District Newsletter: 01/22/2026

Hiring of New Athletic Director

District Seeks Input and Volunteers for Hiring Process

With the pending retirement of Eli Goldberger this school year, Bexley Schools posted the athletic director’s position yesterday and the district invites community participation in finding Bexley’s next leader of the athletic department.

We welcome input from families, faculty, and staff on the characteristics, questions, and priorities for this position. We also need volunteers to help review candidate materials (resume review) and/or participate during in-person interviews.

Please use our online form to share your thoughts on the athletic director position, as well as your interest in participating in the review and/or interview processes. We will close this input form on Thursday, Jan. 29, at 6 p.m. Please respond before then.

Athletic Director Hiring: Input & Volunteer Form

High School Musical Urinetown Takes the Stage Feb. 5-7

Don’t miss the high school production of the musical Urinetown, on Feb. 5-7!

Students will present four performances in the Schottenstein Theatre:

Thursday, Feb. 5 at 7 p.m.; Friday, Feb. 6 at 7:30 p.m.; and Saturday, Feb. 7 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the door and online.

The Story: In a Gotham-like city, a terrible water shortage, caused by a 20-year drought, has led to a government-enforced ban on private toilets. The citizens must use public amenities, regulated by a single malevolent company that profits by charging admission for one of humanity's most basic needs. Amid the people, a hero decides that he’s had enough and plans a revolution to lead them all to freedom!

The production review says, “Winner of three Tony Awards, three Outer Critics Circle Awards, two Lucille Lortel Awards and two Obie Awards, Urinetown is a hilarious musical satire of the legal system, capitalism, social irresponsibility, populism, environmental collapse, privatization of natural resources, bureaucracy, municipal politics, and musical theatre itself! Hilariously funny and touchingly honest, Urinetown provides a fresh perspective on one of America’s greatest art forms.

“Inspired by the works of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill, Urinetown is an irreverently humorous satire in which no one is safe from scrutiny. Praised for reinvigorating the very notion of what a musical could be, Urinetown catapults the “comedic romp” into the new millennium with its outrageous perspective, wickedly modern wit and sustained ability to produce gales of unbridled laughter.”

Get Your Tickets Now

Bexley Education Foundation to Host ‘A Spirited Evening’ in February

The Bexley Education Foundation will host “A Spirited Evening” on Saturday, Feb. 28, at the Middle West Spirits Office located at 1165 Alum Creek Drive.

Guests will enjoy building Jenga towers with the blocks personalized by students from each of the elementary schools during the event and the three Jenga games will be raffled off.

“A Spirited Evening” will feature tasty savory and sweet treats, live music, a make-your-own bouquet at the Bloom Bar and silent-auction shopping. The silent auction is filled with a variety of interesting items and fun experiences for adults, children and families.

The silent auction opens for bidding on Feb. 13. You do not have to attend the event to bid on auction items but you must register a credit card at auctria.events/aspiritedevening to participate in the auction.

Event sponsorships range from $500 to $5,000 and tickets are $150 per person and are now available for purchase online (please note that space is limited at Middle West). For questions about event sponsorships, tickets and/or how to donate an item to the silent auction, contact Allison Simons at allison.simons@bexley.us or call (614) 338-2093.

Proceeds from the event support Foundation grant-funded projects and programs to elevate the educational experience for Bexley students of all ages and grade levels across the school district. 

> Read the latest news from the Bexley Education Foundation in its January newsletter.

Bexley Middle School Crowns New Spelling Bee Champion for 2026

Congratulations to 6th grader Henry Heckler, Bexley Middle School’s 2026 Spelling Bee champion!

Henry’s championship performance spanned 10 rounds. His championship word was swaggering.

Thirteen spellers took part in the two-day event, with Asher Zelkowicz finishing in second place.

Henry will take an online test to try to qualify for the Columbus Blue Jackets Regional Spelling Bee. 

Pictured: 6th graders Henry Heckler and Asher Zelkowicz

He also won a free one-year membership to Britannica Online for Kids.

