March 2020 Regular Board of Education Meeting

1. ROLL CALL
Mr. Douglas Theaker, Board President

2. PLEDGE TO THE FLAG
Mr. Douglas Theaker, Board President

3. MOMENT OF SILENCE
Mr. Douglas Theaker, Board President

4. CONSENT AGENDA
Mr. Douglas Theaker, Board President

Minutes

No questions. No discussion.  Sent to vote.

Result: Approved

Motioned: Mr. Richard Prater, Board Vice-President

Seconded: Mr. Bill Hope, Board Member

VoterYesNoAbstaining
Mrs. Mary Dixon, Board MemberX  
Mrs. Mary Jean Theaker, Board MemberX  
Mr. Mike Grady, Board Member   
Mr. Royden Smith, Board MemberX  
Mr. Richard Prater, Board Vice-PresidentX  
Mr. Douglas Theaker, Board PresidentX  
Mrs. Margie Prater, Board MemberX  
Mr. Bill Hope, Board MemberX  
Mr. Dennis Long, Board MemberX  
Ms. Robyn Almanson, Board MemberX  

4.1 Approve February, 2020 Board of Education Meeting Minutes
Mr. Douglas Theaker, Board President

4.2 Approve Revisions to Job Description
Mr. Douglas Theaker, Board President

Recommendation of Superintendent Gregory D. NIckoli that the revisions to the job description listed be approved:

  • Assistant Director, Adult Education

4.3 Adopt Resolution Accepting Amounts and Rates of Taxes
Mr. Douglas Theaker, Board President

Minutes

Treasurer Schumacher explained this is the annual resolution approving the tax rates and revenues submitted to

the Richland County Auditor.


4.4 Adopt 2020-2021 School Calendars
Mr. Douglas Theaker, Board President

Recommendation of Superintendent Gregory D. Nickoli that the following calendars be adopted for the 2020-2021 school year:

  • Pioneer CTC High School Calendar
  • Adult Education Calendar
  • Early Childhood Education Calendar

4.5 Approve Memorandum of Understanding between Pioneer CTC Adult Education and Crystal Care Centers of Mansfield
Mr. Douglas Theaker, Board President

Recommendation of Superintendent Gregory D. Nickoli that the Memorandum of Understanding between Pioneer CTC Adult Education and Crystal Care Centers for clinical setting for Pioneer Nurse Aide Training Program be approved.


4.6 Approve Memorandum of Understanding between Pioneer CTC Adult Education and Mansfield City Schools
Mr. Douglas Theaker, Board President

Recommendation of Superintendent Gregory D. Nickoli that the Memorandum of Understanding for the Adult Diploma/22+ Program with Mansfield City Schools and Pioneer Adult Education be approved.


4.7 ADOPT RESOLUTION 02-20 APPRECIATION OF DONATION
Mr. Douglas Theaker, Board President

Recommendation of Superintendent Gregory D. Nickoli that Resolution 02-20 be adopted in appreciation of donation from Michelle Deskins, Dental Clinic Coordinator for donation of dental equipment and supplies valued at $5,500.


4.8 Accept Donations
Mr. Douglas Theaker, Board President

Recommendation of Superintendent Gregory D. NIckoli that the following donations be approved:

  • American Legion, O'Brien Post #326, Shelby; generous monetary donation of $600 for the Washington DC trip.  This generous donation will help with student costs for this trip.
  • Shellie Cherry, Willard; generous donation of 24 bags of large cotton balls with a value of $54.  This donation will be used in our Cosmetology Career Technical program.

5. FINANCIAL REPORT
Linda Schumacher, Treasurer

Minutes

We have a large claim that was paid back in 2019 and then Medical Mutual took the money back. I don’t have any idea why, and we have Grady Enterprises working on this to get it paid again. It was Medical Mutual that paid it and then took it back. It was right about the same time we switched from Medical Mutual to Mutual Health Services for our TPA services. No one has figured out what Medical Mutual was doing, but we are trying to get the claim paid as soon as possible.

