School may be out for summer, but the Big Walnut Local School District is busy building for future classes.
During a brief special meeting held Thursday morning, the Big Walnut Board of Education approved masonry repairs at Big Walnut Elementary and hiring an accounts payable assistant. Also on Thursday, grade cards became available. The last day of classes for underclassmen was a week ago on May 23.
Recently, it was announced that Kim Castiglione, the current principal at Harrison Street Elementary, will become the principal of the district’s new school, Prairie Run Elementary. Prairie Run is currently being built between Kintner Parkway and Miller Drive in Sunbury, and it is expected to open in the 2020-2021 school year. Castiglione will continue to be the principal at Harrison Street in 2019-2020. Once Prairie Run opens, Harrison Street will become the district’s central preschool facility.
“We are confident that Kim will do a fantastic job of establishing a warm, welcoming, learning environment at PRE,” said Superintendent Angie Hamberg in a statement.
The Ohio Department of Education announced that two schools in the district, Big Walnut High School and Big Walnut Intermediate, received the Purple Star designation. According to the ODE, “The Purple Star Award for military-friendly schools recognizes schools that show a major commitment to students and families connected to our nation’s military.” Altogether, 41 schools across the state received the award.
On May 10, Big Walnut Middle School students in the Career-Based Intervention class volunteered to build benches at Rainbow Place in Sunbury, an apartment complex for senior citizens. The students had previously done yard chores at Rainbow Place on Make a Difference Day last October.
“The middle schoolers loved working with the older adults,” said volunteer coordinator Elaine Miller of Connections, a program of HelpLine Delaware and Morrow Counties.
While the school year is done for most students, the district is encouraging them to visit colleges over the summer.
Big Walnut will begin the 2019-2020 school year on Aug. 14. High school students will be able to see their schedules in August by logging into PowerSchool. BWHS has already announced class officers for next school year:
• Sophomore class: Christopher Lee, president; Joleigh Lawrence, vice president; Abigail Danne, treasurer; and Ryan Kuederle, secretary. The Steering Committee will consist of Shane White, Alisa Bessinger, Aiden Irvine, Zoe McFadden and McKenzie Lam.
• Junior class: Maddy Watters, president; Sophia Momeni, vice president; Lauren Ropp, treasurer; and Evan Stefanik, secretary.
• Senior class: Camden Edwards, president; Macy Roberto, vice president; Kassie Bowmar, treasure; Karley Becker, secretary; and Lindsey Stein, Steering Committee.
