CENTERBURG — On Monday night, the Centerburg Board of Education approved its proposed local diploma seal definition.
Each school district is in charge of defining three out of the 12 diploma seals that are a part of the new graduation requirements. The three local seals are the Community Service Seal, the Fine and Performing Arts Seal, and the Student Engagement Seal. The seals were presented to the board by high school principal Ryan Gallwitz.
The Community Service Seal can be completed by completing an approved community service experience totaling 120 hours. The hours must be reported to the high school principal/guidance counselor every month.
For the Fine and Performing Arts Seal, students must have participated in band, choir or art for all four years of high school. They must also complete one of the following: Participate in solo and ensemble, in the annual drama performance, or enter a piece of art into the Governor’s Art show.
To earn the Student Engagement Seal, students must complete two items from the following list, with one taking place during their senior year: Participate for three years on one sports team, or two years on two sports team (must be in good standing with the team regarding rules and eligibility), participate in art club for three years, Spanish Club for three years, in Quiz Bowl, in FFA for three years, in FCCLA for three years, be a contributing member for the Trojan Crier for three years, be a member of student government for one year, or be a member of the Ohio Scholars Association. Other club involvement not mentioned are subject to board approval.
Hebenthal said that the similarity between the locally defined seals is a good thing because if students move between the school districts in the county, the work they have done for the seals can transfer well.
“The counselors and principals talked to each other about the seals,” Hebenthal said. “They bounced ideas back and forth. So the seals are similar to each other.”
The board also:
•Elected Kris Weldy as board president and Roger Clark as vice-president; named Tracey Myers as legislative representative, Lori Jones-Perkins as the Knox County Career Center Board observer, and Lynn McCann as Alumni Committee representative.
•Approved various organizational resolutions and set the date for the regular board meetings to the second Monday of the month at 6 p.m.
•Approved a resolution opposing the State of Ohio EdChoice Scholarship (Voucher) Program.
•Approved various donations, personnel and the 2020-2021 school calendar.
