001Good evening. My name is Angela Fischer. I'm the regional manager for ISC, which is the International Student Exchange. Um, And I'm first of all going to introduce some of the people that are standing up here with me. So if you go down the line and just say your name and the country you're from, please. I'mia from Italy. I'm from Spain. I'm from France. I'm an area representative company. I'm Kathleen and I host. And I'm Matthew and I host. So first of all, I'm going to why we're here today. Um, a few months ago, my company sent out an email and it just asked the question, do any of your schools stand out as special to you? And I didn't have to hesitate. Like Waterl was the first school that I thought of. Um, working with
002Mr. Ballinger has been amazing. A lot of our schools put a cap on how many students that can come into the country or what grade they are in or Ela score, which is our English equivalency. Um, they put all these restrictions and all these hoops we have to jump through. And Mr. Ballinger, without fail, if I call him up and say, "Hey, I have a student." He says, "Send me in the paperwork. No other questions asked." So, I am so grateful for you for doing that for us and for whatever allowing that to happen. Um, these students bring so much to our communities, especially the small communities like we're in here today. A lot of our students will never leave our small little area. Maybe go to the next county over, but not very far
003after that. So, what these students bring to them is is lifechanging. It does show them that there is more out there. It shows them how to be understanding of differences. So, this this um program is an amazing thing and I'm so grateful to be a part of it. So, one of the things I just really want to point out about what Waterlue offers our students, um, they are allowed to take any classes they want to as long as they are within the ISC's boundaries of taking the core classes of English and American history. um they're they're welcome to do any any classes they want to no matter what grade they're in which is it's been a blessing for our students to get to kind of venture out of those things but they don't get that
004opportunity in their home countries allowing them to play sports and engage in in their programs and like pub club and things like that that I know that you've been a part of um has just been a big a big huge part of seeing them grow and explore and learn to be the people that they're becoming. so that they can take those kind of things home with them and hopefully especially in the day that we're living in now some diplomacy and some good memories of the United States so when they get old enough to make those types of decisions they think of us in a positive way. The last thing I want to offer is my personal appreciation for water. Like I said, Mr. Binger, you've been amazing. Just just being able to um you at
005any time, no matter what time of the year it is, emergency placements, and you've just stepped up and have allowed our students in here, and I personally want to thank you for that. So, now I have to read the big letter. So, I'm sorry, guys. So, on behalf of ISC says, I want to express our deepest gratitude to Waterl High School for the outstanding support of cultural exchange and international education. Your dedication to welcoming exchange students and fostering a global incentive environment and made a lasting impression on both our students in our communities through the commitment to providing a supportive education making the academic setting and embracing the diversity that exchange students bring. You have created the atmosphere where young minds can grow, learn, share, share their unique perspectives. Whether it's through the encouragement from
006your teachers, the involvement of your student body, or the leadership of your administrative team, your school has exemplified the true spirit of global unity and collaboration. In recognition of your exceptional efforts, we are honored to present you with this special award and a token of our appreciation. Your partnership has not only enriched the lives of our students, but has also helped meaningful connections across the cultures. Thank you for your continued dedication to international student exchange. We look forward to many more years of collaboration with Waterl High School and we extend to your staff, to your faculty, to your students and unwavering support. So, Mr. Ballinger, if you'd like to step up with me on behalf of myself and like to present this to you. Thank [Applause] you. Thank you guys so much. Thank you so
007much. Okay, thanks so much. We appreciate you coming tonight and recognizing fine effort of adult school district and Tyler. Okay, um I want to give a PTO update first. So, we had our rolling out the red carpet dance for prek through sixth grade girls. It was super successful. We had 120 girls come. We had dinner, dancing games, crafts, glow sticks. It was really great. Um, for the boys skate adventure, it was less well attended, but for the folks that did attend, we did get really good feedback. So, adjust and probably try something different next year. Um, yearbooks are in and we have extras, so if you talk to any families who missed ordering, you can send them our way and we have those. Today, PTO members delivered part two of the teacher wishlist request totaling
008$1,023 worth of classroom materials and supplies. And we were also able to supply um gift card to Mr. Nolles so he can pick out his own supplies instead of trusting us. Um we secured Farmand Coffee Trailer to come next week to thank our teachers and staff. Um it's a bit of a delayed teacher appreciation, but we're excited to have them back. We secured Eerie Street Kitchen to bring their food truck and make fresh French fries for all of our prek through sixth graders at field day. And we're still working with Miss Kizner and Mrs. Couns on additional field day needs. And then last night, we helped our art teachers with a raffle during fine arts night and we ran a concession stand in order to raise funds for the art program. So that's PT. And
009then I just have other stuff. Um this is in regards to items D, E, F, and G on the agenda. So, when the agenda was first posted, it didn't mention the word stipens or dollar amounts or anything. And I thought this was odd because dollar amounts were usually on there. Like just last month, items I and J were stipens for teachers. I went back through some past meeting minutes and in September of 24, there was the language statement and the specific amount. Um, so it's typically on there. So, I thought that was weird. Um, and the supplementals are always on there. So, I was curious why that was different and I asked. And then today the agenda was posted again with the word stipen and the amounts. Um is this because we we questioned it?
