Bay Board of Education Oct. 25 meeting overview

This report contains member observations and selected highlights of the Oct. 25 meeting of the Bay Village Board of Education. It is not an official statement by the League of Women Voters, nor does it represent the official minutes of the meeting.

The regular meeting of the Bay Village Board of Education was called to order at 6:35 by Board President Lisa Priemer in the Middle School library. Board members in attendance were Vice President Dave Vegh, Mrs. Beth Lally, and Dr. Scott Schultz. Mr. Paul Vincent was not in attendance.

Acceptance of Donations: Dr. Ed Horvath, physician, former colonel, U.S. Army Medical Corps, and member of VFW Post 9693 of Bay Village presented a $20,000 scholarship check to be used for students pursing a military career. Dr. Horvath said that the VFW hopes to continue to contribute $500 per year in years to come.

The Board also accepted a donation by Pat Jensen of a variety of musical instruments and accessories.

Certified and Classified Personnel: Several changes to certified and classified personnel were accepted. A full list of these changes can be found here: go.boarddocs.com/oh/bvcsd/Board.nsf/Public. Notable is the hiring of long-term substitute teachers for each school building to address the substitute teacher shortage.  

Contract with PSI Affiliates for St. Raphael School: Approval was given to authorize the superintendent to enter into contracts with PSI Affiliates for the 2021-22 school year for services for St. Raphael School. Details of those contracts can be found here: go.boarddocs.com/oh/bvcsd/Board.nsf/Public.

Letter of Agreement: The Bay Village City Schools will provide transportation to students and staff at Bay Presbyterian Preschool in the event of an evacuation emergency.

Superintendent Update: Interim Superintendent Char Shryock recognized the Bay High School Key Club that was awarded a proclamation from the Ohio Senate for their work raising more than $48,000 in five years for the Thirst Project. Key Club advisor Mrs. Anita Bauknecht introduced sophomores Lucy Gillette and Mary Catherine Murtaugh who led the fundraising effort last year. They explained that the Thirst Project installs wells in areas of the world where there is no clean water.

Superintendent Shryock asked the Board to approve a resolution for the support of military-connected children and families in our community. Shryock noted that this resolution goes beyond the Purple Star designation as it acknowledges the special pressures faced by military families.

The Superintendent also asked that the Board approve the Bay Individual/Small Group Instruction Teachers Association Memorandum of Understanding regarding the PublicSchool Works Training and professional development related to BrightBytes and Ohio ES for the 2021-2022 school year. It will allow these teachers to complete this training from home on Jan. 5, 2022, a designated teacher workday.

The Board approved both items.

Superintendent Shryock presented an update entitled “A Story in Data: Wearing Our Honors Lightly” that she emphasized was a snapshot of the academic accomplishments of the district in lieu of the Ohio Report Card Grades. The overall scores show that Bay students continue to perform well above the proficiency standards set by the state, including those with disabilities, those who are economically disadvantaged, and other categories. The data shows that, even through the pandemic, Bay students continue to perform well, placing the Bay Schools in the top tier of schools in Ohio. Her report was recorded; you can find a link to it here: bayk12.org/article/570086.

Treasurer’s Report: Treasurer Meghan Rohde’s financial report showed that 73.5% of the budget is spent on classroom instruction which includes teachers, teacher aides, supplies, Chromebooks, and textbooks. Bay ranks 21 out of 263 compared to like districts in Ohio. Bay’s operating spending per pupil is $12,932 compared to $10,334 statewide. Rohde pointed out that, although Bay is near the top of Ohio districts for spending, it is near the top 3% of all schools in performance. Of course, our district is heavily reliant on local taxes, unlike most districts in the state. A link to the video of the complete report can be found here: bayk12.org/page/treasurer.

The Board approved the Treasurer’s report as well as the recommendation for the disposal of miscellaneous items and the Records Retention Schedule.

Public Comments: Although several people chose not to take a turn addressing the Board, there were two speakers at the meeting. A mother from a military family in Bay was very satisfied with the Bay Schools and how they helped her daughter, who had moved school districts repeatedly, feel at home and develop fully. The second speaker was unhappy with what she perceived as lack of response from the Board and administration.

The next regular Board of Education meeting will be Monday, Nov. 8.