Loveland Magazine

LOVELAND MAGAZINE

News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area

Without fear or favor

Since 2004

Tag: Loveland Superintendent

  • Former Loveland Superintendent Dr. Kevin Boys retires from Southern State Community College

    Former Loveland Superintendent Dr. Kevin Boys retires from Southern State Community College

    SSCC President Dr. Kevin Boys, standing at right, shakes hands with former Board of Trustees member, the late Kay Ayres, at his first board meeting in 2010.

    Southern State Community College (SSCC) President Dr. Kevin Boys on Wednesday announced his retirement from the college effective June of next year. 

    Prior to his presidency, Boys served for 31 years in K-12 education as a teacher, principal and superintendent in Loveland and Sycamore school districts. Boys was employed in Loveland from July 1, 2002 through December 2009.

    The announcement signals the end of more than a decade of Boys’ leadership at Southern State. 

    Boys provided his letter of resignation for the purpose of retirement to the SSCC Board of Trustees at its regular meeting on August 18, setting his final day for June 30, 2022 to provide time for the board to find a replacement. 

    Dr. Kevin Boys addressing the 2006 Graduating Class of Loveland High School. (Loveland Magazine File Photo)

    Boys has led the college since Jan. 1, 2010. During his tenure, he served under Ohio governors Ted Strickland, John Kasich and Mike DeWine. Both of Boys’ children attended and graduated from Southern State during his presidency. He resides in Clinton County. 

    Boys said in his retirement letter that he had planned to retire in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic prompted him to remain in leadership for an additional year beyond his contract. 

    “I felt it imperative that I stay to see us through the many challenges that this pandemic has brought our way,” he said. “It will be time for fresh leadership to take on new challenges as the college recovers from the pandemic and explores new opportunities to further its important mission.”

    Boys said SSCC’s graduates range in age from the early teen years to well into a late age, and many would not have pursued a college degree if the college was not here for them. 

    “That has motivated me and brought joy to me nearly every day,” he said. 

    Boys also served as co-chair of the Higher Education Funding Commission with President Rod McDavis, devising a plan to distribute substantial capital funding to the state’s public colleges and university systems. Additionally, Boys served on the board of directors of the American Association of Community Colleges, and as Vice-chair of the Ohio Association of Community Colleges. 

    Boys graduated from the inaugural class of Leadership Adams and the 25th class of Leadership Clinton.

    Dr. Kevin Boys introduced Ohio Govenor Ted Strickland at the Loveland Intermediate School in 2009 when Strickland announced his State budget and school reform. (Loveland Magazine File Photo)

    Boys has served on the Highland County Chamber of Commerce Board for 10 years and is currently the chair of the Community Colleges of Appalachia, a membership group of 80 colleges throughout the Appalachian region. He is also a board member of the Rural Community College Alliance.

    “It truly has been the honor of my life and pinnacle of my 42 years in public education to have served alongside you in providing accessible, affordable, and high-quality education to the citizens throughout these counties in Southern Ohio,” he said in his resignation letter. 

    Boys thanked the Board of Trustees, both current and past, who served as stewards of the institution, as well as dedicated faculty, staff and administrators. 

    “Southern State Community College is in good hands,” he said. 

    SSCC Board of Trustees Clinton County Chairman Brian Prickett wished Boys well in retirement and thanked him for his service to the college. 

    “I wish him well as he moves to the next phase of his life in retirement,” Prickett said. “His calm, professional demeanor in many recent trying situations is going to be missed. He is a true leader, and the school’s going to have to work very hard to replace his knowledge and his visibility to lead folks as we move forward and grow.”

    Boys told Loveland Magazine, “I regard my years in Loveland with great fondness.” He and his wife now live in Wilmington. “We have neighbors close on both sides but we overlook our pond and the farm behind complete with red barn. We’re not sure what we’ll do in retirement, but for now we’ll enjoy the country.”

    Boys said in retirement he plans to pick up playing his mandolin again, travel and “catch my breath.”

