Versailles Elementary School

January is School Board Recognition Month, and Versailles Exempted Village Schools are celebrating its board members for their dedication and commitment to the district and its students. Today's Board Member Highlight is on Board member Dr. Steve Ruhenkamp. Dr. Ruhenkamp, and has served on the Versailles School board for 20 years. He resides in North Star with his wife, Angie (Schmitmeyer). The Ruhenkamps have six children - Lee (Alexa Didier), Emily (Kyle Poeppelman), lsaac (Claudia Counts), Ben, Joe, and Elizabeth and three grandchildren. Steve graduated from Russia in 1986. He received a bachelor's degree in Comprehensive Science Education from Bowling Green in 1990, then graduated from The Ohio State University with a doctorate in Optometry in 1995. Dr. Ruhenkamp has been practicing in Versailles since 1995. In his spare time, Doc enjoys being with family, playing music, farming, and attending sporting events. Dr. Ruhenkamp began his service to the students, staff, and community as a Board member in 2001. His current term runs through December 31, 2025. Dr. Ruhenkamp, thank you for your service to the school system! To send Doc a notice of thanks or appreciation, please feel free to either comment here (on Facebook) or send Doc an email at steve.ruhenkamp@vtigers.org.

No School Monday, January 20, 2025 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

January is School Board Recognition Month, and Versailles Exempted Village Schools are celebrating its board members for their dedication and commitment to the district and its students. Today's Board Member Highlight is on Board member Matt Magoto. Matt Magoto is a ‘97 graduate of Russia High School, who is married to his wife Julie (Richard) of Versailles. They have 3 children: Lexi, Cameron, and Kayla. His hobbies include playing basketball, running (13 half-marathons), and of course being a big part of his kid’s lives. Matt is an Engineering Manager for Midmark Corporation. Prior to joining Midmark in 2009, he held positions in quality, was a six-sigma black belt, as well as a product engineering manager for Delphi Automotive and Lear Corporation. Matt came to Midmark as a manufacturing engineer on the casework assembly line. He has been promoted multiple times in his career at Midmark to MPS coordinator, supervisor in operations, manager of technical service, and most recently engineering manager in 2019. In addition to being a school board member of Versailles, Matt has also served as President of Versailles Rotary Club, Board Member of Versailles Area Chamber of Commerce, and Board Member of Versailles Youth Baseball Association. He has coached both youth baseball as well as youth girls’ and boys’ basketball. Matt earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering Technology from the University of Dayton and an MBA from the Jack Welch Management Institute. Matt currently serves on the Board’s Finance/Audit and Facilities Committees . Matt began his service to the students, staff, and community as a Board member in January of 2018. His current term runs through December 31, 2025. Mr. Magoto, thank you for your service to the school system! To send Matt a notice of thanks or appreciation, please feel free to either comment here (on Facebook) or send Matt an email at matt.magoto@vtigers.org.

January is School Board Recognition Month, and Versailles Exempted Village Schools are celebrating its board members for their dedication and commitment to the district and its students. Today's Board Member Highlight is on Board Vice President Christy Prakel. Christy Prakel resides in Versailles with her husband Mike. She grew up near New Weston on the Stemley family farm and tomato cannery, attending Ansonia Schools, where her father Neil and grandfather Charles served on the school board. Christy’s father-in-law Stewart Prakel and his father Homer served on the Versailles school board. Christy graduated from Miami University in 1988. She lived in Indianapolis for 16 years and worked in the publishing industry. Seeking a more peaceful, sensible, and family-centered way of life, the Prakels moved to Versailles, Mike’s hometown, in 2004 with their 5 children: Mary, Margaret, Samuel, Caroline and Lucy. Christy was involved in booster groups and other volunteer efforts at Versailles Schools for 16 years. At St. Denis Catholic Church, Christy and Mike have been active in various ministries. Since 2009, Christy has served as the director of the Darke County Foundation, managing charitable funds for the benefit of Darke County residents. Christy currently serves as the Board's Student Achievement Liason. Christy began her service to the students, staff, and community as a Board member in January of 2024. Her current term runs through December 31, 2027. Mrs. Prakel, thank you for your service to the school system! To send Christy a notice of thanks or appreciation, please feel free to either comment here (on Facebook) or send Christy an email at christy.prakel@vtigers.org.

