FRES expects at least 54 new students

FORT RECOVERY — There will be three kindergarten classes at the elementary school again next year.
Principal Tracy Hein-Evers updated Fort Recovery School Board on the district’s projected kindergarten numbers during its meeting Monday.
The board also heard about the possibility of having epinephrine auto-injectors in school offices beginning in 2016-17 and approved more than $65,000 in repairs to Fort Site Fieldhouse.
Hein-Evers told the board 63 students attended Fort Recovery Elementary School’s kindergarten screening March 7 and 8.
The school already has paperwork for 44 of those students who plan to attend kindergarten next year, with 10 more expected to enroll and six undecided.
Having at least 54 expected to be enrolled for 2016-17 guarantees three classes at the kindergarten level next year.
Hein-Evers, who was approved for a three-year contract extension taking her through the end of the 2018-19 school year, also reminded board members Jose Faller, Aaron Guggenbiller, Ginny Fortkamp, Mitch Ervin and Mike Grube that preschool screening is scheduled for April 8.
Superintendent Justin Firks also presented the board with a policy, which matches those already in use in St. Henry and Celina, to be reviewed that would cover having epinephrine auto-injectors, commonly referred to as epi pens, in school office.
The auto-injectors are available via a program through the state departments of health and education. They would be used in emergency situations involving allergic reactions only and with permission from parents.
“Personally I think it’s a good idea,” Firks said.
He also presented the board with a proposed policy update for a bus conduct form that would be used to deal with discipline issues. Currently when there are problems on buses they are reported verbally to principals.
Board members will review both policies and discuss them at a future meeting.
Transportation director Kurt Wendel is also working to create a bus driver handbook.
The repairs to Fort Site Fieldhouse predominantly deal with the ceiling, which had been damaged by leaks over the last few years.
The outside of the building has already been fixed, the school board now approved Brian Bros. Painting & Restoration to do $66,952 of work on the inside. That work will include repairing damaged areas, repainting the ceiling and painting the fieldhouse walls.
In other business, the board:
•Approved its open enrollment policy with no changes.
•Heard from middle school principal Matt Triplett that teacher Amy Klingshirn has started an art club that meets twice a month after school. He also reported that the school collected more than 700 items that have been delivered to Ronald McDonald House in Dayton.
•Agreed to pay $9,000 to Northwest Ohio Area Computer Services Cooperative because of E-rate funding that was not approved.
•Learned from Firks that summer in-service week for staff will be July 27 through 29. Surveys have been sent out to gather input about what seminars to include.
He also distributed copies of a brochure touting the quality of Mercer County schools that will be mailed to residents. It presents numbers including a 98.1 percent graduation rate, average 3.24 GPA and 77 percent of students participating in activities, clubs or teams.
•Approved Nick Kallas as a certified substitute teacher, Brendon Moody as assistant track coach and a substitute bus drive, Kylee Moody as middle school track coach and Melinda Luthman as middle school track assistant coach.
•OK’d a choir and drama club field trip April 10 through 14 to New York City.
•Accepted donations of more than $1,000, including $600 from Psi Iota Xi for a variety of activities and $455 from Traveling Tribe to the Shane Long Memorial Scholarship Fund.
•Transferred $100,000 from the general fund to the permanent improvement fund.
•Appointed Dan Carr to Fort Recovery Park Board to fill out a term extends through the end of 2018. He is replacing Harold Fiely, who resigned in February.
•Agreed to accept settlement of a class action lawsuit against Reiter Dairy, which had been sued for over billing over the course of four years. The settlement amounted to $6,859.88 for Fort Recovery Local Schools.
•Approved the following: A contract for engineering services with Choice One Engineering, Portland, for $6,340; advertising for bids for the addition to the elementary/middle school parking lot; an agreement to share cost for replacement of three welders for Tri-Star Career Compact for career and technical education.