Investments aren’t looking so good yet. We have a CDAR coming due Thursday and the best they can do on the CDARs is 1.10%. In an article in SBO Quarterly (OASBO magazine), two investment agents say, “For the current and upcoming fiscal year, it is advised to temper expectations of interest earnings on investments. We are not in the same rate environment as the past few years. You cannot use the old playbook for this year’s game because the game has changed. Set expectations lower.” Feds just lowered the rate to 0%.

070 Capital Projects Fund - I am hoping this case is settled soon as we have incurred over $12,000 in legal expenses just in January and February.

We received the first advance from Richland County on our real estate taxes. County Auditor Dropsey has changed the procedures for advances and is now requiring anyone who would like an advance to issue a formal letter to the Auditor requesting the advance. This is for each and every advance. Previously, when one school would call and request an advance, advances would be made to all schools.

Result: Approved

Motioned: Mr. Richard Prater, Board Vice-President

Seconded: Mrs. Margie Prater, Board Member

VoterYesNoAbstaining
Mrs. Mary Dixon, Board MemberX  
Mrs. Mary Jean Theaker, Board MemberX  
Mr. Mike Grady, Board Member   
Mr. Royden Smith, Board MemberX  
Mr. Richard Prater, Board Vice-PresidentX  
Mr. Douglas Theaker, Board PresidentX  
Mrs. Margie Prater, Board MemberX  
Mr. Bill Hope, Board MemberX  
Mr. Dennis Long, Board MemberX  
Ms. Robyn Almanson, Board MemberX  

6. RECOGNITION OF GUESTS
Gregory Nickoli, Superintendent

7. EAP REPRESENTATIVE
Sandy Grau, EAP President

8. PUBLIC INPUT
Gregory Nickoli, Superintendent

Board Policy Section 0164


9. CORRESPONDENCE
Gregory Nickoli, Superintendent

10. REPORT ON 2019-2020 BOARD GOALS
Kris Kowalski, Director of Operations, High School

Minutes

None

 


11. PRESENTATION
Kris Kowalski, Director of Operations, High School

Senior Project Presentations:

  • Will Bolin, Carpentry, Crestview HS - River Table
  • Trevor Chance, Precision Machining, Col. Crawford - Machinist Hammers

Minutes

None


12. STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT REPORT

13. LEGISLATIVE LIAISON REPORT
Mr. Mike Grady, Board Member

Minutes

None


14. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT
Gregory Nickoli, Superintendent

Minutes

HIGH SCHOOL ENROLLMENT FOR 2020-2021

On a much more positive note, new student enrollment is high again this year. The overall sophomore class that we are recruiting from is smaller than in past years but our percentage of applications remains high. Currently, we have 706 applications which puts our projected enrolment at 1,263 for the 2020-2021 school year. Thanks to our Student Services Department for their diligence in recruiting. The whole staff and student body worked very hard and did an outstanding job this year during Sophomore Visitation and the enrollment period.

REVISION TO BOARD POLICY

The NEOLA Board Policy changes are a result of last Fall’s Legislative Actions. NEOLA recommends that the Board specifically recognize each job category for which it intends to employ staff members. Also, the Ohio Revised Code has changed licensure requirements and expanded optional uses for Substitute Teachers. Additionally, there is some clarification as to the use of school busses and CDL Random Drug Testing. These Board Policies changes keep us up-to-date with ORC requirements.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

We have been working with our Partner Districts to stay on top of the changes to Ohio’s Graduation Requirements. One of those options is for students to earn seals. There are nine State-Defined Seals and three Locally-Defined Seals. All of the State-Defined Seals are able to be earned at Pioneer but we want to ensure that the work our students do here compliments and is accepted by our Partner Boards of Education. The Locally-Defined Seals are: Fine Arts Seal, Community Service Seal, Student Engagement Seal.

