The Experience Newsmagazine: Special State of the Schools Edition - Spring 2023

A NOTE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT

Greetings to our community in Columbia Township, Fairfax, Mariemont and Terrace Park! You are reading the 2022-23 special State of the Schools edition of The Experience Newsmagazine. This year, our theme showcases our vision and Destination 2026 plan in Action. I invite you to take a few minutes to watch the video version by scanning the QR Code on this page before proceeding through the magazine.

We set ambitious goals when we rolled out our Destination 2026 Strategic Plan nearly ten years ago. This plan, for those who are not as familiar, is our comprehensive guide to achieving our instructional vision through clear priorities and shared work goals. Last year, we highlighted the wide range of partnerships that enable our work to progress. This year, we are sharing more about how our priorities and goals are already in action!

In this issue, we are pulling back the curtain to show how our mission and vision come to life daily. Purposeful, thoughtful, and well-researched steps are creating a culture of deeper learning throughout our schools. We are actualizing our vision of maximizing student achievement, providing a well-rounded educational experience for each and every student, and ensuring our teachers are connected to and able to prepare students for ongoing demands in an ever-changing workforce and world.

Get ready to be impressed by our student guides, Luke and Piper, who are helping tell the story of our plan in action from a student perspective. I am consistently proud of and motivated by the students we have in our Mariemont City Schools learning community. Their passion, commitment to growth and ability to push each other and themselves to realize their potential is magnetic. Enjoy your glimpse of the Mariemont Experience in action!

Go Warriors!

Steven Estepp Superintendent

Scan the QR Code to watch the 2023 State of the Schools Address before reading this special edition newsletter.

A NOTE FROM THE TREASURER

The economy remains top of mind for many in our community and our nation as we closely watch inflation and the impacts of rising energy costs and wages. Our public school district is not immune to the same pressures felt in our households. Like many of you, Mariemont City Schools continue to tighten our belts and seek efficiencies and cost savings wherever possible.

We have striven to pursue and earn as much additional funding as possible to offset growing costs and flat state funding. These grants are helpful but also represent drops in the bucket and are not enough to overcome our reliance on local funding for the quality of education our community expects in our schools.

The last 2.5-mill operating issue was passed by voters in 2018 and was projected to fund the day-to-day operations of the district for four years through the 2021-2022 school year. Through strategic budget reductions and by leveraging emergency federal COVID-19 funding, we now project sufficient funds to maintain operations through the 2023-2024 school year and as a result will be able to delay a request to the community for funding. This is great news!

Our next Five-Year Forecast update will be completed in May and we will have more information to share at that time on the projected longevity of our current resources. I can assure you that we will continue to stretch the impact of each dollar where it matters most and remain steadfast in our commitment to a world-class education here in Mariemont City Schools.

Respectfully,

Tom Golinar Treasurer/CFO

MEET OUR HOSTS

Throughout the State of the Schools video, Mariemont High School students Piper and Luke give you a firsthand look at the Mariemont Experience in action. As two of the students benefitting from our Destination 2026 strategic plan, they provide a unique perspective on the daily work of our district.

Luke Brennaman

Age: 17, senior MCSD student since: Kindergarten

Extracurricular activities: Golf, Lacrosse, Warriors Broadcast Network, Sources of Strength, Spirit Club

Plans after graduation: Attend college and study broadcast journalism

Piper George

Age: 18, senior MCSD student since: Kindergarten

Extracurricular activities: Lacrosse, Digital Design Club founder, U4U Club president, Spirit Club, Writing Center president, National Honor Society

Plans after graduation: Attend a four-year university and major in journalism

At Mariemont City Schools, we understand and appreciate that every child is unique. And we believe in preparing each for their specific future, which means offering a diverse collection of courses to deepen understanding of the world.

Between our growing number of elective offerings, our world language program that begins in elementary school, and our comprehensive literacy and language arts program, among many others, our district is working to equip each of our learners with the competencies they’ll need today and tomorrow.

WORLD LANGUAGE FOR THE YOUNGEST LEARNERS

Part of our commitment to broadening the curricular options at Mariemont City Schools is to help our students deepen their global competency and understanding of the world around them. This priority is especially apparent in our elementary world language program, funded by a generous family in our school district.