010I talked to two other committee members. Maybe they questioned it. Um or was the plan kind of just to do this without anyone knowing anything? Uh obviously Mr. Ballinger's new role of athletic director is a new responsibility. But based on principal reports that I've been listening to for the last year, the title of at least one principal on our website and our general understanding as a community, the responsibilities listed seem to be existing responsibilities. I reached out to all four board of education members and asked specifically with the exception of item D, are these roles uh work that administrators are currently already doing? One board member called me and indicated that yes, these were existing responsibilities. Another board member told me, quote, uh, yes, they are. they are already doing these jobs which is why
011we would like to include a stipen for next year same as we do for anyone taking on additional work and one board member told me quote no these are new duties for our administrators and the fourth board member did not reply to me I know I'm not allowed to ask questions but if I were I would ask which one is this are we compensating administrators for taking on new additional responsibilities or are we compensating them for work they are already being paid to do everyone in this room knows that we just went through a huge mess that ended up in sending raises that were proposed by Dr. Clark and now he is proposing these stipens on his way out which certainly looks like a way to get the raises that were rescended. I was vocal
012about the issue of going down to two classrooms for kindergarten for months based on multiple conversations with parents in the community and K3 teachers both in and outside of the district. Yet the board, Dr. Clark, and our administration insisted we close enrollment, go down to two, and use the money saved to hire a music teacher. Registration has started and we will need three kindergarten classes. uh we've already hired that music teacher. Everything that's happened with the preschool, even if it was a sound financial decision, if anyone had reached out to parents for a conver conversation instead of just putting this on the agenda and plowing ahead, it would have done wonders in the community, if nothing else, just for optics. Uh any parent who has been paying attention even a little this last year knows
013what a mess it has been. There's distrust at seemingly all levels. There are fractured relationships, low morale, and a sense that folks are unable to work together to move forward for our students. And it is palpable. And the board to board members, if you do not see that or do not feel that, I believe you are out of touch with what is happening within the walls of our school. Um, board members, you are able to engage with people other than Joe Clark and Brian Pusetary when you are considering what is best for our school. And just because someone has been an administrator for 25 years or on our school board for 30 years, that does not mean that they are always the person that knows what is best. Sometimes, yes, but not always. And it
014does not mean they get to make every decision for the rest of the board. Each of you has a voice for our students and for the future of Waterlue. Each of you has the opportunity to move forward in good faith and let our new superintendent come in, assess the situation, and make decisions that he will be living with. Um, frankly, I cannot wait for a new superintendent. I am really hopeful and I'm ready to move forward with someone with integrity to lead our school. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Um Heather, anything? Um again, mine is not as well prepared as Liz. Um I just wanted to say that a little bit of the same thing that she said. Um you know, I have four kids. Two of them have already graduated. Two of them are
015still in the district um in elementary school. So, we still have a while. But um At the February meeting, Dr. Clark said that he was going down with two kindergarten teachers and wanted to hire the music teacher. Um, and that there's two elementary teachers retiring, that he was not replacing one of them because of the kindergarten teacher and then also um the he was going to hire an intervention specialist. Well, he hired the intervention specialist and the music teacher and now keeping the third teacher. So, we've hired all these people. Um, are we is that sustainable? Because my kids careers at Waterlue has been let's do more with less. And now it seems that we're hiring all these people and we're extending people's hours and salaries. and I just want to make sure that it's
