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Poland gears up to go back to school
POLAND
As Poland students gear up for the start of the 2014-15 school year, the board of education will begin the process of applying for state funding to build new facilities, according to Superintendent David Janofa.
The board of education unanimously voted to apply for the funding at a meeting Monday. The funds would come from the Ohio School Facilities Commission’s Classroom Facilities Assistance Program, which distributes funding for new educational facilities based on assessments of property valuation per student in each Ohio school district.
The program started in 1997, but the Poland School District has not been considered for funding until now because schools are eligible to apply after school districts with lower assessed wealth have been given the opportunity to take advantage of the program, Janofa said.
“Because of our district’s wealth, the percentage of money that the state will give Poland local schools is significantly lower than what they would give [the school with the lowest assessed wealth],” he said.
“This is just the very first step, where we notify the state,” Janofa said. Once the board notifies the state of its interest in the program, the state would do a districtwide analysis of Poland’s school facilities.
Janofa received a notice from the commission earlier this summer saying that Poland School District was eligible to apply. The next step is to let the state know that the board voted to move forward in the process, he said.
The beginning of the school year also will feature a number of new staff members for the district, including new Mahoning County curriculum consultants, a new technology director and seven new teachers.
The board unanimously voted to hire Jonathan Petra as director of Technology Integration and Support Services for the district. An intervention specialist, high school science teacher, 7th grade math teacher, second- and third-grade teachers for North Elementary School, a kindergarten teacher for Union Elementary School and a health and physical education teacher for the district were among the new hires.
“We’re very excited about the new staff. That’s one of the most important things we do, is bring in the best candidates we can,” Janofa said.
“A big deal for us is the new sidewalk,” he said, referring to the sidewalk that was recently installed along state Route 170.
“I think it’s going to take a little bit of time and encouragement, and potentially some programs” to get students to use the sidewalk, he added.
Another addition for this year is the installation of a new scoreboard at the high school football stadium, Janofa said.
The first day of school is Sept. 2.