The Bellefontaine Board of Education learned about a newly proposed school calendar during their monthly meeting Monday night.
If approved, the school year would run from Sept. 6 to May 25 in 2022-2023. A bus driver shortage has prompted BCS to explore other schedule options.
Students would have 163 days instead of the traditional 180 days.
However, the school day will be lengthened in each building.
The board is expected to take action at their April meeting.
Benjamin Logan and West Liberty-Salem have adopted similar school calendars.
Transportation Supervisor Tammie Garman also spoke about the bus driver shortage locally and across the nation.
BCS will host a school bus driver job fair at Bellefontaine Middle School on April 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and May 1 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
The district has teamed up with Benjamin Logan, Indian Lake, Riverside, Ridgemont, West Liberty-Salem and Urbana for this event.
Participants are encouraged to test drive a bus at the job fair.
Full-time positions are available.
Garman said the job is ideal for stay-at-home moms and retirees.
Bellefontaine would like to hire five bus drivers.
For more information, call (937) 651-3497.
Marketing teacher Katie Rychener touted the DECA International Conference in Atlanta on April 23 to 26.
Bellefontaine had great success at the Ohio DECA Career Development Conference in Columbus earlier this month.
Five students qualified for the international meet.
Three other students will represent BHS at the Aspire and Elevate Leadership Academies on the trip.
The students are doing fundraisers over the next few weeks to help pay for the trip.
The board will vote on the trip at their next meeting — 6:30 p.m. April 18 in the Distance Learning Center.
DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management.
The board approved the Bellefontaine Middle School Robotics Team to attend the U.S. Open Robotics Championships in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on March 30 to April 3.
In January, the BMS Robotics Team finished runner-up to qualify for the national meet.
It’s the first time BMS has advanced to this level.
Team members include Cody Hudson, Hayden Maus, Mason Swisher and Lorenz Henry.
BHS Principal Dr. Pam Noeth spoke about the new locally defined graduation seals.
The new seals would recognize grads for a variety of academic courses as well as extracurricular involvement and community service.
In total, a senior could earn nearly 20 different seals along with their diploma at graduation.
In personnel, the board accepted several resignations.
Longtime BMS Principal Lynda Holycross will retire, effective March 1, 2023.
BMS teacher Rob Rogan will retire in the fall.
Bellefontaine Intermediate School intervention specialist Tracey Mitchell will retire in May.
EMIS Coordinator Roxan Casey, along with head cooks Sandy Horn and Glenna Seeley, will also retire this summer.
The board accepted the resignations from middle school guidance counselor Natalie Collins, high school science/chemistry teacher Jennifer Hanson, high school ELA teacher Caroline Federinko and bus driver Melissa Bell.
The board increased van driver pay to $16.75 per hour.
Finally, the board recognized February seniors of the month Morgan Burden and Beau Salyer.