Superintendent Presents Draft Strategic Plan
with More Information to Come in October
Berkshire Board of Education – Regular Meeting, September 9, 2024
Meeting Details: The meeting was held in the Auditorium of the Berkshire Local Schools Complex, 14155 Claridon Troy Rd, Burton, Ohio 44021 at 6:00 pm. The meeting was in person only with no virtual attendance option. A video of the meeting is posted here. View the agenda online and any attached documents here by selecting the meeting tab and then the meeting date. The notation of minutes refers to the time posted on the video for the discussion of the item listed.
Board Members Attendance: The following members attended: John Manfredi, President, Jody Miller, Vice President, and Board members Dan Berman, Linda Stone and Bryan Wadsworth.
Staff Attendance: Superintendent John Stoddard and Treasurer Beth McCaffrey.
Others in Attendance: Mrs. Maire Pasquinelli, a new elementary music teacher, Mr. Al Vontorcik, Student Internship Program, Jonathan Tiber, Claridon Township Trustee, and Amy Murfello, Marketing and Outreach Manager for Leadership Geauga.
Meeting called to order at 6:00 pm
Pledge of Allegiance
Approval of Agenda - Approved unanimously without discussion
Approval of Minutes for August, 2024 - Approved unanimously without discussion
Observer Note: This report is based on the Board meeting video that started at this point of the session. Prior to this point the Agenda included approval of minutes from the August 12 meeting
Student/Staff Presentation
7:39 Min. Strategic Planning Presentation To Board
Dr. Stoddard reviewed the timeline for the strategic planning process that began last year.
He said the list of participants included teachers, administrators, parents, grandparents, non-parents, and business people. They had reps from every township that makes up the district. Dr. Stoddard felt like the body was “all-encompassing and representative of the school district.” He thanked committee members for their work on this project.
The Committee Identified 7 core values through many processes, including through the feedback from the community:
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Character & Integrity
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Career Readiness
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Trust
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Excellence
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Accountability
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Community Relationships
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Respect
S.W.O.T. (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis was completed and resulted in the following analysis:
Strengths - community
Opportunities - Fair Grounds
Weaknesses - newsletter, alumni relations
Threats - negative social media posts, vouchers, community misconceptions
They used these lists to craft their mission and focus areas.
Dr. Stoddard reviewed their mission and vision statements. He said that mission boiled down to three words:
Encourage, inspire, prepare
The longer version of the draft mission statement is: “Berkshire School District exists to encourage lifelong longing, inspire students’ highest achievements, and prepare critical thinkers that embody leadership, character and citizenship.”
In June the Administrative team put these action steps to the goals. This is the draft of the Plan. Next month there will be additional information.
Identified focus areas:
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Strong academic focus
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Involve community and family
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Interscholastic relationships
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Communication with non-family members
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Alumni relations
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Emphasis on meritocracy
Three goals:
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Improve academic performance by 10% by the end of the 2025 academic year
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Establish cross-grade level practices that maximize shared resources by the end of the school year
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Improve communications with alumni, family and community members.
Dr. Stoddard asked if there were questions from the Board.
Mr. Manfredi confirmed that Mr. Stoddard will present the school report card in October as well as the State of the schools address.
10:14 min Public Participation/Public Comment
Dan Demco (Not otherwise identified)- He said he had toured the old high school and looked at a program that they instituted there. He said, “Not every student is ready to become an ancient art history major.” In his opinion, trades are very important. He congratulated Mr. Stoddard and staff for getting the grant for the diesel program. He then spoke about a welding program in the old high school and said that the same person who runs the Lakeland Community college program is running this program. He said they have accumulated $500,000 in equipment. He said he has been thinking about how welding could be an add on to those in the diesel program. He encouraged the Board to investigate incorporating this program.
Mr. Demco’s second comment was that he heard something about what they are doing in Strongsville with random drug testing. Reviewer Note: More information about Strongsville City School District’s drug testing policy is available here. He said that the Strongsville Board and parents are supporting this. He said that in his experience in Los Angeles County, “marijuana is a gateway drug.” He encouraged the Board to look into that for Berkshire.
Dr. Stoddard responded with information about a new effort: “We are going to take over the former ODOT facility across from Preston.” He said they will have a new program that will be a combination of Diesel, Agribusiness and Industrial Power, and they will be partnering with Preston, Kuhnle, Countryside, Junction Auto, and Great Lakes Cheese. They are planning to offer a ½ day program, similar to Auburn Career Center. This will be called the Berkshire Career-Tech campus.
