The Experience: Spring 2017 by Mariemont City School District

The Experience

Official Newsmagazine of Mariemont City Schools

SPRING 2017

Tradition. Community. Innovation.

letter from the

superintendent

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This has been another wonderful school year! I’m excited to celebrate our graduates, as well as the rest of the outstanding accomplishments of our students and staff. We have worked together to create amazing opportunities for students to make them our scholars of today and prepare them to be the leaders of tomorrow. In addition to our exciting academic accomplishments this school year, we have also made tremendous progress on our high school facility discussion. As I shared at the State of the Schools address in January, our high school has reached an age where important mechanical, security and structural systems are in need of significant repairs and maintenance. When the district completed the Master Facility Plan back in 2009 these same concerns were addressed for the rest of our school facilities; however, the high school was not part of that solution. The time has come for us to proactively make decisions about how to address the issues that face our nearly 50-year-old high school facility. There are many options and concerns to consider. Even the option to do nothing creates a cost to the district, so it is important to us that we include the community in these conversations. This is why we initiated a facility taskforce and futures team to help us get the process started. We also formed a steering committee and engaged the expertise of architects to help ensure our project is realistic with today’s modern building standards and educational needs. We had tremendous success with our three design workshops. I was pleased to see a significant number of community members, staff and parents participate in these sessions, and I appreciate everyone taking the time to listen to the design concepts and share their thoughts. Combined, more than 250 surveys were completed, providing the district with great feedback as we continue to seek the best solution possible to the ongoing challenges at the high school building. Whatever the final decision, it will impact us all so it is very important for us to reach out to all stakeholders. I’m also excited to announce the next steps in this facility process - the formation of several facilities teams. These groups of residents and staff will work together in small teams to review various aspects of the design ideas as well as the feedback we’ve received during the design workshops to work through and discuss the details of potential solutions and options. We are asking for people with both interest in the project as well as those with expertise in various areas of construction, finance, design and education to be involved with this step of the process. This way, we can combine the interest in the necessary updates at the high school facility with local experts to be sure we’ve looked at this situation from every possible angle. If you are interested in joining a team, please sign up on the district website, under About > High School Facility Project > Teams and Committees. We will be accepting applications through June. Added to that, throughout each step we are asking for residents to provide feedback through online surveys.

www.mariemontschools.org

The important common thread during this entire process is the tremendous amount of input we are receiving from the community. We want a solution that is not only going to provide a high-quality learning space for students, but is one that our community will be proud of. This is your school district and we value your partnership in not only this project, but in the entire educational process.

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In this newsletter, we are sharing information about the facilities process, our financial situation and celebrating the tremendous successes that have taken place this school year. As always should you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. We are happy to discuss our schools with residents at any time. Respectfully,

Steven Estepp Superintendent, Mariemont City Schools

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Listen to the ConnectME Podcast!

Social Media The district regularly uses social media outlets such as Twitter and Facebook to disseminate information as well as post pictures and announcements. Feel free to share your posts or tweets with us by including #MariemontExperience or @MariemontSchool in the post. We love hearing your stories about your involvement with the Mariemont City School District!

@MariemontSchool

Mariemont City Schools

MariemontSchools

You can follow Superintendent Steven Estepp on Twitter (@Estepp), Instagram (SEstepp) or on his blog on the district website.

Spring 2017

So we are addressing some of the most frequently asked questions regarding our district’s finances, such as: How does the district receive funding? How has state funding changed over the years? How do our master facilities and high school facility plans impact our bottom line? These are issues that have a significant impact on the financial health of our district.

Real Estate Taxes  Fees  Interest

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How has state funding changed over the years?

to local municipalities and school districts and eliminated by the state in 2005. (Yet the state kept school districts whole as this was a major source of funding for many Ohio school districts.) However, the state began phasing out this reimbursement in 2011 and it will be completely eliminated by the end of Fiscal Year (FY) 2017.

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$2,500,000 2,500,000

I hope you find this financial information helpful. Should you have any questions at any time about any part of our financial picture please contact me. I’m excited to keep you up to date with our financial picture and the excellent value we provide to every resident.

