NRHS talent shows to benefit Ajax Knoechel, Lions Outreach

Faculty and students from New Richmond schools will be performing in two talent shows March 4 to benefit needy students at New Richmond High School and to help with the medical expenses for leukemia patient Ajax Knoechel, 2-year-old son of high school science teacher Stacy Knoechel.

“Our daytime in-school show will benefit our Lions Reach Out program which helps needy high school students,” said New Richmond High School language arts teacher Sue Griffin.

“We’ve opened this year’s talent show to students from all New Richmond schools and have added a nighttime show along with a spaghetti dinner and cake walk to help Josh and Stacy Knoechel with their medical expenses for their son Ajax. ”

Griffin expects between 15 and 20 acts for the talent shows. Tickets are $5 per person and available at the door.

The spaghetti dinner will be held from 5 to 5:30 p.m. March 4 in the high school cafeteria and will be followed by a cake walk in the school gymnasium prior to the 7 p.m. talent show. Cost of the spaghetti dinner is $5.

“We need donations of decorated cakes for the cake walk and baked goods for sale,” said Griffin, who can be contacted at griffin_s@nrschools.org. “We also need donations of spaghetti sauce, garlic bread, pasta, plates and pop and need people to help serve and cook.”

Anyone wanting to make donations for the dinner or to volunteer as servers or cooks can also contact NRHS science teacher Logan Minning at minning_l@nrschools.org.

Lions Reach Out raised $4500 last year and provided everything from Christmas presents to athletic gear to prom dresses and shoes for needy New Richmond High School students.

Middle School 2nd Quarter Honor Rolls

New Richmond Middle School
2nd Quarter Honor Rolls

7th grade Merit Honor Roll

Alicia Bailey, Adrianna Flood, Evan Grippa, Timothy Hammer, Chase Heflin, Brooklyn Klein, Harrison Light, Kelsey Nichols, Erin O’Toole, Cydney Stiles, Kendal Warren.

7th grade High Honors

Dylan Allen, Rachael Autzen, Emily Belmont, Ethan Benjamin, Chad Brewer, Brianna Chapman, Hannah Clifton, Noah David, Shawn Elam, Kristin Evans, Kaitlyn Flake, Nicholas Flake, Hayley Hawkins, Jacob Hayden, Ariel Huber, Morgan Huddleston, Ariel Johnson, Dustin Kennedy, Nicholas Kirby, Jade Kunz, Nicholas Laub, Allyson Lutz, Joseph Maxwell, Taylor McKinley, Jesse Noble, Holly Reinert, Kiara Rivera, Malea Roberson, Eric Rolfes, Tyler Sammons, Allison Shook, Jenna Swormstedt, Taylor Waitman, Magic Weir, Lindsey Williams, Michael Williamson.

7th grade Honors

Cidney Adams, Lacey Bayless, Miah Bayless, Destiana Berling, Chelsey Bowling, Ryan Brunk, Kendal Collier, Kiley Doane-Deardorff, Kerrigan Dyer, Ross Flenniken, Kaylee Gibbs, Blake Gibson, Casey Goodheart, Karl Greifenkamp, Zoe Hallahan, Maren Hance, Elise Holdsworth, Hannah Lake, Hunter Lansaw, Barrett Leahy, Ella Lindsley, Morgan Malicoat, Seyvon Marshall, Kyli Meder, Kayla Olenick, Sydney Padgett, Darik Page, Laura Painter, Connor Pike, Amanda Redmon, Robert Sarbell, Corey Secen, Hali Stamper, Thelma Sturgill, Stile Sweet, Stacey Tucker, Brian Waddle, Maisie Waters, Matthew Waters, Megan Webster, Jonathon White.

8th grade Merit Honor Roll

Audrey Feiler, Austin Fischer, Alexander Grooms, Griffin Mulvaney, Jennifer Roberts, Eric Williams.

8th grade High Honors

Rachel Benton, Marie Bezold, Anthony Blome, Micha Brumbaugh, Kyle Campbell, Emily Carter, Katelyn Chumley, Emma Feld, Matthew Graham, CJ Grogan, Kyle Heidlage, Dalton Henderson, Emily Hensley, Madison Holdsworth, Sierra King, Olivia Latham, McKenzie Lauver, Maggie Mulloney, Ella Neess, Katelynn Nichols, Kayla Nort, Taryn Rupp, Troy Saunders, Eric Sholz, Charlie Spicker, Ashley Stephens, Karlyn Thul, Maxwell Tumbleson, Kyle Weeks, Daniel Wilson, Leah Wolfer.

