FREDERICKTOWN — Special recognitions were at the forefront of Tuesday’s meeting of the Fredericktown school board.
The board and community members honored retiring board member Mark Overholt for his 9 1/2 years of service to the district, and issued formal commendations to cross country runners Nick Gaumer and Emily Roberts and linebacker/running back Cody McGuire for their exceptional performances this past season.
Treasurer Pat Miller told the News on Wednesday the board continues to oppose HB 136, which would divert more than $500 million in taxpayer funds from public to private and parochial schools.
Regarding personnel, Miller said, the board accepted the resignation of bus driver Teresa Armfelt, retroactively effective Dec. 2, and subsequently added her to the substitute bus driver list. Ellen Cooper and Kevin Henson were hired as bus drivers, and Ron Matthews employed as junior high wrestling coach and Chris Krupa as JV baseball coach. Milan Pozderac was approved as a junior high wrestling volunteer and Jeff Keener as a junior high boys basketball volunteer. Steven Goeppinger and Jennifer McNeil were added to the classified substitute list.
Besides approving routine fiscal actions, the board accepted the donation of 12 classroom rugs from the Elementary PTO and, from Bill Burgett, two copies of “Kokosing Construction, Inc., An American Success Story in Fredericktown, Ohio.” The board also contracted with MTBusiness to lease three copy machines. The new 60-month lease represents an estimated savings of $4,272.
Other actions included the approval of an agreement with Kent State University to allow their students to be placed in Fredericktown Schools for authorized field experience and student teaching. The board also approved a waiver day for March 5 for staff in-service training.
The following college students will be observing in Fredericktown classrooms: Natalie Salisbury, Mount Vernon Nazarene University in Berni Murray’s fifth-grade class; Megan Yoder, MVNU, in Cecile Hendrickson’s fifth-grade class; Amy LaBenne, MVNU, with intervention specialist Laura Andrew; and Lyndsey Earnest, Ohio State University, with reading teacher Mary Jo Cull. Kent State student Amanda Olson was approved for student teaching with speech and hearing specialist Jodi Erfurt.
Following an executive session to discuss negotiations and personnel, the board voted to approve a grievance with OPSEA Local 323 regarding personal leaves.
No further action was taken.
There will be a board retreat on Jan. 5 at the Knox County Educational Service Center, and the 2012 budget hearing and organizational meeting will be held in the Fredericktown board room on Tues., Jan 10 at 5 p.m., immediately followed by the regular monthly meeting. Tom Seymour will chair the reorganization meeting.
