December 2022 Regular Board of Education Meeting

No questions. No discussion.  Sent to vote.

Treasurer Schumacher reported as follows:
The audit is finished, but not yet certified by the State. We will have a clean audit report. The only comments were in the management letter concerning how we fund the 003 fund and the question of the balance still remaining in the 070 fund.  I am going to reach out to a couple of IPA firms to get their outlook on these comments and see if they agree.  I believe I know the answer I will receive from one of them, but we will see.  I think if I can get an opinion that we have handled all of this correctly, Julian & Grube will not continue to make the comments in the Management Letter.

We have a new Enterprise Zone Agreement with the City of Shelby and Lloyd Rebar Company on Technology Parkway in Shelby.  The annual payment of $1,456.88 to Pioneer for fifteen years is based on an investment of $3.75M in a 28,000 square foot facility.  We will begin receiving payments in December, 2024.

Interest rates continue to grow slowly.  Park National said they will be paying 2.1% very soon and Star Ohio as of December 14 is now paying 4.1%.  We just made our first transfer from PNC to Star Ohio for $3M.  Once the state deposits are cleared to be directly deposited into Star Ohio, we will close out the PNC account.

We have nothing unusual in the Fund Balances.  Negative amounts are shown for the grants which is normal because we don’t apply for reimbursement until the expenses are paid. Adult Ed has a negative balance of ($26,095.17).

Our General Fund is right on target with both revenues and expenditures.

The only Journal Entry we have this month is to reclassify AE salaries to the Adult Ed  Perkins grant.

Director Frye reported as follows:

Pioneer Staff and Students raised money for the United Fund of Shelby during our Christmas Spirit Week.  Also during the holiday season, Pioneer staff donated food items to support students over the Christmas Break.  30 boxes of food items along with gift cards from the Pioneer Penguin Fund were distributed to students.

Mr. Grady reported that there are approximately 130 suing to dismiss the Ed Choice bill.  This is taking place in the Franklin County Common Pleas Court and several attempts have been made to dismiss this  bill, but all have failed.  The lawsuit is continuing.  He also reported that August special elections have been abolished unless the district is in Fiscal Emergency.

Superintendent Nickoli reported as follows:

The Holidays are such a special time of year and as we near them, we want to take a moment to thank you for your support and dedication to our students and staff!  We hope you have time to relax and enjoy time with your family and friends!! 

It has been customary, in past years, to have the past Board of Education President serve as the President Pro-Temp at the Organizational Meeting in January. That being said, I would like to recommend that you elect Mr. Theaker to serve in that capacity.  Our previous discussion indicated that we planned to conduct the Organizational Meeting on Wednesday, January 11, 2023, prior to our Regular Board Meeting. 

I am asking the Board to approve a resolution recognizing Margie Prater for her 5 years of service to the students and staff of Pioneer as a Board Member.  Her term expires on December 31 and she is not seeking reappointment.

I am also asking the Board to approve a resolution recognizing Dick Prater for his 6 years of service to the students and staff of Pioneer as a Board Member.  He is resigning his position effective immediately.

Both of these positions are appointed by the Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center and I have been in contact with Kevin Kimmel, MOESC Superintendent about their replacements moving forward.

I am asking that you increase pay for our substitute teachers from $115.00 per day to $130.00 per day.  This will equate to $20.00/hour and will hopefully increase our pool of available subs.  This will move us near but not at the top of area schools.

I am asking that you approve a Memorandum of Understanding with the Education Association of Pioneer to amend our Sick Leave Policy.  I am asking that, for verified medical appointments, Staff Member NOT be required to enter sick Leave if they return to or leave from their regular work location within 60 minutes of their regular start/end time.  This is an effort to encourage staff to schedule medical appointments before or after their work hours and to minimize time away from work. 

I am asking that you approve an agreement with Avita Health Systems for Clinical Observations for some of our Health Programs.  Historically, we have had our Medical Technologies Program observe all hospital operations at both Avita and Ohio Health.  This will be our first efforts to resume this valuable experience for our high school students.

I am asking that you approve an agreement with Women’s Care, Inc for Clinical Placements for our Adult Education Certified Medical Assisting Students.  This is a new placement for our students and will lead to additional employment opportunities once they complete their training.

I am asking approve the Enterprise Zone Compensation Agreement with between the City of Shelby and Lloyd Rebar.  They are expanding their facilities here in the city.  This agreement includes a payment of $1,456.88 annually for the duration of the 15-year agreement.  This is the amount we would have received were the agreement not in place.

12/21                     - Holiday Open House

12/22                     - Start of Winter Break for High School

12/22                     - Adult Education Winter Graduation           

01/03                    - Students and staff return from Winter Break

01/03                     - Start of Second Semester

I am asking that you approve Leave Without Pay for Nita Walsh from December 16, 2022 through February 1, 2023.  She has exhausted all Sick Leave and is still recovering from a recent medical issue.

I am also asking that you approve the resignation of Kim High, a Part-Time Bus Driver/Distribution Center Clerk.  She has accepted a full-time position with the Shelby City Schools.

All other personnel items are common for this time of year.

Superintendent Nickoli requested that the Personnel recommendations be approved without the employment of Brittany Morgan.  The approval was sent to vote with the employment of Brittany Morgan being removed.

Vote was taken with a change of location from the Pioneer CTC Community Room to the Pioneer CTC Board of Education Conference Room.

No more questions or discussion.  Sent to vote.

Mike Grady nominated Douglas Theaker as President Pro-Tem for the January Organizational Meeting.  Bill Hope moved that nominations be closed; seconded by Royden Smith.

No questions or discussion.  Sent to vote.

No questions or discussion.  Sent to vote.

No questions or discussion.  Sent to vote.

No questions or discussion.  Sent to vote.

No questions or discussion.  Sent to vote.

No questions or discussion.  Sent to vote.