDER.

Widmer Case Still

Mystifies A decade ago, the drowning of Sarah Steward Widmer—and the prosecution of her

WHAT HAPPENED IN

husband, Ryan—captivated Cincinnati. The saga, which took almost three years

THEIR TINY SUBURBAN BATHROOM—AND WHY— REMAINS UNRESOLVED.

to unfold in court, gets a fresh look in a new book, Submerged: Ryan Widmer, his

By Janice Hisle

Chilidog Press. For more, visit janicehisle.com.

drowned bride and the justice system, excerpted here. Janice (Morse) Hisle, a veteran journalist who covered the case for the Cincinnati Enquirer, worked with Cincy contributing editor Peter Bronson to publish the book through his company,

“My wife fell asleep in the bathtub and I think she’s dead.”

Besides finding no splashed water, investigators

Those were the words that Ryan Widmer, then 27,

also found no wet towels—and no freshly dried towels

breathlessly blurted into this lifeless bride’s cellphone

in the clothes dryer. Either would have been a telltale

on August 11, 2008, reporting that he found his 24-year-

sign that Ryan had cleaned up a watery mess in the

old wife, Sarah, submerged.

aftermath of a forced drowning.

Almost from the get-go, alarm bells went off in investigators’ heads when they responded to Ryan’s 911 call in Warren County’s Hamilton Township.

house—was in disarray.

Investigators found no sign that Sarah had taken

There were no defensive injuries to Sarah’s French-

drugs that could have contributed to her death. They

manicured fingernails, nor on her toenails, neatly pol-

also found no evidence that an intruder had broken

ished pink. There were no bruises or scrapes on the

into the Widmers’ home. So suspicion centered almost

outsides of her elbows, her knuckles or her knees. In

immediately on the only other occupant: Ryan.

fact, police saw no obvious sign of injury on her at the

Yet, behind the scenes, some pieces of evidence weren’t neatly fitting into the puzzle that authorities expected to show a murderous husband forcing his wife underwater as she bathed. First-responding police and medics said Sarah’s body felt “not overly moist,” or rather dry when they touched her, but her hair was wet or damp. How was that possible if she had just been submerged in a tubful of water? And almost everything in the bathroom seemed conspicuously dry for a drowning scene. Investigators were stumped as to why.

And there was no other glaring sign of a struggle. Nothing in the bathroom—or elsewhere in the

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scene—and absolutely no marks on Ryan, who was wearing only boxer briefs at the time. Years later, precisely what happened to Sarah remained a mystery. Authorities said they never did figure out the exact scenario that ended her life. Neither did the jurors who eventually convicted Ryan. But the case ignited controversies that shook public faith in the local criminal justice system—effects that would persist long after the jury had spoken. Excerpt from Submerged: Ryan Widmer, his drowned bride and the justice system.

he case wound a torturous route through the criminal justice system, with plot twists that would put the best Hollywood scriptwriters to shame. While investigators were scratching their heads over the puzzling circumstances of Sarah’s drowning, the defense secretly hired the world’s foremost death investigation expert, Dr. Werner Spitz, to perform a second autopsy on Sarah. That set up a showdown between Spitz and the Warren County coroner. The two experts agreed Sarah drowned. But they disagreed over how she drowned. Was it a homicide—a forced drowning—as the county coroner contended? Or was an undetermined medical problem to blame? Spitz said that was possible, and that medics may have inadvertently caused the bruising on Sarah’s head and neck areas—which the coroner viewed as signs of homicidal violence. Sarah had suffered strange bouts of sleepiness and headaches that included her seeing spots. But she never underwent testing to find the root cause. Friends said the college-educated couple soared on a cloud of wedded bliss. Ryan, who worked in sports marketing, was too in love with Sarah, a dental hygienist, to have ever harmed her, they said. Sarah’s family even supported Ryan—at least at the outset of the case. In 2009, a jury sided with the prosecution’s argument—that the chances of Sarah suffering a medical disorder were remote and the circumstances “just didn’t add up.” So the jury convicted Ryan of murder. The conviction caused an uproar. Thousands of people called the conviction unjust, based on flimsy evidence. “Free Ryan Widmer” rallies were held—and the conviction was overturned after a judge ruled some jurors had violated court rules, tainting the verdict. An episode about the case scored a TV-ratings bonanza for Dateline on NBC.

