WELLSVILLE - Bill Crawford, executive director of the nonprofit Team Mojo Foundation, asked members of the Wellsville Board of Education for assistance in furthering the foundation's mission during the board's Monday evening meeting.
The foundation seeks to help local youth in grades K through 12 to participate in extracurricular activities that they might not be able to afford otherwise, including tutoring, sports, scouting, and trips to various camps. Crawford said the organization has spent more than $14,000 toward that goal since its beginnings two years ago. "If you know of a kid that can't go to Camp Fitch or who can't afford the shoes for football that everybody else can, that's what we're all about," he said.
Crawford asked the board for assistance in raising awareness of the foundation, letting teachers, administrators and others in the community know about Team Mojo and direct potential candidates for help in their direction. He also stated that registration is open for the upcoming Team Mojo Back to School 5k Run and Walk, scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 25 at Wellsville High School to raise funds for the organization.
School board president Karen Dash announced that, as of Class Day on May 24, the graduating seniors from the Wellsville High School class of 2012 had received nearly $50,000 in combined college scholarship money, though 15 of their classmen are attending summer school in order to re-take portions of the Ohio Graduation Test. She also said the Special Education Department at Daw Middle School has received 20 new Apple iPads purchased with funds from a Closing the Gap Technology Grant from the Ohio Board of Education.
The board's Building and Grounds Committee met on June 7 to review work that is currently being carried out on the district's three buildings, including paint, plumbing, roofing and lighting work at Garfield Elementary; new drywall and lights, plus a resurfaced playground, at Daw Middle School; and a resealed parking lot and new gym lights at the high school, including general refurbishing of the wrestling room. Total repair costs estimated at $50,000, to be paid from the Capital Maintenance Fund.
A resolution adopting an alternative calamity day make-up plan was unanimously accepted. Superintendent Richard Bereschik said the plan would allow for three days of school conducted online, as necessary, in addition to the five days currently budgeted in case of heavy snowfall or other emergency conditions that would cause the schools to be closed. "It gives us a little chance to break into online learning on our own," he said. The district would also prepare "blizzard bags" with the necessary lesson materials for students without internet access at home.
The board's next meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. July 16 in the superintendent's office at Daw Middle School.
