SIDNEY — A new director of special education was hired during the May meeting of the Governing Board of the Midwest Regional Educational Service Center.
Jo Demotte was hired during the meeting. She will be paid $52,500 per year.
Demotte has served as the principal at Fairlawn Local Schools for many years.
the board also amended the contracts of Tracy Dush and Myles Moore II, both school psychologists. Dush will be paid $58,431 per year, while Moore will receive $54,057 per year.
The board also recognized many students for their academic accomplishments.
Honored were:
• Madison Allison, Fairlawn Local School, George W. Hathaway Scholarship.
• Heather Johnson, Bellefontaine City School, Logan County Retired Teachers Scholarship.
• Cole Weidman, Benjamin Logan Local School; Emily Weidman, Benjamin Logan Local School; Kyleigh Sharpin, Indian Lake Local School; Laraleigh Allen, Riverside Local School; and Taylor Stevens, Riverside Local School, Mary Eleanor Morris Scholarship.
• Franklin B. Walter Award: Hardin County, Crystal Brown, Upper Scioto Valley Local School; Logan County, Connor Oppy, Bellefontaine City School; and Shelby County, Troy Riley, Hardin-Houston Local School.
In other business, the board:
• Reviewed the evaluations of the superintendent and treasurer and stated that the evaluations were positive. The respective copy was given to each.
• Asked for a meeting of the audit committee after the June Board meeting.
• Received a handout of the 2016-17 preschool program cost.
• Learned about the FY15 to FY16 state funding comparison of the districts.
• Learned about the Ohio Checkbook and the meeting held with the representative from the Treasurer of Ohio office. The Board did not suggest voluntarily putting the checks on the Ohio Checkbook.
• Learned there was an interview committee for the selection of the new special education director
• Learned evaluations of the directors are being performed by Superintendent Heather O’Donnell as a modified version of the Ohio Principal Evaluation System due to the Ohio Principal Evaluation System not being a good fit for ESC Directors.
• Learned the July Board meeting has been changed to July 14, 2016, at Indian Lake Local Schools.
• Accepted various donations including Emerson Climate Technologies – $8,437.87 – Shelby County Teacher Grants; city of Sidney – $1,000.00 – Upper Valley Local Government Internship-Bollheimer; Shelby County United Way – $4,500.00 – 4th Quarter for the ED program; Shelby County United Way – $15,000.00 – FY17
• Approved service agreements for various programs
• Approved purchased service and independent contractor agreements: Ann Anzalone, Speaker for MRESC Opening Day; Debra Cummins-Parker, Parent Project Coordinator; Debra Cummins-Parker, Loving Solutions Coordinator; Cara Wetherill, Summer Speech Program; Erin Thomas, Audiology Services; and Greg Ward, Straight A Grant Coordinator.
• Rescinded Mike Ward’s SEED Contract for 2016/2017.
• Approved Greg Ward’s purchased service agreement mileage increase.
• Approved the position of Preschool Itinerant Teacher to the Teacher’s Salary Schedule.
• Approved the Financial Assistant Payroll Schedule for the 2016-17 fiscal year.
• Approved the United Way Member Agency Partner Agreement between the Shelby County United Way and the Midwest Regional Educational Service Center.
• Approved the request for payment from Jeanie Riethman for the 2015-2016 Resident Educator mentoring work.
• Approved limited teacher’s contract for Stephanie Lowery, Preschool Itinerant Teacher.
• Accepted the resignations of Josh Billing, intervention specialist, and Louise Burgess, school counselor.
• Approved supplemental contract for Kristen Allardice, Adriel summer work; Elisabeth Baker, Adriel summer school; Hilary Davis, manufacturing summer camp; Amy Esaleh, Adriel summer school; Wendy Evans, summer PT; Bradley Greek, OTES evaluations at Adriel; Jen Hopton, Straight A Grant Curriculum; Casey Patton, Adriel summer school; and Mark Wahl, Adriel summer school.
• Approved cell phone reimbursements for Lori Berger.
• Approved an increase in the substitute teacher pay from $85 per day to $100 per day effective Aug. 1, 2016.
• Approved the non-renewal of Russ Hogue, Jr., Indian Lake Educational Aide, effective July 31, 2016.
• Approved an agreement between Sidney City Schools and Midwest Regional Educational Service Center to share equally the cost of an agreement entered into with Edmentum for various Plato and Edmentum educational products.
• Approved program service agreements for FY17 between Governing Board of the Midwest Regional Educational Service Center and Ada Exempted Village School, Anna Local School, Bellefontaine City School, Benjamin Logan Local School, Botkins Local School, Fairlawn Local School, Fort Loramie Local School, Hardin-Houston Local School, Hardin Northern Local School, Indian Lake Local School, Jackson Center Local School, Ridgemont Local School, Riverside Local School, Russia Local School, Sidney City School and Upper Scioto Valley Local School.
The board’s next meeting will be June 23, 2016 at 6:30 p.m. at Upper Scioto Valley Local School, 510 Courtright St., McGuffey.
