NRMS shows its 'Loving' support

When New Richmond Middle School teacher Deborah Loving walked into the morning staff meeting on Halloween, she was surprised to find that pink was the costume of the day in her support.

All her fellow staff members were dressed in pink in support of her upcoming medical challenge. She had a bigger surprise coming when the middle school students arrived.

Almost everyone was wearing pink in support of Loving, who faces invasive breast cancer surgery Nov. 6 followed by cancer treatment that will keep her on medical leave until after the holiday break.

New Richmond Middle School teacher Deborah Loving, who faces invasive breast cancer surgery Nov. 6, was greeted by staff and students wearing pink on Oct. 31 including Cody Harrison (seated to her right) who is a cancer survivor.

"This caught me by totally by surprise," said Loving, who was diagnosed with breast cancer last April. "The staff and 400 kids were able to keep this a secret from me all week."

Loving went from table to table in the cafeteria during lunch time thanking the students for their support.

NRMS teacher Deborah Loving was surprised by the level of support from students. Since she is an intervention specialist, most of the school's students don't know her.

"It's very uplifting to see this kind of support and helps me keep my mind off what I'm facing," said Loving. "The most heart warming thing about today is, since I'm a special ed teacher, that most of these kids don't know me yet they're showing their support ."

Deborah Loving (second from right) was surprised by the entire New Richmond Middle School staff wearing pink in support of her upcoming cancer surgery.

NRHS to perform an original production

The New Richmond  High School music department will perform 'Revising Josie,' an original musical written by NRHS music/drama director  Mr. Doug Heflin, at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15 and two shows Saturday, Nov. 16 at 1 and 7 p.m. at the high school theater.

Jenny Roberts plays the lead role in the
NRHS original production of
'Revising Josie'

 "I've always wanted to do an original show and a full-scale production before I retire next year," said Heflin,  who wrote the story and the more than two dozen songs in the show. "The acting level and talent level of this group of students is awesome, and this is a great time to do this show."

The musical follows the life of Josephine Palmer who was a third grader was given the assignment of starting her life book.

In this video, Mr. Heflin and assistant director Mr. Errol Selsby explains the challenges of putting on an original production and cast members introduce themselves and describe their characters in the show.


"You don't hear of many high schools doing an original production," said Heflin, "Through the story we get to see the ups and downs of Josie's life and get to see some of the adventures she gets involved in during her life."

Mr. Shelsby, assistant drama director for NRHS, has the task of coming up with scenery changes to show Josie's life.

"The scene changes of going from one place to another is going to be very challenging for us but we'll get it done," said Selsby. "The locations go from a warehouse to a front porch to all over the place."

NRHS science class takes to the Ohio

With the Ohio River playing such a critical role in the local ecosystem, the river is an ideal classroom for New Richmond High School's environmental science class taught by Logan Minning.

Thomas More College's Biology Field Station (located on the Ohio River across from New Richmond at the site of old Lock 35) became Minning's classroom Oct. 22 where her students received  real-world experiences in the fields of microbiology, water chemistry, fish surveys, biological assessments, and toxicology.

NRHS environmental science students (from left) Jake Hauke, Levi Simpson, Felicity Elsaesser, Laura Huddleston, Chelsey Fawley, Malik Davis and Nathan Snider on the banks of the Ohio River.

"I attended Thomas More and studied at the Field Station under Dr, Chris Lorentz and I take my class on a field trip there once a year," said Minning. "This year we studied river ecology including water quality, macroinvertebrates (animals with no backbones that can be seen by the naked eye) as well as electric shock fishing."

NRHS environmental science students Chris Lawrence, Danny Minervini, Felicity Elsaesser, Raven Miller, Dee Roaden and Hannah Hensley get on board research boats at Thomas More's Biology Research Station.

The Biology Field Station uses electric shock fishing to study the ecosystem around  Duke Energy's Beckjord generating plant including the variation between the fish populations upstream and downstream of the plant.

"Our students sent electric current into the water which shocked any nearby fish which they caught in nets, identified, measured, studied and then released back into the water unharmed," said Mining.

