News

This year, Sidney City Schools is thrilled to welcome Stacy Barker as our new Curriculum Director. Stacy brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to student success. Having spent the last 15 years in Lima, she served in various roles, including 11 years as an elementary principal. During her tenure, she spearheaded initiatives to improve student attendance, boost test scores, implement new curriculums, and foster stronger parent engagement. She’s also been a tireless advocate for students with special needs.

Sidney High School ushered in 38 new junior members and 6 new senior members to the National Honor Society during the 95th annual induction ceremony on November 13, one of the largest NHS induction classes since the start of NHS at Sidney High School.  

Good school attendance is essential for success in school, personal growth, and future opportunities. Being present at school helps students, teachers, families, and communities, showing just how important it is to attend every day.

Studies show that students who attend school regularly do better in their classes. Missing just two days a month – or 18 days in a school year – can lead to falling behind in key subjects like reading and math. This issue, called chronic absenteeism, often results in lower grades, a higher risk of dropping out, and fewer choices after high school. Regular attendance allows students to keep up with their work, understand important ideas, and take part in class discussions.

Each month, the Sidney City Schools Board of Education will take a moment to recognize the outstanding achievements of our students through the Jacket Spotlight. This special segment highlights one student from each school, chosen for their exemplary performance, character, and dedication. Whether it's academic excellence, leadership, community involvement, or personal growth, these students represent the best of what it means to be a Yellow Jacket. We are proud to honor their hard work and celebrate their contributions to our school community.

One of the most fantastic things about Sidney City Schools is that we have something for every student, no matter their interests. And let me tell you, I’m incredibly proud of that. Sure, I could write pages about the impressive extracurricular clubs and programs we offer—each deserving of recognition. But today, I want to focus on the core of why we have schools in the first place: to prepare our young people for success in the real world.

In Sidney, we’re doing just that, thanks in no small part to our dedicated, professional staff who work magic in their classrooms every day. The support from the Sidney community and caring parents also makes an enormous difference. These articles, however, are about more than just school pride—I want to highlight what truly drives our success: good teaching, a strong curriculum, outstanding instruction, and, most importantly, student learning.

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Denny Morrison is a lifelong educator whose career has spanned roles from teacher and principal to superintendent and school board member. Now serving as the Family & Community Engagement Coordinator for Sidney City Schools, Denny is dedicated to sharing the many positive stories that emerge from our classrooms and highlighting the impact of education on students and the community.
 

Whittier Early Childhood Center made a significant impact with its innovative Summer Autism Boot Camp, a program designed to help preschoolers on the autism spectrum transition smoothly into the new school year. Understanding that the change in routine and environment can be overwhelming for children with autism, the boot camp aimed to reduce stress and anxiety through structured activities.

In remembrance, Sidney City Schools principals addressed their students with a message during morning announcements to raise awareness of the tragic events. As a tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of first responders, the district also sought to honor local emergency personnel. Superintendent Humble personally delivered heartfelt letters written by high school students from Mrs. Sara Olding's class, along with artwork, cards, and additional letters created by third and fourth-grade students from Northwood School. These tokens of appreciation were presented to the Sidney Police Department, Sidney Fire Department, and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office to say "thank you" for their ongoing service and dedication.

Sidney City Schools has had a great start to the school year. Many exciting activities are taking place in the schools and the classrooms. 

“Our administrators have created a culture of accountability, balancing tough love with earned praise,” shares Denny Morrison, Family & Community Engagement Coordinator for Sidney City Schools. “Classroom teachers and aides are organized and prepared. They are adept at building relationships with their students. They have established a can-do climate for success.” 

Morrison has been spending time visiting the schools and popping into classrooms to see firsthand the academic activities and learning taking place. 

The Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators (OAESA) announced that Emerson Primary School of the Sidney City School District has been selected as a 2024 OAESA Hall of Fame School.

Sidney City Schools is excited to announce a new partnership with Right At School, a nationally recognized school enrichment provider, for before and after-school care to replace Latchkey. Starting in the fall of 2024, Right At School will offer the program to students in kindergarten through fifth grades. (Latchkey will continue to be available through the end of the current school year.)

In a unique educational collaboration, students from Sidney High School’s Intro to Human Geography course recently experienced an enriching journey through their community's history and urban development followed by a high-level overview of recent and future development of their community. Partnering with the Shelby County Historical Society and the City of Sidney government, this field trip exposed students to practical insights into the dynamics of human geography within their own backyard.

Led by Mr. Brett Bickel, Intro to Human Geography is a new College Credit Plus course at Sidney High Schools that covers physical and political geography but also explores people, culture, migration, religion, trade, development, and all aspects of human development and connection. 

In its second year, SMS Builders Club has been busy working on service-oriented projects for the community. Their latest project provided 12 fully stocked backpacks to SAFY for youth in foster care. 

Sidney High School proudly announces Honor Roll for the first quarter of the 2023-2024 school year. 

The Student Council at Sidney Middle School is embracing the spirit of giving this holiday season with a canned food drive to support the Alpha Center's Christmas Box initiative.

Ask any educator what families can do to help propel their child’s educational success, and enrolling their child in a preschool program will be at the top. To that end, Whittier Early Childhood Center aims to showcase the transformative benefits of preschool education, emphasizing the role it plays in shaping the futures of our youngest learners and their families. Recognizing the need to enroll more children in preschool, Whittier Early Childhood Center is pleased to announce that it will be opening another morning session class beginning January 3, 2024. 

Sidney High School proudly announces Honor Roll for the first quarter of the 2023-2024 school year. 

For the 2023-2024 school year, Sidney Middle School and Sidney High School will continue to follow last year’s traffic flow during drop-off and pick-up times. 

BUSES

• Buses will drop off/pick up at SMS at the FRONT of the building off Fair Road. 
   
• Buses will drop off/pick up at SHS at the Cafeteria doors using the west driveway. The parking lot to the west of the cafeteria will be closed off for ALL parking.
   
• Cars should NOT use the front drive off Fair Road for SMS drop-off/pick-up, nor the west driveway off Campbell Road for SHS drop-off/pick-up.

CAR RIDERS

• SMS families should use Fourth Avenue to enter the drop-off/pick-up line. The line will flow close to the tennis courts, around the outside of SMS back lot, up next to the SMS building, back towards SHS, and back out Fourth Avenue. **Utilize the entire length of the sidewalk for a quicker drop-off experience. 
   
• SHS families should use the east parking lot driveway, circle the outside of the SHS student lots, and back out the middle driveway.
   
• The walkway between SHS and SMS will be cleared through the winter and SHS can be an alternate drop-off for SMS families. 
   
• Per the City of Sidney, there can be NO LEFT-HAND TURNS off Fourth Avenue before and after school. A police officer may be on duty to reroute those attempting to make a left-hand turn. 
   
• All students being dropped off should be READY to exit their vehicles immediately. 

WALKERS/BIKE RIDERS

• SMS walkers will leave through the rear of the building. If they need to walk towards Fair Road, they will use the walk behind/around the school.

• SHS walkers can leave through the front slider doors or the east doors by the student parking lot. 

• No walkers will be allowed to exit towards the bus pick-up areas at both SMS and SHS. 

• Parking along Fair Road will be prohibited. Parking on the streets and alleys across from the middle school is also prohibited.