Wellsville Board of Education June Meeting

Monday – June 20: The Wellsville Board of Education held their regular monthly meeting for June this past Monday. Present at the meeting was Board President Tom Brophey and Board Members Ed Bauer, Mike Cook, Karen Dash and Bill Miller. Also attending was District Superintendent Rich Bereschik, District Treasurer Coleen Wickham, High School Principal Linda Rolley, High School Guidance Counselor Bob Rudder and Garfield Principal Lisa Ferguson.

Reading from a prepared statement Mrs. Giovanna Sullivan addressed the Board with her concerns on the selection process for the WHS graduating class Top 10 students. There was some confusion of the final rankings with this year's class. Mr. Bereschik advised the issue has been addressed and changes will be made in the Student Handbook. The Board later voted to approve the handbook for next school year.

Payment of bills was approved. Treasurer Wickham reported for May receipts were $486,462, expenditures were $550,279, leaving a balance of $1.7 million. General Set-Asides remain at $719,477. Interest earned on $4.5 million invested for May was $3,027. Fiscal Year-to-Date interested earned totals $26,777. The Fiscal Year ends on June 30. The Board also approved that “then and now” invoices over $3,000 can be paid before Board approval if the money is available and unencumbered. Various financial yearly cleaning up procedures for the ending Fiscal Year were okayed and the Board approved that a FY11 budget of a little over $13.8 million to be submitted to the County Auditor.

In the Legislative Update, President Brophey reported that the State legislators are still going back and forth on the new two year budget. They are facing a June 30 deadline.

For the Good News report, Garfield Principal Lisa Ferguson congratulated the students for raising $150 for the American Cancer Society. She also reported that both sections for the preschool for the next school year are full with a waiting list for any openings. Mr. Bereschik reported that the Daw Middle School Camp Air Reading & Math summer program went very well. Linda Rolley reported that there were 19 high school students in the OGT intervention class. The high school will begin an OGT study skills class that will be graded as pass or fail for next year's Freshman class. Rolley also thanked the Board for providing the services of WPD Officer Marsha Eisenhart this past school year. Bereschik also reported that the contractor is preparing to pour the borings for the new grandstands at Nicholson Stadium.

In other Board action Love Insurance Agency was approved to provide voluntary student accident and sickness insurance for next school year. Second and final reading for the drug testing policy was approved which will be effective July 1. All participants in any extra curricular activity not graded and applicants for parking passes will be drug tested at the high school. Wellsville becomes the second school in the county to have a drug testing program. East Palestine has had one for seven years. Rolley emphasized that the intent of the new policy is to help the students.rather than punish them. Mrs. Dash added that maybe other schools in the county will be encouraged to become proactive in starting their own drug testing programs.

The Board okayed a nursing preceptor agreement with Franciscan University. A motion passed to contract visual impairment services with Jefferson County ESC for next school year. Brophey was selected to be the delegate to the Ohio School Boards Capital Conference with Karen Dash as the alternative. Brophey was also nominated for the All-Ohio School Board Award. Bauer stated there are very few winners for this award. In 2010 there were only five winners throughout the state. Various field trips were approved and a list of familiar names for Daw Middle School and High School football, volleyball, golf and basketball coaches were approved.

The Board also approved bowling as an approved OHSAA recognized sport. It will be a winter sport and Walnut Lanes in East Liverpool will be the home lane for matches and practice. Parent Dale Palmer advised that a survey conducted came back with over 50% of the respondents in favor. Palmer said there will be eight members to a team and doesn't believe it will take any athletes away from other sports.

In closing statements nearly everyone congratulated the committee that worked on getting the drug testing policy together. Ed Bauer congratulated Class of 2011 graduate Shawntae Dillard for her placing in the long jump at the State Track meet. Mike Cook added that Shawntae was an awesome student from an awesome family. Karen Dash offered kudos to Girl's High School Basketball Coach Ed Swogger for getting the Girls Summer Basketball League going this year. Six different teams play two nights a week all through June. All games are played in the Tiger's Den. Brophey thanked Dale Palmer for all his efforts with the new golf team.

The meeting adjourned at 7:20 PM. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Monday, July 18, at 6:30 PM in the Superintendent's Office, 929 Center St.

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