×

Buckeye Local purchasing 911 radio systems

ADDING INPUT — Seven Buckeye Local High School student representatives have been selected whose responsibilities include gathering student input, sharing ideas and reporting to the school board as part of a new initiative. The representatives were named during the Dec. 16 meeting and include, from left, front, juniors Bella Russell, Kylie Watt and Jack Newell; back, senior Addie Erwin, junior Brooke Kovalski and junior Hudson Matthews. Senior Alyssa Dailey also is a representative. -- Contributed

CONNORVILLE — Buckeye Local School District will be acquiring new radio systems to improve coverage and reduce issues with reception, particularly on buses in rural areas.

School board members took action during the regular session on Monday and approved the purchase of 911 radios from Bearcom Communications for an estimated $177,655. Superintendent Coy Sudvary said the newer devices will improve connections since they utilize the county 911 signals.

“We’re having coverage issues in different areas of the district with the hand-held radios and the bus radios not consistently reaching the bus garage or buildings,” Sudvary said. “For example, there was a windstorm that knocked some trees down and the buses were stuck and it created issues with lack of communication. The new radios are utilizing the 911 radio system and (district Maintenance Supervisor Tony Panepucci, who is also a local firefighter) currently has extensive knowledge of the coverage area within the district. We will have a stronger radio signal for communications and new equipment will be implemented on each bus, district vehicles, and portable radios as well.”

Sudvary said first responders communicate through 911 systems and it would help enhance connections throughout the district and area.

Meanwhile, district Curriculum Coordinator Susan Bachmann and Assistant Superintendent Julie Packer informed the board about the ongoing Each Child on Track program to support students at risk of not graduating. The district has been working with Ohio State Support Team Region 12 (SST-12) to collect data at the high school, but they also expanded their study to all buildings in order to reach more students.

“We’re collecting information to see if students are at risk of not graduating and we’re looking at attendance, behavior and grades,” said Bachmann. “We’re tracking grades 9-12 and that accumulates in the questionnaire I turned in. We did it for the first nine weeks and we’ll do it again for the second nine weeks.”

Buckeye Local High School Principal Luke Parsons and Assistant Principal Janelle Windsheimer were reviewing the figures and looking for remedies to support the students. Bachmann added that data was also recorded for the elementary schools and junior high building so officials could put their own plans into place.

Among other matters:

• Board Vice President Teresa George introduced seven student representatives from BLHS who will be responsible for obtaining students’ ideas, sharing issues and reporting to board members. Interviews were held and those selected included senior Alyssa Dailey and Addie Erwin and juniors Bella Russell, Kylie Watt, Jack Newell, Brooke Kovalski and Hudson Matthews. Most of the new representatives were on hand for the meeting and will return for the January session;

• Panepucci updated officials on maintenance projects throughout the district, including repairs to the auditorium ceiling and steps at Buckeye South Elementary, the art room at the junior high, the high school gym HVAC unit and the boiler system at North Elementary. During his safety report, he said he wanted to set up monthly active shooter drills with the sheriff’s office;

• The board heard that the number of student breakfasts and lunches were increasing;

• Officials approved an anonymous $20,000 donation for the purchase of new wrestling mats and a $1,000 contribution in memory of Smithfield High School alumna Eleanor (Rizzi) Vasich to defray negative student cafeteria account balances;

• Leaders passed a resolution to establish the SHP-OSBA Scholarship Fund and appropriate $1,000;

• The board accepted a resignation from long-term substitute teacher Dominic Gorence, effective Dec. 20; approved a continuing classified contract for Ashlyn Haught as an aide at West Elementary; approved supplemental duties for Christopher Kiedaisch as head football coach, Sam Jones as head golf coach and Charles Sempkowski as head cross country coach at BLHS for the 2025-26 school year; approved pupil activity contracts for Abbey Wilson as head volleyball coach at BLHS and Trevor Zanes as seventh-grade boys’ basketball coach at BLJHS; and employed substitutes Makayla Higgins as aide, cook and secretary and Tammy Morelli as cook and custodian;

• The board recognized BLHS football team and players Alex McDiffitt, Brennin Takach and Andrew Jones as First Team All-MOVL and Xavier Eastham and Marek Hickman as Second Team All-MOVL;

• Sudvary thanked Action Images for donating framed photographs for the board meeting room;

• The board set the organizational meeting for Jan. 13 at 5:30 p.m. at the administrative office in Dillonvale with board member Brooke Stingle to serve as president pro tempore. The regular session will follow at 5:45 p.m.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

Starting at $2.99/week.

Subscribe Today