Noble Local Students to Study Crash of the USS Shenandoah
By Eugene Kyle
The June 17 meeting of the Noble Local Board of Education started at 6:30 p.m. with a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance and Lord’s prayer.
Superintendent’s Report
Superintendent Dan Leffingwell has been “rehired’ as superintendent. Leffingwell informally complemented the Food Service provider ‘The Nutrition Group’ for providing the best financials, “since Moby Dick was a minnow.”
Property that the district is ready to close on now has all the required easements signed.
While Mike Waite won’t officially retire until September, on the last day of the school year the students and teachers lined the halls to honor him as it would be the last day he would be there.
Elementary School Report – Chad Miller.
In May, several teachers participated in a Lighthouse Team training session for them to oversee “The Leader in Me” program; which will be started this coming fall. It is a program intending to empower students within a culture of “family” interaction. Teachers and students will be divided in four “houses,” named after the four “buildings” that came together in 1983 to form the elementary school. (Belle Valley Purple Riders; Summerville Gophers; Batesville Beavers; Sarahsville Red Devils).
It is planned that T-shirts will be designed and made at the school.
The elementary school now has 90 students enrolled in kindergarten for the upcoming year.
With 2025 being the 100th anniversary of the Zeppelin crash in Ava, both the elementary and high school will be adding information regarding it to their curriculum.
Due to reporting changes, state assessment data was not available at this time.
High School Report – Justin Denius.
“Construction instead of destruction,” was the opening to Principal Justin Denius’ remarks.
Board members went on a tour of the high school to see some of the changes being made. Both the girls and boys locker rooms are receiving a major makeover, (more space, individual shower stalls, etc.) The auditorium is getting a brand new arrangement of seating, lighting, etc.
The school received one thousand dollars from the sale of scrap.
Teacher Jarvis Huck said he thinks that Sam Carpenter has a good chance of winning an upcoming robotics competition, as relayed by Denius.
A total of 250 students are now enrolled in grades 9-12, with 24 students in summer school.
Denius informed the board of the following breakdown of students participating in specialized electives: Agriculture 117, Spanish 114, Band 23, Choir 7, Welding 63, Physical Education II 78, Fabrication/Tech Lab 70, Football Camp 60, Health Technician Certification 8.
On a closing note, Max McVicker took home second and eighth place honors in the 300-meter hurdles and 110-meter hurdles while Shakur Payton finished second in the high jump at the OHSAA State Track Championships in early June.
The board entered Executive Session at 7:53.