The case went to trial a second time in 2010. The jury was unable to reach a u na n i mou s verd ic t despite 30 hours of deliberations. Several of those jurors said the evidence was so ambiguous, they doubted any jury could ever agree unanimously. Ryan’s long-divorced parents banded together to support their son and spent upwards of $250,000 on his defense—mostly f rom t heir ret irement funds. They had no idea how they would afford a third trial. An anonymous donor came forward and contributed $60,000 for attorneys’ fees. Meanwhile, questions about the credibility of the lead Widmer investigator continued to swirl. The sole detective for Hamilton Township in Warren County at the time, Lt. Jeff Braley faced scrutiny for his role in raiding a purported underagedrinking bash in 2007—which turned out to be a birthday party for a 52-year-old man. Braley’s credibility also came into question because of false statements about his education and employment history in his personnel file. He denied making the misrepresentations. When the case went to trial a third time in 2011, Braley was no longer sitting alongside prosecutors in the courtroom as he had during the two previous trials. But the judge forbade Ryan’s lawyers from attacking Braley’s credibility. For the first time, prosecutors offered a witness who described a possible motive— and alleged that Ryan confessed to her. Jurors said they disbelieved that wit-

ness. But they still convicted Ryan. His case remains under appeal while he serves 15-to-life; he will be eligible for parole in July 2025. Now, about midway through Ryan’s minimum prison term, many people continue to wonder whether justice was served for the family of a beautiful young bride who died—or whether a gross injustice was committed against the man she dearly loved. Trying to solve that riddle would require a deep dive into the Titanic-sized Widmer wreckage. The untold story remained submerged amid 10,000 pages of records and in interviews with dozens of people, including Ohio Prison Inmate No. A599952, Ryan Widmer. n

Widmer home

The bathtub where Sarah drowned

Ryan’s dad, Gary, with his wife, Kim

Ryan and Sarah Widmer on their wedding day, April 19, 2008—four months before Sarah drowned.

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DO YOU HAVE A PLAN?

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Business

TEAM BUILDING

page 89

L&N CREDIT UNION

page 94

BUSINESS CALENDAR

page 96

BEST IN BUSINESS DIRECTORY

page 98

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ARTS

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CULTURE

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Team Building

There’s No I in Team LOCAL COMPANIES OFFER PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEAM BUILDING, NO MATTER YOUR GOALS OR INTERESTS By Erin Gardner

eam building can be more than one for all and all for one—it can be competitive and unifying. With many new options available to workplaces, employees can put down the tug-of-war rope and pick up the laser tag gun. The featured activities are exciting and satisfying, can be collaborative and they’re local. Bettering Cincinnati’s communities outside the office is a team effort.

CHEERS TO ART “Cheers to Art is fun art, not fine art!” says

Julie Clayton, the event sales coordinator for Cheers to Art in Madeira. “Our bright and colorful studios are an awesome location to bring out that creative and fun side of any team!” The company can accommodate up to 44 painters at the studio and up to 200 painters at any off-site location. Cheers to Art incorporates team building by having the team decide together what to paint.

FLAVORS OF THE QUEEN CITY Flavors of the Queen City offers tours where individuals can explore the flavors and influences of the city’s food scene. In a tour, individuals visit six to seven restaurants, learn about Cincinnati’s history and its German influence and talk to chefs. Flavors of the Queen City also promotes

FUEL CAMARADERIE.

Flavors of the Queen City uses cooking to teach team building.

FAST. Host your next team outing at Full Throttle Indoor Karting.

Named Cincy Magazine’s Best Place for Team Building – Best of the North Edition 2016-2017 It’s easy to drive engagement at America’s fastest indoor karting track. With pulse-pounding racing action and your choice of tech-ready private rooms, you’ll see just how good a little competition can be for business.

FLORENCE | TRI COUNTY | 833-351-5278 | GOFULLTHROTTLE.COM

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Team Building team building by using the kitchen through a partnership with FreeStore Food Bank/ Cincinnati Cooks. Through the partnership, the company teaches cooking skills to community organizations with the promise that doing so can impart team leadership skills, says Mike Van Oflen, owner. Flavors of the Queen City educates, motivates, teaches values and is supportive of those who participate. “One of my favorite quotes that I use in our team-building sessions [is] ‘Working together, ordinary people can perform extraordinary feats,’” says Oflen. “Team building falls right in with this great quote. Participants from various organizations with the help of the FreeStore Food Bank sign up for a variety of cooking classes that they feel will enhance their employees skill set.” Flavors of the Queen City has at least “two students from Cincinnati Cooks helping our team of chefs during our cooking classes. Our students all have a story to tell about failure, motivation and second chances. These stories will motivate our

Flavors of the Queen City helps workplaces improve their cooking skills while working together. participants in the business community to develop skills that will help their employees to succeed,” says Oflen.

