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TORONTO -- The Toronto Board of Education learned Thursday the school district has been awarded a grant to help homeless students and hired a contractor to repair the damaged gym floor at Toronto Elementary School.
Superintendent Maureen Taggart announced the district has been approved for a $16,500 Homeless Targeted Support Grant supported by federal American Recovery Plan funds and issued through the Ohio Department of Education.
Taggart said while the grant reflects the comparatively lower number of homeless students in Toronto City Schools, she and other administrators know, through student registrations, the district does serve youth who are classified as homeless.
She noted the federal definition for a homeless person includes not only someone living on the streets but also individuals and families living in shelters or with family members in what is seen as a temporary situation.
Taggart said the grant will be used to raise staff's awareness of that and of the trauma experienced by homeless youth as well as providing toiletries and other physical assistance to them.
She said the school district offers free meals for all students but also has provided food to families in emergency situations as well as referring them to such charities as the Helping Hands Food Pantry and Salvation Army.
Taggart added homeless youth also may receive free medical services through the school-based health center operated in the school district by C.H.A.N.G.E. Inc.
In other business, the board approved a $150,000 contract with Cincinnati Flooring to replace the floor of the Toronto Elementary School gymnasium.
Since school officials discovered and removed a small section of the floor that had become warped last year, other boards have started to rise.
The discovery came as a surprise as the school was built in 2019, and there's no record of a utility line beneath the gym.
Taggart said inspectors and a forensic engineer with the district's insurance provider haven't been able to determine the cause of the buckling but its insurance claim for the damage has been approved, leaving the district responsible only for the $500 deductible.
She noted it's possible that once all of the boards are removed, the cause could be determined.
Crews are slated to start work on April 3 for the project, which will require six to eight weeks unless additional work is needed to address an underlying issue.
Taggart said while plans were made to use the gym in the nearby Karaffa Recreation Center, the school's staff was able to work around the damaged areas.
Personnel matters and recognition of students and staff for various accomplishments filled out much of Thursday's meeting.
The board approved a three-year contract for Taggart, who said, "I'm happy to continue to serve as superintendent. My heart is in Toronto."
Hired as superintendent in 2017, she is in her 31st year in the school district, serving previously as teacher, principal at each grade level and technology coordinator and director of special programs for the board office.
The board also approved the hiring of Kayla Whitlatch as its treasurer, effective Dec. 1, and Willy Luther as its director of special programs.
A Toronto High School graduate, Whitlatch currently serves in the treasurer's office for Steubenville City Schools and as city auditor for Toronto. She will fill a vacancy left with the retirement of Coleen Wickham, who has held the position for 10 years.
Luther has been served as interim special programs director through a contract with the Jefferson County Educational Service Center and will become a Toronto Schools employee on Aug. 1.
He served previously as an administrator for Buckeye Local Schools.
The board also recognized the following staff and students:
● Kayla Mosti, a sixth-grade reading and math instructor who has received the Coalition of Rural and Appalachian Schools' Outstanding Middle School Teacher award.
Taggart said each year the coalition which represents 110 school districts in 32 Ohio counties, honors an educator in a different grade level in each district, for their efforts and active involvement in the schools where they teach.
Taggart said in addition to her hard work in the classroom, Mosti founded and advises the high school's chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and is involved in other organizations.
She noted Toronto's Caryn Bodnar was among elementary level teachers recognized by the organization last year.
● Mark Ferrell, who received Horizon Award for the Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association's Eastern Ohio District. The honor is given to school athletic directors who have demonstrated professionalism and involvement during their first five years in the position.
Ferrell's flexibility in adapting to changes wrought by the pandemic and renovations to the district's football field and athletic track were noted.
● Toronto High School's Red Wolves Destination Imagination team, which placed second at the regional level of the competition, which encourages problem-solving, creativity and teamwork. Advised by Elizabeth Kuntz, the team will advance to the state competition to be held April 1 in Barberton.
● High school students Monique Sloane, Haley Rudder and Journey West, who placed first, second and third in Trashy Art Contest held by the JB Green Team and Megan Fogle, Taylor Hill and Johanna Merritt, who received honorable mention. The teens were challenged to create art from recycled items.
The board also heard a performance by the high school's choir which, under the direction of Amanda Speece, will be among many competing in the Valley's Got Talent competition to be held at 7 p.m. today at the Sycamore Youth Center.