Hillsboro school board discusses athletic facility improvements, 5-year forecast
Lead Summary
By
Brandy Chandler-brandychandler@gmail.com
The Hillsboro City Schools are in the process of applying for grant funding to install lighting at the soccer field and potentially install a track at the new high school.
Board member Sam Barnhouse said that the athletic committee met with athletic director Dave Dietrick on plans for improvements to the athletic facilities.
"We're looking at different grants for the facility at the high school," Barnhouse said. "We're looking into putting in lighting at the soccer field and eventually installing a track at the soccer field."
The district has applied for a grant, Barnhouse said, through the National Soccer Association for the lighting.
"If that doesn't go through, there's a different grant we'll apply for in February from ODNR (Ohio Department of Natural Resources) for a used tire grant," he said.
The tires, he said, are recycled into the material to construct the track.
"We're trying to do some things at our facilities, but we're doing it piece by piece," Barnhouse said.
In other business, district treasurer Debbie Lawwell reported on the district's five-year forecast.
"The information presented on the five-year forecast is a reflection of what is known and available at this time," Lawwell said. "Hillsboro City Schools are stable at the present time, but given the economic condition of the state, changes will inevitably occur throughout the next five years that this document covers. Probably shortage in state funding is a possibility, and revenue challenges may be ahead for the district. We are in a position today to monitor expenditures and be proactive in looking for ways to cut costs so that we can continue the tradition of excellence for all students."
The board voted 6-0 to approve the five-year forecast.
During Lawwell's monthly financial report to the board, she reported that at the end of September, the cash balance was $5,030,396, compared to $4,486,611 this time last year. Expenses for the month were $2,027,254.
During the report of the finance committee, board member Ken Shull said that the district has a revenue problem, not a spending problem.
"For the first quarter of the year, which is July, August and September, expenditures were $200,000 less than last year. The administration and (superintendent) Rick (Earley) are doing an outstanding job to keep spending down. But the surplus is $400,000 less at this point because we had $600,000 less in revenue."
Shull said that shows that, "the problem is not on the expenditure side. We've got spending under control. The problem is on the funding side. It's not collective with these two units. It's not spending, it's because we're not fully funded at the state level and we're not fully funded at the federal level."
The board met for approximately 45 minutes in executive session to discuss the discipline of public employees. Following the meeting, Earley said that he could not elaborate on the situation regarding the employee, except to say that it was a staff member and not a faculty member.
Hillsboro Education Association president Hollis Stevenson said that on Oct. 31, the HEA will hold a meet and greet for the candidates running for Hillsboro School Board at 7 p.m. in the cafeteria at Hillsboro Elementary.
Hillsboro Middle School Principal Shannon Coblentz introduced students Natalie Stanley and Christopher Ford.
Stanley read an essay that she had written for her eighth grade history class in which she had to write a letter to a family member as if she were an early American colonist. She had to pick what colony she wanted to live in - Pennsylvania - and she discussed issues of the day, such as taxation, slavery and gender rights. Coblentz said Stanley's teacher had called the essay "exemplary."
Ford, Coblentz said, is an honor student, but is very accomplished outside the classroom, as a member of the Cincinnati Boys Choir. He has performed at the Cincinnati Opera, in New York City, Boston and Washington D.C., and will be traveling to Los Angeles next spring to perform with the group. He will be part of the choir's "Messiah" performance in December at the Church of Christ in Cincinnati. Coblentz said that in addition to his performing arts work, Ford raises funds for cancer research and sang the national anthem this year at the Relay for Life event. Ford demonstrated some of his abilities to the board by singing a song in Latin and then singing "God Bless America."
The Hillsboro City Schools are in the process of applying for grant funding to install lighting at the soccer field and potentially install a track at the new high school.
Board member Sam Barnhouse said that the athletic committee met with athletic director Dave Dietrick on plans for improvements to the athletic facilities.
"We're looking at different grants for the facility at the high school," Barnhouse said. "We're looking into putting in lighting at the soccer field and eventually installing a track at the soccer field."
The district has applied for a grant, Barnhouse said, through the National Soccer Association for the lighting.
"If that doesn't go through, there's a different grant we'll apply for in February from ODNR (Ohio Department of Natural Resources) for a used tire grant," he said.
The tires, he said, are recycled into the material to construct the track.
"We're trying to do some things at our facilities, but we're doing it piece by piece," Barnhouse said.
In other business, district treasurer Debbie Lawwell reported on the district's five-year forecast.
"The information presented on the five-year forecast is a reflection of what is known and available at this time," Lawwell said. "Hillsboro City Schools are stable at the present time, but given the economic condition of the state, changes will inevitably occur throughout the next five years that this document covers. Probably shortage in state funding is a possibility, and revenue challenges may be ahead for the district. We are in a position today to monitor expenditures and be proactive in looking for ways to cut costs so that we can continue the tradition of excellence for all students."
The board voted 6-0 to approve the five-year forecast.
During Lawwell's monthly financial report to the board, she reported that at the end of September, the cash balance was $5,030,396, compared to $4,486,611 this time last year. Expenses for the month were $2,027,254.
During the report of the finance committee, board member Ken Shull said that the district has a revenue problem, not a spending problem.
"For the first quarter of the year, which is July, August and September, expenditures were $200,000 less than last year. The administration and (superintendent) Rick (Earley) are doing an outstanding job to keep spending down. But the surplus is $400,000 less at this point because we had $600,000 less in revenue."
Shull said that shows that, "the problem is not on the expenditure side. We've got spending under control. The problem is on the funding side. It's not collective with these two units. It's not spending, it's because we're not fully funded at the state level and we're not fully funded at the federal level."
The board met for approximately 45 minutes in executive session to discuss the discipline of public employees. Following the meeting, Earley said that he could not elaborate on the situation regarding the employee, except to say that it was a staff member and not a faculty member.
Hillsboro Education Association president Hollis Stevenson said that on Oct. 31, the HEA will hold a meet and greet for the candidates running for Hillsboro School Board at 7 p.m. in the cafeteria at Hillsboro Elementary.
Hillsboro Middle School Principal Shannon Coblentz introduced students Natalie Stanley and Christopher Ford.
Stanley read an essay that she had written for her eighth grade history class in which she had to write a letter to a family member as if she were an early American colonist. She had to pick what colony she wanted to live in - Pennsylvania - and she discussed issues of the day, such as taxation, slavery and gender rights. Coblentz said Stanley's teacher had called the essay "exemplary."
Ford, Coblentz said, is an honor student, but is very accomplished outside the classroom, as a member of the Cincinnati Boys Choir. He has performed at the Cincinnati Opera, in New York City, Boston and Washington D.C., and will be traveling to Los Angeles next spring to perform with the group. He will be part of the choir's "Messiah" performance in December at the Church of Christ in Cincinnati. Coblentz said that in addition to his performing arts work, Ford raises funds for cancer research and sang the national anthem this year at the Relay for Life event. Ford demonstrated some of his abilities to the board by singing a song in Latin and then singing "God Bless America."
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