Fort honors top spellers (12/15/04)

FORT RECOVERY — The top five district school spellers here were honored by school board members Tuesday night.

Fort Recovery Middle School eighth graders and top spellers Chris Gehret, Kylie Kaiser, Bev Lennartz, Joanna Snyder and Kensey Wenning will compete against students from Coldwater, Parkway, Marion and St. Henry, Ohio schools in the county spelling bee on Monday, Feb. 7 at Wright State University - Lake Campus in Celina, Ohio.

Snyder was the winner of the Fort Recovery district spelling bee, where fifth through eighth graders competed.

Also Tuesday, board members voted to adopt a policy, which outlines disciplinary action for bus drivers that have violation points on their driver’s licenses, for the corporation’s transportation handbook.

The school corporation’s bus fleet insurance provider Ohio Place recently requested a policy be created.

In other business, Fort Recovery Schools superintendent David Riel spoke about the corporation’s permanent improvement levee.

The five-year property tax levee was passed in 2000 and expires in 2005. The tax amount is voted on by residents within the school district, Fort Recovery schools treasurer Dennis Ontrop said this morning. Residents can vote to increase or decrease the levee or vote for no change and allow the rate to remain at .0023 cents per $100 of assessed value.

These funds are used to purchase equipment, buses, computers or to make building repairs. The money can’t be used to pay salaries.

Ontrop said the board will continue discussion on the levee to decide if the issue will be voted on in May or November. Because there is no local election set for 2005, the school is required to fund the election, Ontrop said.

Also, Fort Recovery High School principal Ed Snyder reported the school is currently holding a membership drive to revive the school’s academic booster club.

This club promotes academics and rewards students who excel in academics and National Honor Society members.

Snyder said this morning the club, which was organized in 1994, has been inactive since May 2000.

Also Tuesday, board members:

•Heard area residents are invited to the Fort Recovery Elementary School on Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. to see Christmas decorations there.

Also Thursday, the second graders will present their Christmas program at 7 p.m. in the Fort Recovery Middle School auditeria.

•Approved transfers of $4,000 to Title V Fund and $118.77 to the vocational educational enhancement fund from the general fund.

•Approved the re-appointment of village resident Bob Staugler as the corporation’s representative on the Fort Recovery Park Board.

•Approved membership renewals including $1,837 for the Ohio School Boards Association, $110 for the Annual Briefcase Subscription and $185 for the Annual School Management News Subscription.

•Scheduled an organizational meeting for Tuesday, Jan. 11, at 7 p.m. Board members will elect officers and set meeting dates.

Also on Jan. 11 at 7:15 p.m., the board is set to discuss the school year 2005-06 budget during a public hearing. Following that hearing, a regular meeting will be held.

•Appointed board member Dan Jutte as the board’s 2005 Ohio School Board Association legislative liaison and board member Steve Wendel as the 2005 Student Achievement Liaison.[[In-content Ad]]