School board OKs tech spending

By Mary Smith

MINERAL RIDGE— Weathersfield Board of Education has approved spending up to $35,225 for a districtwide technology plan for kindergarten through grade 12 for the 2008-09 school year.

Superintendent Michael Hanshaw said Wednesday that plans are to buy two or three new computers at Seaborn Elementary, more LCD projectors to hook up to computers for each school, and new televisions for class presentations for all buildings.

He said what is purchased will depend on the final cost. Included in spending for the technology plan will be a $2,500 E-Tech Ohio Professional Development Grant the district has received.

The board has received its May edition of the five-year forecast from Treasurer Laurena Rouan, which continues to show a projected deficit in 2011 of $1.1 million. Hanshaw said the district will receive a letter from the state in December, 2008 letting it know when it will place the district under fiscal caution and then fiscal emergency.

A cumulative balance of replacement and renewal levies in 2011 will total $1 million, which will leave the district with a projected $124,180 deficit. The five-year forecast must be prepared by the treasurer in October and May.

“There is no way to make $1 million in cuts in a small district with a $10 million budget and continue to operate,” Hanshaw said.

Voluntary assignment changes for teachers were approved as follows:

Dawn Hamilton, from third grade to Title I teacher (grades one to four) at Seaborn Elementary; Meghan Ghizzoni from fourth grade to third grade at Seaborn; Frank Smith, from physical education teacher at Seaborn to physical education and health teacher at the middle school; Sam Raketa from seventh/eighth-grade math to computer teacher for fifth- to eighth-grades at the middle school; and Shawn Brown, from seventh- grade teacher to fifth-grade teacher at the middle school.

The board also approved the Middle School Summer Intervention Program, which will emphasize reading and math, to be from 9 to 11 a.m. Aug. 4-5 at the middle school for pupils going into sixth and seventh grades next year and the Seaborn Elementary two-week K-3 Jump Start/Intervention Program Aug. 4-15 for five days per week from 9 to 11 a.m.

Also approved was the “Summer Success Reading” program for second- and third-graders Monday through Thursday, July 7-31 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Hired were summer intervention teachers at Seaborn Elementary and the middle school for August 2008 at a rate of $22 an hour. They are: Kim Bubon, Cathy Guerra, Kelly Hontula, Marianne Knight, Denise Stevens, Joe Stevens and Casey Hartley.

Also hired were teachers for “Summer Success: Reading” at Seaborn Elementary at $21 an hour from July 7-15 and $22 an hour from July 16-31 (teachers contracts require the change in hourly rate after July 15): Kim Bubon, Marianne Knight, Amy Havaich and Meghan Jenkins.