By: Rebecca Miller
As many Village Councils, Health Departments, businesses and other schools have taken to technology to hold their much needed business meetings, so too Wauseon School Board joined together on a Teleconference on Monday evening, April 13, 2020. President Sandy Griggs called the meeting to order and invited everyone to join in The Pledge of Allegiance.
Present on the call were Board members Stacy Radabaugh, Amy Fisher, Rick Stidham, Mrs. Griggs and Larry Fruth along with Superintendent Troy Armstrong and principals Keith Leatherman and Blake Young. Approved at the beginning of the meeting were the minutes as presented, the bills, financial reports and investments as presented and the following donations, with gratitude:
- $100.00 from William and Marlo Hanak for the Joseph E. Sevenich Scholarship Fund
- $200.00 from Mark Eddings with The Lions Club for the After School Snack Program
- $100.00 from Wauseon Lodge No. 349 for the After School Snack Program
- $149.51 from Christ United Methodist Church for the After School Snack Program
- $200.00 from Robinson Gibbs American Legion Auxiliary Unit 265 to the WHS
Cheerleaders - $564.00 Anonymous donation for the Girls Basketball Admission Fees
- $250.00 from Worthington Industries for After School Snack Program
- $25.00 from Black Swamp Arts Council for WEVS Art Show
- $1,000.00 from The Greg and Sherry Suon Charitable Fund of InFaith Community
Foundation for the Food Pantry - $100.00 (grocery value) from The Lions club for the Food Pantry
- Canned goods donation from JB Stevens and from the Fulton County Farm Bureau for the Food Pantry
- $224.00 grocery donation from The Lions Club for the WES Food Pantry
- $600.00 grocery donation from St. Caspar Knights of Columbus for the WES Food Pantry
- Allen Huelskamp for organizing, shopping, and delivering groceries for WES Food Pantry
- Wauseon Rotary Club for partnering with Phil and Lisa Aeschliman to donate 225 pounds
of ground beef, Hamburger Helper, and taco shells to WES Food Pantry - $75.00 from Wauseon Machine for the After School Snack Program
- Apple Slices (5 boxes/100 per box) from the Fulton County Senior Center to help support student lunches going out on our time off
- $500 from Paul and Shirley Colon for the WES Food Pantry
- Donation of ham, venison, cereal and other various food items from FISH Pantry to the
WES Food Pantry - Donation of food items from Rick and Deb Gleckler for the WES Food Pantry
- $200.00 from Harold Jr. and Connie Bailey to the WES Food Pantry
Treasurer Dave Fleming made recommendations which were all approved by the Board which included:
- Modifications and supplemental modifications to the Fiscal Year 2020 Permanent Appropriations
- Modifications and supplemental modifications to the FY20 Certificate of Estimated Resources
- Then and now certificates for three bills
- Allowing the following adult groups to purchase liability coverage under the school program at a cost of $70 per group – Parents Supporting Schools, Wauseon After Prom Committee, Wauseon Athletic Boosters and Wauseon Music Boosters
- Accepted the Ohio Department of Education Bus grant award received March 20, 2020 in the amount of $53,990.22
The following personnel items were also approved by the Board:
- Rachel Wixey and Associates Substitute list as presented
- Payment of days worked in July 2020 at the FY21 per diem rate for the Technology Coordinator and the Assistant Technology Coordinator
- Accepted the resignation for purposes of retirement of Jim Figy as the WEVS Maintenance Supervisor, effective July 1, 2020
- Accepted the resignation for purposes of retirement of Renee Robison as the WPS Head Custodian, effective June 1, 2020
- Accepted the resignation for purposes of retirement of William Frank as a WEVS Bus Driver, effective July 1, 2020
- Accepted the resignation of Hannah Dymarkowski as a WES 4th grade teacher, effective with the close of the 2019-20 school year
- The transfer of Robert Schultz from the WHS Head Custodian to the WPS Head Custodian, effective June 1, 2020
