News from Upper Arlington Schools
September 2024
A message from Dr. Hunt
Dear staff, families and community members,
As we settle into the school year, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude for your continued support and engagement. We have a busy and exciting fall ahead of us, with several key initiatives taking place across our district.
We are kicking off phase two of our facilities master planning process, focusing on the future of our middle schools and the Burbank Early Childhood School. We look forward to engaging with you throughout this process to ensure that these learning environments support the needs of our students and community for years to come.
Additionally, we are continuing our strategic planning efforts. I encourage you to mark your calendars for a community town hall meeting on strategic planning on November 19, where we will share updates as we work together to create a shared vision for the future of our schools.
Our Coffee & Conversation series is also in full swing, and I have been thrilled to see such a great turnout at the events so far this fall. I look forward to meeting with many more of you as we continue these informal gatherings throughout the year.
You can also find updates in this newsletter on the following topics:
The recently released 2023-2024 state report card
The grand opening of the UA Hub
Accolades for our National Merit Semifinalists, All-State and All-Regional honors in choir and orchestra, and a national recognition for Dr. Diane Kahle, a computer science teacher at Upper Arlington High School
The monthly Board of Education meeting update
The upcoming UA Safety Week, focused on healthy digital lifestyles
As always, thank you for your partnership. This is an exciting time for our district, and I am grateful for your continued involvement and support.
Sincerely,
Robert Hunt, Ph.D.
Superintendent, Upper Arlington Schools
Your Voice Matters! Facilities master planning phase two
Nearly 10 years after the Upper Arlington community embarked on a facilities master planning process for Upper Arlington Schools that resulted in a new high school and all new or renovated elementary schools, it’s time to come together again — to determine the best path forward for the district’s aging middle schools and Burbank Early Childhood School. Just like the first phase of the master planning process, phase two will be driven by community engagement and feedback — unfolding over 1½ years and involving multiple opportunities for residents to get involved.
“Our goal is to create a transparent process where all voices are heard,” said Superintendent Robert Hunt, Ph.D. “We will work together to revisit the work that was done 10 years ago, explore all possible options and together determine the best path forward for these schools.”
Mark your calendars for the first round of community engagement sessions!
Tuesday, October 29 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Jones Middle School, 2100 Arlington Avenue
Wednesday, October 30 from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at the Graf Center, 2020 Builders Place
Strategic planning update
This fall, Upper Arlington Schools has been working collaboratively with students and staff to gather feedback to finalize the district’s 2025-2030 strategic plan. This has included meetings with staff members at every building and department throughout the district and Big Table-style feedback sessions with more than 50 students last week at Upper Arlington High School.
A team of educators from across the district known as the Teaching & Learning Team is working on developing a draft implementation plan, or the concrete action steps that will be taken for each of the three strategic priority areas: Engaged Learning, Culture & Climate, and Connections, which will be supported by a focus on continuous improvement through Excellence and Innovation.
The district will share an update on the new strategic plan and gather feedback from the community at a town hall meeting on November 19 at 6:00 p.m. at Upper Arlington High School, 1625 Zollinger Road.
UA Hub, new educational pathways open to students
This fall, Upper Arlington Schools celebrated the grand opening of the UA Hub, home to new and innovative programs designed to enhance student learning. Located in the old district office at 1950 North Mallway Drive, the Hub was converted into a collaborative learning space through a $500,000 state grant, which funded physical updates to the building as well as equipment purchases and teacher professional development for the programs.
“The UA Hub is a space where our students can thrive, whether they are looking for advanced coursework, seeking alternative pathways or needing extra support to reach their full potential,” said Superintendent Robert Hunt, Ph.D.
2023-2024 Ohio State Report Card
In September, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce released the 2023-2024 annual school report cards. Upper Arlington Schools earned the highest overall rating of five stars and was one of just 18 districts out of more than 600 districts in the state to achieve this rating.
Upper Arlington Schools was also one of just six school districts in the state of Ohio to have earned five star ratings in all categories — achievement, progress, gap closing, graduation and early literacy — for three years in a row. Earning a five-star rating in each of these categories for three years in a row is exceptional, particularly in the area of growth, which, due to the way it is calculated, is difficult to achieve year after year.
Congratulations to the UAHS National Merit Semifinalists!
Congratulations to the seven Upper Arlington High School seniors who have qualified as Semifinalists in the 70th annual National Merit Scholarship Program! Pictured from left to right: Rohan B., Corinne S., Emerson H., Logan M., Bennett D., Rae L., and Maxwell L.
These academically talented members of the UAHS Class of 2025 are among more than 16,000 high school seniors nationwide to qualify as Semifinalists based on their scores on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). The Semifinalists represent the highest scores on the PSAT/NMSQT and approximately 1 percent of high school seniors nationwide.
Best of the best in the arts
Four Upper Arlington High School students have been selected among the best of the best in the state of Ohio in the performing arts and will perform with the 2025 Ohio All-State Ensembles in choir and orchestra.
