A record year for giving by NR schools

From donating 30,000 food items to the Village Food Pantry, to raising more than $10,000 to help the needy,  to putting boots on the ground to aide community programs,  New Richmond Exempted Village School District staff, students and community proved once again that care and concern for students and their families is not limited to the classroom.

Virtual Academy director Gary
Combs and his students joined
Transitions Program students to
help Matthew 25 Ministries.

“It is truly an honor and a privilege to be a part of a school district where care and concern for students and their families is not limited to the confines of the classroom and where an attitude of giving and giving back is cultivated at every grade level and extends exponentially into our community,” said New Richmond High School teacher Sue Griffin, whose Lions Reach Out charity raised $8000.

Lions Reach Out fundraising efforts included the Turkey Tuesday basketball game between high school students and staff, a craft fair and a Bengals ticket raffle that raised $700. An anonymous donor donated two Bengals club seats valued at $410 for the raffle. River Hills and Park National banks, Front Street Café, the Green Kayak and the Landing sold tickets.

“That $8000 also includes contributions from staff members and community residents and Chuck and James (entertainers Chuck Grady and James Evanshine) donating their Human Jukebox fees,” said Griffin. “The money put into gifts for kids sponsored by parents and staff members probably added another $2000-3000 to that total.  This year, we took care of about 80 children, ranging in age from an infant to seniors in high school.”

New Richmond Elementary provided gifts for more than 70 students.

“In addition to supporting  the Lions Reach Out Program, the NRE staff partnered with Park National Bank in New Richmond to provide gifts for more than 70 of our students through our first annual Giving Tree program,” said NRE principal Jamie Kunz.

New Richmond Virtual Academy students volunteer at Matthew 25 Ministries.

NRHS Virtual Academy students joined NREVSD Transitions Program students on their monthly trip to Mathew 25 Ministries to package items for the needy.

“It’s good for all students to provide a service to their community,” said Virtual Academy director Gary Combs, who worked with Transitions teacher Lisa Martin to coordinate the effort. “Mathew 25 Ministries was complimentary of the students from New Richmond and invited them to volunteer anytime they like.”

The district food drive set records again for the district, high school, middle school and elementary schools with the high school collecting 15,277 items, the middle school 8800 items and the three elementary schools combining for 6006 items for a district total of 30,083 items for the New Richmond Village Food Pantry.

NREVSD staff, students and their families donated
30,083 food items to the New Richmond Food Pantry.

Last year’s district food drive collected 26,891 items with the high school leading with 14,920.

“It’s an all-time high once again,” said NRHS principal Mark Bailey. “We’ve broken the record for three years in a row.”

New Richmond Middle School staff and students load up some of the 8800
food items collected for the New Richmond Food Pantry.

“There is a wonderful synergy that happens when the things that all of us do together are much greater than what any of us could do individually,” said Griffin.

Monroe gives ‘Good Nights’ to 200 needy children

Thanks to Monroe Elementary students more than 200 needy children will have warm pajamas and new books to read this winter.

Monroe’s 2^nd and 3^rd grade classes have a long tradition of foregoing their traditional Christmas parties to collect items for the needy and community service organizations.

Monroe teacher Staci Heiden stands by five baskets of new pajamas
Monroe students and staff raise for the Pajama Program.

“Staci Heiden (Monroe 3rd grade teacher) approached me about the 2^nd and 3^rd grade classes joining the Pajama Program this year,” said Monroe principal Craig Horn. “It was such a great idea we decided to make it school wide effort.”

Mrs. Heiden set a goal of collecting 200 new pajamas for the Pajama Program, which provides new pajamas and new books to children in need nationwide, many of whom are waiting to be adopted.

“Scholastic publishers donate one new book for every pair of pajamas donated to the program and Monroe was able to give 201 needy children warm pajamas and a new book to read,” said Heiden.

Horn rewarded the school an all-day pajama party Dec. 17 for reaching the school’s goal.

Monroe staff and students were rewarded with an all-day pajama party
 after reaching the school's goal of 200 pajamas for the Pajama Program

The mission of the Pajama Program is to give “every child has a right to a good night” by providing warm pajamas and new books to children in need nationwide with a goal of collecting 1 million pajamas a 1 million books. With more than a week to go the organization has collected 971,273 PJs and 917,046 thanks to the effort of schools like Monroe.

For more information about the program go to http://www.pajamaprogram.org/.

Transitions Program featured in magazine

New Richmond Exempted Village School District’s Transitions Program, which provides students with disabilities in ages 18-22 a functional curriculum including life skills and employment skills, will be featured in the January edition of Ohio’s Salt Magazine.

Salt Magazine's Beverly Draalik (left) interviews
Transitions teacher Lisa Martin.

The cornerstone of the New Richmond Transitions Program is The Brewhaus Bakery Company located on the first floor of the Market Street School where Salt Magazine journalist Beverly Drapalik visited in December and viewed the process of baking and marketing Brewhaus Dog Bones made from spent whole grains sourced from local Cincinnati microbreweries.

Salt Magazine is published six times a year by the Wilmington News-Journal. The magazine is available online at www.thesaltmagazine.com.

Teacher Lisa Martin and job coaches Bobbie Perry, Gaylynne Robinson, Michelle Flood and Shelley Glenn are providing job and living skills for eight students through the age of 23 while saving the district $100,000 a year.

Transitions Program associates market their Brewhaus Dog Bones at November's Cincinnati Holiday Market at the  Duke Energy Center.

Transitions Program associates enjoy a social outing at a Cincinnati Reds game.

“Beverly Drapalik interviewed our coaches and associates and followed the entire process of producing dog bones from picking up the grains at two local microbreweries, mixing the grains with peanut butter, eggs and rice flour, molding, baking and packaging the bones for delivery to local vendors,” said Martin.

In Ohio, students with disabilities can forgo accepting their high school diplomas and receive training in life and employment skills by their school district until they reach the age of 23. Formerly contracted out to another district, the Transitions program was moved back to the district in 2014 at a savings of more than $100,000 per year due to the number of students involved.

Lisa Graham, a local parent and entrepreneur, worked with the NREVSD to establish the Brewhaus Dog Bones Company which is managed by the Associates and provides a real business experience for the Associates.

Students participate in all aspects of the program from planning/forecasting demand, making, baking, labeling and weighing bags, processing orders, attending community sales opportunities, calculating costs, counting money (both cash and credit) from sales and then making bank deposits.

“The associates are involved in selling the Brewhaus Dog Bones at a variety of events in the Cincinnati area,” said Martin. “Beverly asked an associate what he liked most about the business, he replied, ‘All of it.’ Brewhaus provides many future employment skills and self-confidence in a variety of setting for the associates.”

One recent event the Transitions class participated in was a booth at the Cincinnati Holiday Market at the Duke Energy Center in November.  Associates produced thousands of small dog bone treats to sell at this event.

 “The goal is to eventually have our own freestanding ‘Brew Bakery’ for supported employment and to continue as a vocational training site,” said John Frye, New Richmond’s director of pupil and staff services. “It’s 100% non-profit and all proceeds go back into growing our program for others to participate. Best of all, your dog will love you for giving a Brewhaus Dog Treat.”