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A $20 general instructional fee is waived at East Clinton for the 2016-17 academic year.
The lifting of the longtime fee, OK’d by the board of education, was made workable due to the school district’s financial situation, said treasurer John Stanley.
The money from the fee added dollars was for instructional materials at the schools, Stanley said.
Other fees — which are class specific such as those for art, FFA and Spanish — remain in place.
All EC students, kindergarten through 12th grade, were subject to the general instructional fee except children who qualify for free school lunches. They did not have to pay the general fee.
Children qualifying for reduced-price lunches paid a general instructional fee of $10.
In personnel action Tuesday, the board awarded two-year administrator contracts for Director of Instruction Teresa “Terri” Barton, Special Education Director Jennifer Jones, Athletic Director and Middle and High School Assistant Principal James Marsh and Sabina Elementary School Principal Jennifer Pierson.
Superintendent Eric Magee also had recommended Middle School Principal Robbin Luck for a two-year contrac. However, board member Shane Walterhouse asked that for the purpose of the board’s voting, Luck’s name be pulled from the other staffers’ names up for employment contracts.
After that, the board voted 5-0 to postpone its voting upon the proposed contract until a special meeting planned for 7:30 a.m. May 26.
During Magee’s report to the board, he said the district received 20 applications for the high school principal position, which will be open because current Principal Matt Baker was selected to be superintendent at the Clinton-Massie Local Schools.
The 20 applicants had narrowed to about seven candidates as of Tuesday, with all seven expected to have been interviewed last week.
“My hope is to have a name for you at the next board meeting,” Magee said.
During public participation, parents addressed board members regarding their child who has sufficient credits, but who was two points short of passing the science part of the Ohio Graduation Tests (OGT). The parents expressed concern about the district’s policy not to allow such seniors to walk in the commencement ceremony.
Though the student would not be handed a diploma, the state does not mandate non-participation in the event, agreed board board president Linda Compton.
There were two letters from teachers in support of the student.
No board member made a motion later in the meeting to amend the current policy relating to the commencement requirement.
Due to legislative changes, students in the classes of 2016 and 2017 are the last students who must pass all five parts of the OGT to receive high school diplomas, according to the Ohio Department of Education’s website.
In other news:
• Next year’s prom will be held at the Creekview Barn, Leesburg on May 6, 2017.
• Middle school teacher Resa Test will leave at the end of this 2015-16 academic year.
• The board approved a purchase of English/language arts instructional materials for kindergarten through fifth grade students at an approximate cost of $10,345.
• The board approved purchasing high school biology textbooks at a cost of about $12,620.
• Alexandria Hughes donated books for the middle school library.
Reach Gary Huffenberger at 937-556-5768 or on Twitter @GHuffenberger.
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