There is another state grant of $2.5 Million that they should find out about soon. Mr. Manfredi mentioned that they had a new hire this year, a person who is able to seek out grant money.
24:14 min Treasurer’s Report
Financial Statements
The Treasurer submitted a statement to the Board and the Superintendent showing the revenues and receipts from whatever sources derived, the various Appropriations made by the board, the expenditures and disbursements therefrom, the purposes thereof, and the balances remaining in each fund. The financial statements for the period ending August 2024 have been submitted subject to audit and include: Financial Summary, Appropriations and Revenue Summary, Check Register Recap, and Bank Reconciliation per ORC 3313.29.
Observer Note: See Financial Statement details in the meeting agenda available on-line.
Donations in honor of Joanne Graham for the Burton Library were approved.
Financial Amendments - All Approved
The Board unanimously approved without discussion the following Appropriation Changes:
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Strategic Community Investment Grant: $915,037.00
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Auxiliary Funds - Global Connections Academy $19,204.80
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FAFSA Grant Fund 019: $10,000.00
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SSIP Each Child on Track: $20,000.00
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Modular Construction: $20,000.00
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AG Safety Grant: $5,901.41
Cooperative Purchasing Program - Approved
Motion to participate in the 2024/2025 Ohio Schools Council Cooperative Purchase Program. This is for the purchase of modular furniture.
Ohio Schools Council Cooperative Bus Purchase - Approved
Motion to participate in the 2024/2025 Ohio Schools Council Cooperative School Bus Purchase Program and authorizes the Ohio Schools Council to advertise and receive bids on behalf of Berkshire Board of Education as per the specifications submitted for the cooperative purchase of one (1) 72 passenger conventional school bus chassis bodies along with one (1) passenger van. Mr. Manfredi asked about this. Ms. McCaffrey said they do not anticipate purchasing these at this time, but this would allow them to get them if needed.
29:10 min Superintendent’s Report - All Reports Approved
Observer’s Note: The names are listed in the detailed Agenda available online.
Personnel - Numerous appointments, all approved
Volunteers - Numerous volunteers, all approved
Science of Reading Stipend Payments - Approved
Motion to approve the following certificated employees for the Science of Reading Stipend. Individual stipends ranged from $400 to $1200. 9 requested $400 and will receive $400; 20 requested $1200 and will receive $1200
Contracts - All Approved
Motion to approve the following contracts:
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Educational Service Center (ESC) of Northeast Ohio - Passport program
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ESC of Northeast Ohio - Crossroads Day Treatment Center (per student)
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ESC of the Western Reserve - SAIL program Reviewer Note: More information about the SAIL program is available here.
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Crossroads Health Day Treatment Program
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Auburn Career Center - Equity for Each Training
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Laketran/Geauga Transit Agreement
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Kent State University
Student Overnight Trip - Approved
Motion to approve the 8th grade student overnight trip to Washington, DC planned for May 7-9, 2025
32:30 min Old Business
Dr. Stoddard said there was a tentative settlement agreement for both the water and eviction issues with the Fairgrounds, but he can’t talk about the agreement in depth until it is final. He said, “It looks like the fight is over.”
32:50 min New Business
The Board asked for a brief recap as to “How has it been the first week of school?”
Dr. Stoddard said it has gone pretty smoothly. He said, “We usually expect traffic to be chaotic but it has gone well. “ He said today everyone was in by 3:01 and buses were pulling out at 3:20, so he was pleased with that.
Mr. Manfredi asked if there are the same or more bus riders?
Dr. Stoddard said there are 1,100 or 1,200 riders, which is close to the same as last year. Dr. Stoddard said that there are 1,400 total students, so he said that is a lot of the student population riding the bus.
38:14 min Board Discussion
No Executive Session
40: min Meeting was adjourned
Next meetings will be Monday, October 14, 2024 and November 18,2024 (third Monday) and December 9, 2024. All meetings are at 6:00 PM at the Berkshire Board of Education Auditorium, 14155 Claridon Troy Road, Burton, Ohio 44021.
Observers: Rooney Moy & Gail Roussey
Editor & Reviewer: Sarah McGlone
Submitted 10/09/2024
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