The Wayne Trace Local School District Board of Education met in regular session on March 10, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. in the Wayne Trace High School Lecture Hall.
Mr. Perry Sinn led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance. Roll Call: Lisa McClure, Duane Sinn, Perry Sinn, Dick Swary; Pat Baumle, absent
Recognition of Guests:
Tim McDonough – Defiance Crescent-News
Mark Holtsberry – announcing his candidacy for Paulding County Commissioner
Report of the Treasurer:
Treasurer Gary Ginter reported that Wayne Trace had received all of the first half proceeds from the Paulding County Auditor, including Windfarm proceeds during the month of February, as compared to last year when part was received in January and part in March. Amount received increased due to increase in farm ground valuations, more wind turbines coming on-line, and lowered fees charged by the Paulding County Auditor.
14-03-01 Consent Agenda Items:
A motion by Dick Swary to approve the following consent agenda items:
A. to approve the minutes of the February 10, 2014 Board meeting;
B. to approve the investment report and payment of bills as presented by the treasurer for February 2014;
C. to accept the amounts and rates as determined by the Budget Commission and authorizing the necessary tax levies and certifying to the County Auditor as follows:
• 4.00 Mills – Inside Operating
• 23.70 Mills – Outside Operating
• 1.70 Mills –2000 OSFC Construction and Renovation Bond
• .80 Mills – 2000 Local Funded Initiative Bond
• .50 Mills – OSFC Construction Maintenance
*Before we pass the consent resolution, are there any items you would like to move from the consent agenda to the discussion agenda for further discussion and/or for separate voting purposes?
Seconded by Duane Sinn. Roll Call Vote: Dick Swary, Duane Sinn, Lisa McClure, Perry Sinn – All Aye; Pat Baumle – Absent.
Vantage Report: NONE
Grover Hill Elementary Principal Report – Mr. Wilson, principal:
Maintenance:
With the melting snow and ice, Gregg and I have been monitoring the building for any possible leaks. At this time we do not see any roof leaks. We did have some water dripping in the hallway, but after discussing this with Gregg we both feel that at some point on those windy, snowy days some snow must have been blown in the vents. Then when the snow began to melt we had water dripping in one area. We will continue to monitor this as the weather begins to warm.
Other items for this summer:
• Hallways need painted. You can stand in the hall by my office and see five different colors of paint. A goal would be to have the hallways match.
• At this time Jen Mohr is working on cleaning the P.E. storage room. So, at this time we still have several items visible on the stage, but again this summer we hope to have a place for everything and everything in its place.
• The tile in the kitchen area is going to need to be replaced. At this time I am not sure if we can get the same small tile or if we will need to look at another option for our tile.
• Since we have grades K-6 and many of these students love to play basketball during recess, it would be nice to have two basketball rims that are only eight feet tall. This would make it easier for the young kids to play basketball.
• The birds are still an issue. Gregg and I have discussed several ideas of how to rid our building of these birds. Any suggestions are appreciated.
Academics:
We are looking at setting up our OAA Saturdays for this year. The preliminary dates we are looking at are April 5th, 12th, 26th and May 3rd. We would meet with the student in grades 3-6 for two hours each Saturday to brush up on Math and Reading skills. I have been told the past OAA Saturdays were well attended and this year should be no different.
During the month of March and April I have been including Math problems as part of the morning announcements. Beginning March 31, I will be making these Math problems part of a competition.
Lauren Barnett and Krista Markley: both these young ladies entered the Elks Americanism essay contest and Lauren won first prize and Krista was second. Both young ladies will attend a banquet at the Elks later this spring to receive their awards. Lauren is the daughter of Ron and Betsy Barnett and Krista is the daughter of Jason Markley. ** I will be getting a picture of these two young ladies in the newspaper after the Elks banquet.
Another group to be congratulated is the Student of the Month recipients. The GH March Students of the Month are: Laura Garberson, Jacob Harris, Ava Stoller, Nevaeh Jackson, Mary Lands, Taylor Sherry, Rylee Miller, Ava Dougal, Katelyn Bergman, Trevor Sinn, Isaiah Rittenhouse, Lydia Whitman, Bryan Coyne, Kierstynn Baker, Reid Miller, and Kirsten Lewis.
On Monday, March 31 Mobile Education Productions will be at Grover Hill to present a program titled “Crime Scene Science”. We will have two performances with the first beginning at 1:00 for preschool through grade 3 and then again at 2:00 for grades 4–6. This is the third program Mobile Education Productions has brought to GH this year. So, I know that it will be a quality program.
The week of March 3 is Read Across America week. Read Across America week is held in conjunction with Dr. Seuss’ birthday. This week the teachers have planned several reading activities which include books by Dr. Seuss. The kindergarten classes have included Dr. Seuss books such as Horton Hears a Who into their lessons. This is a very exciting week, especially for the younger grades.
With the Battle of the Books coming up in early April, Mrs. Noffsinger is working to ensure everything is scheduled and ready to begin. This will be my first experience with the Battle of the Books and I am looking forward to watching our teams in action. The GH Battle will take place on April 8 and then the GH winner will go to Paulding on April 16 for the Paulding County Battle.