016sustainable and that we're not going to be back in a financial mess like we were a couple of years ago. That's all. Okay. Thank you. Um Kyle, good evening members of the board. My name is Kyle and I'm speaking tonight on behalf of the Water Education Association. We appreciate the opportunity to address you this evening, though we do so with serious concerns regarding some of the items on the board agenda. Specifically, I'm referring to superintendent business items DG. These items prove stipens to the principles of the assistant principles. This is especially troubling because on March 10th, 2025, the board and the association reached a grievance resolution where the board explicitly presented the November salary schedules approved for the principles and the assistant principles and agreed to a specific salary grid methodology for the 202526 and
0172026 27 school years. Introducing siphons outside of that framework not only undermines the letter of the agreement but also the sphere. If the board proceeds with these actions as currently stated, it will represent a significant erosion of the relationship between the association and the board. Once trust is broken, it threatens the stability of future collaboration, something none of us should take lightly. We urge the board this evening to vote no on superintendent business items DG and commit to following the agreement both parties entered into back in March. This would be a meaningful step forward for restoring the integrity of our collaborative relationship. Thank you for your attention to this issue and for your commitment to our students, our staff, and our community. Okay. Thank you. At this time, I'll call the regular meeting of the
018board of education. Roll call, please. Yes. Okay. Can we have a motion to uh to Adopt those agenda. Second, please. Roll call, please. Yes. Mr. Yes. Mr. Yes. Yes. Motion passes. Okay. Um items to want to mention tonight. Let's start out on a positive note. Um, want to congratulate uh Scott in our treasurer's office for receiving the auditor of state award. Excellent. Really appreciate that. You want to talk about what it takes to achieve that, Scott? Thank you very much. So, that's a nice thing. Not, you know, that's not I don't know what percentage of schools in the state receive that, but it's not certainly not not a lot of them. So, quite an accomplishment to to Scott as well as his rest of his team. So, congratulations there. Also, uh see kind of updating
019uh with our with our positions. We uh as you'll see on the agenda tonight, we're going to be hiring our next superintendent. Uh Frank Frank, he's here this evening. So, please uh say hi to Frank. Those interviews quite a bit of time together with the board here last couple weeks. We are going to proceed to the second round of interviews for shared services treasure with Ritztown. We had a meeting last night at Richtown and uh this meeting will be the next round of interviews will be conducted here when next Wednesday. So uh so everything is going well. Uh boards are collaborating very well. That's nice to see. And uh we hope to be able to have a a treasure picked out as soon as possible and we'd like to have as much overlap with as
020we can. So, um so with keeping in mind the shortage of shared ser of treasures out there right now and in in the state of Ohio, it's uh it's really nice that we hope that we can be able to fill position and get somebody that we're the two of us working two districts working together will be able to compensate them and keep them at a level where we keep them around for a significant amount of time. Um let's see. We are uh we have not started board member interviews for to replace uh uh M Miss Zachariah who as you know moved out of the school district unfortunately. So that is going to be held we well you know we're together we've been together every night and our meetings are you know till 10 o'clock. Last
021night was our first time after 11 o'clock. So um we're trying to find some time to do that. we have to have something in place by 30th. Uh so we will certainly will do that. Uh we're going to talk about that and and hopefully we'll have a big and we'll be contacting those people that uh that were so graciously applied and we thank them and we really appreciate that. Uh let's see. We uh we need to set up I am not going to be here for June June board meeting. I got to be out of town business. So you you're more than welcome to have that meeting without me. That would not hurt my feelings one bit or you're certainly welcome. We can change the date. The only really I'm I'm booked up for the
