001at 5:30 p.m. So, call the meeting. Gary, can you take the role? Scott Fishell here. Dennis Keaney here. Denise Brewster here. Grassy here. Lori Kriski here. And stand for the pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Okay, first reading of this is a uh re second first reading of policy 7421 that came out of the policy committee to make an adjustment um to a definition of family facility. This is required by Ohio law. Uh this is a policy that's required by Ohio law. In speak, there was some questions about the way that it reads. Um so we we worked with our legal and made a made a change to the
002definition to take the word family out of restroom and the definition of family facility. So how does that solve the question that I had regarding the use of construction dollars um for singleuse bathrooms? Those single-use bathrooms are technically defined as family facilities. Even though families wouldn't use it, they meet the they meet the definition of a family facility because they will have one toilet or shower. In this case, just one toilet. And so, we're going to designate family restrooms in our classrooms. They're by definition. We have family restrooms in all of our classrooms that have single restrooms. We have family restrooms um throughout any any restroom that is a single use facility is also considered a family facility per policy definition. So, will we have family facilities in there? No, they won't have they don't
003they aren't required to have changing tables or that sort of they I think some will be ADA compliant, but that's just a compliance issue, but they won't they do not they aren't required to have a changing table like the typical like a family facility you would see in the Right. So, the we ask uh the revised code just says single, right? So, it doesn't have to. It the designation of family came from how Neola wrote up the definition. It wasn't saying that you couldn't use the dollars if it's a singleuse bathroom. Explain that to me again because that's not how I read that. Okay. I read that we can't use construction dollars or whatever to you construct singleuse restrooms. I don't care what kind it is, family, non family, whatever. You can't use construction dollars
004for mult for basically you can't use construction dollars to construct a restroom that is a multi-use um multisex so that any sex could use well that's what it is in these classrooms like anybody's going to use that bathroom kids are they cannot have more than one toilet or shower in that and I did speak with uh Ryan over at then sign and uh he was well aware of the the standard and that we're fine with what they're doing. So then so the the definition of the statute calls designates these as single use or family. They are both the same and you can you can construct single use or family. They would be a family. So they can only have one toilet or shower but have multiple multiple sexes use it. So did you run this
005past Dan? We did. So he wrote it according to the requirement of the law. Well, wow. That's a conundrum of terms. I'm just going to say like that is like really okay contradictory. It's it's a multi-use bathroom, single use, but we're allowed to use it because it's only got one toilet. I'm sorry. Like one toilet to me doesn't designate. It's that's ridiculous. We could the the teacher could use that restroom if they if they so choose, right? So could any one of the students as well as an aid or anyone else as long as one person is using it at a time. I just sometimes feel like we we construct our policy to fit our needs, but that's not really the meaning of it. I don't know. Like I that's not how I read that.
006None at all. I'm just going to go on record saying that's not how I read that. What will be the sign designation outside of these? like what signs are on the outside of the restaurant just says restroom right my original question wasn't necessarily family restroom that was not my issue the issue was single use and we're still using it as single use I don't know how we get around that it's still single use so I still have a problem with it any further discussion on Okay. So, um as a first reading, then um the second reading would be in the next the rest of the policy. Yes. Okay. And uh any questions uh for Dan or or whatever refer that to him and get further clarification if need be. Will we be able to leave
007that separate because Yep. I don't believe that it's our intent. public I just Okay, that'd be great. Thank you. Okay. In the uh ESCO agreement um 2025 to 2027, there is a resolution to approve a primary service agreement with the Educational Service Center of Northeast Ohio per Ohio revised code 3313.843 843 for the 2025 to 2026 and 2026 to 2027 school years. Um, can I get a second? I'll second. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Keaney. And, uh, discussion. Um, last time we spoke about that, you said we were staying with the Western Reserve. Uh, no. I said we were we were holdo we were holding off on that decision because of some uh personal issues with the superintendent's child. So we we tabled that one. Um uh what you were saying that it was their billing
