First day of school goes well at L’view

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Interim Superintendent Doug Karst said school started smoothly during his first report to the Lincolnview Local Board of Education on Thursday.

“We couldn’t have asked for a better first day,” Karst said, noting that the first day was fog-free – something he was concerned about initially, since fog is often a problem early in the school year. The interim superintendent also noted that the district’s bus fleet performed well, with only minor problems with radios and a low battery on one bus marring an otherwise uneventful first day of school.

Karst, the former Parkway Local Schools superintendent who came out of retirement to take Lincolnview’s interim position, also informed the board that the State Report Cards would be delayed this year, and also noted that Value Added data has not yet been compiled for inclusion with the Report Card rankings.

Elementary Principal Gordon Stemen talked about enrollment and also about the new teacher evaluation process that districts will have to implement, noting that the new process was lengthy and time-consuming.

“It’ll be a different world,” Stemen said of the new evaluation process, which he said would consist equally of teacher performance and their students’ performance.

Both Stemen and High School-Junior High School Principal Kelly Dye said orientations went well, as did the opening of school.

Karst noted that total district student enrollment this year was 925, up 10 from last year’s total of 915, and also talked about a corrosion problem in the school cafeteria kitchen, which he said has been mitigated “with a lot of elbow grease.”

Treasurer Troy Bowersock said revenues for the district are up slightly, but also noted that revenues from personal property tax are now gone, while other state revenues are decreasing. He did note that partial revenues from the wind turbine fees should be coming into the district in the coming year.

Bowersock also said the current state audit is nearly complete, with few problems noted again this year.

Later in the meeting, the board approved new property and liability insurance premiums totaling $34,229 through Phelan Insurance Agency Inc. (underwritten by Ohio Casualty Insurance Company). Bowersock said the new policy includes coverage for all of the district’s building and property and $5 million of liability coverage.

The board also authorized contracting with the Western Buckeye Educational Service Center to add a halftime intervention specialist and halftime educational aide for the 2012-2013 school year. Karst said the additions were made to accommodate a larger number of special education students this year in grades K-6.

Phyllis Bradford was also employed as a substitute cook and custodian for the coming year, while two unpaid volunteer coaches were also approved, pending completion of all requirements. Those coaches include Benji Byrne, high school volleyball; and Adam Smith, girls’ soccer.

The board also accepted the resignations of Matt Alessandrini as Drama Club advisor and Chad Kraner as class play advisor for the 2012-2013 school year.

Karst was also appointed as a district representative on the Van Wert Area Schools Insurance Group.

The board went into executive session at the end of the meeting to discuss personnel items, but no action was taken following the session.

The next meeting of the Lincolnview Local Board of Education will be at 8 p.m. Tuesday, September 25, in the district conference room.