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State Per Pupil Funding Homestead & Rollback  Tangible Personal Property Tax R eimbursements

$2,000,000 2,000,000

In addition, the age of our high school creates a drain on our repair and renovation budget. Many of the mechanical, structural and security systems are in need of serious upgrades that can become quite costly. These outdated systems are also not as energy efficient as modern options so we must budget greater utility costs for this aging facility. These realities are and must continue to be part of this ongoing conversation.

Locally Generated Revenue

$1,500,000 1,500,000

This forecast indicates that we are looking at a stable financial outlook; yet we have significant pieces that we need to keep a close eye on. For example, the outcome of the state budget process this June, as well as the ongoing high school facility conversation, is critical to our financial projections. We receive approximately 25% of our day-to-day funding from the state and have endured significant cuts through the phase out of the Tangible Personal Property (TPP) tax reimbursement. This is an important revenue stream for our schools and we are engaging in conversations with our local and state representatives to protect our resources.

State Revenue

$1,000,000 1,000,000

In addition, I presented the five-year forecast this month to the Mariemont Board of Education for approval. The five-year forecast looks at the historical, current and projected financial picture of the district. It is a helpful tool to ensure we are looking ahead and planning accordingly based upon the many variables and situations that change each year. You can find the forecast on the district website.

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2011 2014 2017 2018 2019 2020

PROJECTED

In this newsletter we are sharing some important information about our district’s finances. We understand that the community has high expectations for the way we manage our resources.

What is the district’s revenue?

500,000 $500,000

letter from the

Mariemont City Schools is an excellent school district that provides residents a great value. We continue to perform at tremendous academic levels while also being mindful of the district’s precious resources. We are purposeful in our spending while also being efficient in our day-to-day operations.

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treasurer

FINANCIAL

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Tom Golinar Treasurer, Mariemont City Schools 4

www.mariemontschools.org

Spring 2017

How do facilities impact our financial picture? Just like with personal homes, as school buildings age they need updates and upgrades that require additional funds. The Master Facilities Plan that was approved in 2009 provided a map to address these ongoing needs for our elementary schools and junior high school; however, that plan did not include our high school. As this school is nearly 50 years old, it is time to talk about how we want to handle this ongoing challenge. Even the option to simply maintain the existing systems has a cost. This option requires additional funds as many of the systems within the school are outdated and expensive to repair. This will be an important factor for us to keep a close eye on as we move forward with the high school facility discussion.

yrutneC ts12 seitilicaF Are we getting a good value for our investment? Yes! Mariemont City Schools residents, like many investors, want to know that they are getting a good return for their tax dollars. We are fortunate to be ranked as one of the best school districts in the country. In fact, our high school was just recently placed in the top 2% of all high schools in the nation according to the US News & World Report. Yet our spending per pupil is among the lowest of our comparison districts. This indicates that our students are receiving an exceptional education while we are also being incredibly effective and efficient with our resources. yratnemelE tnomeiraM

2015

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2014

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Capital Expenditures for Maintenance 2016

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2013 2012 MHS :

$500,000 What are our spending priorities? One way to tell an organization’s priorities is to look at its budget. We direct our funds to where we feel they will do the most good — the classroom. We spend nearly 70% of our day-today operations on instruction and instructional support. Other key areas include 12% on maintainance and facilities and 4% on transportation. Only 10% is spent on administrative and fiscal services.

OTHER 3 BUILDING S COMBINED :

Maintenance & Facilities 12%

Other 1.5%

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$13,240

$13,169 loohcS hgiH roinuJ tnomeiraM

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$12,206

<$100,000 Transportation 4% Administrative & Fiscal Services 10%

Extracurricular 3%

$12,150

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Instruction 69.5%

www.mariemontschools.org

Spring 2017

Thank You for Your Years of Service!

Signing Day: Scholars Today, Leaders Tomorrow

This year, we honored six retirees, who are retiring after a collective 148 years with the Mariemont City School District! Darrell Deskins, Bob Flanigan, Roseanna Kropf, Mary Martin, Sheryl Melvin and Trish Short have been extraordinary co-workers, mentors, friends and leaders in our school buildings and in our community. We are grateful for the time and talent they have shared with all of us, contributing to the safety, happiness and success of our students.

