PHOTO BY JESSE DAVIS / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
TRAFFIC CHANGE … The Swanton Local School District Board of Education meets with a skeleton crew, while still maintaining quorum, for its last meeting before the new school year Wednesday evening. Among the items discussed were a new traffic pattern at Swanton Middle School and the practice of interviewing students as part of investigations into staff.
By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com
During Wednesday’s meeting of the Swanton Local School District Board of Education, Superintendent Chris Lake unveiled a new traffic pattern for student pickup and drop-off at Swanton Middle School.
Lake said the change was made with input from the Swanton Police Department and would help alleviate traffic on West Garfield Avenue as well as keep vehicle traffic and bus traffic separate.
Under the new plan, buses will pick up and drop off students at the front of the building — the east side — and exit the parking lot to the south, turning north onto Elton’s Parkway and departing via West Garfield Avenue.
Non-bus traffic will approach the school from the west on Harding Drive, turning around into what is currently a parking area on the south side of the building to pick up and drop off students before exiting to the west, again on Harding Drive.
Lake said pains would be taken to ensure traffic did not stop in front of a house on the south side of Harding Drive across from the school, blocking their driveway.
QUESTIONING STUDENTS
Board President Steve Brehmer took a moment at the end of the meeting to discuss a pair of issues he said were the source of misinformation being spread throughout the community about board powers and the handling of investigations of staff.
Brehmer started by explaining the board only had the power to hire and fire the superintendent and the treasurer, and that all other personnel decisions were made by the school administration.
He then read a statement prepared by the school’s legal team about the process taken when staff face accusations, specifically clarifying that state law does not require parental consent or notification prior to interviewing students as a part of investigations into the conduct of staff or coaches, or regarding “other school-related concerns.
“State law also grants school districts both the authority and the responsibility to complete such investigations.
“A district may choose to communicate with parents in a particular situation, but that is a matter of judgment and practice (not a legal requirement),” the statement read, noting that, in the situation that drew public comment, “the district interviewed students as part of its responsibility to investigate allegations involving a district employee and to maintain a safe and appropriate educational environment for students.”
OTHER BUSINESS
Board members approved a slate of personnel updates, including the list of 65 substitute teachers for the 2026-2027 school year.
Board members approved a pair of annual agreements with the Northwest Ohio Educational Service Center to provide analysis of the district’s Roots assessment data at a cost of $4,000 and to provide psychological services at St. Richard Catholic School at a cost of $90.23 per hour.
Board members approved a series of changes to the temporary appropriations for fiscal year 2027 following the receipt of federal funding.
Board members approved the district’s annual agreement with the Wood County Juvenile Detention Center for the 2026-2027 school year to provide educational services to any students housed there at a rate of $88 per student per day at the detention center and $96 per student per day at the Juvenile Residential Center of Northwest Ohio.
Board members approved payment in lieu of transportation payments to the families of six students in the district who attend a variety of private schools.
Board members voted to accept donations, including $558.49 from Kroger rewards, $226.18 for prom, $2,000 for boys soccer camp, and $1,000 for the baseball/softball complex.
Lake reported teaching staff would return on August 13 for the 2026-2027 school year, with students in prekindergarten and grades one through five and nine starting on August 18, students in grades six through eight and 10 through 12 starting on August 19, and kindergarten students starting on August 21.
The next regular meeting of the Swanton Local School District Board of Education is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 19, at 108 N. Main St.