MATTHEW 25: MINISTRIES Matthew 25: Ministries in Blue Ash inspires volunteers to work together toward a col-

lective goal of helping people in need. Matthew 25 is “ranked No. 61 on Forbes list of the 100 Largest U.S. Charities. Matthew 25 distributes more than 15 million pounds of humanitarian aid and disaster relief each year to more than 60 local organizations and partners throughout the U.S. as well as dozens of countries around the world,” says Joodi Archer, the development and media director. “Matthew 25 rescues, recycles or repurposes products in multiple categories including personal care, medical, food, clothing, school and education, household and cleaning, sewing and micro-enterprise, and building.” Com mu n it y ser v ice is consta nt ly needed, especially in times of natural and man-made disasters. “Matthew 25’s disaster preparedness staff is constantly monitoring disasters and humanitarian situations both domestically and internationally,” says Archer. Companies can volunteer as a group, giving employees the opportunity to work together while helping those in need.

STRONGER TEAMS are built with us

find out how at greatparks.org 90

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Matthew 25: Ministries distributes more than 15 million pounds of humanitarian aid and disaster relief each year. Companies and their employees can volunteer in the distribution center.

LAZER KRAZE Lazer Kraze is no stranger to team-building exercises. Its founders have 40 years of experience that include working in the corporate workplace and managing large

groups and multi-million-dollar projects, says Maggie Clevenger, manager. Lazer Kraze offers entertaining and team-oriented activities that help individuals let their guard down and interact. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A

Lazer Kraze

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Team Building variety of individual and team-oriented games requiring different levels of team participation and team skills make for great exercises to bring your team together,” says Clevenger. The private meeting rooms, catering options and the laser tag system allow Lazer Kraze to deliver unique game formats and customizable games for specific requested team building needs.

and how they interact with each other,” says Vornberger. “Once this is established they usually go through about three or four elements. Cloud City, Whale Watch, Totem Pole Challenge, Ship Wreck, Wind Mill, Short Wall, Raging River, Spider Web, All Aboard and Trolley are all elements we use or have used in the past.” Potter’s Ranch has scheduled groups as small as eight and as large as 48.

Potter’s Ranch is a Christian youth and family life retreat center and ministry that covers 640 acres in Union, Kentucky. All of the ranch’s programs have a biblical foundation, which makes the wilderness retreat unique when compared to other commercial team-building programs, says Tony Vornberger, the ranch director of Potter’s Ranch. The team building is a compilation of numerous features that is different for each group based on the age of the participants and what the group is hoping to achieve. “There is always a warm-up activity [that] allows us to get a feel for the group

In an escape room, individuals work under a time limit to solve puzzles and “escape” the maze or situation. “Our escape rooms help build confidence, increase familiarity and bond teammates over the course of the hour. There is no substitute for co-workers tackling a project together,” says Jeremy Schimmoeller, manager of the Cincinnati Escape Room in Cumminsville. “Going into one of our adventures gives them a safe environment where they can achieve success as a team.” All the rooms are designed in-house with a goal to advance communication,

POTTER’S RANCH

CINCINNATI ESCAPE ROOM

FULL THROTTLE INDOOR KARTING

1172 Commons Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45246 513-341-5278 • gofullthrottle.com

cooperation and teamwork. The puzzles are not a one-person job— it’s all hands-on deck where “everyone in the group must be participating or [the] teams will not succeed,” says Schimmoeller. Cincinnati Escape Room hopes to continue to foster fond memories. “We never want to see frustrated or sad people. The point isn’t to have groups escape 100 percent of the time but we do want groups to have fun 100 percent of the time,” says Schimmoeller. n

he area’s premier indoor karting tracks with locations in Tri County and Florence, Ky. Karts reach speeds of 40 mph on our professionally built tracks. The facility has conference rooms with Wi-Fi and AV support is available. Full Throttle Indoor Karting is a unique team experience that brings out the competitor in your people. In this high-speed indoor karting and conference center/ meeting space, Drivers compete to reach the top of the podium. Formats can be built to encourage team building, celebrations or social events. Full Throttle also can enhance quality training offerings using your instructors, or its partners. (Six Sigma, LEAN, Kaizen etc.) Full catering menu and bar service available.

