The following actions were taken by the Northwest Ohio Educational Service Center Governing Board at their organizational and regular meeting held January 26, 2016.
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm by President Pro-Tem Ron Crawford. All in attendance recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
Administered the Oath of Office for new board members, Brian Patrick and Heather Rade.
Thanked board of education members for their service in honor of School Board Recognition Month in the state of Ohio.
•Elected Mr. Ron Crawford as president of the NwOESC governing board for 2016.
•Elected Mr. Brian Baker as vice-president of the NwOESC governing board for 2016.
•Established the following for regular monthly meetings:
TIME: 7:00pm
LOCATION: NwOESC Conference Room
DATES: February 16, 2016 (third Tuesday)
March 22, 2016
April 26, 2016
May 24, 2016
June 28, 2016
July 26, 2016
August 23, 2016
September 27, 2016
October 25, 2016
November 22, 2016
December 20, 2016 (third Tuesday)
Audit committee to meet quarterly before the regular NwOESC governing board meetings (January, April, July, and October). Records commission to meet two times after the regular NwOESC governing board meetings (April and October).
•Approved the appointment of the superintendent, director of special education, and the director of curriculum, instruction, and professional development as purchasing agents for 2016 with the dollar limit of $15,000.00 for the superintendent per purchase, and $7,500.00 for the director of special education and the director of curriculum, instruction, and professional development per purchase. Purchase requests in excess of the superintendent’s limit will require Board approval.
•Granted the Treasurer/Chief Financial Officer authority to pay bills, process payrolls, invest Board funds and make all necessary cash advancements to grants during 2016.
•Approved motion to allow the superintendent or designees to participate in Federal, State or other funded grants, contracts or agreements as they become available to the Board in 2016, and then be brought to the Board for ratification.
•Appointed Jill Gilliland as Compliance Officer female representative and Steve Hastings as Compliance Officer male representative for the purpose of coordinating the Center’s efforts to comply with applicable Federal and State laws and regulations, including the duty to address in a prompt and equitable manner any inquiries or complaints regarding discrimination/retaliation or denial of equal access (i.e. Civil Rights, Anti-Harassment, Section 504, ADA, and Title IX) for 2016.
•Approved motion to permit the superintendent to hire employees during 2016 contingent upon Board approval at the next regularly scheduled meeting.

•Approved a resolution allowing the superintendent of the Northwest Ohio Educational Service to approve school bus drivers and van drivers for Board certification who have met all of the established requirements. At the next regularly scheduled Governing Board meeting, these names will be approved also by the NwOESC Governing Board.
•Appointed the following people to serve on the Audit Committee to quarterly review calendar year 2016 financial reports:
1. Dorthy Pietrykowski, Treasurer/Chief Financial Officer
2. Mr. Ron Crawford
3. Mr. Tom Gerig
4. Mr. Brian Patrick
Also appointed the following people to serve as OSBA Liaisons:
OSBA Legislative Liaison: Mr. Brian Patrick
OSBA Student Liaison: Mr. Brian Baker
•Appointed Dorthy Pietrykowski as the designee for each NwOESC governing board member effective 01/01/16 to comply with the requirements of the Ohio Public Records Law.

•Set the fees to individuals requesting copies of the schedule of meetings, agenda, or notice of individual meetings at the following:
Paper copies – twenty-five cents ($.25) per page for the first twenty-five (25) pages; twelve cents ($.12) per page for pages twenty-six (26) – seventy-five (75); and six cents ($.06) per page for pages seventy-six (76) – up. There is no charge for documents e-mailed.
•Approved minutes of the regular board meeting held December 15, 2015, and a special meeting held January 11, 2016.
•Approved Financial Transactions
-Bowling Green State University to provide to NwOESC, 21st Century (Liberty Center), Fitness and Wellness Experience Activities Services for the period of 1/1/16-6/30/16
-Four County Career Center to provide to NwOESC, 21st Century (Archbold MS), College and Career Readiness and Youth Mentoring Services for the period of 12/1/15-6/30/16
-Project Respect to provide to NwOESC, 21st Century (Bryan), Positive Youth Development Activities, Mentoring, Character Development and Self Esteem Experience Services for the period of 12/1/15-6/30/16
•RESIGNATIONS
Sophie Brown, Paraprofessional, effective 1/7/16
Kimberly Irons, Intervention Specialist, effective 1/7/16
Megan Martz, Paraprofessional, effective 1/4/16
•EMPLOYMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
CONTRACTS – Certified Limited
Batt, Kathleen J. – CERT-1 Yr – 2/10/16-7/31/16
Martz, Megan E. – CERT-1 Yr – 1/4/16-7/31/16

