Wednesday, April 30, 2014

NRMS finishes 12th in state

The Cincinnati regional champion New Richmond Middle School Science Olympiad Team finished 12th out of 40 teams in the Ohio Science Olympiad State Tournament at The Ohio State University in Columbus on April 26.

 Rachel Coons, Teddy Mansfield, Luke Smiddy, Joey Hammill, Travis Justice, Rachel Gastrich, Natalie Holdsworth, and Archer Maguire won medals for New Richmond by finishing in the top 6 in their events.

New Richmond Middle School’s Science Olympiad team finished 12th out of 40 teams in the Ohio Science Olympiad State Tournament held at The Ohio State University.

 Top finishers for New Richmond included:
 • Natalie Holdsworth and Archer Maguire finished 6th in Road Scholar
 • Rachel Coons and Travis Justice finished 5th in Crime Busters
 • Luke Smiddy and Rachel Gastrich finished 4th in Heredity
 • Teddy Mansfield and Joey Hammill finished 4th in Solar System
 • Quincy Ipsaro and McKenzie Miller finished 10th in Helicopters
 • Travis Justice and Katie Huss finished 9th in Water Quality
 • Joey Hammill and Teddy Mansfield finished 8th in Dynamic Planet
 • McKenzie Miller and Quincy Ipsaro finished 7th in Sounds of Music.

 Travis Justice was named the team’s MVP. The New Richmond Middle School Science Olympiad team is coached by teacher Josh Grischow who is assisted by the school’s science department Pam Hughes, Tina Grippa and Doug Smiddy.

New Richmond was making its fourth straight appearance in the state tournament having finished 30th, 35th, and 28th the past three years.

“To jump to 12th this year was honestly a surprise,” said Grischow. “It was also a reflection of both how hard we worked and how talented our kids are. All the more impressive is that we come from a small, rural community and we were the third smallest school public school at the tournament.”

Other Cincinnati area middle schools competing in the state competition were Mason (11th place), Wyoming (29th) and Loveland (36th). The top three teams were Solon Middle School, Magsig Middle School (Centerville) and Chardon Middle School.

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Catch up on NREVSD happenings

New Richmond gets ready for the OAAs

New Richmond Elementary used a 'Prep Rally' to get its students ready for Ohio's annual OAA assessments using a Dr. Seuss theme and featuring school principal Terry Miller as the Cat In the Hat, a Seuss-themed OAA powerpoint by teacher Lindsey Sunderhaus, teachers Samantha Hagen, Jill Blauwkamp and Connie Hammer in a Dr. Seuss skit and the NRE staff in a mob dance choreographed by preschool teacher Courtney Shuman. Guest appearances by the New Richmond High School pep band under the direction of Ashley Lewis and the New Richmond High School cheerleaders.



Monroe Elementary readies for the OAAs

New Richmond's Monroe Elementary used a Despicable Me theme to get its students fired up for the 2014 Ohio Achievement Assessments with principal Joe Roach appearing as the character Gru, more than 20 teachers involved in a mob dance, teachers Megan Allen, Sally Lindsley, Staci Heiden, and Mary Kay Thede singing, and an appearance by the New Richmond High School cheerleaders. The pep rally was organized by teacher Lauren Bota and aide Amy Gilliam.



New Richmond High School National Honor Society inductions

New Richmond High School held its 2014 National Honor Society Inductions on April 11. Video by NRHS senior Jacob Byus.



Monroe Elementary Art Spirit Week

March is Youth Art Month and no school celebrates it better than New Richmond's Monroe Elementary where visual art teacher Adrian Hawk has staff and students dressing to daily art themes.



NRHS Troubadours bring home the Gold from Orlando

The New Richmond High School Troubadours under the direction of Mr. Doug Heflin scored three straight Gold medals from the judges at the March, 2014 Worldstrides Heritage Performance program in Orlando, Fla. (Video and photos by Harold and Stephanie Domanico Torrens.)



Dr. Seuss helps New Richmond kick off reading program

New Richmond Elementary used a Dr. Seuss theme to kick off its annual spring reading program during which students in grades PK through 2 are asked to read ten minutes a night and over the course of a month, complete at least 300 minutes of reading. The program featured teachers Misty Cresap, Julie Winkleman and Zachary Stock performing a Green Eggs and Ham skit. (Slideshow photos by NRE visual arts teacher Amy Cholkas)



Arts Hall of Fame inductees announced

Composer John Hausermann, Michael Dean (Class of 2007), Hutton Jones (Class of 1977) and the 1978-79 Troubadours were inducted into the New Richmond High School Fine Arts Hall of Fame March 11.



Monday, April 21, 2014

NREVSD saddened by loss of Joe Middeler

The New Richmond Exempted Village School District lost a popular coach and loyal district supporter April 18 when Joe Middeler was killed in a mowing accident at him home near Moscow.