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GREAT PARKS ADVENTURE OUTPOST

10245 Winton Road, Cincinnati, OH 45231 513-521-2345

greatparks.org/discovery-corporate-groups/team-building

reat Parks Adventure Outpost offers team building for corporate, middle and high school and sports teams. Through experiences, teams evolve. That evolution creates bonds, improves morale and enhances group communication. Let our staff design a three-to-six hour experience that will meet your team’s unique needs and challenges. All packages are for groups of 8–32 people, ages 8 and up. Adventure Outpost is an outdoor education facility located 20 minutes from downtown Cincinnati in a private, outdoor setting. On-site amenities include: - Low Ropes Course - Covered picnic shelter with electricity - Cold storage - Flush toilets - Four cabins that sleep eight people each (overnight only) - Charcoal grill (overnight only) - Heated showers (overnight only) - Fire ring (overnight only)

TEAM BUILDING PROFILE

CLASS AXE THROWING AND GREAT ROOM ESCAPE

4814 Peter Pl., West Chester Township, OH 45246 513-268-2386 • cincinnatiaxe.com and greatroomescape.com

ou and your best mates will spend one and a half hours becoming intimate with a 1.5 lb. piece of whirling wood and metal as you learn, practice and then finally square off toe to toe in a group tournament that will result in the crowning of an Axe Throwing Champion. Our Axe Throwing sessions are run by trained experts who will show you how to safely handle an axe and chuck it with accuracy while giving you tips on how to capture that illustrious Bullseye! Your team can also be fully immersed in an interactive experience like no other. Groups enter a room, and they have one hour to escape. Clues and riddles are hidden throughout the room and provide the tools to meet this objective. AS THE CLOCK TICKS DOWN AND THE PRESSUE MOUNTS, CAN YOU STAY CALM, CAN YOU ESCAPE? We have Trapped in a Room with a Zombie and Escape an 80’s Dance Party.

TEAM BUILDING PROFILE

Our games are perfect for family and friends, team building, games enthusiasts and travelers. Bring your family closer, help your team communicate better, solve puzzles and riddles in a new kind of interactive puzzle you have never experienced, or try something you wouldn’t be able to find in your hometown. Go head to head hurling axes and trying to be the last man or woman standing and get awarded the title of LUMBERLORD.

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Serving its Members L&N FEDERAL CREDIT UNION’S SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE TO HAMILTON COUNTY RESIDENTS By Eric Spangler

or those who prefer to do business with locally owned and operated firms then L&N Federal Credit Union is just the place to open a savings account or receive a loan, says Ron Lewis, L&N Federal Credit Union market president over Northern Kentucky and southeast Kentucky. “We are the definition of locally owned and operated,” he says. That’s because L&N Federal Credit Union is a financial cooperative and therefore owned by its members, says Lewis. That’s an important distinction from a bank. “We don’t serve shareholders. We serve our owners, which are our members,” he says. Because L&N Federal Credit Union doesn’t serve shareholders that means it is able to offer higher rates on deposits and lower rates on loans, says Lewis. Although many people think of credit unions as being operated exclusively for the benefit of employees of a specific company or associated groups, Lewis says in 2004 the credit union changed to a Community Charter. That means anyone who lives, works, worships, attends school or belongs to any legal entity in its service area is eligible to join.

Because Ha m i lton County in Ohio is part of L&N Federal Credit Union’s ser v ice a rea anyone who lives, works, worships, attends school or belongs to any legal entity in Hamilton County is eligible to become a member. Becoming a member of L&N Federal Credit Union is as simple as opening a checking account, says Lewis. L&N Federal Credit Union is a full-service financial institution that offers consumer loans, mor t gage loa n s a nd commercial loans, he says. With assets of more than $1.1 billion and an array of products and services, L&N Federal Credit Union can offer everything necessary L&N Federal Credit Union’s Ft. Wright location for someone’s personal or business finances. “We’re large enough to offer [loans] to the very small beginner to mercial lending side.” That doesn’t mean the credit union is not multimillion projects,” says Lewis. An increasing focus of L&N Federal going to continue to focus on consumer Credit Union is growing its commercial loans. “We are just as interested in helplending, he says. “A lot of people don’t ing members with their first car purchase understand that we do want to focus on or with their first mortgage or funding a the commercial side,” says Lewis. “We’ve multimillion real estate investment,” he been doing it for about 10 years now and says. “And we are diverse enough that we we want an increased focus on the com- can do all of those things well.” L&N Federal Credit Union has two branches in Northern Kentucky at 822 Donaldson Highway in Erlanger and 3450 Valley Plaza Parkway in Ft. Wright inside the Walmart store. There’s also convenient online banking available for those on a personal computer, mobile phone or tablet device, says Lewis. “We actually have mobile check deposits so if you get a paycheck or a check from someone you can take a picture of it from that phone and make a deposit right there on the spot.” n —Ron Lewis