On Friday, April 28, Mariemont High School celebrated its annual post-secondary celebration, a great end-of-the-year tradition in Mariemont City Schools. May 1 is the deadline by which colleges and universities require that students make a financial deposit in order to hold a spot for the upcoming school year. Per usual, many Mariemont High School seniors were selected to a number of prestigious universities and had to make a tough decision on which was the best fit. Based on the smiles and satisfaction witnessed on April 28, it would appear the members of the class of 2017 made smart choices about the next chapter of their educational journeys. As part of the morning festivities, the high school counseling staff places a document for each senior on the wall in the Commons, with a picture along with each student’s postgraduation destination – an enjoyable and visible way for students and guests to see the final decisions made by the members of the Class of 2017. “This public acknowledgment of our seniors’ plans for life after high school not only affirms their hard work and determination, but also serves as an inspiration to our remaining students to stay focused on their educational interests so they too can achieve their post high school goals,” said James Renner, principal at Mariemont High School.

www.mariemontschools.org

Spring 2017

Congratulations to all of our seniors! • Ashland University • Bluegrass Community & Technical College • Bowling Green State University • Brandeis University • Butler University • California State University, Channel Islands • Centre College • Chapman University • Clemson University • College of William & Mary • Colorado State University • Dartmouth College • Denison University • Georgetown College • Georgia Institute of Technology • Good Samaritan College of Nursing • Hope College • Indiana University • Iona College • Kalamazoo College • Kent State University • Kenyon College • Lehigh University • Loyola Marymount University • Miami University • Northern Kentucky University • Ohio Northern University • Ohio University • Ohio Wesleyan University • Princeton University

• • • • • • •

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Purdue University Rollins College The Ohio State University The University of Tampa Transylvania University Tufts University United States Military Academy Preparatory School University of Alabama, Huntsville University of Arizona University of Cincinnati University of Cincinnati, Blue Ash University of Colorado at Boulder University of Dayton University of Denver University of Kentucky University of Michigan University of Mississippi University of Notre Dame University of Pennsylvania University of Pikeville University of South Carolina University of Southern California University of Tennessee University of Vermont Virginia Polytechnic & State University Wabash College West Virginia University Wittenberg University Xavier University

An Opportunity to Honor and Respect Diversity

This year, Mariemont High School hosted the inaugural Diverse Voices Visual and Writing Arts Contest, which was created based on the premise that we believe every student matters and that no two students are the same. “We know from our knowledge of history, math, science, literature and the arts that some voices and ideas have gone underrepresented,” said Luke Wiseman, MHS teacher. “With these two things in mind we wanted to honor and recognize diversity and the voices who speak for inclusion.” Students and teachers were encouraged to think about all the ways in which they are diverse and all the ways they can bring inclusion and justice to voices and people who are often ignored. For the contest, students were asked to create and submit an artistic response inspired by one of four quotations. 58 responses were submitted and winners were selected in both writing and visual arts. “We invited staff from every department to participate in the judging, which allowed for a diversity of audience the students don’t usually experience with writing and art,” said Emily Colpi, district librarian and digital learning coach. “It was great to see people so engaged and lifted up by the student work. This contest got them talking and excited. I felt honored to read and view such personal stories by our students.”

Cash prizes were awarded to each of the top three works in both visual and writing arts, judged by MHS faculty. Junior Max Geers received first place for his song “Too Hard, Too Slow”; senior Devin Scarborough placed 2nd for her video “What It’s Like to be a Woman in High School”; and freshman Madigan Smith placed 3rd for her poem “Recognize Me.” In the visual arts category, senior Nina Willis received first place for “Human Nature”; junior Lindsay Stricker placed 2nd for “Equality”; and senior Lila Willis and junior Hayden Chambers tied for 3rd placed for their works “Human World” and “We’re All People,” respectively. “Music is a huge part of my life; I was always looking to write a new song and this contest gave me an opportunity to write about something, about making a change,” said Max Geers. “Through my piece, I wanted to convey the thought that it’s OK to be different.” Nina Willis’s visual art piece will be framed, and it will hang in the high school gallery. In addition to a cash awards, the top three visual pieces will be reproduced on stationery for members of the MHS community. Both the writing and the visual arts pieces were presented and celebrated during an event at the high school.

