EAST LIVERPOOL - The city school board entered into a formal agreement with the National Football League last week to serve as a host site for an NFL Officiating Academy this summer.
The academy will offer those between 17 and 27 the opportunity to train as referees, at no cost to them.
The district's cost will entail providing food for participants at the 10-week session which has been estimated at between $2,000 and $3,000. Superintendent James Herring has indicated the district will look for sponsors for the cost, if possible.
After a lengthy executive session, the board returned to deny a grievance filed by paraprofessional Heidi Wiegand. No public comment was made by board members about the issue, and Herring said after the meeting it had to do with "a misinterpretation of the negotiated agreement about job postings."
The board also approved a recommendation to advertise for sale several surplus vehicles, including three 1994 Ford pickup trucks; two 2002 Ford Focuses; and a 1995 Geo Prizm.
The vehicles had been used by the athletic department, school nurse and the bus supervisor, with some having been sitting unused for some time, according to officials.
Board member Richard Wolf said he would appreciate if such vehicles were properly identified with the names of those using them provided to the board.
In other personnel matters, the board approved the resignation for retirement of second-grade teacher Patricia Will, who has been with the district 35 years.
Among extra-curricular appointments approved was that of James Savage as sports information director at a salary of $1,791.58, which board President Janice Martin questioned, asking what is it he does.
Herring explained that Savage attends all athletic functions, takes photographs and covers the games, providing the information to the local newspaper.
The board approved a recommendation by Herring to pay each bus driver who wishes to participate $175 to clean, paint and detail his/her own bus in preparation for the July inspections by the Ohio State Highway Patrol, with member Scott Dieringer opposed.
"They should pass (inspection) if they are taking care of them daily," Dieringer said.
Herring said, however, he has heard of buses not passing due to a bandaid missing from the first aid kit and said getting them ready "is a big job (which) takes a couple of days," entailing removing the seats to clean behind them.
Herring said it is believed if the drivers clean their own buses, they might feel more pride in them, but said for those who do not want to participate, their buses will be offered to other drivers to clean and, if they decline, then to summer help.
In other business, the board approved:
- Renewed membership in the Ohio High School Athletic Association
- Permanent appropriations totaling $42,111,429 for 2011-2012
- A graduation list of 135 seniors which, it was noted, is the smallest graduating class to date for the high school, with 141 two years ago having been the smallest previously.
