About Us
"The mission of the Covington Schools is to provide an excellent educational foundation that prepares our students to become productive and responsible citizens."
Vision
A. Our vision for Covington students is to have respect for each other and adults. They will continue to be active thinkers, problem solvers, as well as demonstrate positive social responsibility. The academic needs of all students will be adequately addressed within the school environment.
B. Our vision for Covington staff is to continue to develop as professionals and to incorporate and facilitate the needed changes in a technological society.
C. Our vision for the Covington community is to continue to develop a partnership involving schools, families, and local organizations.
Belief Statements
We believe:
A. that quality education and the strength of Covington require effective communications between students, family, school, and community;
B. that each student is a unique individual deserving of positive educational experiences;
C. that essential factors for learning involve a positive attitude and self image from students, staff, and parents;
D. learning is a life-long process;
E. students must be provided skills necessary to be successful in higher/additional education or the work force;
F. that the educational program should challenge students of all ability levels;
G. in a system that emphasizes basics, recognizes the need for change, and encourages improvements;
H. that we must be committed to excellence in education;
I. actions of the school system must reflect these beliefs.
Our History
The Covington Exempted Village School District is organized under Article VI, Sections 2 and 3 of the Constitution of the State of Ohio. The District operates under a locally-elected Board form of government consisting of five members elected at-large for staggered four year terms. The District provides educational services as authorized by State statute and federal guidelines.
The District was established in 1837 through the consolidation of existing land areas and school districts. The District serves an area of approximately 35 square miles. It is located in Miami County, and includes all of the village of Covington and Newberry, Newton and Washington Townships. The District is staffed by 48 non-certificated employees, and 64 certificated full-time teaching personnel who provide services to approximately 850 students and other community members. The District currently operates three instructional/support buildings.
Additional History
In 1956, the current Elementary School building saw its first classes, and housed the equivalent of today’s elementary and middle school students. The 1897 school building (at Wright and Wall streets) was demolished.
In 1974, the current High School officially opened its doors to students. Middle School students were moved from the Elementary School to the old High School building on Grant street.
In 2016, the district completed construction of a new K8 building located to the east of the existing High School (built in 1974). In compliance with Ohio Facilities Construction Commission requirements, the district demolished the Elementary building (from 1956) and the Middle School building (from 1931). For an entire school year, the district operated this new K8 facility separate from the High School building. Then in 2017, the district completed the construction of a new corridor and Board Office connecting the two buildings together to form one inter-connected campus.
An Excerpt from Historical Highlights of the Village of Covington, Ohio With 1953 Business Directory
By Ralph and James Boggs
Presented here with the permission of Betty Boggs, widow of Ralph Boggs; Modified December 2010 (Modernized)
Newberry Township had not been long settled when the need was felt for an educational system. The first house for this purpose was erected at a spot which is now half way between route 36 and the Highland cemetery, on the west side of the road. It was built in 1815 or 1816 and did not long remain. The second school house was built about 1819 a half-mile farther north on the east side of the road (Highland Cemetery) and remained long in use. The first teacher in the house was Andrew Ballard. In other parts of the township school was held in dwelling and vacant cabins, one being the Trotters Creek settlement where John Barbour and Benjamin Dunham taught. In 1824 an acre of ground was deeded to Newberry Township on whicn was built a hewed-log school house. The first teacher in this building was William Dowler who taught for several years; other early teachers were James Perry and Moses Mitchell. As the population increased we find the township divided into districts each having its brick school house and an acre of ground for recreation. This system prevailed until 1931 when the last building was abandoned for the centralized system. The buildings were sold at auction, some being used for dwellings, storage, etc. One, No. 7 was sold to the American Legion for a meeting house.
1837 saw the first school house erected in the confines of Covington which was a frame structure built on the southwest corner of Main and Spring Streets. The population of the town increased rapidly and a few years later larger quarters were needed to conduct classes. The frame school was sold and a new two story building was built on the southeast corner of Spring and Pearl Streets’ (now Fort Rowdy Museum). John and Ezekiel Ainsworth were the first teachers here.
The inadequate quarters and scattered situations of the schools compelled the Board of Education to build (in 1867-1868) a three story brick house at Wright and Wall streets. It contained 10 school rooms and a large hall and was built at a cost of $10,000. The Board of Education at that time was J. C. Ullery, Isaac Shirtzer, Hamilton Bartmess, Lewis Leonard, M. R. Shellabarger and Michael Bashore. In November of 1868 Supt. R. F. Bennett, with his four teachers, moved into this splendid building and the next year the sixth teacher was added. Two years later the Covington Schools graduated nine members. This first graduating class was composed of: Ermina Cable (Mrs. H. H. Bear), Belle Routson (Mrs. J. T. Bartmess), Belle Quinter (Mrs. Rev. Myers), Hattie Billingsley (Mrs. Robert Harwood), Angie Harrison (Mrs. B. F. Rhodehamel), A. F. Hickman, J. W. Reisner, A. L. Marlin and R. W. Himes.
By 1890 the population had increased to 1,779 and R. F. Bennett was school superintendent and R. W. Himes was principal. Teachers were Z. L. Ramsey, Bella Dorsey, Agnes Flammer, Lola Fahnestock, Effie Kinney, Meda Westfall and Kate Marlin The school board was Jacob Kendall, A. S. Rosenbarger, J. R. Shuman, M. Maier, C. Finfrock and A. C. Hall.
On January 15, 1896 it was decided by a vote of the people to build a new school house in place of the one existing which had been condemned (at Wright and Wall streets). The old building was torn down and the grounds prepared for the erection of the new structure. The schools first entered this building on January, 18, 1897.
From this period on, the village grew rapidly and as the population increased, the town expanded with it. In 1931 a new high school building was erected and equipped at a cost of $140,000, a sum which was stretched to the limit and necessitated buying secondhand equipment such as the present seats in the gymnasium which were taken from May’s Opera House in Piqua. Once again the schools were inadequate, absorbing 839 pupils, 439 being transported from rural districts by six school buses. The administrative and teaching staff totaled 29 and in 1952 the cost of administration was $175,135.41. The schools were governed by the Board of Education, a 5 member body, duly elected to serve terms of four years at a compensation of $3.00 per meeting, not to exceed 12 meetings a year. Board members were: Helen Etter, clerk, Leslie Zimmerman, William Trembly, Kermit Stade, and Clarence Millhouse. J. L. Baker was Superintendent of schools, and Louis Apwisch, principal.