of a
PORTRAIT

A Quality Profile for Indian Hill Schools Fall 2019

		

A message from Superintendent Kirk Koennecke

Our Vision Enduring Excellence
in Learning, Leadership, Innovation, and Service

From our No. 3 state
ranking by U.S. News &
			
			World Report to our
No. 9 national ranking by Niche as one of the best public school
district’s in the country – we are the example of exceptional educational services ensuring the intellectual development, personal growth, and social responsibility of each student.
			
Being Brave.
From our academics, to our arts, to our athletics – the Indian Hill School District strives to understand each child’s individual passion and pair that with purpose and opportunity both inside and outside of our classrooms … each student’s dream is what our #IHPromise works to make come true.
Excellence in academics: a history-making ACT composite score six points above the national average; 21 students recognized by the National Merit program; a World Champion Mock Trial Team; nearly 20,000 hours donated by Braves for service learning opportunities.

Excellence in the arts: student involvement in 80-plus clubs and activities with 94 percent student participation at High School; a Best Community for Music Education as awarded by the National Association of Music Merchants – including a record number of nine vocalists selected for All-State Choir … more than any other high school in the state of Ohio; Braves earned 46 Scholastic Art Awards, and two National Scholastic Medals.

Excellence in athletics: back-to-back State Champions in soccer; State Champions in track; student-athletes with individual trophy cases packed with state accolades; 24 student-athletes participating in college-signings with supporters cheering them on.
This – all of this – is a reflection of what it meant to be Brave during the 2018-2019 school year. From our No. 3 state ranking by U.S. News & World Report to our No. 9 national ranking by Niche as one of the best public school district’s in the country – we are the example of exceptional educational services ensuring the intellectual development, personal growth, and social responsibility of each student. In this – our seventh annual publication of the Quality Profile – we are striving to capture and share with you A Portrait of a Brave.

During the 2018-2019 school year, our team made the #IHPromise come to life for the more than 2,000 scholars we had the privilege of serving, and made tremendous advancements within our G.O.L.D. Strategic Plan for Transformational Excellence, explored within these pages.

My #IHPromise to you is to continue to help unleash future genius through pairing student passion with purpose and opportunity for the year ahead.

Kirk.Koennecke@indianhillschools.org

@ihsuperbrave

PORTRAIT OF A BRAVE | FALL 2019

f
Atto
Diver
• Community Engagement
country!
Coach
Coach
Coach
Coach
Theater Director
T ater Director
Psychologist
Psychologist
Attorney
AttorneMechanical EngineerheComputer Engineer
y
Cheerleader
Architect
Baseball Player
ArchitectVeterinarian
Ice Skater
Ice Skater
Diver
Diver
Doctor
Scien
Sci
Soccer Player
Soccer Player
FirefighterCheerleader
Firefighter
C
Veterinarianheerleader entis

Our Mission	Our Values
The Indian Hill Exempted Village School District provides exceptional	• Commitment to Excellence
educational services to ensure the intellectual development, personal	• Collaborative Relationships growth, and social responsibility of each student.	• Continuous Improvement

Indian Hill School
District #9 in the	 Indian Hill School District #3 in Ohio!
	
t

Chef	Doctor	Architect	Theater Director rney

Chef
DermatologistComputer Engineertist CheComputer Engi Baseball Player

Engineer
Doctor	SoccerPlayer Firefighter	Enviro

Psychologist Mechanical Engineer	Mec

Dermatologist

neer	Scientist

nmental Engineer Veterinarian

hanical Engineer
	
Portrait of a Brave

community, and we

2018-2019 Brave Achievements

An ACT composite score six points above the national average;

21 students recognized by the National Merit program;

Group for making this possible for our Braves.

- Assistant Superintendent Dr. Melissa Stewart

		
G. Global Competence
	
O. L. D.
	
Prepare students of the Indian Hill Exempted Village School District to understand and prosper in a diverse global community to successfully lead, engage, and serve others.

