Millersburg council honors Millersburg School with proclamation

On May 27 Millersburg Mayor Kelly Hoffee, many of the members of Millersburg Village Council and West Holmes Schools Superintendent Eric Jurkovic visited the student body at Millersburg Elementary and the staff to present a proclamation honoring the school for its decades of serving the village.

Hoffee read the proclamation to the students and staff and spoke briefly about her role as mayor and what the village council does for the village, making it not only a historic moment, but also an educational one for the children.

The actual presentation of the proclamation was done later that evening at the village council meeting, where longtime Millersburg teacher Debbie Thern and Kim Miller were invited to accept the proclamation on behalf of the school.

“It’s historic, fun and a little bit sad,” Hoffee said. “It has been the pinnacle on top of the hill, and we aren’t quite sure what will be the next step here for the school, but we wanted to make sure we honored the school with a proclamation for the many years it’s been an important part of our community.”

Before presenting the proclamation to the students, Hoffee talked about her role in leading the village’s council meetings, noting she and the village council members work hard to solve the village’s problems.

She also said far into the future, the children will tell their children and grandchildren they attended school in Millersburg, and their children will ask where the school was.

“I know people who can say, ‘I went to Big Prairie High School’ or “I was in the first class of West Holmes High School.’ This is a very historic moment because you’re the last students to attend Millersburg Elementary,” Hoffee said. “Someday you’re going to look back and think about how you were the last classes to attend school here.”

She said because of that, village council wanted to properly commemorate that moment, and the proclamation will eventually hang in the Millersburg wing of the new elementary school on the high school campus.

The proclamation says Millersburg School has stood the test of time for more than a century, exemplifying a place of learning, growth and community, first serving as Millersburg High School before becoming a junior high and elementary school and finally simply the elementary school.

The proclamation said throughout that time, “continuing its legacy as an educational cornerstone for the children of our community. Whereas for generations, Millersburg Elementary School has provided not only academic instruction, but also a safe, nurturing environment where young minds were encouraged to grow, friendships were formed and lifelong memories were created. Whereas the dedicated teachers, administrators, support staff and volunteers of Millersburg School have given of themselves tirelessly, shaping the lives of countless students and contributing immeasurably to the strength and character of our community.”

Thern and Miller, the school’s longest-serving educators, were invited to the village council meeting to formally accept the proclamation. Both said they were saddened to see the elementary school end because it had been such a large part of their lives.

Miller has been there for over 30 years, having done her student teaching at the school before becoming a first grade teacher.

Thern has taught for 37 years, and she also has created many cherished memories of her days at the school.

Thern said the proclamation validates all the work and effort the staff has put in over the years and the important role the school played for decades in the village.

“We’ve given our hearts to the community and nurtured the children, and it’s nice to be recognized for that,” Thern said.

“I’ll miss the closeness of the staff and the themes we had throughout the years,” Miller said. “I hope we find a way to continue some of those traditions.”

Events like the all-school Halloween Parade and Antique Festival Day, Park Day, and many other special events littered each school year.

“One thing that won’t change is that we’re all here for the children,” Miller said.

While the school may soon be transformed into something new, the memories of what it meant to the community will live on through the proclamation.