As we gear up for Early Childhood Grant students to enroll for the 2025-2026 school year, we need your help!! If you feel your child will qualify for free tuition, please follow the grant application link on our website now to ensure your verification is in place for the start of the school year.
https://www.rpesd.org/page/preschool
To be eligible, your household needs to fall at or below 200% poverty on the 2025 Federal Poverty Guidelines and complete the grant application process prior to school starting in August.
Summer Learning Flyer is here! It has the information and registration link for the Summer Learning Academy being co-sponsored by Ross-Pike ESC, Pickaway County ESC, and Ohio Christian University (OCU). Educators can earn contact hours from the local ESC or college credit through OCU. To earn credit hours an educator must complete either 12 hours of self-selected sessions and a paper response or 15 total hours of self-selected session time.
SLA 2025 Registration - https://forms.office.com/r/KwhST3auiY
On April 2nd, gifted students in grades 3 & 4 from Jasper visited the Franklin Park Conservatory for the Blooms and Butterflies exhibit. This was a kickoff event for the Ohio STEM Learning Network grant project through the Rural Fellowship program Mrs. Entler has been involved with this year.
The class is studying pollinators and their impact on the foods we eat. While at the Conservatory, students discovered the wonders of butterfly anatomy, metamorphosis, and adaptations. Students were also able to explore the metamorphosis lab where they watched a butterfly from Costa Rica emerge from its chrysalis. Students interacted with mature butterflies from all over the world while visiting the Pacific Island Biome. The final step in the grant project will be for the students to create a pollinator garden at Jasper Elementary.
Piketon 6th grader Lincoln Beekman has been named one of the top 5 finalists in the state for her sticker design in the Ohio STEM Learning Network Design Challenge! A talented member of Piketon’s gifted program, Lincoln's creative design was submitted by Mrs. Entler. Congratulations, Lincoln — we’re so proud of your achievement!
Western students in the gifted program had a fantastic day Friday at the National Museum of the United States Airforce to wrap up their unit on Aerospace Engineering!
Pike County K-6 Heart for Art students participated in a recycled art workshop with artist Eric Marlow. Mr. Marlow shared his artwork with them and led them to create their art with recycled materials. Thank you to the Ohio Arts Council for making this experience possible through their generous grant!
The Ross-Pike ESD has the following positions currently available for the 2025-2026 school year:
School Psychologist placed at Southeastern Local Schools
School Psychologist placed at Union-Scioto Local Schools
High School Classroom Aide placed at Eastern High School
Speech and Language Pathologist for Ross-Pike Districts
*Interested candidates should email Ed Dickens, Asst. Superintendent at edickens@rpesd.org
Congratulations 2025 Pike County Jr. High Quiz Bowl Winners!
1st Place: Eastern Jr. High coached by Erika Tuuri
2nd Place: Western Jr. High coached by Rebecca Fite
Congratulations to the winners of the 2025 High School Quiz Bowl Tournament!
First Place: Eastern High School coached by Kathy Osborne
Second Place: Waverly High School coached by Danielle Penrod
Congratulations to our 2025 Pike County Spelling Bee Winners!
1st Place: Zain Brigner (Eastern)
2nd Place: Isabelle Lapp (Piketon)
3rd Place: Mattylynn McKee (Eastern
Congratulations to our Ross County Spelling Bee Winners!
1st Place: Addison Hughes (Adena)
2nd Place: Allison Ashcraft (Adena)
3rd Place: Daniel Leachman (Zane Trace)
The Ross-Pike ESD is raising money for Autism resources for students in our districts through our annual T-Shirt fundraiser. Purchase yours today on the RPESD webstore or through a Ross-Pike ESD Supervisor.
Order and money for the shirt is due by March 13th.
Cost: $20.00
Sizes: Small- 5X available.
Last day to order: March 13th
www.rpesd.org
Congratulations to the Winners of the Pike County Quiz Bowl Tournament!
On Tuesday, March 4th, some of the brightest students in Pike County competed in the Pike County 6th grade Quiz Bowl Tournament, showcasing their knowledge, teamwork, and quick reflexes!
Waverly took home 1st place, led by their coach, Dawn Smith, and Eastern secured 2nd place, with coaching from Kim Brown, after five hard-fought rounds of competition!
Congratulations to all the students, coaches, and schools who participated. Your hard work and dedication made this an exciting and competitive event. Thank you to everyone who supported these outstanding students and helped make this tournament a success!
Today art educators and artists from Pike and Ross County gathered at the Pike ESD office to evaluate student portfolios for gifted identification! The artwork and discussions were amazing! Thank you to everyone who had a part in making this happen for our talented students!
Our talented Pike County gifted visual art students in grades 7-12 had an inspiring day in the studio, exploring the art of portraiture with the incredible visiting artist Miriam Baranov! This workshop was made possible through a grant from our friends at the Ohio Arts Council.
Under Miriam's guidance, students learned about proportion, expression, light, and shadow. Their creativity and hard work showed as they worked on their art with a live model. We also had some special guests from the Unioto gifted art program come and join us!
We’re so proud of our students and grateful to Miriam for sharing her expertise and passion. Thank you to the Pike CTC for allowing us to use your wonderful space today!
Ross Pike ESD is currently seeking individuals for paraprofessionals at Zane Trace and Pickaway Ross CTC. Interested applicants should contact Lynn Cowman at lcowman@rpesd.org for the Zane Trace position and Tricia Crawford at tcrawford@rpesd.org for the CTC position.
We will be closed Wednesday, January 8, 2025
The Ross-Pike ESD offices will be closed Tuesday, January 7, 2025
Our offices will be closed tomorrow, January 6, 2025.
The Ross-Pike ESD is proud to announce that our preschool program at Pickaway-Ross CTC has achieved a Gold Rating for Step Up To Quality from the Ohio Department of Children & Youth! We are now rated Gold at all 9 of our preschool locations.
