L-P School Board voices concerns about health insurance

LOUDONVILLE – Cost of health insurance for employees caused some concerns to be voiced at a largely routine meeting of the Loudonville-Perrysville Board of Education on Monday.

Looking at the district's projected budget for future years, board member David Hunter winced at seeing a $6 million figure for total costs of health insurance.

"We have to do something to offset these costs," said the senior board member, who was reelected to his fourth term, plus one year, in the Nov. 2 election.

The board may have discussed Hunter's concerns more at an executive session at the end of the meeting, called to prepare for negotiations with public employees on compensation and other terms or conditions of employment. A second session followed the first to consider compensation of an employee. No action was taken on the board's return to the regular meeting.

Hunter mentioned health insurance during discussion, led by treasurer Christine Angerer, on the five-year financial forecast, which the board approved. The district is required to have prepared, and approve, financial forecasts twice a year, in May and November.

Two parents at the meeting spoke on disciplinary issues. Mitch Miles was upset because a school bus camera failed to record an incident on a bus, and another parent lamented all of the posts on Facebook of incidents of bullying both locally and in schools across the country.

On the positive side, Lara Spreng, cook at the McMullen Elementary School, said she was very pleased with the work done by the student helpers assigned to her kitchen.

Proposed school district calendar for 2022-23 presented

Superintendent Catherine Puster presented for review a copy of the proposed school district calendar for the 2022-23 school year. She noted that the calendar is almost the same as for this school year except for one change. The change regards the fall parent teacher conferences, Nov. 1 and 3, 2022. The late-evening conferences will be held on Thursday, Nov. 3. Usually late conferences are held on the Tuesday of conference week, and earlier ones on Thursday. The reversal is only for the fall conferences; they will be back to late Tuesday and early Thursday for the spring conferences, March 21 and 23, 2023.

The calendar will be formally adopted in the winter. It can be reviewed on the district website.

Puster reviewed a long list of student athletes and coaches who received postseason mention after the fall sports season.

"This is an impressive list, including three players of the year in their conferences, and three coaches of the year," Board President John Carroll said.

Hunter, the board's representative on the Ashland County-West Holmes Career Center board, thanked voters for their support of the Center's permanent improvement levy, which will provide funds for expansion of the facility's buildings and programs.

Puster also thanked voters for their support of the renewal levy in the L-P District.

Board Member Judy Briggs, speaking for FFA Adviser Kendra Carnegie, noted that 12 FFA members and three alumni attended the FFA National Convention in Indianapolis in October, with the three alumni, Caleb and Hayden Brightbill and Josh Book, receiving their American Farm Degrees.

Briggs also reported on her participation as district delegate at the Ohio School Boards Association meeting last week, noting "one of the things stressed was our responsibility to give students hope."

She also reviewed the efforts of the Upper Arlington Schools to pass a bond levy for new schools. "They started working on levy promotion two years before it got to an actual vote," she said.

Donations totaling over $25,000 accepted

Donations carrying a value of over $25,000 were accepted, including $1,500 from the Mohican Area Community Fund for the school liaison program; gifts for guidance counselor Kristen Thiebaud for the new Redbird Strong Club, $500 from Mohican Adventures, $180 from Trails End Restaurant; $100 from Park National Bank; and $50 from Henley Graphic Communications; an assortment of school supplies for the McMullen School from VFW Post 8586 and its Auxiliary; and winter hats and gloves for the McMullen School from the Cole Carter Family.

Stipends were awarded to a number of staff for their work in helping to host fall sports tournament contests in Loudonville.

Students employed through the school's work study program were given a 25 cents per hour pay increase, retroactive to the beginning of the school year.

Lindsey Frank's resignation as junior high student council adviser was accepted, with Matt Cottrill hired to take her place. Alex Bates was hired as assistant high school girls basketball coach; Angela Spreng as pep band director; Becky Lance as freshman girls basketball coach; Cathy Vermilya as elementary girls basketball coach; Jon Guilliams as winter weight room manager; Tori Harris as volunteer volleyball coach; and Digna Carder as a classroom aide for a student with disabilities.

The L-P Board next meets on Monday, Dec. 13 at 6 p.m. in the Budd Elementary School auditorium.