    “I also plan to take my morning walks a little later in the morning,” he said. 

  • Mike Hunting: Expect more levy proposals even after this one is shot down

    Mike Hunting: Expect more levy proposals even after this one is shot down

    Mike Hunting is a resident of the Black Horse neighborhood

    by Mike Hunting

    The proposed school levy for Loveland has been extremely stressful for residents on both sides of the issue. I have no doubt the students, faculty, and staff at Loveland schools would love to work and study in newer facilities and use turf athletic fields. The folks opposed to the levy are extremely frustrated with what appears to be the largest tax hike in the history of Loveland and possibly in the state of Ohio. While I can sympathize with the frustrated faculty and want to support our schools (and have supported them), the tax implications of this levy are simply stated…ridiculous. 

    We need to realize this will break the bank for many people who are living in and around Loveland. I attended the meetings on September 9 at Loveland Middle School (LMS) and on September 12 at Loveland High School (LHS). 

    During the LMS meeting, I heard several couples say they would move if this levy passed. One couple was in dire straits because they had moved several times recently and cannot afford to move again. They are now simply stuck in Loveland and facing what appears to be the largest tax hike in the city’s (and possibly state’s) history. A tax hike that is certain to be followed again and again with MORE levies. 

    For those who paid attention to the words of Loveland Superintendent, Dr Amy Crouse, she said she hopes Clermont County and the City of Loveland will help with infrastructure costs for the new school. To date, Loveland and Clermont have not officially committed to these costs, at least not publicly to us. Expect another levy to cover this if and when they refuse (and even if they do we are STILL paying for it).

    I would also expect a third levy to cover more teachers since this proposed levy adds several buildings but only two additional teachers. I strongly believe we have reached the breaking point in this community. We will likely see an exodus similar to what is happening in failed areas such as New York City, Detroit, Chicago, California, and much of New England.

    Perhaps the most frustrating part of the meetings last week was the school board’s arrogant attempt to manipulate its audiences. At both meetings, members of the school board, the Treasurer, and Dr. Crouse kept saying, “The community wants this” or “the community voted for this.” Most of the community didn’t even know of this levy until the flyers arrived in their mailboxes in mid-August. Thus, the community certainly DID NOT vote for the levy or approve it. The only people I have spoken with who are in favor of this are school faculty or folks affiliated with the schools (although I have also spoken with school employees who are opposed). 

    The timeline of the release of information is interesting. My family and many of our peers didn’t even know about this levy until we received the flyers in our mailboxes around August 15. August 15 is a significant date because the deadline to place names on the ballot to run against Art Jarvis and Kathryn Lorenz was August 7. Once again, this is utterly ridiculous (albeit well played by Art and Kathryn and the other members of the Levy). Since they are now protected for at least two more years, expect more levy proposals even after this one is shot down. 

    The Treasurer, Kevin Hawley, stated he will propose another levy if this goes down. He doesn’t even live within this tax district, so why would he care? We must get people to run against this out of control board and Treasurer at the earliest opportunity.

    Dr. Amy Crouse finished the meeting on Thursday by saying, “We hope we answered some of your questions, and we hope that you choose to support this when it comes time in November so that we can move forward.”  Unfortunately, they failed to answer many of our questions. They would not allow us to voice questions and we had to submit index cards with questions written on them for Thursday’s meeting. Thus, they could selectively answer the easy questions and dodge the relevant questions. I know for a fact I saw roughly 30-40 index cards with questions on Thursday. I am guessing they answered at most 1/3 of these cards.  My question was not answered. I merely wanted to confirm Dr. Crouse and Mr. Hawley live elsewhere and thus won’t be impacted by the increased taxes (which I have since learned is true).

    The last part of Dr. Crouse’s statement is interesting. She recommends how we should vote from inside a government building and while serving in an official government capacity. Thus, the government is telling you how you should vote and not allowing the opposition to speak. This is on tape.