Joe Middeler
A1970 graduate of New Richmond High School, Mr. Middeler just completed his 15th season as varsity boys swim coach. He started the New Richmond Middle School swim program in the early 1990s and coached at that level before moving up to varsity. He also taught swimming for the New Richmond High School PTO and has been an OHSAA swim official for more than 30 years.

“This is a tragic loss for our district and the NR community,” said NREVSD Supt. Adam Bird.  “Joe was a popular coach and school supporter for decades and will be missed.”

Mr. Middeler, 63, helped develop recent Division I college swimmers Nate Kramer (University of Cincinnati) and Alex Lewis (Cleveland State) and 2014 state qualifier Tyler David. He was inducted into the New Richmond High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2006 and was a substitute teacher at New Richmond for the past 25 years.

“Please keep the Middeler family as well as our NR family in your thoughts and prayers as we all lost a very special person,” said NRHS athletic director Doug Foote.

Mr. Middeler, who earned a BS of Education degree in physical education and health from Xavier University, served in the U.S.  Army and was a veteran of the Vietnam War (1971-72) and was a member of the New Richmond American Legion and VFW posts. He was a lifetime member of the Operating Engineers Union.

 Visitation for Mr. Middeler will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 23 at the E. C. Nurre Funeral Home, 177 W. Main Street, Amelia.  Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, April 24 at St. Peter Church, New Richmond. Burial will be at St. Peter Cemetery in New Richmond. Memorial contributions may be made to the New Richmond Food Pantry.


Mr. Middeler was the husband of Denise Middeler and father of Jennifer Slone (Rodney) and Katie Middeler (Christopher Flaugh) and brother of Judy Middeler, with whom he coached at New Richmond,  Joyce Webb (Mac), and Janet Bishop (Paul).

Thursday, April 10, 2014

NREVSD receives Auditor of State Award

New Richmond Exempted Village School District's excellent record keeping has earned it a second consecutive Auditor of State Award after a financial audit by Auditor of State Dave Yost's office.

"Based upon your recently completed financial audit, it gives me great pleasure to inform you that the New Richmond Exempted Village School District has received the Auditor of State Award," Yost said in a letter to Teresa S. Napier, NREVSD chief financial officer /treasurer. "Clean and accurate record-keeping are the foundation for good government, and the taxpayers can take pride in your commitment to accountability."

NREVSD treasurer Teresa S. Napier
holds the district's Auditor of State
Award .
"l have been entrusted by the State of Ohio and the citizens of the New Richmond Exempted Village School District to insure financial matters are carried out accurately, openly, and ethically," said Napier. "I take this responsibility seriously and I am so very proud to be awarded this award from the Auditor of the State of Ohio for two consecutive years. Financial accuracy and transparency are vital to continue to earn the public's trust."

The Auditor of State Award is presented to local governments and school districts upon the completion of a financial audit. Entities that receive the award meet the following criteria of a "clean" audit report:

The entity must file timely financial reports with the Auditor of State's office in accordance with GMP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles).

The audit report does not contain any findings for recovery, material citations, material weaknesses, significant deficiencies, Single Audit findings or questioned costs.


The entity's management letter contains no comments related to:

* Ethics referrals
* Questioned costs less than $10,000
* Lack of timely report submission
* Reconciliation
* Failure to obtain a timely Single Audit
* Findings for recovery less than $100
* Public meetings or public records

* New Richmond Exempted Village School District Receives

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Students say ‘Yuk’ to nutrition guidelines

The new federal and state nutrition standards implemented in 2012 were designed to cut down on students’ waistlines in the long term, but in the short term they are cutting into the bottom line of the New Richmond Exempted Village School District’s food service.

NREVSD food service director Brenda Young has estimated to the Board of Education that student rejection of federal and state mandates that 51 percent of all grains offered in cafeterias to be whole grain rich and that all food trays must contain a fruit or vegetable will result in a 56,500 fewer meals being served in district cafeterias this school year.

NREVSD food service workers (from left) Amy Day, Narcissa Castell and Cristy Behler hold  buns containing whole grains  that are contributing to students buying fewer cafeteria meals.
NREVSD chief financial officer Teresa S. Napier estimated the decline in meals served will result in the NREVSD losing $131,300 this school year. Total cost of services this school year is $1.036 million with projected revenue of $905,000. The previous school year totals were $1,109,500 million in total cost of services versus $1,030,900 in program revenue for a two-year loss of $209,900.

An example of a new healthier lunch would be a whole-wheat cheese pizza, baked sweet potato fries, raw grape tomatoes, low-fat ranch dip, applesauce and low-fat milk. These healthier meals are getting a collective ‘yuk’ from students.

