Fort Recovery school projects wrap up

FORT RECOVERY — Fort Recovery Local Schools students return to classes Tuesday.

Summer projects at the school buildings are wrapping up in preparation.

Superintendent Tony Stahl shared an update during Monday’s Fort Recovery School Board meeting about a few projects that are set to be completed before the first day of school.

The heating, ventilation and air conditioning project at Fort Recovery Elementary/Middle School is mostly complete, with major demolition, installation and electrical work finished. The $870,000 project completed by Smith-Boughan Mechanical Service Solutions of Lima, Ohio, involved replacing outdated variable air volume control boxes that controlled airflow. Stahl noted a few loose ends in the works, although he pointed out contractors plan to have the system fully operational by the end of the week.

“There is going to be some balancing that’s going to go on into the school year,” he said, noting contractors will visit the school and enter the ceiling in order to measure airflow.

A new bell and intercom system has also been installed at the elementary/middle school, similar to the paging system the high school began using last year. (It has a two-way communication system, allowing the main office and classrooms to engage in conversation.) It should be fully functional by next week, Stahl noted.

Also, new copiers provided through a 60-month lease with Modern Office Methods will be put in place Thursday. Plans are to train staff on the new equipment Friday.

Stahl also updated school board members about a survey conducted in April and May. 

The survey drew 113 responses, with the largest demographic of responders being parents with school-aged children. He pointed to generally positive feedback regarding school communications, including 73% of respondents strongly agreeing they are satisfied with the way they are currently receiving messages from the school and 93% of respondents agreeing or strongly agreeing that the school communicates important information in a timely manner. Respondents overall rated the school an average of 4.3 stars out of 5 stars in terms of communication.

He noted areas for improvement or review, such as data showing 62% of respondents strongly agreeing that “having a school website that is easy to use and providing up-to-date, useful information” is important but only 10.6% of respondents strongly agreeing that the “school’s website is an engaging destination that (they) look forward to exploring.”

He shared plans to continue reviewing the data with the district leadership team, with the group to likely share a presentation with school board members on further findings at the end of the school year.

Also Monday, school board members were reminded by Fort Recovery Middle School principal Holly (Gann) Wermert about the middle school’s scheduled pickups for school materials and yearbooks from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday. Open houses for each school are slated from 3:30 to 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 18. (Fort Recovery High School will host its annual new student and freshmen orientation from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Friday in the high school commons.)

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

•Approved the following: a resolution declaring Fort Recovery Local Schools will not provide career technical education to students enrolled in seventh and eighth grade for the 2025-26 school year; a resolution allowing Fort Recovery High School juniors and seniors to drive themselves to Celina for Tri-Star Career Compact; Stahl as Fort Recovery Local Schools’ representative for the Mercer/Auglaize Benefit Trust; designating the certificates of deposit and bonds as inactive deposits until their maturity date; and paying $999 to Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance.

•Authorized the superintendent and treasurer to enter into a security services agreement with the Village of Fort Recovery for certain athletic and extracurricular events.

•Reassigned bus driver Monika Johnson as transportation coordinator/office assistant with bus route duties effective Monday.

•Reappointed Fort Recovery Public Library Board trustee Laura Heitkamp for another seven-year term.

•Authorized the superintendent and food service personnel to follow nutrition standards policy that meets Ohio Revised Code for food and beverages sold on school premises.