We are very fortunate
	
to be able to share Global Cultural Week Celebration	our richly diverse Braves learned from parents about 25 different	cultures in our school nationalities represented within the District with unique
activities that were planned at each building!	sincerely thank our Indian Hill Global

Braves earned 46 Scholastic Art Awards, and two
National Scholastic Medals;

A World Champion Mock Trial Team;

80+ ACTIVITIES

Student involvement in 80-plus clubs
and activities with 94 percent student participation at the High School;

IHMS student Sophia Chen was one of 442 students internationally to achieve
a perfect score on the 2019 Introduction to Latin National Latin Exam;

IHHS junior Olivia Sheldon won the Overall Sweepstakes Prize at the Ohio Junior Classical League State Convention for the second year in a row;

Around 20,000 volunteer hours donated for service learning opportunities for High School & Middle School;

State Champions – IHHS seniors Radu Dragomirescu, Ethan Shah, Cooper Pierce, and Mark
Kholodenko earned the title during the 2019 Ohio Economics Challenge sponsored by the University of Cincinnati and afiliated with the National Economics Challenge.

World languages offered: Spanish (grades 1-12),
Latin & French (grades 6-12) & Global Learning Trips

Students put their study of the language and the ancient world in context as they examined Rome’s most iconic landmarks.

- Indian Hill High School Latin teacher Mark Atwood

PORTRAIT OF A BRAVE | FALL 2019

This school

2018 - 2019 AP Student
you dream to do; that’s
why this school is so
great.

2018-2019 Update:	will give you the With the help of the Indian Hill Foundation, a robust list of over 700                                                           opportunity to do what professional contacts has been established. This list includes professionals
who have or are interested in sharing their career expertise with our students including speaking at career-focused events, providing mentoring and/or
internships. Additionally, we have identified over 40 nonprofit organizations	Jalen Thornton
our faculty and staff have utilized in recent years to provide services for our	& Varsity Football Captain students and parents in a variety of capacities.

Indian Hill High School
Among Ohio’s elite high schools offering AP Capstone | critical thinking, in-depth
research, collaboration, and communication
College credit available through 27 advanced placement courses and the College Credit
	
Plus Program

Indian Hill Middle School Hour of Code
Women in Engineering Day Family STEM Nights #BraveUp Day

Elementary School
GO! Time to “Grow Ourselves” with courses that extend learning beyond grade-level standards; developed based on student interests and teacher expertise
Innovative learning in state-of-the-art iLab

Indian Hill Primary Genius Hour
Cardboard Challenge Literacy Night
STEM Night

A Quality Profile for Indian Hill Schools

Objective

Develop meaningful student experiences throughout grade levels and beyond the Indian Hill Exempted Village School District

1.2
57.5%
G. O. L. D.

Operational Efficiency & Effectiveness

Optimize resource utilization and infrastructure components, including people, financial resources, processes, technology, physical grounds and facilities, equipment, and maintenance.

We invest our

dollars into the people and programs that advance our vision of enduring excellence while
maintaining the lowest tax rate in Hamilton County.

Tax Year 2018 Collection 2019

Rank District	Rate

1
65.35
St. Bernard -Elmwood Pl

Indian Hill School District demonstrates the excellence in fiscal
operations that match our educational excellence. We regularly earn the recognition from the
state auditor’s ofice for excellence in fiscal reporting and recently
earned recognition from the Ohio Senate for exemplary achievement in financial reporting.

2 3

4

5

6

7

Finneytown Mariemont
Winton Woods

Cincinnati

Wyoming

Madeira

62.74 62.64

59.74

52.98

52.37
(1-1/4% Income Tax)

51.99

The Indian Hill Exempted Village School District receives very little revenue from the state school funding system so we must rely on local property taxes to fund our District, and our schools have now gone more than 25 years without asking taxpayers for additional operating funds.

