Tecumseh Board of Education Member Corinne Scott listens to a story from a Park Layne Kindergarten student during the Board Meeting.

Tecumseh Local Schools’ Board of Education members (BOE) kicked off their first regular meeting of 2017 by listening to stories written by new local authors. The authors reading the stories were Park Layne Kindergartners.

Park Layne Elementary Principal, Karyl Strader, introduced Park Layne Kindergarten teachers, Jennifer Hughes and Melinda McKibben, to BOE members at the Jan. 10 meeting. The teachers presented the Board with an array of examples showing how the Lucy Calkins Writing Program they are utilizing in their classrooms has had an enormously positive effect on student literacy and achievement.

According to Hughes and McKibben, they decided to try the program after seeing the work Northwestern Local Schools’ Kindergarten classes were doing via the program. So far the teachers have been thrilled with the results, inviting their students to give BOE members a look at what they are accomplishing in school.

Park Layne Kindergartners Annabelle Adams, Caleb Benner, Kylah Chassereau, Esme Ehlinger, Oliver Goodson, Lilly Wiles, and Aiden Yoakum accepted the invitation and shared stories they wrote and illustrated. BOE members said they are excited by the level of literacy exhibited by the young students.

Principal Strader reported a partnership with the New Carlisle Public Library and other sponsors is making it possible for children age five and younger to participate in the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program. Participants receive the gift of one new book in the mail every month.

Strader also announced that the New Carlisle Library is working to establish a “Little Free Library” for school-aged children in the community. A Little Free Library would be located at Park Layne Elementary, and others may possibly be located other sites in the area as well.

“We are all about literacy and we want to bring that to the community,” explains Strader.

In new business, the BOE accepted the resignation of Cheryl Turner (Medway Elementary), effective Dec. 16, 2016. It also added new names to the district’s staff rosters for the 2016-17 school year effective January 5, 2017.

Sarah McCabe was hired to work in Child Nutrition at Medway Elementary. Shelby Day-Vincent has been hired as a Lunchroom Monitor at Tecumseh Middle School.

The board also approved hiring Heather Hellwig, Jeanna Hooks, Corin Magee, Tanya Harrison, Heather Jamison, Linda Wright, and Carol Stambaugh to work in various substitute positions in the district.

The winter sports programs also gained staff members. Jordan Hitt is approved to work as the high school’s Freshman Boys Basketball Coach; Bill Ennemoser will work as the high school’s Wrestling Assistant to the Head Coach; and Rebecca Wright was approved to volunteer with the high school’s Swim team.

The BOE passed a resolution assuring it would stay in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendment 1973, Section 504 of Rehabilitation Act of 1975, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and all regulations, guidelines, and standards under the statutes lawfully adopted by the U.S. Department of Education.

Board members approved accepting Susan Wile to serve as Coordinator for Section 504; and Paula Crew will serve as Coordinator for both Title VI and Title IX. The positions are mandatory and must be filled every year.

The Board voted to approve a Board Service Fund for the fiscal year July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018 in the amount of $20,000. The Ohio revised code allows for the fund, which is used to pay the expenses of BOE members incurred while they are performing official BOE duties. The amount that may be set aside in a service fund is $2 per pupil or $20,000; whichever is greater.

Paula Crew, Assistant Superintendent, was appointed as the trained Ohio Public Records designee, as required by HB 9, on behalf of the Tecumseh BOE members for the 2017 calendar year.

The financial report was approved, but a hard copy of the report was not provided to the public. Per District Treasurer Debra Schock, the district’s check register and other financial information can be found on the district’s website listed under the “District” tab.

Tecumseh’s BOE accepted the following donations made to the Tecumseh Local School District:

$100.00 (TEF Senior Luncheon), $5201.00 (TEF Mini-Grants), $100.00 (Branhamn PL – Pay it forward), and $50.00 (Springfield District Women’s Bowling, THS Bowling).

The Board approved a total of $115,915.73 in negative fund balances to be covered by the district’s unencumbered general fund balance of $4,507,876.99 leaving an unencumbered fund balance of $4,391,961.26.

BOE members voted to take special tours of schools in the the district. They will tour Tecumseh’s elementary schools on March 3, 2017 at 8:00 am. The second tour will take place at Tecumseh’s Middle School and High School on March 24, 2017 at 7:00 am.

District Superintendent Glismann thanked each Board member for their service to the Tecumseh Local School District and the community. Glismann also announced that January is “School Board Appreciation Month” and presented each BOE member with a certificate of thanks honoring them for their work.

Board member Dan Studebaker reported that an ROTC helped 12 families during the 2016 holiday season. Studebaker also congratulated Assistant Superintendent Crew for her role in establishing a new Jr. Optimist Club in the district, and commented on how the number of contestants in the district’s speech contest has grown. Studebaker’s also raised concerns about the state’s graduation requirements, those questions were addressed by Crew.

Corinne Scott announced Tecumseh’s spring musical production will be “Once Upon a Mattress.” She also mentioned a Quarter Auction taking place in February will serve as a fundraiser for the Tecumseh Band Boosters.

Peter Scarff raised concerns about perceived discrepancies in the enrollment reports, those concerns were addressed by Glismann and Crew.

During the public comments section of the meeting, local resident, Paula Fugate, reported that over 850 Christmas cards signed or created by Tecumseh schoolchildren were delivered to veterans via the “Christmas Cards for Veterans” initiative she organized in 2016. Fugate says the effort received a donation of 2000 cards from the National Red Cross to support the initiative.

The Board met in an Executive session at the close of the meeting.

Important upcoming district events: The annual All-County Board Dinner will take place at 6:00 pm on Jan. 23 at Springfield Clark CTC; there will be no school Jan. 27 due to a Teacher In-Service Day; and a Joint Board Meeting is scheduled for 6:30 pm on Jan. 30 at the Bethel Township building.

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