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Berkshire Approves Half-Hour Longer School Day to Make School Year Shorter

Berkshire Board of Education - Regular Board Meeting, June 10, 2024 

Meeting Details:  The meeting was held in the Auditorium of the Berkshire Local Schools complex, 14155 Claridon Troy Rd, Burton, Ohio 44021 at 6 pm.  The meeting was in person only with no virtual attendance option.  A video of the meeting is posted here.  View the agenda online and any attached documents here by selecting the meeting tab and then the meeting date.  The notation of minutes refers to the time posted on the video for the discussion of the item listed.

Board Members Attendance: The following members attended: John Manfredi, President, Jody Miller, Vice President and members Dan Berman, Linda Stone, and Bryan Wadsworth.  

Staff Attendance: John Stoddard, Superintendent and Beth McCaffrey, Treasurer

Meeting called to order at 6:00pm

Pledge of Allegiance

Approval of Agenda - Motion carried unanimously without discussion.

Approval of Minutes - Motion to approve the Minutes of the May 13, 2024 meeting carried unanimously without discussion. Minutes are available here.

Student/Staff Presentation

No presentation as school is on vacation.

2:07 min  Public Participation/Public Comment

The initial question by the public commenter was inaudible on the meeting video. Based upon Mr. Manfredi’s response to her, it appears the commenter wanted confirmation about the upcoming levy. Mr. Manfredi said, “It is the same and it is for the renewal of our permanent improvement levy that we do every 5 years.” He emphasized that the levy is for building care and maintenance and not wages or benefits. The commenter asked if it was the same levy that was on the ballot in March 2024  and Mr. Manfredi replied yes. The levy has been on the ballot every five years since 1985. Reviewer Note: Berkshire voters did not pass the renewal permanent improvement levy in March 2024.

The commenter (who was later addressed as Mrs. List) then expressed her dissatisfaction with how the school has handled the conflict with the Geauga Fair Board. She said she “... knows that things between two entities can be difficult.”  She agreed with a newspaper quote from Dr. Stoddard in which he said it was a big waste of taxpayer money. She said they were wrong not to negotiate and asked why it seemed that only Dr. Stoddard and no Board members were involved. She claimed that for more than a year, no one from the school had met with the Fair Board lawyers. She said it seemed that the school was wasting taxpayer money by “not humbling yourselves” and getting out there trying to work things out. She suggested the school form a small committee of Board members without Dr. Stoddard or anyone else who has been involved in the issue previously. She thought they might make more progress with a  fresh group. Mrs. List offered to be on the committee. 

Dr. Stoddard said that the newspaper article was not entirely accurate. The school has reached out multiple times to the Fair Board lawyers through the school’s lawyers. He said he and Mr. Manfredi have met at least 6 times with different members of the Fair Board. They are trying to find a solution, but the Fair Board hasn’t told Berkshire “what they want or what their goal is.” The school is currently trying to arrange another meeting with the Fair Board. Dr. Stoddard said he would be happy to involve Mrs. List. She said she thinks starting talks over with a new team could prevent wasting citizens’ money by keeping the dispute out of court. 

Observer Note: Geauga County Fairground and Berkshire Schools are in a legal dispute over flooding on the fairgrounds, which the fairgrounds board contends didn’t exist before construction on the new Berkshire campus.

Mrs. Miller commented that the Board appreciates feedback. Mrs. Miller said she was attending meetings with the Fair Board before she was on the School Board. The situation has been ongoing and everyone hopes that “things can work out and we can be neighbors.” She said that Dr. Stoddard has been doing a great job and that the Board and Superintendent are a team. Mrs. Stone offered a quote from Mr. Manfredi, “for us it’s always about the kids.” 

8:25 min  Treasurer’s Report

8:30 min  Financial Statements

The Treasurer submitted a statement to the Board and the Superintendent showing the revenues and receipts from whatever sources derived, the various Appropriations made by the board, the expenditures and disbursements therefrom, the purposes thereof, and the balances remaining in each fund.  The financial statements for the period ending May 2024 have been submitted subject to audit and include: Financial Summary, Appropriations and Revenue Summary, Check Register Recap, and Bank Reconciliation per ORC 3313.29.

 

9:00 min  Donations

 

The Board unanimously approved donations from the following sources:

 

 

Mr. Manfredi noted that he was at the Awards Night at which scholarships are given out. He said it seems like every year new people step up and try to help the local kids. He thanked both donors, noting that they had been either coaches and/or teachers at Berkshire Schools.

 

10:20 min  Financial Amendments

 

The Board unanimously approved without discussion the following Financial Amendments:

 

Contracts Insurance Coverages 24/25 School Year:

 

Ohio School Plan             Property Insurance             $ 82,840.00

Evolve                                Cyber Coverage                   $ 16,500.00

Travelers Insurance         Crime                                     $  2,800.00

 

 Cash Transfers/Advances/Advance Repayments:

            

Then & Now Invoices

 

 

 Temporary Appropriations - FY25

 

 

10:55 min  Superintendent’s Report

Personnel

Dr. Stoddard requested a motion to approve personnel actions for certified, classified, administrative and exempt staff as listed on the agenda. Also up for approval were the negotiated agreement between the Berkshire Educational Association for fiscal years 2025, 2026 and 2027 and the exempt salary schedule for fiscal years 2025, 2026 and 2027.

