By DR. DEREK ARROWOOD
Hamilton Heights Superintendent
Update No. 93
October is National Principal’s Month, and it is with extraordinary pride that I share a shoutout to our amazing principals: Julie Griffey and Ken Watson (HHES), Bret Bailey and Nicole Ridens (HHMS), and Jarrod Mason, Whitney Gray and Mitch Street (HHHS). Through their visionary leadership and tireless pursuit of success for each student, our principals guide and support their schools in large and small ways every day. Their dedication to their profession, this district, and most importantly, to the children in our classrooms is commendable and deeply valued. Thank you!
October is also National Bullying Prevention Month. Bullying is aggressive behavior that is intentional and involves an imbalance of power or strength. It can be verbal, physical, through social exclusion, or through digital sources like email, texts, or social media. Being bullied can severely affect the person’s self-image, social interactions, and school performance and can lead to mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and substance use, and even suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Bullying does not have a place anywhere – on or off campus. At Heights we expect everyone to do their part to help create a safe, respectful, and inclusive learning environment where all students can realize their growth as a learner. Thank you for your commitment in working with us to create a safe environment where all children can thrive, socially, emotionally, and academically.
Tonight, Oct. 20, beginning at 6 p.m. at the HHHS Student Activity Center in Arcadia, the Hamilton Heights Classroom Teacher Association (HHCTA) will facilitate a School Board Candidate Forum for Hamilton Heights School Board Candidates. This evening will also double as our first HHSC Superintendent Advisory Group Meeting of the year. All four candidates – Julie Davis, Arnett Cooper, Doug Ozolins, and Ben Lehman – have agreed to be part of this forum. The evening will also be live streamed here, via the HHSC YouTube channel. All Superintendent Advisory meetings are open to the public and we always welcome your attendance.
On Thursday, Oct. 27 district families are invited to attend the sixth annual Husky Fall Festival Resource Night. This fun-filled event is designed to connect families to local programs, services, information, and giveaways. There will be over 20 vendors from throughout the county including Hamilton County 4-H, Aspire, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Hamilton County Kids Coats to name a few. Children of all ages are encouraged to wear costumes to trick-or-treat through the tables, make a craft, or listen to a guest storyteller. The event takes place at the elementary school cafeteria from 5 to 7 p.m. Enter through Door K.
Fourteen high school students recently earned their Level 1 Skid Steer Certification. Our construction trades education program is designed to give students valuable certifications, hands-on experience, and essential career-ready skills upon graduation. This two-day specialty course was made possible through our program instructor, Kevin Sheets, and our industry partners at Reith-Riley and MacAllister Caterpillar. Congratulations!
Thank you for your engagement and partnership.
#WeAreHuskies