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Best in Business

BUSINESS CALENDAR Bold Fusion Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber

Aug. 2

Listen in as professional minds connect to discuss career advances, their companies and our community with an overarching focus on happiness. 1:30-5 p.m. Members $75, nonmembers $100. JACK Cincinnati Casino, 1000 Broadway St., Downtown. cincinnatichamber.com. Women in Leadership: Finding Balance as Working Caregivers Clermont Chamber of Commerce

Aug. 8

Bold Fusion

This event brings professional women together to mentor, educate and train in order to find balance between caregiving and work. 8-9:30 a.m. Members free, nonmembers $25. Magnolia Springs Senior Living, 767 Loveland Miamiville Road, Loveland. clermontchamber.com.

Annual Chamber Golf Outing Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce

Aug. 14

Network, work on your golf game and meet Anthony MuĂąoz, a former Cincinnati Bengal, at the NKY Chamber

Visit cincymagazine.com to find your favorite new restaurant and sign up for your complimentary subscription.

A U G U S T/S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 : : w w w.

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of Commerceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Annual Golf Outing. End the day with appetizers, drinks, a silent auction and golf awards. 7:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Prices vary. Summit Hills Country Club, 236 Dudley Road, Crestview Hills, Ky. nkychamber.com.

Eggs ‘N Issues: Why the Arts Matter Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce

Aug. 21

This networking breakfast features local art leaders J.R. Cassidy from the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra, Karen Etling at The Baker Hunt Art & Cultural Center and Laurie Risch from the BehringerCrawford Museum. 7:30-9 a.m. Members $25, nonmembers $50. Receptions Banquet and Conference Center — South, 1379 Donaldson Road, Erlanger, Ky. nkychamber.com. Cincy Entrepreneur Hall of Fame Cincy Magazine

Aug. 22

Join Cincy Magazine in presenting, honoring and showcasing the Tristate’s pioneering entrepreneurs. More information to come. National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, 50 E. Freedom Way, Cincinnati. cincy.live. Small Business Person of the Year Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce

Aug. 28

This luncheon celebrates the winners of the Small Business Person of the Year Award and the Hamilton Heritage Award for

Outstanding Community. 11:45 a.m.- 1 p.m. Prices vary. Courtyard by Marriot Hamilton, 1 Riverfront Plaza, Hamilton. hamilton-ohio.com. Women in Leadership: Stress Less Clermont Chamber of Commerce

Sept. 12

Learn how to stress less at this monthly conference that unites professional women. 8-9:30 a.m. Members free, nonmembers $25. Lykins Energy Solutions, 5163 Wolfpen-Pleasant Hill Road, Milford. clermontchamber.com. Clermont County Educational Service Center Partnership Celebration Dinner Clermont Chamber of Commerce

Sept. 18

Honor the partnerships of businesses, organizations and individuals with school districts, administrators and teachers at this dinner hosted by the Clermont Chamber of Commerce. 5-8 p.m. $45. More information to come. clermontchamber.com. Annual Dinner Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce

Sept. 20

This networking event celebrates

the accomplishments of the business community and individuals of our region with cocktails, dinner and wine. 5-8:30 p.m. Prices vary. Northern Kentucky Convention Center, 1 West Rivercenter Blvd., Covington, Ky. nkychamber.com. Golf for Kids! Clermont Chamber of Commerce

Sept. 24

This all-day, annual event supports the Work Readiness Initiative of the Clermont Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Enjoy a day of golf and lunch followed by dinner and awards. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Prices vary. The Golf Club Stonelick Hills, 3155 Sherilyn Lane, Batavia. clermontchamber.com.

Don’t see your event? Visit cincymagazine.com to add it to our online calendar for free.

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Best in Business Directory

hose who run or manage businesses know that sometimes you need some help. As the Tristateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s magazine for business professionals, we are in a unique position that enables us to meet and interact with some of the best business service providers in the region. This list gives you a taste of the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best business services, and serves as a resource for those looking for assistance. Make sure to visit CincyMagazine.com to see exclusive online Best in Business content.

