Submitted
January is School Board Appreciation Month. Hamilton Heights School Corporation is honored to celebrate and recognize members of its School Board of Trustees for their dedication and commitment to the district and its students.
HHSC has five extraordinary individuals who are tasked with the enormous job of governing the school district: Kevin Cavanaugh, Arnie Cooper, Julie Davis, Ben Lehman, and Gretchen Pennington. Together they work to safeguard two of the Heights’ community’s most precious resources – its children and its tax dollars – while striving to create the best educational environment possible with the resources available.
Dr. Kevin Cavanaugh
Dr. Cavanaugh has served as a Hamilton Heights School Board member representing Jackson Township since January 2017. He is the co-founder, part owner, and President of Peterson Corn Genetics, is the current Secretary of the School Board and is a past Vice President and President of the School Board.
His exacting focus to ensure each deliberation, decision, and action reflects the best interests of every student at Heights continues to make a meaningful impact for students now and in the future. He and his wife Carey have two children, who are Hamilton Heights graduates.
Q: What motivates you to serve on the school board?
A: A strong education has been very important in my life. It has enabled me to do many things. Serving on the School Board is a great way for me to give back to the community and help build a strong foundation for the next generation of leaders and contributing community members. Seeing the success of our students after they leave Hamilton Heights and know you were a small part of that is an incredible feeling.
Q: What is one specific strength you bring to the board table?
A: A big part of strong public education is being able to use the available resources that are provided to Hamilton Heights and utilize them to the fullest to build strong academic programs, teaching faculty, and facilities to serve the students. I feel I bring strong financial expertise and long-term vision to maximize our resources to serve our students.
Q: What do you like best about being a member of the school board?
A: There are some great people at Hamilton Heights! The opportunity to interact with the administration, teachers, staff, and students is an absolute privilege! Watching students excel in academics, socially, and in sports after the Board worked to provide an outstanding teaching environment and facilities is very rewarding!
Q: What is an accomplishment during your tenure with which you are most proud?
A: One thing that I have learned early in my tenure is that education is constantly changing. Through the COVID pandemic, the team had to constantly change the way education was delivered to students. I’m most proud of the team for adapting to the changing environment of education and continually bringing solutions to help every segment of the student population succeed and become contributing members of society for the future.
Q: What makes this board effective?
A: No two individuals are the same. We have different experiences, backgrounds, strengths, and weaknesses. That is the same for our School Board members. Everyone brings different strengths and passions to the Board. Recognizing the strengths of each member and having varied experiences makes the Board a powerful decision making body that results in creative, well thought out, fiscally responsible decisions.
Q: What is one thing you feel the district is doing well to prepare students for success in school and life?
A: Education is not one size fits all. The diversity of our academic programs enables Heights to prepare each student to be successful in life. Some students want to pursue a college degree, others want to jump in immediately to the work force, while others are choosing entirely different pathways. Heights creates these different pathways to ensure the success of each student. Adding programs to enhance the educational experience of each student is a real strength at Hamilton Heights.
Q: What is one thing about being a member of the school board that you think the community should know but probably doesn’t?
A: I think people that attend a school board meeting may leave thinking that the meeting was scripted and that the Board just went through the motions during the meeting. What the community doesn’t see is the hours of listening, discussion, discovery, and problem solving that happen leading up to the Board meeting. By the time the Board meeting occurs, the Board has usually looked at a decision from 360 degrees and has come to a well thought out conclusion to achieve our goal of providing our students with the best education and facilities for learning and future success.
Arnett (Arnie) Cooper
Cooper has served as a Hamilton Heights School Board member representing White River and Jackson townships since July 2010. He is the longest-serving member of the current board. He is a 1963 graduate of Jackson Central High School, a lifelong resident of the Hamilton Heights district, a United States Air Force veteran and retired toolmaker at Chrysler Corporation in Kokomo.
