By: Rebecca Miller
Superintendent Eric Smola asked for a moment of silence at the January 12, 2021 regular Evergreen School Board meeting. He shared that he had received a message on Saturday, January 9, 2021, of “the tragic loss of one of our elementary students, Adrian Wertz, a boy in our fourth grade class,” who passed away on January 8, 2021. The board was silent and expressed their sympathy before moving on to the rest of the meeting.
From 5:45-6:00, the Board held their 2021 Organizational Meeting, with Nora Kiefer being elected President and Jason Miller as Vice President. As Kiefer could not be present in person, but was online, Miller led the meetings. Council voted to:
•Set the dates and times of Regular Meetings for 2021 as the third Monday of Each month at 6 p.m. (except for Feb.16 and March 22
•Dispense with the reading of the minutes
•Approve 13 paid meetings
•Appoint Nora Kiefer as Legislative liaison
•Appoint Don Smith and Zach Merry as Audit Committee
•Establish a 2021 Public Record Commission for the Evergreen Local Board of Education that will include the Board President, Superintendent and treasurer
•Establish the Board Service Fund at $5000, to cover expenses of Board Members related to attending meetings or other board business as allowed by state law.
•Approve Treasurer authorizations
•Approve Superintendent authorizations
•Adjourn and move into Regular January 2021 meeting
Following roll call and the Pledge of Allegiance, the board voted to approve:
•The meeting agenda
•Minutes of previous meeting
•Financial reports for December 2020
•Tax Budget -To approve the Five-Year Forecast and Debt Schedule as the tax budget for the Fiscal Year beginning July 1, 2021 (FY22). The tax budget is required to be filed with the Fulton County Auditor
•Supplemental contracts and volunteers to Nolan Ray as Volunteer Assistant Wrestling Coach and to Hannah Vaughn as JV Head Softball Coach
•Acceptance of Resignation of Beverly Ackerman, MS/HS Head Cook, effective January 21, 2021
•Lindsay Crawford as a Special Education Substitute teacher for 20-21
•A District Calendar Change for 20-21: to adjust the 2020-2021 district calendar to add a 2-hour delayed start to the school day on Monday, March 1, 2021 for district staff professional development.
Information given: The Bullying Report for the First Semester was Zero instances, and Jennifer Burghardt has come off the employment recall list and has filled the open position of HS Main Office Secretary. Camp Palmer is still not open so the school is unsure about the regular 6th grade Camp Palmer Day.
Reports were given by all departments, updating the board on Elementary, Middle and High School as well as Maintenance and Curriculum.
It was mentioned that Graduation could possibly be a traditional ceremony and that Prom is being looked into for options this year.
HS Principal Dan Curtis shared a piece of commendation which the school recieved: OHSAA came to observe a girl’s home basketball game and was extremely impressed by the cleanliness and safety level.
Curtis said kudos to all who keep the school so clean and help everyone follow the safety guidelines, after he read a letter stating the “glowing recommendation” from OHSAA.
The letter also stated that they would like to nominate Evergreen High School to be able to host OHSAA State Tournament Basketball Sectional games.
Superintendent Smola shared that the Governor’s efforts to get other schools into face to face instruction through making vaccines available to schools will help Evergreen continue to maintain as they have so far.
The protocols have also been relaxed in the classroom and on busses. Smola said that they have every intention of getting every staff member vaccinated who wants the vaccine.
He also spoke about the cafeteria continuing to run in the red and informed the board that AVI will be coming to the school on January 14, to show them how they can run in the black as Swanton Schools are doing with their service.
They will put together a committee to look into it, but he wanted the board to know they are looking at options for Food Service.
The meeting adjourned at 6:30.
Rebecca can be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com