4/26/2012 - South Side Leader
     

Manchester Local School District officials are considering a proposal to accept open enrollment students in first through eighth grades for next year.

At the April 18 Manchester Board of Education meeting, the board heard a first reading of the inter-district open enrollment policy and no action was taken.

“This will bring additional revenue when the state and federal governments are cutting $1.3 million from our budget,” said Superintendent Sam Reynolds.

The district would control the number of students permitted in each grade, with 100 maximum pupils allowed in first through fourth grades and 115 students permitted in fifth through eighth grades, according to Reynolds.

“All of the building administrators have discussed this policy and agree with it at this time,” said Reynolds.

The district has offered open enrollment to high school students since 1993, according to district officials.

“Open enrollment provided additional needed revenue for the schools. The district was eliminating valuable programs because of a budget deficit,” said Reynolds.

Currently, 60 high school students attend the district through open enrollment, according to district officials.

In another matter, the board voted to advertise for bids for school parking lot and roof repairs, with the work to be done during the summer. However, Reynolds explained the vote would give the district flexibility to either advertise for bids or to use a collaborative program through the Ohio Department of Administrative Services. Through this program, the bidding and prices have already been set by the state, he added.

“We will determine which is the best value, and we’ll do our due diligence to get the best price,” said Reynolds.

The roofs on all three school buildings need to be repaired and major renovations are needed at the Manchester High School parking lot, said Reynolds. Minor repairs are needed at the Middle School and Nolley Elementary, he added.

In other business, the board approved the rates and amounts of levies as determined by the Summit County Fiscal Office, and the anticipated collection of taxes for the 2012-13 school year will be about $6.4 million, according to Treasurer David Osborne.

In personnel matters, the board approved continuing contracts for four teachers: Laura Bowser, Kathleen Esterle, Erin Oliver and Charissa Soful.

The board also accepted the resignation of David Whitmire, an industrial arts and technology teacher at Manchester Middle School, effective at the end of the school year. Whitmire also served as the head wrestling coach for 21 years. The board will recognize Whitmire at a summer meeting.

“He will be a great loss to the district,” said Middle School Principal Jim Miller.

The board also extended contracts to 18 classified employees and approved 27 supplemental nonrenewal contracts for coaches and assistants, which is traditionally done at this time.

“This is a matter of establishing flexibility for next year,” Reynolds explained, adding the coaching contracts will be renewed later this year.

In other business, the board:

• approved 2012 baseball, girls and boys basketball and volleyball summer camps;

• approved allowing the Middle School Drama Club to accept donations; and

• accepted a $200 donation from Judy Alberts for the Nolley Backpack program.

The next regular school board meeting will take place May 15 at 6:30 p.m. in the Administration Building, 6075 Manchester Road.

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