8th grade Honors

Daman Abner, Tyler Anderson, Wendy Appelmann, Andi Bateman, Tristin Baumann, Austin Berger, Isiah Bostic, John Buckingham, Rachel Burdell, Miles Burnam, Mariah Corbin, Jacob Craig, Kelsi Curry, Halee Curtis, Tyler Davis, Lacie Decatur, Jazmine Dyer, Madeline Farmer, Kayla Gardiner, Derek Gelter, Kyle Gilday, Skylar Gould, Lyle Hawkins, Patrick Jones, Alexandra Jump, Cody Kirschner, Bryce Kroeger, Christina Lawrence, Hannah Lewis, James Mahan, Madeline McDaniel, Alexandra Meadors, Alexis Meder, Mande Myers, Ashley Redmond, Patrick Richardson, Analiese Rohdes, Aaron Schweickart, Savannah Scott, Bryant Sharp, Joseph Singleton, Lindsay Slone, Hannah Slye, Carrie Stapleton, Rachel Taylor, Jordan Utter, Brittany Walls, Shyann Webb, Mary Williams, Steven Wolf, Nicholas Wuest, Alexandra Zellner, Taylor Zimmer.

Monroe students help animal sanctuary

Students at New Richmond’s Monroe Elementary kept with the school’s tradition of giving up holiday gift exchanges to help animal shelters this past holiday season.

“In lieu of giving each other gifts this past holiday season, Monroe Elementary 4th and 6th grade students decided to help a special organization in our New Richmond community,” explained Monroe art teacher Adrian Hawk, who coordinated the project.

“Together these two grade levels collected over 377 items for the animals at Angel’s Rest Animal Sanctuary! These items range from foods and toys to cleaning supplies and pet beds.”

(From Left) Susie Woolery (mother of Monroe 4th grade teacher Jill Blauwkamp, and Monroe Elementary teachers Jenny, Kim Kreimer, and Adrian Hawk and volunteer Brian Ealy load up the 377 items Monroe’s 4th and 6th grade students donated to New Richmond’s Angels Rest Animal Sanctuary.

Monroe’s lower grades 1-3 classes have passed on the traditional holiday gift exchanges to help the Clermont County Humane Society in past years.

"We were flabbergasted at the tremendous show of support from the teachers and students of Monroe Elementary,” said Perla Medina-Kinne, the founder of Angel’s Rest in New Richmond.

“We received many goodies and supplies for present and future sanctuary animals that we will put for good use. We especially want to thank art teacher Adrian Hawk for her continued support and for organizing this pet food and toy drive."

Angel’s Rest’s mission is to take animals out of situations where they would be facing imminent danger and provide them with a comfortable place to spend the remainder of their lives.

“We take in abused, neglected, sick, old or otherwise unwanted animals and strive to provide everyone that enters our doors with the care they need and deserve to ensure that they live out the rest of their lives in peace, comfort, well fed and loved,” said Medina-Kinne.

Medina-Kinne her husband Mike are artists who photograph animals and wildlife.

“Perla will be visiting the 4th and 6th grade students at Monroe in the coming months to talk to them about the sanctuary and to personally thank them for their kindness and generosity,” said Hawk.

Monroe teachers Jill Blauwkamp, Kim, Mary Kay Thede, Jan Fender, Betsy Florea, Lauren Lindsley and Jenn Mills help Hawk with the project.

Anyone wishing to make donations to Angels Rest can contact the organization at their web site, http://www.angelsrestanimalsanctuary.org/.

NRE begins leukemia fundraiser

Richmond Elementary Student Council will begin a three week Pennies for Patients Campaign for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society on Friday, Feb. 4.

“Student Council has chosen Ajax Knoechel (a leukemia patient and son of New Richmond High School teacher Stacy Knoechel) as their Honored Hero,” said NRE Literacy Lab Coordinator Joyce Montgomery. “Our school goal is to raise at least $1,000 which will be donated to the LLS in Ajax's name along with New Richmond Elementary.”

Of course, every campaign must have a competition and the classroom that collects the most money will earn a pizza party and the runner-up will receive an popsicle/ice cream party.

“We also have some staff members volunteer to have their face on a jar and the staff member that raises the most money will get "A PIE IN THE FACE" (scheduled for Feb.25th),” said Montgomery.

NRE principal Gary Combs and PE teacher John Bagley have already agreed and two other candidates will be drawn at a staff meeting.

Troubs’ Holiday Concert DVDs on sale

New Richmond High School’s Troubadours are selling professionally mastered music video DVDs of their 2010 Holiday Concert to help finance the group’s trip to the Heritage Music Festival in Annapolis, Md. March 31-April 3.