Well done, Henry and Asher! And congratulations to all of the students who qualified for the event!

Submit Your Favorite Recipes to Project Feeding Bexley

Student Project to Share Community Culture, Support Local Food Collective

High School students Abbie Keenan and Ellie Ramsey are working together on a project called Project Feeding Bexley. As part of their work in the high school’s Global Scholars program, the students are assembling a community cookbook filled with local recipes, stories and cultures and will share them across Bexley!

The Feeding Bexley community cookbook will be available for purchase later in the Spring for $5 per book. The students will donate all proceeds to the Mid-Ohio Food Collective.

Support our students’ community effort! Submit your favorite recipe online. The deadline to submit recipes is Wednesday, Feb. 18.

BE A CHAMPION

Middle School Staff Member Recognized as ‘Champion’

Congratulations to Middle School Librarian Rachel Riegler, the district’s latest Champion!

Ms. Riegler was recognized for supporting and promoting students’ ability to Learn with Curiosity, the first pillar of the district’s mission. She was nominated by a colleague, who had asked for Ms. Riegler’s assistance on a class project. 

The nomination stated, “I was impressed with her knowledge of how to guide the students in this work, her ability to support and help all students and her rapport with students. She does not teach class daily to any of them, however the students all know, respect and feel very comfortable working with her. I loved seeing her in this capacity and appreciate what she offers to us at BMS.”

Way to BE Ms. Riegler! And thank you to the middle school students who participated in her Be a Champion recognition!

Bexley Students to Take Part in Team Tressel Fitness Challenge

The second round of Ohio’s Team Tressel Fitness Challenge begins Feb. 2, and all Bexley elementary schools and Bexley Middle school will take part in the new and improved 30-day challenge to help students take ownership of their health by setting goals, tracking progress, and forming daily habits around fitness, nutrition, and sleep.

This challenge aims to encourage kids to implement small changes and healthy habits one

day at a time. The activities will be student-led and designed to build self-discipline and confidence; flexible and wide-ranging, with activities that work for every ability level; and built to last, with future challenges planned.

All students in grades 3-8 will receive a Challenge workbook on Monday, Jan. 26. Students can write their goals and track progress in this workbook. We encourage family members to join in and help your student reach for gold!

Join the fun and support our students as they become healthier students. If you have questions, reach out to your school’s PE teacher!

Important Dates

TONIGHT! Jan. 22 (Thurs.) – Diverse Learning PTO Meeting, 6:30 p.m., High School Library & by Zoom

Jan. 23 (Fri.) – Cassingham PTO Meeting, 8:35 a.m.; check in at office

Jan. 25 (Sun.) – Bexley New Resident Open House, 2-4 p.m., Jeffrey Mansion

Jan. 26 (Mon.) – Maryland Family Library Night, 6-8 p.m., Bexley Public Library

Jan. 27 (Tues.) – High School Band/Jazz Band Dinner Concert, 6:30 p.m., Valleydale Ballroom

Jan. 27 (Tues.) – Maryland PTO Monthly Meeting, 7 p.m., School Library

Jan. 29 (Thur.) – Montrose Family Library Night, 5-7 p.m., Bexley Public Library

Feb. 2 (Mon.) – Elementary Read-a-thon Kicks Off

Feb. 2 (Mon.) – Cassingham Family Library Night, 5-7 p.m., Bexley Public Library

Feb. 4 (Wed.) – Middle School PTO Meeting, 7 p.m., School Library

Feb. 5 (Thurs.) – High School Musical Urinetown, 7 p.m., Schottenstein Theatre; Tickets

Feb. 6 (Fri.) – High School Musical Urinetown, 7:30 p.m., Schottenstein Theatre; Tickets

Feb. 7 (Sat.) – High School Musical Urinetown, 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m., Schottenstein Theatre; Tickets

Feb. 8 (Sun.) – High School Chorale “Cupid Cabaret,” 5:30 p.m., Jeffrey Mansion Carriage House

Feb. 9 (Mon.) – High School One-Act Play Auditions, 5:30 p.m., Dargusch Theatre; Audition Form