(PHOTO BY JESSE DAVIS / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
A NEW CHEF IN TOWN … Nutrition Group School Division Vice President Kevin Rindock speaks to the Evergreen Local School District Board of Education about the Group’s plans to kick off its new contract to provide food service to the district after the previous provider announced they would be terminating their contract.
By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com
The Evergreen Local School District Board of Education approved a one-year, emergency contract with The Nutrition Group during its meeting Monday evening after their previous provider unexpectedly terminated their contract.
Superintendent Eric Smola said Variety Foods notified the district of their intentions 60 days ahead of time as allowed for in the contract.
“I reached out to other superintendents about who they had and how it was working,” Smola said. “Swanton switched to The Nutrition Group for this school year, said they were very happy with them, they may be able to help. So, I reached out to The Nutrition Group to see if that was an option.”
The new contract will begin November 21 and end June 30, 2025.
Prior to the vote, Nutrition Group School Division Vice President Kevin Rindock addressed the board, sharing their hopes for the program along with their plans to get buy-in from the student body while also helping out the district.
According to Rindock, they will be providing breakfast and lunch to all students at no cost for the first two days of the contract.
“That’s a donation from our vendors that donate to us that we want to be able to give back,” Rindock said. “What we want to do in collaboration with the administration is kind of a grand reopening of your cafeterias.”
“Let’s get your kids excited about eating in your school again, not only just providing a free meal for them, breakfast and lunch, but also giving them some giveaways and samples, making it a fun and exciting atmosphere”
FFA FUNDRAISER SUCCESS
Evergreen FFA students gave an explanation of the recent “Gold Game” volleyball and football games, which they hosted along with the athletic department to promote pediatric cancer awareness and raise money for the Cure Foundation to help pay families’ medical bills and support research.
According to Taylor Johnson, the goal was – through the two games, a coin drive, and a tulip bulb sale – to raise $400. Despite also needing to cover $437.94 in expenses from purchasing the tulip bulbs, the FFA was able to generate a total profit of $1,004.36 to send to the Foundation.
GIRLS WRESTLING
The board approved girls wrestling as a club sport for the 2024-2025 school year and leaving the window open to establish it as a varsity, school-sanctioned sport in the future following comments from Athletic Director Dylan Henricks.
According to Henricks, there are currently two girls signed up on final forms and a plan in place for volunteers.
He said this is the third year it has been approved but effectively year one as they hadn’t met other requirements in past years. He also said the numbers are not yet there to create it as a varsity sport.
OTHER BUSINESS
Treasurer Brian Carroll reported financials are on track and “looking nice” at the 25 percent point of the fiscal year, with 24 percent and 25 percent of the benefits and payroll budgets spent, respectively.
The board approved the resignations of custodian Terry Woodbury effective December 31, Head Cook Renee Mack effective March 1, 2025, and teacher Chris Lyons effective May 31, 2025. All three are retiring.
The board approved Stacey Wyse and Alicia Ford as program coordinators for the Students for Other Students (SOS) program for the 2024-2025 school year at a total stipend of $2,500 to be split equally between them.
The board approved a supplemental contract for Chris Owens as head baseball coach, rescinding Mark Francis’ contract as seventh and eighth grade assistant wrestling coach to be replaced by half contracts for Francis and Zach Morrow and rescinding the half contract for seventh and eighth grade girls basketball coach Abbie Harris to be replaced with a half contract for Kourtney Gleckler.
The board approved Chris Richardson, Nathaniel Frost, and Lorenzo Mendez as volunteer wrestling coaches.
The board approved an overnight trip for Evergreen FFA students to attend the Ohio FFA State Conference in Columbus, leaving on Jan. 18, 2025, and returning the next day, with teacher Alexis Howell as trip supervisor.
Community Conversations events were scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 22 from 8 to 9 a.m. at the US 20 Diner and Thursday, Oct. 24 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at The Country Charm Cafe.
The board voted to accept donations from $1,500 from Worthington Steel for the Middle School Principal Fund and $500 from North Star BlueScope Steel for nurse supplies as well as anonymous donations of $100 for the Student Assistance Fund and $300 for the language club.
The board approved receipt of a $3,040 Northern Buckeye Wellness Grant, $2,479.33 5th Quarter Agricultural Grant, and $5,000 Ohio STEM Learning Network STEM Classroom Grant as well as $291.32 in Title III funding.
The next regular meeting of the Evergreen Local School District Board of Education will be held on November 18 at 6 p.m. in the Loren Pennington Learning Center, located inside Evergreen High School at 14544 County Road 6 in Metamora.