UPDATE RECEIVED — On Thursday, the Toronto Board of Education was updated on the Positive Behavior Support program used in schools and other matters. -- Warren Scott

TORONTO — While the ground is frozen and covered in many places by snow, Toronto school officials are looking ahead to months when it will be green.

Following Thursday’s meeting of the Toronto Board of Education, Superintendent Maureen Taggart provided an update on the installation of artificial turf at the softball field at Michael Simpson Park and the multipurpose field on the embankment above the parking lot for the campus that includes Toronto Elementary School and Toronto Junior-Senior High School.

Taggart said crews have laid down the artificial turf for the softball field and when warm weather returns, will be putting in material for the infield and fencing around the dugouts.

She said the field is expected to be finished in time for the Red Knights’ softball season.

Taggart said drainage structures have been installed for the multipurpose field to address runoff issues there and other work will proceed once it’s been determined the site is sufficiently dry.

She said in addition to the artificial turf and a stone foundation, crews will add a concrete curb that will serve as the turf’s border, sidewalks and fencing.

The field has been used for practices by the high school’s marching band and play by a city youth football league, and school officials look forward to using it for physical education classes also.

Located on about 2 acres near Edgar Avenue and downhill from the rear of Toronto Junior-Senior High School, Michael Simpson Park was transferred by the city last year to the school district to allow it to pursue the turf field.

Field Turf of Calhoun, Ga., is the general contractor for the two projects, which have a combined cost of $1.2 million.

On Thursday, the school board approved approved the hiring of Houk Lawn Care & Landscaping, at a cost of $9,900 for fertilization and insect control in areas at the school entrance, track and practice field and baseball field as well as fall aerification, seeding and winterization of the irrigation field for the ballfield.

It also hired Glenn’s Ground Crew to cut and weed the school’s grounds for $650 per cut, the athletic grounds for $350 per cut and any additional field cuts for $100.

West Point Paving was hired, at a cost of $37,235, to clean, seal and apply striping and other markings to the school campus’ asphalt parking lot.

The board also approved the expenditure of about $157,014 for Southeast Security to replace switches, access points, wireless controllers and servers and make other upgrades to the school district’s computer network; $5,021 for Final Floors to clean the high school and elementary school gym floors; and about $5,066 for Johnson Controls to replace a faulty control transformer.

Also approved were renewals of agreements with Lorain Community College, Stark State Community College and Belmont College through which the district’s high school students may earn college credits through the College Credit Plus program.

Also on Thursday, Lori Rawson, assistant principal of Toronto Elementary School, updated the board on the Positive Behavior Support and PAX programs implemented in Toronto schools to encourage good behavior.

Rawson said children must be taught proper behavior in school and school officials can’t assume they will start school with that knowledge.

She said overall good behavior in school allows teachers to focus on students’ academic performance and creates a positive learning environment for everyone.

Rawson said pupils at the elementary school are taught to be respectful, safe and responsible and are rewarded when “caught” demonstrating positive behavior, with cafeteria workers and bus drivers also involved in the effort.

She said the rewards may be tickets entered into weekly prize drawings or a gold coin they may use to select a children’s book from a vending machine at the school.

Rawson said signs are posted in certain areas of the school to indicate the proper voice level that should be used. For example, Level 3 is acceptable at recess while Level 0 should be followed when their teacher is teaching.

Rawson said since implementing the programs a few years ago, the incidence of pupils being sent to the principal’s office or expelled has declined.

Willy Luther, coordinator of the district’s pre-school program, said elements of the programs also have been incorporated there. He said while enrollment in pre-school isn’t mandatory, it’s helped children to learn the behavior encouraged at the elementary school.

Annie Silverthorn, principal of the elementary school, said the school’s Parent-Teacher Organization, will hold a Family Fun Night from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. today at the Karaffa Recreation Center.

The event will include food, games and other activities, with tickets for them sold at the door, two for $1.

Silverthorn added in the near future, Blessing Bags containing hats, gloves and scarves for any children who need them will be placed on the fence around the community garden at the corner of North Fourth and Clark streets.

The school board’s next meeting will be held at 5 p.m. March 20 in the library of the junior-senior high school.