The Bellefontaine Board of Education had their first of two August meetings Monday night.
Highlighting the agenda was the discussion of the impact of the recently passed Ohio Senate Bill 316. The bill, referred as “The Third Grade Reading Guarantee”, focuses on students who will be third graders in 2013-14. Those students will be tested on their reading skills and if a certain score is not obtained, promotion to the fourth grade will not be possible. Lengthy discussion and planning has begun to prepare students and parents for this new law.
Beth Harman discusses SB 316 and Backpack Program
Bonnie Staley and Kyle Wagner representing Feeding Our Future (and Gretna Brethren Church) presented the board with a proposal called the Backpack Program. Approximately 30 financially needy elementary students will be given backpacks with nutritional food for weekend meals. The idea is that students will perform better if they aren’t hungry.
An auction to sell Southeastern Elementary was conducted. No bids on the property were made.
In personnel moves, the board accepted the resignation of eighth grade English teacher Kelli Lippenga. She has moved to Akron. Kristina McKirahan was hired to teach second grade at Southeastern. Aaron Garver (boys soccer), Victoria Kesler (girls soccer), and Lance Schmidt (middle school football) were hired as assistants. Bus driver Lucy Small retired.
The board has begun taking bids for the dirt, landscaping and curb work to be done around the new middle and elementary schools. Bids must be in by September 11.
The next school board meeting will be August 27th at 6:30 p.m.
