Category: News

On August 19, Hilliard Schools, the City of Hilliard Division of Police, and the Norwich Township Fire Department will conduct an all-day safety training exercise at Bradley High School and Memorial Middle School. This training will focus on the reunification of students and parents after a major incident.

All Hilliard School staff will participate in this massive, live-action training to ensure authenticity. You will see many police and fire vehicles and personnel in the area, as their staff will also participate in the training. Please note that no one other than staff will be allowed on the Bradley and Memorial campuses during this time. There will be no students involved, nor will any sporting or extracurricular events take place.

We are grateful for our strong relationship with the City of Hilliard Division of Police and the Norwich Township Fire Department, and we appreciate your understanding and support in this matter. The safety of our students and staff remains our top priority, and your support is crucial in ensuring the success of this training. Thank you for being a part of our community’s commitment to safety.

From Student to Staff: Janelle Hartsook-Tumeo’s Everlasting Connection to Hilliard Schools

Janelle Hartsook-Tumeo takes the word dedication to a whole new level when it comes to Hilliard City Schools. A 1989 graduate of Hilliard High School (back when there was only one), she attended college and worked for a stint at Red Roof Inn corporate office upon graduating. 

Then, in 1998, she returned to her alma mater as the secretary for Transportation Services, a position she continues to hold today. She joked that her goal was to be the longest-running secretary for the department. Well, she surpassed that goal about 16 years ago! 

Her initial dream was to become a teacher so this role is a win-win. 

“I’m still connected to our kids and get to help them and give back to them, but not 1-on-1,” she said. “Hilliard is a great place to work because of the people, from administrators to teachers to bus drivers and aides.”

Clearly, her love for Hilliard City Schools runs deep. Decades deep, in fact. Her daughters have either attended Hilliard Schools or still are; her aunt and uncle were longtime teachers and coaches in the district; her siblings and nieces all attended Hilliard Schools; and she served as an Upward cheer coach for 10 years and band/color guard mom for Davidson High School for eight years. 

She said, “Once a Wildcat, always a Wildcat!”

Summer Parent/Guardian To-do List

As our technology team works through summer operations, know that your students’ grades will roll over to the new level or school in early July.  You will automatically be enrolled in the new school email distribution at that time.  In the meantime, if you have any questions, check out the new school’s web page for all the back-to-school information you might need.

You can also work ahead for the fall and take a few minutes to update the following items as soon as possible:

1. In Home Access Center :
   1. Update your student’s Enrollment/Registration Information – Be sure we have your updated contact information in Home Access Center.  It is especially important we have an accurate MAIN/PRIMARY phone number listed as well as an email address.  These pieces of contact information are used by the district and your child’s school building for emergency and important notification messages.
   2. Sign-off on Student Handbook and iPad Loan Agreement
   3. Submit a Change of Address request form as soon as possible if you have moved.

Click here for quick reference to update the above items.

2. View and pay for the Technology Protection Plan (TPP)
   1. View the Technology Protection Plan
   2. To enroll/purchase, go to: https://MyPaymentsPlus.com

Brian Perry graduated from Hilliard Darby High School in 2011. But since 2020, he’s seen the district through a different lens: from a seat at the Board of Education table. 

After graduating high school with honors and a lengthy list of other accolades, from All Ohio scholar athlete to class president and Panther Ambassador to choir section leader and holding numerous roles in the theater program, Brian attended Capital University where he earned a bachelor’s in political science. During his freshman year — at the ripe age of 18 — he ran for the Hilliard City Schools Board of Education for the first time. Despite receiving a no vote, he returned to the ballot at 22. Again, the votes didn’t fall in his favor, but he was determined to share his perspective and give back to the community that had given him so much. 

“I have a more recent perspective having just graduated in 2011, and my dad was a teacher, so I’ve been around education most of my life,” he said.   

He studied abroad in Scotland in 2014, then enrolled in law school in 2015, also at Capital University, and his third time running was the charm. He was elected in November of 2019 and officially sworn in in January of 2020.  

Today, he works as a labor and employment attorney for a Hilliard law firm, and is grateful for not only how much he has learned in his time on the board but also what he’s been able to contribute.

Brian credits his success to his educational journey and the opportunities he had while a student at Hilliard. He said he was taught by several great teachers, who were in turn supported by phenomenal administrators.

“They taught me self-reliance, how to think critically, and how to apply state standards to real life. I also learned soft skills that have served me well in my career as there are often grey areas in the law,” he said. 

Some of the teachers and coaches that stand out the most for Brian include Coach Fethers, who taught him the importance of a strong work ethic, Richard Chute, who has served as a mentor for the past several years, Amy Messick, who sparked his love for government and the legal system, and Kristi Stewart, his English teacher who also inspired his love of theater. 

If you have alumni you would like to see spotlighted, click here to send us an email!

