POTENTIAL MOVE … Evergreen School Board Members discuss the possibility of a move for the fifth grade during the 2024-2025 school year. (PHOTO BY JACOB KESSLER, STAFF)
By: Jacob Kessler
The Evergreen Board of Education held their meeting on Monday, January 9th. The meeting started with the districts organizational Meeting at 5:45 p.m.
The board first moved to elect Nora Kiefer as board president and Jason Miller as vice president for 2023.
The following additional items were addressed during the organizational meeting.
Moved to set meetings for the year on the third Monday of each month at 6:00 p.m.
Approved a resolution to dispense with the reading of the minutes for previous meetings. Moved to limit the pay for board members to a maximum of 13 meetings for 2023.
Approved the appointment of Nora Kiefer as the 2023 Legislative Liaison as well as Zach Murray and Don Smith to the 2023 Audit Committee.
A 2023 Public Record Commission for the Evergreen Local Board of Education was then established as well as a 2023 Board Service Fund at $5,000 to cover expenses of board members related to attending meetings or other board business.
Next, the treasurer was authorized to invest funds, pay bills within appropriations, and seek advance draws of taxes in Fulton County and Lucas Counties for 2023.
The superintendent was also authorized to be the purchasing agent for all purchases up to $35,000 and approved expenditures for student activity accounts, staff leaves, and professional meetings for 2023. The organizational meeting was then adjourned.
The regular meeting for January then began at 6:00 p.m. The minutes for the meeting held on December 19th were approved first before hearing from the girls’ basketball coach, Brittaney Cymbolin.
Cymbolin thanked the board for approving the girls’ basketball team for their travel to Florida over the winter break.
She also reported on their activities and tournament participation while away.
The December 2022 financial reports were then approved along with an anonymous donation to the student assistant fund, fund-to-fund transfer, appropriations, and amended resources.
A STEM classroom grant for $5,000.00 was accepted before moving to approve the 5-year forecast as presented.
An unpaid leave of absence for Kim Reckner at the elementary school was approved as well before also approving Brenda Wyatt to the approved district substitute list.
An overnight trip for the Evergreen wrestling team was then approved by the board, in order to participate in the Division III State Duals at Sandusky, St. Mary’s High School.
The team departs on January 27th and returns on January 28th. Another overnight trip was also approved for the wrestling team to participate in the OHSAA State Wrestling Tournament at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio on March 11th – March 13th, should any wrestlers qualify for the state tournament.
The board then heard from Superintendent Smola who started off by stating there were no cases of bullying that met criteria following the end of the first semester.
Discussion then moved on to the potential move of the fifth grade to the middle school.
Mr. Smola stated that the district continues to accept input from families and has thus far received input from five families.
A meeting is set up to talk to fourth and fifth grade teachers to get their input regarding the potential move.
Despite the fact that it is still believed a move will be beneficial and provide students with more education opportunities, it was decided a move would most likely not take place during this coming 2023-2024 school year but would rather take place at the start of the 2024-2025 school year.
This would give more time to everyone to set things up and receive more teacher/staff involvement.
Mr. Smola stated that he would get back with them and seek approval for the plan during the February meeting.
Members of the board however asked Mr. Smola to hold off on asking for approval for at least another month in order to gather more input from families and staff members.
Members of the board did voice that they were supportive of the move but would like to see more input from community members.
Administrative reports were then presented to the board, at which time Mr. Smola thanked the board members for the work they have done, due to it now being the start of a new year.
The meeting was then adjourned at 6:30 p.m.
Jacob can be reached at jacob@thevillagereporter.com
The post EVERGREEN BOARD OF EDUCATION: Plan To Move Fifth Grade To Middle School Pushed Back first appeared on The Village Reporter.
Source: The Village Reporter
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