STUDENTS OF THE MONTH Pictured left to right front to back are Emalynn Murray kindergarten Keegan Gifford 1st grade Adaleigh Black 2nd grade Kaige Ussery 2nd grade Brody Clifford 3rd grade Lily Moore 5th grade Braxton Shankster 6th grade Breelynn Shankster 7th grade Aislinn McGee 8th grade and Liam Spencer high school Not pictured is Margaret Bible 4th grade
By: Anna Wozniak
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
anna@thevillagereporter.com
The Montpelier Board of Education met on November 7th, 2023, and began with the pledge of allegiance and a moment of silence.
Present were members Dunne Gambler, Nate Rose, Jeremy Klinger, Patti Rockey, and Shawn Owen. Also present were principals Mr. Lance Thorp and Mrs. Su Thorpe, Superintendent Jamison Grime, and CFO / Treasurer Carla Rice.
The board began with honoring the students of the month, who were as follows: Emalynn Murray (kindergarten), Keegan Gifford (1st grade), Adaleigh Black (2nd grade), Kaige Ussery (2nd grade), Brody Clifford (3rd grade), Margaret Bible (4th grade), Lily Moore (5th grade), Braxton Shankster (6th grade), Breelynn Shankster (7th grade), Aislinn McGee (8th grade), and Liam Spencer (high school).
The legislative report was given, with details of HB 279 and HB 311 being shared. HB 279 would require school buses to have seatbelts, and HB 311 would prevent price discrepancies between online and cash payments, as well as require students to see a lesser cost than adult tickets.
Principal Su Thorp shared that the parent teacher conferences on the 19th went well, as did the October 23rd E3 day.
October 24th saw a medical student come and speak with the students, and October 27th saw a fun filled afternoon of games before the hard-fought game against Hopewell Louden.
Principal Thorp then recognized football coach Andy Robinson for his honor of being selected as Coach of the Year in the TAAC.
Red Ribbon Week was celebrated by high school students, with many pledging to stay drug-free. November 15th will be the blood drive, and everyone is urged to come in and donate blood from 1:30 – 6:30 p.m.
End of course re-take exams will happen the week of December 11th, and Christmas Break will be December 22nd through January 3rd, 2024.
Principal Lance Thorp shared that the results from the 3rd grade fall ELA Ohio state testing results should be in by December 5, 2023, Red Ribbon Week was celebrated in October, and the elementary school quiz bowl happened.
Parent teacher conferences took place in October, as did dental screening performed on 75 students in the district by a mobile dentist.
Principal Lance Thorp shared that the new nurse, Caitlyn Freese, is doing a great job. “Buddy Week” will coincide with the book fair this, as will the 4th grade trip to Sauder Village to see the Toledo Symphony on the 14th, and the 2nd grade trip to a Toledo Walleye hockey game on the 15th.
The annual blood drive is set to take place Wednesday, November 15th at the recreation center, and 2nd grade interim reports will go out on November 21st, when the kindergarteners will have their Thanksgiving feast.
Thanksgiving break will run November 22nd-24th, and students will see Leslie Stratton speak on November 29th after they return from break.
Fundraising items should be delivered the week of December 4th, an early release is scheduled for December 6th, and the winter musical will take place on December 10th, 2023 at 3 p.m.
Nate Rose shared that there will be a board vacancy in January before the board opened the floor for public participation.
The room was much more full than normal, with teachers from the district lined wall to wall. They were there to address the board concerning the fact that the teachers are still without a contract for the current school year.
There seemed to be three main issues the teachers had with the board’s final offer. One was restricting the number of personal days teachers can take especially around certain dates like the beginning of the school year. Teachers felt this would negatively impact their personal lives and ability to care for their families.
The language around personal days in the contract was unclear and inconsistent with previous understandings from prior discussions. Teachers felt some “blackout dates” were still included, despite being told they were removed.
The number of teachers (3) allowed to take personal days on the same day was seen as too low and unrealistic. Teachers were concerned about having to choose between their jobs and family commitments, as many of them attend the same events.
Stacie Yagelski addressed the board as well, sharing that teachers took pay freezes in the past to save jobs while administration received a 6% raise, deepening her disappointment that teachers still don’t have a contract this far into the year.
She noted how teachers are giving up time before and after school and on weekends but are not being respected by the board with the final offer they gave for this year’s contract.
Mrs. Yagelski highlighted that teachers love what they do, as well as love the students and district, but will want to leave if they aren’t respected.
“I really wish that you guys would respect them (the teachers) and realize how amazing they are. They are not doing this just because they have nothing better to do,” she said to the board.
The board apologized that any of the teachers felt disrespected, sharing that that was not their intent. Member Rose shared “there was no disrespect to the teachers, if it came across that way, that is not at all what was intended.”
The treasurer’s report was accepted as presented, which included details of the financial forecast for the next five years.
There is currently a deficit of revenue, with this year seeing a shortfall of $356,974, but treasurer Rice shared that there will be an estimated increase in revenue from FY2024-FY2028 of 3.55% (compared to the regular .02%) due to the phase-in of the new school funding formula.
Expenditures are expected to increase an estimated 5.11% each year (compared to the average 1.87%) due to large increases in necessary expenditures (such as special education costs).
A shortfall is expected for FY2024, and the district would need to cut the FY2028 projected expenses by 9.82% in order to balance their budget without additional income.
“By the last year of the forecast we have a revenue shortfall of 1.5 million,” shared CFO / Treasurer Carla Rice.
If student enrollment forecasts are accurate, state funding could be affected once the phase-in is completed.
The minutes from the October 10th, 2023 meeting were approved as presented, as were the financial statements for October, as well as the five year forecast.
The financial statements included the following donations: Miller’s New Market ($1198.51); First Club ($6000); MAF/Deb Rose ($510.59); MAF/Janet Bennett ($900); Civic League ($926.16).
All employment recommendations were approved as presented, including the annual SRO contract. The Montpelier Board of Education then entered executive session, ending their November meeting.