Bailey Workman, Korinne Gilman, April Schmidt, and Nathan Rostetter study macroinvertebrates during their field trip to Thomas More's Biology Research Station.

Levi Simpson holds an Ohio River carp caught near Duke Energy's Beckjord station.

NRHS senior Alexis Cook overcame her fear of holding a fish during the field trip to  Thomas More's Biology Research Station.

Malik Davis, Shelby English, Paige Willhoff and Alexis Cook during a break from research at Thomas More's Biology Research Station on the Ohio River across from New Richmond.

Chelsey Fawley holds a carp caught by electric shock for study at the Biology Research Station. The carp was returned to the water unharmed.

NRHS studnts in Logan Minning's environmental science class do water ecology tests at Thomas More's Biology Research Station on the Ohio River at the site of old Lock 35.

October 21 School Board meeting

The BOE meeting called to order by Board president Kevin Walriven at 6 p.m. and went into executive session after invocation and Pledge of Allegiance.

The Board returned from executive session at  6:58 p.m. with BOE members Kim Hayden, Fred Heflin, David Hawkins, Kevin Walriven and Ben Bird and Supt. Adam Bird and Teresa Napier present.

Superintendent's report:

Supt Bird commends New Richmond Elementary for being named a School of Promise.

Supt. Bird presents a chart of poverty versus performance index on state report card. New Richmond is one of the districts that overcomes poverty obstacles. Other Clermont County schools with high test scores despite high poverty rate include Goshen and Bethel. NR has a district poverty rate of 46.3 percent.

Girls soccer team may make an  unofficial trip to England for training and games. NREVSD will not be involved in trip.

Treasurer's report:

8. Treasurer’s Report

A. Approval of Minutes

It is recommended that the Board of Education approve the minutes of the September 4, 2013 Facility Committee meeting, the September 16, 2013 Regular meeting, the September 25, 2013 Facility Committee meeting and the September 30, 2013 Policy Committee meeting.

B. Approval of Financial Report

It is recommended that the Board of Education approve the financial report which includes: receipts, cash position, expenditures and investments for the month ending October 31, 2013, as per attached.

C. Acceptance of Donations

It is recommended that the Board of Education approve
acceptance of the following donations:

• $1,000 to New Richmond High School’s Sports Medicine Foundation Scholarship fund from Roll Giving and Paramount Community Giving grant via Matthew Godsey
• $330 to New Richmond Class Reunion from New Richmond 1921-1965 Scholarship fund
• $300 to New Richmond High School Troubadours for uniforms from Douglas Heflin
• $50 to New Richmond High School Band department from Janet and Paul Bishop
• $30 to New Richmond High School Troubadours from Daniel Gajus
• $25 to New Richmond High School Band department from Karen and Martin Bezold
• One (1) Gibson clarinet with case to New Richmond Exempted Village School District from Wayne Chesley
• $10 to New Richmond Middle School Band from Elizabeth Zembrodt
• $512 to New Richmond High School Troubadours from Coney Island
• $190 to New Richmond High School Cross Country Scholarship from an Anonymous Donor
• $110 to New Richmond High School Cross Country Scholarship from an Anonymous Donor
• $20 to New Richmond High School Cross Country Scholarship from Kelly Grogan
• $10 to New Richmond High School Cross Country Scholarship from Staci Heiden
• $10 to New Richmond High School Cross Country Scholarship from Katherine Sharp-Lykins

D. Disposal of Equipment

It is recommended that the Board of Education approve disposal of the following:

• One (1) floor wax applicator, s/n 010161 from New Richmond Elementary School, and
• Items from Monroe Elementary School per attachment number 8.D.

E. It is recommended that the Board of Education approve the participation in the following grants and establish appropriations as follows:

Fund Description Amount
019-9004 Target Literacy Night Grant $2,000.00
019-9899 Duke Energy Grant $1,000.00
019-9921 Greater Cincinnati Foundation Grant $1,000.00
Total  $4,000.00

F. FirstEnergy Solutions Contract

It is recommended that the Board of Education approve the blending and extension of the First Energy Solutions Contract for the purchase of electricity effective October 8, 2013 through January 2017.

