Toronto school board approves calendar, work on buildings, grounds
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TORONTO -- While warmer months may seem far off and the next school year even farther, the Toronto Board of Education approved contractors for the maintenance of school grounds and the calendar for the 2024-25 school year as well as the painting of two murals in the high school gym.
On the calendar, Aug. 21 has been designated as the first day of school for grades 1-12 while kindergarteners will report on Aug. 23 and pre-schoolers on Aug. 26.
The calendar includes four school days off for Thanksgiving, from Nov. 27 to Dec. 2; two weeks off for Christmas, from Dec. 23 to Jan. 3; and three school days off for Easter, from April 17 to 21.
Pending cancelations for inclement weather or other circumstances, the last day for grades pre-K through 11 is slated to be May 29. May 16 has been designated the last day for high school seniors, for whom commencement exercises have been set for May 18.
The board also approved a $9,675 contract with Houk Lawn Care & Landscaping of Bloomingdale for fertilization and insect control at the school entrance and track/practice field area and fertilization, insect control, fall aerification, seeding and winterization of the irrigation system for the baseball field.
The board also agreed to hire Glenn's Ground Crew for grass cutting services, with the Toronto business to receive $550 per cut for school grounds, $350 per cut for athletic grounds and $100 for other school property.
Superintendent Maureen Taggart said the service's prices are somewhat higher than last year, but its crews will be using its own equipment and gasoline this year.
The board also approved the painting of two murals by Scott Hagan, the Barn Artist, of Jerusalem, Ohio, at a cost of $7,400.
Taggart said one mural will depict the Toronto Red Knight on horseback and the other, the words "Toronto Red Knights." The two are to be painted above the student section of the high school gym.
The board also:
• Heard from school nurse Katie Long, who reported 776 vision screenings had been conducted using the Welch Allyn Spot Screener equipment purchased by the board for about $10,349 in December.
Long noted because the equipment takes a photo of each student's eyes to indicate possible impairments, it can be used with children with special needs or young children who often are less verbal.
Long said the equipment is used to measure visual acuity, issues with distance, the presence of a "lazy eye" and may even help to determine if a child's eyeglasses or contacts are sufficient.
She said because she is not a doctor, she cannot make diagnoses, but she has referred about 10 percent of the youth screened for further analysis by an eye doctor.
Board member Jay Foster noted while free periodic screenings were available in the past through the support of local Lions clubs, the new equipment is available at the school at any time.
• Heard from second grade teachers Jennifer Matyas, Jennifer Gooch and Elizabeth Donnelly, who outlined lesson plans centered around the many holidays in February.
The educators described how occasions such as Groundhog Day, Black History Month, Presidents Day, Chinese New Year and Mardi Gras presented opportunities to teach about the science of shadows, figures in the Civil Rights Movement, the role of the president and food and other aspects of different cultures.
• Approved the hirings of Kelli Naylor and Madison Zdinak as head and assistant senior high cheering coaches; Morgan Bouscher as assistant junior high volleyball coach, and Jennifer Brown and Allyson Hammond as head and assistant senior high softball coaches.
It also approved the hiring of the following as counselors for the sixth-grade camp: Jim Brown, Rich Coburn, Cathie Thomas, Kayla Mosti, Susan Crites and Chelsie Allison.
• Agreed to move its next meeting to 5 p.m. March 28 in the junior-senior high school library because of a scheduling conflict. Its finance committee will meet at 4:15 p.m. that day.