2019 School Year State
Educational Funding
as a Total Percent

8	Deer Park

9
Mount Healthy

10	Reading 11	Norwood
Average

12	Loveland

13
North College Hill

14	Milford 15	Lockland
16	Forest Hills 17	Princeton 18	Sycamore 19	Oak Hills
20	Three Rivers 21	Northwest

22	Southwest

51.42

49.53

47.17 47.04 45.25 45.04

41.82

41.19 39.44 38.71 37.83 35.78 35.65 35.75 35.35
27.1
(.75% Earned Income Tax)

While we stretch every dollar with a focus on education, we have funded much-needed improvements to our buildings and programs by utilizing our existing operating fund instead of asking voters for additional dollars. These updates were needed, and they will help maximize and protect our investment in the school buildings.

Already the District has refunded bonds to decrease interest payments over time; restructured transportation, legal, and other expenses to save money; and transitioned to a high-deductible health plan saving both staff members and the District money on premium expenditures.

of District Revenue 4.8%

Other Objects
0.2%
Supplies & Materials %Advances Out 3.6%
Capital Outlay 3.9%

Salaries

Purchased Services
13.2%	2019
EXPENSES Benefits

20.4%

 23 Indian Hill 24.03

PORTRAIT OF A BRAVE | FALL 2019

We are just blessed
A Quality Profile for Indian Hill Schools

Total participation
532 stakeholders

Objective

Cultivate plan for best-in-class facilities with approved funding and prioritize operational strategies to promote short- and long-range district goals

to be in such
2018 - 2019 Captain of

2018-2019 Update:	an amazing district. School updates needed
While we stretch every dollar with a focus on education, we have funded
much-needed improvements to our buildings and programs by utilizing our	Albert Kwon
existing operating fund instead of asking voters for additional dollars.	World Champion Mock Trial Team

			

Assessment of facilities

Due to this demand on our budget, the District launched an assessment of facilities. The District sent a printed invitation to every member of the Indian Hill Exempted Village School District to attend a Community Meeting in September 2018. Following this open-invitation to the community, a Facilities Assessment Task Force, comprised of community members, parents, and staff members, was established. The District encouraged engagement through printed materials, live presentation, building tours, in-home coffee chats, guest columns, and a three-part video series outlining the District facility needs.

District’s community-based facility process to identify needs

Work and planning to fully assess the school facilities within the Indian Hill School District continue and remain on schedule. As a next step, the District’s Steering Committee, a subcommittee of the overarching Facilities Assessment Task Force, launched the next phase of the work which includes an analysis of capital needs at all District school buildings and facilities.

District Finance Committee

to play key role in facilities process

Additionally, Treasurer Mick Davis has convened a Finance Committee to review school funding processes and capital/ operating funding options. The Steering and Finance Committees will join forces to draft potential scenarios for the Board of Education to consider late fall 2019.

10
0%

G. O.

Cultivate an environment that fosters quality learning for students and staff by creating pathways to explore and maximize each individual’s character and academic talents.
	
L. Learning-Centered Culture
	
D.
		
#BRAVEminds
Director of Pupil Services Erica Leppert began a new series to provide regular mental-health updates to the Indian Hill Community. Called #BRAVEminds, the series covered important topics for parents to consider. Additionally, the Mental Wellness program that began in 2015-2016 continues to grow. This ongoing partnership with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC), coordinated through MindPeace, provides Indian Hill School District families access to on-site private mental health support services for students.

Braves Academy
During the second-annual professional development day, a total of 233 attendees participated in 66 educational sessions presented by 91 speakers from both within the Indian Hill School District and outside professional organizations. Sessions focused on best instructionalpractices, innovation, brain health and mental wellness, and Courageous Conversations – exploring how mental health needs, gender identification, and race manifest within the school setting and impact school culture and classroom practices.
Best Workplace
Best Workplace: For the fifth year in a row, the Indian Hill School District was named a “Best Workplace” by the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Indian Hill Speaker Series
Cultivating a learning-centered culture doesn’t stop with our students in the classroom within the Indian Hill School District. Each year, the District invites parents and community members to attend a specially developed series of informational sessions relating to student life, both in school and out of school.

