Dr. Arrowood Thanks Heights Community and Welcomes New Board Member
Last Saturday, Hamilton Heights enjoyed hosting its first ever VEX Robotics Competition. The event, held at the Hamilton Heights Middle School, drew in some 40 teams from 30 different schools. It was nothing short of amazing! Energy, innovation, collaboration, teamwork, technical problem-solving, and pride filled the air. I’m pretty sure I was watching future scientists and engineers in action! It proved to be a successful event with all three of the Heights teams placing in the Top 10. Bonus! We had the opportunity to showcase our incredible gymnasium which did not disappoint!
It is my pleasure to welcome Ben Lehman to the Hamilton Heights School Board. He was elected to the White River Township seat held by Doug Ozolins for the past eight years. We are extremely appreciative of Doug’s leadership and contributions during his tenure. His work on the board will positively benefit students well into the future. Expect to see Doug in other impactful roles that make a difference in our district.
Ben joins an exceptional and seasoned team of public education advocates which include Arnett Cooper (At-Large), Dr. Kevin Cavanaugh (Jackson Township), Julie Davis (Jackson Township), and Gretchen Pennington (White River Township). Arnett and Julie were re-elected to their seats and their continued leadership and involvement is a win for students and Hamilton Heights. The new board term begins in January.
Speaking of being involved, we value public participation and recognize the importance of public input on issues affecting all things Hamilton Heights and our district. We hold some of our board meetings in the morning to accommodate the diverse and varied schedules of our board and residents. Our school board meeting dates, times, locations, agendas, and minutes are available on our website (hhschuskies.org/domain/66). You can download a copy of our 2023 school board meeting calendar online (drive.google.com/file/d/1Dm0C71hmvqtoSGvwnmdQaAi2_seKTKXV/view).
I want to give a shout out to Craig Bowen, F.C. Tucker Company, and his wife, Amber, who have teamed up with the Hamilton Heights Educational Foundation to take the Husky Hero Award to the next level. The monthly award is designed to recognize a Hamilton Heights School Corporation employee for performing an act of kindness, or going above and beyond for a student, fellow staff member, or our community. Any staff member employed by the district is eligible to be recognized and can be nominated by anyone on or off campus. The Husky Hero recipient will be presented with a certificate and a monetary donation of $250 in appreciation for their making a meaningful impact. It’s all of our employees – teachers, aids, bus drivers, custodians, nurses, cafeteria workers, etc. – who truly make the difference in the overall educational experience of our students every single day. Nominate a Husky Hero today or learn more about this special recognition program online (docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScF2GhvQlBVKKMxGkv7epQCCTfUU_PExnbMI9e5KlUhtapmsA/viewform). Thank you, Craig and Amber for being heroes for Hamilton Heights by championing this special program!
With the Thanksgiving holiday right around the corner, I want to pause and express how thankful I am for having the privilege of working with such wonderful staff, volunteers, students, and their families. Thank you for helping to make Hamilton Heights an empowering place for our 2,258 students to learn, grow, and excel. #WeAreHuskies
Dr. Derek Arrowood is the Superintendent of the Hamilton Heights School Corporation.