Edon Northwest Local Board of Education employed Deborah Nester as the school district’s next treasurer during its regular monthly meeting held Tuesday, December 8, 2015. President Jamie Schaffter called the evening session to order with all members in attendance.
Following an executive session called to discuss employment of personnel, the Board approved the four and one-half year contract with Mrs. Nester effective January 4, 2016 through July 31, 2020. The 1981 Edon High School graduate and ~ most recently ~ Williams County Auditor (resignation tendered), will be paid an annual salary of sixty thousand dollars (the average of current treasurer salaries from comparable districts across the four-county area). She follows William Blakely in the position.
Earlier in the agenda that night, board members approved the recommendation put forward to terminate the District’s Treasurer Shared Services Agreement with Edgerton Local Schools (mainly due to one person performing two full-time jobs) effective December 31, 2015. Having previously been addressed by the Board in executive session discussion, Superintendent John Granger noted last month, per the contract, termination could occur anytime during its term by mutual agreement of both districts or upon its expiration on July 31, 2016 with four-month notification by either board of education. After lengthy discussions over recent months, Edgerton Local Board of Education was in agreement with terminating the contract as well.
Highlighted December Reports to the Board included:
Superintendent John Granger
•Shared he and Labor Management Committee (LMC) members have been working to develop the 2016-2017 School Calendar; a draft, expected to be presented at next month’s board meeting, can be adopted following a thirty-day waiting period. Additionally, both parties are in agreement to start contract negotiations early, potentially having packages ready to exchange late January/early February 2016; board members anticipate discussing bargaining parameters, their insights and expectations, etc. in January.
•Expressed thanks to Dave Haase and Brad McCrea for their years of service to Edon Northwest Local Board of Education; both were attending their last meeting as board members. It was nice they could conclude their tenure, knowing the District is in a better spot than it had been; deficit spending has been turned around and other issues were now behind the District as it moves forward. The Board expressed its appreciation as well.
Treasurer Bill Blakely
•Submitted his standard SM2 Report indicating revenues were up $415,000 and expenses up $48,000 for the same five-month period as last year. The District is tracking a $148,000 YTD surplus ($366,000 more than a year ago) along with roughly seventy-three days of cash in the general fund to operate, a slight decrease from November.
•Noted the annual State Audit had been completed; findings will be reviewed with available board members during an exit meeting the week of December 14. Thanks were extended to Trish Tingley and Joyce Whitney for their assistance throughout the audit.
•Shared District bonds will be refinanced through The Edon State Bank Company (the lowest bidder) at a locked-in interest rate of 2.1 percent (lower than projected); this will help the community realize a higher savings. Thanks were extended to Edon State Bank for working with the District in keeping monies local. Also noted was no penalty for early payoff of the callable bond would be incurred.
Grades 7-12 Principal
Anthony Stevens
•Recognized FFA Novice and Advanced Parliamentary Procedure Teams for their First and Second Place Sub-District honors, respectively; both teams were slated to participate in District 1 competition December 9.
•Noted preliminary PARCC results for grades seven through twelve showed ninth grade science results were the highest in the four-county area; English scores for the class topped at 94.4 percent. Overall test results were at proficient or above; areas with room for improvement, such as seventh grade math, are being restructured. Looking to meet every student’s needs – wherever they’re at – while making sure he or she is growing are some of the good things now happening.
KK-Grade 6 Principal
Michelle Molargik
•Noted 2014-2015 PARCC scores were near the top in almost every testing area (in comparison with area schools); students did a great job. Math instruction went very well as indicated by results (students are catching on while parents sometimes “struggle” with the new math instruction); fifth grade science results were the second highest among area schools. Additionally, third graders just completed the “first round” of English Language Arts testing.
•Shared KK-Grade Six “Grandfriends Day” would take place Friday, December 11; spring testing intervention dates are being looked at and Kindergarten Registration for children turning five years of age before September 30, 2016 will be held April 7-8.
•Recognized November’s Bomber Courtesy Club members for being positive role models.
In other business brought
forward, the Board:
•Set January 5, 2016 as the date for its organizational meeting beginning at 5:00 p.m. in the school’s Media Center; the regular Board of Education meeting will follow at 5:30 p.m.
•Elected Jamie Schaffter as President Pro-Tem for January’s organizational meeting.
•Accepted, with thanks, Cash Donations: various individuals ($210/Volley for the Cure); OhioPyle Prints ($5.10/Elementary Principal Fund; $5.09/High School Principal Fund); John Toner ($200/National Honor Society); various individuals ($950/Music Department’s Washington DC Trip); North Western Electric Trust-Operation Roundup Grant ($1000/Music Department’s Washington DC Trip); football parents ($125/Football Fund) along with Gifted Donations: six instruments for the Band Program (gifted value/one hundred dollars each) and Leanne Field Scoreboard ($76,281.75 from Edon Athletic Boosters and eight sponsors (gifted value/five thousand dollars each): AgriDry, LLC; Andres O’Neil & Lowe Agency; Edon Farmers Co-Op Association, Inc.; The Edon State Bank Company; Precise Metal Form, Inc., Siebenaler Construction; Thiel Construction Company; Thiel Oil Company).
•Heard from members Dave Haase and Brad McCrea; both expressed their appreciation to the community for allowing them to serve on the Board.
•Approved Ohio School Boards Association Membership Dues ($3079) and annual subscriptions to OSBA Briefcase (electronic copy/free) and School Management Newsletter (electronic copy/$150).
•Approved minutes from the November 17 regular meeting as well as November 2015 Financial Reports.
Lucinda Held-Faulhaber
May be reached at
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