I would like to recognize ** the four Kindergarten teachers, Kim Coomer, Bethany Hughes, Kim Walls and Beth Bauer, who on February 26 met in Payne to discuss and plan this year’s Kindergarten screening. This year WTGH has decided to move the screening to the spring. With this change a change in the process was also needed and I am very confident with what the four Kindergarten teachers have put together will give us a very good idea of the student’s abilities.
Other Topics:
On Thursday, March 6 the American Red Cross will be at Grover Hill Elementary for the annual Blood Drive. This event will take place in the gym area. If anyone is interested in donating blood, the drive will begin at 1:30 and run until 5:30. We want to thank everyone in advance for their willingness to give.
Payne Elementary Principal Report – Jody Dunham, principal:
1. Building Updates;
a. Security:
i. We completed our second Lock Down Drill in February. The Paulding County Sheriff’s Department assisted with this drill. Once again, we practiced the ALERT, LOCKDOWN and INFORM components of the A.L.I.C.E. plan.
ii. In March, we completed our second tornado drill for the school year.
2. We look forward to completing the Ohio Teacher Evaluation Process (OTES) for 2013-2014. I attended training on March 3 to learn more about the summative requirements. OTES has been a positive learning experience for our building. The teachers have become very familiar with the OTES rubric and they are incorporating those concepts into their lesson plans and delivery.
3. Kindergarten registration is underway. Screening is scheduled for April 21 and 22 at WTPE. Teachers have created a new screening tool that will look at all 5 areas of development (Communication, Fine Motor, Gross Motor, Social-Emotional Development and Adaptive/Self-Help Behaviors). They will also screen pre-reading and pre-math skills.
4. WTPE had the pleasure of hosting the Realeyes program on February 11. The Ohio Optometric Association came to WTPE and presented a fun, interactive program for grades K-5. The program taught students about eye health and safety. This free program was funded by the Ohio Department of Health Save Our Sight program through vehicle registration renewal.
5. On March 14, we look forward to hosting John Flynn in concert. He is a musician that our students have become familiar with in music class. Divine Mercy will be joining us for this collaborative concert.
6. The PTO will be hosting their annual Family Game Night on Friday, March 14. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. Please come and support this evening of family fun!
7. Instructional Tutor, Mrs. Lisa Laukhuf, has initiated a Math Facts Blitz in our building. Students in grades 3-6 are assigned a “Math Fact of the Day” that is attached to their locker. Staff randomly asks students to repeat their math fact throughout the day.
Wayne Trace Jr/Sr High School Principal Report – Greg Leeth, principal:
1. The past month high school teachers and students have been preparing for the OGT administration through review lessons, Raider Time tutoring, and after school intervention. This week, the following schedule is being observed:
Junior high students are reviewing for the OAA in a Scholastic Bowl-like competition, freshmen are taking practice OGT’s in the Lecture Hall, sophomores are testing in the cafeteria, and juniors and seniors have a two hour delay to start their day.
I am especially pleased with the after school intervention that is taking place for the OGT. In particular, the math and social studies departments have communicated to parents and students that they want to help and are available. The result, students are getting the extra help they need before testing.
2. Mrs. Franz has begun the scheduling process for next year as she has been talking with students regarding course selection and graduation requirements. She is hosting a meeting on March 11 at 7:00 p.m. for eighth grade parents and students to review these topics more in depth so parents better understand the differences between junior high and high school.
3. Junior high and high school teachers are innovative, continually looking for improved and alternative methods for delivering instruction and assessing student learning. In some instances, technology is the vehicle of change, while in other instances, good old fashioned paper, markers, scissors, etc. provides alternative methods.
Recently, I spent some time in Mrs. Kemler’s 8th grade Algebra I class. Students had completed a homework assignment identifying qualitative graphs. The class reported their homework utilizing Socrative, a student response system, via the iPad. The system creates visual graphs and spreadsheets for the teacher that details student results. This enables the teacher to efficiently analyze student performance on the homework in minutes, while serving as an engaging technology experience for students during class time.
At the other end of the spectrum, I observed students in Miss Thomas’s English 9 class create “Body Biographies.” Students completed a character analysis from a character of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. They traced the outline of their bodies on long drawing paper and then drew symbols on the body to represent the personality traits of the character. Students had to provide evidence of their analysis by citing and writing text from the play by the symbol. This served as an effective alternative to a written essay assessing students’ ability to analyze complex characters.
Upcoming Events:
March 10-14 – OGT administration; juniors and seniors two hour delay
March 11 – Guidance counselor meeting with 8th grade parents and students 7:00 p.m. in the cafeteria
March 11 – Jump Start program meeting in the Lecture Hall at 1:08
March 14 or 15 – Large group band and choir contest
March 15 – Student council St. Patrick’s Day Dance
March 19 – Tornado Drill
March 19-20 – Marketing field trip to Chicago
March 23-27 – High school choir trip to New York
March 24-28 – Spring break
April 1 – Autism Safety Training in the Lecture Hall 1:00-3:00 and 4:30-6:30 p.m.
