Hilliard Station Cougars Admin Spotlight - Week #3

Welcome to week #3 of our HCSD Middle Level Team Spotlight Series! This week we have the great opportunity to turn our attention to the powerhouse team at Hillard Station 6th Grade Building; Mr. Kevin Buchman and Mr. Jacob Grantier! 

Hilliard Station Cougars

Mr. Kevin Buchman

Mr. Buchman is entering his 27th year in education. He started teaching in the fall of 1989 in Perry Local Schools as a fifth grade teacher. Mr. Buchman piloted Perry's inclusion classroom starting in 1993. Upon the school becoming departmentalized he began to focus on LA, SS and SC.  After 17 years of fifth grade, Mr. Buchman became a 6th grade teacher where he taught SS and SC. Two years later Mr. Buchman became an Administrative Intern at Perry Middle School.  The following year, he was hired by Hilliard as an assistant principal at Weaver Middle School.  Since coming to Hilliard, he has been an assistant principal, coordinator of curriculum and instruction K-12 and a principal.

Mr. Buchman earned his undergraduate degree from Heidelberg University and then moved on to Kent State where he earned his Master’s Degree. When asked "why" he become an administrator, Mr. Buchman stated that he "wanted to not only enhance a child's educational experience, but all stake-holders experience.  I love helping people grow personally and professionally". Mr. Buchman's motto is: "Life is what you make it, always has been, always will be". Mr. Buchman hopes to create a school-wide program this year where Station focuses on the needs of the "whole child" through a new Advisor/Advisee Program within the confines of a positive learning environment.

Outside of school Mr. Buchman enjoys spending time with his family. He comes from a family of educators and administrators at the public and collegiate level.  His daughter, Natalie, is a freshman at Dublin Coffman HS and his son, Nathan, is a sixth grade at Sells MS. He also enjoys being at the lake, gardening, cooking and DYI projects. Mr. Buchman is a college sports fan and enjoys cheering for OSU and Duke while eating chicken wings!

Mr. Jacob  Grantier

Mr. Grantier is in his first year as part of the leadership team at Hilliard Station and his seventh year as an educator all within the Hilliard City School District. When Mr. Grantier entered college he intended to go to medical school after completing his undergraduate degree. However, as both of his parents were lifelong educators (his mother was an English teacher and his dad was a history teacher, principal, and superintendent) and after serving in a number of roles that involved teaching others (lifeguarding, teaching assistant, service trip to Africa) and his realization that medicine was not for him, he enrolled in a graduate program and licensure program in education. He spent three years in the classroom teaching online science, chemistry, and biology at Darby High School and then served as the district's secondary instructional coach for science through which he worked to influence best practices and professional development. His deep work as lead to his passion of promoting mastery learning, standards-referenced grading practices, instructional design, and high-quality assessment opportunities.

Mr. Grantier attend University of Rochester where earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Microbiology and Immunology. He the earned his Masters of Science from the University of Rochester in Adolescent Science Education. Mr. Grantier then attend Miami University and earned his M.Ed. in School Leadership.

 When asked his “why” for becoming an administrator Mr. Grantier stated: “I want to positively impact the experiences of all students, teachers, and parents, promote the benefits of public education, work to improve how we do business by aligning practice to education research and theory, and be the source of contagious positive energy that can motivate others to lifelong learning and the desire to be civically-minded members of an altruistic global society”. Mr. Grantier hopes to be a source of positive contagious energy at Station and model for our teachers and students that you can't take a day off.

Outside of school Mr. Grantier enjoys spending time with his family. He and his wife, Cara met at the University of Rochester. They have been married and have lived in Columbus since 2010. They have a dog, Lola, and enjoy spending time downtown and traveling. Cara just finished her Masters of Science in Nursing at THE Ohio State University and will start work at the James Cancer Hospital in September. She also teachers Pure Barre part time in Dublin. They currently live in Powell.

Mr. Grantier also enjoys reading (mostly nonfiction, but my favorite books are To Kill a Mockingbird and anything by Charles Dickens), working out (running and cycling), music (playing the piano and performing with the Columbus Symphony Chorus) spending time outside and with friends, and traveling. Mr. Grantier appreciates the opportunities to have conversations with colleagues that push my thinking and make me think and work deeply to grow my understandings.

Mr. Grantier loves to cheer on his favorite collegiate and professional teams which include: THE Ohio State University, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants!