FRHS offered full-time trainer

FORT RECOVERY — Athletes could have the services of a full-time trainer for the 2016-17 school year.
Fort Recovery School Board heard a presentation at its meeting Tuesday about the possibility of contracting for a full-time trainer through Sidney-based Wilson Health.
The board also got an update about the College Credit Plus program.
David Andrick, director of physician recruitment and relations for Wilson Health, told the school board his organization is interested in offering full-time training services to Fort Recovery High School. The school currently shares a trainer from Mercer Health in Coldwater with both Celina High School and Wright State University Lake Campus.
The proposal, which includes a five-year contract, would involve having a trainer at all football games, all other home events and all practices. In case of a conflict with multiple events occurring on the same night, athletics director Kurt Rammel would determine what site the trainer would monitor. The trainer would also be in attendance at all OHSAA tournament events.
The services would come at no monetary cost to the school. Wilson Health would instead get exclusive advertising rights at FRHS facilities and provide announcements to be read during athletic contests. (The school system could still accept advertisements from local physicians, Andrick said, but would be prohibited from doing so from other facilities that provide athletic training services.)
“We want to market Wilson Health services in this area,” said Andrick. “Our benefit is we hope we can make Wilson Health more visible in your community.”
Wilson Health currently provides training services for 13 schools, including New Knoxville, Anna, Fort Loramie and Lehman Catholic.
Board members Jose Faller, Aaron Guggenbiller, Ginny Fortkamp, Mitch Ervin and Mike Grube plan to review the proposal and discuss it at a future meeting.
They also heard an update from guidance counselor Amy Kaiser about the College Credit Plus program, which was expanded this year to allow college classes to be taught at the high school. Teachers must have at least 18 credit hours toward a master’s degree in their field or be in the process of earning them in order to be eligible to teach the classes, and the school board agreed to pay for the first 18 hours in order to help the program move forward.
More than 60 students are earning college credit this year through classes at FRHS.
“I’m thrilled, because in the last couple years … we usually run somewhere between four and eight kids that are leaving the building to get college credit,” said Kaiser, while noting that leaving campus to take classes at nearby colleges and Advanced Placement classes are still options for students. “This year we’ve got so many more kids getting (college credit). … What our teachers are doing here is college-level work. … I’m so excited that they’re getting credit for that. I wish I would have been able to do that.”
College classes that will be available at FRHS next year will be anatomy and physiology, advanced biology and genetics, English composition and literature, English composition and computer apps. All of the courses are offered through a partnership with Rhodes State College and approved to transfer to all public universities in Ohio.
In other business, the board:
•Was presented a plaque from Waibel Energy Services, a Vandalia company that was involved in helping schools with energy efficiency. Fort Recovery received a rebate of $15,357 — 10 cents per kilowatt-hour saved — from Dayton Power and Light. The school system reduced its utility costs by more than $20,000 in its first year with the program.
•Received a positive review from elementary/middle school guidance counselor Miranda Muhlenkamp about the first year of online testing using the American Institutes for Research system. Fifth grade teacher Kim Niekamp called the process “seamless.”
•Received a financial update from treasurer Lori Koch that shows the school system’s general fund balance has gone up by more than $1 million over the last year to $5.17 million. She said that is a result of increased property tax collection and a larger amount of funding coming from the state.
•Learned from superintendent Justin Firks that bidding for the elementary/middle school parking lot expansion will begin May 4. Plans call for the lot to be expanded to the west with an addition of 55 spaces.
•OK’d a contract with the Northwest Ohio Area Computer Services Cooperative for five years through June 30, 2021.
•Approved three-year teaching contracts for Kim Pohlman and Brian Patch, two-year teaching contracts for Tami Brunswick, Samuel Piehl, April Bihn, Kevin Eyink, Travis Guggenbiller and Melinda Luthman, continuing contracts for teachers Laura Heitkamp and Gina Evers and continuing contracts for Janelle Braun, Kurt Rammel and Peggy Siefring; and hired Tami Brunswick, Tami Winner, Jill Dues, Holly Franzer, Melissa Homan, Megan Highley, Katie Guggenbiller and Amanda Frey as summer school teachers and substitutes.
•Gave the OK to policy changes regarding drug and alcohol testing, attendance, immunization, grant funds and food services.
•Accepted donations totaling nearly $8,000, including $4,000 from Cooper Farms for activity funds and a $1,000 anonymous donation for the Shane Long Scholarship fund.
•Approved the list of students for graduation. The commencement ceremony will be 2 p.m. May 22 at Fort Site Fieldhouse.
•Scheduled a special meeting for 6 p.m. April 27 to award a bid for the installation of a new fire alarm system at the elementary/middle school.
•Heard from elementary school principal Tracy Hein-Evers on upcoming events. Those include a preschool parent meeting and registration April 26, the first grade musical at 7 p.m. May 5, field day May 25 and Laffalot summer camp July 18 through 22.
•Approved an FFA field trip for May 4 through 6 to Columbus for the state convention, May 31 through June 1 to Columbus for a leadership retreat and July 11 through 15 to Carrollton. Also approved a field trip for the girls basketball team June 24 and 25 to Capital University in Columbus.