Chamber Holiday Luncheon Is All About Noblesville Schools
By: Betsy Reason
Noblesville Schools Supt. Dr. Daniel Hile visits with White River Elementary students who demonstrated an interactive traveling STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) museum.
Noblesville High School NHS Singer soloist Lauryn Kinzie sings “Silent Night” with the NHS Singers varsity mixed show choir at Wednesday’s Noblesville Chamber of Commerce Holiday Luncheon.
Beginning this school year, the Noblesville High School Miller Man mascot position is chosen by audition and is played by two students, and their identity was not divulged. The mascot greets guests to Wednesday’s Noblesville Chamber of Commerce Holiday Luncheon and State of the Schools at the Noblesville Schools Community Center.
North Elementary Hand Chimes Choir directed by Janene Krent performs Wednesday during the Noblesville Chamber of Commerce Holiday Luncheon.
Noblesville students and Hamilton East Library staff enjoy hands-on activities at Noblesville Schools’ interactive traveling STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) museum at Wednesday’s Noblesville Chamber of Commerce Holiday Luncheon and State of the Schools at the Noblesville Schools Community Center.
Noblesville High School NHS Singers mixed varsity show choir perform holiday favorites at Wednesday’s Noblesville Chamber of Commerce Holiday Luncheon and State of the Schools at the Noblesville Schools Community Center.
Noblesville Schools Supt. Dr. Daniel Hile, before taking the podium to deliver his State of the Schools presentation this week, answered the callout from NHS Singers choral director John Neubauer seeking a baritone to sing with the choir.
Noblesville Schools Supt. Dr. Daniel Hile presents State of the Schools address.
Last Wednesday’s Noblesville Chamber of Commerce Holiday Luncheon was one of the best-ever Chamber luncheons.
I may be biased. Our daughter, a Noblesville High School senior, is a member of the NHS Singers 60-member mixed varsity show choir, directed by John Neubauer. The choir performed after lunch.
Plus, our daughter is an alum of North Elementary music teacher Janene Krent’s 11-member Hand Chimes Choir, which performed before lunch.
From the moment that the 200 guests arrived at the Chamber’s sold-out event, it was obvious that the luncheon would be all about Noblesville Schools.
This year, the Chamber’s Holiday Luncheon moved to the Noblesville Schools Community Center, where the NHS Miller Man greeted guests just outside the entrance. By the way, this year’s mascot position is chosen by audition, is played by two students, and their identity isn’t divulged.
Just inside the entrance, the award-winning NHS Cheerleaders in uniform, pompoms in hand, greeted and cheered arriving guests.
Students and guests had the opportunity to visit an interactive traveling STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) museum set up in the edge of the room.
“It will travel to all of the elementary schools so that all of the kids get the chance to do all of the activities,” said Abbi Yiesla, a 2014 NHS graduate and one of the STEAM teachers at White River Elementary. Two of eight different STEAM stations were on display, including a giant marble run and a wind blower, created by Wes Dicken, Elementary STEAM lead teacher for Noblesville Schools. He assembles K-5 STEAM curriculum for district elementary schools and in 2018, while teaching full-day kindergarten, was named Innovative Teacher of the Year for Noblesville Schools. The STEAM museum will further the district’s interactive learning options for students and was funded thanks to Noblesville Schools Education Foundation (NSEF), according to district spokesperson Marnie Cooke.
District Supt. Dr. Daniel Hile, before taking the podium to deliver his State of the Schools presentation, answered the callout from NHS Singers choral director John Neubauer seeking a baritone to join the Singers performance of “Silent Night.” Hile’s surprise performance saw the former high school choir director and former Indiana University Singing Hoosier falling into the back row, singing next to NHS junior Ehren Knerr. Just moments earlier, NHS Singers performed “Ring Them Bells” with soloist Soren McLaughlin, “Mary, Did You Know,” with soloist Hannah Ropte, and the highly popular “Sleigh Ride.” NHS Singers’ Lauryn Kinzie was the soloist for “Silent Night.”
On the tables, guests found literature with fun facts about Noblesville Schools — total enrollment of 10,379 students (NHS is over capacity with more than 3,200 students), 50+ home languages spoken, 27 percent of students receive free/reduced lunch, 18 percent are high ability — and a giant QR code to sign up for the superintendent’s new district newsletter and a beautiful “Happy Holidays” snowman card with art design by Noble Crossing Elementary student Bentley Hackman.
Noblesville Schools has about 1,800 employees, 10 schools, three district buildings, 17 athletic fields and serves about 50 square miles.
A new sixth-grade Civics course focuses on community issues and duties and rights as Americans, and a new national grant for innovative civics education comes in 2024. Of the $160,796,047 district budget, $73.6 million goes to education. Beginning in 2024, teachers’ starting annual salary will be $48,000, with new dependent leave, enhanced retirement and two-year contracts. There is new dedicated space for multilingual family support, and a new adult education initiative is coming in 2024.
Hile also provided interesting trivia, including that Noblesville High School has won 23 state championships and 13 of them in the past four years. Noblesville is one of only two schools to win five state championships in one day.
He shared updates on two high school construction projects, the first to expand athletic facilities, and the second to begin in January to add STEM classrooms and expand performing arts spaces due to significant student demand for these programs.
-Betsy Reason writes about people, places and things in Hamilton County. Contact The Times Editor Betsy Reason at betsy@thetimes24-7.com. Save the date: Miller-Palooza to benefit Noblesville Schools Education Foundation on March 15, 2024. Read Noblesville Schools’ press release with State of the School highlights and rundown of the district’s achievements in Thursday’s edition of The Times.