The West Liberty-Salem Board of Education met in a regular meeting Wednesday night.
Greg Johnson, WL-S High School Principal, started by reading Elementary reports. This week, field day and Breakfast Tunes will take place for elementary students.
It was also mentioned that kindergarten screening was a huge success for the district.
The Middle School report consisted of Students of The Month:
- 6th grade: Paysley Wesson & Noah Hayes
- 7th grade: Kenna Wright & Gabe Myers
- 8th grade: Kylee Bell & Josiah Thoman
8th grade students will be celebrating their middle school careers at 9:00 AM on May 23rd during their 8th grade recognition ceremony.
In the High School report, Johnson mentioned that Seniors went to New York at the end of April and had a blast. Many High School FFA students attended the annual State FFA Convention, and a record-breaking 7 members from WL-S received their State Degree.
As the years wrapping up, the last pair of Senior’s of the Month are:
- Lily Smith
- Eli Bell
Graduation practice and a Senior cookout are planned for Monday, May 20th. Commencement will be held on Sunday, May 26th, this year’s class is 97 students, which is the largest class since 2019-2020.
In athletics, the Varsity Girls Track and Field team won its 12th consecutive OHC title and Varsity Boys Track and Field team won their 4th straight OHC championship which is a program record.
Next, Superintendent Kraig Hissong reported that the testing scores that the district received were excellent.
He talks more about the scores:
Hissong also said, “We have received initial renewal rates for Health insurance for 2026. The increase that has been recommended for WL-S from the EPC is 5%. This is 3% points lower than our trend of 8% and is based on our 91.5% loss ratio over the last 24 months. This is a great step in the right direction for our insurance rates.”
The board then approved the following:
- Individuals for a non-certified contract renewal beginning with the 2024-2025 School Year
- Resignation of Victoria (Wilson) Chapman as the 2023-2024 HS Yearbook Advisor effective May 7, 2024
- Same base salary increase and step increase as approved for the Certified Staff for the 2024-2025 School Year
- Certified individuals for the following contract renewals beginning the 2024-2025 School Year
- Alysson Cotrell as the 2023-2024 HS Yearbook Advisor at step 0. She will complete the HS Yearbook during the 2024 summer
- Non-renew all 2023-2024 non-coaching supplemental contracts at the end of the FY24 School Year
- MS Course fees for the 2024-2025 School Year
- Non-renew the Two (2) Temporary Contracted Substitute Positions on a one-year contract
- Denise Stayrook is to be moved from the Bachelor’s + 150 to the Master’s Payscale having completed her master’s degree program, effective for the 2024-2025 School Year
- Fishtank ELA training for Elementary ELA staff is to be compensated at the negotiated rate of $25/hour, not to exceed 8 hours of Fishtank professional development
- Carmel Nash as a substitute custodian for the remainder of the 2023-2024 school year based on all requirements including background check being met
- View board, Train-the-trainer, professional development on August 23, 2024
- Upon meeting graduation requirements, the anticipated list of senior students as 2024 graduates of West Liberty-Salem
- Purchase of gaskets for the geothermal heat exchanger from Elite Air
- All Seal to be used for the annual seal/stripe of our asphalt based on yearly maintenance rotation
- All Scape is to be used for the replacement of fencing at the stadium entrance as part of a project to increase handicapped parking access for outdoor sporting events
- H & S Asphalt is to be used for the paving of the handicapped parking lot in front of the stadium entrance as part of a project to increase handicapped parking access for outdoor sporting events
- All Scape to be used for the new fencing to be installed along the practice football field
- All Seal to be used for the replacement of concrete on campus sidewalks to maintain safe walkways
- Speer Mechanical to be used to install a hot-water bypass for the multi-stack chiller utilized in heating and cooling the building
- McCall Sharp Architecture as the CriterionArchitect/Engineer for the fieldhouse project
- Tutors and summer school instructors for credit recovery and intervention courses for the summer of 2024
- Summer School Teachers and/or Parapros for the Summer of 2024 Summer School Program
- Contract extension with Perry ProTech for the five (5) year Sixty (60) month contract effective July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2029
- Updated Drug Testing Policy to be added to the High School Student Handbook beginning with the 2024-2025 school year
- 2024-2025 Service Agreement with the Madison Champaign County ESC beginning July 1, 2024, and concluding on June 30, 2025
- Becky Moell’s request to 50% Share her position as HS English for the 2024- 2025 school year
- John Stoner as the Job-Share Partner for Becky Moell for the 2024-2025 school year
- Curriculum and testing materials
- Extension of the current administrative employment contracts that have been approved previously by the Board of Education administrators, said contracts are to be issued and signed in amended form
- FY 2025 administrative salary schedule and administrative salary steps
In the treasures section, the following were approved:
- Minutes of the April 17 & May 8, 2024 Board meetings
- Appropriation increases and/or modifications required to close out the fiscal year
- Donations
- Steve Godwin and Jeanie Crabtree as volunteers for the 2024-2025 school year
- Fund to Fund transfer
- Purchase orders and invoices in which the invoice was dated before the purchase order as a “then and now” purchase, exceeding $3,000
- Monthly financial reports and the Revised 5-year Forecast and Assumptions
The meeting then moved into items of discussion.
Hissong mentioned that there is communication with the Adriel gym, which WL-S is hoping to improve and use as a practice facility for student-athletes.
Hissong talks more about this possible project:
The meeting was adjourned at 6:57 PM. You can catch their next meeting in the WL-S Media Center on June 24th starting at 5 PM.