January is School Board Recognition Month, and Versailles Exempted Village Schools are celebrating its board members for their dedication and commitment to the district and its students. Today's Board Member Highlight is on Board President Jake Broering. Jake Broering resides in suburbs of Willowdell with his wife Christy and their six children: Greta, Simon, Delia, Vayda, Colin and Lyla. He enjoys spending free time attending kids activities, sporting events, and camping trips. Jake is an Engineering Manager at Midmark where he has worked for over 20 years. He has worked in several different capacities in both New Product Development and Manufacturing Operations. Jake is a 2001 graduate of Versailles, holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Kettering University, and a Master of Science in Business Administration from Wright State University. Jake currently serves on the Board's Legislative and Policy Committee. Jake began his service to the students, staff, and community as a Board member in January of 2020. His current term runs through December 31, 2027. Mr. Broering, thank you for your service to the school system! To send Jake a notice of thanks or appreciation, please feel free to either comment here (on Facebook) or send Jake an email at jake.broering@vtigers.org.

This is Superintendent Dave Harmon following up our earlier decisions regarding travel conditions for Saturday, 1/11/25. Thanks to the road crews, we will be opening up for all remaining events previously scheduled for the day at 10:00 am and after.

This is Superintendent Dave Harmon. Due to the road conditions, ALL school activities for today, Saturday, January 11, 2025 are closed until at least 10:00 am. We will continue to evaluate road conditions with the hope that travel conditions improve and that we may be able to go forward with events that are planned for later in the day. If there are changes, we'll communicate that directly to coaches.

Today, Thursday, January 9th is National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (L.E.A.D.) In addition to the greater area law enforcement that we are very grateful for, specifically today, we would like to call out our very own Versailles Police Officer and Versailles Schools' School Resource Officer, Officer Jason Penny. We are very blessed to have Officer Penny with us every day. Officer Penny has a great relationship with our students, and can be seen anywhere in the building and doing anything he can to help the staff and students, from checking that doors are secured, to speaking with students in the hallway, to helping monitor and clean up around lunch time. He does it all. We are grateful for your service. If you see an Officer of the Law today, please make sure to tell them "Than k You!" and if you want to specifically send a note of encouragement to him directly, feel free to either reply to this post (on Facebook) and/or send Officer Penny a note of encouragement at jason.penny@vtigers.org. Thanks for all you do Officer Penny!

Please consider sharing as we are beginning the search for our next great staff member! Versailles Schools will have a High School English Language Arts/Digital Publications teacher position opening for the 2025-2026 school year. The school district is looking for an engaging and energetic educator for the coming 2025-2026 school year and beyond. The selected candidate's passion for young people and desire to be a part of a high achieving, and high expectations environment will be critically important in the interview process. If interested in this position, please complete the application and return to Jacki Stonebraker, Versailles Schools, 280 Marker Rd., Versailles by Friday, Wednesday, January 22. If you have questions, contact Jacki at 937-526-4427, Ext 3005, or jacki.stonebraker@vtigers.org. Job Description is here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1X-hgohwc_qRxp33X3N-R6Kv4aGvROVd-/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=117087464593344434494&rtpof=true&sd=true Compensation is based upon years of experience and education level per the district's Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Versailles Education Association (VEA) which can be seen here: https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/serb.ohio.gov/PDF/Contracts/2024/24-MED-04-0550.pdf

Good evening, This is Superintendent Dave Harmon with an important weather-related message. Due to the fact that the County plans to remain on a level 2 emergency throughout the night, the district will start on a 2-hour delay for tomorrow, Tuesday, January 7, 2025. District staff will still drive in the morning to evaluate the safety of the road conditions. We will also consult with the information from the county about any potential downgrades from level two to level one in making the decision if we were to close for the day. Thank you for your understanding. Have a good evening and a safe start to the day in the morning.

Good morning, This is Superintendent Dave Harmon with an important message regarding weather and school safety. Due to patchty dense fog in a number of parts of the district, we will be on a 2-hour delay today, Tuesday, December 10, 2024. Your students will be picked up 2 hours later than the regular stop time. Thank you for your understanding and be safe.

