LEVY DISCUSSIONS … Board President Jeremy Hurst (left) and Superintendent, Jayson Selgo discuss community questions from levy informational meetings held earlier in the month. (PHOTO BY AMY WENDT, STAFF)
By: Amy Wendt
The Archbold School Board met on April 24, 2023, at 5:00 pm in the High School Media Center with all Board members present.
Following regular items and reports, the primary topic of conversation revolved around community questions most frequently brought up at the proposed tax levy informational meetings held earlier in the month.
District Treasurer, Christine Ziegler reviewed the March financial reports with the Board and highlighted the five-year analysis noting that revenues were at 85.73 percent of what was projected in the analysis.
It was also noted in expenditures to date, the district is at 73 percent of the treasurer’s projections.
“Next month will be very telling because I also will be bringing to you an updated five-year forecast.”
“Once I close my books in April and get everything encumbered from the staff for the fiscal year, I can really see where I’m at with my balances,” added Ziegler.
Ziegler indicated that she feels the district is “right on target overall” in revenues and expenditures “and I don’t suspect at this point to be bringing you any surprises,” she noted.
Following the treasurer’s report, School Board President, Jeremy Hurst noted that he wished to address questions that he heard from the community during the informational tax levy meetings.
Addressing one of the specific questions that came in, Hurst asked the treasurer to explain in hard numbers how much revenue has been received from the Rover pipeline.
Ziegler clarified that in 2022 taxes which are paid in 2023, Rover Pipeline is paying 41 percent of the state assessment in both Fulton and Henry County.
Shifting gears to government funding, Hurst said “One of the questions that came up, in terms of why Archbold Area Schools receives less overall state and federal funding.
Two of the three bullet points were the average property value in our district is higher than many of the districts (and) the average median household income is also on the high end.”
“Archbold is technically at this point penalized because the State is using the 100 percent value of the assessment versus what we are actually receiving (from Rover),” which is actually 41 percent.
Hurst went on to say that the formula puts the district on the higher end in terms of the ability to fund itself however, “when 59 percent of the value isn’t there, that’s why we are receiving less dollars than other schools.”
“When you are being essentially penalized for a value that isn’t realistic to what you are receiving, this dartboard we are shooting at becomes very big,” Hurst continued.
Hurst stated the district’s projections per the five-year forecast “are based on what we have. When those projections are not final, it’s a huge guessing game as to what (revenue) is going to be received.”
The board president then presented a timeline spreadsheet summarizing the unreserved fund balance from 2018 moving forward.
Hurst explained that another question coming up at the levy informational meetings is “Why didn’t you ask for dollars sooner? If you’d have asked for dollars sooner, it wouldn’t need to be as much.”
To answer the question, Hurst pointed out on the timeline that starting in 2018, the numbers have been jumping back and forth significantly between a positive and negative balance primarily because of variances in revenue from the Rover pipeline and COVID funding.
Flash forward to today, Hurst noted, “We actually have, for the first time since 2018, somewhat consistent projections, which those projections are largely defined by what is coming from state and federal revenue sources.”
“We have some consistency from the Rover pipeline, we’re through COVID, and also within that timeline, the Fair School Funding Act kicked in.”
“When you look at the facts, which is exactly what I’m looking at here, to have asked for a levy any sooner than what we did, would have most likely been a larger amount,” continued Hurst.
Hurst concluded, “What I want to make sure to hammer home is, I think that the process that the Board has gone through, and utilized, as we were dealing with varying revenues and somewhat varying expenses to get to the point we are, we did what was fiscally sound and fiscally responsible for the district.”
“To have done this any sooner wouldn’t have been the right move and we would have been taking an even bigger guess of where we are. We had to wait for things to stabilize which is exactly what we did.”
In other district news, Elementary Principal Andrea Thiel was not present, however, the AES report submitted to the Board shared that Kindergarten registration was held on March 20-21, 2023 with 85 students screened.
It is important to note that parents are asked to notify the AES office by May 19th if they have changed their mind about sending their child to kindergarten in the fall.
Also at the elementary school, the “Streak Shop” is open and staff is continuing to collect donations of stain/hole free Archbold clothing of all sizes.
AES Upcoming Events:April 28 at 7:00 pm – Daddy/Daughter Dance; May 4 at 7:00 pm – Third Grade Musical; May 9 at 6:30 pm – Fourth Grade Art and Music Show
In the Middle School Report, Principal Shields shared that AMS instrumental and choir students participated in the annual Solo and Ensemble competitions at Defiance High School on April 1.
Students receiving Superior ratings were: Lilly Cox, Eric Voll, Janae Murillo, Adelynn Nafziger, Natalie Schmucker, Molly Rutledge, Katelyn Liechty, Reece Bunke, Roma Martin, Jessalyn Petersen, Willa Ruffer, Molly Rutledge, and Garrett Stamm.
Shields also reported that the school is “one step closer” in the application process for receiving a therapy dog from the Ability Center of Northwest Ohio for the 2023-2024 school year.
Staff to be trained as handlers for the therapy dog include Michele Bagrowski (primary handler), Jan Lindsay, Allison Bentley, and MacKenna Whitacre.