  • Loveland District kicks off finance committee work in facilities master planning process

    Loveland District kicks off finance committee work in facilities master planning process

    Building Tiger Nation in full motion

    Loveland, Ohio – The Building Tiger Nation Finance Committee met on Thursday, October 18, to begin its deep dive into school finance. The meeting, which was the first in a series of monthly meetings to be held over the next several months, was open to the public and specifically designed to assist community members develop an understanding of how school funding relates to Loveland taxpayers.

    Loveland City School District Treasurer Kevin Hawley

    “The information shared at this meeting was focused on who we are as a community, taking into account tax base and income,” said Loveland City School District Treasurer Kevin Hawley. “As we move forward, we will continue to inform our community about school finances, but will also answer questions and gather input on choices that will need to be made with regard to community financial support. The ultimate goal of the committee is to make a recommendation on the best funding package for the master plan to the school board this coming spring, after evaluating all the options.”

    According to the District:

    “Takeaways from the data presented at the meeting include the information that the Loveland City Schools District, which serves five communities and is one of the largest in the area, has a low level of debt in comparison to similar districts. For every dollar generated from property tax revenues in Loveland, $0.92 come from residential property, versus only $0.08 from commercial property. Loveland residents, which are among the wealthiest in Ohio, have shown extraordinary support for the schools by approving nearly 80 percent of levy requests on the first ask.”

     

    The next meeting in the series is scheduled for November 15, 6:30 PM.

    “The initial Finance Committee meeting was highly informative for everyone in the room, not just those with a specific interest or expertise in finance,” said Loveland Superintendent Dr. Amy Crouse. “The information was extremely helpful in the context of where we are in our master planning process. As an example, it was eye opening to see how heavily local school revenue falls on residential property owners in Loveland in comparison to many surrounding district that have a higher commercial base to generate taxes. My hope is that our community takes advantage of these opportunities to come together, learn, ask questions, and lend their voices in this important process.”

    The next meeting in the series is scheduled for November 15, 6:30 PM. and will be held in the Loveland Middle School media center.

    All residents are invited and encouraged to attend.

    The discussion will center around how much Loveland residents pay in taxes relative to other school districts, and ways to compare Loveland with neighboring communities and other high-performing school districts. All residents are invited and encouraged to attend.

      Accounting Plus–Bingaman Accounting and Tax Service, LLC is a tax preparation, payroll and bookkeeping company locally based in Loveland, OH.

  • A message to the Loveland Class of 2018

    A message to the Loveland Class of 2018

    By Loveland Superintendent Dr. Amy Crouse,

    Dear Class of 2018:

    You have turned that tassel and headed out to take on the world. For a celebration of such magnitude, I turned to some classic characters from childhood that I hope you will remember as you continue to grow, as written by author A.A. Milne, for four very important pieces of advice.

    Find your Piglet.

    One day Piglet tells Winnie the Pooh, “If it weren’t for you, we’d be a bit less we.”  

    Piglet goes on to say, “The things that make me different are the things that make me.” – A.A. Milne

    Leaving the familiarity of high school and the confidence that comes with routine can be scary. But I challenge you to be “you” – to know that the things that make you different are what make you special. Now is the time to explore and showcase the amazing things that are uniquely you, and then surround yourself with those who celebrate the way you view and experience the world.

    Don’t be an Eeyore.

    Winnie the Pooh tells Eeyore, “You can’t stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.” – A.A. Milne

    Don’t wait for life to happen. Make a plan, and walk toward your dream. Don’t get stuck in your corner of the forest. Don’t waste time on things that do not serve you – that don’t help you move toward your goal. Don’t harbor a grudge. Don’t blame others for where you are. If you don’t like your situation, take steps to change it. Make it a priority to spend some time doing what you love and working toward your goals every day.

    Have Winnie the Pooh moments every day.  

    One day Winnie the Pooh and Piglet were walking through the 100 Acre Wood when Pooh asked, “What day is it?”

    “It’s today,” squeaked Piglet.