All-State Choir: junior Griffin C., senior Marley N. and junior Jimmy Z.
All-State Orchestra: junior Mani V. (clarinet)
Additionally, 14 UAHS students will perform with the Ohio Music Education Association’s 2025 South-Central All-Region Orchestra.
UAHS teacher honored with national award
Upper Arlington High School’s Diane Kahle, Ph.D., has been named a recipient of the Computer Science Teaching Association’s Teaching Excellence Award for 2023-2024. She is among only 10 national winners of this award, which honors K-12 computer science educators who have made significant contributions in their roles to support the development of computer-science education and technology.
“Dr. Kahle is incredibly deserving of this award,” said Upper Arlington High School Principal Andrew Theado. “Through authentic, real-world learning opportunities, she lights a spark for her students to explore the possibilities of a future in computer science.”
Board of Education update
The Board of Education held their regular monthly meeting on September 10. At the meeting, the Board of Education discussed and voted to approve a new Equity in Education policy for the district. The Board also approved entering into a contract with architecture firms Perkins + Will and Moody Nolan for the second phase of facilities master planning.
For more updates from the meeting, please access the link below. You may visit our Upper Arlington Schools Board of Education page to access the September 10 meeting agenda and video recording. To view the meeting presentation, please click here.
Expanded Coffee & Conversation series
Upper Arlington Schools has launched an expanded Coffee & Conversation series for the 2024-2025 school year. These coffee chats are an opportunity for the community to learn more about the Upper Arlington Schools and to ask questions.
Mark your calendars for the next Coffee & Conversation event on Thursday, October 3 from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. in the upper level meeting room at Kingsdale Market District, 3061 Kingsdale Center. This session will include an update on Student Services.
2024 UA Safety Week: Healthy Digital Lifestyles
During the week of October 14, Upper Arlington Schools will hold its second annual UA Safety Week — which will focus on digital safety and healthy habits. Throughout the week, the district will provide strategies that will help families foster healthy digital habits at home.
The highlight of the week will be a community screening of the latest version of Screenagers, an award-winning film series, followed by a panel discussion involving representatives from Nationwide Children’s Hospital, the Upper Arlington Police Division, district mental health professionals, administrators and students. Please mark your calendars for Tuesday, October 15 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the Upper Arlington High School Performing Arts Center.
Upcoming Dates
Coffee & Conversation With Dr. Hunt: Student Services
Thursday, October 3 from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Kingsdale Market District upper level meeting room, 3061 Kingsdale Center
UAHS Marching Band Performance at Ohio State University Skull Session
Saturday, October 5; doors open to the public at 11:30 a.m.
St. John Arena, 410 Woody Hayes Drive
Elementary Early Dismissal (K-5)
Tuesday, October 8
Dismissal at 11:05 a.m.; no lunch service
Board of Education Regular Meeting
Tuesday, October 8 at 6:00 p.m.
City Council Chambers, 3600 Tremont Road
Upper Arlington High School Choir Concert
Tuesday, October 8 at 7:00 p.m.
Upper Arlington High School Performing Arts Center, 1625 Zollinger Road
End of the 1st Quarter (Grades 6-12)
Thursday, October 10
No School for Students; Staff Report Per Schedule
Friday, October 11
Teacher Work Day: No School for Students; Staff Report Per Schedule
Monday, October 14
UA Safety Week Community Screening and Panel Discussion — “Screenagers”
Tuesday, October 15 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Upper Arlington High School Performing Arts Center, 1625 Zollinger Road
Jones Middle School Fall Production Presents “Footloose Jr.”
Friday, October 18 at 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, October 19 at 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, October 20 at 2:00 p.m.
Jones Middle School, 2100 Arlington Avenue
Tickets now available at www.jonespto.com
UAHS Orchestra Spooktacular
Sunday, October 27 at 2:00 p.m.
Upper Arlington High School Performing Arts Center, 1625 Zollinger Road
Tickets information will be available soon at www.uaschools.org/flyers
Facilities Master Planning Phase Two: Community Engagement Session #1
Tuesday, October 29 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Jones Middle School, 2100 Arlington Avenue
Facilities Master Planning Phase Two: Community Engagement Session #1
Wednesday, October 30 from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m.
The Graf Center, 2020 Builders Place
UAHS Marching Band Indoor Concert
Wednesday, October 30 at 7:30 p.m.
Upper Arlington High School Performing Arts Center, 1625 Zollinger Road
UACT Fall Play: “The Crucible”
Thursday, October 31 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, November 1 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, November 2 at 7:30 p.m.
Upper Arlington High School Amelita Mirolo Black Box Theater, 1625 Zollinger Road
Tickets will go on sale in mid-October at www.hometownticketing.com
Hastings Middle School Fall Drama: “A Night of One Acts”
Saturday, November 2 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, November 3 at 2:30 p.m.
Hastings Middle School, 1850 Hastings Lane
General seating tickets ($5) will be sold at the door.