While cultural immersion opportunities for students at

both Mariemont Elementary School and Terrace Park Elementary School begin as early as kindergarten, students in third through sixth grade receive regular Spanish instruction throughout the school year. MCSD Spanish teacher Maria-Fernanda Torres teaches students at both schools and focuses her instruction on an introduction to the Spanish language as well as Hispanic culture.

Our world language curriculum has been, and will continue to be, a focal point of our elementary educational experience. We are proud to provide this crucial world language learning and keep our youngest learners on the path to becoming deeply committed members of the community and world.

“Student learning will be enhanced through diverse curricular options and enriching experiences that drive deeper understanding and skill development and support global competency.”

-Destination 2026

STUDENTS GET A JUMP ON LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL

Another example of the district’s dedication to diverse curricular options is found at Mariemont High School where students have several ways to get a head start on a potential college transcript or future career.

Advanced Placement (AP) Program

• College-level courses while still in high school.

• MHS offers 21 different AP courses in a wide variety of subject areas including art, English, world languages, math, science, social studies and computer science.

• Students who do well on the AP exam at the end of the course can earn college credit, saving them time and money.

Great Oaks Career Center

• MCSD partnership with Great Oaks, extension of high school learning.

• Juniors and seniors can attend classes at a Great Oaks campus to specialize in skills that will fast-track their career paths.

• Students can study automotive and collision repair, commercial and residential electricity, HVAC, law enforcement, welding, and much more.

DID YOU KNOW?

An important component of the Mariemont Junior High School experience is the elective course selection. Students (with the help of their families and caregivers) are able to choose from a variety of courses based on their personal interests, curiosities and passions.

Check out the diverse elective options for junior high students this school year!

• Digital Arts 1 and 2

• Art + Tech

• Design and Animation

• Yearbook

• Drawing and Painting

• Printmaking and Collage

• 3D Sculpture

• Fiber Arts

• Metalworks

• Making a Documentary

• MJHS News Weekly

• Podcast Warriors

• Band

Masterclass

• Endless possibilities for independent study.

• Students create their own curriculum based off a subject they would like to explore.

• Allows students to take ownership of their learning.

• Chorus

• Orchestra

• 3D and Me

• AR/VR Warriors and AR/VR Level Up

• Robotics and Automation

• Medical Detectives

• Flight and Space

• Design and Modeling

• Warriors Give Back

• Lifetime Fitness

2026

Mariemont City Schools recognizes the important role environment plays in teaching and learning. Students and teachers need purposeful, comfortable and safe environments. And not just physical environments, but also virtual environments. We put a priority on both.

MCSD EMPHASIZES DIGITAL SAFETY WITH STUDENTS

Our students are growing up in a digital world with an unprecedented level of innovation happening at an unprecedented speed. We believe in supporting the development of skills to ensure our students are prepared to navigate this new world and are committed to teaching students of all ages the importance of being safe online.

In 2019, the district unveiled its Growing Up Digital campaign, a comprehensive K-12 digital skills program aimed at honing students’ ability to be successful in four pillars of emphasis: digital literacy, digital balance, digital safety and digital identity. Each month, students are presented with age-appropriate lessons centered around one of the pillars, intended to give them the knowledge to enhance their digital wellbeing.

Mariemont City Schools believes the most effective strategy for supporting our students is to partner with parents, caregivers and community members in our efforts. Anyone interested in learning more about the Growing Up Digital content can visit the district’s technology webpage at mariemontschools.org/technology.

“Student learning will be maximized through the creation of purposeful and safe physical and virtual learning environments for students and staff that promote communication and collaboration.”

-Destination

NEW MARIEMONT HIGH SCHOOL PROMOTES COLLABORATION AND COMMUNICATION

Back in 2016, Mariemont City Schools kicked off a two-year community engagement effort to assess the needs of the old Mariemont High School building. After careful research and evaluation, it was determined that the building was not suitable to provide the type of modern education that our students needed to keep up with the global workforce.

The old Mariemont High School building was severely lacking in space for students to work together, leaving them no options but to sit on the floor of the cramped hallways in order to collaborate with each other. The community set out to make collaboration spaces one of the top priorities for construction of the new academic wing and what transpired is a state-of-the-art building that includes eight small group rooms, five dedicated collaboration areas and several multipurpose community gathering spaces.