    “My favorite day,” said Pooh. – A.A. Milne

    Live in the moment. Don’t wish your life away. You’ve been saying, “I can’t wait until I’m old enough to ….” your whole life. You’ve likely said, “I can’t wait until graduation,” more times than you could count. But make time to enjoy the moments along the way. Recognize them. Be “in them.” Just stop and be present – experience it with your senses – appreciate the joy or sadness or fear and make it part of you.

    Put on the “Big Boots.”

    “Christopher Robin was sitting outside his door, putting on his Big Boots. As soon he saw the Big Boots, Pooh knew that an adventure was going to happen…” – A.A. Milne

    Make your life an adventure.

  • LEAAD’s ‘Right Under Your Nose 2.0’ a success for parents

    LEAAD’s ‘Right Under Your Nose 2.0’ a success for parents

    Miami Township Police Chief Sue Madsen, Loveland Superintendent Dr. Amy Crouse, and Loveland Police Chief Sean Rahe presenting at the Right Under Your Nose 2.0 event.

    By Johnnie Kanoza,

    Great success. 

    That’s the way participants of the Loveland Educating Against Alcohol & Drugs (LEAAD) Right Under Your Nose (RUYN) 2.0 event described the Sunday, March 11, informational session at Prince of Peace Church. Attended by Loveland parents and members of the surrounding communities, the event was designed as an educational opportunity for adults only, uncoveringthe hidden dangers that students face on a daily basis, including: substance abuse, violence, juvenile crime, technology, and risky behaviors.  

    The evening was kicked off by hearing a powerful, joint message from Loveland Superintendent Dr. Amy Crouse, Loveland Police Chief Sean Rahe and Miami Township Police Chief Sue Madsen expressing their commitment of locking arms to make our communities safer as we face the drug epidemic through promoting awareness.  

    RUYN 2.0 educated us on several ways as parents we can help guide and lead our children. In these rapidly changing times where technology has become a key mode of communication, it is important to equip parents with information about what their students have access to. LEAAD Executive Committee Member and Loveland Middle School Assistant Principal Jayson Bruce did an outstanding job on sharing insight about different apps and aspects of social media, coaching parents that conversations with children around the potential dangers of technology and social media are as important as conversations around the dangers of drugs and alcohol.

    Loveland School Resource Officer Fred Barnes shared his knowledge on drug paraphernalia and use, along with telltale signs to look for in the bedrooms of our children. The “mock bedroom” display was a great way to bring his message together. Officer Barnes reminded us all the power of simply talking to our children, and even more importantly, always listening and knowing they are looking for guidance.  

    Speaker Beth Renner shared a powerful, personal story of loss as she talked about her son Zack, who lost his life to addiction. It was a poignant message filled with courage and her hope to impact one life as she continues to share her story.

    As the program coordinator of LEAAD, I want to offer a special and sincere thank you to Loveland’s Prince of Peace Church for allowing us to host our event in their beautiful facility, and to all of the community resources that made this such a great evening.  

    Johnnie Kanoza is the Program Coordinator for Loveland Educating Against Alcohol & Drugs

    As we move forward into spring, LEAAD’s mission is to continue leading, educating and promoting awareness about alcohol and drug abuse throughout the Loveland community. We are dedicated to providing the resources and tools to help keep our schools, neighborhoods and surrounding communities safe. Our hope is through events like this we will activate our community to take action, join together and stand united as one.

    More details on the event will be located on our LEAAD Facebook page, along with other events we will be participating in.  

    Our work is just getting started. There are many great things in the works for next school year. Stay tuned!

  • [VIDEO] The State of Our Schools

    [VIDEO] The State of Our Schools

    By Dr. Amy Crouse, Loveland Superintendent

    We promised a GIANT open house with students as your tour guides – and the State of Schools event certainly delivered! Students – at all grade levels – talking one-on-one about their learning around the three core district goals of Growth, Innovation and Care… student-musicians and student-artists celebrating their creativity… our Loveland student-athletes sharing their successes – all under one roof. It absolutely made my heart swell to see our kiddos informed, engaged and in charge of creating the futures they want to grow into!