CHAMBERS

ACCOUNTING

Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber 513-579-3100 cincinnatichamber.com

GBQ 513-871-3033 gbq.com

African American Chamber of Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky 513-751-9900 african-americanchamber.com Blue Ash Business Association babusiness.org The Chamber of Commerce Serving Middletown, Monroe & Trenton 513-422-4551 thechamberofcommerce.org

Clermont Chamber of Commerce 513-576-5000 clermontchamber.com

VonLehman 800-887-0437 vlcpa.com AIR TRAVEL

Lebanon Chamber of Commerce 513-932-1100 lebanonchamber.org

CVG 859-767-3151 cvgairport.com

Milford Miami Township Chamber 513-831-2411 milfordmiamitownship.com

AUDIO VISUAL

Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce 859-578-8800 nkychamber.com

ITA Audio Visual Solutions 800-899-8877 ita.com

CONSTRUCTION

Superior Dental 937-438-0283 superiordental.com INSURANCE BROKERAGE Oswald Companies 513-725-0306 oswaldcompanies.com LAW FIRMS Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP 513-693-4880 calfee.com Lyons & Lyons 513-777-2222 lyonsandlyonslaw.com Taft Stettinius & Hollister 513-381-2838 taftlaw.com Wood Herron & Evans 513-241-2324 whe-law.com PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Gateway Community & Technical College 859-441-4500 gateway.kctcs.edu Great Oaks Campuses 513-771-8840 greatoaks.com

SpotOn Productions 513-779-4223 spoton.productions

EGC Construction 859-442-6500 egcconst.com

BANKING

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

Commerce Bank 800-453-2265 commercebank.com

The Haile/US Bank College of Business at Northern Kentucky University 859-572-5165 nku.edu/academics/cob

Horter Investment Management, LLC 513-984-9933 horterinvestment.com

Commonwealth Bank 859-746-9000 cbandt.com

Indiana Wesleyan University 866-468-6498 indwes.edu

PNC Financial Advisors/W Mgmt. 513-651-8714 pnc.com

Union Institute & University 800-861-6400 myunion.edu

BUSINESS LAW

Raymond James 513-287-6777 raymondjames.com

REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT

William E. Hesch Law Firm 513-731-6601 heschlaw.com BUSINESS RESOURCES Cincinnati Better Business Bureau 513-421-3015 bbb.org/cincinnati/ TechSolve 513-948-2000 techsolve.org

Western & Southern 866-832-7719 westernsouthern.com HEALTH Anthem BlueCross BlueShield anthem.com

Corporex 859-292-5500 corporex.com TELECOMMUNICATIONS AT&T att.com ATC 513-234-4778 4atc.com

Interested in having your company included? Please contact Publisher Eric Harmon at publisher@cincymagazine.com or 513-297-6205. 98

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Live Well Cincy brings you balanced, health-related editorial content to help you discover wellness in multiple aspects of life.

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Dealing with Dyslexia page 103

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STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES LIKE DYSLEXIA CAN OFTEN FLOURISH IN SCHOOL IF THEY ARE DIAGNOSED AND HELPED EARLY IN THEIR EDUCATION By Deborah Rutledge

helley Ball-Dannenberg knows the toll a learning disability like dyslexia takes on a child. As a teacher, she’s seen children become so worn out by others’ misguided perceptions, like that they are lazy, stupid or have a behavior problem, that at a certain age they can end up just accepting those ideas. Undiagnosed, or lacking targeted help for their learning disability, some decide to just go with and live up to those false labels, in a kind of frustration-fueled,

understandable rebellion. But it was what happened at home, working yet again on reading homework with her then 6-year-old daughter, that really drove home the point—driving her career to a finely tuned point in the process. “One afternoon, over spring break doing makeup work, she got so mad she stood up and just threw her chair,” says BallDannenberg. “It was a turning point for me—she was screaming for help.” On the surface, her daughter Delaney fit w w w.