008practices. They were late and not accurate and they were promising to clear that up. It was I it was billing practices as well as items of service. Um and then we were also looking at um financial gain and financial comebacks. And so what changed? Because you haven't mentioned anything to me since our last conference. I'm sorry that I failed to do that. Um what what changed? Have you talked with any of the board members about it? I believe I have. And who did you speak? I think I talked to Mrs. Brewster about it. I believe I talked to Mrs. Keski as well. Okay. So I would like some feedback if there's any feedback. I just the last on the change. Honestly, the last thing I heard was that you had to have some further discussions
009with um the Western Reserve and you I was waiting to hear back. So, I miss it. I I thought we did talk at the last committee, the last programs meeting as as a side note. I'm sorry. Okay. Well, anyway, so can you just get us up to speed unless somebody else had Miss Keski, do you have anything to add? But Dr. Martino can get us up to speed. Yeah, why don't you help? I I thought I did mention it one at one point. I'm sorry if I it was missed at some point. I thought it was mentioned when we talked to the ESC of Western Reserve. We had a meeting with them where they kind of came in and it was the same services as Nashville. We talked to the ESC of the NEO. In
010talking um they are their service fees or less they are throwing in some inind services as well as part of our agreement. some services that we pay for that are bringing the cost to be equal to what we and what would those be receive um one is a is a consultant with Tippy Foley who is a careerbased consultant who we use we currently employ her at so many days and she's being put in she's amazing which she's a business adviser so we're paying her now but then we would not pay her in the future in and how much a year is that that's about $12,000 maybe 16 I think we I forgot what it was but 12 or 12. She's being paid for by They're not going to make her pay for it. No, they're
011going to throw anything high. Really? Yes. I know that she doesn't work for them now, does she? She does work for the NEO. Yes, she does. Um I remember you saying that their programming for staff is far superior. Yes. The other thing Yes. And so that so when we made the final decision um which again I thought it did the final decision came based on the programming that's available for our staff um curriculum wise uh as well as supports through data and where we want to go and where we want to drive. Every time we go to a meeting at the ESCO whether it's for finance whether it's for leadership whether it's for our teachers we do see um a high quality we gain something from it and it's a value ad. uh we don't
012necessarily get that same feeling at the Western Reserve and in your discussions with them, you know, it was not an easy discussion. No. And I and I know that that that's one that wasn't it wasn't easy. My discussions with them really came from um we need to do what's best to move this district forward. Um and the ESCO will provide us those resources to move this district. So you mentioned curriculum. What curriculum do they offer or support do they offer? They support all of our curriculum. We call them to ask for programming or any type of assistance with um reading data with math scores or reading things with um can you provide um some programming with uh trauma based classrooms? Can you provide programming with uh this new um uh CPM math? Can they come
013and provide that? They've got the resources in the districts that will have it. they they they know where that is and they can really support us in implementation to help with looking and Western Reserve doesn't have that. They they are not they're not as big so they don't have the resources like they do. I also spoke with um other districts who have been with both um and asked them their those superintendents opinions of it and they said that the services are vastly and there's other Lake County schools. Will East Lake switch this year? Men is there. Um as well Wickliff Shardan County Shard County Shard Kston not Cardinal Brookshire. Who's left? Madison like nobody. It's who's left is Madison, Terry, Fairport, um Payneesville City. That's who's left in Lake County. And then uh Jaga County
014is just uh Cardinal and West Chiaga and then Crosswood's also a member of that. Okay. All right. And the um as far as getting the billing straightened out and all those things were good. They were they were willing to straighten out the billing um with us and work for some of those things. I think when we looked at the NEO, that's what they typically do. The other thing still is our substitutes through NEO. We spend a lot of money through NEO. Having our credits go through there. Okay. So they still our subbing goes through them through ESC of the NEO, not through us reserve. So we we are moving all of our services. Yes. We we've contracted a lot of services with them as well and now we're just kind of officially aligning with them.
