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Kenston Board of Education –June 20, 2023

Meeting Details:  Kenston Board of Education met in regular session on June 20th, 2023 at Kenston High School, 9500 Bainbridge Rd, Chagrin Falls, OH 44023, in the High School Auburn Bainbridge room beginning at 7:00 pm.  The meeting was live streamed and is available here and on Kenston’s YouTube page. View the agenda online here by selecting the meeting tab and meeting date.

Public Comment Policy: available at two points of each meeting as detailed in 165.1 Regular Meetings and 165.2 Special Meetings. Comment cards MUST be submitted prior to the start of the meeting.

Board Attendance: President Jennifer Troutman, Vice President Neysa Gaskins, Dennis Bergansky, Beth Krause, and Tom Manning. 

Staff Attendance: Superintendent Steven Sayers and Interim Treasurer Ryan Pendleton.

The meeting was called to order by Mrs. Troutman at 7:00 pm. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

 

President Troutman made a Motion to accept the amended agenda as notified to the board by the Superintendent. Approved. There is no ready information in the agenda pertaining to this modification.

 

Minutes: The Kenston Board of Education is being asked to approve that the reading of these minutes be waived and to approve the revised minutes of the Regular Meeting of April 17, 2023 and the May 1, 2023 Work Session, as well as the minutes of the Regular Meeting of May 15, 2023 as recorded or corrected. Approved.

 

Commendations - APPROVED motion for the following commendations:

 

Upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the Kenston Board of Education is being asked to approve the following

• Kenston's 2022-2023 retirees, for their years of service to the district:

  • Mary Monroe, TES Health Aide

  • Linda Waldman, KHS Proctor

  • Katy McGrath, Community Relations Director

• Tom Gabram, on behalf of the Kenston Board and administration spoke to recognize the accomplishments of Joe Hritz, KHS Baseball Head Coach and the KHS Baseball team - 2023 DII State Champions. Coach Hritz recognized each member of the coaching team and the baseball team by name accompanied with applause.

• 2022-2023 Ohio School Boards Association (OSBA) Business Honor Roll Recipients for their contributions to the Kenston Community:

  • Geauga Park District

  • Sirna's Farm Fresh Kitchen

  • Buckeye Chocolate Cafe - Bainbridge

  • South Franklin Circle Senior Living Community

 

Observer Comment: I watched the meeting as a recording. Camera is turned off here, perhaps while visitors were leaving, but remained off for several minutes for unknown reasons. Note unexplained missing report below

 

Board Reports and Informational Items

• District Maintenance and Facilities - Jeremy McDevitt, Assistant Superintendent of Business Operations and HR. (This was on agenda, but may have occurred while the camera was off?)

• Board Committee Updates: No board or administrative committee meetings to report on for this meeting.

• Superintendent Sayers presented a birthday book to Tom Manning. The book is titled, All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team written by Christina Soontornvat.

Hearing of Public on Agenda Items- None

Financial Items

• Financial items A through H: The board approved items that included payment for services from Jamie Hudak during 2021-2023, breakfast and lunch prices, school fees, District Property, Liability, Fleet and Wind Turbine Insurance for the period of July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024, funds transfers and appropriations.

  • Mr Pendleton briefly remarked on item F which should be titled Transfer and Advance of Funds. All board members had packets which Mr. Pendleton quickly reviewed and pointed out various transfers, appropriations and set-asides in preparation for next year’s budget commission.

• Permanent Improvement Levy: The board approved a resolution to submit to the electors of the school district the question of an additional 1.35-mill tax levy for the purpose of general permanent improvements, pursuant to the section 5705.21 of the Revised Code. Motion was approved.

Certified Personnel

• The board approved changes or additions to substitute, curriculum, and additional services pay, new teacher contracts for 2023-2024, administrators certified as new OTES (Ohio Teacher Evaluation System) teacher evaluators, resignations, and leave of absences.

Classified Personnel

• The board approved retirements, a resignation, and additional substitute hours for the purposes of the KHS Graduation Ceremony.

Supplemental Contracts

• The board approved supplemental contracts, a resignation, and additional substitute hours for graduation ticket scanning.

