Sidney Board of Education proceeds with emergency levy

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SIDNEY – To avoid an operating deficit, the Sidney City Schools Board of Education voted to proceed with an emergency levy during Monday’s monthly board meeting.

The Board of Education voted 4-1 to proceed with the submission of a new tax levy for the March 17, 2020, election; Jason Schaffner cast the lone vote against the resolution. The 10-year levy, which would first be collected in 2021, would generate almost $3.5 million a year.

In other actions, the board voted to approve an agreement with Madison-Champaign Educational Service Center for a student to attend Mac-a-Cheek Learning Center for the 2019-20 school year at a rate of $150.17 per day, for an estimated total of $18,621.08. Mac-A-Cheek Learning Center’s program addresses behavioral as well as emotional concerns that interfere with students’ ability to learn in a regular public school setting.

The board approved a contract with PowerSchool for a learning management system and Performance Matters Assessment Analytics Core at a cost of $59,142.19 with $12,985 due in financial year 2020 and $43,157.19 due in financial year 2021.

The learning management system allows teachers to assign work online and allows students to submit work online.

“It’s almost like having a classroom without them being in the room all the time,” Superintendent Bob Humble said. “The LMS actually allows you to do that, and eventually we’ll let parents have access to that so parents can actually see the assignments.”

The board approved the district’s five-year financial forecast.

The Board of Education accepted a $3,000 donation from Mike and Susan Heintz for building maintenance.

“I talked with Susan on the phone, and she had read the article where we talked about some of the struggles with what we need to do to maintain buildings and so forth,” Treasurer Mike Watkins said. “It’s great, very generous.”

The board approved numerous personnel actions including the resignation of substitute teacher Frank Crea effective Oct. 30 and the retirement of middle school teacher Mary Beth Riddle effective Oct. 1, 2020.

It approved one-year limited, as-needed contracts for Cynthia Eidson as a substitute teacher at a rate of $105 a day and Bridget Steed for SCOLA/Opportunity School after school at a rate of $26 an hour.

The board approved Jeff Saylor and Vic Stewart as substitute custodians at a rate of $14.39 per hour on one-year limited, as-needed contracts.

The Board of Education approved one-year limited contracts for numerous coaches including John Willoughby as basketball head coach with a salary of $8,747, Scott Hooks as junior varsity assistant basketball coach with a salary of $5,169, Scott Shirk as freshman basketball coach with a salary of $3,976, Wade New as middle school basketball coach $2,783, Samantha Hall as junior varsity basketball coach with a salary of $3,181, Ron Ivey as junior varsity assistant basketball coach with a salary of $4,373, Erica Scully as middle school basketball coach with a salary of $3,578, and Tori Purk as middle school basketball coach with a salary of $1,590.

The board also approved Mary Jannides as swim coach at a salary of $4,175, Brennan Brewer as assistant swim coach at a salary of $3,578, Ryan Shurts as assistant wrestling coach at a salary of $4,373, Matt Marshall as freshman wrestling coach at a salary of $1,590, Bill Blosser as middle school wrestling coach at a salary of $1,988, Trent Knoop as bowling coach at a salary of $3,181, Michelle Beatty as assistant bowling coach at a salary of $1,590, Kyle Coleman as strength coach/winter at a salary of $1,193, and Eric Belcher as junior varsity assistant soccer coach at a salary of $795.

The board approved adoption of policies including employment of the treasurer, non-reemployment of the treasurer, use of tobacco by administrators, career advising, interscholastic athletics, use of tobacco by professional staff, use of tobacco by classified staff, school choice options, attendance, student suicide, use of tobacco, disposition of real property/personal property, use of tobacco on school premises, small unmanned aircraft systems, staff technology acceptable use and safety, technology, use of social media, school safety, student abuse and neglect, and food services.

The board then entered executive session to discuss employment. No action was taken.

The board’s next meeting is scheduled for Dec. 12.

By Kyle Shaner

[email protected]

Reach the writer at [email protected] or 937-538-4824.

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