We are very excited and proud to formally announce a project that our students in Mr. Harrmann's business classes have been working on. One of our primary missions in the school district is to continue to provide opportunities for our students to have "real world" experiences. In the spirit of entrepreneurship, budgeting, finance, planning, advertising, communication, collaboration, and problem solving - all of which are necessary to start up and successfully run a real, functional business...our students have done exactly that. Presenting: "The Den" - A student-run business at Versailles High School! The students in the business class manage all aspects of the store, including design, garment selection, and marketing campaigns. The store will continuously evolve, with new items regularly introduced, so be sure to check back often. Students are always seeking fresh ideas and concepts. Feel free to share your suggestions or let them know what products you’d like to see offered! Click the live link to access the store. There are plenty of opportunities to share your Tiger Pride with your friends and family as we approach the Christmas season. https://theden.itemorder.com/shop/home/

October is National Principals Month We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to the amazing principals who lead our schools. Their dedication, passion, and commitment shape the educational experiences of our students and foster positive school cultures. Every day, our principals inspire teachers, staff, and students to strive for their best. They navigate challenges with grace and create environments where every student can thrive. This month, join us in recognizing and thanking these remarkable leaders. To our wonderful principals, thank you for all that you do. Your leadership and tireless efforts make a profound difference. Let’s all take a moment to #ThankAPrincipal and show our appreciation for their invaluable contributions to our schools and communities. To learn more about how you can celebrate and honor principals in your life, visit principalsmonth.org. If you wanted to send a note of encouragement or thanks for all that these wonderful individuals do, please feel free to email Mrs. Jacki Stonebraker - Versailles High School Principal Mr. Jon Hemmelgarn - Versailles Middle School Principal Mrs. Brenda Braun - Versailles Elementary School Principal Mr. Scott Broerman - Versailles Athletic Director and K-12 Assistant Principal jacki.stonebraker@vtigers.org jon.hemmelgarn@vtigers.org brenda.braun@vtigers.org scott.broerman@vtigers.org

A HUGE Congratulations is in order. The Versailles School District has moved up to the #5 school district in the state of Ohio based upon its most recent Performance Index Score. It truly takes a community to do what we do here. The support of our community, along with the absolutely excellent staff and students have earned the school district its highest Performance Index Score in school history at 109.5. Further, Versailles Middle School is the 23rd ranked school building out of 3172 ranked buildings in Ohio. Versailles Elementary Schol is the 24th ranked school building out of 3172 ranked buildings in Ohio. These score rankings put both buildings in the top 1% of all school buildings in the State of Ohio. Versailles High School is the 123rd ranked school building of 3172, which is in the top 4% of all school buildings in the state There is more to share, and more to continue to be proud of. None of it would be possible without the great people that make up this school district. Everyone plays a part. We all have to be rowing the boat in the same direction. This is what happens when we are able to do that. Excellent partnership makes for Excellent outcomes! Please feel free to share this, and to add a comment or two sharing your pride in your school system, and make sure everyone knows you are a Versailles Tiger!

Good evening. This is Superintendent Dave Harmon with an important message ONLY for bus riders of bus #7 and bus #8. This information was shared with us by the Village of Versailles. Due to road construction purposes around the railroad, starting tomorrow, Wednesday, August 28, 2024, there will be road closures on North Center Street along with some side streets off of North Center. We are asking that students who ride Bus 7 and get picked up on Greenlawn and Brandon Streets to walk or be driven to Greenlawn and Chestnut Street. Students who ride 8 and get picked up on Jackson and Washington Street - we ask that they either walk or be driven to Jackson and Chestnut Street. Students who ride Bus 8 and get picked up on Oak and Brandon Street - we ask that they please either walk or be driven to Oak and Chestnut Street. Presently this is expected only to be for tomorrow, however, with the high temperatures, it may take longer for the new road surface to cure, in which case, traffic will not be permitted on the new road surface for longer than initially planned. If this will need to continue beyond tomorrow, we will communicate that out again tomorrow evening. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding as we work with the Village administration to allow for their road work to better our beautiful little village! Have a great night. Go Tigers.

Evening custodian position available. Depending upon applicant availability, the Versailles School District is looking to hire either a full-time or potentially multiple part-time candidates for a custodial position. This work will be outside of the school day with a preference for staff who can work in the evenings covering the building while there are events taking place. Applicants who have any maintenance experience will be given priority as those experiences and knowledge may lead to future internal opportunities for advancement. Please contact Bill Didier at bill.didier@vtigers.org or 937-423-2794 to express your interest. If you email, please include "Custodial Applicant" in the email header.

SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS NEEDED As the school year approaches, the school district is in significant need of school bus drivers. Versailles Schools is still looking to hire regular route drivers. Preferably applicants would be able to drive the morning route as well as the afternoon route, but we would consider applicants who could do either AM or PM as well. AM routes start at 6:45 am and finish at 8:05 am. PM routes start at 2:50 pm and end at approximately 4:10 pm. Drivers can also drive extra-curricular sporting events and field trips to earn additional pay beyond their route pay. Bus driving positions can become full-time by combining with any vacant cafeteria and/or custodian positions. Bus driver pay starts at $22.75 with no experience and ranges to $30.33/hour based on bus driver experience in the current school year. Following years will see increases beyond this. If you do not have a CDL with school bus endorsement, the school will provide training with Kyle Kunk, Transportation Supervisor. If interested or for more information, please contact Kyle Kunk at kyle.kunk@vtigers.org or 937-638-8139.

