Sample districts activities
Each year, OSBA asks school districts to share their successful board recognition
events. Here are a number of ideas that worked throughout Ohio:
 Adams County/Ohio Valley Local (Adams) Superintendent Pat Kimble
thanked the board in a column in the local newspaper.
Clyde-Green Springs EV Superintendent Todd Helms presented board of
education members with plaques from the district. He also gave each member a
nameplate and pen that were from him personally.
Columbia Local (Lorain) Superintendent John Kuhn recognized board
members with this Web site message: “The month of January is School Board
Recognition Month. Too often people think of board members as people who just
have a specific interest or even an ‘ax to grind’ over concerns of a program or
personnel. The Columbia Local Schools Board of Education has demonstrated
consistently that their focus is serving children and providing the highest quality of
education possible for the public school students of this community.”
Columbus Grove Local (Putnam) Superintendent Bob Jennell recognized
members with OSBA certificates and said, “I’ve seen great leadership from our
board and it has made our job easier.” Jennell then read a selection from the OSBA
board recognition kit titled, “Have you thanked a school board member lately?”
Crestview Local (Richland) board members were recognized on the front
page of the district newsletter and with a dinner before a board meeting.
Superintendent Steven E. Willeke also submitted articles to local newspapers
acknowledging the board and sent a memo to district staff members reminding
them of School Board Recognition Month.
Delaware Area Career Center invited five senior student ambassadors and
their parents to a board meeting as special guests to show their appreciation for
board members’ hard work and dedication. Each student gave a brief presentation
titled, “What Delaware Area Career Center means to me.”
Fairborn City board members were given a customized certificate, along with
a gift package that included Fairborn Skyhawks notepads and magnets. The district
also ran an ad in the Fairborn Daily Herald thanking board members, and
recognized them at a board meeting.
Forest Hills Local (Hamilton) board members received OSBA
certificates, as well as district certificates commending them for their “commitment
and dedication to the students, faculty and staff of the Forest Hills School District.”
Members also were presented with a copy of the governor’s School Board
Recognition Month proclamation.
Gahanna-Jefferson City hosts an appreciation breakfast each year for its
board members. The 2007 breakfast featured student performances, district
updates and recognition from Superintendent Gregg Morris.
Gallipolis City’s board was recognized with a story and photo in the
Gallipolis Daily Tribune. The photo, which also was posted on the district’s
Web site, features the board members wearing hard hats to commemorate the
passage of a bond issue in November. Thanks to the successful bond campaign,
the district will be constructing new buildings and renovating existing ones.
The Grandview Heights City board was thanked in a letter to the editor to a
local newspaper.
Lakota Local’s (Butler) central office staff will plant a tree in front of the
office in honor of the board of education. Lakota is a fast-growing district and the
tree symbolizes the way the board has managed that growth, while at the same
time focusing on the growth of individual students.
Lancaster City board members received several recognition gifts including a
student-produced CD highlighting the district. Student Amanda Reliford honored
board members, administrators and teachers with a poem titled, “Thank You,”
which ends, “Thank you for all you did when you thought I wasn’t looking.”
Loudonville-Perrysville EV board members were treated to a series of
thank-you letters written by fourth-graders at C.E. Budd Elementary School. Each
letter was accompanied by the author’s photo. A letter written by a boy named Tyler
said: “Thank you for gym class, and the teachers. Thank you for the supplies and
desks. Thank you for the cafeteria workers. Thank you for the janitors, like Mr.
Pearce, a.k.a., my uncle.” A young lady named Maria had this to say: “Thank you
board for coming to band concerts and sporting events. Thank you for making a
safe school environment. Thank you for everything!”
The Loveland City board was recognized by an article in a local newspaper
titled, “School board members deserve a thank you.” Written by James Ballinger, a
longtime Loveland City resident and a retired Norwood City Schools
superintendent.
Maplewood Career Center customized the poster from OSBA’s electronic
School Board Recognition Month resource kit to include the board members and
their home districts. Each board member was given a copy of the poster, which
also was distributed to all of the districts served by the career center. In addition,
each board member received a pass good for one free lunch at the Mapleleaf
Restaurant, the career center’s student-operated restaurant.
Marion City, Taft Elementary School fourth-grade students wrote letters to
individual board members thanking them for their dedication to the district. In
addition, the Harding High School Art Club created a banner based on the OSBA
School Board Recognition Month poster. Board members also received certificates
of appreciation and bags of candy with thank-you cards.
Maumee City elementary and middle school principals presented board
members personalized thank-you cards created by their students, while high school
students drew portraits of each member.
