Rod Yoder, Riverside athletic director and head golf coach, updated the Riverside Board of Education on the success of fall sports, specifically girls’ golf and varsity football. Standing behind Yoder are girls’ golf members, from left: assistant coach Amy McDaniel, Zoie Armbruster, Kirstyn Carpenter, Ava Klingler, Cassie May, Reaghan McDaniel and Emma Saylor. (EXAMINER PHOTO | SHARYN KOPF)
The Riverside Board of Education’s meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 14, highlighted several recent accomplishments, including accolades from the school’s athletic director, Rod Yoder, for the record-breaking girls’ golf team. Despite having five members who had never golfed before, the team finished their regular season undefeated and brought home the Three Rivers Conference champions trophy.
“This is an amazing group of girls,” Yoder told the board. “They’re tremendous kids and good players who made my coaching job a lot easier.”
According to Yoder, the team shattered school records, finishing the season with a memorable 63 wins. They developed a reputation for not even having close games, which made other teams nervous when they saw the Riverside Raiders hit the green.
School Superintendent Dr. Scott Mann added, “Every team from here on out will try to accomplish what you girls did.”
Girls’ golf wasn’t the only team to receive praise. During Brice Hodge’s report, the elementary principal and coach raved about the successful season their high school football team had, wrapping up with a 9-1 record and claiming the Three Rivers Conference title. This was only the seventh such title in the school’s history.
The seniors on the team had another honor — they finished their four years with 34 wins, tying them with the class of 1998 for the most wins through their high school careers.
Mann’s update took a different turn as he reflected on the rough couple of weeks the school went through after senior Makayla Brandyberry lost her three-year battle with osteosarcoma early this month.
As the teachers and students worked through their grief, other area schools reached out with words of encouragement and care packages, and Mann thanked them for their support.
In other board news:
- In her report, Kelly Kauffman, middle/high school principal, spoke highly of the Collins Writing Program they implemented this year. “This is the most well-received initiative I’ve seen,” she said.
- The National Honors Society hosted its district induction ceremony on Oct. 19, followed by the county ceremony on November 8. Riverside saw 22 new inductees welcomed into the program.
- Kauffman also spoke about the senior class play. They will hold their final dress rehearsal at a school lock-in on Friday night. Then at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 18, they’ll perform “The Nine Worst Breakups of All Time.” No tickets are required, but they are taking donations at the door for the Brandyberry family.
- The annual senior citizens Thanksgiving dinner will take place Monday, Nov. 21, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the auditeria. Music will once again be provided by the Majesty Quartet.
- Elementary students (K-2) will present their annual Christmas music program at 7 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 27.
- Employed on a one-year limited supplemental contract for 2023-2024 positions were: Morgan Robison, high school girls and boys basketball coverage for $500; Jacob Herron, seventh- and eighth-grade boys basketball coach, step 3; Todd Guthrie, seventh- and eighth-grade boys basketball coach, volunteer.
- A 2024 organizational meeting will be held on Jan. 8, 2024, at 6 p.m., followed by the regular monthly board meeting.
- School treasurer Ronnie Fitchpatrick presented the five-year forecast and had four concluding takeaways for the board:
- The influx of federal dollars through ESSER has lowered costs in the general fund.
- Maintenance 034 fund (property tax revenue) has expired.
- The general fund will resume paying for all necessary expenditures next year.
- And inflation will have a lasting impact on the forecast going forward.
In response to Fitchpatrick’s report, Mann stated, “We’ve been working together a long time and he has a kid-first mentality. He was able to gain half a million dollars in interest for the district, and we appreciate it.”
- Fitchpatrick also shared about an unexpected gift last week when a woman wrote a check for $600 to cover all unpaid school lunch balances.
- Other invoices and expenditures came to $662,238 for the general fund and $221,281 for all other funds, totaling $883,519 for October 2023.
- Regular payroll: $435,632
- Payroll-related: $162,038
- Vendor expenditures:
- Midwest Regional ESC: $32,551 (various services)
- DP&L: $7,751 (electricity)
- Allied Fence Builders: $28,375 (playground fence)
- H.A. Dorsten: $79,498 (clinic/office)
- The board unanimously chose Janet Siders, current board vice president, to serve as president pro-tem for the Jan. 8, 2024, organizational meeting.
Though the Riverside Board of Education meetings are usually held on a Tuesday, the date of the next one has been moved to Monday, Dec. 18, at 6 p.m. in the district library.