(Posted Jan. 19, 2017)
By Sandi Latimer, Staff Writer
Madison-Plains school board members chose a parent of three students to fill a vacancy on the board.
Anthoula Xenikis took the oath of office at the board’s Jan. 13 organizational meeting. She said she wanted to serve on the board because she wants to be more involved with the school district.
Her 18-year-old daughter Katerina is a senior; her 13-year-old son Kosta is an eighth-grader; and her 12-year-old son Pegasio is a seventh-grader.
“Education is a top priority in our family,” Xenikis said. “I’ve been engaged with the schools, and I wanted to become more involved.”
She will serve on the district’s leadership team and athletic council.
Xenikis applied for the seat that Dave Hunter vacated when he was elected in November as a Madison County commissioner. He was sworn in to that position in early January. Xenikis will serve out the remaining year of Hunter’s unexpired term, after which the seat will be up for election for a new four-year term.
Also at the organizational meeting, Kelly Cooley was elected as board president, a position she held a year prior. She replaces Mike Datz who was president this past year. Bob Butz was re-elected as vice president.
The board also approved its regular meeting schedule for the year. The board meets at 7 p.m. the third Tuesday of the month, unless otherwise changed by action of the superintendent.
Board members approved Madison County Auditor Jennifer Hunter’s estimation of the amount of funds the district will receive this calendar year. They also approved the distribution of rent on the district’s farm. Of the $20,000 collected each year, $15,000 goes to the Athletic Fund and $5,000 goes to the high school music program for band and choir activities.
Most Improved
Benton Marcum hardly knew what to do when Athletic Director Matt Mason brought a bicycle out onto the floor at halftime of the Madison Plains-Mechanicsburg high school varsity basketball game on Jan. 13.
The Madison-Plains fourth grader’s hands were already full with a basketball autographed by team members and a gift certificate for the district’s book fair.
“He was selected as the student most improved over last year (academically),” said Brad Miller, assistant elementary school principal, who assisted in the presentation. “He showed a lot of growth over the past year.”
The book fair will be part of the school’s participation in Right to Read Week this spring. Ohio celebrates its 40th annual observation May 1-7. A children’s book author will be a guest at Madison-Plains Elementary that week, and students will have the opportunity to purchase the author’s books.