The Troubadours are about $4000 short of the $79,000 needed to finance the trip for the 118-member group to the Heritage Music Festival. The Troubadours last trip to the Heritage Music Festival Chicago in 2008 resulted in a first place performance.

New Richmond High School's Troubadours, under the direction of music director Doug Helflin, rehearsh for their performance at the Heritage Music Festival in Annapolis, Md.

Troubadour trips are scheduled in three year intervals giving each student an opportunity to participate once in their career as a Troubadour.

“It would be great if a corporate sponsor would come forward and help with the full amount,” said New Richmond music director Doug Heflin. “The DVD sales will help us give scholarships for students who were unable to raise their individual cost of the trip.”

The 2010 Holiday Concert DVD is available for $15.00 through individual Troubadour members, Mr. Heflin at the high school or by contacting trip committee parents Cheryl Smith, Jill Cochran, Carla Schreiber or Gail Burnam.

“An invitation of this type is only extended to ensembles that have already achieved high level successes in vocal performance,” said Cochran.

“We have an ‘Everyone goes or no one goes’ philosophy and raise all of our funds privately to ensure that each of our children, regardless of their financial resources, will get the benefit of this experience. Many of these children have never been on a trip of this distance, let alone had the opportunity to perform in a place such as Annapolis. “

The Heritage Festival started 30 years ago with a goal to recognize, encourage, and celebrate musical artistry and excellence at the high school and middle school levels, has evolved into the country’s most prestigious high school music festivals.

Monroe 2nd Quarter Awads Breakfast

Monroe Elementary held its 2nd Quarter Awards Breakfast Jan. 27 to honor outstanding achievements in the classroom during the second quarter of the 2010-11 school year.

Click on the image below to watch a video of the awards breakfast.


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School Board adopts newgraduation requirements

The New Richmond Board of Education has approved new graduation requirements that will reduce the number of credits required for graduation to 20 credits by 2014 to match new state standards.

Superintendent Adam Bird’s recommendation that the school board reduce requirements for graduation from the current 23 credits to 21 in 2012 and 2013 and to 20 for 2014 and beyond was approved by a vote of 5-0 at the Jan. 20 board meeting. The state currently requires 21 credits but will reduce that to 20 credits in 2014.

“We’re trying to create a system and schedule that is flexible for our students and we have found requiring our students to get 23 credits limits their flexibility in scheduling college prep and AP courses,” explained Bird. “What we have now also inhibits students taking post-secondary courses at Clermont College which gives them high school and college credit at the same time.”

Current New Richmond High School students are required to have 4 credits each in English, mathematics and science, 5 electives credits, 2 credits of American history, 1 credit of American government, 1 credit of practical arts (industrial technology and business), 1 credit in fine arts (art and music) and ½ credit each in health and physical education.

The 2012-2013 requirements of 21 credits will be achieved by reducing electives to 4 credits, science to 3 ½ credits, American government to ½ credit, American history to 1 credit, practical arts to ½ credit and the addition of 1 ½ credits in social studies.

The reduction to 20 credits in 2014 will be achieved by dropping the ½ credit for practical arts and reducing the science requirement to 3 credits.

Also included in the new graduation requirements are:

• Students who participate in interscholastic athletics or cheerleading for two full seasons will be exempt from the physical education requirement but must take another course of at least 60 contact hours.

• Students pursuing career-technical programs at Grant JVS will be exempt from the fine arts requirement.

• Science units must include 1 unit of physical sciences, 1 unit of life sciences and 1 unit of advanced study (chemistry, physics, advanced biology, astronomy or other physical, life or earth or space science).

• Elective units must include one or any combination of foreign language, fine arts, business, career-technical education, family and consumer sciences, technology, agricultural education, English language arts, mathematics, science or social studies courses not otherwise required.

• All students must receive instruction in economics and financial literacy during grades 9-12 and must pass all sections of the Ohio Graduation Test and complete a minimum of 20 community hours to graduate.

Students will not be limited on the number of credits they may take in high school under the new standards and will have the opportunity to graduate in 3 ½ years.

“They could go into the military or start college early if they wanted,” noted Bird. “There are students who are looking to be accepted by a select university are going way beyond 23 and many of their electives are college prep or AP courses. Those students will still have the opportunity to get 25, 26 or 27 credits.”

Duke decision costs district $334,000

Ohio tax commissioner Richard Levin has informed the New Richmond Exempted Village School District that it has awarded Duke Energy a 20 percent reduction in the taxable valuation of generating equipment at its Beckjord generating plant equipment.

“Although the decision could have resulted in a $1.4 million loss to the New Richmond Exempted Village School District, we will lose $334,432 annually,” said New Richmond chief financial officer Teresa Napier.

