By Doug Fries
Greenville City Schools
With the close of the 2023-2024 school year, it is time to congratulate another group of outstanding seniors who will formally become graduates on June 1, 2024. One hundred ninety-three graduates are scheduled to receive their diploma representing the Greenville Schools Class of 2024. The 2024 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 and they 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 as well as state content students. We strive to continue to improve our performance on end-of-course, ACT, web and work key exams at the high school and career tech building and on the Ohio Achievement Test and Measurement of Academic Progress testing in grades three through eight. These tests will continue to be given online for the most part. We will also begin to staff our building for the 2024-2025 year to replace personnel who have retired or left for other opportunities. Annual cleaning of our buildings and grounds, as well as computers and iPads, will also take place as will needed repairs and inspections in our buildings and with our bus fleet.
At the K-4 elementary level we will continue to offer our Kids Read Now summer reading program along with our Summer Bridges program for standards-based summer learning. At the K-8 grade levels we will offer summer school to allow students additional time for academic recovery. Summer School at the K-8 will be held from July 31st through August 20th. 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 June 3rd through July 5th. Summer School courses will be blended learning in physical education and health. There will also be courses in algebra I or II and geometry as well as the Virtual Academy for make-up recovery credits including English. Again, contact the high school principal or the curriculum department at Memorial Hall with Summer School registration questions. All courses at the high school are pending having enough students for enrollment. Transportation and lunches are again provided at no cost as well as course registration being free for all summer K-12 course work for Greenville students as a continued effort of our academic recovery plan.
At the high school and middle school next year, we will continue to implement the College Credit Plus courses for the eleventh 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.
All of our elementary and middle school students continue to participate in our Measurement of Academic Progress (MAP) online testing assessments this past year 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 science. We continue to incorporate a six-year cycle to upgrade our curriculum material by content area.
Much of the focus this summer with maintenance projects will be on sealcoating, crack filling, and striping the parking lot at the K-8 complex and walking trails. We will also be cleaning and varnishing all gymnasiums. The terrazzo floor at the K-8 complex will be cleaned and resealed. There will also be a new roof installed at Memorial Hall. At the high school we will be doing substantial HVAC upgrades as well as tornado damage repair to our outdoor athletic facilities.
A special thank you and congratulations to our Class of 2024 Valedictorian and Salutatorian that will give addresses at Greenville High School’s One Hundred and Fiftieth Commencement exercise. The Valedictorian in the Class of 2024 is Erin Leensvaart and the Salutatorian is Cali Harter.
The district would like to highlight several recent accomplishments by students and staff:
• Hailey Finlay, Tristen Gross, Kathy Meade, Callee Moore and for being recognized as the I.G.N.I.T.E Award winners through their involvement in Career Tech employment at Greenville City Schools and a part of the Darke Economic Award program.
• Patti Kiefer for being selected as our Darke County Teacher of the Year for Greenville City Schools
• Anne Gibson for winning the Board of Education Outstanding Art Award at the annual Waves of Pride
• Willow Candy-Stone, Jenica Feitshans, Erin Leensvaart, Charlie Pope, Clair Rammel, and Adele Strunks won art awards at the countywide High School Art show.
• National Career Tech Competition Qualifiers:
– Ella Stebbins will be at the Med Tech National Career Tech Competition in HOSA International Leadership in Huston, Texas in late June.
– Zoey Burns, Emily Gibson, Ella Gilbert, Shelby Gillespie, Josie Madden, Callee Moore, Jayden Norris, and Isabelle Sommer will participate in the National Career Tech Competition through FCCLA in Seattle, Washington in late June, early July.
• The following students achieved either perfect or nearly perfect scores in their End of Course exam or Ohio Achievement Test scores for the Spring 2024:
3rd Grade Math: Miles Baker, Logan Cantrell, Aden Coblentz, Malcolm Drees, Axton Halley, Taylor Janora, and Rowan Stonerock
4th Grade Math: Marie Beard, Franklin Gilmore, Aaron Holzapfel, and Judd Yohey
6th Grade Math: Abby McGlinch and Isaac Rice
7th Grade Math: Landrey Huffman
9th Grade Math: Lauren Wills
4th Grade Language Arts: Ayanna Burral
8th Grade Language Arts: Brianna Klosterman
5th Grade Science: Jack Driscoll
11th Grade American Government: Riley McCartney and Austin Shaltry
10th Grade American History: Jack Suter
• The Green Wave Navy for their outstanding work and improved standing both within Area 14 and nationally. They earned MOST IMPROVED UNIT as well as the UNIT ACHIEVEMENT AWARD. Unit achievement designation is limited to the top 30% of units in the country.
• Kyrie Unger and Marissa Hicks for receiving their State FFA Degrees and Jayden Hicks for being elected to serve on the 2024-2025 State FFA Officer Team as a State Vice President at Large.
• First Team Miami Valley League Spring Awards:
Softball
Kylar Arnett – Infielder
Addie Burke – Infielder
Zoey Burns – Pitcher
Mahayla Cook – Infielder
Kendall Cromwell – Catcher
Haleigh McDermitt – Outfielder
Ella McLear – Outfielder
Boys Track
Johnny Barr – High Jump
Girls Track
Addie Klosterman – High Jump (Champion)
Brooke Schmidt – Discus (Champion)
Boys Tennis
Mason Pierri
• Mason Pierri for being a district qualifier in boys tennis.
• Brooke Schmidt (Discus), Addie Klosterman (High Jump), and Johnny Barr (High Jump) for qualifying for the regional track meet.
• The Greenville Girls Softball team for qualifying for the regional competition and winning the Division II District Tournament as well as MVL Divisional and overall MVL Championship
The close of the 2023-2024 school year will mark the retirement of some of our employees. Staff members retiring at the end of the year, and in some cases during the year, include Jerri Altenberger, Cheryl Benge, Kelley Goodpaster, Karen Hill, Melanie Huffman, Lori Keller, Timothy Pratt, Carol Riffle, Melissa Schlichte, and Sandra Snyder. For all of the retiring employees we wish them the very best in their retirement and future endeavors. Please join me in thanking each of these retiring employees for their dedication and commitment to Greenville City Schools and our students. Collectively, these staff members had 251 years in education with 226 of those years at Greenville.
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 [email protected] with any questions you have about our district. Thanks to everyone for helping us all with another wonderful school year.
To all our students, parents, staff, and community members, stay safe over the summer and enjoy your break. We look forward to working with everyone again next fall. Go WAVE!