AMS Upcoming Events: April 25 at 1:00 pm – 5th Grade Arbor Day event; May 4 & 5 – 8th Grade Trip to Washington DC; May 8 at 7:00 pm – Spring Band Concert; May 11- 8th Grade Orientation Visit to AHS; May 13- NWOAL JH League Track @ Evergreen; May 15 & 17 – 4th Grade Orientation Visit; May 18 – 6th Grade Outdoor Ed.
High School Principal, Royal Short, presented a quick overview to his report to the Board and highlighted that the AHS will host the Annual Senior Citizen Luncheon on Friday, April 28 at 11:00 am in the gymnasium.
The Company and Jazz Band will perform for guests and the FCCLA will provide a meal. Attendees will also hear a “State of the Building” address from the senior class president and vice president. Any Senior Citizen in the AAS district is welcome to attend.
Principal Short went on to note that the entire Senior class will be meeting on April 28 to review upcoming events in May in preparation for graduation.
Included in those events, the Senior Scholarship dinner and presentation will be held at Founders Hall on Monday, May 15, and seniors will be awarded local scholarships and classroom awards at that time.
Grades 9-11 will be honored for class awards and achievements on Tuesday, May 16, in the auditorium at 2:30 pm during an assembly. On May 21, the high school will host its annual Art and Industrial Arts Show.
Short also touched on the AHS Mock Accident that was recently held at Spengler Field and thanked Mercy Health Air Ambulance, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Fulton County Health Department, Ridgeville Fire Department, Archbold Police Department, Archbold Fire Department and Fireman Matt Hines for organizing the local agencies.
AHS Upcoming Events: April 26 – AHS Band and Choir will be performing the National Anthem at the Mud Hens Game April 28 – Senior Citizen Luncheon; April 29 – Prom; May 8 – Spring Band Concert ; May 11 – Spring Choir Concert; May 15 – Senior Scholarship Night; May 16 – Awards Assembly; May 21 1:00 pm – Spring Art Show; May 28 – Commencement.
Curriculum Director, Michelle Bagrowski, indicated that testing is getting close to wrapping up for the year.
It was also noted that the Archbold ROCKS program for girls had another successful year with consistently 20-25 students attending each night to get help with homework and participate in creative or recreational activities. A grant has been applied for to hopefully help fund that program in the future.
In other business, the Board approved the following Consensus Agenda items:
-March 20, 2023 Regular Meeting Minutes
-March 2023 Financial Reports
-$200 donation from Amos Boysel to the Softball Program
-Agreement with NWOCA for Fiscal (Payroll) Services
-“Resolution to Adopt Ohio Schools Council Governance Policy Change
-Approval of new, revised, replaced, or deleted policies
-$550 change fund to Rachel Kinsman, HS Track
In personnel recommendations, the Board accepted the superintendent’s recommendation to approve contracts for the following certified and classified employees for the 2023-2024 school year for staff members.
Certified Contract Renewals approved: Derrick Baksa, Allison Bentley, Krystina Bowerman, Jeff Brunswick, Miranda Bzovi, John Culler, Sarah Dominique, Jacob Elting, Zach Gericke, Bailey Gerken, Mary Gingerich, Shelby Graber, Mindy Gruenhagen, Stacy Guelde, Emily Hammersmith, Amy Johns, Megan Martz, Jessica Nofziger, Ryan Sell, Chloe Stoller, Ryan Throne, MacKenna Whitacre, Megan Wiemken, Joseph Williams, Elizabeth Yoder, and Jamie Zagarella.
Classified Contract Renewals approved: Hans Burkholder, Maintenance; Victoria Burkhart, Playground Aide; Susan Crawford, Custodian; Danielle Dominique, High School Studyhall Aide/Lunchroom Monitor; Valerie Nafzige, Administrative Assistant; Rachel Plassman, Aide; Linda Riegsecker, MS Lunchroom Cashier; Amy Sauder, Playground Aide; Kierstin Smith, Playground Aide; Heather Stoner, Bus Aide; and Emily Williams, EMIS Coordinator/District Registration.
Also, as a part of Personnel Recommendations, the Board approved or accepted:
-Paraprofessional substitute list provided by the Northwest Ohio Educational Service Center for the 2022-2023 school year as presented.
-Contracts for the following individuals as Student Custodial Workers for Summer 2023: Mason Miller and Emily Walker.
-Resignation of Erinn Wyse, effective May 18, 2023.
-Classified Substitute contract for Susie Enderle for the 2022-2023 school year.
-Classified Substitute contract for Matthew Cousino for the 2022-2023 school year.
-One-year contract for William Conner as a custodian for the 2022-2023 school year, effective May 8, 2023.
-Substitute teacher list provided by the Northwest Ohio Educational Service Center for the 2022-2023 school year as presented.
The Board went into executive session to discuss the employment, compensation, promotion or demotion of public employees with no expected action taken.
The next Archbold Area Schools Board Meeting will be held on May 22, 2023 at 5:00 pm.
Amy can be reached at amy@thevillagereporter.com