022basically for that week and the next two. So if we were going to move it, we'd have to move forward. So up to you on Thursday. Yeah, that's the Oh, yeah. I think so. June 5th. And our interim superintendent be able to make that date, buddy? June 5th. Yeah, you're good. Okay. So, um So, we're good to go there. Let's see. We got Please take a minute and visit the art show. I I came early to do that. What a what an impressive for somebody who has no artistic talent whatsoever. Really impressive. And congratulations to the art teachers and the job that's done there. And then also tomorrow starts the play for Matilda. Been a few years since we've had a play in the district. And just thank everybody who's put so much time and
023energy into that. and it's really exciting. I personally love to watch plays, so uh we'll be here. But, uh, thank you everybody for that. And I I I don't want to get into a big exchange, but uh I never received a phone call, uh, a voicemail or a text or I'm sorry, an email or a text from you, Liz. I did text. You're welcome to look through my phone with me during your break, but it is not there. I look, that's why I was looking when you said it. You know me, we don't always agree, but I always reply. You usually reply. Yeah. So, I didn't get it. I don't know. I don't So, I certainly would have replied. So, think, you know, we have a we we agree a lot of times. We don't
024agree sometimes, but we have a mutual respect. So, I always reply to something happened technology from a technology standpoint. I apologize, but I thought I may have missed it. That's why I'm looking to my phone because of the all we've had this week. The volume of the last several weeks has just been overwhelming. So, but that's good. And I think that is make sure I hit my all on my list and so move on to the superintendent. Well, um, today's bittersweet for me. Um, I would be lying if I didn't say that I'm really excited that STRS made a change that benefits people like me and allows me to retire. I have loved my time here at Waterlue and when I signed on and you guys brought me in last year, I thought it would
025be for um several years with an opportunity to stick around even longer past my retirement. I I do want to thank the board. You are an outstanding board, very thoughtful decision makers. I know you're what you do is always in the best interest of kids. uh and you um do what I think all good boards do, which is you are absolutely comfortable disagreeing, but you're still friends at the end of the day. So, I really respect that. I want to thank Scott, great teammate, wonderful steward of public dollars, winning the award. It's fantastic. I wish you all the best. Uh Scott, as your career uh continues, I know you're going to be a wonderful treasure for a long, long time. Um our principles Everything our principles do is for the benefit of kids and families.
026And I've been doing this job for 33 years, not because of the best group of principles I've worked with, and that's saying a lot because they're so young. Um, they they absolutely do what's best for kids. Um, and I can't say um how much I've enjoyed working with you um being colleagues, but also being friends. And I I urge you to continue fighting the good fight to do what's best for our children. Um Barb, the maintenance department at the cafeteria. Um Barb and her crew is so good. I've never been in a place that takes so much pride in clean, safe facilities and healthy meals. And I couldn't be more grateful to have worked with them. Tim and our bus drivers, they have persevered through hardships this year, through staff shortages, but they always do
027whatever they can to get our kids to school safely. And I I thank them for that. Our aids, our secretarial staff, they are always keeping kids engaged and safe and on time and places where they're supposed to be and all of those sorts of things. Our teachers are incredibly dedicated to Wateroo. We have uh teachers who um uh were born here, went to school here, and and remain here, and they absolutely are dedicated um to to being here. Kyle is a great um union leader. He does everything to serve his teachers. He fights relentlessly for teacher causes. It's been a pleasure. Again, although we might not always agree, I think I really enjoyed having the the collaboration. D of course runs this place. We all know that she works untold hours, finding subs, covering classes.
