Board Report

Olympia Della Flora, Superintendent of Schools, shared that summer school registration is still open, and there is space for Kindergarten through 12th grade students. She also shared that the district’s strategic planning process has been completed, with a core committee consisting of 50 members meeting four times since January. The next step is to work with OSBA to finalize the mission, vision, and goals for the district and present it to both the board and the community. The superintendent also noted that the district is currently in the midst of testing season. She thanked the staff for their dedication to ensuring optimal testing environments. She also noted that the district is hiring, with a particular need for bus drivers.

Since the last board meeting, the superintendent shared that the district has secured three grants:

• The "Drive to Succeed" grant, totaling $37,000, which will provide drivers education for our students, including both online and in-person components, free of charge.
• A $12,500 grant from the Ohio Department of Education's State Personnel Grant, which will support our staff in implementing MTSS (Multi-Tiered Systems of Support) and provide necessary materials.
• The "No Kid Hungry" grant, amounting to over $5,000, will supply materials to ensure that all our students have access to nutritious food. We are grateful for these grant opportunities.

Jolene Carter, MCS Treasurer, presented a financial forecast to the board, outlining the sources of the district’s revenue. Historically, 78% of our revenue comes from state funding, while 18% is derived from local taxes, with the remaining 5% coming from other sources.

As the district works on the five-year forecast, she observed a positive trend. Historically, revenue changes averaged about -1.69%, but the projection is an average annual change of 1.58% from FY24-28. This shift from negative to positive growth is encouraging. A comprehensive report on the five-year forecast will be provided at the May board meeting.

New Gym Floor at GMS: The Board voted to proceed with Ohio Floors for the replacement of the gym floor at the Grant Middle School Gymnasium. The project will involve replacing the entire floor, including all basketball and volleyball lines. Ohio Floors is scheduled to commence work in early May.

Summer Paving Project at HHS: The Board voted to award Earthworm Construction the contract for the Harding High School East Parking and Drive Asphalt Project.This bid came in below the budgeted amount, providing cost savings for the project. The need for replacement arises from the deterioration of the existing asphalt, which is over 20 years old and beyond repair. This project will address the failing asphalt throughout the parking lot, as well as replace sidewalks leading to the athletic/activities entrance and sidewalks and curbs along the student and bus parking lots.

New Truck for Operations: The Board approved a truck purchase to support operational needs, such as transporting the 5th wheel band/music trailer and assisting with maintenance tasks. This acquisition will enhance flexibility across multiple departments.