Collaboration and teamwork skills are necessary for success in today’s workforce, meaning Mariemont High School students are already well prepared for life after graduation. “I am grateful to have so many collaboration areas readily available to our students,” said Mariemont High School Principal Dr. Jim Renner. “The spaces are used daily for team projects, extracurricular meetings and quiet study spaces outside of the busy classrooms. They are really helping to stress the importance of teamwork and working with your peers, which are skills these students will carry with them throughout the rest of their lives.”

DID YOU KNOW?

Mariemont City Schools offers outdoor WI-FI at all school buildings to extend the classrooms and allow for a change of scenery. Weather permitting, teachers now have the option to take their classes outside to a number of different spots around the campus. Each school building is equipped with at least three outdoor WI-FI access points to allow multiple classes to enjoy the outdoors and seamlessly continue learning.

Providing physical environments where students feel safe and secure is something that Mariemont City Schools has emphasized throughout the district. This priority from our Destination 2026 strategic plan is allowing all our students to feel comfortable in their school buildings and maximize their learning.

The district’s focus on spaces isn’t limited to the high school. The classrooms at Mariemont Junior High School are equipped with flexible furniture that allows students to move around the room to work together or alone. And the elementary schools also utilize flexible furniture that allows young students to move their bodies while learning in class.

2018 Collaboration

2023 Collaboration

Mariemont City Schools is known for academic excellence. We recognize and understand that the cornerstone of any great school district is the quality of education its students receive, but we also know that only tells part of the story. We strive to maximize each and every student’s learning and capacity to thrive and we know that looks different for every child in our buildings.

Our district uses careful data assessment to personalize the educational experiences for students. Some of our students are ready to be enriched and stretched in their learning while others need more intervention and specialized resources to reach their fullest academic potential. This individualized approach ensures the academic success of our learners, and as you can see below, Mariemont City School District results continue to outpace other schools in our region, state and nation.

AMONG OHIO’S BEST

According to the Ohio Department of Education and the 2022 Ohio State Test Results, the Mariemont City School District:

• Ranked No. 1 in Hamilton County, No. 1 in the region and No. 4 in the state of Ohio for overall academic achievement

• Ranked No. 1 in Hamilton County, No. 1 in the region and No. 3 in the state of Ohio for early literacy achievement

• Was the only district with every school scoring in the top-10 of the region for academic achievement

BEST IN CLASS

The Mariemont City School District has consistently scored much higher on the ACT than the state and national averages.

ACCELERATED LEARNING

140 Mariemont Junior High School students are taking high school credit courses

36 Kindergarten through 6th grade students are subject or whole-grade accelerated

62 5th and 6th grade students are participating in the accelerated math program

“Student learning will be enhanced through instruction and programming that are responsive to assessment results, designed to meet the individual needs of students and cultivate drive and resiliency.”

-Destination 2026

COLLEGE CREDIT

Mariemont High School offers 21 different Advanced Placement courses, developed by the College Board to give high school students an introduction to college-level classes and also gain college credit before even graduating high school. In 2022, MHS had 98 AP Scholars and 84% of MHS students taking an AP exam earned college credit by scoring a 3 or higher. Of the 21 AP courses offered, seven had a passage rate of 100% (2D Art and Design, Art History, Biology, Calculus BC, English Literature, Physics C: Mechanics and Seminar).

WARRIORS BEWELL INDIVIDUALIZES STUDENT NEEDS

DID YOU KNOW?

Eight Mariemont High School seniors were recently recognized as National Merit Scholars. Rachel Bohl, Charlotte Hagen, Samuel Hicks-Jirkans, Stephen O’Hara, Benner Rogers and Lilly Sharp were all named commended students while Daniel Cooper and Harry Manzler were named semifinalists. The eight scholars are the most in a single year for MHS since 2017.

Cooper and Manzler continue on in the 2023 competition in the hopes of earning one of 7,500 National Merit Scholarships, worth more than $32 million.

“Signs of Suicide is one of the most important programs we offer at the high school in terms of keeping students physically safe and mentally healthy. The number of students who have been helped and possibly even saved by participating and learning this valuable information is considerable. No other program at MHS does as much to protect students in as short an amount of time as Signs of Suicide.”

