L’view board honors Lancer CC team

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent correspondent

The Lincolnview Board of Education moved quickly through a light agenda during Wednesday night’s regular monthly meeting.

In less than one hour, the board wrapped up year-end business and looked ahead to 2017.

Board members honored members and coaches of the Lincolnview High School cross country team for placing 20th at last month’s state tournament, and also praised students in grades 3-12 for outstanding winter concert presentations.

Treasurer Troy Bowersock said expenditures have been steady, but also noted that, with colder weather here, costs will increase for gas, electric, and snow removal.

Superintendent Jeff Snyder noted that, so far this year, 16 hours of school have been missed due to delays or closures. Once that number hits 57, students and staff will need to start making up time missed, he explained.

Snyder said the decision to delay or close school is based on several different factors, and added that the decision isn’t always an easy one.

“We do communicate with other districts and have conversations to see what they might be doing and thinking,” Snyder said. “That goes for fog, ice, and snow, and everything in between.”

“By no means are we going to put any of our kids in jeopardy,” Snyder added.

Snyder also thanked people who attended two recent meetings to learn more about a proposed new 33,000-square-foot multipurpose community center planned at the school, and he said a third meeting may be scheduled sometime after the holidays.

“We’re still gathering emails and things like that before we decide where we go next, in terms of that potential project,” Snyder said. “There is no time period to make a decision.”

“If anybody in the community feels they want to come in and have a discussion with myself or Mr. Bowersock, we welcome that,” Snyder added.

The board was also reminded of several upcoming important dates, including the elementary Spelling Bee in the elementary cafeteria at 1 p.m. Friday, the elementary talent show at 1:30 p.m. December 20, and Christmas vacation, which begins December 21 and runs through January 2.

In other business, the Lincolnview Board of Education:

• Renewed OSBA (Ohio School Boards Association) membership for 2017 at a cost of $3,366, and renewed membership in the OSBA Legal Assistance Fund for $250.
• Approved the Lincolnview indoor track club for the 2016-2017 school year, and Matt Langdon and Ben Cowan as unpaid volunteer coaches for the club.
• Approved an overnight trip for the high school wrestling team at the Van Buren Wrestling Invitational January 20-21, and the Board approved an overnight trip for Lincolnview FFA members and advisor Krista Seibert to attend the FFA Leadership Conference in Columbus January 14-15.
• Authorized board member Eric Germann to attend the Equity Symposium and Advocacy Institute in Washington, D.C., January 28-30. Germann was absent from Wednesday’s meeting.

The next meeting of the Lincolnview Board of Education will be held Wednesday, January 4, 2017, in the Neubrecht Lecture Hall. The annual organizational meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m., with board member Kirk Berryman serving as president pro-tem. The regular monthly meeting will begin at the conclusion of the organizational meeting.