“We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated.” – Maya Angelou, Writer

“In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute.” – Thurgood Marshall, U.S. Supreme Court Justice

– Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Civil Rights Activist, Preacher and Writer

“My participation in this project was inspired by the idea of Mariemont being a bubble. I feel as though, in this little town and school we all think as a group and identify as a group, which is not bad at all, but we don’t celebrate diversity as much as we should,” said Lindsay Stricker. “I am constantly surrounded by people aspiring to be like others around them; therefore, I wanted to speak for those who are lost or consumed in this group.” www.mariemontschools.org

“Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.”

“Never be limited by other people’s limited imaginations.” – Dr. Mae Jemison, Astronaut

Spring 2017

Junior High Student Artwork Displayed in National Exhibit

District Students Reach Out to Other Children in Need countries but that there are homeless children right here in our own city and there might even be kids you go to school with who might also being dealing with homelessness.”

Recently, the Mariemont Board of Education recognized Henry Teghtmeyer for being named a Scholastic Arts Gold Key recipient in digital arts in the regional 2017 Scholastic Art & Writing Competition. But it doesn’t stop there. Gold Key recipients go on to compete for national medals in a national exhibit at Carnegie Hall in New York. Not all gold key winners get accepted into the national show. A record-breaking 330,000 works of art were submitted from students grade 7-12 from across the nation. Awards are given to the top 1% and Henry’s digital work was accepted and received a Silver Key. “I’ve loved watching Henry’s consistent accomplishments that demonstrate his passion, talent and creativity for this new art medium,” said Emily Anderson, digital arts teacher at Mariemont Junior High. “I’m proud to be a part of the opportunity for Henry and other district students to explore a future career path offered through the Great Oaks digital arts program.”

The annual Scholastic Art Competition is the nation’s longest-running, most prestigious recognition initiative for creative students in grades 7-12. Approximately 1,000 winning pieces of art are displayed, out of nearly 5,000 pieces submitted and judged in Cincinnati at a regional level. Gold Key, Silver Key and Honorable Mention recognition and scholarships are awarded to students at Cincinnati Art Academy. According to the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, the Awards have helped foster the creativity and talent of millions of students across the United States. Alumni of the Awards have gone on to become leaders in their fields, including Andy Warhol, Truman Capote, Richard Avedon, Philip Pearlstein and Sylvia Plath. More recently, Stephen King, Richard Linklater, Zac Posen and Lena Dunham received Scholastic Art & Writing Awards as teens. Since 1923, the Awards have recognized creative teenagers from across the country. By receiving a Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Silver Medal, Henry joins a legacy of celebrated authors and artists.

Each year, district students partake in dozens of outreach efforts and events, making realworld connections to the world around them and trying to make it an even better place. As part of Destination 2026, Warriors Change the World is focused on preparing students for the future by engaging both the students’ academic minds as well as their compassionate hearts. At Mariemont Elementary, 6th grade students created capes for children who are experiencing homelessness through the Capes for Kids program with Enchanted Makeovers. “This project was fun, especially because you knew you were doing it for a good cause,” said London Hiltgen. “My partner, Alex Nistor, and I wanted to make a cape that made kids feel powerful so we decided to go with a sports theme because every kid’s dream is to play a professional sport one day. In making this cape we hope we made one kid feel one step closer to making their dreams come true and ease their mind.” Mariemont Elementary teacher Natalie Lynch said the students felt really empowered to make a difference once they learned more about the realities of homelessness and kids who are in poverty. “This project brought it home for them – that there are not just starving kids in other

Spring 2017

And this year at Terrace Park Elementary, 4th and 6th grade students pitched in to provide backpacks for foster children in the tri-state area through Clermont County Children’s Services. These bags were filled with everyday necessities, such as toiletries, as well as something special, like a stuffed animal, necklace, journal or coloring book. The 4th grade students brought in pajamas for the children. When most foster children are removed from their home, they cannot bring any of their things with them, and by providing these backpacks the goal is that the foster children have something special that is only theirs. “I think this project gave the students an awareness of what else is going on, not only in the world, but in our own city,” said Ann Williams, Terrace Park Elementary teacher. “These kids have very big hearts and want to help, they just don’t always know who to help or how. By providing them opportunities like this, they can make a difference in the lives of others.” Terrace Park Elementary students compiled 50 backpacks for foster children. Alex Harris was so inspired, her mom coordinated another backpack collection with Alex’s church youth group. “I like helping kids who don’t have as much as I do; I like helping people who need it,” said Alex. “It felt good to do something for someone and make a difference.”

