By Paula Scott

Arriving ten minutes before this week’s meeting of the Bluffton Schools board of education meeting, I feared I was at the right place at the wrong time. No cars parked out front, no motion-sensor lights on in the vestibule or hallways.

When I arrived in the Bluffton Elementary School media center, board member Larry Hoffman was there, the sole signal that there was indeed a meeting that evening. As it turned out, my ten minutes of preparation time was almost as long as the meeting. Minus an executive session, the following meeting was just eleven minutes. That’s July news in a nutshell.

The brief meeting was chaired by board president Brad Dailey with all members present. Among action taken by the board was the approval of subsitute custodians, secretaries, bus drivers, cafeteria workers and teachers, listed below.

Two visitors were present, teacher Jamie Erford and this reporter, who had no comments for the board.

TREASURER’S TRANSACTIONS:

The board approved the establishment of a service fund of $5K to be used for paying expenses incurred by board members in the performance of their duties. The board also okayed the annual Appropriations Measure Certificate, certifying that the district has sufficient funds to meet its obligations with appropriations of $23,795,182.65 for the 2023-2024 school year.

Paula Parish, Treasurer; Brad Dailey, Board President; Gregory Denecker, Superintendent were established as the records commission for the upcoming school year.

CONTRACTS, ASSIGNMENTS AND ETC:

The school board approved the following supplemental and extended service contracts.

Assistant Varsity Football - Jason Diller
Assistant Golf - Rich Streicher
Middle School Academic Team - Robin Ault
Buccaneer year book - Nicholas Rackley

The board also approved the following classified substitutes:

Substitute Custodian Contract at $13.50 Per Hour Worked (nine individuals)

Steven Schramm, Robyn Bible, Megan Morris, Cindy Prowant, Robin Ault, Carrie Donaldson, Martin Grace, Vicki Kirkendall, James Tabler

Substitute Bus Driver Contract at $17.50 Per Hour Worked (nine individuals)

Donald Leader, William McClain, Steve Lemley, Michael Wilson, Daniel Lee, Kevin King, Alex Hanna, Larry Diller, Brian Hilty

Substitute Cafeteria Contract at $11.50 Per Hour Worked (12 individuals)

Kerri Kloeppel, Heidi Steiner, Kimberly Garmatter, Sandra Gleason, Angela Stricklen, Elisa Kleman, Barbra Hohenbrink, Kelly McClure, Carolyn Zimmerman, Tiffany Gallant, Jami Lovell, Vicki Kirkendall

Substitute Secretary Contract at $13.50 Per Hour Worked (13 individuals)

Beth Ackerman, Sandra Gleason, Kelli Blackburn, Kimberly Garmatter, Elisa Kleman, Tobi Meyer, Kelly McClure, Denise Rex, Kerri Kloeppel, Cindy Prowant, Angela Stricklen, Carolyn Zimmerman, Ashley Gleason

Substitute Educational Aides Contract at $12.00 Per Hour Worked (19 individuals)

Sophia Bricker, Tiffany Gallant, Ashley Gleason, Kimberly Garmatter, Sandra Gleason, Barbra Hohenbrink, Chase Huffman, Elisa Kleman, Kim Kirkendall, Vicki Kirkendall, Kerri Kloeppel, Elaine Luchini, Karna Marquart, Tobi Meyer, Kelly McClure, Regena Mummert, Denise Rex, Patricia Shaner, Angela Stricklen

Substitute Teachers at $95.00 per day:

Hans Barlach, Brock Blythe, Chelsea Bowers, Spencer Clum, Preema D’Souza, Anne Downey, Elizabeth Dunahay, Ruby Estes, Kimberly Garmatter,  Lisa Herr, Kelly Honse,  Terry Huffman, Connie Kimmey, Alan Kreidler, Donald Leader, Amanda Lenhart, Elaine Luchini, David McNett, John Mummert, Regena Mummert, Kathleen Pugh, Denise Rex, Patricia Shaner,  Ricky Shaner,  Sarah Shank,  John Simindinger, Linda Strahm,  Lauren Williams, Tracie Wilson

BOARD POLICIES UPDATES: 

The board adopted updates to ten policies following Ohio School Board Association recommendations, which Superintendent Greg Denecker said were minor changes. For example the boosters and parent policies were combined.

HEARING OF IDEA AND TITLE I FUNDS:

The superintendent reported that $60,127 was received in Title I funds last year with $55K used for personnel, the rest in supplies. In federal IDEA funding, $229K was received with $220K spent on personnel and $8K in supplies.

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS:

Without the principals and the maintenance director in attendance, reports were brief.

Superintendent Denecker noted that the state budget had been passed and that a new school funding model is being phased in. He also noted that the Department of Education powers have been limited and the new Department of Education and Workforce will be under the direction of the governor. Regarding student preparation for the workforce, Denecker noted that eight high school seniors will gain workplace experience at locations including Blanchard Valley Health System, SumiRiko and a dentist office.

Next, the board entered a closed door executive session for the annual evaluation of the superintendent and treasurer.