In addition to addressing routine business brought before them, members of the Edon Northwest Local Board of Education were updated on progress with discharging the District’s Safety Plan during their regular monthly session held Tuesday, April 9, 2013 in the Edon Schools Media Center. President Jill Jacoby called the meeting to order with all members in attendance.
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“This afternoon, I received a phone call and we will have a two-hour delay in mid-May to begin training our staff,” began Superintendent Ed Ewers. “Done in cooperation with local and regional law enforcement, this will be our next step in implementing the District Safety Plan.” (Use of firearms is not involved with the strategy being taught.) Once in place, training sessions to help parents and students fully understand the expectations and procedures of staying safe will be held at the onset of the 2013-2014 school year.
As outlined in March, Ewers again shared how cooperation over recent months with law enforcement agencies led to the development of training strategies that present a different approach to potential threats. For years, responses were more on the static – lockdown, hide, wait and stay in place. With new strategies now being presented across the State of Ohio, the District needs to begin taking a more active role ~ not necessarily an aggressive approach ~ in protecting its students. Completed training will enable the staff and students to eventually learn how to be more proactive in their own safety.
Superintendent Ewers related changes at the elementary entrance and parking lot would soon be underway as well. “Currently, there are not enough parking spaces in the elementary drop-off and pick-up area [to accommodate traffic],” he noted. “Our goal is to alleviate some of that congestion and resolve the confusion of trying to pull into the present circle drive.” A crosswalk from the elementary wing to newly designated parking spaces nearby will create an all-around workable option for everyone. “This will allow parents to stay in their cars while a crossing guard [will assist] students in walking back and forth from the parking lot.”
The project, slightly more extensive than first thought, will move right along with other Safety Plan features. “Once in place, doors will be locked until 7:35 a.m. and locked again once classes start; they will remain that way for the rest of the day,” stated Ewers. “Again visitors entering the building will need to sign-in at the office and to wear a visitor’s badge while in the building.”
Although there are security changes occurring within the District, objectives of its updated Safety Plan remain well-defined. If you need additional information regarding this plan, feel free to contact Superintendent Ewers or visit the website at www.edon.k12.oh.us.
Highlights from April’s Board Reports included:
Treasurer Kerry Samples
- Noted his updated Five Year Forecast would be presented for Board approval at the May meeting.
- Shared District electrical costs for the past nine months were down; reducing personal items in rooms, nightly monitor shutdowns, other job usage, etc. resulted in the $6300 savings.
- Submitted his standard SM2 Report indicating revenues were down two hundred thirty-six thousand dollars and expenses were cut by one hundred eighty thousand dollars for the same nine-month period as last year. The District is currently tracking fifty-six thousand dollars worse than a year ago. He also noted real estate tax collections were up thirty-one thousand dollars for the same time period as last year, attributed primarily to payment of delinquent accounts.
Grades 7-12 Principal David Kennedy
- Shared OGT Testing had been completed; a full report will be presented after preliminary results are released in mid-May. Thanks were extended to Mrs. Cheryl Miller for her efforts with various aspects of the testing procedure; to teachers for preparing the students for success; to students for their hard work and to cafeteria staff for providing breakfast for students during testing week.
- Noted FFA Sausage Sales continue through the week; the annual Daddy-Daughter Dance will take place April 27; preparations for Graduation 2013 are underway; Senior Scholarship Interviews are set for April 10; Ohio Achievement Assessments are scheduled for April 22-26 and Prom is May 4.
- Congratulated Alexandria Durocher and Lacie Marshall, EHS students attending Four County Career Center, on their upcoming induction into the National Technical Honor Society
- In other action taken, the Board:
- Accepted Cash Donations from various individuals and businesses for Junior Parents/Post Prom ($2,959.53) and the OHSAA Banner Project ($450); free-will donations from last month’s musical preview were accepted as well ($428 ~ Drama Fund).
- Approved the May 2-3 FFA trip to Columbus for FFA State Convention.
- Accepted, with regret, the retirement resignation of Barbara Fogel, Language Arts Teacher, effective June 1, 2013.
- Accepted, with regret, the resignation of Bob Swary, Head Girls Basketball Coach, effective March 14, 2013.
- Approved the annual non-renewal of all supplemental contracts (coaches, club and class advisors, spring and summer intervention teachers, etc.) at the end of the 2012-2013 contract year.
- Approved non-renewal of positions for Cheri Jacobs (Title I Classroom Teacher Aide), Nate Aschliman, Jack Gensler, Sharla Kirkingburg, Noreen Piechocki, Susan Shellhorse, Edith Tennant, Tomi Zuver (Classroom Teacher Aides) and Karen Wilson (Media Center Aide). Done annually, this routine action is no reflection of an employee’s job performance; positions can be renewed at a later date year if needed.
- Approved a two-year contract with Julian and Grube for the Medicaid Audit at $1700 per year for cost report periods ending June 30, 2012 and June 30, 2013.
- Approved a three-year contract with PublicSchoolWORKS for Employeesafe Suite, Staff Safety and Regulatory Compliance Programs, effective July 1, 2013. (Programs manage the safety compliance challenges of a public school while allowing administrators to focus on the business of education. District costs will be $1250 for the first year; $2500 each subsequent year.)
- Joined Elementary Principal Bonnie Troyer in congratulating March Bomber Courtesy Club inductees.
- Heard the new Track and Field Records Board had been installed prior to the first home meet; thanks were extended by Superintendent Ewers to Paul Stoll for spearheading the project; The Edon State Bank and Edon Athletic Boosters for their financial support and to Todd Muehlfeld, Ed Steinke and Steve Livensparger for its installation.
- Learned from Molly Miller, Technology Coordinator, a new template had been selected for the District’s website; plans are to create a more efficient or “user friendly” site, with a less encumbered front page.
- Was updated by Kris Dobbelaere regarding Race to the Top (RttT); with just a few sections left to be revised or completed by July 1, the District remains in good standing as it prepares for the fourth and final year of RttT.
- Approved board policy revisions to comply with required or recommended changes in state and federal rules and guidelines.
- Approved minutes from the regular Board meeting held Tuesday, March 12, 2013.
- Approved Financial Reports for March 2013 along with the Amended Certificate of Estimated Resources and Appropriation Increases/Decreases for FY 2013.
- Voted to enter into Executive Session to discuss employment of public employees; no action was expected to be taken.
The Edon Northwest Local Board of Education will next meet Tuesday, May 14, 2013 in the school’s Media Center beginning at 6:30 p.m.[/emember_protected]