Principal's Message

November 17th, 2025

The first few weeks of November were incredibly exciting, busy, and truly flew by! As the excitement of the holiday season dawns, the pace certainly won't be slowing down as we head toward winter break.

I want to sincerely thank everyone for all the community support for all the amazing things our students are accomplishing. It means so much to our staff and students!

To help us all to successfully navigate these final busy weeks, below are the most important dates and details to help us plan.

GoMustangs! GoAmazons! GoMadeira!

Important Dates and Events for November and December

November

20th - Family Fun Night

20th - Sophomore Visit to Live Oaks 12-2pm

21st - Sophomore Visit to Scarlet Oaks 8:45-11:15am

26th-28th Thanksgiving Break!

December

9th - Holiday Choir Concert in Auditorium at 7pm

11th - Holiday Band Concert in Auditorium at 7pm

8th - 12th - Holiday Spirit Week

12th - Senior Polar Express Pajama Day and Movie Event

16th - 19th - EXAM DAYS

19th - End of 3rd Quarter and First Semester

Dec 22nd - Jan 4th - WINTER BREAK!

STUDENTSPOTLIGHTS

MHS Students of the Month - October

9th Grade - Blake Zieverink

Blake has earned the Student of the Month title for his outstanding academic performance and consistently positive attitude both in and out of the classroom. Known for his strong work ethic and dedication, Blake not only consistently excels in all his subjects but also serves as a great example for his peers. His teamwork and determination shine equally brightly as an active member of the school's basketball team. Congratulations, Blake, on this well-deserved honor!

10th Grade - Wyatt Swarts

Wyatt is recognized as Student of the Month for embodying what every student should strive to be. He achieves amazing things in the classroom and beyond, proving his commitment to a well-rounded high school experience. Wyatt is an active participant in the Marching Mustangs, the Millionaires Club, and the Chess Club, and he plans to compete in bowling this winter and tennis in the spring. Congratulations, Wyatt; keep setting that high bar!

11th Grade - Noah Jones

Noah Jones has been named Student of the Month, excelling both in the classroom and in extracurricular activities. He is deeply involved in school clubs, including the Latin Club and the Music and Movies Club. On the field, Noah was the center on the offensive line, helping propel the football team to their four wins this season. Congratulations, Noah, on your success as a dedicated student and amazing athlete!

12th Grade - Grace Kellett

Grace Kellett is a truly stellar student leader and athlete, earning her the Student of the Month recognition. As a member of Student Government and the Key Club Publicist, she has been instrumental in coordinating and communicating many school and club-wide events. A phenomenal athlete, Grace led the Amazon Golf team to 2nd place at the Division Two State Championship and is poised to propel the Amazon basketball team to another deep playoff run. Wherever Grace goes, she is always spreading positivity and putting smiles on the face of others. Keep up the amazing work, Grace!

Please Welcome Jennifer Seitz to MHS!

Mrs. Seitz will join our front office team on Monday, December 1st. She will be replacing Beth Shelander who will officially retire on December 19th.

Mrs. Seitz brings a wealth of experience to Madeira, having worked in both the corporate and public sectors in a variety of important roles. Her background includes extensive work in finance, human resources, and customer service. Mrs. Sietz, a graduate of Nazareth University, previously served the Mason City Schools community and, most recently, was with Mitsubishi Motors.

Mrs. Sietz was Board of Education approved last Monday and is incredibly excited to officially be a part of the Madeira team! Please join us in extending a warm welcome to Mrs. Seitz.

MHS and District Family Fun Night

Our next Family Fun Night is Thursday, November 20th. Please be sure to mark your calendars!

New State Attendance Laws - Important!

We want to make families aware that this year the state has changed its attendance laws, which means families will be receiving earlier notifications about their child’s absences. These new laws treat all time missed from school, whether excused or unexcused, the same. The state requires that we reach out with a first notification when your child has missed 5% of their total required hours, which equates to 45 hours of school, or roughly seven days. If your child continues to miss time away from school, additional communication may be required per Ohio law, including an additional letter, phone call, or meeting with school administration.

We know that students sometimes need to miss school, but regular attendance is key to their success. We ask for your understanding as we navigate these new rules. We'll work to keep you informed whenever your child's absences meet a notification threshold, and partner together to make sure our student attendance remains strong in Madeira.

LinkedUp Connect Update

Attention Mustangs and Amazons in Grades 10–12!

Student LinkED Up Connect accounts are now active and ready for students to complete their profile! Instructions to complete profile were sent to student emails.

The Competition is On!