028She puts up with people who forget or who refuse to enter their absences. Um she has tons of institutional knowledge. And uh Frank, you're in a great spot with the right there on your right. Well, actually, she's in a great spot with you on her right hand. Make sure you know um who's in charge there. Um I am meeting with Frank on Monday. Um he's going to have access to all of my files, all of my emails. I'll do everything I can to um provide you every resource you can to be successful here. Um, and I I'll give you whatever insights you ask for um to continue moving this place forward. It absolutely is a wonderful place. We have such good people here and they they deserve the best. Um, my opinion is we've had
029a lot of successes um in in this short year together. I am most proud of a music teacher of expanding our music program. It's to me it's sinful unconscionable that we did not have elementary music. I will never apologize for bringing music back to the district. And also the drama program, which was really nothing more than me saying yes when we had a um a community member, a spouse of a teacher who said we should have drama and I said absolutely we should. And she took the bull by the horns and the show will be tomorrow night. So I hope you're there. We're going to have a destination imagination team uh next year funded by a donation from a community member. U we've received more than $50,000 in grants this year. Um, we also have
030a million do, well, not quite a million, $990,000 grant that I fully expect the district will be approved on in September or October that will provide brand new technology throughout um, the building. I'm very excited about that. Um, some of the things that go on behind the scenes that people don't see, we've updated our emergency operations plan. Tedious work, incredibly necessary. We hope we never need it, but we know that we're prepared. things ever happened to our school. We have this life discovery program coming that's it's a program that is funded um by the ESC. This is going to save our district more than $70,000 a year for the next three years because we said yes and we agreed to a partnership with them. We have after school child care coming next year uh to
031Water for the the folks who are working and need that uh service. We have a new all call and student attendance system which is going to um make things much easier and much clearer for our secretarial staff, much easier for parents and safer for kids because we'll be able to know where kids are are sooner than we are currently with the old antiquated system of people calling in and talking to a person. I know everybody likes the human touch, but when you're here and you see the first hour of the school day, phones ringing and people popping in, it's chaos and it won't be anymore because doing this new system. Um, we became compliant with many, many state reports that had not been completed in years. It seemed like every time I turned a rock
032over, I found something crawling out of it and I got a lot of that cleaned up, but not everything, right? So, good luck with that. Um, updated dozens of outdoor data board policies. If you went at the beginning of the year, if you went on our website, chances are if you opened a board policy, it was updated and that's all been updated. So I think that's a that's a lot to me. That's a lot in the in the short time that I've been here. It's not me. It's the team, right? The team is outstanding. I tell I jokingly tell people my job is to sign my name and call meetings and I let good people uh do their work. And um nothing but the best here. I wish everybody nothing but the best. It was
033a short run, but I will always bleed maroon. Go by. Thank you. Um, and I apologize. I'm going to take go back. I'm I'm going to go back to my prince presence report. Um, I forgot to to I didn't forget. I just can't read very well from this close up, I guess. But, uh, I just wanted to recognize D for uh, you know, when we have interviews. Well, first of all, she is so helpful as far as getting information between the board for interviews and times and coordination and all that kind of stuff and all the all the copies of resumes and all those things that need to happen. Scott also has been very very very critical crucial I should say in that situation because I can't I can't sit down on the my computer
034and email the board members. I can't do that. I can't email more than one board member at a time. So being and Scott helping disperse all that information is just so great. And then every time we have interviews in, he is our guest, our greeter. And so she greets them while we're in interviewing the person. She uh she greets the uh the next candidate that's coming in when they get here and keeps them busy until it's time for them to go in, shows them out and all that stuff. And and I've received so many comments uh about D and how sweet she is and how nice she is and just a pleasure to be around that. And and you know, she just comes in on her own with her own and just phenomenal. So, I
035just can't thank you enough. So, um there were a couple questions that were playing around and some board members asked me to talk about uh just some GPA pieces. We're getting close to graduation and uh just some some talk with those sort of things. um specifically weighted versus unweighted GPA. Uh we do have weighted GPA for but it's a little bit different than maybe what is typical where you award higher points um past the 4.0. Uh that's not our system necessarily. So currently if you're in a non-weighted class um there's an A+ and a A minus and it goes all the way down with that. Um basically the weighted classes they just get rid of the minus. So it's an A plus an A and then B plus B um all the way down. So