Medina City board members enjoyed kudos from throughout the school
community, from thank-you notes penned by kindergarten students to articles and
photos in staff and parent newsletters and on the district Web site to special
recognition and certificates at a board meeting. Posters from OSBA’s School Board
Recognition Month resource kit were displayed in all the district’s buildings, and
local newspapers ran articles, some of them accompanied by small versions of
OSBA’s poster.
The Mentor EV Hopkins Elementary School Student Council presented the
board a banner with photos of students holding individual letters to spell out the
word “Thanks!” National Honor Society members gave a small presentation
thanking board members for all they do and detailed the special talents that each
member brings to the board. They also presented each member with a small gift
from the district.
Miami East Local (Miami) board members received certificates and were
recognized with an article and photo on the district Web site. The article
encouraged everyone to make a special effort to tell each school board member
that his or her hard work has been noticed and is very much appreciated.
Northridge Local (Licking) board members were recognized with
certificates of appreciation and were surprised with the Golden Viking Award, a
monthly distinction given to individuals or groups who support the school district
with their time and energy. Students from Homer Elementary School attended the
meeting, gave balloons and candy to each board member and composed a song of
thanks.
Parma City board members received an unexpected treat when, during a
routine meeting, 15 second-graders paraded into the room carrying sunshine
posters and serenading the board with ”You are My Sunshine,” complete with
special, customized lyrics written by administrative intern Jodie Hausmann. John
Muir Elementary School Principal Denver Daniel and Hausmann were joined by
parents and second-grade teacher Deborah Mach as the youngsters gave each
board member a basket of cookies. The cookies, which were created by the high
school culinary classes — were embossed with sayings such as, “Thanks,” “Bravo”
and “You’re the Best.”
Port Clinton City board members marked School Board Recognition Month
by taking part in the monthly “Literacy Days” activities in the schools. In January,
schools invited guest readers — including board members — into classrooms to
read to children.
The Ross Local (Butler) Web site encouraged the community to express
appreciation to all of the district’s current and past board of education members.
The Cambridge Daily Jeffersonian devoted the entire front page of its
Sunday “Community” section to photos of boards from three counties. Honored
were:Cambridge City, East Guernsey Local and Rolling Hills
Local in Guernsey County; East Muskingum Local in Muskingum County; and
Caldwell EV and Noble Local in Noble County.
The Defiance Crescent News interviewed three board members from its area
as part of the paper’s School Board Recognition Month coverage. All three cited
school funding as one of the most difficult issues to deal with. They also shared
what they find most rewarding about school board service.
The Napoleon Northwest Signal highlighted Henry County school boards
with a photo page of board members. The paper recognized Holgate Local,
Liberty Center Local, Napoleon Area City and Patrick Henry
Local. Board members serving the other Henry County school district, Four
County Career Center, also were featured in photos and profiles that the
district submitted to local newspapers. In addition to Henry County, the career
center serves Defiance, Fulton and Williams counties.
The Washington Court House Record Herald profiled Miami Trace Local
(Fayette) board members in a front-page story. Members were asked about their
backgrounds, vision for Miami Trace Schools and favorite quote.
Toledo City floriculture students from the Frank Dick Natural Science
Technology Center created flower arrangements for the board. A teacher and two
of the students presented an arrangement to each board member.
Warren County Career Center board members were given gift certificates
for a car wash in the career center’s automotive collision lab and salon services in
the cosmetology lab. Culinary technology students baked a cake to serve to the
board. Warren County Commissioner Pat South attended the board meeting to
deliver a special proclamation declaring January School Board Recognition Month.
Washington Local (Lucas) board members were thanked for the time and
effort that they dedicate to the students, staff and community in a brief note on the
district Web site. They also were recognized in a downloadable flier that featured a
photo of the board and the OSBA School Board Recognition Month poster.
 West Geauga Local (Geauga) hosted a reception for its members during a
January board meeting. Students from all the district’s buildings were on hand to
thank the board for its service to the schools. Westwood Elementary School
Student Council officers gave a PowerPoint presentation to honor board members
and gave them a big thank-you card. Robert C. Lindsey Elementary School Student
Council officers interviewed board members about their jobs and also gave them a
thank-you card.
Youngstown City board members were treated to an original song, cake and
certificates during a brief ceremony at a board meeting. A quartet of district staff
members performed, “We Are the Board,” sung to the tune of the popular hit, “We
Are the World.” Lyrics to the special song — which describe the board’s efforts to
improve education in the city’s schools — were written by John Terry Allen, district
ombudsman.
Please note: This information was compiled from articles in
the OSBA Journal and school staff mentioned may no longer be in
the districts.
Ohio School Boards Association
8050 North High Street, Suite 100, Columbus, Ohio 43235-6481
(614) 540-4000  (614) 540-4100