OSBA CENTRAL REGION SPRING CONFERENCE

Central Region Meeting of the Ohio School Boards Association was held on Wednesday, March 11, 2020 at the Villa Milano Banquet and Conference Center in Columbus. Pioneer was well represented by Dick Prater, Dennis Long, Robyn Almanson Mary Jean Theaker, Doug Theaker, and Mary Dixon who was recognized for her outstanding service It should be noted that our Precision Machining Program, represented by Chris Karl was also recognized.

PANDEMIC RESPONSE PLAN

You have at your place settings 3 documents that were or are about to be shared with our staff and students. The first was a letter that went out last Thursday, just prior to Governor DeWine’s announcement that he was closing schools March 17 through April 3. The second document (green) highlights items for our Staff and the 3rd (yellow) are the instructions posted on our webpage and social media sites.

CALENDAR ITEMS

Ralph Phillips Business Partner of the Year Dinner

Canceled. Hope to reschedule in the Fall

Pioneer All-Board Dinner

Canceled for the 2019-2020 school year.

Washington D.C. Trip

Canceled for the 2019-2020 school yea


15. ADOPT RESOLUTION 03-20 FOR RE-EMPLOYMENT OF THE TREASURER
Mr. Douglas Theaker, Board President

Minutes

No questions. No discussion.  Sent to vote.

Result: Approved

Motioned: Mr. Bill Hope, Board Member

Seconded: Mrs. Margie Prater, Board Member

VoterYesNoAbstaining
Mrs. Mary Dixon, Board MemberX  
Mrs. Mary Jean Theaker, Board MemberX  
Mr. Mike Grady, Board Member   
Mr. Royden Smith, Board MemberX  
Mr. Richard Prater, Board Vice-PresidentX  
Mr. Douglas Theaker, Board PresidentX  
Mrs. Margie Prater, Board MemberX  
Mr. Bill Hope, Board MemberX  
Mr. Dennis Long, Board MemberX  
Ms. Robyn Almanson, Board MemberX  

16. PERSONNEL REPORT
Mr. Douglas Theaker, Board President

Recommendation of Superintendent Gregory D. Nickoli that the following personnel recommendations be approved:

  • Accept resignation of Administrative personnel.
  • Approve employment of Administrative personnel.
  • Accept resignation of Certificated personnel.
  • Approve employment of Substitute Instructors.

Minutes

No questions. No discussion.  Sent to vote.

Result: Approved

Motioned: Mr. Richard Prater, Board Vice-President

Seconded: Mrs. Margie Prater, Board Member

VoterYesNoAbstaining
Mrs. Mary Dixon, Board MemberX  
Mrs. Mary Jean Theaker, Board MemberX  
Mr. Mike Grady, Board Member   
Mr. Royden Smith, Board MemberX  
Mr. Richard Prater, Board Vice-PresidentX  
Mr. Douglas Theaker, Board PresidentX  
Mrs. Margie Prater, Board MemberX  
Mr. Bill Hope, Board MemberX  
Mr. Dennis Long, Board MemberX  
Ms. Robyn Almanson, Board MemberX  

17. ENTER INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR TWO PURPOSES
Mr. Douglas Theaker, Board President

Recommendation of Superintendent Gregory D. Nickoli that we enter into Executive Session for the purpose of:

  • To consider the discipline of a public employee or official.
  • To discuss details relative to the security arrangements and emergency response protocols for the board of education.

Minutes

Executive session was not needed.


18. ADJOURN MEETING
Mr. Douglas Theaker, Board President

Minutes

Result: Approved

Motioned: Mr. Royden Smith, Board Member

Seconded: Mr. Richard Prater, Board Vice-President

VoterYesNoAbstaining
Mrs. Mary Dixon, Board MemberX  
Mrs. Mary Jean Theaker, Board MemberX  
Mr. Mike Grady, Board Member   
Mr. Royden Smith, Board MemberX  
Mr. Richard Prater, Board Vice-PresidentX  
Mr. Douglas Theaker, Board PresidentX  
Mrs. Margie Prater, Board MemberX  
Mr. Bill Hope, Board MemberX  
Mr. Dennis Long, Board MemberX  
Ms. Robyn Almanson, Board MemberX