The Greenon Board of Education (BOE) met on May 23 at Indian Valley Media Center to discuss regular business. All BOE members, District Superintendent Brad Silvus, and District Treasurer Bradley McKee were present.

The meeting opened with a presentation from Mr. Jim Shaner, the Director of Educational Technology in the Greenon Local School District. Shaner outlined different project ideas and curriculum options for Greenon’s STEM classes. After discussion about the costs associated with the suggestions, BOE President, Mr. Dennis Henry, recommended some potential avenues of funding for Shaner to explore and present at the next BOE meeting in order to help the Board decide if it would accept Shaner’s recommendations.

Indian Valley fifth grade Science teacher, Kim Ricketts, presented the BOE with a short rundown of the work she recently did with the Dayton Regional STEM Center Fellowship. Ricketts highlighted the “Dabble Packs” she and five other team members from the STEM fellowship helped develop for the Montgomery County ESC. Ricketts explained that the goal of the packs is to give students in grades 2-6 a STEM experience outside of school and within the career fields related to STEM studies.

Treasurer McKee went over the district’s five-year financial forecast. He also highlighted areas on the current budget where things varied from what was originally predicted. McKee reported the district has been saving money by updating its bus fleet. The Board approved McKee’s recommendation to take $5,838 out of the Hustead Permanent Improvement fund to cover the costs for Fisher Tracks to repair Greenon’s track. BOE members also approved the deposit of Public Funds with Security National Bank. McKee’s request to hire Plattenburg CPAs to assist in preparing the GAAP financial statements for the district for the years ending June 30, 2016, 2017, and June 30, 2018 was also approved, marking the first time the Greenon District will use the firm.

Citing financial reasons, Greenon’s BOE voted to accept the Superintendent’s recommendation to reduce the district’s work force by eliminating a full-time cook (6 hrs.) position, replacing it with two 3.5-hour positions and one 3.0-hour cook position instead. The position of Athletic Secretary was also eliminated.

More business concerning a potential building project was addressed. Since the district’s most recent attempt to get a building project bond issue failed, Greenon has become a “lapsed district” with the Ohio School Facilities Commission (OSFC). Due to that, and in an effort to have more opportunities to get a new bond issue for a building project on the ballot, the BOE voted to send a new request to the OSFC asking them to establish a new scope, an estimated project budget, and an estimated local share amount of the basic project costs for a Classroom Facilities Assistance project at the October, 2016 Commission meeting.

BOE members approved the roster of Greenon’s seniors set to graduate in 2016. The Board voted to renew the district’s membership in the Ohio High School Athletic Association. They also approved a new, updated school calendar for 2016-2017.

A number of changes to personnel were approved, including requests by Stephanie Lawson, Ann Kent, and Rich Clark for FMLA leave. A correction was also made to a reflect that Ashlee Christopher will be Freshman Cheer Coach for the 2016-2017 school year and will receive a stipend of $880.

Silvus announced another community meeting will be held sometime during the second or third week of June.

The meeting ended with several parents of members of the GHS Boys’ Basketball team and a student spokesperson for the GHS Boys’ Basketball team coming forward to raise concerns about the “un-professionalism” and “harassing behavior” of some of the GHS Basketball coaching staff. Numerous parents told BOE members they were worried about how their sons’ personalities had drastically changed during the basketball season, with many of them becoming withdrawn, even angry. They also voiced concerns about the profanity they have heard coming from coaching staff that has been aimed at both players and fans. They also cited derogatory comments the coaching staff has made to players and retaliatory behavior from the coaching staff as well.

The team spokesperson brought a list of put-downs team members say they have endured, as well as other examples of uncomfortable, inflammatory behavior they have been subjected to. One parent even mentioned how very few of the Basketball players chose to attend GHS Sports Awards Banquet, saying, “The players refused to even go to the Banquet to get their awards. That is how uncomfortable they are...” One parent said that even if their son wanted to play the following year, he wouldn’t allow it if the coaching staff remained the same, “He loves the game, but I cannot let him be subjected to such behavior from his coach. He doesn’t deserve that, none of them deserve that.”

The next regular Greenon BOE meeting is June 16, 2016 at 7:00pm in the Indian Valley Media Center.

More information about the district can be found at the district’s website: http://www.greenon.k12.oh.us/.

Financial information about the district can be found on the Treasurer’s page under the “Departments” tab on the district’s website and at greenonschools.ohiocheckbook.com.