09.08 Hornet Headlines
Dear Licking Heights Families,
One major lesson I have learned throughout my years in education is that partnerships between our community, our families, and our schools are essential to success. I am deeply grateful for the support organizations like our PTO, Music Boosters, and Athletic Boosters that make education and extracurriculars possible for our students.
Our PTO is currently holding their annual mum sale until Sept. 15. Profits from this fundraiser support student activities, safety, and development at North, South, West, and Central. Since 2019, the PTO has donated $26,000 directly to our schools. Recently, our PTO has used fundraiser money for projects like:
Playground equipment at Central Intermediate
PBIS incentives and initiatives across schools
Catered dinners for teachers at South, West, and North Elementary during Parent-Teacher Conference nights
Additional equipment and resources for teachers to enhance the curriculum
Please support our PTO and help them support our schools by ordering mums through their fundraiser. Click the flier on the right for instructions to purchase mums, or download the flier below.
Flower pickup will be on Sun., Oct. 1 from 11 am to 2 pm at West Elementary.
The Music Boosters have been hard at work promoting and volunteering for one of our band’s biggest events of the season. This Saturday, September 9 from 5 pm to 8:30 pm, the Marching Hornets will host the 14th annual Pageant of Bands competition at the football stadium. Admission is $10 for adults and $8 for students and senior citizens. Ten different high school marching bands will compete, and the Tiffin University marching band (featuring Licking Heights alumna Georgie Ward ’20) will perform, too. Do not miss this opportunity to support the Marching Hornets! Learn more by clicking the button below.
For our Hornets sports fans, the Athletic Boosters have you covered for a weekend of sports. Our football team is at home tonight and will face off against Utica High School at 7 pm. Before you go, please review our required safety measures for home varsity football games by clicking the button below. This week's game is Youth Night, and all students who participate in football, cheering, and band can receive free admission to the game. Students must be wearing their football, cheering, or band uniform to receive free admission. Please note that students K-8 MUST have a parent/guardian attend the game with them.
Wherever you find yourself this weekend, we hope you stay safe and healthy. Thank you for an excellent start to the school year so far, and GO HORNETS!
Sincerely,
Dr. Kevin S. Miller, Superintendent
Sept. 13 - 3rd Annual Athletes Vs. Epilepsy Game with Girls Soccer
On Wed., Sept. 13, the varsity and JV girls soccer teams will host their annual Athletes Vs. Epilepsy game to fund trainings for Seizure Safe Schools and support education, safety, and training within the schools for those living with epilepsy.
JV will start at 5:30 pm and varsity will start at 6:30 pm. Both games will take place at the soccer complex at Licking Heights Middle School, 4000 Mink Street SW, Pataskala, OH 43062. This game is also Youth Night for any Licking Heights student in a local soccer league. Students must be accompanied by a parent/guardian and must wear their local league soccer jersey for free admission.
The event will include a 50/50 raffle, bake sale. restaurant raffles, and a food truck. Click the button below to make a donation and learn more about the teams' mission for epilepsy awareness and education!
FYI - High School Underclassmen Awards RESCHEDULED to Sept. 28
Attention high school families: On the district website, the underclassmen awards ceremony was listed for Monday, Sept. 11. Due to a technical difficulty with the electronic invitations not correctly sending, the award ceremony will be rescheduled to Thursday, Sept. 28 at 5:30 pm. This is an invitation-only event and invitations will be sent within the next week. Thank you for understanding.
Enjoy Blue Jackets Hockey and Support the Middle School DC Trip
Licking Heights Middle School is partnering with the Columbus Blue Jackets for a fundraiser supporting the 8th grade DC trip. $10 of every Upper Bowl ticket and $20 of every Lower Bowl ticket sold will go back to support student costs for the trip. Tickets start at $43 and are available for the following dates:
- Tues., Oct. 24
- Thurs., Nov. 16
- Sun., Dec. 10
- Fri., Feb. 23
Click the button below to purchase tickets.
Sept. 14 - Rise Up Cbus! at Eastpointe Christian Church
Join the community for a Rise Up Cbus! event on Thurs., Sept. 14 from 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm at Eastpointe Christian Church, 745 N Waggoner Rd, Blacklick, OH 43004. Learn about resources through city and community partners, enjoy free food and music, and connect with neighbors. Admission is free! Learn more by clicking the button below.
Join the ODOT Teen Advisory Council
The Ohio Department of Transportation's Teen Advisory Council is seeking new recruits. The council will provide students with the ability to advocate on behalf of their communities on transportation, industrial, and technological policy issues. Students will meet with experts in government, transportation, industrial, and technological fields and can research and present transportation issues impacting Ohio communities to ODOT Staff. Click the button below to apply.
Fifth through Eighth Grade—Join the Columbus Children's Choir at Licking Heights
Calling all music enthusiasts and aspiring vocalists. Discover your passion for music and join the award-winning Columbus Children's Choir at our newest Licking Heights High School location. We are thrilled to announce the start of a new choir for singers in grades 5-8 with unchanged voices, and we want YOU to be a part of it.