2024-2025 Income Eligibility Guidelines

Hilliard City Schools is announcing the 2024-2025 school year Free/Reduced Lunch Benefit guidelines for students unable to pay the full price of meals served under the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program. The State of Ohio Budget for school year 2024-2025 includes funding to cover the cost of reduced meals for breakfast and lunch. This provision allows schools to provide no cost meals to reduced price meal eligible students.

The Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines will be used to determine eligibility. Children from families whose annual income is at or below the federal guidelines are eligible for free and reduced-price meals. 

To apply for free and reduced-price benefits, households will need to complete an application. This can be done either online https://frapps.horizonsolana.com/hilc04 or complete a printed application and return it to the school. Copies can be printed from the Hilliard City School website or are available in the office in each school. A complete application is required. Households which currently receive Special Nutrition Assistance Program Benefits (SNAP, formally known as food stamps) or Ohio Works First (OWF) funds for a child must provide the child’s name, the SNAP or OWF case number and signature of an adult household member on the application. Households that do not receive SNAP or OWF funds must provide the names of all household members, the last four digits of the Social Security Number of the adult signing the application or state “none” if the adult does not have a Social Security Number, the amount and source of income received by each household member (state the monthly income) and the signature of an adult household member.  If any of this information is missing, the school cannot process the application.

FREE HEALTH CARE: Families with children eligible for school meals may be eligible for free health care coverage through Medicaid and/or Ohio’s Healthy Start & Healthy Families programs. These programs include coverage for doctor visits, immunizations, physicals, prescriptions, dental, vision, mental health, substance abuse and more. Please call 1-800-324-8680 for more information or to request an application. Information can also be found on the web at http://jfs.ohio.gov/ohp/consumers/familychild.stm. Anyone who has an Ohio Medicaid card is already receiving these services.

The information provided on the application is confidential and will only be used for the purpose of determining eligibility and may be verified at any time during the school year by school or other program official. To discourage the possibility of misrepresentation, the application forms contain a statement above the space for signature certifying that all information furnished is true and correct.

Applications are being made in connection with the receipt of federal funds. Schools or other officials may check the information on the application at any time during the school year. Deliberate misrepresentation of information may subject the applicant to prosecution under applicable state and federal laws.

Households will be notified of the approval or denial of benefits.

Foster children are categorically eligible for free meal benefits regardless of the household’s income. If a family has foster children living with them and wishes to apply for such meals or milk for them, contact the school for more information. Under the provision of the policy, Mark Dudgeon, Chief Operating Officer, will review applications and determine eligibility.

If a parent or guardian disagrees with the decision on the application or the result of verification, the decision may be discussed with the determining official on an informal basis. If a formal appeal is desired, the household has the right to a fair hearing. A fair hearing can be requested either orally or in writing from:

Mike McDonough, Assistant Superintendent

2140 Atlas Street, Columbus, OH 43228

Households may apply for benefits any time during the school year.  If a household is not currently eligible and if the household size increases or income decreases because of unemployment or other reasons, the family should contact the school to file a new application.  Such changes may make the children of the family eligible for free or reduced-price benefits if the family income meets the eligibility guidelines.

 Nondiscrimination Statement

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

1. mail:
   U.S. Department of Agriculture
   Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
   1400 Independence Avenue, SW
   Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
2. email:
   program.intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Amanda Schaeffer, a middle school art teacher at Hilliard City Schools’ Innovative Learning Hub, Hilliard, Ohio has been selected Regional State Board District 7 Teacher of the Year.

Schaeffer holds a Master of Arts plus fifteen in Arts Management from The Ohio State University, a Master of Education in Teacher Leadership from Ashland University and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Kent State University.

Schaeffer is passionate about using art to create better thinkers, knowers, and doers. For 16 years, she has taught students how to use art and advocacy to feel connected and empowered in their own community. She is a recipient of the Presidential Award for Innovative Environmental Educators, a Martha Holden Jennings/Fund for Teachers Fellow, and currently serves as the State Director of the Ohio Governor’s Youth Art Exhibition.

Schaeffer has created messaging and strategies for inspired student and community participation in government, managed public planning efforts, and developed collaborative, innovative programming that connects people. She is a visionary thinker and a talented communicator. Ms. Schaeffer is a national leader in the fields of arts education, community development, and entrepreneurship. She is at the forefront of connecting professionals, student artists and creatives to their communities in new ways that truly raise the value of art and better the world through advocacy and creativity.

Ohio Teacher of the Year Program. Since its inception in 1964, the Ohio Teacher of the Year program annually identifies exceptional teachers statewide celebrating their effective work in and outside the classroom. The mission of the program is to provide opportunities for professional learning to exemplary teachers as leaders and advocates for public education. Selected teachers move through two levels of recognition: (1) the State Board District Teacher of the Year as a regional recognition and (2) the Ohio Teacher of the Year as the state-level recognition.