(PHOTO BY BREANA RELIFORD / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
FURRY FRIENDS … The Ability Center speakers, Brittney Murphy (left) and Stacie Baumbarger (right), present to the school board the benefits of assistance dogs, such as positively impacting attendance, motivation, and intervention opportunities.
By: Breana Reliford
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
The Millcreek-West Unity Board of Education met on Monday, June 23, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. with the following members present: President Heather Jones, Vice President Brian Wieland, Dave Chester, and Dawn Layman. Board member Randy Mahlman was absent.
The meeting was called to order, and those in attendance stood for the Pledge of Allegiance. Roll call took place, and then the meeting kicked off.
Mr. Riley then shared the superintendent’s report. He started off by sharing that there were no bullying incident reports filed during the second semester of the school year between the elementary and high school.
He went on to share the plan to address student wellness and success for the upcoming school year. Students will take a survey at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, which will ask questions about their emotional well-being.
Once students complete the survey, the administration can review the responses and determine where individual students may need extra support.
Mr. Riley explained that the survey will gather information about students’ social and emotional learning needs, as well as the support they require for their mental health.
The school conducted a trial run of a curriculum designed to address common needs among a specific age group. Seventh grade was chosen for the pilot, with the district finding success with the program.
The program included units that addressed various needs, such as hopefulness and resilience, as well as soft skills like friendship.
Next year, the school plans to try out the curriculum with the junior and senior high students, aiming to provide strategies for handling various situations and supporting students in their everyday conflicts.
The meeting then proceeded to the principal’s reports. Mr. Troy Cummins, High School Principal, shared a few interesting statements during his report.
Senior scholarship night featured over $444,000 awarded in scholarships, FFA Week was a hit with the students, and a few staff members were able to attend the Four County Career Center graduation and passport ceremony to celebrate graduating seniors. He also gave special thanks to all who helped out to make the graduation such a special day.
Teachers have also wrapped up their work for the year, finishing and submitting final grades during the teacher workday.
He then shared that he and the administration are proud of the softball, baseball, and track teams for another successful spring sports season.
As the staff and students prepare for the next year, custodians are moving quickly to get the building ready, with some extra help from the volleyball team in moving some furniture in and out of classrooms and the hallway.
In terms of summer school, there is a mix of nine students between the junior high and high school, and 13 students in the elementary school participating and finishing up their assignments this week.
Elementary Principal Jason Mansfield began by sharing a few end-of-year activities that the elementary students participated in, such as rewards trips to Bryan Lanes and West Unity Roller Rink, field day, which occurred a little later than expected due to the cold weather, and Kindergarten graduation, which Mr. Mansfield commented “was very well attended.”
Held on May 27, the Kindergarten graduation featured a photo booth as well as a card and photo of each Kindergarten student with a cap and gown standing in front of the “H” outside of the building.
The elementary school also had a talent show, featuring several students who went through tryouts, rehearsals, and a wide array of acts promoting creativity and fun.
An awards assembly was held on the last day of school for elementary students, recognizing those who scored 800 or higher on the state tests.
In addition, each academic and specials class selected one student to receive an overall award for that subject, with winners receiving a certificate.
Next, two guest speakers took the spotlight to present a new possible program for Hilltop Schools: an assistance dog program.
Brittney Murphy and Stacie Baumbarger visited the school board, providing them a presentation about their assistance dog program that has been implemented in several area schools.
From The Ability Center located in Sylvania, the program is full of passionate individuals who want to get their services into more schools.
The center serves over 2,000 consumers annually for a wide variety of service programs, including advocacy, home accessibility, and assistance dog programs.
The school dogs program, which began in 2004, offers districts the opportunity to add a furry companion to their school environment, with research showing positive benefits for students such as encouraging a positive attitude towards school and learning, reducing stress, anxiety, and depression, and offering a unique form of social support.
With four different K-9 programs to offer, The Ability Center currently serves schools in the area in 13 counties. Schools nearby, Archbold, Bryan, and Fayette, to name a few, have teamed up with the center to implement the program and have seen success with their students.
The Ability Center conducts continuous research starting before the dog even enters the school, up to two years in advance, all the way to the end of the program, and after.
The research data allows them to adapt and strengthen the program for future implications if needed.
In order to begin the program, the center chooses dogs with the best temperaments, work ethic, and affection levels, typically labradors or sometimes, though rare, golden retrievers.
Dogs have a two-year training period, and spend a minimum of half a school year in the building every day during training to get exposure to the school environment. The dogs will practice drills, pep assemblies, interacting with varied students, etc., to decide if the dog is a good fit.
Once a school and the center approve the program, it can take one to two years to be off the waiting list, but the center offers summer workshops to gain experience in useful ways to implement the dog.
As for cost, the school will pay a one-time fee of $2,500, which is a much lower rate than what is invested in each dog by the company, totaling about $50,000-$60,000 per dog.
Dogs will be evaluated with different age groups of students to determine the best final placement. Dogs typically spend eight to ten years in a school before retirement.
The board then moved on to the consent agenda, and the elementary and high school principals reviewed their updates to the student handbook, including adding a statement about honor roll and medical forms, students only being permitted to carry clear water bottles, and that athletes must be in school for at least half of the school day in order to participate in sports after school.
The board approved the consent agenda, various curricula for grades three through five, and the recommendation to hire Ian Bunt to fill the Band Director position for the 2025-2026 school year.
As part of the final comments from board members, the summer program was highlighted, which provides activities from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and free meals from 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. during the summer to anybody in the Millcreek-West Unity School District.
The meeting adjourned at 6:53 p.m. The next meeting will take place on Monday, July 7, 2025, at 7:00 a.m.