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Live Well Cincy the profile that has emerged for a number of dyslexic children—one that may seem counterintuitive for a child who struggles with reading and writing. “They’re smart, with an average to above-average IQ—they can often fool you for a very long time,” Ball-Dannenberg says. “If you spoke to her, you would see she was highly verbal, with a great vocabulary, who loved school and had a ton of friends,” she says. “But at home it was a nightmare.” Many parents of children like Delaney have found themselves in this puzzling situation, perhaps even having to wage an uphill battle with their child’s school to help identify the problem, or get the proper, research-based help for it. By the end of f irst grade, Delaney couldn’t yet write her name or sound out consonants, and despite five-day, hourlong tutoring sessions at school, “she was not closing the gap,” her mother says. Her teachers were confounded, too, suggesting not enough intervention was the problem. But Ball-Dannenberg had

had enough. Wit h t he specter of second g rade approaching—a time when not knowing words by sight could be a real impairment for students—she found a private evaluator who identified Delaney as dyslexic. Identifying these students at an early age is “absolutely critical,” to not risk losing them, Ball-Dannenberg says.

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“We couldn’t wait until the third grade,” she says of her daughter. “She was this lovely, bubbly 6-year-old who hated herself.” In Cincinnati, there are resources for parents who suspect their child’s reading struggles stem from dyslexia, a neurological disorder that inhibits a person’s ability to process language. One in five people have dyslexia, according to the National Institutes of Health. The Children’s Dyslexia Centers of Cincinnati offer reading and writing intervention at no cost, operating its services by donations at offices downtown and in Norwood. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital operates the Reading & Literacy Discovery Center, which identifies children with reading difficulties and reading disorders, on a sliding fee scale. Ball-Dannenberg, who is on the Reading & Literacy Discovery Center board, opened her own company that serves this population in 2007, called Dyslexia Testing and Information Services LLC. The company provides clinical diagnosis

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for learning disabilities regarding reading, math and written expression. Motivated by her daughter’s struggles, Ball-Dannenberg built on her teacher’s credentials, learning how to test for dyslexia. Managing all the company’s student cases, Ball-Dannenberg also rounds out her staff with a clinical psychologist and several subcontractors who tutor using the well-known, research-based Orton-Gillingham approach or the Barton Reading system, a program parents can purchase and learn how to administer themselves. However, Ball-Dannenberg cautions, since dyslexia is highly hereditary, it is important that the parent doing the tutoring does not also have the disorder. Consideration should also be given to whether a child tutored by his or her parent will work for the pair. Research continues to find that genes play a part in reading failure, Ball-Dannenberg says. In dyslexic brains, neurons on the left side of the brain do not connect, but PET scans—which show that difference—also show regenerated neurons

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after Orton-Gillingham training, she adds. The Springer School and Center is one of only three schools in Ohio dedicated to students with learning disabilities that include dyslexia, dysgraphia (trouble with writing) and dyscalculia (trouble with math). Since ADHD often co-occurs with a learning disability, Springer also specializes in this, says Carole Barnhart, the school’s communications director. “Springer offers a very comprehensive program that helps each student know what their learning profile is,” Barnhart says, adding that Springer’s program includes instruction in art, music and physical education. Language, occupational and psychological services are available as needed. “We’re the premier school resource in the city,” she adds. Students travel from neighboring states to attend, she adds. They typically can return to their home schools once they have learned the strategies and tools Springer teaches them for working with their learning disability. Ball-Dannenberg counsels parents to

really understand what is going on with their child’s processing abilities rather than exhorting their children to simply “try harder.” She also recommends finding something else the child excels at, which may be something entirely different than the typical activity, like soccer. It may take several tries, during which a parent should remain supportive and positive when something doesn’t pan out. Often, art and the other right-brainderived abilities are well developed in dyslexic people. That is why geometry, for example, is often the welcome antidote to nightmare subjects like calculus and algebra for people with this disability, she says. They can see and make sense of the visual subject. As for Delaney, her personal mastery over dyslexia continues, having graduated with honors from St. Ursula Academy with plans to attend the University of Denver next. She also holds the distinction of being the only author to read her own book on the website Learning Ally, another resource for children and people with dyslexia. n

Dr. Burke is Cincinnati’s most experienced children’s eye care professional and was the Tri-State’s first full-time Pediatric Ophthalmologist. He has cared for and treated tens of thousands of patients over the last 3 decades. Cincinnati physicians and national colleagues have recognized Dr. Burke as one of Cincinnati’s Best Doctors, Top Doctors, and Top Ophthalmologists. Dr. Burke believes that infants, children, and teenagers benefit from serial eye and vision screenings by their primary medical care provider to detect poor vision (amblyopia and refractive errors), eye misalignment problems (strabismus), and potentially vision and life-threatening medical conditions. If you have concerns about your child’s eyes, go see Dr. Miles J. Burke. Your child will be seen in a warm, childfriendly environment where Dr. Burke cares for them personally and treats each one as if they were his own. Call now to make an appointment.

