Ohio Grade School Board

• Approved supplying transportation and ticket fees for the seventh-/eighth-grade Great America trip for students passing the random drug screens.

• Heard Linda Graff, who is a teacher’s aide, was able to secure free books for all students in first through fourth grades. The books consist of little stories to teach social skills such as manners, responsibility, friendships and my town. The books are sponsored by the Walnut Manor Nursing Home, Avanti Foods and the Comfort Inn in Dixon.

• Heard enrollment is at 80 students.

• Agreed to not conduct an evaluation of Superintendent Sharon Sweger. January is the time for the performance evaluation, as required by state law for superintendents in the final year of a multi-year contract. This is just the first year of her four-year contract. President Robert Albrecht said the board is able to resolve issues immediately with Sweger and asked if anyone had a problem with not doing the evaluation this year.

• Heard the state has released the final calculations for Fiscal Year 2012 claims paid this year (FY ‘13). The state paid:

• Special education personnel - 100 percent

• Special education private facility - 92 percent (up from 87.3 percent)

• Special ed services - 100 percent

• Orphanage - 100 percent

• Special ed transportation - 99 percent (down 1 percent)

• Regular/vocational transportation - 76 percent (up 2 percent)

• Heard there are two openings for grade school board candidates and one for the high school board. Donna Popp agreed to turn in her paperwork to be a write-in candidate.

• Heard the state is conducting a survey, and the district will be required to survey students and teachers. Surveys will be conducted by computer.

• Heard Public Act 97-742 requires five hours of instruction on the first and last day of school effective June 30. The district will adjust next year’s calendar to reflect this.

• Heard a state budget projection released by the governor predicts a $400 million cut next year in education funds.