The Berkshire Middle School Peer Mentorship Lunch Program was recently launched to foster communication and build connections among students...
Peer Mentorship Lunch Program
The Berkshire Middle School Peer Mentorship Lunch Program was recently launched to foster communication and build connections among students. Led by staff members Kristen Hendl and Nancy Tiber, the initiative pairs students who exhibit strong social, communication and leadership skills with peers who are strengthening their abilities and can benefit from positive role models and new social experiences.
The program provides a welcoming environment for students to connect over lunch, build confidence and enhance their interpersonal skills. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with both mentors and mentees expressing that the opportunity to get to know someone new has been both rewarding and impactful.
Clean Inspection Award
The Berkshire Local Schools food kitchen staff were recently recognized with the Clean Inspection Award for 2025 by the Geauga Health Department. The noteworthy annual award is granted to organizations and businesses that demonstrate excellence in meeting the Ohio Revised Food Code Regulations during the previous year’s food inspection season. Berkshire’s food kitchen staff includes Julie Sollars, Kitchen Supervisor, Lida Burkardt, Gina Derrow, Jen Fekete, Marla Pettrey and Barb Springer. The entire team is featured in a video spotlight published on the Geauga Public Health Facebook page.
Athletic Director of the Year
Brian Hiscox won the Northeast Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Athletic Director of the Year award. The honor comes as a result of the high standards, leadership and vision demonstrated in his capacity as Berkshire’s athletic director. He joins three other individuals from Northeast Ohio in winning this high award, including John Carter from Benedictine, Denny Zielger from Strongsville and Nick Mayer from Woodridge.
Brian formally received this honor on April 14 at the Wyndham Hotel in Independence at the annual NEOIAAA Spring Workshop and Awards Luncheon.
Workforce Development Initiatives
Former Ohio Sen. Matt Dolan and representatives from Team NEO visited Berkshire Local School District recently to learn more about the district’s innovative Berkshire Workforce Development Campus, developed in partnership by Preston Auto Superstore and local industry leaders.
During the visit, Superintendent John Stoddard and Dr. Vanessa Karwan, director of professional learning and community outreach, provided an overview of Berkshire’s expanding career pathways in advanced manufacturing, agribusiness and production and mechanical tech (diesel) programs. These programs are designed to align student learning with high-demand workforce needs and provide industry-recognized credentials and real-world experience.
“This visit highlights the power of regional collaboration to prepare students for meaningful careers,” said Dr. Stoddard. “We are grateful to Geauga Growth Partnership and our industry partners for working with us to build strong pathways that support both our students and our local economy.”
For more information about Berkshire’s Workforce Development Campus or partnership opportunities, contact Dr. Vanessa Karwan at vanessa.karwan@berkshireschools.org.
Manufacturing Pathways Pilot Program
Berkshire Local Schools was recently named among 10 other schools in Ohio to participate in Battelle’s Manufacturing Pathways Pilot Program to help promote, develop and expand manufacturing opportunities to public education students throughout Ohio. In the process, Berkshire will receive a portion of $1.76 million in grant funding from the Walton Family Foundation, which will be invested to support industry-aligned educational programs that will prepare students in Ohio’s growing manufacturing sector.
Several recent partnerships have helped pave the way for Berkshire’s inclusion in this exclusive group of 10 schools chosen as Manufacturing Pathway Pilot district.
“We are proud to partner with Preston Auto Superstore to launch the Berkshire Workforce Development Campus,” said Berkshire Superintendent John Stoddard. “This initiative represents a powerful investment in our students and our community’s future. By aligning education with industry needs, we’re opening doors to meaningful careers and helping to strengthen the local economy. The Battelle Advanced Manufacturing Grant enables us to provide real-world skills and recognized credentials that will prepare our students for success right here in Northeast Ohio.”
The grant period runs from March 2025 through July 30, 2026.
The Manufacturing Pathways Pilot is a program of the Ohio STEM Learning Network, a public-private partnership between the Ohio Department of Education & Workforce and Battelle. This initiative is a strategic response to Ohio’s manufacturing talent gap, where employers need over 30,000 technicians annually to meet workforce demands. This program helps prepare students for high-demand careers in Ohio’s growing manufacturing sector while reimagining the high school experience to give students access to real-world, hands-on learning that prepares them for life after graduation. Staff from the funded programs will collaborate through a community of practice designed to provide space to share implementation strategies and solve challenges. Participating schools will receive technical assistance to support their efforts in marketing, partner engagement, and student recruitment. Battelle will track performance metrics including enrollment, credential attainment, and student persistence in manufacturing pathways to inform the creation of future pathway programs.
“Geauga Growth Partnership is thrilled to learn that Berkshire School district was awarded a Battelle grant for advanced manufacturing. This investment directly supports our shared mission of preparing students with the skills and experiences they need to thrive in high-demand careers that exist right here in Geauga County. It’s a vital step toward building a stronger talent pipeline and a more resilient economy in our community,” said Kimm Leininger, OhioCED, president and CEO, Geauga Growth Partnership.
Jackie Preston Franck, of Preston Auto Superstore, commented, “By investing in local education and partnering with Berkshire Local Schools, we are empowering the next generation of innovators and skilled tradespeople, providing students with the tools and opportunities they need to succeed in the fast-evolving world of manufacturing and trades. This emphasizes the value we see in investing and partnering to create opportunities in developing a skilled workforce in our local economy.”
“It is critical for us to develop innovative, forward-thinking solutions and offer multiple, flexible pathways to success in advanced manufacturing. As a cross-sector industry, advanced manufacturing interacts with numerous career fields—including automotive, agribusiness and production, engineering, information technology, logistics, robotics and skilled trades. By integrating it into a wide range of educational and career pathways, we can better prepare students and workers for the evolving demands of the workforce and foster economic development across our local communities,” said Dr. Vanessa Karwan.