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n the local upscale communities of Carriage Hill and Elliot Farm, patio home communities are filling fast. A patio home, from the outside, is not all that different from a traditional, single-family home. The lot itself is typically smaller and deeper, with the home taking up a larger percentage of available space. But designers and developers make this smaller footprint into a little plot of luxury. The single-floor models available at both Carriage Hill and Elliott Farm are about 2,200 square feet. Updated designs create homes that are bright and airy, with open concept kitchens that flow into family rooms, spacious bathrooms with large showers, and covered porches and patios. There are no shared walls, and homeowners own their land, making these updated patio home communities more like traditional single-family communities with extra amenities. The most beneficial amenity of a patio home is a maintenance-free lifestyle. Patio communities have an additional

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Cincy Home walking trails meander throughout the entire community for residents to enjoy. Carriage Hill boasts a charming fishing pond and holds annual fishing competitions. Elliot Farm provides space at the community’s center for gardens so that residents can fully enjoy a farm-to-table lifestyle. The emphasis here is on lifestyle. These are not the senior living communities of the past, though age-restricted communities are still offered by Drees and others. The patio home subdivisions of today are a part of larger, diverse communities catering to all ages. “The unique thing that we’ve experienced here at Carriage Hill is the number of grandparents relocating to the communities their grandchildren live in,” says Randy Terry, developer at Carriage Hill. “And vice versa, we have the same thing happening with families with children following their parents. It allows them to be close to their parents and provide some care for them.”

Developers today are creating modern versions of the traditional village, a place where generations may still care for one

another while maintaining comfortable independent living spaces. “We have quite a large number of at

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least two generations, and we have several circumstances of three generations,” says Terry. The numbers prove that these sharedgeneration communities are in high demand. In an already strong housing market, patio homes are outselling traditional single-family homes in these mixed community developments. “If I had a small community with just patio homes, they’d sell like crazy,” says Shelly Kerchner, market manager for Drees. This is thought to be a testament to the buying power of empty nesters. “The empty-nester buyers, many are cash buyers,” says Terry. “They’re not a buyer that has to make a decision. They’re also not as affected by interest rate upticks and these types of things.” The local housing market is responding: Carriage Hill will be rolling out two more phases of patio homes in the next two years, and Elliot Farm is weighing the introduction of additional patio homes to its development plan. n

Patio home kitchen

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Love Cincy

Jon Reynolds, photographer Spring Grove Cemetery

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Great Miami River First Peoples Celebration Great Miami River First Peoples Celebration

Great GreatMiami MiamiRiver River First FirstPeoples PeoplesCelebration Celebration WHEN WHEN

Saturday, September22, 22,2018 2018 Saturday, September 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Governor BebbMetroPark MetroPark WHERE Governor Bebb WHERE 1979 Bebb Park Lane

1979 Bebb Park Lane Okeana OH 45053 Okeana OH 45053

PRICE

$5/Ages 5+

$5/Ages 5+ FREE/Under 5 FREE/Under 5 required No registration No registration required

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INTRODUCING NEW METROPARKS EVENT! INTRODUCING AA NEW METROPARKS EVENT! ButlerCounty County rich with cultural history! Come Butler is is rich with cultural history! Come experience the vibrant culture of Native experienceﬁrst-hand ﬁrst-hand the vibrant culture of Native Americans embracing thethe opportunity to to Americanswhile while embracing opportunity honor Activities willwill include a a honortheir theirtraditions. traditions. Activities include drum dancers dressed in regalia, andand drumcircle, circle, dancers dressed in regalia, intertribal dance & song intertribaltraditional/contemporary traditional/contemporary dance & song demonstrations! Food, beverages, and Native demonstrations! Food, beverages, and Native American vendors will also be available to delight American vendors will also be available to delight guests outside of the dance ring. And dive even guests outside of the dance ring. And dive even deeper into Butler County's history by exploring deeper into Butler County's history by exploring the Pioneer Village with our historical the Pioneer Village with our historical the day! interpretation tours running throughout interpretation tours running throughout the day!

Please note: Grand entry will be at noon

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Motor Vehicle Permit Required. FREE to Butler County Residents. Non-Residents $5/daily or $10/annually. 513.867.5835 | YourMetroParks.net

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