- Dr. Jim Renner, Mariemont High School Principal

“Since we have started doing the daily gratitude journal at the end of each day, we have started hearing kids express gratitude to one another. Hearing students tell each other that they are grateful for one another or for someone who helps them has not only helped to build a strong and supportive community within our classroom and school community, but it has also sparked conversations among students about how they may be grateful for similar things. This 5-minute activity, while a simple idea, has helped our young learners begin to see joy, gratitude and thankfulness in things around them, both big and small!”

- Courtney Miller, Mariemont Elementary School Kindergarten Teacher

In the Mariemont City School District, students’ individual interests and passions will always drive our work. Getting students to fully buy into their learning is the best way to maximize their potential and drive deeper success.

The most notable way we are putting this priority into practice is with our award-winning Warriors BEyond experiential learning program which allows our students in all grade levels the opportunity for real-life learning outside of the traditional classroom setting. But this emphasis on student interests extends well beyond the experiential learning. In Mariemont City Schools, we offer a variety of courses that accentuate skills in communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity and prepare our students for life after high school graduation.

BROADCAST INTEREST BOOMS AT MARIEMONT HIGH SCHOOL

One way Mariemont City Schools is stimulating student interest and fostering inspiration is through unique courses designed to prepare students for a wave of new careers that didn’t even exist as few as 10-15 years ago. The Warriors Broadcast Network began as a simple Masterclass idea for a few students and has grown into one of the more popular elective selections at MHS.

• The Warriors Broadcast Network is offered in three sections: Warriors Broadcast News, WBN 101 and WBN Casting. Students can take all three classes to get a more in-depth understanding of the different elements to broadcasting.

• During the current third semester of the 2022-2023 school year, there are 42 total students in the three broadcasting courses.

• The sports broadcasting class livestreams about 20 home sporting events each semester, and all sports held at Mariemont High School (football, soccer, volleyball, basketball, swimming and lacrosse) are included.

• Anyone interested in watching the WBN broadcast of a live sporting event can search for @warriorswbn on YouTube. You also can find broadcast alerts on Twitter (@warriorswbn) and Instagram (warriorswbn).

“Student learning will be maximized through the implementation of innovative instructional practices that stimulate student interests and foster inspiration and passion.”

-Destination 2026

PROJECT LEAD THE WAY ENGAGING STUDENTS IN ENGINEERING

Through a partnership with the Great Oaks Career Campuses, Mariemont City Schools is able to provide its students with the national Project Lead the Way (PLTW) curriculum, a series of engineering courses for all grade levels. Mike Rafales, our district’s Project Lead the Way instructor, teaches six courses: Intro to Engineering, Principles of Engineering and Digital Electronics at Mariemont High School; and Flight and Space, Design and Modeling and Medical Detectives at Mariemont Junior High School.

Project Lead the Way recognizes the need for students to access real-world, applied learning experiences that empower them to gain the skills they need to thrive in college, career and beyond.

“Some of these students will go on to study engineering, and others will not,” said Rafales. “But they will all have tools that allow them to solve problems that aren’t just engineering or science. The engineering design process is so universal, it can be used throughout your life in all different aspects.”

The three MJHS Project Lead the Way classes are considered PLTW Gateway Courses which illuminates the range of paths and possibilities students can look forward to in high school. The PLTW high school curriculum is separated into three categories (computer science, engineering and biomedical science) that are designed to empower students to explore possibilities, experiment, learn from failure and turn ideas into reality.

All six Project Lead the Way courses are offered as electives that interested students may select as part of their yearly course schedules.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Warriors Beyond travel trips are back in full force this spring and summer as four trips are currently planned. Students will be traveling to:

• Orlando, Florida

• New York City, New York

• Washington, D.C.

• England/France/Belgium/ Germany/Austria

“Our Project Lead the Way courses provide connections to careers and real-world problem solving,” said Mariemont Junior High School Principal Rob Polca. “These highly engaging elective course offerings provide the opportunity for our students to explore science and engineering career paths, while building upon a strong foundation for STEM learning that will serve students at MJHS, as well as the high school level and beyond.”

The MHS Class of 2026 on its 8th grade trip to Washington, D.C. in the summer of 2022.

To get the latest updates, “like” us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.