036it's still on a 4.0 scale. Um it just adds a little bit of wiggle room there in some of the more advanced classes. So some AP classes and some advanced math and science classes have that um as part of there. So it's a little bit different than what people expect expect. Usually the weighted class you expect GPA that are above 4.0. Um but that is kind of what's in our our policy right now. um with graduation. The other thing too is that currently we use the Latin honor system uh for recognizing graduates. It's very similar. It's exactly what a college would do for an undergraduate degree. Um so if you if you reach a certain GPA threshold, you recognize on your diploma uh with magnet cumladum laad those being the tiers higher each time. Um
037they're I I could get into why that is the case. basically comes from when colleges used to have um a single course of study and so there was no way of distinguishing someone who graduated with the best grades and worst grades used all graduated. Um so that was their way of recognizing it. Um we still do uh an honors dinner uh and then kids recognized at honors at the awards night and then also at graduation when they hit those marks. Um for students who would typically be validictorian saludiator territory. We we do recognize 4.0 students. So those commodities who are also 4.0 those kids were at the top whatever that cuto off is. Last year we had two, this year we had four. Um they are the ones that are kind of selected. They have
038the opportunity to speak at graduation. Um is the way at least it's been my interpretation the past two years of what we've been doing. I can't speak to um past that. There has been talk. Um I I would be open depending on what people think and you know talking with people. That's if you have opinions, let me know. Um if we wanted to and the board was supportive of going back to the um I I'm fine with people being recognized. However, the community finds that best. Um I'm not partial to the Latin system even though I did teach Latin. Uh it is nice for that part. But um if that's something we want and that would be something we'd have to implement with a class, we'd have to grandfather it out, right? Because we don't
039have those requirements in right now. Um but we could definitely start that with eighth grade class or the seventh grade class where we kind of go there. Um, I hope that if that's something that the community and the board want. Um, prom, we did prom last weekend. Um, I just want to thank um, Mrs. Navy and this uh, Vixler. Uh, there's our two junior class advisors. They are here for pretty much every single home game of concessions to fundra. Um, and it's a ton of time. I did it. I was a junior class adviser when I was a teacher at Tusky and and I understand I understand that struggle. Um the prom is great. Um I think the kids had a lot of fun. Uh in recent years it's kids that sometimes will come and
040eat and they want to leave as soon as humanly possible. We got to call a bunch of people and say hey you know is it okay if they leave? Um a lot of people stay pretty much uh through to the end. Um it was a good night. I also just want to thank Miss Clint Smith, Mr. Shel for chaperon. dedicate their time on a on a Saturday. Um coming up, like I said, with graduation just a couple weeks away, we have all of our senior events. So, I just wanted to kind of highlight these. Uh we have our honors dinner. So, that would be for all students who reach kumlady, magnum kumlady, or kumlady. Uh that is next Wednesday, the 14th at 6. It'll be in the elementary cafeteria and and food services is catering.
041So the second year for that excited for that on the senior breakfast panoramic picture and cap and gown walk it's a little bit different this year that was also with the awards uh with moving the awards to the evening. We're doing these on two separate days. So breakfast panoramic picture and cap down walk are on Wednesday uh May 21st. So a week after that um we're going to start around 8. I would assume the cap and gown walk will be around 9:00ish. Um we'll do breakfast first and the picture. Um some senior will forget their cap down. So they'll turn back and get in and that will take a little bit of time. The awards night is that next day, Thursday, uh the 22nd at 6. Uh it is open for every senior. There's a
042couple things that I would like to maybe do into the future. Uh changing that, but we're going to keep it pretty much as the assembly was in the during the day. just in the evening. Uh simply to allow more parents and family to show up to be there. It's hard to show up at 9:00 when I went on Thursday. Um this will hopefully help with that. Senior exams are the 23rd and 27th. Uh seniors will just take those in their classes those days. Um and then graduation practice is Wednesday, May 28th, and graduation is Thursday, May 29th at 7 here in the high school gym. Uh, and then as Brian, as you said, come see Matilda Junior. I want to thank uh Mrs. Biles and Zach, Miss Ross. Uh, they pretty much, as Dr. Clark
043said, and kind of said yes, you know, sorted out some things and and they've ran with it. So, um, from what I've seen, everyone's putting in a ton of work. It should be a great it should be a great show. So, please come out and support them. That's tomorrow and Saturday at 7 down in the elementary cap stage. Uh and lastly, uh with it being Joe, your last board meeting with us, I just wanted to thank you personally for everything uh this year, been a great mentor. Uh I am relatively new in uh the administrative game. I've learned a lot from you. appreciate everything you taught me this year and also just friendship as well. Thanks. Uh about the Latin honors, yeah, we actually made that change um about two years after Mr. Wolf retired.
