By DENISE R. FREELAND
News Leader Staff Writer
The Brown Local School District Board of Education voted at its meeting Feb. 22, to approve guidelines for a physical-education waiver policy that will take effect with next year's freshman class.
The guidelines state that students must participate in two full seasons of any interscholastic athletics, including all high-school level sports, marching band, and cheerleading, to be eligible for the waiver.
Any combination of sports and activities will be acceptable within the same school year or over the course of several years.
If a student is "cut" or does not complete the full season due to injury, that season does not count.
Superintendent Connie Griffin informed the board she has a meeting on March 15 with a representative of Architectural Vision Group to go over sample requests for proposals for architectural services, the first step in the planning process for building new schools with help from the Ohio School Facilities Commission.
Griffin said the district has several possibilities for land to build new schools on.
She also reported the district will be able to offer dual-credit distance-learning courses through University of Akron next year.
The board also heard a report from second-grade teachers Jen Furey, Alyson Lutz, Britni Morelli, and Stephanie Shafer on writing projects and technology they are using in the classroom.
Depending on their teacher, the second graders participated in Read for the Record, reading "Very Hungry Caterpillar" and writing letters to author Eric Carle; wrote letters to Santa; wrote letters to pen pals in South Carolina or Texas; and wrote cards to troops in Iraq and wounded soldiers in Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
The students also participated in the creation of classroom books, in which each child wrote a page beginning with the prompt, "If I were . . .," and created an accompanying illustration. The pages were then bound into a hard-cover book, which students could purchase.
The second graders have been able to take part in video conference sessions with the Cleveland Zoo, Pilgim Quest, and their pen pals, and use classroom computers daily to build skills through Accelerated Reader, Study Island, and educational games.
Furey uses four donated Interwrite School Pads in her classroom, which allow teacher and students to control the computer wirelessly from anywhere in the room.
In other business, the board:
* ESTABLISHED a budget account for elementary student council.
* APPROVED the following revenue budget amendments: Student Activities, $290.76 increase; and School Fiscal Stabilization Fund, $28.13 decrease.
* APPROVED the following appropriation amendments: Student Activities, $118.85 increase; School fiscal Stabilization fund, $28.13 decrease; and Permanent Improvement, $6,000 increase.
* APPROVED changes to the 2010-2011 calendar, including changing a teachers inservice day on Oct. 22 from a half day to a full day, doing away with a half-day teachers inservice day in March, and changing the last day of school to Friday, June 3, with early dismissal.
* HIRED the following before-school tutors: Ryan Buck, Brittani Elsass, Jessica Moushey, Eileen Corbett, Jen Furey, Angie Shingleton, and Teri Sampsel.
* HIRED the following before-school substitutes: Nancy DeDent, Connie Robinson, Dawn Kaufman, and Alyson Lutz.
* HIRED Barbara Rossetti as Art Club advisor for the 2009-2010 school year.
* HIRED Jason Brady as home tutor on an as-needed basis.
* ACCEPTED the resignation of Jeremy Davis as assistant boys track coach.
* ENTERED into a 60-month lease with Pitney Bowes for the equipment and maintenance of a postage meter.
* ACCEPTED the donation of an autographed copy of "The Freedom Writer's Diary," values at $13.95 from Griffin.
* SET a work session on Monday, March 22, at 7 p.m. to discuss administrator contracts/salary schedules, building and other capital issues, other planning items for the 2010-2011 school year, administrator evaluations, and any other items deemed necessary.
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