“When you can’t get kids to eat pizza you know you have a problem,” said Young, whose mid-year report to the Board of Education showed district cafeterias serving 200,495 lunches during the first half of the school year compared to 228,787 served in 2012.

Schools are permitted to opt out of the school lunch program but those that do lose federal reimbursements which can be as high as $2.93 per free lunch served and $2.53 per reduced lunch served. New Richmond will serve an estimated 243,000 free and 27,000 reduced lunches this school year, so opting out is not an option.

New Richmond students are the only ones saying no to the federal nutrition guidelines.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated that Ohio public schools served 9 million fewer meals during the first half of 2013-2014.

District cafeterias are having trouble giving lunches away as free lunches served has declined by 10,241 from 2012 and reduced lunches by 4379. Some of the change is attributed to the NREVSD’s percentage of students qualifying for free or reduced lunches dropping from 46 to 39 percent, but the big reason is more brown bags coming into the cafeterias.

 “Kids are bringing in the foods that we are not allowed to serve,” said Young.

The big culprit is the whole grain requirement.

NREVSD cafeterias will serve 56,000 fewer meals this year as students are saying a collective 'Yuk' to the new federal nutrition guidelines which require more whole grains. (pictured are NREVSD food service workers Bonnie Caudill and Cristy Behler).
“The kids are OK with the whole grain spaghetti but it’s being covered by (meatless) sauce,” said Young. “Even the chicken nuggets and chicken strips must have whole grain coating and that changes the taste. But when it comes to a crust like pizza or the breakfast pizza, there’s a big difference in the taste and the kids don’t like it.”

Mac and cheese, a traditional favorite with kids, is becoming a tough sell.

“The whole grain macaroni is darker and looks dirty and the kids think there’s something wrong with it,” said Young.

Young’s department closely monitors and charts what is being eaten and what gets left on trays.

“We have to have either a fruit or a vegetable on the tray, so when we’re serving a vegetable we know the majority doesn’t like we will put the fruit on the tray that day,” said Young. “They still have the option of picking the vegetable.”

An interesting result of the surveys is that New Richmond students prefer broccoli over sweet potato fries.

“Preferences will vary from building to building,” said Young. “Students at one building will grab raw vegetables (which must be made available daily) and they won’t be touched at another building.”

Young doesn’t expect things to improve next year.

“Next year’s rules will require 100 percent whole grains along with a phase out of sodium,” said Young.

Students on Free/Reduced Lunch
LCE MON NRE NRMS NRHS
PS 15
K 24 28 33
1 10 23 42
2 24 17 35
3 18 18 33
4 21 24 41
5 16 27 40
6 23 24 36
7 79
8 82
9 73
10 70
11 60
12 48
Total # 136 161 275 161 251

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Strategic planning meetings scheduled

The Board of Education of the New Richmond Exempted Village School District has scheduled special board meetings for April 14 and April 28 for the purpose of strategic planning. Both meetings will be at 6 p.m. in the Board room on the third floor of the Market Street School Building.

“Both meetings are open to the public,” said NREVSD Supt. Adam Bird. “Phil Sears from the Hamilton County Education Service Center will be the facilitator for these planning sessions.”

Principals from New Richmond’s five school buildings will invite a parent representative from each building to participate but input will not be limited to those representatives.

“The agenda will be whatever concerns Board members, administrators, building representatives and the audience want to discuss,” said Bird.

School Board approves make-up days

The Board of Education has approved Friday, April 18 as a Blizzard Bag day to make up one of the two calamity days the New Richmond Exempted Village School District must make up according to Ohio House Bill 416.

New Richmond lost 10 days due to weather this year, five more than the allotted five calamity days for the state, and must make up days 6 through 9 according to HB 416.

Approval of the Blizzard Bag assignment will allow the school year to end on May 23 instead of students coming back for one day after the Memorial Day weekend.

Blizzard Bags are online or take-home assignments for students. New Richmond used Blizzard Bag assignments to make up days 6 and 7.

“Good Friday (April 18) will remain a holiday for the district but students will be given Blizzard Bag assignments,” said NREVSD Supt. Adam Bird. “The last day for students will now be May 23 (originally a teacher work day) instead of the 22nd.”

Breakfast with Easter Bunny is Saturday

The New Richmond High School After Prom Committee will hold its annual Breakfast with the Easter Bunny Saturday, April 5 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the NRHS Cafeteria.

Menu includes choice of waffles or omelet with bacon, coffee and juice. Cost is $4 for ages 1-10 and $5 for ages 11 and older.

The vendor list includes Loraine’s Homemade Candies, Usborne Books, Simply Country Gifts, Rudd’s Wind Chimes & Gifts, Pampered Chef, Thirty-One and Mary-Kay Cosmetics.
For more information call 513-646-8530.