SIDNEY – Sidney’s Board of Education approved contracts for employees and authorized spending for several programs during Monday’s meeting.
Treasurer Mike Watkins reported that the school’s revenue and expenses both are within 1 percent of the original budget with just one month left in the fiscal year.
“On both sides of the ledger, we’re still more than acceptable with one month left in the fiscal year,” Watkins said.
Watkins also said Sidney City Schools can keep 2019-20 lunch prices the same as last school year. But he told the board to anticipate price increases during next year’s annual review as a result of state reimbursement standards with the free and reduced lunch program.
“This year we can still keep them where they are,” he said. “A little note that be prepared next year we are probably either going to need to do one of two things – one is raise lunch prices or contribute general fund monies to food service.”
The board approved a five-year, $2,500 per year field maintenance contract with the Motz Group for the artificial turf at Sidney Memorial Stadium. Motz, which installed the turf at the stadium, said annual maintenance can add three to four years to the expected life of the turf, Watkins reported.
In addition to potentially saving money in the long term, Watkins said turf maintenance can help protect the school district from liability if anyone is injured on the field.
“There are some legal responsibilities, showing that you’re maintaining it, that all the materials are as they should be for like head injury type situations,” said Watkins, who said the maintenance cost would be paid for from the stadium fund and not the school’s general fund.
The board approved services agreements with Midwest Regional ESC for the 2019-20 school year including an early childhood intervention specialist at a cost of $135,163.40, a speech language therapist at a cost of $134,783.90, an occupational therapist at a cost of $82,763.90 and juvenile court liaison services at a cost of $18,098.19.
The board also approved an occupational therapist services agreement with Helping Hands Therapeutic, LLC, for the 2019-20 school year.
The board approved PowerSchool subscriptions and a one-time implementation fee of $11,375. The 36 month subscriptions include employee records and contracts at a cost of $7,684, professional learning enterprise at $3,366 and absence management at $3,264.
The board approved the renewal of Measures of Academic Progress through Northwest Evaluation Association at a cost of $36,412.50. It also approved school fees for the 2019-20 school year.
The board read Sidney City School’s updated vision and mission statements, which it anticipates approving during July’s board meeting.
In the Upper Valley Career Center report, Board of Education member Chip Hix reported that 16 students will attend the SkillsUSA national championship in Louisville, Kentucky, at the end of June.
The board accepted resignations from Northwood Principal Eric Barr, middle school counselor Anne Geise, high school counselor Erin Montgomery, high school intervention specialist Josh Montgomery, high school intervention specialist Michael Roby, low incident aide Christine Garcia Sanchez, Workforce Academy teacher Sharon Maurice and high school sciences teacher Ebenezer Blay.
One-year limited contracts were approved for certified employees Jessica Raffa-Newsome as middle school physical education and health teacher, $49,698; Bridget Hoehne as high school multiple disabilities teacher, $39,758; Jennifer Barga as high school intervention specialist, $50,095; Christopher Lauterbach as high school counselor, $56,258; and Tonya Slonaker as high school counselor, $69,974.
Dennis Morrison was approved as Sidney High School interim principal at a salary of $111,735 effective Aug. 1. He also was approved for an additional 10 days, if needed, on a per diem basis at a salary of $429.75.
Jeanine Holthaus was approved as an intervention special at $26.89 an hour, Angela Carey was approved as a custodian at $15.98 an hour, Brian Marchal was approved for specialty trades at $24 an hour, Tabitha Hughes was approved as a high incident aide at $14.71 an hour, and Tabitha Hughes was approved as a bus driver at $17.47 an hour. Jayna Lewis and Deb Kaufman were approved as secretaries.
In athletics, one-year limited contracts were approved for associate athletics director Maggi Williams, $12,106; assistant athletics director Stacey Goffena, $3,777; middle school cheer coach Destinee Yates, $1,392; assistant high school cheer coach Jenny Luebke, $4,175; cross country head coach Ken Kellner, $4,175; head football coach Adam Doenges, $8,747; assistant football coach Terry Ward, $5,427; assistant football coach Frank Crea, $5,169; assistant football coach Kyle Coleman, $5,169; assistant football coach Mike Ward, $5,169; assistant football coach Frank Guillozet, $5,169; freshman football coach G.C. Kimmel, $1,789; seventh grade football coach Bryan Herd, $1,789; seventh grade football coach Benjamin Phelps, $795; eighth grade football coach Jordan Powers, $994; eighth grade football coach Josh Elmore, $1,392; fall strength coach Kyle Coleman, $1,590; junior varsity boys soccer coach George Miu, $2,584; girls soccer head coach Kevin Veroneau, $5,566; volleyball head coach Lauren Morrow, $5,566; junior varsity volleyball coach Ashley Borchers, $2,584; varsity assistant and ninth grade volleyball assistant coach Leslie Phlipot, $2,783; eighth grade volleyball coach Dexter Tobie, $1,988; boys golf head coach Bill Rippey, $2,385; girls golf head coach Joe Spangler, $2,385; and girls tennis head coach Donovan Gregory, $2,385.
The board approved Nicole Colarusso and Tracy Nuss for AIR Test retakes at a rate of $26 an hour.
It approved stipends to full-time employees Jill Hanke, Title One coach, and Mike Shonk, maintenance supervisor, for additional duties above their job descriptions. Hanke was approved for $1,000 and Shonk for $10,000.
The board went into executive session to discuss collective bargaining of new insurance plans. No action was taken.
The board’s next meeting will be at 6 p.m. July 15 at the board office.