015Okay. So do we have a requirement that we still through the financing district or whatever? Do we have other requirements through Western Reserve? The Western Reserve works as a fiscal agent for the financing district, but they still have to Yeah, they still have to provide. So, we have no other fiscal responsibilities to the financing district. The boundaries don't change with us lining up a different ESC. Okay. They're still the fiscal agent. Um the only thing that they could do in the future is decide as a governing board not to put the levy back on the ballot. But then you that would be three other districts would be affecting us besides us. Awesome. We'd still be having services with Western Reserve. There's still services like the uh when juvenile delinquent billing comes through the county will
016still go through our ESC uh any uh special ed services that through Broadmore that would still be with Western Reserve. So it's not like there's going to be no services there just be limited in scope. But we have brought over Sykes and other services. things in house, right? And it's common for districts to use multiple ESC's. Okay. It's it's that's not uncommon. Okay. I I guess I just wanted to make sure that we didn't have requirements remaining there that had dollars that had to be spent versus going somewhere else and we're paying twice or not. Okay. Anything else? I I do I thought I had it in there. I'm sorry. Thank you for the update. And uh Gary, can you call the role? Linda Grassi. Hi. Lori Kamisky. Hi. Scott Fishell. I. Dennis Keaney. Hi.
017Denise Brewster. I. Motion carried. College Credit Plus agreement with Lakeland Community College. resolution to approve the college credit plus partnership agreement with Lakeland Community College for the 2025 to 2026 academic school year. Can I get a second? I'll second. Thank you. Any discussion? This is this is typically I typically in January February just didn't make it to us to get on the board agenda and Lincoln's like where's our signed agreement? It's for next year for next year. So So nothing's really changed. Well, what happens with all the laws that are like sittings out there down in Columbus regarding the textbooks, the type of textbooks they use, who pays for them if you don't have X kind of, right? Like the online classrooms and open source. That's not in here, right? How would this change if
018like would we have to get addendums to it if those laws get passed? I guess it depends on what the what's ultimately passed and yeah, but I don't think it's it's really not clear to like what textbooks are being provided, you know. So, it speaks to textbooks as a whole and not Yeah. Well, there's a lot of legislation about the open class open open source books and who pays for what if what's available and we don't I don't think Lakeland uses many open source books that I mean I think they're mostly we we pay for the books. I know we do, but that I think that's what the legislation is out there, right? Like they want to push them to use open source so that it doesn't cost us quite so much money. We pay
019a ton. We do for a book we never get to keep. Some a lot of them are now rentals. Uh digital rentals. So yeah, I don't know like when does this take into this is for next year. Yes, sir. I don't know when then when that legislation would take effect. It's not even voted on yet. I mean, it's probably not even a discussion yet, but typically it's 90 days after the law is approved unless there's an emergency clause. So, it's you're just at this point, it's a speculation. Yeah. Okay. Well, I'm just going to keep an eye on that one because that is an expensive thing for us every year twice. Okay. And then did you say that there'll be more classes taught on campus? One thing we're excited Yes. We're trying to get more
020um classes. We have a kickoff meeting for um Lakeland at Riverside. Okay. Um so we're trying to get offer total in total 31 hours of college credit um in house and so a lot of those will be for now taught by Lakeland professors who travel to us. um as they work with flexibility in terms of what it takes to be a Lakeland professor, we're hoping to have them taught by our own staff and that that's the ultimate goal. Um but Lakeland is working through what that looks like to be a Right. And we've been working towards that now for a couple years. So So when that happens, does the teacher get a st do they get a does Lakeland pay us? Does Lakeland pay the teacher? Does the teacher gets a stipen as a part
021of it from here? From here. And the credit and the college per credit hour is less. Okay. Lakeland still gets their taken. Gary, can you take the role? Lori Kinsky. I. Scott Bishell. Hi. Dennis Keaney. Hi. Denise Brewster. Hi. Linda Grassi. I. Motion carried. Greater Cleveland Conference Athletic League. resolution to approve joining the Greater Cleveland Conference Athletic League beginning in the 2026 2027 school year. Can I get a second? I'll second. Thank you. Any discussion on that? Yeah. Who's in Who's in GCC? Uh this is um Mentor Brush. No, I'm sorry. Mentor, Shaker Heights, Cleveland Heights, uh Brunswick was Madina is now Strongsville. Um also Uklid Uklid. Yeah, those are schools. We are replacing Madina. Okay. And is there any feedback that we've had from our school community? Um there's been some This is the
