Date of Meeting: 4/17/2023
Format: In-person
Meeting Summary:
Prior to tonight’s meeting, the Board held a work session to review curricula and textbooks and make recommendations for next school year. The regular monthly meeting was called to order at 6:02 p.m.
This month’s Lions Club Good Award winners are 1st grader Avery Miller, 8th grader Lillian Preby, and 10th grader Elijah Burch
Treasurer Connie Baldwin provide the required annual public presentation about IDEA-B funding. (IDEA is an acronym for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). Federal funds for special education and related services are currently based on allocations that were established in 1999. Districts are required to serve children ages 3-21 and every student needing services must be served. According to federal law, students are entitled to free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment (with non-disabled peers as much as possible). An annual assessment and IEP (individualized educational plan) are required, and parents must be involved and provide written consent for such. In FY 22, 15% of students in the district qualify for services, and Rootstown spent approximately $2,180,000 in state and local funds to qualify for $241,682 in federal funds. Federal funds paid for three intervention specialists, one alternative programming specialist, and one-half of a classroom aide.
The Board unanimously approved multiple resolutions pertaining to grants and expenses as well as a variety of personnel and external services contracts, including an agreement with Summa for athletic training services. The Board voted to join a mass tort and nuisance action against social media companies for targeting their products to adolescents and children and causing worsening mental health and behavioral disorders.
Superintendent Hawkins and building principals provided assorted updates:
- The Board is interested in moving forward with a segmented building project, utilizing a combination of OFCC funds and local funding. The first phase would consist of a new building to house grades 7-12 or 6-12; the projected size is 134,000 square feet. The second phase would involve renovations to the existing elementary building. Details will be determined over the coming months, with a ballot issue planned for November 2023.
- State testing is being conducted in all schools this week; the high school is on a modified class schedule to accommodate this.
- Elementary school sponsored a father-daughter dance last Saturday and will hold a mother-son skating event in the coming weeks
- The high school will be holding a “Do it for James” informational assembly for all students on the topic of sextortion on May 16. This is an initiative launched by the parents of the Streetsboro student who died by suicide last fall after being a victim of sextortion.
- The high school is hoping to have fireworks for senior night; the Board discussed ideas for locating funding for this.
Under new business, the Board would like to set aside funds annually to be used to update textbooks on a regular basis.
Meeting adjourned at 7:01 p.m.
Which members of the board/council were present: All present: Board Members Jennifer Curall, Todd McEwuen, Craig Mullaly, Tom Siciliano, Amanda Waesch. Superintendent Andrew Hawkins, Treasurer Connie Baldwin
Was there a public notice of the meeting that included the time and place of meeting: Yes
Was an agenda of the meeting or handouts available to visitors: Yes
https://www.roversk12.org
Are minutes from previous meetings posted/available: Yes
Name of Observer: Rhonda Richardson