On Wednesday, Doug Ozolins was honored at Hamilton Heights School Corporation’s last school board meeting of the year. Ozolins was recognized for his commitment, dedication, and service to the school corporation.
Ozolins served as the elected school board representative for White River Township for the past eight years. He served as a member of several committees throughout his tenure – most recently the Hamilton Heights School Board Facilities and Policy committees. He was also a four-year member on the Indiana State School Board Association (ISBA) Legislative Committee and is the high school Robotics Coach. After his family lost their son Nick, a freshman at Purdue University, in 2010, the family established the Engineering Scholarship for HHSC in Nick’s honor.
“There is no greater honor for me than to serve on our local school board and to try to give back to the community that has given my family so much,” Ozolins said. “It has been an honor and humbling experience to serve the community, the students, the taxpayers, families, teachers, and administration. I am truly proud and grateful for the opportunity to have positively contributed to Hamilton Heights in this role during my tenure.”
“I didn’t really know Doug Ozolins before I was elected to the School Board four years ago,” said Julie Davis, HHSC School Board President. “I taught his wife Christi in Honors English, and I was blessed to teach his son Nick. Nick sat near the front of the class and always kept me on my toes. After getting to know Doug, I realized that at the heart of this really good family was a really good man.”
“Doug has served the Hamilton Heights School Board well, both on the local level as well as on the state level as an ISBA policy board member,” Davis continued. “His every decision has been based on what’s good for kids. I will always remember the time that we were holding a closed School Board Executive Session at the Central Office, and a patron showed up and was upset that he wasn’t allowed to enter. Doug followed him out to the parking lot, spoke with him and listened to his concerns for upwards of half an hour, making sure he knew that his voice would be heard. Actions like this are what makes the HH School Board great. Doug Ozolins, it is an honor to have served with you.”
“In my opinion, there are two reasons folks run for the School Board,” HHSC Superintendent Dr. Derek Arrowood added. “They either run to make the school an even better place to serve students or because they have a personal ax to grind. Doug is the epitome of a board member who always put the needs of Hamilton Heights students at the forefront of every decision. His passion for all things Heights an inspiration to me on a personal level and I will miss having him as a member of the HHSC Board of School Trustees. During his tenure as a school board member, he has helped make HHSC an even better place for students to learn and to me that is the ultimate compliment a school board member can receive.”
Beginning January 2023, three members will begin their new, four-year terms: Arnett Cooper (At-Large) and Julie Davis (Jackson Township), whose seats were unopposed, and Ben Lehman (White River Township) will begin his four-year term of service in January. Cooper, Davis, and Lehman join Gretchen Pennington (White River Township) and Dr. Kevin Cavanaugh (Jackson Township).
The Hamilton Heights School Board consists of five members, each elected to staggered four-year terms. The first school board meeting of the new year is 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2023, at the Student Activity Center in the Board Room. Learn more about Hamilton Heights School Board and its members at hhschuskies.org.