Bellefontaine City Schools Superintendent Brad Hall reported at the Monday evening board of education meeting some of the safety measures that will continue to take place in the 2021-22 school year to protect staff and students against COVID-19.
He said that proper ventilation is critical in each room, and in addition to ionization units and other air purity measures in classrooms and each school building, 60 new windows have been installed at Bellefontaine Intermediate School during the past year to enable “fresh air flow” through those rooms.
Custodial staff will ensure the same cleanliness standards, and each building also was disinfected over the summer. Cleaning carts will be available for use by teachers this year.
On the school buses, windows will be put down and top air vents opened to maintain fresh air flow as well.
In an all-call message to families Monday evening, the district also encouraged mask-wearing by students, staff and visitors in the school buildings, based upon recommendations made by Logan County Health Commissioner Dr. Boyd Hoddinott regarding local concerns of a “significant increase of COVID-19 cases and the contagiousness of the Delta variant.”
In buildings and grounds matters, Executive Director of Administrative Services Roger Ely recapped several summer projects.
At Bellefontaine Intermediate School, a 30-year-old roof was replaced with a membrane roof and a new boiler was installed.
A new door was installed at the elementary school nurse’s office. Previously, students had to walk through the school office to access the nurse.
Ely reported the maintenance staff has finished the LED lighting project. The project will save the district $185,000 to $200,000 in electricity costs over the next five years.
Technology coaches Meagan Young and Kate Smith addressed the board regarding the district’s new one-to-one student-to-device program. Every student in grades K-12 will have access to a Chromebook this year, with pupils in grades 6-12 having a take-home Chromebook.
Young will work in grades 6-12 and Smith will serve grades K-5. They touted the advantages of blended learning, which focuses on the pace, place, and path for individualized instruction for all students.
The instruction will feature 55 percent non-tech, 35 percent tech, and 10 percent flex.
Blended learning expert Marcia Kish led a professional development workshop with all teachers last Friday. She will return to BCS each month throughout the school year.
In personnel matters, Shelby Mifsud was hired as a third-grade English Language Arts teacher, effective with the 2021-22 school year.
Members also approved a 6 percent hourly increase to the secretarial wage schedule for secretarial S1 and S2 staff, effective Aug. 20.
In financial matters, the board accepted a $2,301,670.93 grant from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund for the grant period beginning July 1 through June 30, 2022.
In other action, the board:
• accepted the following resignations: Sandra Bowsher, middle school cook; Mike Ireland, middle school custodian; Candida Solano, elementary school cook; Damon Dixon, intermediate school aide; Brenda Mitchell, bus driver; Susan Troth, high school food service;
• approved the following service and support personnel appointments: Thomas Edwards, middle school custodian; Diane Hartzler, intermediate school cook; Sean Egler, high school aide; Andrea Torsell, elementary school aide; Michelle Whetsel, bus driver;
• approved extended service days for Morgan Fultz, wellness coach, nine days, and Tabitha Wells, school psychologist, 20 days;
• accepted the supplemental contract resignation of Ric Prine, high school assistant volleyball;
• extended the following middle school supplemental contracts: Krista Belser, yearbook; Heather Johnson, instrumental music; Darcy Neeld, show choir; Jordan Reser, intramurals; and Alysia Kuba, middle school/high school competition cheer;
• extended the following high school supplemental contracts: Tricia Baker, Angie Horvath, Chieftain Leaders coordinators; Marcia Cooper, senior class adviser; Jere Daniels, high school production manager; Matthew Dawson, percussion adviser; Sean Egler, Henry Stolly, assistant football; Caroline Federinko, assistant volleyball; Kerri Fergus, flag corp; Sarah High, National Honor Society; April Jameson, FCCLA adviser; Heather Johnson, instrumental music assistant; Jeremy Karg, instrumental music director, jazz band; Melanie Lehman, homecoming coordinator, Interact, senior class adviser; Chris Miller, yearbook; Laura Mitchell, orchestral music; Becky O’Rielley, football cheerleading; and Rick Reed, Key Club;
• approved the following volunteer coaches: Michaela Baker, middle school volleyball; Stacey Wilson, middle school cross country; and Morgan Wilcoxin, high school girls soccer;
• approved the following Virtual Classroom/Success Center Graders: Kim Brown, Cliff Core, Katina Elwood, Jeremy Karg, Kristy Mount, Rick Reed, Katie Rychener and Mary Smith;
• accepted a donation of school supplies from Jeff Aten in memory of his wife, Lynn, who served as an educational aide in the district; and
• approved the Ohio Learning Standards and Model Curriculum as developed by the Ohio Department of Education as the curriculum to be taught in the district during the 2021-22 school year.
The next board meeting is 6:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 20, in the Bellefontaine High School Distance Learning Center.