NEW MADISON — When the Tri-Village Board of Education met recently, Superintendent Josh Sagester introduced the new teachers as the board prepped for a new school year.
Robert Honeycutt will be the new business teacher. Roy Lowrie will teach 9-12 language arts and will be the yearbook adviser. Brandon Moore will teach high school mathematics.
New teacher orientation will be Aug. 17, while Aug. 19 is the official first teacher work day. Lee Morris has scheduled a motivational speaker for the staff. Grade level meetings will also take place this day as well as analyzing some local data measures. The second teacher work day will be Aug. 20, focusing on building specific items.
Aug. 31 will be a district open house from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Students are encouraged to visit the school to see who and where their teachers are located. Junior high and high school students will be given their schedules at that time. Sept. 1 is the first day of school for all students.
The district has been awarded the Community Connectors Grant in conjunction with Gateway Youth Services. The grant awarded for year one is $89,000. A family advocate will be on campus to work with students, and families within the district in conjunction with the guidance counselor. The advocate will be based on campus 20 hours a week.
Board Treasurer Kimberly Chowning and the superintendent briefly gave an update on HB 64. Chowning discussed the financial aspect. Sagester distributed the State Board Report from HB 64. Beginning in spring 2016, Ohio students will take math and language arts standardized tests administered by American Institutes for Research (AIR).
All buses have been inspected and stickered, and are ready to hit the roads in September. Jerry Hollinger was commended for all his years of dedicated service to the transportation department.
The district’s energy savings project is switching over all controls, which should be completed around Aug. 16. The district is trying to get energy green certified. Chowning thanked Ron Cloyd for getting the school in contact with Huntington Bank for the financial aspect of the energy savings project.
The outdoor athletic complex is moving forward, and the district prepares for teachers and students arrival.
Sagester thanked Lee Brandon for spearheading the installation of the dry wall in the field house. He also thanked Adam Hollinger, Doug Hollinger, Troy King and Rick Mikesell for donating labor for the project. Dayton Power and Light did the electric line; Flag Lumber finalized the concession stand items and countertops. Thirty home lockers have been ordered, and the scoreboard is up, and the field lighting bases are in and cement has been poured.
In personnel action, the board approved the following:
• Shane Mead as Title 1 Coordinator, $3,500 for FY 2015-16;
• One year supplemental contract to Heather Stump, assistant junior class adviser;
• School bus driver certificate to Diane McNew, Karyn Smith and Allen Howell, for the 2015-2016 school year;
• Accept the resignation of Christy Cassel, intervention specialist mild moderate (K-12) teacher, effective Aug. 12;
• Accept the resignation of Rachelle Tipton, 4-9 math and language arts/reading teacher, effective July 8;
• Accept the resignation of Suzannah Haag, part-time high school secretary, effective July 9;
• Accept the resignation of Laura McCabe, career technical (4-12) integrated business, marketing teacher, effective June 30;
• One year limited certified contract to Brandon Moore, adolescence to young adult (7-12) integrated mathematics teacher, conditionally, pending requirements;
• One year limited certified contract to Robert C.B. Honeycutt, comprehensive high school (7-12) teacher, conditionally, pending requirements;
• Kathy Pearson, Destination Imagination volunteer coach;
• Accept the resignation of Julian Grasso, yearbook adviser and adolescence to young adult (7-12) integrated language arts teacher, effective July 15;
• One year limited certified contract to Jenna Schwieterman, intervention specialist mild-severe teacher at a 0.75 FTE, conditionally, pending requirements;
• One year limited certified contract to Roy Lowrie, adolescence to young adult integrated language arts teacher, conditionally, pending requirements.
In other business, the board appointed Tom Schlechty as its official delegate to the annual convention of the Ohio School Boards Association and Darin Dubbs as alternate delegate.
The 2015-16 event ticket prices for sporting events will be $6 per person for high school events and $40 per person for junior high events.
The next board meeting is scheduled for Aug. 31 at 7 p.m. in the board office.