The Board of Education of the Bluffton Exempted Village Schools held a regular meeting in the Elementary Media Center at 7:30 p.m. on November 21, 2022.

All board members were present: Larry Hoffman, President; Brad Dailey, Vice President; Roni Kaufman; Jeremy Scoles and Wes Klinger.

Staff present were Greg Denecker, Superintendent; Marty Herr, Technology Coordinator, Josh Kauffman, Middle School Principal, Paula Parrish, Treasurer, Ben Thiel, Elementary School Principal; Mike Wilson, Maintenance Supervisor.

All legislation was passed unanimously.

Larry Hoffman conducted the meeting with an agenda including:

INVOLVEMENT OF VISITORS
The Icon and three observers were present in the audience. No comments were addressed to the board.

TREASURER’S TRANSACTIONS

Treasurer Paula Parrish noted that the five-year financial forecast (attached) is required two times per year. An update also made in May. She assumes constant funding but this can change at any time. Flat revenue and increased expenses are expected. Approved by the board.

CONTRACTS, ASSIGNMENTS, & ETC.

Items below were approved by the board:

Substitute Teacher at $95.00 per day taught:

MaKayla Curry, Luke Erford, Lindsey Capps, Tiara Douce, Cary Hengstler, Heather Baldwin, Lillian Tate, Brista Drake, Elizabeth Dunahay, Jodi Conley, Martin Jacobs, Brayden Sautter, Amy Cantrell, Tiffany Gallant, Erin Stark, Lillian Brautigam

Substitute Educational Aide Contract at $12.00 per hour worked: Tiffany Gallant

Substitute Cafeteria Worker Contract at $11.50 per hour worked: Tiffany Gallant

Long Term Substitute (20 days at $95.00; balance at BA-0 rate): Leslie Liberato 

Classified Contracts:

Martin Grace – Part-time Cafeteria Worker, Step 1, $14.03 Per Hour, 3.5 Hours Per Day

Chasity Taylor – Part-time Cafeteria Worker Step 1, $14.03 Per Hour, 3.5 Hours Per Day

Jill Wilson – Part-time Cafeteria Worker, Step 1, $14.03 Per Hour, 3.5 Hours Per Day

Student Teaching Assignments:

Rachael Harbaugh– Ohio Northern University with Nicholas Rackley, January 30 through May 12, 2023

Supplemental Contracts:    

Freshman Girls Basketball, Jessica Grandey

Assistant High School Boys Basketball, Tyler Rosendale

Head Middle School Wrestling, Michael Doty

Volunteer High School Assistant Wrestling, Jeffrey Kleman

Volunteer High School Assistant Wrestling, Tyrel Nuzum

Volunteer Middle School Wrestling, Matthew Nuzum

Assistant Middle School Basketball Cheerleader Advisor, Sidnie Koontz

RESOLUTION
Resolution to advertise and receive bids for the purchase of 1 school bus. Approved by the board.

Greg Denecker noted plans to replace bus #13 or #1 depending on their shape at the time; #13 is a spare bus. It will take up to ten months to get a new bus. Lead time is growing.

RESOLUTION
Resolution to advertise and receive bids for a new roof on 5th grade section of the elementary. Approved by the board.

Denecker noted this is the 1997 original roof. All sections of the elementary school will have been done in last 12 years. Middle school roof is probably next and is the same age. He noted that it has held up well, and is inspected and maintained every year.

DONATION
Donation approval and letter of appreciation to Ford B. Cauffiel for $5,000 for SOS Tutoring. The district has received this annual gift for about 18 years from Cauffiel, a businessman in Toledo. He assists Lima City Schools as well as Toledo schools. Approved by the board.

PUBLIC HEARING
Hearing set for the Records Commission on Monday, December 19, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. to review the disposal of records as recommended by the treasurer (held in the superintendent’s office).

CALENDAR FOR 2023-2024
This calendar will be similar to years past. An additional staff in-service day will take place before the school year instead of after. Easter weekend will be a mini spring break. (The Icon will post an official copy next week.)

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS

Mike Minnig, High School Principal:
- 213 students were on the first quarter honor roll
- The high school staff is reaching out rather than waiting for parents to come in for conferences
- Senior Capstone projects with job shadowing are successful whether they confirm or make students realize it’s not the right career
- Fall play was Still Stuck at Home; play’s Covid humor was appreciated
- Marching band will perform in the Blaze parade on Saturday
- A strong showing of fall scholar athletes

Mike Wilson, Maintenance Supervisor:
- Busy outdoors prior to the cold snap: aerated fields, top dressed, etc.
- Winterized outdoor facilities including concession stands, restrooms, irrigation systems

Josh Kaufmann, Middle School Principal:
- Outdoor school “had three seasons of weather,” all except summer; supported by 30 parent volunteers
- Drug and alcohol awareness sessions are done
- First dance was held on Friday
- Mrs Ault is updating photos in hallways
- Creating identity with each middle school “house”
- Held a Thanksgiving feast

Ben Thiel, Elementary School Principal
- Online signup for conferences went really well
- Christmas concert will be recorded again this year for K-3
- Grades 4-5 will have their own concerts
- Science of Reading program will provide 18 hours of training for teachers by next year
- He is working on a literacy coach certificate

Marty Herr, Technology Coordinator
- Has added a Lightspeed classroom tool that gives teaches a digital thumbnail of all their students to show what they are doing online.
- VR goggles have been used by all grades. Teachers sign out the system for the whole day.
- A lot of work involved with cyber security since ransomware hit.

Greg Denecker, Superintendent
- Ohio Middle-Level Association state conference was briefly mentioned. Further details regarding staff honors and participation will be reported next week.

- Jim Raabe has been inducted into the athletic director hall of fame. A story on this topic will also follow next week.

NEXT MEETING
The December meeting wasrescheduled for 5:30 p.m. on December 12 due to a scheduling conflict for a bard member.

Meeting was adjourned at 8:16 p.m.