Hillsdale Board President Earns Prestigious Master Board Member Recognition

JEROMESVILLE, Ohio — Hillsdale Board of Education President Mrs. Vella King has been recognized by the Ohio School Boards Association (OSBA) as a Master Board Member, one of the highest honors for board service in the state.

Mrs. King is one of just 18 board members across Ohio, including seven in the OSBA Northeast region, to earn the distinction this year. The region includes approximately 1,100 school board members, with nearly 3,500 serving statewide.

She was formally recognized at a Hillsdale Board of Education meeting earlier this spring by Mr. Reno Contipelli, OSBA Northeast Regional Manager, and again at the Northeast Region Spring Conference.

Through her commitment to professional development and service, Mrs. King continues to exemplify the values of leadership, collaboration, and lifelong learning that guide Hillsdale Local Schools.

This recognition is awarded to board members who complete all four components of OSBA’s STAR Awards — Service, Training, Aptitude, and Recognition — within three years. Once achieved, the Master Board Member distinction can be maintained through ongoing training, service, or by retaking the aptitude test every three years.

Mrs. King's journey toward this honor began in 2023, when she began completion of the STAR Award components, earning the Service award in the fall of 2023, the Training award in the spring of 2024, and the Aptitude and Recognition awards in the fall of 2024. Fewer than 50 board members statewide achieved all four STAR categories in 2024.