Having served in a number of leadership roles during his tenure, he is currently the School Board President. He is an ardent supporter of Heights and his passion for public education is seen in his service and decisions. His children are graduates of Hamilton Heights.
Q: What motivates you to serve on the school board?
A: I have enjoyed seeing how our facilities change, for the better, and enjoy seeing how the students and staff have reacted to these changes. Also, how these changes have helped in the education of the students of Hamilton Heights.
Q: What is one specific strength you bring to the board table?
A: Living in this community my whole life, except when I was in the Air Force, and helping our students to have a better education.
Q: What do you like best about being a member of the school board?
A: Talking to people in the community and getting their input as to what will make this the best school for our students.
Q: What is an accomplishment during your tenure of which you are most proud?
A: The learning environment which has been created for our students and providing our teachers and staff a better work environment. I especially like the West side of the high school where students are prepared to enter the workforce after graduation and immediately make a good living doing something they enjoy.
Q: What makes this board effective?
A: We are not afraid to voice our opinions and air our differences and still be able to work together for the betterment of HHSC.
Q: What is one thing you feel the district is doing well to prepare students for success in school and life?
A: Giving them a sound education which they can use in whatever way they wish.
Q: What is one thing about being a member of the school board that you think the community should know but probably doesn’t?
A: I think that I have lived in this community so long that there isn’t much people don’t know about me if they know me at all. I graduated from Jackson Central High School a couple of years before Hamilton Heights was formed.
Julie Davis
Davis has served as a Hamilton Heights School Board member representing Jackson Township since January 2019. She is the first educator to serve on the board and she served as School Board President in 2022. She is a retired English Teacher and Department Chair, who spent most of her career in education as an English teacher at Heights, working with students of all levels of ability, interests, and learning styles.
She brings incredible insight, passion, and perspective to her role on the board. She has two children who are Heights graduates and two grandchildren currently enrolled at Heights.
Q: What motivates you to serve on the school board?
A: I have been connected with Hamilton Heights schools nearly all my life, whether as a student and graduate, a teacher, or an instructional assistant. I have seen many positive changes, both in facilities, curriculum, and School Board transparency. I am honored to be a part of this amazing corporation as it continues to move ahead.
Q: What is one specific strength you bring to the board table?
A: As a former teacher and Instructional Assistant (IA), I worked closely with students of all interests and abilities for 45 years. I have witnessed their changing needs, and I understand what is necessary in supporting and empowering our teaching staff and administration to provide for these needs.
Q: What do you like best about being a member of the school board?
A: I love the opportunity to support students of all ages and interests, and I find it exciting that we are exploring ways to meet their changing needs. I am passionate about talking with students, parents, and teachers to see how we can continue to improve.
Q: What is an accomplishment during your tenure that you are most proud of?
A: I am particularly proud of the curricular opportunities that have been explored and implemented for students. We have established a Special Needs department that is second to none, and inclusion makes everyone better. And, of course, the buildings and grounds look amazing, thanks to Project Vision and the Master Plan.
Q: What makes this board effective?
A: The Board members listen to each other and work well together, even when we don’t always agree. This Board is transparent and listens to students, staff, and patrons. We do our research to be able to make the best possible decisions.
Q: What is one thing you feel the district is doing well to prepare students for success in school and life?
A: Hamilton Heights seeks to accept and nurture all students, regardless of their interests and backgrounds. Pathways and our involvement with the Ford Next Generation program have allowed us to support all student interests, whether they seek enrollment, employment, or enlistment as options for the future. Students have been instrumental in the planning and decision-making process.
Q: What is one thing about being a member of the school board that you think the community should know but probably doesn’t?
A: I hope that the community understands how much research and study the Board engages in before decisions are made. If our actual Board meetings seem to run smoothly and without incident, it is because we have extensively done our homework. Community members are always welcome to attend these meetings, and to visit with us before or after. I also encourage attendance at Dr. Arrowood’s Superintendent Advisory Committee meetings to learn, share, and express ideas.