022I think what people don't understand is the way that leagues work and you have to be accepted. We petitioned to join other leagues and we were not accepted. The GCC is the one that ultimately accepted us with the last bit of local greater Cleveland schools around us. Other than that, we would be independent. But you said that we probably would still have we would still non-league games that are all with neighbors. Yes. Okay. Yes. This gives us this gives our athletes a chance to participate for conference titles um and in conference events um which if we were independent we would not. It makes it a It makes it um a little bit more comprehensive in the sports program. It's We have to step up our game and and that too, right? Right. A little bit
023more competitive. Yeah. This is for all teams. This is for all teams. Um and two years from now for two years. It starts in two years. Not next school year. Starts. Two years. And and any any out and change in cause would be a two years. It's a two-year commitment. Now, do some of these schools have afternoon games versus evening? Um, Shaker Heights? No, the Shaker actually has lights now. Do they have lights? They have lights on their field. Sweet. Um, they all typically start times are the standard times of the day. I've asked about all those questions and we're told from other schools that they are all absolutely safe facilities. Okay. I just wonder we play a lot of these schools already. We do. We We looked at the number of schools that we
024play with them. There's a lot of um we've had a lot of challenges with scheduling some of our sports because they're just good and people want to avoid us as independents or not playing us. So um it's I mean it's it's the nature of of the fun part of the WRC and we were okay left out. Gary, can you take the role? Scott Ditchell. Hi. Dennis Keaney. Hi. Denise Brewster. Hi. Glenda Grassi. Hi. Lori Kinsky. I motion carried. Withdraw from Lake County Schools Council resolution to withdraw from participation in the Lake County Schools Council healthc care benefits program. Can I get a second? I'll second. Thank you. Any discussion? This is a recommendation based on the extensive work we've done with the health insurance optimization committee. Um, as you know, we've had a 22% increase
025in rates this year. So, we started to look at what's best for Riverside. Um, looking at the the data that we have available to us. Um, and even with allowing flexibility going forward to make those changes and respond more to the market conditions and and what we can do in the future, uh, we've come to a conclusion that, uh, withdrawing from Lake County Schools Council is our best option. uh we have to make notice by April 15th with a board approved resolution which is why we had tonight's meeting was the initial initial reason for the tonight's reason or for tonight's meeting. So I think we're we're moving in the right direction. Uh in a future meeting we'll have the the contract with our new consultant we're working with. We're just finalizing some terms with that
026consultant. Um so that will be on the next board agenda. Now do you anticipate any changes in coverage? It it's all it's subject to union negotiations. Um, you know, we're under contract with our teachers union, so we can't offer any benefits of any lower value unless they agree to that. Um, you know, we're up for negotiations for Oopsy this coming spring. So, there'll be some discussions what that looks like and our consultant has some plan design ideas and then the committee will also talk about those uh looking at, you know, taking care of our employees but also hoping to realize some good savings from from this change. Yeah, I'm anticipating it'll be plan design, right? Yeah. Okay. Can you take the role, please? Dennis Keaney, I. Denise Brewster, I. Belinda Grassi, I. Lori Kroniski, I.
027Scott Bishell, I. Motion carried. Um, adjourn to executive session. Make a motion to adjourn to executive session at 552. Can I get a second? I'll second. Thank you. Do we need to read the full motion there? We should be using the announcements for employment of public officials. Okay, I'll read it. Be it resolved that the Riverside Local School District Board of Education hereby adjourns to executive session 5:52 p.m. to discuss personnel matters relating to the employment of public officials and the Riverside Local School District Board of Education. hereby designates all matters discussed in this executive session as strictly confidential and finds that this designation is warranted because of the status of these matters and the need to preserve confidentiality to properly conduct the business of this board of education and can I got a second.
028Can you take the role? Denise Brewster. Hi. Glenn Grassi. Hi. Lori Kriski. Hi. Scott Fishell. I Dennis Keane. I motion carried and we are now in executive