Fort Recovery continues to consider various options

FORT RECOVERY — Students will not be heading back to their classrooms this year.

Following Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s announcement Monday afternoon that schools will stay closed, Fort Recovery Local Schools extended its “emergency remote learning” plan to cover the remainder of the 2019-20 school year. The final day of school will be May 21, as scheduled.

The state’s previous order had called for schools to be closed through May 1.

Fort Recovery School Board at its meeting Monday further discussed issues related to the closure.

Superintendent Larry Brown noted that he and the rest of the administrative team was scheduled to meet this morning to work on answering more specific questions related to emergency remote learning. Those include how materials will be turned in and procedures for students picking up items that were left at school when buildings closed at the end of the day March 16.

Addressing graduation, high school principal Bill Overla noted that his hope all along has been to hold the ceremony May 17 as planned, but that is looking less and less likely. Options other than the traditional ceremony have been looked at, including using Barrenbrugge Athletic Park.

“It doesn’t look promising to do that,” he said, noting limitations on large gatherings, “but I’m going to hold out hope …

“I want to try to do something. There’s a lot of different things being discussed everywhere. That’s probably my No. 1 priority at this point is trying to figure out what we can do and then proceed from there.”

Another idea would involve setting up a stage in Fort Site Fieldhouse and inviting graduates in one at a time — staggered over the course of a day or more — with a few family members to be able to receive their diploma and take photos. Board president Nick Wehrkamp also mentioned a drive-in ceremony as a suggestion, noting Jay County’s plan.

Overla said additional guidance via the Ohio Department of Education is expected next week.

“I want this thing to happen for these kids, so we’re going to try our best to give them the best shot at whatever we can give them,” said Overla.

Middle school principal Tony Stahl noted that school staff is reaching out to students in a variety of ways, including posting daily announcements via YouTube and offering online study halls. The school also worked with Fort Recovery Public Library to get Wi-Fi hotspots to students in need.

Brown filled in board members Greg LeFevre, Anne Guggenbiller, Jake Knapke, Don Wendel and Wehrkamp on staffing plans for the 2020-21 school year, noting that some elementary school teachers will have to be moved around because of changing class sizes. For instance, next year’s kindergarten class is expected to be smaller — 58 to 66 students compared to 79 this year — while its third grade class will be larger. Overall staffing levels will be unchanged. No changes are expected for middle school and high school teaching staff.

The board also approved changes to the district’s busing policy that were presented last month.

The district will add two new bus stops in the village in the area of the intersection of Butler and Fort Site streets and the intersection of Milligan and Wayne streets (Traditionally, the district has only bused students who live outside of the village limits.) Those sections of the village were selected because they have a high concentration of students and are also further away from school than most others.

Students will use FinalForms to sign up for what days they plan to take the bus from those new stops.

Residents who have had their property annexed into the village within the last 20 years will also be able to apply for busing.

In other business, the board:

•Approved a three-year teaching contract for Brad Evers; two-year teaching contracts for Matthew Kerns, Patricia Lefeld, Mindy Luthman, Charlie Vasey, April Bihn, Kevin Eyink, Renee Hulsman, Lisa Huelsman, Chad Miller, Brian Reichert, Jocelyn Meyer, Kim Minnich, Jessica Niekamp, Tami Winner, Tami Brunswick and Jill Dues; continuing teaching contacts for Travis Guggenbiller and Julie Schlater; two-year contracts for non-teaching employees Elizabeth Barga, Mindy Dues, Melissa Homan, Monika Johnson, Stacy Laux, Jill Ranly, Lindsey Reinhard, Howard Wagner; Courtney Westgerdes and Julie Billenstein; and a guidance counselor contract for Miranda Gerlach.

•Approved the following: adjusting permanent appropriations to reflect grants received by the school district; the list of 2020 graduates; authorization for Brown to continue with administrative evaluations; a waiver for all certified and classified staff evaluations as authorized by the Ohio General Assembly; and authorized Brown to enter into a memorandum of understanding with Fort Recovery Education Association related to the waiver.

•Approved supplemental contracts for the 2020-21 school year, including the retention of coaches Jim Melton (boys basketball), Holly Gann (girls basketball), Brent Niekamp (football), Dean Sanders (boys golf), Joe Bruns (girls golf) and Mindy Bubp (swimming). The district’s two new head coaches are Travis Guggenbiller (volleyball) and Christine Diller (cross country).

•Heard a reminder from treasurer Deanna Knapke that the board will review the five-year financial forecast at 6 p.m. prior to the regular board meeting at 6:30 p.m. The board plans to hold that meeting in person in the community room at FRHS to allow for social distancing, but will be prepared to adjust to another format if needed.

•Accepted donations totaling more than $450, including $244 from the academic booster club for S.A.D.D.

•Heard from Overla, answering a question from Knapke, that spring coaches will be paid this year as contracted despite their season being canceled. They will be offered the option of donating their earnings back to the school or their program generally.