Fairlawn BOE to explore options for school resource officer

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SIDNEY — The Fairlawn Local Schools Board of Education is looking at its options in hiring a new full-time resource officer for the 2017-18 school year.

Following an executive session during Thursday’s meeting, the board opted not to renew a contract with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office for a resource officer.

“This is a large expense to the school,” said board President Bob Gold when parents questioned the board about the position. “We are looking at our options.”

Gold said the board could hire an officer who is not with the Sheriff’s Office, hire a private individual who has the appropriate training or train members of the staff on what to do in an emergency situation.

“Security is most important priority for our kids,” said Superintendent Jeff Hobbs. “We could go in a police officer direction, hiring a military veteran or a probation officer.

“We know something needs to happen,” Hobbs continued. “The position is not being cut. The idea is to determine what it (SRO) looks like. The number (salary) the Sheriff’s Office is throwing at us is substantial. The salary is as much or more of what a teacher makes.”

Hobbs said Deputy Scott Atwood “did a fantastic job for us.” Atwood’s salary for the 2016-17 school year was $53,000.

“Other county schools are paying in the mid $30,000 range,” said Hobbs. “Houston, through the Sheriff’s Office, has a retire/rehire person in Bill Booth.”

Board member Andy Brautigam said prior to last school year, the SRO was a part-time position.

“Last year the sheriff made it a full-time position at a higher salary,” said Brautigam.

When the position was part-time, the district paid between $15,000-20,000 per year, said Brautigam.

“I don’t want to be a police officer,” said Hobbs, “but I cam going to go through (tactical) training. “If something happens (at the school), I’m going to be in the middle of it.

The teachers, said Hobbs, are ALICE certified.

“We’re on an island out here,” said Hobbs.

Hobbs said even if the district would be able to hire a deputy who has retired, within three years the person’s salary would be back at the $52,000-53,000 level. The first year of retirement, the deputy would receive $35,000 per year; $43,000 in the second year; and $52,000 in the third year.

“The only option that is off the table is doing nothing,” said Gold. “We have to decide what the position will look like.”

“I’ve been asked ‘could I shoot an armed kid?’ I’ve said yes if they were hurting our kids,” said Hobbs.

In personnel items, Karen McRill was hired as the pre-k to fifth-grade principal for the district. She received a two-year limited contract and will be paid $72,000 per year.

John Stekli, who had been the kindergarten to eighth-grade principal, is moving to the principal for grades 6-12, said Hobbs.

The shift in Stekli’s job title and the hiring of McRill was necessary after grades 8-12 principal Rebekka Egbert submitted her resignation in June.

The board also approved a 3 percent increase for the administrative staff of the district. Board member Tony Bensman voted no on the motion.

Athletic director Justin Tidwell received a 3 percent increase also. Aaron Cox, technology administrator, received a 3 percent increase. Rita Gilfillen abstained from voting as Cox is her son-in-law.

In other business, the board:

• Honored junior Allison Roush who was one of 12 students accepted for a Dayton Art Institute Scholarship. She attended nine class sessions at the art institute and then had an art exhibit of her work at the end of the sessions.

• Heard a report from principals Egbert and Stekli reviewed the results of the English, math, social studies and science tests which students are required to take.

• Approved the student and staff handbooks for the 2017-18 school year.

• Tabled a proposal to change the date of the 2018 graduate from Friday, May 25, 2018, to another date.

• Approved breakfast, lunch, milk and extra food prices for the 2017-18 school year. Breakfast increased from $1.25 to $1.50 per meal. Lunch for kindergarten through eighth-grade increased to $2.25 from $2. Lunch for grades 9-12 will be $2.75, an increase of 25 cents. Milk will cost 40 cents per carton, up from 30 cents last year.

The only extra food prices which changed are for baked chips, 60 cents, a 10 cent increase; and the fruit cup, $1 which is an increase of 25 cents from last year.

• Accepted donations for the Amizade overnbight trip in the spring of 2018. Donations wre received from McCrary Metal Polishing, Port Jefferson, $100; Jason Weigandt Landscape Company, Sidney, $25; Alvetro Orthodontics, Sidney, $50; Jeffery Van Treese, DDS, and Dorothy Van Treese, Sidney, $500; Temperance Lodge 73 F&AM, Sidney, $100; B.K. Grunden and L.A. Grunden, Miamisburg, $25; Airstream Inc., Jackson Center, $500; and Advanced Composites Inc., Sidney, $200.

• Adjusted the pay for substitute teachers from $80 per day to $85 per day.

• Awarded a one-year contract to Tonya Slonaker for yearbook adviser at $3,389.

• Awarded a one-year contract to Elizabeth Maxson as Power of the Pen advisor at $1,016.70.

• Approved Beth Spicer as a volunteer varsity assistant for girls basketball.

• Awarded a one-year contract to Kenneth Peters as seventh-grade boys basketball coach at $2,033.42.

• Approved Megan Dudgeon as a volunteer girls basketball coach.

• Accepted the resignation of Taylor Hughes as eighth-grade girls basketball coach. Hughes was then hired as the seventh-grade girls basketball coach at $2,033.42.

• Awarded a one-year contract to Brent Swearingen as eighth-grade girls basketball coach at $2,033.42.

• Awarded a one-year contract to Jodi Hickman, seventh-grade volleyball coach at $2,033.42.

• Awarded one-year contracts to Jaimi Sparks, junior high cheerleader adviser, $1,355.62; Rycki Schmiesing, varsity cheerleading adviser, $2,033.42; and Amy Berger, junior varsity cheerleading adviser, $1,016.71.

• Awarded a one-year contract to Kris Ambos as varsity soccer assistant coach at $1,694.52.

• Awarded a one-year contract to Tonya Slonaker for 20-days extended guidance at $4,824.81.

• Awarded a one-year contract to Christopher Lauterbach as elementary guidance counselor at a rate per the negotiated agreement. He also received a 12-day extended guidance contract for the school year.

• Awarded a one-year teaching contract to Kimberly Cotterman at a rate per the negotiated agreement.

• Tabled an item naming Cotterman the Foreign Language Club adviser until she has a chance to put everything in place.

By Melanie Speicher

[email protected]

Reach the writer at 937-538-4822.

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