District News

Emerson Elementary Magnet School is bringing student voice into their equity work this year with its new student equity team. 

Composed of eight fifth-graders and led by school counselor Andrea Wiseman, the equity team made their debut during this week’s Start with Hello Week festivities, supporting class activities and school-wide projects focused on inclusion, belonging and equity. 

For the next three weeks, the students and staff at Wilder Elementary are diving into Cynthia Rylant’s “Gooseberry Park” as part of its first-ever school-wide book read. 

Vijay Shanker, who graduated from Westerville North High School in 1990, is a presidential nominee to become an Associate Judge on the District of Columbia Court of Appeals D.C. Court of Appeals.

The Westerville Education Foundation’s Glow and Grow event on Sunday, which showcased programs, projects and initiatives throughout Westerville City Schools’ classrooms, also offered more insight into Minerva France.

Ginny Mack has made Annehurst Elementary her home for the past 43 years, serving as an attendance clerk, volunteer and parent. 

Heritage Middle School Principal Dr. Dru Tomlin is a recipient of the 2022 Ohio Educational Library Media Association’s Service Award for School Administrators — one of two school leaders to receive the honor across the state this year.

Heritage Middle School students in Marty Wicks’ sixth-grade advanced science class got a deeper understanding of their school property as part of a recent research project about the wetlands.

Alcott Elementary students, teachers and guests counted laps as they walked the path next to Hilmar Park during the PTA’s annual Walk-a-Thon on Sept. 16. The day-long event, which included a parent DJ for post-walk dance parties, is the association’s primary fundraiser every year.

Leadership Westerville is looking for volunteers to be part of its Westerville Snow Patrol program, which pairs older residents and residents with disabilities with nearby neighbors who volunteer to assist them with snow removal on their sidewalks, walkways, and driveways.

Emerson Elementary is ready for the upcoming Start with Hello Week festivities. 

The Minerva France Elementary PTA is making its debut to the greater Westerville community during the Westerville Education Foundation’s Glow and Grow event on Sunday.

Five Westerville seniors are semifinalists in the 68th annual National Merit Scholarship Program, according to a recent announcement by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC).

Westerville City School District (WCSD) officials today announced the release of the district’s 2022-23 local testing calendar for students.

Applications for monetary grants from The Bette Marschall Education Fund of The Columbus Foundation are being accepted for 2022-23 school year projects not otherwise supported within the school budget. The grants are available to teachers, students, administrators, and non-teaching staff within the Westerville City School District. The submission deadline is midnight on Oct. 7.

The Many Voices: Diverse Classroom Book Project, which helped Westerville City Schools teachers build their classroom libraries with books that reflected the voices of student identities in their classrooms, is hosting a virtual educator workshop with Dr. Arianna Howard at 4 p.m. on Sept. 28.

The Westerville Education Foundation is accepting applications for its Fall 2022 grant cycle through 5 p.m. Oct. 14.

With the college application season ramping up, counselors across Westerville’s three high schools are launching workshops, planning sessions and providing resources to help high school seniors and their families throughout the process.

The second season of FrosTV kicked off today, giving the students and staff at Robert Frost Elementary a glimpse of the latest news and highlights across the school community.

The Westerville North High School community has caught glimpses of the Warriorettes, a new dance drill team that launched last spring. 

They have brought their energetic, hyper-athletic style of dancing known as “bucking” to the Westerville Independence Day parade, the Meet the Team event that introduces fall sports teams to the community, and the first home football game.

Fouse Elementary is celebrating student birthdays with a new treat this year thanks to a gift from its PTO.

Westerville community members interested in acquiring skills needed to help prevent suicide can participate in a virtual training hosted by Westerville City Schools, in partnership with the Westerville Education Challenge.

After missing the spring dates in 2021 and 2022, Westerville community members and leaders are invited to once again dust off their old bowling gear in support of three great causes. 

The annual Westerville Community Bowl-A-Thon returns to the Columbus Square Bowling Palace on Saturday, Oct. 29.

The initial phase of Whittier Elementary’s ongoing renovation project offers a glimpse of what’s to come for the entire building: New technology. Refreshed spaces. New rooms for educators who support students including the school’s counselor, intervention specialists and those who work with English learners. 

Sixteen high school juniors at all three Westerville high schools have been selected to the College Board National African American Recognition Program, which recognizes African American students across the country based on their PSAT or AP scores. 

Matthew Wolfe, theatre director at Westerville South High School and the district’s Summer Theatre Enrichment director, received a commendation from the Ohio House of Representatives in recognition of a top honor he received in the Tony Awards’ 2022 Excellence in Theatre Education Award.

The newest additions to the International Baccalaureate program at Westerville South High School spent Tuesday using visuals to answer a question that would serve as the foundation of their two-year journey in the IB Theory of Knowledge class: What is knowledge? 

In honor of the upcoming International Dot Day, two Westerville South High School educators collaborated on a lesson to celebrate creativity that can start from a single mark.

Westerville World Wide, a district-wide travel club organized by educators from all three high schools, is hosting Travel Week starting Thursday, Sept. 8.

Westerville South High School physical science and biology teacher Becky Rollo explored the waters of the Caribbean with middle schoolers across the district and observed endangered animals native to South Africa with WCSD high school students over the summer. 