    This event was the Loveland City School District, up close and very personal.

    It was also a reflection of work we have accomplished as a district to enhance the experience for our students as a direct result of the Destination Loveland Task Force meetings, when a group of Loveland parents, community members and business leaders joined our educators, staff and administrators in developing our future goals to create a world-class student experience.

    It is now time to take the work that group began to the next level with the Destination Loveland Task Force (DLTF) who will reconvene to continue the process of creating the future we want for our district. We will outline specific goals and timelines for achieving them. We will engage experts to lead us on this journey of growth. We will do it together. This is the work of our , and it is no small task that we are facing as a district.

    Our Tigers – the very students who spent that Thursday night sharing their academic Growth, their passion for Innovation, their ability to Care, their beautiful music, their sophisticated art, their spectacular athletic pursuits deserve the very best that we can provide them. Their future depends on it. We will not fail them.

    It is the Tiger way  

    In service to our Tigers

    To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

    Loveland Sweets – Fine Candies

    Loveland Sweets is a purveyor of hand-crafted chocolates, caramels, marshmallows, and ice creams. Our house-made candies are prepared in small batches using only the…

  • Loveland Board of Education to hold special meeting for superintendent selection Thursday

    Loveland Board of Education to hold special meeting for superintendent selection Thursday

    Loveland, Ohio – The Loveland Board of Education plans to hold a special meeting at 6 PM Thursday, March 15, at the Loveland Intermediate School Media Center for the purpose of nominating and selecting the new superintendent of the Loveland City School District. In February, the Board announced three finalists for the position who each met with the administrative team, staff, and with the Loveland community.

    The new superintendent’s official duties will begin August 1. The vacancy is the result of the resignation of Chad Hilliker that was effective on July 31, 2017. At that time, Dr. Amy Crouse took over as interim superintendent for the district, and she continues to lead in that capacity.

    [Video] Interviews with finalists for superintendent search

     Loveland, Ohio – These LOVELAND MAGAZINE TV videos are interviews with the three finalists for the position of Loveland Superintendent of Schools. These interviews were conducted after each candidate met with the public, each for a separate two-hour Q&A at Loveland High School.

    Karen Naber,  (Assistant Superintendent Sycamore Schools)

    Dr. Chad Konkle (Assistant Superintendent Hamilton City Schools)

    Dr. Amy Crouse (Interim Loveland Superintendent)

     

    Wards Corner Chiropractic & Sports Rehab

      Loveland chiropractor Douglas Portmann, DC at Wards Corner Chiropractic & Sports Rehab is one of the best chiropractors in the Loveland area.
  • [Video] Interviews with finalists for superintendent search

    [Video] Interviews with finalists for superintendent search

    Loveland, Ohio – These LOVELAND MAGAZINE TV videos are interviews with the three finalists for the position of Loveland Superintendent of Schools. These interviews were conducted after each candidate met with the public, each for a separate two-hour Q&A at Loveland High School.

    Karen Naber,  (Assistant Superintendent Sycamore Schools)

    Dr. Chad Konkle (Assistant Superintendent Hamilton City Schools)

    Dr. Amy Crouse (Interim Loveland Superintendent)

    The Board of Education plans to take official action to employ a new superintendent in March, with that person’s official duties to begin August 1, 2018. The vacancy is the result of the resignation of Chad Hilliker that was effective on July 31, 2017. At that time, Dr. Amy Crouse took over as interim superintendent for the district, and she continues to lead in that capacity.

    The Ohio School Boards Association (OSBA) is assisting the Board with the search.

    RP Diamond Printing & Embroidery

      RP Diamond is the exclusive retailer of LOVELAND HIGH SCHOOL SPIRIT WEAR Welcome to  RP Diamond Printing & Embroidery located at 370 Loveland Madeira Road.