G. Authorization to Pay

It is recommended that the Board of Education authorize the Treasurer to pay the following invoices per attachment number 8.H.

Invoice Vendor Amount
Clermont County Educational Service Center $5,556.00
Ohio Valley Voices                 $3,277.76
Hamilton County Education Service Center  $6,996.82

Total                       $15,830.58

H. Auditor of State Memorandum of Agreement

It is recommended that the Board of Education approve the Memorandum of Agreement with the Auditor of State for Clark Schaefer Hackett & Co. to audit the New Richmond Exempted Village School District for the fiscal periods July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2017.

I. Five Year Forecast


It is recommended that the Board of Education approve the five year financial forecast for fiscal years 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 and direct the Treasurer to file it with the Ohio Department of Education.  

Treasurer's Report approved by vote of 5-0.

The 5-year forecast at a glance:

The fiscal year 2014 forecast is for $26,303,019 in tax revenue and grant payments from state and federal sources and $2,871,316 in other sources including $1,780,000 from open enrollment for a total revenue of $29,174,335. Total expenditures for fiscal year 2014 are estimated at $28,926,245 which will result in a cash balance of $21,573,967 on June 30, 2014.

Forecast expenses for fiscal year 2014 include $13,940,933 for personal services, $5,175,882 for employee retirement/insurance; $4,232,836 for purchased services (including special education services); $1,007,272 for supplies and materials; $1,274,616 for capital outlay; and $2,871,316 for operating transfers out.

Total revenues (minus any revenue from other sources such as open enrollment) are forecast at $26,052,063 fora fiscal year 2015; $24,949,982 for fiscal year 2016; $24,559,981 for fiscal year 2017; and $24,306,533 for fiscal year 2018. This projection includes the scheduled closing of the Beckjord generating station on Jan. 1, 2015.

Total expenditures are forecast to increase to $$26,391,363 in fiscal year 2015; $27,025,794 in fiscal year 2016; $27,703,375 for fiscal year 2017; and $28,418,455 in fiscal year 2018.

The cash carry over balance is forecast to drop to $12,003,538 in fiscal year 2018.

Lease Agreement 

It is recommended that the Board of Education enter into a Lease Agreement per attachment number 10. (Rental of property at Watkins Hill and Bethel-New Richmond Road to employee for $600.)

Approved by vote of 5-0.

Clermont County Mental Health and Recovery Board MOU  

It is recommended that the Board of Education approve the Memorandum of Understanding between the Clermont County Mental Health and Recovery Board and New Richmond Exempted Village School District for the period July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014, as presented. (Supply of counselor services for students).

Approved by vote of 5-0.

Employment of Personnel

A. Certified Substitutes

Natalie Bendgen
Kelsey Cropper
Jill Kennedy
Jill Knapp
Richard Kuhn
Lisa Martin, effective October 4, 2013
Jennifer Schmidt
Gary Sheldon

B. Classified Substutites

Natalie Bendgen
Sherry Osborne
Barbara Stanforth

C. Gate Worker

Tina Stiles, effective September 20, 2013

D. Volunteer Coach

Josh Fite, Football
Ian Mallot, Soccer

E. Concessions Manager
(Current Hourly Rate, Upon Kronos Submission, effective July 1, 2013)

F.  Lay Freshman Basketball coach

    Michaael Laub

Approved by a vote of 5-0

Adjournment at 8:55 p.m.

NRE named a 'School of Promise'

New Richmond Elementary School has received the Ohio Department of Education's prestigious School of Promise award for a third time.

“Schools of Promise and the prestigious High Performing Schools of Honor are examples of what can happen when principals, teachers, parents and community members all believe that children can learn,” said Dr. Richard A. Ross, superintendent of public instruction for Ohio. “These schools overcome challenges, sometimes significant challenges, to provide a high-quality education to Ohio children."

"NRE is very pleased to have been chosen as only one of 141 schools in Ohio as a "School of Promise" by the Ohio Department of Education," said NRE principal Terry Miller. "It is nice to be acknowledged for the hard work that students, staff and families are doing to close achievement gaps in reading and math."

