Treasurer’s Update

As we finish the 2022-2023 school year, I am proud to report that our district has had another strong fiscal year. A strong fiscal year is one in which we have accurately forecasted our finances and maintained our budgets that are focused on student experiences and growth. During a time of inflation, this is especially something to celebrate.

At the May Board of Education meeting, I presented the most recent update to our five-year forecast which shows the district in a stable financial position. This is a forecast that our fiscal team updates twice each school year and is a tool to predict our revenue, estimate our expenditures and identify potential financial challenges. For those curious about the ins and outs of the forecast, it is on the district’s website at mariemontschools.org/districtfinance.

This forecast also demonstrates that our district has been able to stretch the last operating levy much longer than initially anticipated. Careful budget reductions and leveraging federal and state grants have made this possible. The forecast projects sufficient funding to maintain the operations of our school district through the upcoming 2023-2024 school. This meansthe2018levy,originallyprojectedtolastfouryears, wasstrategicallystretchedtosix!

Mariemont City Schools prides itself on transparency and will continue giving regular updates on our finances as we remain committed to managing our resources with fidelity.

Tom Golinar Treasurer, CFO

Steven Estepp Superintendent

Shelley Komrska Named 2023 Award of Excellence Recipient

The Mariemont City School District Award of Excellence is awarded annually to an individual who exemplifies dedication to and support of Mariemont City Schools. Elementary and junior high art teacher, Shelley Komrska, is the recipient of the 2022-23 Award of Excellence.

Shelley has been a staple in the MCSD art department for 26 years, teaching elementary and junior high students in a variety of different art courses and mediums.

Together, with the Cincinnati/Kharkiv Sister City Partnership, she created a cross-cultural art show for students at MCSD and the Lyceum of the Arts School #133 in Kharkiv, Ukraine, to demonstrate the similarities and differences in the lives of students from across the globe. For three years, students from both schools had their artwork on display in the Mariemont community before traveling across the world for a second exhibit in Ukraine. While the war paused the show this school year, Shelley has continued her friendship and partnership with the people of Ukraine.

She has literally left her mark on the Mariemont Elementary school building with a giant quilt of various local landmarks handstitched by students, an outdoor mural she orchestrated with local artist Cedric Cox and a life-size Van Gogh bedroom she created with fifth and sixth grade students.

She is constantly giving up planning periods to meet with kids who need mentoring, a listening ear or just love art. This year she used her planning period to meet with a group of fourth grade students to lead them through an analytical and interpretive process to study and critique art.

Her colleagues call her the “quarterback of the art department” and she was nominated for this award by students, staff and families alike.