044Um I don't know exactly what year that was, but so that's been in place for probably um 15 years I'll say roughly somewhere in that ballpark when Dr. Hill was here. So at the time it was felt that he felt very strongly that that was gave colleges and universities a better idea of what comparison and those kind of things that so and that's he thought at the time a lot more school districts are going to do that but um I personally am not you knowever whatever community and the staff and you and everybody wants. Okay. Yes. Um first, mayor and I would like to welcome our three new teachers that we've added to the elementary. Um Michaela Note, Katrina Johansson, and Susie Hoover. We are so happy to have them join us. um wonderful people,
045wonderful teachers. Also, I'd like to note um my own gratitude for Dr. Char as well. I am not really in my administrative experience. Um but I have also learned a great deal from you and um your experience is a long time superintendent. I'm really grateful. Kindergarten registration took place over two evenings with every appointment slot booked. Um additional calls and we are still receiving them. will have a scheduled registr registration appointment during the day. Um, many thanks to our hardworking registration team, our school counselor, Nicole Nicely, Sabrina Kner, our school secretary, Kim Strange, our district nurse, and Jerry Kirk bride, who is a nurse and also one of our district aids. Um, and just as an aside, we have um right now the number of kindergarten students registered is about the same as the number
046of kindergarters we currently have enrolled, which um to be honest is unlikely. Not it's not typical for this time of the year because we always have a good solid turnout in August of families that are either moving into the district or didn't register for kindergarten in time. Um so those numbers did fill up pretty quickly and that's um atypical. Um thanks to the students good behavior. We provided donuts in the morning to five soon to be six of our buses. Um one day and one bus at a time those riders were invited into the building a few minutes earlier than everyone else so they could have their donuts together as a group. It's been a big hit and even seeing the um junior high kids being happy about a donut has been really fun for
047us. Um May is field trip season for us so far. Our preschoolers have visited the active zoo and our fourth graders have visited the killing museum. Um and the fourth grade teachers and a few of the students um wanted to share their experience with you. So that's what Barry just passed out. Um, upcoming field trips include first and second grades attending a performance at the Magical Theater, third grade visiting the O Wow Museum of Science and Technology in Youngstown, sixth grade visiting the Rubber Duck Stadium, kindergarten visiting the Akan Zoo, and fifth grade visiting the Soap Box 3. Nearly all of the cost of these trips has been able to be covered by our principal fund, also called the O8 fund, um, which consists of money that is either donated or fundraised. So that's pretty
048awesome and we're proud of that. Speaking of the soap box derby, the dishes bikes traveled to the dirty grounds last week to test their car and this Saturday, May 10th, is the dirty event. Word on the street is that there is a good chance of placing in the dirty this year and we wish them the best of luck. Upcoming events for us include kindergarten graduation, a recognition assembly for grades 1 through six, field day, and also the kindergarters uh participating in the capping out walk. That's all I have. Thank you. Our new legislative liaison is Mr. Well, technically he's not yet. We're going to appoint him later tonight, but he's already he's on the job early, so he's kind of All right. Um, so there's a few things. DEI programs in K12 schools, the House,
049House Bill 155 and Senate Bill 113 propose gaining diversity and inclusions programs in Ohio's K through 12 schools. Uh, this would require local school boards to eliminate eliminate DEI offices and training. Um, is currently under consideration. It's not it's at the Senate Education Committee right now. Uh state budget and school funding, House Bill 96, the two-year operating budget, expands uh funding for private school vouchers and education savings accounts and increasing tax credits for homes. Uh third grade reading guarantee changes. House Bill introduces a retention exemption for third grade students who haven't met promotional requirements. Uh with parents request and consultation with educators, students may advance to fourth grade despite not benchmarks. Suicide prevention measures effective April 9th, 2025. Ohio law that schools serving grades 9 through 12 display the national suicide and crisis life lifeline
050number on students IDs and handbooks and websites. Um open enrollment for military families. New law requires all Ohio public schools districts to allow open enrollment for parents or guardians for active duty military. proposed success sequence curriculum. Senator Cultural has introduced the bill to teach the success sequence graduate high school secure employment children high schools aiming to reduce poverty rates. Thank you. Maybe one career center update. Um I don't have a lot. We have a very quick meeting because we have the National Honor Society induction. Um we did have one Waterlue student that was inducted. Um and then we already had two that were currently in it. Um and then we had five students on that got perfect attendance for the third nine weeks. Um we had um they had cupcakes with teachers for the current
