SIDNEY — “A Work of Heart” describes the members of the Sidney City Schools Board of Education, said Superintendent John Scheu during Wednesday night’s BOE meeting.
The month of January is National School Board Recognition Month, said Scheu.
“A board member has to have ‘A work of Heart’ because of the dedication and the time commitment they make this a better place for our students,” said Scheu.
He presented each board member with a certificate of appreciation for the time they have served on the board or have just begun serving. Bill Ankney, Bob Smith and Paul Heins have been serving on the board while Mandi Croft and Chip Hix were sworn in at the beginning of the meeting to begin a four-year term on the board. Smith and Heins were also sworn in and began new terms on the board.
Scheu told the board that the Board/Administration Scholarship Fund is at $1,150 right now. Donations from board members and administrators are being accepted for the fund. A $1,000 grant will be awarded to a graduating senior in May. A donation of $100 each was accepted from Treasurer Mike Watkins and Ankney.
The resignations of Stacey Goffena, girls varsity soccer coach, Scott Cromes, bus driver, and David Dicke, substitute bus driver, were all accepted.
In personnel items, the board:
• Hired Tara Henderson as custodian at $14.58 per hour.
• Employed Sharon Davis as home instruction tutor at $24.43 per hour.
• Employed Nancy Deafenbaugh as substitute teacher on an as-needed basis at $90 per day.
• Employed Liza Hunt, substitute aide, $10.61 per hour, and Scott Cromes, substitute custodian, $12.72 per hour, on an as-needed basis.
• Awarded supplemental contracts for the Title I After-School Program. Teachers hired at $26 per hour were Brenda Spangler, Tiffany Goffena, Annette Johnson, Amy Martin, Michelle Rudasill, Kay Straman, Robyn Gossard, Tabatha Schmiessing, Angie Gosciewski and Jason Alexander. Aides hired at $11.79 per hour were Diane Cavinder, Cheryl Niswonger, Judith Shepherd, Eileen Ferree, Julie Helman, Carolyn Liess and Liza Hunt. The contracts will be paid from Title I funds.
The school calendar for the 2016-17 school year was approved as was the tentative 2017-18 school calendar. The first day of school for students will be Aug. 19. A staggered kindergarten start will happen between Aug. 19-23. Parent teacher conferences will be Nov. 3-4. Thanksgiving break will be Nov. 23-25. Winter break will be from Dec. 19-Jan. 2. Parent teacher conferences will also be held Jan. 26-27, 2017. Easter break will be April 14-17. The last student day will be May 25, 2017.
The board approved Logan Fauver and Jordon Shoe as early graduates with the Class of 2016.
Three overnight trips were approved by the board. The wrestling team will be going to Toledo on Jan. 14-16 for a wrestling match. The girls basketball team will be going to Berlin, Ohio, on Jan. 17-18 for a basketball tournament. The Academia Team will be traveling to Solon, Ohio, on Feb. 12-14 for a match.
The basketball tournament is by invitation only. The Academia Team, which is ranked second in the state and 23rd in the nation, will be facing host Solon, which is ranked first in Ohio and third in the nation for academia teams.
The board’s next meeting will be Monday, Feb. 1, at 6 p.m. at the board of education office.