From Monday, November 17th through Friday, December 19th, the class with the highest percentage of completed profiles wins an:

Italianette Pizza Lunch, and
Donut Breakfast

The challenge ends before winter break—log in and complete your profile NOW!

What's Next? Finding Opportunities!

Once students complete their profile, they can immediately begin searching for valuable career related events and internships. Remember, this platform puts students in direct contact with Greater Cincinnati area businesses and organizations offering a number of opportunities!

New opportunities are added regularly!
More will arrive in early 2026!
Some are paid!

Instructions on how to search within LinkEd Up Connect were sent to student emails.

Banana Bunch Night!

The annual Banana Bunch game is this Friday, December 5th, when the Mustangs and Amazons take on the Finneytown Wildcats at 6:00pm and 7:30pm. Students should wear their Banana Bunch shirts to have a chance to win AirPod Pro's that have been generously donated. Everyone should come out and cheer the Mustangs and Amazons to victory! Go Stangs! Go Zons!

December Holiday Dress-Up Week!

December 8th - 12th

Students and staff are invited to celebrate the holiday season during this week with the following themed dress-up days!

Monday, Dec 8th - Holiday Colors

Wear your best reds, greens, silvers, and golds!

Tuesday, Dec 9th - Holiday Headwear and/or Socks

Hats, antlers, caps, or festive socks!

Wednesday, Dec 10th - Flannel Day

Cozy up in your favorite flannel or plaid.

Thursday Dec 11th - Holiday Sweater Day!

Ugly, sparkly, or just plain festive.

Friday Dec 12th - Holiday PJ Day!

Roll out of bed and into school in your festive pajamas!

MHS Exams

Exams this year will be December 16th - 19th. There will be two exams per day and school will dismiss early on the following schedule

Dec 16th - 1st and 2nd period exams - dismissal at 1:30pm

Dec 17th - 3rd and 4th period exams - dismissal at 1:30pm

Dec 18th - 5th and 6th period exams - dismissal at 1:30pm

Dec 19th - 7th period exam and make-up exam period - dismissal at 11:00am

Students will receive their exam forms the week of December 8th. The form must be completed and signed off by a parent by Friday, December 12th. The form will have more detailed information about review sessions and attendance.

Make-Up Exam Policy:

If a student misses an exam for an excused absence, they may arrange a make-up time with the teacher later in the week (study hall or after dismissal), including the Friday make-up exam period .
Important: Students are not permitted to take exams early.
Any exams missed for excused absences that are not completed during Exam Week will be made up when school resumes after winter break, during designated times (both during and after school).

Report Cards

The second quarter and first semester ends on Friday, December 19th. We will mail report cards on Tuesday, January 13th.

ACT Prep Course at MHS!

Madeira High School has once again parterned with LEAP to provide a ACT Prep Course at MHS. For more information and details on registration, please visit the registration link and select Section S (Madeira HS). Also check out the attached flyer!

Madeira High School will administer the ACT for all juniors on Tuesday, March 10th, 2025.

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Madera Helping Hands

As a service to the students and families of our community, the Helping Hands program is intended to facilitate Madeira’s ability to provide support for those of us in need through the school year. We understand that hardships can arise unexpectedly, and we know that there are many people in our town that very much want to help. Helping Hands is an effort to make the connections that help our community be a better place.

We are now accepting gift cards for help our families for Christmas. We are asking that the value of each gift card not exceed increments of $50. The district-wide gift card collection will continue through December 10th, 2025. Donations can be dropped off to any school building, or sent in with your student in an envelope addressed to a school counselor. While all gift cards are accepted and appreciated, we are requesting gift cards from the following places:

Kroger

Target

Walmart

Amazon

Together, we are all Madeira Strong!

If you are in need of support, please contact any of the following school counselors:

Madeira Elementary School:

Emory Bergdoll (3rd-5th grades) 513-587-0008

Christin Bohrofen (Kindergarten-2nd grades) 513-985-6080 #4141

Madeira Middle School:

Julia Cabral 513-924-3817

Madeira High School:

Natalie Uihlein (A-F) 513-924-3729

Kristen Duffey (G-N) 513-924-3726

Kim Homer (O-Z) 513-924-3727

Melissa Tatum (Administrative Assistant) 513-587-0012

Wellness Reminder

If your student contacts you from school indicating they are not feeling well, please have them visit the nurse/clinic first. The nurse can then contact you with your student to decide next steps. This is extremely helpful to our office staff and allows us to properly assess the wellness of the student. Thanks!

School Fees

If you have not yet paid or set up a payment plan for school fees, please do so. MHS school and course fees can be paid via PaySchools. If you have questions or need assistance with paying fees, please call Mrs. Shelander in the main office at 513-891-8222.