The Evergreen Local School Board met in regular session on Monday night, April 10th 2017. Before the meeting was called to order a moment of silence was observed for TJ Rupp, the Evergreen Athletic Director who passed away over the weekend from injuries sustained in an automobile accident on Friday morning.
Superintendent Jim Wyse shared the following information he received:
A letter from the Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc. commending Evergreen Middle School Science Teachers Kelsey Wulf and Keri Chamberlin for being 2 out of 42 teachers selected for the Be E3 Smart Program that will provide new science equipment and strategies to instruct students on ways to reduce energy usage at school and home.
Bill Blanchong, High School Quiz Team Advisor, was present to inform the Board about the Quiz Team qualifying for National Competition in Chicago and that they were seeking the Board’s permission for the trip.
In regular Board business, the Treasurer’s report was approved. It included increases in appropriations for maintenance supplies, advances, refund of prior years receipt, and athletic department supplies. They also accepted donations from 10 individuals or organizations. Also approved was a revised Auxiliary Services Agreement with the Educational Service Center of Lake Erie West for the 2016-2017 school year in the amount of $90,994.05 for Auxiliary Services personnel for the benefit of Holy Trinity School, and to amend revenues and modify appropriations accordingly. The Treasurer was also granted permission to advertise for school bus bids for one or more buses and to set the date, time, and place for the bid opening. It was then discussed what options were available for an upcoming .5% levy renewal. The Board directed the Treasurer to start the necessary procedures to renew the current levy at a reduced rate of .25% for the next board meeting.
The Board then approved the non-renewal of all supplemental and pupil activity contracts, as listed in Article XXVII of the Professional Negotiated Agreement with the Evergreen Education Association, regardless of whether they are awarded to bargaining unit members.
In other business the first reading of NEOLA Policy Updates was approved for a number school policies and the 17 members of the HS Quiz Team were granted permission, along with advisor Bill Blanchong and chaperones, to attend the National Academic Quiz Bowl in Chicago, Illinois. They will leave on April 28th, 2017, stay at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Chicago during the competition and then return home on April 30th, 2017. The Board also entered into an agreement with Northwest Ohio Educational Service Center to provide training, support, resources, and handbooks to all mentor program participants for the 2017-2018 school year. Beverly Ackerman was approved for transfer from 4 hour MS cook to 7.5-hour HS head cook to fill an opening due to a retirement. This move is effective at the beginning of the 2017-2018 school year.
During building reports Superintendent Wyse announced school and all extracurricular activities will be cancelled on Thursday, April 13th so students and staff can attend the funeral for Athletic Director TJ Rupp. Also during administrative reports, every member commended the high school students who presented the play, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
With no further business, the Board entered into executive session to discuss employment at 7:52pm. Upon exiting executive session at 9:51pm, the Board took the following action before adjourning for the night:
*Passed a resolution to initiate procedures to rehire Assistant Treasurer Betty Bieber upon her retirement effective 7/31/17
*Accepted the resignation of Betty Bieber, Assistant Treasurer, for the purpose of retirement effective 7/31/17
The next regular scheduled Evergreen School Board meeting will be held on May 15th, 2017 at 7pm in the Loren Pennington Learning Center at Evergreen High School.