Classified Limited
Fitch, Alexandria L. – CLASS-1 Yr – 1/19/16-7/31/16
Livensparger, Tacia R – CLASS-1 Yr – 1/19/16-7/31/16
SALARY NOTICES
Certified Notice – Beck, Mary Beth A.
Payment to Mary Beth Beck to correct salary placement of Teacher/IS-BA/150, from Teacher/IS-BA, for fiscal year 2014-15
21st Century Teachers
Ayersville – Jacob Palte
Bryan – Ann Smith
Defiance – Rachel Davis
Liberty Center – Kaitlyn Goble
21st Century Program Assistant
Defiance – Jeanine Caryer, Michelle Imthurn

Substitute Paraprofessionals
Rita Bilen, Debra Boysel, Megan Burnett, Heather Dilworth, Kelsey Gillen, Rebecca Gitto, Timothy Howard, Kim Kern, Rita Leaders, Shannon Mack, Ashley Valle, Kelly Waldron, Nicole Weirauch, Tara Wyse
Substitute Teachers
Ashley Breakfield, Jeffrey Briley, Alison Clancy, Ronald Coles, Jeremy Corkle, Mallory Diamond, Lyndsay Fall, Kristyl Fleurkens, Christine Fraker, Myra Frazer, Terrie Freeman, Kelsey Gillen, Reva Goshia, Kaylene Harpring, Mark Huffman, Kim Kern, Rita Leaders, Larry Lindsay, Erin Lottier, Summer Mahlman, Kirsten Martinez, Kelsey McDowell, Tyler Merillat, Tori Meyer, Debbie Nixon, Morgan Pendleton, Bethany Riegsecker, Caroline Ritchey, Chelsea Ritter, Mason Roth, Monica Ruffin, Jessica Runk, Rachel Ruth, Kent Stamm, Peggy Sullivan, Samantha Sworden, Kurt VanMeter
Van Drivers
Evergreen – Lucas Burkhold
Student Teachers/Interns/Volunteers
Nofziger, Sierra, Student Teacher as a BGSU Student, Spring Semester, 2016 Placed with Kalli Hintz.
•Approved the purchase of audit services of fiscal year 2014-15 from the Ohio Auditor of State as provided verbally by Nathan French, Audit Manager.

•Approved motion to set the NwOESC Salary Schedules to reflect a 2% increase for the 2016-17 contract year as presented.
•Reports/Discussion:
OSBA LEGISLATIVE LIAISON: Mr. Brian Baker reported on the status of several bills being heard or receiving testimony before the House Education Committee. Senate Bill 3 would remove various mandates on districts and schools, House Bill 137 would require organ and tissue donation instruction within the health curriculum, and House Bill 146 would require instruction in cursive handwriting.
SUPERINTENDENT: Mrs. Kerri Gearhart shared updates and information on several items. A survey will be coming out from several educational professional organizations to assess shortages of special education teachers, related services staff, and school psychologists across the state. NwOESC’s recent Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program initiative has received good feedback to date. A “Whole Child Matters” grant through the Children’s Resource Center in Bowling Green will increase access to services to promote healthy social and emotional development and school readiness among children age six and younger in Defiance, Fulton, Henry and Williams Counties. Board member training on internal and external communication was provided in partnership with the Ohio School Boards Association recently. An additional training is set for March 16thon closing the achievement gap.
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER: Mrs. Dorthy Pietrykowski shared the annual audit is underway. Newly appointed board member, Lori Weber was sworn in on January 14th, 2016. NwOESC’s first annual Affordable Care Act reporting is completed. IRS-W-2 forms, IRS 1099 forms, and IRS 1095 forms have been processed for staff. Mid-year program cost estimates were provided to districts recently related to current year services. FY17 program and service cost estimates are now being prepared.
DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL EDUCATION: Mrs. Jill Gilliland reported that each of the four counties will be holding early childhood screenings in various locations to screen children ages 1 month to 5 years of age in development areas including vision, hearing, dental, speech/language skills, gross and fine motor, physical growth, social-emotional development, and immunization checks. The screenings are a cooperative effort of multiple agencies involved in early childhood.
DIRECTOR OF CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Mrs. Kris Dobbelaere reported on several items of interest including Master Teacher licensure renewal, ESC networking opportunities, professional development for the Local Report Card areas of Graduation Rate and K-3 Literacy, ESL/ELL services requests in the area, integration of Google Classroom, eTPES training and support, area guidance counselor meetings, and instructional coaching services. In addition, it was shared that the Franklin B, Walter Scholarship Celebration and Special Education Teacher Awards will be held March 7th, 2016.
•As all of the business of the evening was complete, the meeting adjourned at 8:33 pm. The next regular meeting of the board will be held at 7:00 pm on Tuesday, February 16, 2016 at the NwOESC office located at 205 Nolan Parkway, Archbold, OH.
INFORMATION PROVIDED