March 14, 2018 at 2:43 a.m.
FR board seeks action on safety
FR board seeks action on safety
FORT RECOVERY — Since the Feb. 14 high school shooting that left 17 dead in Parkland, Florida, school safety has been at the forefront of discussions throughout the nation.
Fort Recovery School Board on Tuesday passed a resolution asking for help from the state and federal government to help make students safer.
Board members also passed a resolution regarding College Credit Plus costs and agreed to move forward with a plan to change its open enrollment deadlines.
Superintendent Justin Firks presented the board with both resolutions, which came from the Buckeye Association for School Administrators.
The resolution regarding school safety noted the epidemic of school violence in the country and that “children and school employees of our nation deserve to attend school without fear.”
It “implores” the president, governor, U.S. Congress and Ohio General Assembly to enact legislation, including funding, for:
•Enhanced mental health services and substance abuse treatment.
•Increased access to school safety measures, including, but not limited to school resource officers and safety infrastructure.
•Training for school employees and enhanced coordination with law enforcement and first responders.
•“Preserving the balance between the right to own firearms and the protection of students and school employees from any act of violence.”
Board members Mitch Ervin, Jose Faller, Mike Grube, Nick Wehrkamp and Greg LeFevre approved the resolution, which will be forwarded on to the appropriate government officials.
The other resolution passed by the board requests that schools be allowed to negotiate with colleges and universities regarding costs of College Credit Plus, a program that allows students to earn college credit while still in high school. A previous request by Buckeye Association for School Administrators for such a policy was rejected by Ohio’s chancellor for higher education.
Currently, districts pay a flat rate of $40 per credit hour, in addition to charges for books and other fees, for the college courses, which are taught by high school teachers. Firks questioned where all of that money is going, noting that Fort Recovery spent more than $55,000 on college credit courses last year and that the number is expected to be higher this year.
Board members also agreed to move forward with a proposal Firks made last month to change Fort Recovery’s open enrollment policy.
Currently, students have until June 30 to apply for open enrollment. The superintendent has until July 30 to respond, and parents have until Aug. 10 to accept the transfer.
Under the change, those dates would shift to an application deadline of May 30 with superintendent action by June 15 and acceptance of a transfer by June 30.
The change would give the administration and board more time to decide on any staffing changes that might be necessary.
In other business, the board:
•Recognized the girls and boys basketball teams for their successes this year.
•Approved the following: a field trip for FFA students to the state convention May 2 through 4 in Columbus; a memorandum of agreement to deposit public funds with Mercer Savings Bank; contract extensions for Shelly Overman, Lisa Huelsman and Jill Ranly as a non-teaching employee; the hiring of Brent Niekamp as assistant track coach and Scott Abels as assistant junior high track coach.
•Heard from treasurer Lori Koch that the district is exploring the possibility of joining a consortium for negotiation of health insurance costs. She said it looks as if such a move would save the district money.
•Set a work session for 6 p.m. April 17 to discuss the district’s five-year financial forecast. The board’s regular meeting will follow.
•Learned from principal Tracy Evers-Westgerdes that the elementary school will be trying out an online sign-up system for its April 19 parent-teacher conferences.
•Were reminded that the band/choir concert that was postponed last week because of a scheduling conflict will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday in the elementary/middle school auditeria.
•Named Kim Niekamp to replace outgoing member Pam Fullenkamp on Fort Recovery Library Board.
•Accepted the resignation of Laura Snyder as a teacher effective June 1.
•Accepted $600 in donations from Psi Iota Xi sorority.
Fort Recovery School Board on Tuesday passed a resolution asking for help from the state and federal government to help make students safer.
Board members also passed a resolution regarding College Credit Plus costs and agreed to move forward with a plan to change its open enrollment deadlines.
Superintendent Justin Firks presented the board with both resolutions, which came from the Buckeye Association for School Administrators.
The resolution regarding school safety noted the epidemic of school violence in the country and that “children and school employees of our nation deserve to attend school without fear.”
It “implores” the president, governor, U.S. Congress and Ohio General Assembly to enact legislation, including funding, for:
•Enhanced mental health services and substance abuse treatment.
•Increased access to school safety measures, including, but not limited to school resource officers and safety infrastructure.
•Training for school employees and enhanced coordination with law enforcement and first responders.
•“Preserving the balance between the right to own firearms and the protection of students and school employees from any act of violence.”
Board members Mitch Ervin, Jose Faller, Mike Grube, Nick Wehrkamp and Greg LeFevre approved the resolution, which will be forwarded on to the appropriate government officials.
The other resolution passed by the board requests that schools be allowed to negotiate with colleges and universities regarding costs of College Credit Plus, a program that allows students to earn college credit while still in high school. A previous request by Buckeye Association for School Administrators for such a policy was rejected by Ohio’s chancellor for higher education.
Currently, districts pay a flat rate of $40 per credit hour, in addition to charges for books and other fees, for the college courses, which are taught by high school teachers. Firks questioned where all of that money is going, noting that Fort Recovery spent more than $55,000 on college credit courses last year and that the number is expected to be higher this year.
Board members also agreed to move forward with a proposal Firks made last month to change Fort Recovery’s open enrollment policy.
Currently, students have until June 30 to apply for open enrollment. The superintendent has until July 30 to respond, and parents have until Aug. 10 to accept the transfer.
Under the change, those dates would shift to an application deadline of May 30 with superintendent action by June 15 and acceptance of a transfer by June 30.
The change would give the administration and board more time to decide on any staffing changes that might be necessary.
In other business, the board:
•Recognized the girls and boys basketball teams for their successes this year.
•Approved the following: a field trip for FFA students to the state convention May 2 through 4 in Columbus; a memorandum of agreement to deposit public funds with Mercer Savings Bank; contract extensions for Shelly Overman, Lisa Huelsman and Jill Ranly as a non-teaching employee; the hiring of Brent Niekamp as assistant track coach and Scott Abels as assistant junior high track coach.
•Heard from treasurer Lori Koch that the district is exploring the possibility of joining a consortium for negotiation of health insurance costs. She said it looks as if such a move would save the district money.
•Set a work session for 6 p.m. April 17 to discuss the district’s five-year financial forecast. The board’s regular meeting will follow.
•Learned from principal Tracy Evers-Westgerdes that the elementary school will be trying out an online sign-up system for its April 19 parent-teacher conferences.
•Were reminded that the band/choir concert that was postponed last week because of a scheduling conflict will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday in the elementary/middle school auditeria.
•Named Kim Niekamp to replace outgoing member Pam Fullenkamp on Fort Recovery Library Board.
•Accepted the resignation of Laura Snyder as a teacher effective June 1.
•Accepted $600 in donations from Psi Iota Xi sorority.
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