RUSSIA – The Russia Board of Education accepted donations totaling $33,500 at a meeting on Dec. 13.

The Tom & Corrine Francis Family Foundation donated $12,500 for scholarship purposes; the Russia Wellness Foundation donated $1,000 for scholarship purposes; and an anonymous donation of $20,000 was received for student achievement and programs.

The following personnel were approved for hire:

• Michael Benanzer, Gabrielle Davis, Lane Mefford, Tim Walls, Claire Meyer, Olivia Moorman and Mark Wahl as substitute teachers at $100 per day for the 2023-24 school year;

• Carrie Siegrist as an educational aide at $15 per hour for the 2023-24 school year;

• Robin Caldwell as a substitute classified employee for the 2023-24 school year.

In other business, the board approved the following items:

• Bills, including then and now certifications;

• The nutritional guidelines as set forth by Ohio for the 2023-2024 school year;

• The Russia Local School calendar for the 2024-2025 school year;

• The annual membership for the Ohio School Boards Association for 2024 at a rate of $4,102.

The next meeting will be the board’s annual organizational meeting on Jan. 10, 2024, at 8 p.m. in the library.