Exempt Personnel

• The board approved a retirement (above), a resignation (Transportation Director Melody Coniglio), and approved payment for an OHSAA Tournament manager for both boys lacrosse and baseball. Dr. Krause highlighted that Melody Coniglio recently received an Award of Excellence from the Ohio Association for Pupil Transportation.

Business Operations

• Resolution of Impracticality of Transportation - APPROVED

BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Education of Kenston Local School District, by and through responsible administrators, reviewed the time and distance required to provide transportation, the number of pupils to be transported, the cost of equipment, maintenance, personnel, and administration essential for the transportation, similarity or equivalence of services provided to the other pupils eligible for transportation, whether and to what extent the additional service unavoidably disrupts current transportation schedules, and whether other reimbursable types of transportation are available regarding the following schools: 

1. St. Rita Catholic School; 33200 Baldwin Road; Solon, OH 44139

2. Valley Christian Academy; 1037 East Blvd.; Aurora, OH 44202

3. St. Anselm School; 13013 Chillicothe Road; Chesterland, OH 44023

4. Gilmour Academy; 34001 Cedar Road; Gates Mills, OH 44040

 

Special Education

• Special Education Service Contracts - APPROVED

  • Superintendent recommends that the board approve a contract with the Educational Service Center of the Western Reserve for specialized educational services for Extended School Year (ESY) 2023 for 14 students; not to exceed $36,000.

  • Superintendent recommends that the board approve a contract with Solutions Behavioral Consulting for Extended School Year (ESY) services for one student, not to exceed 5 hours at an hourly rate of $60/hour. 

  • Superintendent recommends that the board approve a contract with Leafbridge United Cerebral Palsy for Extended School Year (ESY) services for one student, not to exceed $6,500. 

  • Superintendent recommends that the board approve a contract with Mentor Cares for Extended School Year (ESY) services for one student, not to exceed $5,900. 

  • Upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the Kenston Board of Education is being asked to approve the memorandum of understanding with Ravenwood Health for two Therapeutic Behavioral Health Support Workers (TBSs) for the 2023-24 school year, at a total cost of $77,000.

  • Superintendent recommends that the board approve a contract with Cleveland Clinic Lerner for specialized educational services for a student to attend the Lerner School program, at a cost not to exceed $87,480 for the 2023-24 school year. 

 

Old Business

• The Board approved name changes for two courses, new curriculum and numerous policies which are available to read here .

  • Dr. Krause highlighted that Policy 2271 as printed in the board agenda is incorrect. This is a glitch and the first read is correct.

  • Mrs. Troutman wanted to highlight that the only change to policy 0169.1 regarding public comment at meetings is that those who want to comment must submit a comment card prior to the start of the meeting. Cards for comment will not be accepted once the meeting begins. This is the only change to that policy.

New Business

• The board approved the disposal of obsolete items, substitute pay rates for the 2023-2024 school year beginning in July of 2024, and student handbooks for the 2023-2024 school year as well as the following:

  • Superintendent recommends that the board approve a contract with Bainbridge Township Police Department to provide police detail assignments on the Kenston Schools campus for the 2023-2024 school year at a cost not to exceed $72,000.

Hearing from The Public on Non-Agenda Items- None

Treasurer’s Report- None

Superintendent’s Report

• Sadie Poudevigne placed 14th in the Long Jump Event at the OHSAA State Tournament.

• High School and Middle School Speech and Debate Teams competed in Phoenix last week at the National Level.  KMS student Brooke Carlsonplaced third in Congressional Debate.  Regan Carnes placed 4th in Public Form.  She and Grace Voudris tied for ninth place in the partners Public Forum competition.

Dr. Krause thanks Ryan Pendleton for his time with the district as this may be his last meeting before the new treasurer steps in.  Reviewer Comment: Seth Cales was hired as Treasurer during the Board’s March 24, 2023 Special Meeting.  See Kenston Meeting Minutes, which are presented as a continuous document in chronological order.

A motion to enter into Executive Session to prepare for negotiations with public employees was approved. Mrs. Troutman advised that no action will be taken upon their return and the recording ended at 7:54pm.

Next regular meeting: Monday, July 17, 2023 in the Kenston High School Bainbridge Auburn Room.

 

More information here: Board of Education | Kenston Local Schools

Observer: Jacqueline Berger

Reviewer: Shelly Lewis

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