Teacher Susan Savage received the University of Chicago’s Outstanding Educator Award after being nominated by a former student.
	
Indian Hill High School
IHHS student Diana Yue’s organization, BEST, brings oral hygiene education to students globally. She has helped 7,000 students at 40 schools across the world through what began as an IHHS-supported club … at IHHS, if students have a passion, they can create their own club and further their learning!

IHHS seniors Bethany Ison, Cooper Pierce, Trey Skidmore, and IHHS junior Jonah Sorscher each scored a perfect 36 on theACT.

Indian Hill Middle School
Dr. Al Miller shared his story of growing up in Nazi Germany as a Jewish child.

Through a partnership with Magnified Giving IHMS Braves researched and shared video stories about the importance of supporting nonprofit organizations; posted on YouTube, within 72 hours, the nine student-produced videos had an audience of 2,500 people.

Indian Hill Elementary School
100% passage rate on
Third Grade Reading Guarantee

Fifth-grade students Ainsley Johnson and Vivian Jenkins brought home a state championship title in the elementary
division of the University of Cincinnati (UC) Economics Center Stock Market Game.

Indian Hill Primary School
Indian Hill Primary School students worked with an engineer to develop a “People’s Choice” award-winning design in the Architectural Foundation of Cincinnati’s Design LAB city-wide architecture competition.

	
PORTRAIT OF A BRAVE | FALL 2019

A Quality Profile for Indian Hill Schools
Anna Podojil
& Founder of IH Red Cross Club
I have made
been able to make at
any other school.
We are and
always will
be BRAVES!

2018-2019 Update:	connections that I Significant work was done by a steering committee of parents, Indian Hill                                                   know I wouldn’t have High School students, teachers, staff members, and administrators to
develop a character education program for the District. Boldly Respect and Value Everyone (BRAVE) is comprised of four components: Community,
Cultural Intelligence, Pillars, and Student Strengths. The steering committee	Manasi Singh
continues to work on this important initiative this school year, with a goal of	2018 - 2019 AP Capstone Student
full implementation in the 2020-2021 school year.
	
	Athletics:
The Indian encourage l understand self-esteem
	Learning outside the classroom
Hill School District believes in using athletics to
eadership; exhibit sportsmanship; set goals and objectives; teamwork; learn accountability and discipline; strengthen
; and become better prepared for life in general.

Indian Hill Middle School became the first middle school in the state to form a Unified Track and Field team. Thirteen sixth, seventh, and eighth graders – participated in the shot put, 100- and 200-yard dash, and long jump. While getting a win was celebrated, the mission of the team that
was created in partnership with the Special Olympics was social inclusion.

2018 Girls Soccer
Back-to-Back State Champions

2019 Girls Track
State Champions

4x400 Meter Relay Megan O’Brien, Ellie Podojil,
Elizabeth Whaley, Anna Podojil **state record 3:49.30

Individual	Anna Podojil also won the State Champion                                                            Gatorade
400 Meter Dash	Ohio Player of the Year for soccer for the second
consecutive season.
	
		Brave Athletic Achievements

Back-to-back State Champion Soccer Coach Amy Dunlap earned National Coach of the Year by the National Federation of State High School Associations.

Objective
	
		Most All City
Recipients in Southwest Ohio
	74% of class
graduated with a GPA of
3.5 or better
	24 college
commitments from the class of 2019

				2018-2019
647 IHHS and IHMS athletes participated in athletics
	
2018-2019
64%
of our athletes are multi-sport athletes

Optimize Learning-Centered Culture to create an inclusive Indian Hill School District community, nurture the best in every student, and close performance gaps by department, grade level, teacher, and student

to interact in person with
Utilized
and app
seven of wh ch were mailed to all
and had coverage of 218 stories in
G. O. L. D.

