Riverside Board of Education members continued a recent trend at their Tuesday evening meeting of approving the waiver of all student academic fees and athletic fees for next school year.
The waiving of fees includes the usual fees incurred for high school and junior high sports participation. Additionally, the board approved the waiver of the athletic transportation fees and field trip transportation fees. Current Riverside students also will be able to attend home athletic events for free during the 2021-22 school year.
Treasurer Ronnie Fitchpatrick presented the district’s five-year forecast, which shows improvements from the last forecast presented in November. All five years are predicted to end in the black, including this fiscal year’s fund balance projected as $11,971,402 and for fiscal year 2022, a balance of $12,860,973.
Riverside’s total General Fund revenues for fiscal year 2021 are estimated to be $9,436,815 or 4.91 percent higher than the November forecasted amount of $8,994,922.
Fitchpatrick related that the state’s pandemic-related economic pressure has not been as great as first expected and consequently, school districts were granted a restoration of a portion of the original school foundation funding cuts on Jan. 22, as ordered by Gov. Mike DeWine. For Riverside, this reinstated funding of approximately 53 percent of those reductions amounted to a positive impact of an additional $54,814 in the district’s revenue.
In addition, federal funding sent to school districts through the Elementary and Secondary Schools Education Relief Funds (ESSER) has also been a much needed resource to offset the loss of state funding, the treasurer said. Additional Federal CARES Act funding was used to cover the costs of additional technology needs, personal protective equipment, and cleaning costs caused by the pandemic.
Members also extended administrative contracts for Kelly Kauffman, middle school/high school principal, and Mason Bryan, elementary principal, for fiscal years 2023 through 2027.
In other action, the board:
• accepted the resignation of Sherry Butler, cafeteria staff, effective May 26;
• extended the following elementary school certified staff contracts: five-year — Sarah Franck;three-year — Erin Krisher, Amy Cain, Abby Jenkins, Ellie Johnson, Lauren Otting; and junior high and high school certified contracts: five-year — Lauren Blake, Danielle King, Adam Huber, Darcie Jenkins, Becky Lentz, Christine Schrage; three-year — Emilee Perkins; two-year — Kassandera Knief, Emily Curnutte; and one-year — Taylor LeVan, Spencer Saunders;
• extended the following classified staff contracts: two-year —Kayla Castallante, Lacey Cron; one-year — Jennifer Allen, Judith Withrow;
• approved extended service days contracts for Kasandera Knief, band, 15 days; and Debbie Gonterman, guidance, five days;
• extended the following supplemental contracts for 2021-22: Rod Yoder, athletic director; Tim McGill, assistant athletic airector $2,825; Todd Guthrie, JV boys basketball; Dennis Sanford, volunteer assistant varsity boys basketball; Stephanie Smith, Lindsay Wyan, senior class advisers; Stacey Fauley, Cinda Fleming, junior class advisers; Darcie Jenkins, Emilee Perkins high school student council advisers; Nancy Dunham, junior high student council adviser; Andy Phelps, National Honor Society adviser; Gwen Heath, yearbook adviser; Debbie Gonterman, Interact co-adviser, Family School Partnership; Dawn Core, Interact co-adviser, Title Reading; Jack Switzer, Model United Nations Advisor; Mandy Cotterman, elementary student council; Kassandera Knief, marching/concert band, pep/jazz band, solo/ensemble instrumental, middle school instrumental music, elementary vocal music, elementary musical; Abby Jenkins, solo/ensemble vocal, high school choir, middle school instrumental music, elementary vocal music; Abby Steinke, elementary art club, Riverside Professional Development Committee; Stacey Fauley, Mason Bryan, Kelly Kauffman, Riverside Professional Development Committee; Kellea Wilkinson, Title Math;
• approved student Andan Short for summer technology help on an as needed basis at a rate of $9 per hour, effective June 1;
• approved the following breakfast/lunch prices for the 2021-22 school year: breakfast K-12, $1.25 and adults $1.40; lunch K-4 $2.60, 5-12 $2.85, adults $3.25; ala carte extra sandwich and main entrees $1.75; milk $.35.
• approved the following list of physicians for school bus driver physicals for the 2021-2022 school year; Wilson Corporate Health, Wilson Care, Inc., Mary Rutan Corporate Health, and Mary Rutan Assoc. Physicians;
• approved membership in the OHSAA 2021-2022 school year
• approved the Athletic Training Services agreement with Mary Rutan Hospital from July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2026;
• accepted the following donations: $1,200 from Scott Mann for Doris Wagner Scholarship, $1,000 from Buckeye State Bank for Buckeye State Bank Scholarship; and $1,500 for Tom Dorsey Scholarship.
The next meeting is 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 15, at the school library.