Huber Ridge Area

Huber Ridge opened its doors to students in September of 1964.

Students, staff and administrators will gather in the gymnasium for an assembly at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, November 14 to celebrate Huber Ridge Elementary School’s 50^th anniversary.  Different grade levels have been responsible for researching big events and trends that took place during the five decades the school has been in existence and they will present their findings through PowerPoint presentations and music.  The children will also be dressed to reflect the decade they studied.  The community will be included in upcoming celebratory events that will take place throughout the remainder of the school year.

Huber Ridge Elementary marked its humble beginnings in 1962-63 in three houses on Cairo Road that were donated to the school district.  Classes were taught in the living room and bedrooms of the homes, and part time principal Stanley Bahorek was in charge.  There was no secretary, phone, lunch room, library, playground, ditto machine, or movie projector.  During the first year a phone was installed in one of the rooms.  A grand total of $50 was allotted for both kindergarten classes, so broken crayons were collected for use by the students and scraps of wood from a local building project were sanded and used for blocks.

Eventually land for a school building was donated by the Huber Development Company and a school building was constructed at 5757 Buenos Aires Boulevard.  Huber Ridge Elementary School opened in September of 1964, under the direction of Principal Jack “Chip” Geckeler.  The original building had 12 rooms.  In 1967, six classrooms were added, along with a multi-purpose room, library and cafeteria. 

Today the building houses approximately 540 students who enjoy high tech learning from skilled and passionate educators.  Huber Ridge was one of only 37 schools in the entire state recently named by the Ohio Department of Education as a High Progress School of Honor.  To receive this honor, a building must first be a Title 1 or Title 1-eligible school with at least 40 percent of its students eligible for free and reduced-price meals.  In addition, these schools must rank in the top 10 percent for gains in proficiency.  Finally, High Progress Schools of Honor must have an Annual Measurable Objectives grade of C or higher and have met or exceeded Ohio’s value-added measure for the last three years. 

In January, the Westerville City Schools Board of Education presented the school with a Certificate of Commendation saying Huber Ridge was “an outstanding example of what is possible when students, educators, parents and community members work together believing that all students can succeed.”