Fort Recovery Local Schools applying for grant

Fingers crossed.

Fort Recovery School Board authorized superintendent Tony Stahl on Monday to prepare and submit a $20,000 grant application to Safe Routes to School Funding as well as enter into a right-of-way agreement with the village as part of its portion of the grant application and potential construction plans.

If awarded, the two-year grant would allot $20,000 to Fort Recovery Local Schools.

A program offered through Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), Safe Routes to School’s purpose is to “provide resources, technical assistance and project funding to encourage and enable students in grades K-12 to walk or ride their bike to school,” according to its website. To be eligible, communities must develop School Travel Plans or Active Transportation Plans that outline their intentions to encourage students to “engage in active transportation” such as walking or biking to and from school.

Fort Recovery created its School Travel Plan in July. A group of school, community, local government, health, public safety and other representatives underwent a nine-month planning process, identifying construction projects and programs aimed at increasing safe pedestrian and bike travel to school.

Stahl explained the school’s portion of the work includes non-infrastructure projects, such as purchasing safety and educational materials and radios and investing in school assemblies. He noted plans to host a biking to school safety presentation for elementary students next school year.

According to the School Travel Plan, non-infrastructure recommendations included:

•Starting a “walking school bus” program, which would encourage students to walk to school while being escorted by one or more adults

•Encouraging students to bike or walk to and from school while also educating them about biking and walking safety

•Installing ‘no parking’ signs along the south side of Butler Street near Shell and Casey’s gas stations

The Village of Fort Recovery and the school board are both submitting applications for the grant, with the village’s portion aimed at infrastructure work. Fort Recovery’s construction projects, if awarded, include building a crosswalk in front of Fort Recovery High School across Butler Street to sidewalks along First Street, improving visibility of markings at the five-point intersection of Butler, Boundary, William and Third streets, and constructing a sidewalk from Fort Recovery Elementary/Middle School to Sharpsburg Road to match with the upcoming sidewalk project for the front of the school. The infrastructure projects would be 100% covered by the grant.

Stahl noted the village’s infrastructure projects would require the school to grant right-of-way access to the sidewalk portion of Sharpsburg Road near Fort Recovery Elementary/Middle School.

Also Monday, the board approved an agreement with Garmann Miller of Minster to perform a facilities assessment not to exceed $27,000.

Stahl noted the elementary/middle school building is nearing 25 years old, and the high school is significantly older. He suggested doing an inspection on various elements to school facilities, including plumbing, heating, ventilation, air conditioning units, electrical, technology, architecture, engineering and other factors. Garmann Miller will compile all of its findings into a permanent improvement list for the school to follow in the coming years, he explained.

In other business, school board members Mitch Fullenkamp, Sean Kahlig, Greg LeFevre, Nick Wehrkamp and Don Wendel:

•Authorized Stahl to update guidelines related to facility rentals, with Stahl noting costs have been updated to more accurately reflect the prices charged for community members or organizations renting space. (Prices were previously marked in school guidelines as higher than the district charged. Janitorial fees were also slightly increased, he noted.)

•Heard preschool registration will open March 11.

•Recognized Fort Recovery High School’s competitive cheer team — represented by coach Jennifer Steinke, senior Megan Evers and junior Bailey Muhlenkamp — for its Ohio Athletic Committee state championship in January.

•Renewed a one-year contract with Jutte’s Landscaping for mowing and trimming services.

•Approved the following: continued membership in the Ohio High School Athletic Association for the 2024-25 school year; an overnight field trip for eighth graders to visit Washington, D.C., from Oct. 28 to Nov. 1; an overnight trip for the cross country team to go to Chenoweth Trails in Greenville from Aug. 11 to Aug. 12; an overnight trip for FFA members to attend the state FFA convention at Ohio State Fairgrounds in Columbus from May 1 to May 3; and hiring volunteer high school softball coach Valerie Stammen and volunteer junior high track coach Brent Niekamp.

•Authorized Stahl and treasurer Deanna Knapke to enter into an agreement with K and K Tours of Celina for eighth graders’ field trip to Washington, D.C.

•Accepted donations, including $500 from Fort Recovery Academic Booster Club split between the high school and middle school principals’ activity accounts.