Families and educators gathered to kick off the new year at Indian Lake Local Schools Monday night.
Indian Lake hosted an All-District Open House for elementary, middle and high school students and parents.
Kids were able to reconnect with teachers and friends, drop off supplies, pick up schedules and ask lots of questions. Quest Community Church handed out hot dogs and backpacks full of school supplies at ILMS, while Community Health and Wellness Partners offered immunizations.
The Indian Lake Board of Education conducted their August meeting during the first hour of the Open House event. Superintendent Rob Underwood says the district is ready for classes. The first day of school is today, Wednesday, Aug. 17.
“Campus looks great. Our maintenance and custodial staff have just done an exceptional job getting things ready. Our transportation department, as always, has our bus fleet in tip top shape. So we’re ready to get rolling Wednesday morning.”
Underwood updated the board on several projects on campus. The roof project at the high school should be completed by the end of September, along with the EIFS project at both ILHS and ILMS.
During the meeting, board members voted to once again approve an Armed Response Team on campus.
“It’s something that Indian Lake did for about three years prior to an Ohio Supreme Court decision that made that process illegal. House Bill 99 now legalizes arming staff again,” Superintendent Underwood explained.
“So it’s just one step in a comprehensive safety plan to make sure that our students, staff and public, for that matter, are safe while they’re here at school.”
House Bill 99 will take effect later this fall once training requirements are set. Indian Lake’s Armed Response Team members must be board approved. Those names will not be disclosed to the public, but they will be submitted to the state.
In other action, the board:
• approved advancement on the salary schedule for additional training to: master’s plus 45 — Alicia Pickering, Karen Cordova;
• accepted the resignations of Terry Brentlinger and Melanie Green, effective at the end of the 2021-22 contract;
• extended a one-year limited teaching contract to: Stacy Everhart, middle school intervention specialist; and extended a one-year contract to Gabriella Maier, elementary educational assistant;
• approved a one-year four=hour bus driver contract for Chris Burden;
• approved food service contract modification for Amy Kesecker, four-hour elementary cook;
• approved Lori Carpenter as a lunchroom monitor for up to 2.25 hours per day;
• approved the list of substitute hourly rates, including the substitute teacher rate of $115 a day/$57.50 per half day; and substitute employee list;
• approved the out-of-state overnight eighth-grade Washington, D.C., trip slated for May 30 through June 2, 2023;
• approved to a motion to join the 22/23 META Solutions purchasing cooperative’s annual bus purchase consortium, and a motion to advertise and receive bids for an 83-passenger conventional school bus and/or one or more handicap-equipped conventional bus;
• accepted the listed donations to the Indian Lake Elementary Library in memory of Indian Lake Lakeview Librarian Sally Jarvis (Linda Miller, $50; Bill and Carol Davis, $40; Gary and Julie Bolyard, $50; Chris and Jan Winder, $50; Jim and Georgianna Jenkins, $50; Reser Motorsales, $60; Ron and Cindi Kratzenberg, $50; Pat Herring, $10; cash of $80; anonymous, $1,500); and
• approved Virtual Learning Academy teacher pay rates at $7 per completed lesson.
The next Board of Education meeting is 6:30 p.m. Sept. 19, in the Board of Education Office, located at 6210 N. State Route 235, Lewistown.