Monroe school district celebrates its 10th year

Monroe

Graduation

When: 11 a.m. Saturday, May 29

Where: Princeton Pike Church of God, Liberty Twp.

MONROE — The inaugural decade of Monroe Local Schools is culminating at the end of this week with the graduation of its 10th high school class.

The first school system in Ohio to successfully deconsolidate, the Monroe community voted to break away from the Middletown City School District in 1999. Since its inaugural 2000-01 school year, the district has built and filled its Yankee Road campus, achieved high academic success and continues to experience thriving enrollment and financial support from its residents.

To celebrate, the community is invited to an open house from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Friday, May 28, at Monroe High School, 220 Yankee Road. The event will serve as a prelude to graduation, which is the following day at the Princeton Pike Church of God in Liberty Twp.

“We welcome everyone to come and celebrate with us as we open up our 10th year celebration,” said Superintendent Elizabeth Lolli.

The open house will feature building tours and a variety of performances by student music and theatrical groups, as well as works of art on display throughout the building, she said.

“They’ll be in different locations at different times performing maybe a scene from the recent elementary play, the thespians will be someplace doing a little snippet from their skit – something they have been rehearsing – and a couple of high school groups will be doing a couple numbers here and there,” Lolli said.

William “Rocky” Heflin, an inaugural Monroe Board of Education member, will conduct three tours at 5:45, 6:15 and 6:30 p.m.

A video history of the former Lemon-Monroe High School produced by Tom Burklow, a technology teacher in the district, also will be playing on a television loop system on the school’s Main Street corridor, according to Lolli.

“With our 10th graduating class, we wanted to invite family and friends who are in (town) for graduation to come and see the school, tour the school, see the performing arts and the art work that we have available, and enjoy an evening before they actually go to the 10th graduation on Saturday,” Lolli said.

Contact this reporter at (513) 483-5219 or dewilson@coxohio.com.