2024 Darke County Fair King and Queen Selected, Batten and Aultman to serve as Darke County Fair King and Queen On Tuesday, July 9th at the Radiant Church the Darke County Junior Fair conducted the pageant for the Darke County Fair King and Queen Contest. As a result of the application, interview and pageant the 2024 Darke County Junior Fair King was Colin Batten who represented Versailles FFA and will be a senior at Versailles High School and is the son of Susan Batten Hillpley and Chris Batten and the 2024 Darke County Fair Queen is Sophia Aultman who represented Ansonia FFA. Sophia will be a senior at Ansonia High School and is the daughter of Matt and Morgan Aultman. The court includes: Grace Borchers, the daughter of Charlie and Reana Borchers represented Versailles FFA in the pageant and was named 1st Runner-up Queen. 1st Runner-up King was awarded to Daxton Harter who represented Darke County Jr Fair. Margret McGlinch the daughter of Greg and Janet McGlinch represented Versailles FFA in the pageant and was named 2nd Runner-up Queen. Amelia Price was named 3rd runner-up and represented Kountry Kids 4-H Club in the pageant. In addition, Allee Grimme of Versailles, representing the Versailles Bust Beaver's Contest also participated in the queen contest and placed in the top 6th contestants. The ceremony was conducted by the 2023 Darke County Fair King Andrew Wuebker of Versailles and Queen Elizabeth Brewer. The fair king and queen process consists of a written application, personal interview with judges, a pageant with questions, and junior fair participation. Congratulations to 2024 Darke County Fair King and Queen and their court. Picture #1: The 2024 Darke County Junior Fair Court: (from left to right) Back row; 1st runner-up Daxton Harter, 1st runner-up Grace Borchers, 2nd runner-up Margret McGlinch, and 3rd runner-up Amelia Price. Front row; King Colin Batten and Queen Sophia Aultman. Picture #2: Versailles FFA members who participated in the pageant were (from left to right): Allee Grimme, Colin Batten, Grace Borchers Margret McGlinch and 2023 Fair KIng Andrew Wuebker.

It is the time of year that we start gearing back up for another season of Tigerball! Our fine football team starts getting to work next week. Of course, they've never stopped being in the weightroom. We are pleased to share some of the specifics of some very significant upgrades to our football facilities for the safety of our student-athletes. The practice field was completely reworked. Previously from the NW corner to the SE corner there was a more than 5 foot change in elevation, and from the NW corner to the SW corner the field dropped by more than 4 feet. Everything is now graded within 6 inches anywhere on the field. Thanks to the Village for letting us work on the area within the rules and requirements of the EPA. MANY thanks to Brumbaugh Construction who did the dirt work. Flow Masters Irrigation did the irrigation and sprinkler installation. Thank you to Brian Pearson, Mike Poling, and John Kindell who reseeded the entire newly graded field. All of the funding for this work came from the Friends of Hole Field. No tax payer dollars were used for this work! We are incredibly grateful to the Friends of Hole Field for their continued support and work to make things better for our kids. At H.B. Hole Field a failing retaining wall was removed and Luthman Concrete did the reinstallation of a new Concrete Wall and drainage behind the wall to ensure longevity. Lawn Plus did the dirt work and reseeding of the game field in the corner near the visiting band area as a result of the concrete work. The grass is starting to come up nicely in that area as well. We are proud of our facilities. We are proud of our students, and we are proud of our community who continue to provide support to the school district in innumerable ways. Tiger Pride! Let the countdown to Tigerball begin!

Our next "Versailles Voices Project" participant is a unique one. These have generally been a person or a family, but today we'll be highlighting a program at Versailles Schools. The CLCE, or Civic Leadership and Community Engagement class is offered by Mr. Jason Ahrens to our Middle School students. CLCE students learned about many different types of leadership and specific leaders in a community over the course of the 2023-204 school year. Thank you CLCE kids for sharing what you did and what you learned this past year. We would love to continue to share these "Versailles Voices", but that is only possible if you take a moment to submit them. We appreciate and need your continued submissions to keep this going. Please consider submitting a response as we'd love to hear from you (and so does the community!) To do so, click the link below: https://forms.gle/D8f7p542BNJEjAVj8