RCS receives $82K donation for band uniforms

Richmond Community Schools’ board has celebrated a nearly $82,000 donation for band uniforms and approved a 2025-2026 calendar. 

At its Nov. 25 meeting, trustees unanimously approved $93,098.90 in donations, including Debra Edelman’s $81,800 gift for Richmond High School band uniforms. While expressing gratitude for all donations, John Weber called Edelman’s contribution “spectacular.”

Several donations were given in memory of Scott Studebaker for RHS’ automotive program, and Merchants Bank of Indiana gave $2,500 to RHS’ choir.

Calendar

Ninth graders’ first day of school is Aug. 5; all students will attend Aug. 6. Students won’t attend Oct. 2 when parent-teacher conferences are planned. Breaks are Oct. 20-24, Nov. 26-28, Dec. 22-Jan. 2 and March 30-April 3. Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Presidents Day could be makeup days if needed. Students’ last day will be May 21. Graduation is May 31. 

Retirement

As part of its personnel updates, the board approved the retirement of RHS Associate Principal Rusty Hensley, effective Jan. 31.

Hensley has worked in education for nearly 35 years. He is RHS’ director of career education. Richmond Area Career Center serves hundreds of students from RHS, Northeastern and Randolph Southern.

Hensley received Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce’s Educator of the Year award in 2012. 

In other business

• Kristen Jones, who teaches English language learners at Starr and Charles and elementary students, described two events recently attended by about 40 Spanish-speaking families. RCS’ ELL staff, elearning specialists and technology department offered the events at Vaile and Starr to help them sign up for the ParentSquare app and learn how to use it. 
• The board approved a memorandum of understanding between Richmond Education Association and RCS regarding payments to health savings accounts for high-deductible health plans. 
• Board member Nicole Stults asked if industrial arts and home economics classes would be offered at some point. That discussion will be revisited after the strategic planning process. 
• The board approved the Test Intermediate School roof replacement contract with Freedom Roofing for $1,654,608.40. 
• The third and fourth grade Boston Run champions, middle school state qualifying cross-country team, and RHS all-conference and regional qualifiers were celebrated. 
• One business meeting is being conducted in December (Dec. 11).