NRE principal Terry Miller, pictured between School Board president Kevin Walriven (left) and NREVSD Supt. Adam Bird will be adding another 'Ohio School of Promise' banner on the school wall.

"I am so thankful for the incredible level of talent, support, and effort that it takes to earn an award like this," said NREVSD Supt. Adam Bird. "NRE is truly blessed to have a great staff, an active PTO, and a student body that wants to grow and learn."

"Congratulations to NRE principal Terry Miller and thanks to her staff from the Board of Education," said New Richmond BOE president Kevin Walriven. "We know a lot of good work went into this accomplishment."

To qualify as a School of Promise, a school must have a 75 percent or better average proficiency rate on the Ohio Achievement Assessments and the Ohio Graduation Tests for the 2012-13 school year. They must also have: a 75 percent proficiency rate in two subgroups; an A or B grade for their annual measurable objective (AMO) for narrowing performance gaps between groups of students on the state school report card; an A, B, or C progress grade on the local school report card; a graduation rate of A or B; and must also serve 40 percent of more economically disadvantage students.

Felicity-Franklin Elementary and Goshen High School also were named Schools of Promise for 2012-2013. Monroe Elementary received the School of Promise award for 2011-2012.

"What they have done is working and I am urging them to help other Ohio schools learn how they can overcome their challenges as well,” said Dr. Ross.

"We have always felt we were on the right track with instruction, intervention and enrichment and this award supports that as well," said Miller. "Thanks and congratulations to all of our N.R.E. community who had a hand in helping achieve this special recognition."

NREVSD going green with energy

New Richmond’s school colors are red and black but when it comes to energy savings you can color the New Richmond Exempted Village School District green.

New Richmond is in the middle of a $1.7 million Ohio HB264 project with Energy Optimizers that will make its buildings energy efficient and result in enough energy savings to pay for the project in 12.8 years.

"There will be an initial investment, but we expect that cost to be recovered with electrical usage savings," said NREVSD Supt. Adam Bird.

NREVSD maintenance workers Jim Hetterick (left) and Andy Verdin replace outdoor halogen lights at the high school with longer lasting, more energy efficient LED lights.

HB264 allows school districts to make energy efficiency improvements to their buildings, borrow money to pay for those improvements without having to pass a ballot issue and use the cost savings to pay off the loans. With interest on savings being less than 2 percent and interest on loans being more than 4 percent, the NREVSD will pay cash for the project for additional savings.

Included in the project are:

1. Energy efficient light bulbs will replace old technology bulbs in every building of the district.
2. Heating and Air Conditioning systems will be controlled by a digital system that will allow Principals and Head Custodians to control remotely by computer or iPad.
3. The steam boiler at NRHS that is original to the building (1965) will be replaced by a more energy efficient boiler and a system of smaller and strategically placed hot water heaters.
4. NRHS pool water and air will be heated with a high efficiency natural gas system.
5. Increased use of motion sensors to control lighting and heating systems when spaces are not in use.

All parts of the energy conservation program had to be reviewed and approved by the Ohio School Facilities Commission allowing the projects to go to contract without open bidding.

The most expensive parts of the project are $343,200 for lighting enhancements and $319,800 for the high school boiler plant and pool HVAC improvements.

“The lighting improvements have a 4.93 year payback,” noted Bird. “Our current HS steam boiler was installed when the building was built in the '60's.  It has reached its limit and we are replacing it with a much more energy efficient system."

District maintenance supervisor Glenn Beyer said the high school boiler project will begin in late October or early November but will be done in sections so the building will not be without steam for heat or hot water.

“We’re waiting for equipment to arrive that has been ordered but we will be keeping the school up and running during the work,” said Beyer. “It addition to poor efficiency, our problem at the high school is we have three different systems in the high school and they do not work very well together being controlled by one system.”

Energy Optimizers estimates that the project will have an annual fuel savings of $18,015, annual electrical savings of $92,380, an annual maintenance savings of $18,100 and qualify for a utility rebate of $41,890 from Duke Energy.

The NREVSD is doing additional energy savings projects separate from the HB264 project.

