New leaders named, school recognized at Toronto board meeting
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TORONTO -- tthe Toronto Board of Education Thursday named new leaders for this year and recognized a local school for its efforts to promote positive behavior among students.
Buddy Tucker, a representative of the Region 12 State Support Team, an affiliate of the Ohio Department of Education, presented a bronze award to Toronto Elementary School for receiving a score of 80 percent or better in an evaluation of measures administration and staff have taken to promote positive behavior.
Tucker said the rating is based on records submitted by the school of lessons and visual aids used to convey to students examples of good behavior, measures used to reward such behavior and consequences established for negative behavior and efforts by staff to coordinate such efforts.
Lori Rawson, the school's assistant principal, said with support from Head Principal Annie Silverthorn, she collected the necessary information for the school to be considered for the honor.
"I told them (the school's staff) I will get the data together because I know you do it," she said, adding she hopes the school will net a silver award next year.
Rawson and Maureen Taggart, superintendent of schools, said rewards for children at the elementary school have ranged from smiley face stickers and pencils to prize drawings and special programs.
Rawson said the small rewards are appreciated by the children, noting not all receive positive reinforcement at home.
She was joined in accepting the honor by teachers Carley Franke, Katie Mitchell, Elizabeth Donnelly and Samantha Fornsaglio.
Board President Andy Reeves said the Toronto Elementary staff are laying a good foundation for the students to follow as they enter the upper grades.
On Thursday, the board elected Reeves to lead it and J.J. Liddick to serve as its vice president as part of its annual reorganization for the calendar year ahead.
Board members also were named to the following committees: Liddick and Jay Foster to the joint recreation board comprised of board members and city council representatives and the insurance committee; Foster and Reeves to the athletic committee; Julie Ault and Reeves to the finance committee; Ault and Liddick to the buildings and grounds committee and curriculum committee; Randy Henry and Reeves to the personnel committee and policy/procedure committee; and Ault and Liddick to the records committee.
Ault also will represent the board in the Ohio School Boards Association and serve as it liaison to the state legislature and Student Achievement.
In other business, the board:
• Approved the purchase of 10 cafeteria tables from Educational Furniture at a cost of $11,468 and six picnic tables and three benches, to be used on school or athletic grounds, from K-Log School Office Furniture at a cost of $14,731.
Both expenses are to be covered by remaining federal pandemic relief funds awarded to the school district.
• Approved the purchase of two vans and a truck to transport students and school materials at a cost of $109,988 and $60,265, respectively.
• Agreed to renew membership in the Ohio School Boards Association at a cost of $4,098, and participation in its legal assistance fund at a cost of $250.
• Renewed an agreement with Kent State University through which Toronto High School students may pursue a two-year associate's degree online or at one of the university's locations, including East Liverpool.
Toronto High School Principal Betsy Jones noted earlier that 19 of the school's students are slated to receive associate's degrees this year through a similar agreement with Eastern Gateway Community College.
In related business, Reeves noted a new state scholarship has been announced. Students in the top 3 percent of each Ohio school district's graduating class will be eligible for the Governor's Scholarship, which will provide $5,000 for each of four years at an Ohio college or university, he noted.
• Heard from sixth grade teacher Katie Mosti, who recommended the annual sixth grade camp be held at YMCA Camp Kon-o-Kwee in Fombell, Pa., where students may engage in such activities as archery, fishing, indoor rock climbing, pond ecology and other science experiments.
Mosti said staff at the camp are required to undergo monthly background checks.
Taggart said the voluntary camp program is held over three days and two nights at the end of the school year, with fundraisers held to pay for students' cost.
• Was advised by Taggart the calendar for the 2024-25 school year will be presented for its approval at its next meeting, which was moved from its regular date on the third Thursday of the month to Feb. 22 at 5 p.m. in the junior-senior high school library.
She said pending the board's approval, it will include a start date of Aug. 21, a Christmas break from Dec. 23 to Jan. 3 and March 29 and April 1 as days off around Easter weekend.
Copies of it can be found in the offices at Toronto schools.