Our expert instructor, Dr. Meredith Smith, is eager to help you develop your vocal technique in a fun and supportive choral setting. She will also help you to discover the magic of music literacy and unleash your potential as you learn the language of notes, rhythm, and expression. She will take you on a journey through different music styles and help you to discover our wonderful world through the power of music.
Beyond the music, you'll have the chance to make lifelong friendships with fellow singers who share your passion. Together you will create unforgettable memories through performances and collaborative experiences. Do not miss out on an incredible opportunity to be a part of this inaugural choir and experience the magic of music.
Click the button below to register and learn more!
Sept. 26 - Nepali Families: Get School Ready
Join Licking Heights Schools, Southwest Licking Schools, LEADS Community Action Agency, and the Licking County Board of Developmental Disabilities for a Get School Ready event for the Bhutanese-Nepali community. The event will be on Tues., Sept. 26 in the Watkins Middle School auditorium, 8808 Watkins Road SW, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Preparing for school starts when your children are babies and there are things families can do to help them be successful at every age. If you have a baby, toddler, or a child starting preschool or elementary school, you won’t want to miss this important information.
This is a free event. There will be childcare and a snack at the end.
Licking Heights Youth Association: Seeking a Rec Basketball Director
With Fall Baseball, Softball, and Volleyball underway, we are prepping for our Winter Sports. With the amazing growth of our basketball program last year, we are looking to add a Rec Basketball Director this season. Anyone who is interested can email board@lhya-sports.org. Do not forget to follow us on Facebook to stay updated as well. Click the button below to view our Facebook page.
Join the Board for the Licking Heights Youth Sports League
The Licking Heights Youth Sports League requires dedicated volunteers to ensure our programs continue to prosper and provide our community’s young people with the opportunity to play tackle football, flag football, cheer, and wrestle.
Some of our current board members will be following their students' activities to the middle school, leaving board positions open. If you have a desire to be part of a great organization focusing on the development of athletic skills, sportsmanship, and community spirit, then the LHYSL is a perfect place to share your time.
Open positions include:
- Wrestling Director
- Concessions Director
- Media Director
- Fundraising Director
- General Board Member
If you are interested in any of the above mentioned openings, please email the LHYSL at lhys.hornets@gmail.com for more information.
Apply Now: Intel Semiconductor Scholarship for Women
Intel Corporation has established a scholarship program to assist women who plan to enroll in a 2-year associate degree in the state of Ohio. Applicants to the Intel Semiconductor Scholarship for Women must:
- Have graduated high school and are currently enrolled or plan to enroll in an accredited higher education institution in the state of Ohio to pursue a 2-year degree for the 2023-2024 school year
- Self-identify as female
- Be a United States citizen and/or be eligible to legally work in the U.S.
- Be first-year students who start in the Fall of 2023 or the Spring of 2024 and are pursuing a degree relevant to semiconductor manufacturing.
The deadline to apply is September 18, 2023 at 2 p.m. Click the button below to learn more.
Food Services Update: Free Breakfast for All Students and Free/Reduced Lunch Updates
We are thrilled to announce that ALL Licking Heights students from kindergarten to 12th grade can now receive a free breakfast Monday through Friday! Thank you to our Treasurer's Office, Board of Education, and Food Service Department for working together to make this possible for all Licking Heights students.
Families who qualify for free/reduced price meals but have not applied yet are also still able to complete an application online. Thanks to legislation in the latest Ohio state budget, students who qualify for reduced priced meals will now receive their meals for free. Any student approved for free/reduced price meals will receive a free breakfast and a free lunch every day, Monday through Friday.
Donate Sneakers for Licking Heights Choir Fundraiser
Protect the planet and help the choir raise money for their trip to London, England. We are participating in a fundraiser where all we need is gently worn, used, or even new sneakers. We currently have boxes set up in Dr. Smith’s and Mr. Oates' classrooms for drop off. Donations can also be dropped off at any choir performance.
Please only send athletic footwear. Non-athletic footwear of any kind will not be accepted. If you have any questions, please email Greg Householder at vpchoir@lhmusicboosters.org.
By day, Mr. Suchan is one of our new counselors at the high school. By night, he is a prolific sports writer covering professional Cleveland sports, college football, and high school football. Check out his most recent article about last Friday's game versus Bellefontaine by clicking the button below.
West Elementary: Storytime with Snakes
First-grade students in Mrs. Steven’s class at West Elementary made "character" snakes by listing the different characters found in the story "Wild About Books" by Judy Sierra. They wrote the names of the different animal characters on each loop of their snake. Make no mi-snake about it, they had a great time!
Middle School: A School Year(book) to Remember
Yearbook Club is back at Licking Heights Middle School! There were 33 enthusiastic students at the first meeting, with another 10 interested who had other commitments. They put their LHMS HIVE Mindset into action, and brainstormed ideas for an awesome Yearbook Club comeback. They are buzzing with creative ideas and ready to make lasting memories.
High School: All Aboard for Learning
These Licking Heights High School students' learning is right on track. Students set out to answer the question: Why are train wheels not perfectly round? They worked to prove that a wheel with a bigger diameter on the inside of the track keeps the train more stable. They showed a lot of engine-uity.
