Members of the Eastern Local School District Board of Education met June 21 for its regular meeting.
The board heard reports from its Legislative Liaison, principals reports and a report from board treasurer, Kevin Kendall who asked for approval of the district’s final amended appropriations and the Fiscal Year 2017 Temporary Appropriations. The board approved his request.
Also approved was a renewal of property, liability and fleet insurance by the board.
Superintendent Michele Filon reported to the board that she had received letters of resignation from Sharon Hauck, high school athletic director and from Luke Rhonemus, Vo Ag teacher.
“Both these staff members will be hard to replace,” Filon said.
Filon also recognized members of the interviewing/hiring committees and briefly discussed the 3rd Grade Reading guarantee data. Filon said that she was happy with the number of third graders who passed the reading guarantee
In other business at the meeting Filon read a letter she had received from members of an area church regarding providing restrooms to transgender students.
Excerpts from the letter from the church included;
……A recent letter from the Departments of Education and Justice providing guidance to local schools on gender identification is offensive, intrusive and totally lacking in common sense….
…..it is ordering our state to allow public school students access to the restroom or locker room of the opposite sex…
….dangerous policy and a liability nightmare….
….urge the board to use its influence to publicly direct the district to disregard the letter (from DOE) and to maintain an expected level of privacy that protects all students.
“Ten years ago when I was a teacher in another district,” Superintendent Filon commented, “We were faced with this very issue and it was handled with good old common sense, and that’s just how the issue will be handled here.”
The board approved the use of facility for Southern Buckeye Youth Cheer for the Russellville Elementary School guy from June to December from 6 to 8 p.m.
Following an executive session the board approved the following recommendations including:
• 7th and 8th grade athletic director, Jerod Jodrey;
• Jeff Reynolds as varsity golf coach;
• Harold Dorsey and Dan Edminsten as volunteer assistant golf coaches;
• Rob Beucler as Varsity boy’s basketball coach;
• Tim Boone as JV boy’s basketball coach;
• Ron Lynch and Rich Kelch as volunteer boys’ assistant basketball;
• Kevin Pickerill as Varsity girls’ basketball and JV girls Basketball;
• Tom Glasscock as cross country coach;
• Jerod Jodrey as Eastern Middle School physical education;
• Susan Sweet for Russellville Elementary School 5th grade;
• Tracy Spires as director of special services/testing coordinator.