May, 2019 Board of Education Meeting

No questions or discussion.  Sent to vote.

Treasurer Schumacher reported -

 Pioneer's health insurance increase for FY20 is 2.73% and the dental is 7.09% for a composite increase of 2.98%.

We rolled the CDAR that came due in April to another 6 mo CDAR at 2.50%. It looks like we will definitely be looking to buy longer maturity investments. As soon as Star Ohio begins to decrease, we will look at other options. From all presentations at the OASBO conference, nothing is going up and everything looks to most likely go down. Keeping a very close eye on things. This has been too good of a year to go backwards.

As reflected on the fund Balance report, the inventory is way down, which it should be at this time of year.

All Real Estate taxes are in. We are just waiting on Richland County’s homestead and rollback payments. That is usually a little over $100,000.

All expenditures are in-line with the appropriations. The only exception would be Purchased Services and we have only been charged for approximately half of the CCP that we are expecting. I would venture to say they will take the remainder in June. May is a 3-pay month, so the personnel services and benefits should be aligned in May.

Budget bill update – Just a few weeks ago we learned that the Governor’s Bill and the House Finance committee have both chosen to freeze foundation funding. H.B. 166 reads, “Suspends the use of the current law foundation aid formula for JVSDs for FY 2020 and FY 2021 and, instead provides every JVSD with the same amount of foundation aid as the district received in FY2019.” If I am interpreting this correctly, even schools whose enrollment decreases in FY20 & FY21 will receive the same amount of foundation payments as FY19 in FY20 & 21. We have yet to be told whether the Career Tech weighted funding will be kept outside the foundation payment and whether or not it will be computed on current enrollment of each FY. The budget is still a work in progress.

FIVE-YEAR FORECAST

May 20, 2019

Just my friendly reminder to read the assumptions that follow the five-year forecast.

The General Property Tax is forecasted with a small increase each with the assumption that new construction will continue and farm values have leveled off. In 2018, throughout our districts we had over $12,000,00 in new construction.

PUPP Tax – We collected approximately $330,000 from Rover Pipeline in FY19. That was for half of the pipeline. In FY20 the other half of the pipeline and the transfer station in Buckeye Central School District will be collected. Rover Pipeline has stated that they will be paying their entire PUPP tax bill in the first payment of every calendar year. We have assumed that the second half of the pipeline will be valued the same as the first half and have added to that estimate for the transfer station. So, revenue from Rover Pipeline will more than double next year.

Foundation payments – unrestricted and restricted – Both the governor’s bill and the bill from the house freeze foundation payments to all schools at last year’s amounts. Nothing has been discussed about leaving the career tech weighted funding being left out of the core foundation and paid at enrollment numbers. The only increase in funding from the State will be in wraparound services. Therefore, we have projected only a slight increase in the next 2 years. Wrapaound services.

Other Operating revenues – This includes open enrollment and associated services which we are assuming will be included in the freeze since the only added monies for schools is $250M in FY 2020 and an additional $50M in FY21 for wraparound services. Interest income is also included in this line item and has been presented with the assumption that as our cash balance grows the next couple of years, interest income may increase, but actual interest rates are not forecasted to increase during this five-year period.

Personnel Services- We will be at the end of our 3-year contract in FY 2021. Fiscal years 2019 and 2020 include a 2.5% increase each year plus steps. Fiscal year 2021 includes a 2.0% increase plus steps according to the negotiated agreement. We have used a 2.0% increase in the last 2 years of the forecast.

Fringe Benefits – This forecast provides for a health insurance increase of 2.73% in FY 2019 and 2.98% in FY 2020. The remaining three years are forecasted at 5%.

For Purchased Services, Supplies and Materials and Other Objects we used a 3% inflationary increase.

Superintendent Nickoli introduced Mr. Matt Dotson, candidate for  Agri-Science instructor at Lucas High School

Mr. Penwell thanked the Board for their approval of the new 24 pays per year schedule

Mr. Kowalski reported the following -

1.Ensure a safe and secure environment for all District students, staff, and visitors and to ensure the school district is prepared to effectively respond to all emergencies that might affect safety or security of students and staff.

Successfully completed all required Safety Drills for the year. Mr. Calhoon attended the Crawford County Crisis Team meeting.

2.Cultivate Life-Long learners by modeling a culture of professionalism and employability and providing access to career fields of interest in an environment that encourages innovation.

Handshakes, looking people in the eye

Bring Your A Game

Taking risks on activities like Sr. projects that are innovative

Over 100 Senior students attended Job Fair at Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center. Each student participated in mock interviews and meetings prior to attendance.

