The North Royalton Board of Education held their November meeting on Monday, November 16, via Zoom.
One resident commented on how the District is responding to COVID-19 numbers.
The Board approved a resolution that appointed North Royalton Board of Education member Jacquelyn Arendt to the Cuyahoga Valley Career Center for a three-year term, beginning January 1, 2021.
The Board approved the following 2020-21 appropriation adjustments: 022-District Agency, Sectional Disbursements from NE District Athletic Board, from $ 17,940.97 to $19,020.97; 019; Other Grants, from $178,845.96 to $194,447.60; 499 Miscellaneous State Grant, from $2,551.60 to $2,881.60; 451 Data Communications from 0 to $9,000.00; 001 General Fund from $54,474,107.00 to $54,478,107.00. They also approved the following transfer: from the 401-9020 Auxiliary Services – St. Albert to 401-9021 Auxiliary Services – St. Albert, $59,176.38.
North Royalton School Superintendent, Greg Gurka noted that although the District gets the salt for plowing from the city of North Royalton, they do not supply it to them for free. “We pay for what we use,” said Gurka. He then went on to talk about the new re-opening plan for the District. “With that plan, we still use the state advisory system as a guide to make decisions, but it will not be the sole factor in all cases.” He explained that the new plan was done at this time because “when we developed our plan in July, we didn’t know a lot. We didn’t know how schools were going to be affected by this; we didn’t really know much. We were following guidelines. We’ve learned a lot since then. What we’ve learned, especially with elementary, is that we’re not seeing a lot of cases, and I’m talking about districts around us. But, even when we were blended, we’re not seeing a lot of cases in the elementary and research is now coming out, while limited, that elementary students, if they do become sick with Covid, they are not experiencing a lot of symptoms and they are not transmitting it to adults the way older students and adults do. So, we feel more comfortable with having them all come in. But, with the middle school and high school, because of the size, because of the fact that we can’t cohort them the way we can with the elementary, we are looking at the hybrid, because the hybrid keeps the students six feet apart, wearing the masks, putting those mitigating factors into place. Wearing the masks, putting up the plexiglass desk shields, we are able to mitigate the risks. What I’ve learned, is not many districts are following the color systems as strictly as we were. Many districts are following the highest level, the purple of that. The purple, meaning remote. There are some that were following it like we were, but most – if it’s not purple, we’re going to be all in; we’re going to be hybrid; we’re going to be something. So, that’s kind of where we’ve moved to. So when the county is in level four or purple, we will move to a remote learning phase for all students.”
The Board authorized execution of Memorandum of Understanding with the North Royalton Education Association (NREA), amending the September 23, 2020 Memorandum of Understanding, which was necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. and adjusting the current collective bargaining agreement. (See School NREA Union article)
The Board approved the following agreements: Blackboard Connect Services for mass notification services from January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2024; Handle with Care Behavior Management System, Inc. for instructor re-certification for restraint/seclusion training for the 2020-21 school year; Reserve School of Applewood Centers for services for students with needs for the 2020-21 school year; Education Plus, LLC for Federal E-Rate Program application process assistance for the district from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022; Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities for Technical Support Team Services, effective January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021.
The Board accepted the following resignations/retirements:
Resignations
Courtney Carruthers/Classified Substitute/effective October 13, 2020.
Christopher Conway/Mechanic/effective November 28, 2020.
Clarence Griffin Jr./Middle School Girls Basketball Coach/effective October 19, 2020.
Colleen Kranick/Classified Substitute/effective October 31, 2020.
Kalee Moore/Assistant Winter Cheerleading Coach/High School/1/2 contract/effective October 26, 2020.
Joseph Smith/Assistant Wrestling Coach/High School/effective November 6, 2020.
Retirements:
Mary Boyer/4th Grade Teacher/Royal View/effective May 29, 2021.
Sheila Erbacher/Grade 2/Valley Vista/effective May 29, 2021.
Susan Lionti/1st Grade Teacher/Valley Vista/effective May 29, 2021.
The Board approved the following unpaid leaves of absence:
Jacqulynn Cox/effective November 25, 2020 through December 15, 2020.
Gina Murphy/effective November 24, 2020 through January 8, 2021.
Laura Stricker/effective November 19, 2020 (.5) through January 22, 2021.
The Board approved/amended the following for a supplemental contract for the 2020-21 school year, or as indicated, as needed, salary on schedule:
Christopher Benze/Middle School Wrestling Coach Patrick Dailey/Middle School Girls Basketball Coach.
Troi Dotson/Middle School Cheerleading Coach Winter.
Clarence Griffin Jr./High School Assistant Girls Basketball Coach.
Dylan League/Assistant Wrestling Coach/High School/from half to full contract.
Jordan Sadler/Key Club Advisor/High School.
Anthony Trunzo/Assistant Wrestling Coach/ High School/from half to full contract.
The Board approved the non-licensed supplemental employment to Mary Ellen Watrobski as Key Club Advisor for the High School after it offered the position to certificated/licensed employees of the District and did not receive any applications from those qualified to fill the position.
The Board recognized and approved participation in the Ohio Association of Track and Cross- Country Coaches Ohio State Indoor Track and Field Championship and approves the following volunteer coaches: John Barlock, William Cummins, Joseph Francescangeli, David Marhefka, Tom Mowry, Douglas Steiger and Nicholas Woods.
The Board approved the following school volunteers for 2020-21 school year: (Middle School Winter Sports Club) Christopher Benze, Sarah Franko, Jennifer Gaydos, Cherrie Jackman, Janele Kauffman, Anna Koncius, Joseph Simonek. Mary Ann Trunzo and Karen Whitely. (High School Ski Club) Richard Nestoff and Michael Nary.
The Board approved an agreement with Meritech for District copier maintenance services from January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2026.
The Board approved to accept and acknowledge the following gifts/donations:
“Dan Langshaw of North Royalton, donated 125 face masks to Valley Vista Elementary and 225 face masks to North Royalton Middle School, for a total value of $1,750.
-Embroidery by Jean donated 27 children’s face masks valued at $135 to Valley Vista Elementary.
-Dairy Queen of Parma donated coupons for 75 free small Blizzards and 75 rounds of mini golf to the PBIS program and North Royalton Middle School.
-McDonald’s of North Royalton donated certificates for 15 free kid ice cream cones and 15 free French fries to the PBIS program at Valley Vista Elementary.
-Dairy Queen of Parma donated 40 certificates for a free kid cone to the PBIS program at Valley Vista Elementary.
-Mr. Divot’s of North Royalton donated eight free mini-golf cards to the PBIS program at Valley Vista Elementary.
-Landers & Partners donated 400 student coupons for Taco Bell to the PBIS program at Valley Vista Elementary.
-The Stetler Family of Broadview Heights donated $1,500 to purchase touchless restroom fixtures for North Royalton Middle School.
-Promarketing, Inc. donated $2,500 to purchase touchless restroom fixtures for North Royalton Middle School.”
The next regularly scheduled meeting will take place on Monday, December 14.
By GLORIA PLEVA KACIK
Contributing Writer