GIRARD HIGH WWII vet receives diploma

A new asthma program is being implemented throughout the district.
ANGELA V. WOODHULL
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
GIRARD -- It's been 60 years since Carmen Vadino set foot in Girard High School, but Wednesday was a dream come true.
Vadino, a World War II army veteran, was awarded his high school diploma by Superintendent Marty Santillo in front of 13 onlookers, including his wife, Pearl, and his daughter, Karen Vadino.
The diploma was handed over during the regularly scheduled board of education meeting.
"I feel like I'm on cloud nine," Vadino declared, eyes moist. The new graduate learned from two lifetime friends that a diploma would be granted to him if he simply presented his Army discharge verification papers and completed an application form. Within a week, he was notified that his diploma had arrived.
Looking back
Vadino, 78, still recalls the fateful day when he arrived home from Girard High School, two days after his 18th birthday, and was standing on a ladder painting the kitchen ceiling white when his mother handed him an unopened letter from Uncle Sam.
"Greetings from your friends and neighbors," the salutation began.
Vadino stopped painting to collect his thoughts. On the morning of April 17, 1943, Vadino told the high school principal that he would not be coming back any time soon.
As a draftee, Vadino served in the Army artillery for two years until the war ended.
He was there when the boats landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day. "Ninety percent were killed but I walked off that boat alive."
Returning to Girard, Vadino worked for U.S. Steel in electrical maintenance and as a part-time supervisor until it closed its doors in 1980.
"I often thought about that diploma," Vadino said. His daughter will be hosting a graduation party for Vadino on Sunday.
On board's agenda
In other business Wednesday, the board announced that an additional $10,000 from the Safe Supportive Grant has been obtained and will be used for drug education.
Purchase orders used to be limited to $5,000 but a new state law allows schools to draft a single purchase order up to $25,000 without going through board approval.
M-Engineering of Columbus has been granted $14,400 to assess the HVAC systems and structural foundation of Girard Intermediate School from the time it was first built.
A new asthma program will be implemented districtwide. Pupils who suffer from asthma will be required to complete information that will be on file with the school nurse so that staff will be alerted to emergency symptoms. The new program will include in-service training for teachers.
Two additional in-service workshops for special-education teachers have been scheduled.
Alternate Assessments will commence today.
Ohio state auditors concluded in a Oct. 16 report that the 5.9-mill operating levy is necessary for the school system to function. Santillo, at the recommendation of the auditors, has eliminated $350,000 from the current fiscal budget. This included eliminating one administrator and one secretarial position and cutting some custodial staff. There has been no new operating levy since 1988.
Girard High School is officially the district volleyball champ after defeating Brookfield High School on Wednesday.