Ben Lehman
Lehman (Class of 2003) is the first Heights graduate of this century to be elected to the school board. He is the newest member, beginning his second term this month. He is deeply invested in the community and is working to make a meaningful difference for the district during his tenure.
He is a CPA and part owner of Lehman and Company in Noblesville. He has two children enrolled at Hamilton Heights.
Q: What motivates you to serve on the school board?
A: My main motivation is my general love to serve. I want to be a voice for our kids, community, and teachers. As a member of the school board, I can help proactively set the standards of achievement for our district rather than simply wanting for better on the sidelines.
Q: What is one specific strength you bring to the board table?
A: My main strength is my ability to look at an issue and take from my life experiences to find a solution. I work daily with businesses to develop solutions and being on the school board presents the same opportunities to help find solutions on issues that impact public education at the local level.
Q: What do you like best about being a member of the school board?
A: The opportunity to listen to the people I represent and be a part of a collective voice in advocating for the best educational experience possible for every student. Working together toward a common goal (the best interests of every child) yields the best outcomes.
Q: What is an accomplishment during your tenure of which you are most proud?
A: Honestly, for me pride comes before the fall. I’m just grateful for the opportunity to serve and do my part to make a difference for the children in our community.
Q: What makes this board effective?
A: Respect and the ability to listen to different opinions and find either a common ground or the ability to agree to disagree. At the end of the day, it is our diversity that brings us together and makes us a stronger, more unified governing body for Hamilton Heights.
Q: What is one thing you feel the district is doing well to prepare students for success in school and life?
A: We are expanding past just preparing kids for college. We are assisting them by offering more opportunities and experiences that open doors to different post-secondary pathways whether it be college, a trade, public service, or the armed forces.
Q: What is one thing about being a member of the school board that you think the community should know but probably doesn’t?
A: The school board is incredibly intentional and truly wants the best for all students. I never knew how much time, effort, research, thought, and pre-meeting discussion goes into every decision this board makes until I was elected. I’m incredibly grateful and appreciative to my colleagues on the board.
Gretchen Pennington
Pennington has served as a Hamilton Heights School Board member representing White River Township since January 2021. A Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in Hamilton County, she sought the seat because she believes there is no greater way to give back to the community than to serve as a member of the Hamilton Heights School Board.
She is married to Ed, a 1990 graduate of Hamilton Heights, and they have three children who are graduates of Hamilton Heights. She is currently Vice-President of the School Board.
Q: What motivates you to serve on the school board?
A: The desire to see all students learn, grow, and develop into the best versions of themselves and knowing that Hamilton Heights played a significant role in laying that foundation!
Q: What is one specific strength you bring to the board table?
A: One specific strength of mine is the ability to keep an open mind while obtaining and processing information, opinions, and perspectives.
Q: What do you like best about being a member of the school board?
A: Quite simply, the opportunities to interact and work with many people and witness the Husky Pride of our students, parents, teachers, staff, administrators, and community.
Q: What is an accomplishment during your tenure with which you are most proud?
A: The many accomplishments of HHSC are a collaborative effort. I’m proud to be a part of this process and its success. The focus and dedication to provide a safe, learning environment that adjusts to the needs of our students and community is amazing and humbling.
Q: What makes this board effective?
A: The diverse backgrounds of this board improve the decision-making process by bringing a greater variety of approaches, perspectives, and ideas when representing the bests interests of Hamilton Heights School Corporation and the community it serves.
Q: What is one thing you feel the district is doing well to prepare students for success in school and life?
A: HHSC is broadening the opportunities for students to explore and experience different job or career pathways through CTE and the Ford Next Generation Learning so each student will graduate from Hamilton Heights better prepared for future employment, secondary education, or serving in the armed services.
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Thank you all for being front-line advocates in providing a local voice for the community, a vision for the district, and a pathway to success for Hamilton Heights students.