The February meeting of the North Central Board of Education met on the 17th at 7:00 p.m. amidst a heavy snow storm. School had been scheduled for that Monday as a make-up day. The day was originally to have been one of the districts holidays as it was President’s Day. This took the district from a total of 14 calamity days thus far this school year down to 13 calamity days; however, Superintendent Ken Boyer remarked that it may return to 14 days if the snow continued to fall. His words came true as school was indeed cancelled the next day due to road conditions following the snowfall. The board discussed the possibility of using Good Friday as a make-up day. Spring break will continue as planned.
Junior High/High School Principal Tim Rettig reported that the Problem Based Learning commencement the previous Thursday had gone over “really well.” He said that the first three days of the week-long problem based learning were “the most intense learning” he had ever seen. During the week, students in grades 7-12 had broken into groups to combine science, math, history and fun to study America’s path to freedom, and to create catapults that would fling a pie eight feet toward a target. Students were graded on the process as well as the success of their catapult launches. Mr. Rettig said that this was just one of the events during an exciting Homecoming week, which included an assembly in the week prior to the North Central Eagle’s boys varsity basketball game against the Edgerton Bulldogs. In other high school/junior high news, the 8th grade girls were runners-up in the BBC this season. The OGT tests will be held from March 1—14. Prior to testing, the students will hear a motivational speaker who will also help give them testing tips.
Paul Jones, Primary/Middle School Principal, said that kindergarten screening will be held on April 3-4. There were 19 children signed up to be screened, which is an increase from this time last year. Present enrollment is at 311 students, with 155 boys and 156 girls. The Ohio Achievement Tests have been moved to April 21-May 9. Results for 3rd grade will be available as of June 16, and results for other grades will be during the week of June 23. Mr. Jones was pleased to announce that a North Central 6th grader was the winner of the county Spelling Bee. Trystan Yoder will advance to the regional contest in Fort Wayne on March 8. The end of the 3rd quarter grading period will be March 21. Spring break is scheduled for the week of March 24-28.
The board approved the following items in the Consent Agenda:
1. Minutes from the January 10, 2014, Organizational Meeting, January 14, 2014, Regular Meeting, and the January 29, 2014, Special Meeting.
2. Financial statements and investments from January 2014.
3. Employments:
• Joe House – Junior High Assistant Track Coach
• Eric Moreland – Maintenance/Transportation Supervisor (3 year contract)
• Eric Smeltzer – Treasurer (4 year contract)
• Kathleen Hellard – Cafeteria Substitute
• Kristin Fidler – Assistant Softball
4. Approval of Van Driver Melinda Fugate.
5. Approval of R.C. 3313.843 Service Agreement. This Agreement is made by the North Central Local School Board of Education and the Northwest Ohio Educational Service Center Governing Board.
6. Approval of R.C. 3313.845 Service Agreement. This Agreement is made by the North Central Local School Board of Education and the Northwest Ohio Educational Service Center Governing Board.
7. Overnight trip for the baseball team March 21st and 22nd to Hillsboro, Ohio.
After hearing the Treasurer’s Report, the board:
1. Approved the resolution accepting the amounts and rates as determined by the budget commission and authorizing the necessary tax levies and certifying them to the County Auditor for the 2014-2015 school year.
2. Approved appropriation additions as follows: Rotary – $250.00.
Upon Superintendent Boyer’s suggestion, the board approved a Memorandum of Understanding with the North Central Education Association agreeing to use February 17, 2014, as a calamity make-up day.
Boyer said that there would be a committee meeting about the building project in the near future. Invitations have gone out. This meeting would show what the project is all about and would include an architectural rendering of the proposed building. There will be information on how the 1.4 mills would work, the financial aspects of the taxes, a breakdown of Fiscal Year 2013, and what taxpayers are paying this year, and will show that they are actually paying less this year. It will show those attending what their taxes will look like under the 1.4 mills proposed.
The Board agreed to change the date of their next meeting to Monday, March 10 at 6:30 p.m. The Board went into an executive meeting to discuss evaluation and discipline of personnel. No business was taken upon returning to regular session.