Build and nurture relationships with parents, community members, business leaders, alumni, and government representatives through transparent communications to foster support of the Indian Hill Exempted Village School District’s Vision, Mission, Values, and Goals.

Dynamic Stakeholder Engagement

2018-2019 Update:

To increase Dynamic Stakeholder Engagement, during the school year the District:

Launched a new website	Began in-home coffee chats

stakeholders

Facebook live

Producedatotaliof 8 printed publications –

Managed 335 total communications

traditional media outlets

audience by 2,085 likes and follows -
residents
And, increased the combined social media

facebook.com/indianhillschools @ihschools
Indianhillschools

PORTRAIT OF A BRAVE | FALL 2019

We appreciate
in education

When you’re walking through the halls you are always going to see people
our partners	with a smile.
	
Morgan Coburn
2018 - 2019 Class Vice President & 2016 CHL Athlete of the Year

Indian Hill Foundation

In 2018-2019, the community provided 4,300 hours of service through volunteers and staff, $41,600 in grants, 19 career and community events through Foundation strategic initiatives. The IH Foundation is the school’s oficial alumni organization.

More than $70,000 in funding was provided by the Koch Foundation through the Indian Hill Foundation to support a state-of-the-art STEM iLab at Indian Hill Elementary School. Dorothy Koch was a longtime elementary school teacher at the Indian Hill School District.

Indian Hill Parent-Teacher Organization (IHPTO)
In 2018-2019, IHPTO supported all Indian Hill schools with financial support totaling $64,809, and contributed substantial donations in materials. Countless volunteer hours were given to lead a variety of events.

Indian Hill Boosters
In the 2018-2019 school year, the Indian Hill Boosters organization donated $79,321 to our District. The Boosters organization supports our students as they participate in academic clubs, sports competitions, and arts productions.

Cincinnati Academy of Performing Arts (CAPA)
CAPA provides after-school programming in performing arts for students in grades K-12. A percentage of each student’s tuition goes back to the District to support music scholarship programs. Each summer, CAPA also offers intensive full production musical theatre camps.

Indian Hill Parent Equity Group
Founded in 2016, the Indian Hill Parent Equity Group consists of parents from a multitude of racial, cultural and religious backgrounds who support the Indian Hill School District initiative to bring racial awareness and cultural competency into our District and community.

Home of the Braves: Public-Private Fundraising Project

The District – in partnership with the Indian Hill Foundation – launched a bold and visionary effort to complete an athletic complex to better serve our community and the most students possible. Home of
the Braves public-private fundraising process as an opportunity to use money already allocated within our capital plan to address serious and substantial athletic facility needs within Indian Hill Middle School and Indian Hill High School, and partner with private donors through the Indian Hill Foundation to increase and expand our ability to create a better facility that will serve even more student-athletes. This effort marks the first-ever public-private partnership with the Indian Hill Foundation and private donors to complete a capital campaign.

Objective

Stakeholder engagement and A Quality Profile for Indian Hill Schools	communication measured by

group as highly engaged

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Cincinnati, OH Permit No. 197

Indian Hill Exempted Village School District 6855 Drake Road, Cincinnati, OH 45243
(513) 272-4500

facebook.com/indianhillschools @ihschools
Indianhillschools

indianhillschools.org The Indian Hill Exempted Village School District serves students
in the Village of Indian Hill, Kenwood, parts of Sycamore and Symmes Township, Camp Dennison and a small portion of Loveland.

Indian Hill Exempted Village School District Board of Education

Vice President of Operations Elizabeth Johnston, Member Lyle Fiore, President Kim Martin Lewis, Member Eddie Hooker,Vice President of Finance Nancy Aichholz

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The Quality Profile is supported by the Alliance for High Quality Education.