See Meeting Minutes for the complete list of personnel and actions.

11:20 min Before the Board vote, Dr. Stoddard introduced two newly hired pre-school teachers, Mary Anne Eppler and Nicole Thurling. The teachers’ brief remarks were inaudible on the meeting video. Board members welcomed them both. Mr. Manfredi emphasized how critical their roles as intervention specialists will be for student classroom success.

14:35 min  Board members Mrs. Miller, Mrs. Stone, Mr. Wadsworth and Mr. Manfredi voted to approve the personnel actions. Mr. Berman abstained.

15:05 min  School Calendars

The Board unanimously approved the school calendars for 2024-25 and 2025-26.

Before the vote, Dr. Stoddard reminded the Board that these calendars reflect revisions made after feedback from families and in consultation with teachers.  The school years on the new calendars will start after Labor Day and end before Memorial Day. The change was facilitated by extending the school day a half hour longer than currently.

Mrs. Miller expressed enthusiasm for this change and hopes other schools follow Berkshire’s lead. Mr. Manfredi agreed that starting after the county fair and the hot weather of August “makes a lot of sense.”

16:35 min  Class of 2024

The Board unanimously approved without discussion the Berkshire graduating class list for the 2023-24 school year. A list was not available to attendees.

17:06 min Handbooks

The Board unanimously approved the following handbooks for the 2024-35 school years:

• Parent Handbook Early Childhood Center

• Student Athlete Handbook

• Coaches Handbook

Mrs. Stone said she was impressed and grateful because she knows how much work goes into creating the handbooks.

17:50 min. Contract Approvals

The Board voted unanimously without discussion to approve the following contracts for special education services:

• Crossroads Health

• Education Alternatives

• Educational Service Center (ESC) of the Western Reserve

• Bright Futures Therapeutic Services

18:25 min Old Business

Dr. Stoddard told the Board that the court ruled in favor of the Fair Board on the eviction from the other building. The school has filed an appeal to give themselves time to come up with an alternative plan for the courses currently taught at that location.

Observer Note:  The Geauga County Agricultural Society sued Berkshire Schools to force them to vacate the location at 14259 Claridon-Troy Road which the school has used for their diesel repair and special needs job skills classes.  See April, 2024 LWV Geauga Observer Report for more information.

19:15 min New Business

Dr. Stoddard presented the Student Wellness and Success Plan which has been in place for the past several years. The program goals are:

• Enhanced student resilience and coping skills

• Academic improvement 

• Improved mental health and wellbeing

• Empowerment 

• Effective small group intervention

 Some of the plan’s components are:

• Sources of strength for K-8 grades

• AmeriCorps for early literacy tutoring of younger students

• Outside Service Providers such as Ravenwood Health, Family Pride and University Hospitals

• School Day Programming coordinated by the school’s prevention specialist and other counselors, and includes prevention groups, such as “lunch bunch.”

The hope is that “by integrating these comprehensive programs and resources, Berkshire District aims to create a supportive environment that nurtures students’ academic and emotional development, while equipping them with the skills needed for lifelong success.”

22:30 min Necessity for a renewal levy tax in excess of the 10-Mill limitation.

The Board unanimously approved without discussion a motion to adopt the resolution of necessity to levy a renewal tax in excess of the 10-Mill limitation. The resolution states: It is necessary for the School District to renew all of the Existing Levy, which is a tax in excess of the ten-mill limitation, for the purpose of remodeling, renovating and otherwise improving school buildings, furnishing and equipping school buildings and equipping and otherwise improving school sites.

 

23:12 min  Burton Library Tax Budget

The Board unanimously approved without discussion the 2025 Burton Library Tax Budget. Reviewer Note:  The history of Burton Library includes the following statement: “The Library was reorganized in 1937 as a school district library and became known as the Burton Public Library.”  See Burton Public Library website for more information.

23:35 min  Berkshire Career Tech Program Funding Award

Dr. Stoddard’s final new business item was about his recent telephone call from State Senator Sandra O’Brien. He said the senator had sponsored a program to help grow Berkshire’s career tech programs and as a result the state is awarding $915,037.00 to help expand their diesel tech and medical assisting programs. Mr. Manfredi thanked Dr. Stoddard and their helpers in Columbus, including Representative Steve Demetriou, for supporting the effort. Mr. Manfredi noted how important it is for the school to grow their vocational programs.

25:00 min Board Discussion

No Executive Session

 

25:42 min  Meeting was adjourned

Next Meetings: Following this meeting, the next Board meeting dates are July 22, 2024 and August 12, 2024.  All meetings are at 6:00 PM at the Berkshire Board of Education Auditorium, 14155 Claridon Troy Road, Burton, Ohio 44021

 

Observer: Rooney Moy

Editor: Sarah McGlone

Reviewer: Gail Roussey

Date Submitted: 7/12/24

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