By Don Rutledge
FPS Associate Editor
May 20, 2008
As expected the Carrollton Board of Education hired a new superintendent and assistant superintendent at its May 13 meeting.
However, the Board vote was split on the hiring of the assistant superintendent when Board Member Bonnie Little voted "no" on a motion to employ Bell-Herron School Principal Robert Mehno.
The Board action came following a half-hour executive session after which the Board approved a five-year contract to hire Mrs. Palmer E. Fogler of Strasburg as Superintendent of the Carrollton Exempted Village School District to succeed Supt. Kevin Spears who has accepted a position as superintendent of the Tuscarawas-Carroll-Harrison Educational Service Center at New Philadelphia.
Mrs. Fogler's contract, which was approved by a 5-0 Board vote, becomes effective Aug. 1 at a salary of $93,116.
During discussion on Mehno's contract, Mrs. Little said she felt the position should have been advertised and interviews conducted by the Board of Education. "It's nothing against Mr. Mehno," Mrs. Little added.
However by a 4-1 vote, the Board awarded a three-year contract to Mehno as assistant superintendent. He will succeed Mrs. Fogler Aug. 1 at a salary of $90,035.
Mehno, who resides in Salem, has been the Bell-Herron Middle school principal since 2004, having previously served as assistant principal at Salem Middle school from 2002-04 and as assistant principal at Salem High School from 2001-02.
Mehno taught science and served as a football, wrestling and track coach at Salem High School from 1995-2001 and was a science teacher, football, track and basketball coach at Beaver Local Schools at Lisbon from 1994-95.
He also taught science and was football and track coach at Baltimore County Schools in Baltimore, MD., from 1990-94.
Mehno received his bachelor of science degree in education from Youngstown State University, his masters degree in education administration from Ashland University and is certified as a middle school and high school principal and as a superintendent.
In other action, the Board accepted eight resignations, including seven retirements. They included the resignation of Supt. Spears who is resigning July 31 to accept his new position.
The seven retirement resignations included W. Curtis Hensley II, a teacher with 35 years of service; Marian Abel, classroom aide with 19 years of service; Carla Hively, a teacher with 12 years of service; Gerry Marteney and Robin Anderson, both cooks with 29 and 25 years of service, respectively; Florence Furey, a teacher with 35 years of service, and Rose M. Seck, curriculum director with 35 years of service.
All are effective Aug. 15 with the exception of the resignations of Mrs. Seck and Spears whose are effective July 31.
The Board also approved a family medical leave of Jody Burgett, a third grade teacher at Harlem Springs school beginning May 5 and ending Oct. 31 with Board Member Keith Burgett abstaining.
New textbooks for the Social Studies programs and materials for grades six through ten were approved for implementation during the 2008-09 school year at a cost of $65,692.45.
A curriculum review was given by Mrs. Rose Seek, curriculum director, who noted the new series correlates to the state content standards for social studies and demonstrates continuity in the presentation of the content with skills taught sequentially and with an emphasis on social studies vocabulary.
Mrs. Seck said the new series incorporates the use of technology for teachers and students with textbooks online and numerous instructional components such as power point presentations, plus materials will be provided to teachers for opportunities for activities that address all learning styles, along with providing preparation for the Ohio Achievement testing and the Ohio Graduation test.
In offering additional recommendations the Board, Mrs. Seck suggest the social studies curriculum and programs for grades kindergarten through five and grades 11 and 12 be update when funds become available. She also suggested purchasing classroom sets of "History Alive" for grades six, seven and eighth and to conduct a study and review of all classroom maps for grades K-12 and to update them when funds become available. "Our classroom maps are very much out of line now," Mrs. Seck told the Board.
In other business, the Board:
- APPROVED the district elementary summer education program at an estimated budget of $12,000.
- APPOINTED Olivia B. Stone as assistant pool director and Andrew C. Orphanides and Haley Starkey as lifeguards at the Carroll County Veterans Memorial Swimming Pool.
- APPROVED Bradley J. Rutledge and Lorrie J. Fenton as substitute bus drivers.
- APPOINTED Charlene F. Albrecht as a classroom aide and special needs aide for the 2007-08 school year and 2008-09 school year.
- APPROVED a $10,000 request for student support services provided by the Community Mental Healthcare for 2007-08 school year.
- ADOPTED a resolution authorizing continued membership in the Ohio High School Athletic Association for the 2008-09 school year at no cost to the Board.
- AUTHORIZED student accident insurance to be made available through Charles Snyder of the Snyder Agency, Inc. of Uniontown and the Guarantee Trust Life Insurance Company for the 2008-09 school year.
- APPROVED the list of 220 graduates for graduation set for May 30 at Community Field beginning at 7 p.m.
- APPROVED an updated five-year forecast showing a $1.2 million deficit in fiscal year 2011.
- APPROVED advance returns of $5,950 from the Title IV ‘08 fund to the general fund, $50 from the Early Childhood Special Education ‘08 fund to the general fund and $900 from the Title II D'08 fund to the general fund.
- APPROVED the payment of bills totaling $519,122.24.
- HEARD an update of the Gifted program from Dr. Julie Shuman, who retired last December as coordinator of the program and who has been hired as a consultant on an hourly basis. Dr. Shuman said the program is currently serving 26 middle school and four high school students.
- LEARNED from School Board President Rose Kienzle another finance committee meeting is to be held sometime in June with the date and location to be announced and will be open to the public.
- HEARD an Achievement report which is published in a separate story.
- SET the next regular meeting for June 10 in the Performing Arts room at Carrollton High School. |
