With the close of the 2020-2021 school year, it is time to congratulate another group of outstanding seniors who will formally become graduates on June 5, 2021. One hundred and eighty-nine graduates are scheduled to receive their diploma representing the Greenville Schools Class of 2021. This class can be proud of how they endured the Coronavirus global pandemic the past two years and all the challenges that went with that. The class has had many academic and extra-curricular accomplishments while at Greenville and we commend each and every graduate. We wish all graduates much success and happiness in their future endeavors. Graduates are now welcomed as our alumni.
Our district now turns its attention to the preparation for next year. Academically, we continue to focus on teaching twenty-first century learning skills to all of our students. We strive to continue to improve our performance on end-of-course, web and work key exams at the high school and career tech building and on the Ohio Achievement Test in grades three through eight. These tests will continue to be given online. We also plan to return all students to in-person instruction next year as of now and pending final board approval in June. Only students with a doctor’s order will be considered for remote learning. All remote education next year would be through the Virtual Academy at the high school or a purchased virtual service at the K-8 level. If your student has a doctor’s order to continue remote education, please bring it to Memorial Hall by June 14th and the district will give you a remote application form to complete for consideration.
Our district will continue to use provided iPads across the district next year. Half of the students will receive a new iPad because the district has secured another lease program for three years. We are thankful to have had these iPads the past two years because of the global pandemic and the implementation of our Canvas Learning Management System. We are also happy to continue to offer our One-to-One iPad instruction with no technology fee associated with it.
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic in the last fifteen months, the district has developed an academic recovery plan this summer. At the K-4 elementary level we will continue to offer our Kids Read Now program along with a new Summer Bridges program for standards-based summer learning. At the K-8 grade levels we will offer summer school to allow students extra time for academic recovery. Summer School at the K-8 will be held the first three weeks of August. Contact the building principal or the curriculum department at Memorial Hall if interested in the Summer School program.
Summer School is also available at the high school and will be held in June and the first two weeks of July. Summer School courses will be blended learning in physical education and health. There will also be courses in English, algebra I or II and geometry as well as the Virtual Academy for make-up recovery credits. Again, contact the high school principal or the curriculum department at Memorial Hall with Summer School registration questions.
As a part of Summer School this year, transportation, lunches, and social and emotional counseling are also available as needed and requested.
At the high school next year, we will continue to implement the College Credit Plus courses for the eighth year. We now offer CCP from several colleges and universities including Edison State, Sinclair, and Wright State. Many of our students continue to take advantage of the CCP program. In fact, this year seven of our high school graduates also received associate’s degrees at the same time as a high school diploma.
At the elementary level, many of our students continue to participate in our supplemental eSpark program using their IPad. All of our elementary and middle school students continue to participate in our Measurement of Academic Progress (MAP) online testing assessments again using their iPad device. This test is given three times a year and allows our staff to see how students are aligning to their end of year state test and see the reading and mathematical level gains they are achieving.
Across the district, other curriculum plans for next year include the purchase of textbooks and supplemental material in the discipline of language arts. We continue to incorporate a six-year cycle to upgrade our curriculum material by content area.
With our career tech programs, we will be expanding our programs with the implementation of a new construction technology program. Adam Eberwein will be stepping over to instruct the new program. Kyle Harter will be replacing Mr. Eberwein as one of the engineering technology instructors. All of our career tech students are continuing to take web exams in their fields with the opportunity to take work key tests as well.
Permanent improvement and maintenance projects this spring and summer include new siding to the storage building at the high school, correcting outdoor playground paint at the K-8 complex, and installation of needlepoint bipolar ionization units at the K-8 complex, high school, and career tech buildings to improve the purification process along with improvement to ventilation and fresh air intake. The improvement to the ventilation and purification system will be funded by the Coronavirus Federal Relief funds. The district is also purchasing two additional Comvat Du03 disinfection systems that use UVC lights to kill all types of viruses including the Coronavirus. The district will now have six of these robot UVC lights to use in classroom and large spaces to disinfect surfaces. Again, the funding for the lights is from Coronavirus Federal Relief funds. The district will also be cleaning and sealing the terrazzo floor at the K-8 facility as well as all gymnasiums at the high school and the middle school. At Memorial Hall, a portion of a new roof being installed is also being considered.
A special thank you and congratulations to our three Class of 2021 Valedictorians that will give addresses at the Greenville High School’s One Hundred and Forty-Seventh Commencement. These students are Heath Coomer, Emily Marchal, and Ashley Strosnider.
The district would like to highlight several recent accomplishments by our students:
• Logan Hittle, Austin Zechar, and Riley Emerick for being recognized as 20 Under 20 Award winners through their involvement in Career Tech and at their work employment.
• Ash Williams for earning a superior rating at the district digital science fair and Landon Muhlenkamp for earning an excellent rating at the fair. Ash Williams will now be competing at the digital 2021 State Science Fair.
• Emily Marchal – Recipient of the National School Orchestra Award for this year representing Greenville High School
• Seven of our graduating seniors earned their associate’s degree from Edison State Community College at the same time of their high school diploma including:
Faith Mansfield – Associate of Arts Allison Powell – Associate of Arts
Tommy Bandedo – Associate of Science Emily Fyffe – Associate of Science Jacob Maher – Associate of Science
Joy Schaaf – Associate of Science Aaron Suter – Associate of Science Jiahao Zhang – Associate of Science
Loreli Lewis – Plebotomy Certificate
• Andrew Abell and Heath Coomer for qualifying for the Southwest District Tennis Tournament in doubles play
• Harley West (Shot Put & Discus District Champ), Grace Conway (Pole Vault District Champ), Isabelle Rammel (3,200 Meter District Champ), Samantha Suter (4th Place Pole Vault at District), all four girls qualify for Regional Competition under Head Coach Bill Plessinger
• The Greenville Girls Softball Team qualifying for Regional Competition and winning the Division II District Tournament under Head Softball Coach Jerrod Newland
• First Team Miami Valley League Athletic Awards: Softball
Athlete of the Year – Grace Shaffer
1st Team MVL
Alaina Baughn Susie Blocher Grace Shaffer Nyesha Wright
Girls Track
Athlete of the Year – Harley West
1st Team MVL
Isabelle Rammel – 1600m and 3200m Harley West – Shot Put and Discus Grace Conway – Pole Vault
Boys Tennis
1st Team MVL
Jack Marchal – Singles
Andrew Abell and Heath Coomer – Doubles
The district would like to highlight several recent accomplishments from our staff:
• Tara Ford for earning the designation of Master Teacher
• Jaime Stocksdale for being awarded Darke County Mentor of the Year
• Mindy Kissinger for being selected as our Darke County Teacher of the Year
The close of the 2020-2021 school year will mark the retirement of some of our employees. Staff members retiring at the end of the year include Margie Heitkamp, J.R. Price, and Nathan Sharp from the high school. We wish all our retiring employees the very best in their future endeavors. Please join me in thanking each of these retiring employees for their dedication to Greenville City Schools and our students.
We wish all of our students an enjoyable and safe summer vacation full of relaxing time with family and friends. The Superintendent and Treasurer’s Offices are open all summer. As always, feel free to contact me by phone at 937-548-3185 ext. 4010 or email at dfries@gcswave.com with any questions you have about our district. Thanks to everyone for helping us all endure a difficult year and navigate together through the pandemic. Your support was appreciated.