Project Search graduation at Ohio Health – 8 out of 9 students are currently placed at job sites.

3.PCTC employees will identify and incorporate current trends in business and industry across curriculum to ensure program relevance in each career pathway.

Speakers for Juniors during Senior Moments

4. PCTC staff and students will work to foster a responsive, caring, and inclusive environment where everyone feels valued, supported and empowered.

Students participated in Student Appreciation Day last Friday – popcorn, snacks, military activities, corn hole and car show.

5. Foster community relationships and communications to advance student opportunities and achievement while boosting Pioneer’s image and outreach.

Plan core meeting – presentation on updates of the Strategic Objectives presented to Core Team. Summer STEM Camp will start June 3rdthrough the 6th for grades 4-6. Another Little Red Bookshelf went to Shelby Hospital. Volunteering at Food Bank and the Friends of Library in Willard.

6. Impact educational attainment of our communities in order to meet personal, local, and global workforce demands.

Ohio Department of Commerce visit, tour and presentation to students during In- Demand Jobs week. Adult Diploma graduates and Adult Education Certifications next Thursday May 30th – 73 students.

7. Sustain fiscal stability by optimizing current resources, exploring alternative resources, maintaining facilities to meet staff, student, and community needs. Home Remodeling continues to perform work on the new Performing Arts location in Mansfield.

Mr. Jim Calhoon gave an update on the Health and Safety Committee

Superintendent Nickoli reported that as usual, this is a very busy time of the year with all the end-of-year responsibilities including partner school award assemblies and graduations. The Pioneer Awards Assembly was held on Thursday, May 2 in the Gale Leimbach Arena. Pioneer students have been awarded over $3.2 million in scholarships this year!

He reported he has provided four notices of reductions in force and grace periods (labs split out with or without prep period pay depending on enrollment numbers) for next year. Although these RIF letters are delivered by April 30th, all enrollments for these programs will be reviewed prior to the October Board of Education Meeting and final recommendations will be made at that time. The on-campus projected enrollment is once again well over 1,200. Additionally, we have 59 applications for students that have yet to be placed and we will continue to accept applications through the summer. As an update, Industrial Electricity now has enough enrollment to be removed from this list and for clarification, the Meat and Animal Science Program has traditionally been combined for practical purposes.

Mr. Nickoli reported he will be doing the administrator year-end reviews in the next couple of weeks. Most Administrators have been evaluated this year using the Ohio Principal Evaluation System (OPES) that is similar to the Ohio Teacher Evaluation System (OTES). The year-end administrator work session is scheduled for May 31, 2019 at Ontario High School. At that time we will review our 2018 – 2019 progress, review our Strategic Plan, share staff requests, and begin to plan for the 2019-2020 school year. Additionally, our Board Goal Setting Meeting will be set for August 9. Mr. Tom Applegate will once again be leading the discussion  at a location to be determined. An invitation will be sent to all including the time, date, and location of the meeting and an Agenda of the activities for the day later in the Summer.

The  regular Spring Policy update is available for Board Review this month, and will be submitted for Board approval  at the June Board Meeting. These policy changes come after consulting with Mr. Ed Swartz of NEOLA and revolve around Social Media Use.

Pioneer was approached several months ago about taking over the employment and management of the Career Coaches Program that has been a part of the SPARC/Talent Development Board for the past four years. Pioneer will employ, on a 20-hour-a-week basis 13 Career Coaches for 15 school districts.

The Social Studies Staff would like to offer a new elective course entitled “Street Law", and a  copy of the proposed Course of Study was made available to Board Members.  One intent of this course is to use it to select and train members of our Mock Trial Team for next year.

Superintendent Nickoli brought  the board  up-to-date on our HVAC Systems. The  units have worked very well during the winter months and appear to be doing well as the weather warms up. One issue did arise and is currently being resolved. When the units were initially installed Pioneer insisted on filters being included right at the intake opening. In order to start up the units as quickly as possible and so as not to delay the project  temporary filters were supplied. Some of those temporary filters still need to be replaced with the permanent filters.

Mr. Nickoli reminded the Board Members of the following important dates.

May 24 – Last Day for Juniors

May 25 – Teacher Work Day / End-of-Year Breakfast

May 29 – June 1 – Staff Committee Work Days

June 7 – Administrative Work Day

Week of Jun 5 – Summer Hours begin (continues for 8 weeks)

June 14 – Board Goal Setting Work Day

Superintendent Nickoli informed the Board of five resignations, and employment of a new maintenance security employee, a new carpentry instructor and a new Vo-Ag instructor.  He also informed the Board of three involuntary transfers.  All are included in the personnel report for approval.

No questions or discussion.  Sent to vote.