Anna McCracken, a seventh-grader at Walnut Springs Middle School, placed second in the ages 12 and under division of the Ohio State Oldtime Fiddlers’ Contest during the Parade of the Hills Festival at Nelsonville on Aug. 19. 

Once home to the largest enrollment of Westerville’s elementary schools, Hawthorne Elementary staff have had to share classrooms, occupy the school stage, and work in hallways to provide additional support to students.

The nature path by McVay Elementary has been lined with illustrated pages of different children’s stories, an active storytime for those who travel the path.

The girls soccer team at Westerville North High School is embracing an identity that focuses on what they do off the field just as much as what they do on it.

The Westerville City School District (WCSD) Board of Education (the Board) hereby gives public notice in accordance with Section 3309.345 of the Ohio Revised Code that Elaine Colna, employed by the Board as a cafeteria recess aide, has retired and seeking re-employment with the WCSD in the same cafeteria recess aide position.

Neighborhood Bridges — in collaboration with the City of Westerville, Neighbor2Neighbor, Roush Honda and Re/Max Affiliates — is kicking off its annual “Fundies” drive to support Westerville City School District students in need.  

Huber Ridge Elementary parents and guardians connected with classroom teachers and learned about the school’s various learning initiatives at the school’s annual curriculum night on Tuesday.

One look at the entrance to Chelsea Baer’s fifth-grade classroom at Annehurst Elementary should offer a hint of what’s to come when students step inside.

Westerville Central High School’s girls soccer team wanted to support more than their own program with their annual raffle tickets sale this summer.

Westerville North High School sophomore Caroline Williams, who plays the trumpet for WNHS’ Wind Ensemble and Marching Band, will perform with the high school band from the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp International Exchange Program this summer. 

Two Cherrington Elementary students were among 12 elementary-age students across the state whose artwork was accepted at the Ohio State Fair this summer.

Westerville’s Hanby House will be open from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 20, for tours and a quilting demonstration by quilters from the Senior Center. The house will also be open from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 25, for tours and will feature information about “The Underground Railroad in Westerville: People and Places.”

YWCA Columbus is hiring program assistants and assistant teachers for its Kids Place Programs in Westerville.

The Westerville Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 7783 is accepting submissions for the national VFW youth programs as well as nominations for teachers who promote civic responsibility and patriotism.

Access to reliable, high-speed internet is critical to learning. The Affordable Connectivity Program is a new federal program that helps low-income households offset the monthly cost of new or existing internet service.

Families whose children are receiving transportation services for the 2022-23 school year may obtain their student’s school bus information through PowerSchool. Available information includes a student's bus number, stop location and stop times. 

Westerville City Schools continues its efforts to create a more inclusive environment for all students. This past summer, the district offered professional development for staff that was intended to deepen their understanding of LGBTQIA+ youth perspectives, as well as how they can be supportive of them as they grow and develop.

Westerville Central High School staff members were advised prior to their first all-staff meeting of the year: Wear comfortable shoes.

When media specialist Sarah Whybrew started building the library for Minerva France Elementary, she sought inspiration from the students who would be attending the new school.

Minerva France Elementary has an official PTA following Wednesday’s meeting where they were chartered by the Ohio PTA. 

It’s been decades since Columbus-based artist Marianne Philip walked through Blendon Middle School but memories of her time in her former school with her school counselor, Jane Howland, have remained long after she graduated.

Karlee Michel, a Spanish teacher at Westerville North High School, and Erin Moehl, a Spanish teacher at Westerville Central High School, joined their peers from across the country last month as part of an intensive language workshop in Spanish linguistics in Montevideo, Uruguay.

The Westerville City School District (WCSD) Board of Education (the Board) hereby gives public notice in accordance with Section 3309.345 of the Ohio Revised Code that George Tsoi, employed by the Board as a crossing guard and cafeteria recess aide, is retired and seeking re-employment with the WCSD in the same crossing guard position.

Westerville City Schools families can now apply online to have their child/children receive free or reduced-price school meals.

Westerville City School District’s (WCSD) Treasurer/CFO Nicole Marshall presented Board of Education members with a slightly improved Five-Year Financial Forecast to approve during their regular meeting on May 23.  

The United States Department of Agriculture waivers that have provided no-cost school meals to all students across the nation expire at the end of the school year. This means Westerville City School District families will have to resume paying for breakfast and lunch school meals when students return to class after summer break. 

District alumni Janvier Ward and Maxx Ohakim speak highly of their days in Westerville City Schools and their love of the Westerville area community. Ward, a 2002 graduate of Westerville North High School, was known for her leadership as class vice president and as a member of numerous clubs, while Ohakim, a 2008 Westerville Central graduate, was known for her prowess on the basketball court. 

The newest member of the Wildcat family will make its debut on Monday at the side of social worker and mental health specialist Noelle Spriestersbach.

Westerville North High School added three members to its 2022 Alumni Hall of Fame at a special ceremony Friday.

Newly-elected board member Kristy Meyer and re-elected board members Tracy Davidson and Dr. Nancy Nestor-Baker were sworn into office of the Westerville City Schools Board of Education at an organizational/regular meeting on Jan. 10. 

Westerville City School District Board of Education members approved the following 2022 meeting calendar during their Jan. 11 organizational meeting.

The Westerville City School District (WCSD) is preparing to begin the registration process for its next kindergarten class. School officials look forward to meeting new families and greeting returning families.