- Certified contract for Ami Richer, WHS teacher, to increased from 5/7 to full time, effective with the 2020-21 school year
- Increased the number of contracted work days for the Technology Coordinator from 235 days to 260 days, effective August 1, 2020
- Increased the number of contracted work days for the Assistant Technology Coordinator from 235 days to 260 days, effective August 1, 2020
- Increased the number of contracted work days for the WEVS Mechanic from 215 days to 260 days, effective July 1, 2020
- Increased the number of contracted work days for the WEVS Custodial Floater from 184 days to 260 days, effective July 1, 2020
- Approved Trenton Sauber as a student custodial worker at Step 0, Column 6 on the FY20 approved classified salary schedule effective May 4, 2020
- Offered a continuing contract to the following certificated employees: Catherine Lemley, Brenda Shantz, and James Vaughn
- Offered a one-year limited certificated contracts to the following certificated employees: Lydia Badenhop, Bridget Benedict, Christina Bergman, Jaz Bluhm, Samantha Burkholder, Sarah Burkholder, Christian Crew, Brittani Gerken, Shayla Hayes, Lauren Martinez, Abbie Mathews, McKalyn Roth, Olivia Selgo, Casey Smith, Daniel Snyder, Kaitlin Szozda, and Anna Vogelgesang
- Offered a two-year limited certificated contract to the following certificated employees: Tiffany Anderson, Adam Baird, Kyle Borton, Mallory Carroll, Donald Clark, Myriah Clay, Michael Colon, Elizabeth Davis, Lindsay Gordon, Laura Leininger, Terry Lind, Corinna Miller, Abby Mouch, Kristin Sayers, Walter Jordan Smith, Christopher Thomas, and Michael Webster
- Offered continuing classified contracts to the following classified employees: Brenda Aeschliman, Karel Wagner and Amy Zientek
- Offered a one-year limited classified contract to the following classified employee: Dawn Kauffman
- Offered two-year limited classified contracts to the following classified employees: Shirley Bledsoe, Lacey Felix, John Goldsmith, Mallorie Hannon, Catherine Held, Sarah Leslie, Gwen Murry, McKayla Pettit, Nikole Przepiora, Michele Rittichier, Jennifer Shipman, Caleb Short , Christine Torres, Andrea Valdez, and Darl Whitmire
- Offered a long list of people one-year limited athletic supplemental contracts
- Offered a long list of people one-year limited non-athletic contracts
- Offered Tammy Ankney a limited certificated supplemental contract as a JH Cross Country Coach for the 2020-2021 school year at Step 0 on the approved salary schedule and a limited certificated supplemental contract as a WHS Jr. Class Advisor for the same school year at Step 5 on the approved salary schedule pending receipt of a Pupil Activity Permit. Failure to provide a Pupil Activity Permit will result in this offer being withdrawn
- Offered Jeff Vasvery a limited outside supplemental contract as the WHS Assistant Varsity Girls Soccer Coach for the 2020-2021 school year at Step 0 on the approved salary schedule pending receipt of a clean BCI/FBI background check and a Pupil Activity Permit. Failure to provide a clean BCI/FBI background check and a Pupil Activity Permit will result in this offer being withdrawn
- Offered Jack Smolenski a limited outside supplemental contract as the WHS Marching Band Auxiliary Advisor for the 2020-2021 school year at Step 0 on the approved salary schedule pending receipt of a clean BCI/FBI background check and a Pupil Activity Permit. Failure to provide a clean BCI/FBI background check and a Pupil Activity Permit will result in this offer being withdrawn
- Approved the following individuals as Volunteer Coaches for the 2020-2021 school year: Julian Delgado Volunteer Assistant Boys Soccer Coach; Ray Martinez Volunteer Assistant Football Coach
- Approved a preschool Special Education Itinerant Waiver with the Northwest Ohio Educational Service Center for 3 students for the 2019-2020 school year
- Authorized the Superintendent and Treasurer to advertise for bids for the Wauseon Primary School roof project
The board voted to accept a resolution adjusting the normal three-day policy concerning the number of days allowed for at home schooling.