051sophomores that will be going in next year. Um and that was a we had 48.07% attendance for that. Um the attendance incentive program breakfast was on April 3rd and 64 total students were recognized for that. Um that's the when they get perfect attendance in nine weeks they have a breakfast for them. Waterl had five of those students but there was 64 total. Um, and then graduation [Music] is, what month is this? May. Uh, May 28th and it's at Kent State. And their, um, rehearsal for that is on the 27th. And that's all I have. Thank you. Okay. New business. Looks like I think last year I kind of um this on some of my financials but the state likes to see this on its own by itself and on the agenda. So that's how I
052do business. Um I also apologize for the informality of this. So in your folders you have PowerPoint laid out um and then our visitors here I put some on the table um if anybody is very interested in IDA money. Um so as you're pulling that out the um first page is kind of just kind of a background of what IDA is the funding where it came from why it's in law that kind of stuff. Um Mary has and a half ready to go on this if anybody wants to hear it. Um, but I figured what we would do is we would flip over to the back and let me talk about finances, which is why um, kind of jumping through the to begin with. Um, so slide seven talks about just the special education services
053that can be included. So they're listed there. Um so what I really want to spend some time talking about are maintenance of effort and then just kind of walk you through um how we're spending the money this year from our um so maintenance of effort um just to kind of sum it up basically the state requires us to spend the same amount of money each year um for special education um for children with disabilities. Um and what is they have basically a big giant calculation that if you want to see it, I'll show it to you, but essentially you have to maintain same level of spending every year. Most of the time it's not very difficult. Salaries go up, benefits go up, it it's usually not a big deal for that to happen. Um, however,
054if it were to ever not happen, um, the state theoretically could take away money. Um, they could al but there's also a couple other things you do to try to that um as well. You can ask for an exemption. You can ask for a waiver um because there are sinuated circumstances sometimes that happen. You know, you have a student that maybe moves out of the district that you're not spending money on. Um that kind of thing, you have staff need. So, they they do take that into account and if you have extenduating circumstances, they can explain that to you. Um, the next slide, slide nine, has our so basically we we passed it with just a base expenditure. And I know that's hard to see. If you want me to email it to you, I
055can. Um, but, you know, I look back through it um last week. We've really had no issue passing. So, I I don't foresee that changing anytime soon. Um, and then kind of the crux of why we're here. Um, so we have two different IDA funds. We have IDA and then we have the IDA early childhood special education. So IDA special education. Um that's basically our big pot of IDA money. We get almost $300,000 of that. We are using the vast majority of that money to fund two of our intervention specialists and also help um with our speech services as well. So that's included in that. Um and then for the early childhood special education. We have about $6,000 there. Um and that is mainly put towards um some of our educational aids that are in
056school is what that is for. So again, short and sweet. Hopefully that's okay. Um but I be happy to answer any questions that you have. Mary is also here. She's more than anything you like to add. Great. Thank you very much. Looks like I jumped down the meeting for something moving up earlier in the month. So we may special not What's that? I mean, we can I mean, we can push it back, but I don't know if we're going to have any any hiring things like that. Any clean up work? I I just want to, like I said, I'm not I'm not asking to change it. I just wanted to put it in the back of your mind. test appropriations or whatever. Fine. Don't that's we understand that more often than not you as well.
057It's all part mentioned something about uh was the honor dinner is next Wednesday. That's the same day we're interviewing. We're okay if we I guess we'll be We're down there. Yeah, we're down. Oh, okay. We'll be We'll get up here or I'm sorry. Thank you. Thank you. Well, I'll tell you, speaking of the Rtown meeting was very nice and and all that stuff. One of her board members owns a pizza shop and uh from the sounds of things, he brings food quite often to the board. So, A nice pleasant surprise. Very good. Right, Frank? Um, any other new business board members would like to discuss at this point? Okay. And we have a motion to appoint Joe Hickin as legislative for the remainder of motion. Second comments or questions? Joe, appreciate taking anything else. Roll
058call, please. Motion passes. Uh the next item is we like to approve the contract of Frank superintendent effective August 1st 2025 comments or questions. Welcome and we got a little baptism by fire here the last couple days meeting so after 11 o'clock last night and here we are again tonight and next week. I appreciate it. Look forward to roll call, please. Yes. Whereas a public board of education may hold an executive session only after a majority of reform. This board determines by roll call vote to hold such a session and only at a regular or special meeting for the sole purpose of the consideration of any of the following matters. employment. We have a motion to recess in the executive session to discuss comments or questions, please. Yes. Motion passes. We're going to go into
059the conference room by the uh