The Wauseon Board of Education held their meeting on Friday, November 10th. The meeting began at 1:00 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance. Board members first heard a report from Middle School Principal Joe Friess, before also discussing district-wide goals.
Next, board members discussed the 2024-2025 school calendar before moving to approve the prior meeting minutes and the following items presented by the treasurer.
A list of monthly bills and financial reports and a return of a $500.00 advance from MS Speech (200-9181) back to the general fund. A list of donations was also approved along with the November 2023 Five Year Forecast and Assumptions and personnel recommendations.
The board then moved to approve a resolution to accept the resignation of Wauseon Middle School Principal William Joseph Friess for retirement purposes and to rehire the Wauseon Middle School Principal.
The resolution reads, “Whereas, William Joseph Friess has provided valuable service to the Wauseon Exempted Village School District as a Wauseon Middle School Principal; and Whereas, Mr. Friess has made contributions to the State Teachers Retirement System (“STRS”) continuously throughout his service as an educator in Ohio, and is now eligible to receive STRS benefits based upon his prior service and contributions.”
“Whereas, Ohio Revised Code Section 3307.35 permits a teacher, administrator or superintendent to initiate service retirement benefits while remaining in the employment of his School District, provided benefits are forfeited for the first two (2) months of reemployment; and Whereas, Mr. Friess is entitled by law to initiate his earned benefits at any time, but does not wish to leave the service of the Wauseon Exempted Village School District in order to initiate these earned benefits.”
“Whereas, this Board of Education wishes to retain the services of Mr. Friess as a Wauseon Middle School Principal, and believes that retaining Mr. Friess as a Wauseon Middle School Principal will be highly beneficial to the school Ddstrict by maintaining continuity of management, avoiding the costs and uncertainties of a search, and, most importantly, allowing the School District to continue to benefit from the extensive knowledge, experience, and leadership abilities of Mr. Friess.”
Therefore, the Wauseon Board of Education moved to accept the resignation of Mr. Friess, submitted for the purposes of initiating earned retirement benefits, effective January 1st, 2024. The board also moved to reemploy Mr. Friess for a period commencing on January 3rd, 2024, ending on July 31st, 2025.
New NEOLA Bylaw Policies additions/revisions were then approved for a second reading along with an overnight trip request for the Wauseon High School FFA.
The board then tabled the appointment of a representative to the Four County Career Center Board of Education to complete the remaining two years of the three-year term of current representative Larry Fruth, commencing January 1st, 2024.
Finally, a nutritional standards report was reviewed before the board moved to set the Organization Board Meeting for Monday, January 8th at 5:30 p.m. With no other business to attend to the meeting was adjourned. The next meeting will be held on Monday, December 11th at 5:30 p.m. at the Board Office.