Fort Recovery Schools ready for fall semester

FORT RECOVERY — There’s only one week left until classes start.

Summer maintenance projects at the schools are nearly complete.

Fort Recovery School Board heard from superintendent Tony Stahl on Monday about maintenance projects finished or wrapping up in school buildings.

Construction on the sidewalk located along the east side of the elementary and middle school building has been completed, along with repaving and resealing the building’s south parking lot that lets out onto Sharpsburg Road. (Plans were for the parking lot to be painted Tuesday.) Landscaping is expected to take place this week.

New concrete bases have been poured in front of several high school entrances and exits. The elementary and middle school gymnasium’s roof has been resealed and repaired, and the high school’s gymnasium also has new lights. Both gym floors were resurfaced.

Stahl added that the district has also updated its servers, purchased several new staff laptops and new technology for students in three grade levels, installed six new Epson projectors and 17 audio systems in classrooms and installed new speakers at the high school football field. The district’s new school bus arrived Friday.

Stahl thanked the maintenance staff for their work through the summer.

“It is a huge thing that they do because we turn the whole district over in a couple of short months getting ready for the next year,” he said.

Also Monday, school administrators noted meet the teacher night for all students set for Aug. 21. Fort Recovery Middle School principal Holly Gann pointed out the middle school will host an open building from 3:30 to 7 p.m. Aug. 21, with a parent meeting set for 6:30 p.m. Aug. 21. Classes start the next day.

In other business, school board members Anne Guggenbiller, Sean Kahlig, Jake Knapke, Don Wendel and Nick Wehrkamp:

•Heard from Fort Recovery High School principal Ryan Steinbrunner that science and math teachers have received new curriculum for the 2023-24 school year.

•OK’d Amy Bihn, Denise Bruns and Brad Evers as van drivers, Larry Hart as a substitute bus driver and Jerry Byram, Kristi Thobe and Hart as teaching substitutes.

•Approved a one-year contract with Steve Neal as a non-teaching employee, a supplemental contract with Val Muhlenkamp as a high school girls assistant basketball coach and a supplemental contract with Brian Reichert as National Honor Society adviser.

•Hired or renewed agreements with volunteer indoor track coach Beth Pearson and volunteer girls assistant golf coaches Amy Bihn and Jeff Vaughn.

•Gave permission to Stahl to employ substitute teachers as needed for the 2023-24 school year. Substitutes at Fort Recovery make $100 per day in the classroom.

•Selected Stahl as Fort Recovery Local Schools’ representative for the Mercer/Auglaize Benefit Trust.

•Adopted bus routes for the upcoming school year.

•Accepted $600 from Tom Galdeen Memorial for baseball and $60 from The Blackbaud Giving Fund for FFA.