Benjamin Logan Board of Education members announced at the Monday evening board of education meeting that they are providing a special breakfast for the entire staff this week in the spirit of the Christmas season and to honor all of the teaching and support staff.
Members wanted to host the breakfasts for each of the buildings “as a genuine sign of gratitude for the extraordinary things the staff do each and every day especially under tough circumstances, specifically the COVID-19 challenges.”
Breakfast was served Tuesday at the elementary school, Wednesday at the high school, and Thursday at the middle school and central office. Bus drivers are being served breakfast Thursday as well at the central office.
The breakfast is provided by Paul’s Catering.
Also during the meeting, Superintendent John Scheu reported that the district has filled 12 bus driver positions, including full-time positions and substitutes, since February, and said the recent raise has made a significant different in the amount of interest in the job. The district also received a number of responses from the banner on district grounds advertising the position
The superintendent also said the three district buildings have collected $3,000 for the McCarthy family to support them after their recent house fire. The West Mansfield area residents, including 11-year-old twin boys in the district and a 4-month old girl, lost their home along County Road 12 and their possessions in the Dec. 3 fire, as previously reported in the Examiner.
Members also accepted the retirement resignations of teacher Kay Dudgeon, effective May 31, following 34 years of service in the district; and secretary Cathy Elliott, effective end of the 2020-21 school year for the purpose of retirement, following 25 years of service in the district.
In other action, the board:
• extended supplemental contracts to: Kevin Butler, Jeff Fay, weight room coordinator (1/2 contract each); Kevin Butler, Jeff Fay, weight room assistant (1/2 contract each); and Kyle Seeley, Trisha Hemmelgarn, weight room asssistants;
• approved the Midwest Regional ESC Contract for an instructional aide, in the amount of $26,771.92, for 2020-21;
• approved a contract with V-Teck Communications for services May 2021 through April 2022, for $18,752 for the 12-month period, for services that include onsite broadcasts, radio commercials, sponsorships and rebranding strategies; • approved the first reading of a policy review for video surveillance and electronic monitoring;
• amended and recharacterized an advance authorized on June 20, 2016, from the General Fund to the Athletic Fund as a transfer, in the amount of $95,801.60;
• honored the following seniors of the month: October — Jacob McKenrick and Molly Vance; November — Gabe Hemmelgarn and Ava Graham; and December — Benjamin Coffield and Lily Carmer;
• accepted the following donations:1,800 bottles of water for the district from Honda Transmission Manufacturing; Vets to DC donation of mini-flags for Veteran’s Day ceremony; Native Coffee donation of coffee and supplies for Veteran’s Day ceremony; Christmas in Kuwait Care Package donations from the following: Bates Show Pigs, Central Ohio Ice, Bellefontaine Rotary Club #3617, Kiwanis Club of Bellefontaine, Pop’s Pizza, Dave and Tammy Gump, RK and Mary Henry, Steve Austin, Briarwood Sporting Club, Firehouse Pizzam Linda Erdy, Gary and Susan Shields, Adelina Ramsey and Family, Clark and Jaclyn Cline, Gabe Predmore, Nancy McGuire, Wal-Mart, Kroger, TSC and Community Markets.
Members also appointed Deb Johnson to serve as preside pro-tempore of the organizational meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 11, at the central office. The regular monthly meeting will follow.