Please reference the district website calendar for more dates and activities.

May May 28: MHS Baccalaureate (2pm, Mariemont Bell Tower) May 28: MHS Graduation (7:30pm, Kusel Stadium) May 31: Last Day of School

July July 25: MJHS & MHS Athletic Physicals (6pm, MHS Commons)

August August 15: Kindergarten Popsicle Night (6:45pm, Terrace Park Elementary) August 16: New Student Orientation (9:30-1pm, MHS)

September September 4: Labor Day, No School September 11: Mariemont BOE meeting (7pm, Mariemont Elementary) September 18: MHS Open House (7pm, MHS) September 22: Mariemont Elementary Walk-A-Thon (Kusel Stadium) September 27: Pow Wow (8pm, Terrace Park Log Cabin)

October October 6: Homecoming Parade (5:30pm, Mariemont Elementary parking lot) October 9: Mariemont BOE meeting (7pm, Mariemont Elementary) October 16â&#x20AC;&#x201C;17: Mariemont Academy for Staff, No School for Students

August 16: MJHS Orientation, Grade 8 (9am) & Grade 7 (noon) August 16: New Family Welcome Night (6:30pm, Mariemont Elementary) August 16: New Family Welcome Night (6:30pm, Terrace Park Elementary) August 17: Kindergarten Parent Into Night (6:30pm Mariemont Elementary; 7pm Terrace Park Elementary) August 22: First Day of School for Students August 23: Parent Info Night (grades 5-6: 6:30pm, Mariemont Elementary) August 23: Parent Info Night (grades 1-3: 6:30pm; grades 4-6: 7:30pm, Terrace Park Elementary) August 24: Parent Info Night (grades 1-2: 6:30pm; grades 3-4: 7:30pm, Mariemont Elementary) August 25: MHS Hall of Fame Induction (6:30pm, Kusel Stadium) August 27: 6th Grade Camp Kern Week

Hey i! n m u l A

August 31: Parent Open House (7pm, MJHS)

Spring 2017

As always, we encourage all alumni to stay in touch! The best way to do so is by emailing info@mariemontschoolfoundation.org with your name and current contact information, along with any news you would like to share. In addition, you can sign up for the district newsletter on the homepage of the district website.

UPCOMING EVNTS

Upcoming Events

1 Warrior Way Cincinnati, Ohio 45227 Phone: 513-272-7600 Fax: 513-527-5991

Mariemont Junior High School Principal: Molly Connaughton 3847 Southern Avenue Cincinnati, Ohio 45227 Phone: 513-272-7300

Mariemont Elementary School Principal: Ericka Simmons 6750 Wooster Pike Cincinnati, Ohio 45227 Phone: 513-272-7400 Fax: 513-527-3411

Terrace Park Elementary School Principal: Linda Lee 723 Elm Avenue Terrace Park, Ohio 45174 Phone: 513-272-7700 Fax: 513-831-1249

To get the latest updates, â&#x20AC;&#x153;likeâ&#x20AC;? us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter (@MariemontSchool) and Instagram.

Mariemont High School Principal: James Renner, PhD

2 Warrior Way | Cincinnati, Ohio 45227 www.mariemontschools.org

2 Warrior Way Cincinnati, Ohio 45227 Phone: 513-272-7500 Fax: 513-527-3436

Visit the district homepage to subscribe to district news, view the latest Mariemont Minute video, check out the ConnectME podcast, and read ConnectME, the official blog of Mariemont City Schools.

Mariemont City School District Superintendent: Steven Estepp

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