The resolution read as follows:
WHEREAS, on March 9, 2020, the Ohio Governor declared an emergency intended to slow the spread
of the COVID-19 coronavirus; and WHEREAS, on March 22, 2020, the Ohio Department of Health issued a Stay-at-Home Order; and
WHEREAS, on March 25, 2020, the 133rd Ohio General Assembly approved House Bill 197, which, pursuant to Section 12, temporarily amends the requirements that would otherwise apply under Ohio Revised Code Section 121.22; and WHEREAS, Section 40 of House Bill 197 declares it to be emergency legislation that will take immediate effect when the Governor has signed it.
Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved, as follows:
1. The Board of Education of the Wauseon Exempted Village School District does hereby suspend compliance with its existing policy concerning the conduct of meetings this Board, its committees, and any other entity under its jurisdiction that is a “public body” as that term is defined under Ohio Revised Code Section 121.22.
2. The Board hereby incorporates by reference the text of Section 12 of House Bill 197 (133rd General Assembly), attached hereto as Exhibit A, and directs that the procedures authorized under said legislation be adopted and used by this Board that is a “public body” as that term is defined under Ohio Revised Code Section 121.22.
3. The Board directs its Superintendent and Treasurer to promptly inform the Board of the procedures by which the Board, its committees and any other entity that is a “public body” as that term is defined under Ohio Revised Code Section 121.22, may most efficiently conduct its hearings or meetings by means of video or telephonic conference or similar means given the Board’s available technology resources.
4. The Board directs its Superintendent and Treasurer to promptly inform the Board of the procedures by which the Board, its committees and any other entity that is a “public body” as that term is defined under Ohio Revised Code Section 121.22, may provide public access to the public sessions of meetings or hearings.
5. The Board directs its Superintendent and Treasurer to promptly inform the Board of the means by which the Board, its committees and any other entity that is a “public body” as that term is defined under Ohio Revised Code Section 121.22, may exclude public access to hearings or the portions of meetings which occur in executive session when such meetings or hearings are otherwise conducted by means of video or telephonic conference or similar means given the Board’s available technology resources.
6. The Board’s Treasurer is hereby directed to provide notifications of meetings and hearings to the public and to the media that have requested such notification, and to parties required to be given notice of hearings.
7. The procedures used by the Board, its committees and any other entity under its jurisdiction that is a “public body” as that term is defined under Ohio Revised Code Section 121.22 shall remain in effect during the period of the emergency declared by Executive Order 2020-01D, issued on March 9, 2020, or until December 1, 2020, if the period of the emergency continues beyond that date.
This resolution supercedes Board Policy 8210 – School Calendar aligned to Governor DeWine’s and the Ohio Department of Health’s mandated school closure order effective immediately through the end of the 2019-2020 school year or when the order is lifted whichever is first.
Also approved was a service agreement between the Wauseon Exempted Village School District and the Northwest Ohio Educational Service Center for the 2020-2021 school year as presented.
High School Principal Keith Leatherman led a discussion regarding Wauseon High School Commencement for 2020 with the consensus being that the Board, principal and Superintendent Armstrong all want to do whatever the seniors would like to do.
A conference call was scheduled for April 15 for the Senior Class officers to discuss it with Leatherman and Armstrong. The superintendent said he would get back to the board members with the details of the call.
Primary School Principal Blake Young gave a detailed report to the Board with the following items in his report:
- with the data received from Spring and Fall testing, the students have shown great improvement
- Goals which he had set at the beginning of the year have been met, despite the fact that they have not been able to complete the school year in a normal way
- An At-Home-Learning update – 404 out of 406 families received the packets which teachers had made for the students, either through picking them up or printing them. The other two packets were mailed to the families. The second pick up was scheduled for Tuesday, April 14 from 8:30 -11:30 and from 1:00 – 4:00 and he was hoping for as great a response.
- He mentioned that intervention materials are also attached to the packets as needed. Teachers are communicating with families via phone calls and online options on a consistent basis.
- New websites have been created to provide the students with supplemental materials as well. Videos are being made and shown @WauseonPrimary on Twitter to also assist in staying connected to the students and their families.
The next Board of Education meeting will be held on Friday, April 24, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. via teleconference.
Rebecca can be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com
