Tim Scheiderer, standing, presented a detailed report on maintenance priorities over the next five years to the Benjamin Logan Board of Education at their meeting Monday. (EXAMINER PHOTO | SHARYN KOPF)
It might not have been the most riveting gathering, but when the Benjamin Logan Board of Education conducted their regular meeting Monday, April 22, they had a full and necessary agenda. Because when you’re talking thousands, even millions, of dollars, critical discussions and decisions are required.
The millions of dollars came from Tim Scheiderer’s detailed five-year building and grounds maintenance report. Since the school buildings are now between 30 and 35 years old, replacements are needed, including the roof and electrical equipment.
“After 40 years, a school building begins rapid deterioration,” Scheiderer stated, “and after 60 years, most schools are abandoned.”
With that in mind, Scheiderer listed numerous maintenance priorities over the next five years, like the roof and masonry work, which they plan to address this summer. All told, Scheiderer’s five-year totals land between $2.7 and $4.1 million.
Due to the age of the buildings, Scheiderer urged the board to start the planning process now. “We can’t stop the life cycle,” he concluded, “but we can plan and budget to stay away from the proverbial cliff.”
In other action:
- The board passed several key resolutions, including:
- Authorization for training funded through ESSER (elementary and secondary school emergency relief) funds.
- Employment of personnel for Orton Gillingham Training stipends through ESSER funds.
- Curriculum contracts with leading educational providers for Big Ideas Math (Cengage Learning), with a renewal price of $25,000, and Reveal Math (McGraw-Hill) coming in at $83,000 to cover a six-year period.
- The authorization of maintenance services (MLJ services contract) as well as contracts with Xtek Partners and ByteSpeed. These will further strengthen the district’s infrastructure and computer support systems.
Regarding the latter, John Scheu, school superintendent, considers providing new computers to the teachers a priority, especially as Windows 10 will be obsolete by October 2025. The computers they have now are 10 years old and “can’t be upgraded anymore.” - Adoption of a Reduction in Force resolution due to financial reasons.
- Ben Chamberlain and Katie Workman were presented as the Seniors of the Month.
- Dates for negotiations regarding teacher contracts will be set soon.
- Deduct days were approved for Dennis Wells, who had a knee replacement.
- The board accepted a STEM grant from Honda for $5,500 and an AG03 Ohio Attorney General School Safety grant for $7,285.50.
- Various personnel matters were also addressed, including the approval of supplemental contracts, professional development stipends and honorariums. Approved contracts, athletic:
- Varsity football cheer coach – Maxine Trout
- Middle school cross country coach – Nancy Forsythe
- High school cross country coach, boys – Kevin Butler
- High school cross country coach, girls – Mike Coder
- Middle school football coaches – Matt Marshall, Cole Carpenter and Lance Predmore
- High school assistant coaches – Jeff Fay, Kyle Seeley, Jordy Buck, Kyle Rose and Vincent Godsey
- High school head football coach – Paul Jenne
- High school head golf coach, boys – Perry Carper
- High school head golf coach, girls – Greg Saylor
- High school assistant soccer coach, boys – Rob Painter
- Varsity soccer coach, boys – Jamie Hughes
- Varsity soccer coach, girls – Kyle Trees
- Middle school volleyball coaches – Randy Cline and Molly Vance
- High school assistant volleyball coach – Kaitlin Lindemer
- High school freshman volleyball coach – Sarah Franjesivic
- High school head volleyball coach – Jackie Cline
- High school weight room assistant coordinator – Kyle Rose
- High school weight room head coordinator – Joe Webb
- Approved contracts, non-athletic:
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- Administrative LPDC members – Sally Stolly and Annette Ramga-Alatorre
- Overnight stipends for the Disney Florida trip March 23-28 (six nights) were approved for Myles Bowers, Michael Dove and Maggie Bowlby.
- Indiana Wesleyan University will award Benjamin Logan Local School District an honorarium to Holly Barr for her mentoring responsibilities to Tori Purk.
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- The board accepted a STEM grant from Honda for $5,500 and an AG03 Ohio Attorney General School Safety grant for $7,285.50.
- The board approved the class of 2024 list, and they will graduate at 7 p.m. Friday, May 24.
- A sixth-grade trip to Camp Willson May 20-22 was also approved.
- Donations were acknowledged, including $265 from Benjamin Logan PTS for the eighth-grade Washington D.C. trip, and $300 from Bellefontaine Rotary Club to NHS for the purchase of supplies for the Raider Relay.
- Keith Warrick was added as a football team volunteer.
The next Benjamin Logan Board of Education meeting will take place the Monday before graduation on May 20 at 6 p.m.