Duke, which had asked for a 40 percent reduction in the valuation of its generating facilities along with its transmission and distribution equipment, has 60 days to appeal the Beckjord decision, and has re-filed its request for a 40 percent reduction in the taxes it pays on its transmission and distribution equipment for the current tax year.

Napier said the district does not have legal standing to fight Duke’s appeal. Clermont County Auditor Linda Fraley is meeting with the Clermont County prosecutor to determine the county's position on filing an appeal.

“This is just one hurdle in a long process, with Duke being able to appeal the tax commissioner’s decision to the Board of Tax Appeals and ultimately to the Ohio Supreme Court.,” said Napier. “This case must be closely monitored, as it could continue to negatively impact the district’s budget.”

The reduction lowers the valuation of Duke’s Beckjord plant from $40.7 million to $30.2 million.

“Our district suffered the largest loss in the State of Ohio,” noted Napier.

“I think that we can assume that this reduction in the value of generating equipment will continue for tax year 2010 and beyond,” said New Richmond superintendent Adam Bird, who has been studying ways to cut the district’s budget and raise revenues in anticipation of losing $8.1 million a year in 2017 when the state ends its electrical deregulation payments to New Richmond and other districts with electrical generating facilities.

The loss of $334,000 from Duke is the first of what is expected to be a string of bad financial news for New Richmond this year.

Ohio Governor John Kasich has said he will make up an estimated $8 billion deficit in Ohio’s next biennial budget with across the board cuts. Schools have been told to expect between 10 and 20 percent cuts in state foundation payments, from which New Richmond receives $4 million per year.

That means a loss of between $400,000 and $800,000 for next fiscal year which begins in July.

New Richmond's 2010-2011 expenditures total $25,331,121.

“There are no frills when it comes to educating our children, but you have to start putting a weight on some services we currently offer,” said New Richmond school board president David Painter. “The board was already looking at reductions in services and now we’re faced with losing $1.1 million this year.”

The school board meets Thursday, Jan. 20 at 7 p.m. at the board office, 212 Market Street.

School board reorganizes for 2011

David Painter was elected president of the New Richmond Board of Education for 2011 at the board’s Jan. 6 reorganization meeting.

Sharon Stark was elected vice-president.

Committee appointments for 2011 were:

Legislative Liaison: Sharon Stark, Alternative: Kevin Walriven
Student Achievement Liaison: Ben Bird
Grant Career Center Board Member: Sharon Stark
Finance and Audit Committee: David Painter and Fred Heflin
Facilities Committee: Kevin Walriven and Ben Bird
Policy Committee: David Painter and Sharon Stark
Curriculum Committee: Ben Bird and Fred Heflin
Personnel Committee: Sharon Stark and Kevin Walriven

New grading scale proposed

Superintendent Adam Bird wants to even the playing field for New Richmond High School students when it comes to competition for college scholarships.

“We’re trying to help our students be a little more competitive when it comes to earning scholarships at the collegiate level,” explained Bird who will ask the New Richmond Board of Education to approve a new grading scale this spring when the Student Handbooks are approved for the 2011-12 school year.

“We’ve learned from colleges that when it comes to awarding scholarships our students are at a competitive disadvantage compared to students from other schools because of our grading scale.”

Currently it takes a 94 average to get an A at New Richmond and that puts the school’s graduates at a disadvantage compared to students graduating from schools using the traditional 90, 80, 70, 60 percent grading scale.

“We have surveyed other schools and we have found that many of them do have a grading scale like that,” said Bird. “So when our students get a 93 percent grade in a class it will show up as a B. If a student gets a 93 at Indian Hill, Anderson, Milford or Upper Arlington, it shows up as an A on their transcript.”

The new grading scale will include plus and minus grades and will be weighted for honors (college prep classes) and AP (advanced placement) classes.

“There’s a big difference between 90 and 99 percent,” said Bird. “We want to help the student who gets a 90, but when it comes to their GPA it’s going to show as a 3.7 which is higher than the 3.0 they receive under the old system. But it’s not as high as the 4.0 that the student who gets a 99 in the class will receive.”

The proposed grading scale will award a 3.7 GPA for 90-92 percent (A-) in a regular class and 4.0 for 93-96 (A) and 97-100 (A+). Students in honors classes will receive a 4.2 GPA for 90-92, and 4.5 GPA for grades of 93-96 and 97-100. Students taking AP courses would receive a 4.7 GPA for an A- and 5.0 for an A or A+.

“ Currently a student with a B in an AP class gets a 3.75 GPA and we know that a student getting a B in an AP class is working harder than a student in gym class and a student in gym class getting an A receives a 4.0,” said Bird.