Board highlights SkillsUSA honors and reports 35,000 summer meals served in first week

During a June 24 update, Dr. Smith highlighted student awards from this year's SkillsUSA national competition in Atlanta, naming students who placed and praising their preparation and staff support.

Dr. Smith noted Abigail Eberly won a silver medal in health care and Jacqueline Ryan won silver in facilitation/leadership management. Other placings cited included fifth place for career pathways (Ryder Pope, Myra Gonzalez, Abigail Aina), eighth place in dental assisting (Addison Keane), eighth place in engineering (Cassandra Thompson), ninth place in audio production (Vera Ledmore and Nick Hutchson) and an 11th-place finish in first aid/CPR (Sarah Lo Lus). "Silver medalists are unbelievable," Dr. Smith said, adding that strong national placements reflect the competence of students and the preparation they receive in district programming.

Dr. Smith also reported on the district's summer meal program, saying more than 200 families were served and the district distributed over 35,000 meals in the first week alone, with meal sites at Oakville Park Hall, Spring Ridge Middle School and Margaret Brent Middle School. She encouraged staff and the community to take a summer break while administrators complete planning and training for the next school year, including rollout of a new communications app and staged AI co-pilot access (administrators July 1, teachers Jan. 1, students next year).

The board took no formal action on the awards or meal statistics; those items were presented as updates.