April 2 – Spanish I and II field trip to NPAC in Van Wert. Students will leave at 9:15 a.m. and return at 1:30 p.m.
April 12 – National Honor Society Glow in the Dark 5k at Payne
Committee Reports: NONE
Superintendent’s Report:
Mr. Arnold provided the following updates:
A. Curriculum
Wayne Trace Local Schools continues to be in line with the proposed time line for the Ohio Improvement Process.
OGT Testing runs from March 10-14. OAA window has been extended one week, and is scheduled for May 7-9.
Race to the Top Priorities continue to be teacher professional development and teacher evaluations. The state conference is March 28.
Straight A Grant committees continue to meet regarding the ordering of 500 new computers, and creating language concerning policies and guidelines for 1:1 program.
Digital Academy enrollment has grown to twenty-five students (we started the year with seven). In addition, twenty-one students are taking forty college classes this semester through the NWSCC Jump Start program. There is no cost to students of the district for this program.
B. Personnel
Tasha Stucke is getting married and relocating this summer. She is resigning, effective at the end of the school year.
Tom McCord will be retiring from teaching at the end of this school year. **
Dennis Stabler is resigning as both head wrestling coach and asst. coach.
Recommendation for one-year contract for Kevin Wilson as principal of WTGH.
Recommending voluntary transfer of Christina Sinn to the position of computers and marketing.
Recommending maternity leave approval for Allyssa Alvarez starting approximately May 27 and running through the balance of the 2013-14 school year.
Jack Baumle requested approval of Kayla Gawronski to serve as a volunteer softball assistant coach.
Over the next few weeks, RIF letters will be sent to Title I teachers at both buildings. We should know Title I allocations for next year by late July/early August.
C. Buildings and Grounds
Committee continues to meet regarding creation of multi-purpose building. No recommendations at this time.
The water/peroxide system continues to gain ground. Currently waiting for approval from the EPA.
Studying options for repair of leaky gym roof.
D. Events
The varsity wrestling team had an outstanding performance in the post-season tournaments.
Sharon Spinner, Joni Wenninger, and the entire cast and crew of Bye Bye Birdie did an outstanding three days of performances.
Vantage All-Boards Dinner is scheduled for April 3 at 6:00 p.m.
E. Operations
Calamity Days – state legislature may decide options by March 12.
Enrollment currently stands at 1,024 students.
Community interest is being shown in the Young 5’s Program.
Open enrollment period begins April 1.
14.3.2 Consent Agenda Items:
A motion by Perry Sinn to approve the following consent agenda items:
A. to accept the resignation of Tom McCord as assistant football coach and JV girls’ basketball coach; **
B. upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, to offer a one-year contract to Kevin Wilson as principal of WTGH elementary school for the 2014-2015 school year;
C. upon the recommendation of the Superintendent and JH/HS Principal, to approve the voluntary transfer of Christina Sinn to the position of JH/HS computers and marketing teacher;
D. upon the recommendation of the Superintendent and WTGH Principal, to approve leave of absence for Allyssa Alvarez from approximately May 27, 2014, through the end of the 2013-2014 school year;
E. to commend the varsity wrestling team and Coaches George Clemens and Dennis Stabler for an excellent showing in this year’s tournament. Senior Dustin Taylor, juniors Matt Baxter, Jacob Dingus, Riley Moore, Justin Pierce, & Tyler Showalter, sophomore George Clemens, and freshman Ruger Goeltzenleuchter all qualified for the district tournament. Clemens and Showalter then qualified for the state tournament;
F. to confirm that open enrollment applications will be accepted between April 1, 2014, and June 1, 2014, for the 2014-2015 school year, with such applications being accepted from qualifying students from anywhere in the state of Ohio (not simply just students who reside in contiguously bordering school districts).
G. to accept the resignation of Tasha Stucke as a teacher, effective at the end of the 2013-2014 school year;
H. to accept the resignation of Dennis Stabler as an assistant wrestling coach; **
I. upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, JH/HS Principal, and Athletic Director, to approve Kayle Gawronski as a volunteer softball coach for the 2013-14 school year;
J. to commend the cast and crew of Bye Bye Birdie for three outstanding performances. The musical was directed by Miss Sharon Spinner with Joni Wenninger serving as assistant director.
*Before we pass the consent resolution, are there any items you would like to move from the consent agenda to the discussion agenda for further discussion and/or for separate voting purposes?
Seconded by Dick Swary. Roll Call Vote: Perry Sinn, Dick Swary, Lisa McClure, Duane Sinn – All Aye; Pat Baumle – Absent
14-03-03 “Pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Section 121.22(G)(1), a motion by Duane Sinn to adjourn to executive session at 8:08 pm for the purpose of considering the employment of an employee of the School District.”
Seconded by Perry Sinn. Roll Call Vote: Duane Sinn, Perry Sinn, Lisa McClure, Dick Swary – All Aye; Pat Baumle – Absent
Return from executive session at 9:10 p.m.
14-03-04: On a motion by Perry Sinn, seconded by Lisa McClure, the Board moved to adjourn the meeting.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 p.m.
The next Board meeting will be held April 14, 2014.
** “thank yous” or “congratulations” removed or edited per WBN news policy.