“We are doing a lot of outdoor lighting ourselves and will be getting the energy rebates from Duke ourselves,” said Beyer. “We did the main gym at the high school and are replacing the outdoor lights at the bus garage and district parking lots.”

Beyer estimates a savings of 65 percent on electric at the bus garage by replacing the outdoor halogen lights with LED lighting.

“The LED lights have an estimated lifetime of from five to 10 years,” said Beyer. “And we were replacing some of the lights at the bus garage every year.”

Other energy projects by the NREVSD include replacing three dozen rooftop HVAC units at New Richmond Elementary that were beyond their estimated lifespan with new more efficient units, and replacing the electric heat and aging air conditioning unit at the high school theatre.

Hawk to head NREVSD ‘Green Team’

New Richmond Exempted Village School District Supt. Adam Bird has appointed Monroe Elementary teacher Adrian Hawk to head a district ‘Green Team’ that will come up with ways the district can save energy and resources.

“I am excited to announce the creation of the NREVSD Green Team,” said Bird. “I will let the Green Team set its own agenda but possible projects include recycling, reusing, and finding ways for NREVSD to limit its use of electricity and other resources.”

Monroe Elementary visual arts teacher Adrian Hawk, known for her creative ways of turning refuse into art, will head the NREVSD 'Green Team' that will make recommendations on energy conservation.

“I am really looking forward to leading this exciting project and I think it is a wonderful thing for our district to get involved with,” said Hawk, who has been named the recipient of the Ohio Art Education Association South West Region's "Outstanding Art Teacher for 2013, partly for her creative ways of turning refuse into art. “I love education and the environment so this is the perfect position to be in!”

Hawk will be looking for a teacher at the high school, middle school and New Richmond and Locust Corner elementary schools to head building Green Teams.

“Also, she will be looking for about 10 students per building to join the district Green Team,” said Bird. “There will be some really nice perks for those students who join and I am excited to see the creative ideas that they come up with.”

 The New Richmond Board of Education is in the middle of a $1.7 million project that will make its buildings more energy efficient and result in enough savings to pay for the project in 12.8 years.

“It is my hope that the Board of Education's projects in combination with the Green Team's initiatives will lead to our district being able to compete for one of Ohio's nominations for the US Dept of Education's Green Ribbon School award,” said Bird.

District staff prepares of new standards

While students were enjoying a day off from school, New Richmond Exempted Village School District administrators and certified staff spent Oct. 14 preparing for the new Ohio Teacher Evaluation System (OTES) and writing Student Learning Objectives (SLO) that will be used in future evaluations.

New Richmond teachers participated in training for the Ohio Teacher Evaluation System and locally created Student Learning Objectives during in service training Oct. 14. (Photo by Matt Prichard)

Half of each NREVSD teacher's evaluation beginning this year will come from how much their students learn over the course of the school year. If available, teachers must include the Ohio Department of Education’s Value-Added data in the student growth measure. If Value-Added data is not available, districts can use other assessments such as state approved national testing results or locally developed SLO.

A SLO is a target that a teacher sets at the beginning of the year for all students or for a subgroup of students and demonstrate a teacher’s impact on student learning. The challenge for measuring student growth is that not all teachers can use the same assessment or in subjects where traditional assessments are not an option (such as art, music or physical education).

NREVSD Supt. Adam Bird created a district SLO committee that met last week to kick start SLO planning that was presented at the Oct. 14 in service session. Committee members included Supt. Bird, Monroe Elementary principal Joe Roach and NREVSD teachers Kelly Schmittou, Tim Cook, Misty Cresap, Greg Chandler, Megan Allen, Tina Grippa, Allie Ball, Stacy Gibbons, Nicole Parker and Bill Harris.

The other half of a teacher evaluation under OTES is an evaluation that includes a teacher’s  performance rating that is based on a professional growth plan and a minimum of two observations.

Spirit Week at New Richmond High School

It's Spirit Week at New Richmond High School leading up to the Oct. 4 Homecoming Game against Blanchester. In this photo slideshow recorded by NRHS Principal Mark Bailey, the Freshman Class took honors in the hallway decorating contest.

Click on the Play button below to watch the slideshow.