SIDNEY — A new special education director was hired by Sidney City Schools Board of Education Monday night.
Chris Barr, who is currently the Sidney Middle School principal, received board approval to be the new director. The board had taken the hiring off the agenda at its June 25 meeting in order for new Superintendent Bob Humble to provide his input on the decision.
“I’m thankful that things played out the way they did,” said President Bob Smith.
Superintendent John Scheu, who is leaving office July 31, said Humble had talked with Barr prior to the meeting.
“Bob Humble texted me on how he was impressed with Chris,” said Scheu. “He has kept the department going for the first part of July.”
Barr replaces Tammy Drerup, who left the district for a position with the Centerville City Schools.
Barr received a three-year limited, 260-day contract for his new position. He will be paid $95,900 per year. He will also be paid on a per diem basis from July 16 through July 31 at a rate of $382.79 for up to 10 days.
The board also accepted his resignation as SMS assistant principal.
With Barr leaving his position at the middle school, an administrator reassignment was approved by the board. Dan Barnes, who is currently an assistant principal at Sidney High School, will be the new SMS assistant principal. He will be paid $82,200 per year. The change is effective Aug. 1.
The board also took the second of two steps required to place a renewal tax levy on the Nov. 6 ballot. The resolution states the levy renewal is needed “in order to avoid an operating deficit estimated by the county auditor to be 9.23 mills, for a period of 10 years.”
In other business, the board:
• Approved an agreement with the Ohio School Plan administered by Hylant Administrative Services for the district’s property, fleet and liability insurance for July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019, at a cost of $102.804.
• Approved an agreement with reserve officers for school security for the 2018-19 school year. They will be paid $17 per hour and a $5 premium paid to the program coordinator. School security officers at the four elementary schools and Sidney Alternative Schools will be Chris Anderson, Rod Austin, Doug Schlagetter, Chuck Shepherd and Jim Richardship.
Substitute security officers will be Brad Boyd, Matt Luthman, Mark Henman, Kevin Hammergren, Tyler Renner, Mike Henry, Cami Frey, Dave Spicer, Lew Warbington, Chris VanMeter, Jordan Suthers, Brian Doak, Scott Atwood and John Puckett.
School event security will be provided by Rod Austin, Rick Cron, Kyle Gee, Mike Henry, Doug Schlagetter, Chuck Shepherd, Lynn Marsee, John Pence, Dave Spicer, Brin Strunk and Jordan Suthers.
• Approved the renewal of Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) through NWEA at $36,187.50.
• Accepted the low bids through the Educational Purchasing Cooperative and award contracts to Nickles Bakery, Reiter Dairy and Gordon Food Services for the 2018-19 school year.
• Approved a resolution declaring transportation to be impractical for six students to Troy Christian High School.
• Accepted the resignation of Stacy Lefeld, school psychologist, effective July 31; Kellie Shoffner, administrative assistant, effective July 31; Sarah Ullery, adi, effective July 31; and James Abbott, aide, effective July 12.
• Employed Kelly Gagnet, auxiliary services teacher, $37.09 per hour; and Wendy Humble, elementary teacher, $80,290. The fourth-grade vacancy, said Scheu, came after the July 10 deadline and a committee was established and Humble, whose husband will be the new superintendent, was the best candidate for the position.
• Employed Brandy Allen, cook, $11.94 per hour, and Emily Lewis, aide, $1297 per hour plus a $2 per hour low incident pay.
• Employed Thomas Stevens as a substitute teacher at $90 per day.
• Employed Mike Herbert, substitute maintenance, $15.18 per hour, and substitute custodian, $14 per hour; and Lynda Higgins, substitute custodian, $14 per hour.
• Awarded supplemental contracts to Sarah Olding, Nicole Colarusso, Adam Doenges, Kristin Morgan, Brett Bickel, Ben Gates, Stacey Goffena and Josh Montgomery to be Sidney High School state testing personnel at $26 per hour each.
• Awarded supplemental contracts to Allison Zimmerman, Morgan Headings and Bridget Steed as SCOLA/Opportunity School intervention specialists at $26 per hour each.
• Employed Anthony Moeder as school psychologist on a two-year limited contract at $85,625.
• Approved the STEM courses for seventh- and eighth-grade students at Sidney Middle School.
• Approved a motion to opt out of the requirement to offer a career tech course at SMS. The class the district offers is a pass/fail course as the instructor is not a certified teacher.
• Appointed Jason Schaffner as school board representative and Mandi Croft as the alternate to the Ohio School Boards Association convention in November 2018.
• Heard a legislative report from Croft on pending and approved state legislature.
The board’s next meeting will be Monday, Aug. 20, at 6 p.m. at the board office.
