The Northmor School District has started out the new school year fiscally sound and with a higher enrollment.

At their September 17 Board of Education meeting, board members received an early financial outlook from Treasurer Tammi Cowell, who offered the Certificate of Estimated Resources for fiscal year 2016. The statement showed the unencumbered balance as of June 30,2015 (as well as taxes and other sources of anticipated revenue) of $16,279,212.67.

“These are estimates on our taxes and other funds, so it gets tweaked throughout the year [as they come in],” said Cowell of the detailed list of funding sources. “We hope it goes up, but sometimes we find the grants get adjusted down, or tax collections could come in a little lower than anticipated. Hopefully, it won’t be anything lower on the state revenue we’re going to receive.”

Cowell noted she does these certificates a couple of times a year as things change. The board also approved Permanent Appropriations of $13,654,730.90 for fiscal year 2016.

“This is what we anticipate to spend at this particular time,” Cowell told the board. “This gets adjusted throughout the year; we do it now, in January, then ‘true it up’ at the end of the year.”

She explained the numbers change as new people are hired, substitutes are used, supply costs are incurred, etc.

“They call it permanent appropriations, but it gets amended throughout the year,” she explained.

The five-year forecast will be presented at October’s school board meeting.

Supt. Chad Redmond reported enrollment is up this year, opening with 1,126 students in the system. Since schools receive state funds for each on-site student, much of the school’s finances are driven by the Average Daily Membership factor. The Ohio Dept. of Education has stated last fiscal year (2015), the State of Ohio spent more on primary and secondary education than at any point in state history.

Reports

K-4 Elementary Principal Amanda Albert said the school year started off ‘fantastic’ with transportation and cafeteria running smoothly. She announces changes in staff positions in grades K through eight; Amanda Sheldon is the new speech and language pathologist; Amy Burskey is the new school nurse. The Step by Step program is going smoothly and Misty Wilson, from Newark, is the Intervention Specialist. Enrollment numbers show grades K-6 is at 564 students, with 49 new families enrollment between Aug 24 and Sept. 10.

Albert delivered the report for Intermediate/Junior High Principal Dennis Ervin, saying grades 5-8 had a great start to the year. Grades 7 and 8 are working with a new grading policy that will keep parents better informed about their student’s progress. Grades 5 and 6 are ‘bursting at the seams,’ being about 5 students away from the maximum enrollment numbers in each grade. Teachers were reduced to three in each grade, with social studies and science teachers teaching both grades, so classrooms are full. Six grade has 74 students; seventh grade has 94 and eighth grade is at 104.

New High School Principal Benji Bethea thanked Albert, Ervin, Mike Skelton and Ann Pfister for their assistance in getting him acclimated to Northmor High School. He introduced Lou Tommelleo and his wife, Darlene. Tommelleo is the new high school intervention specialist and is also a part time police officer in Lexington.

Bethea said he met with all the classes at the beginning of the school year and encouraged random acts of classes and desires to ‘move things forward with the culture of the school.’

Bethea cited OGT results from March: of the students ‘proficient’ or ‘above’ in Morrow County, Northmor had the highest percentage among the county schools. Also, for the ACT test, 76% of Northmor students who took the college entrance test are ready for college preparedness for English, putting Northmor above average for college entrance work in math, algebra, geometry, trigonometry and science.

Employment:

The board voted to:

– Approve Tammy Wilgus to transport pre-school students to Northmor Pre-School, Monday through Thursday, one hour per day; Rita Weaver to transport pre-school students from Northmor Pre-School, Monday through Thursday, two hours per day.

– Approve the Treasurer to pay Amanda Albert as the Title 1/CCIP Grant Coordinator for the 2015-2016 school year; payment will be paid from grant dollars.

– Change the contract of Kevin Ruhl as the Junior High School Cross Country coach for the 2015-2016 school year from Year 2, Step 2 to Year 2, Step 1.

– Employ for the 2015-2016 school year: William Baldinger as a substitute custodian; Kay Clouse as the Freshman Class Advisor; BJ Trainer as the Sophomore Class Advisor; Marcie Whited as the Junior Class Advisor; Lisa Keddie as the Senior Class Advisor; Kay Clouse as the Co-Student Council Advisor; Karole Skidmore-Roth as the Co-Student Council Advisor; BJ Trainer for the position of Winter Strength and Conditioning Coach; BJ Trainer for the position of Spring Strength and Conditioning Coach; Ben Pletcher for the position of Fall Strength and Conditioning Coach; Tim Laird as the Fall Facility Manager; Northmor Athletic Boosters for the Spring Facility Manager position; Dana Ruth as the Show Choir Advisor; Dana Ruth as the Junior High Honors Choir Advisor; LaNeta Wertz as the Assistant Show Choir Advisor; Scott Carr for the position of Head Wrestling Coach; Zach Ruth for the position of Head Boys’ Basketball Coach; Chris Kaschube as the Jazz Band Director; Chris Kaschube as the Pep Band Director; Buck Workman for the position of Head Baseball Coach; Kevin Ruhl for the position of Head Boys’ Track Coach; Mark Yaussy for the position of Head Girls’ Track Coach; Russ Montgomery for the position of Head Softball Coach; Adam Frizzell as the JV Wrestling Coach; Jamie Christo as Co-Varsity Assistant Wrestling Coach; Kevin Johnson as the Co-Varsity Assistant Wrestling Coach; Buck Workman as Junior High Wrestling Coach; Dave Blackford as Junior High Wrestling Coach; Matt Wiseman as the Assistant Girls’ Basketball Coach; Fred Beachy as 8th Grade Girls’ Basketball Coach; and Brittany Winger as the Junior Varsity Girls’ Basketball Coach.

– Recognize Russ Montgomery as a volunteer in the capacity of Head Bowling Coach; and Mike Blackford as a volunteer in the capacity of Assistant Bowling Coach.

– Accept the resignation of Christine Coe from the position of Special Education Coordinator effective Oct. 30, 2015.

– Approve the request from Kim Hessey to be granted two dock days (without pay). The days are Oct.8 & 9, 2015.

– Approve Lorraine Williams as a substitute teacher for the Northmor Local School District; Adam Frizzell as the Yearbook Advisor; Haley Goth as Education Aide at Pioneer Career and Technology Center for no more than 20 hours per week at $8.12 per hour with all costs billed back to Plymouth-Shiloh Local Schools for the 2015-2016 school year; and Christine Coe for nine extended days already part of her current contract that were used beginning July 1, 2015.

All contracts pending the completion of all employment requirements.

The next regular Board Meeting will be on Oct. 15, 2015 at 7 p.m. in the Board Meeting Room.

Reach Randa Wagner at 419-946-3010, ext. 1803 or on Twitter@MorrCoSentinel.

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By Randa Wagner

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