By Andrew Walsh
awalsh@wbcowqel.com
It was a quick meeting for the Galion School Board Thursday night, but nevertheless some important issues were discussed. Chief among them was the Communication Program.
Chris Stone is the administrator of this program, and he first expressed his pride at being able to work with the district where he sends his children. The program he is running is a district wide effort to engage with the community on as many platforms and in as broad a way as possible. They began work on Oct. 27 of this year.
One of Stone’s first acts, when work commenced, was a page by page review of the current district website. He deleted the old content and added links to the district’s new social media outlets. He has also compiled a survey for the entire Galion staff in an effort to determine the top five things that they think should be added, deleted, or changed.
Newsworthy articles, press releases, and other items of a similar nature are being posted to the district site and being shared with various news media in the area, and having the district participate in social media output is also a new piece. Stone light-heartedly mentioned that students are adapting to the social media outlets a little slowly, as they are as of yet unsure what to think about the district “tweeting” and posting to Facebook. He is confident that the numbers for both of these platforms will see a significant boost in the next month
Stone meets weekly with the building administrators, Tuesdays at 9 a.m. They meet for approximately an hour, during which time he gives his update and then receives theirs. After these meetings, Stone walks the buildings looking for new things the students are doing that would make for quality content. He held up as a shining example the artwork that is constantly being posted by the kindergarten kids.
These various phases of the project are working together toward a couple of goals. First, Stone said he wants to have five published stories per week. Another is to have a district Youtube channel with video updates from the superintendent and administrators. Then that leads to the ultimate goal for this year: a district news app.
Stone envisions a three part roll-out for this, to make sure the bugs are all worked out: first, to the administrators and the board; second, to the staff; and then third to the general public. This would be to provide the whole gamut of district updates from sports scores to elementary updates.
Although it’s only been a few weeks so far, Stone and the board are positive on what has occurred.
“It works,” Stone said, “We’re getting out into the community.”
Superintendent Mark Stefanik and Board President Dennis Long were in agreement. They both spoke this new platform’s ability to not only spread positive information, but as a means of spreading some of the misinformation that can travel around when left unchallenged.
Treasurer Charlene Parkinson gave the financial report. There is a current cash balance of $5.2 million, but this number will be taking a hit as a $1.1 million bond payment is coming due next Wednesday.
Stefanik and the Board held a special meeting 10 days ago, perfect timing too, to address a snow removal contract. Stefanik joked that he didn’t think holding off until tonight’s meeting to address this issue would work, and he was proved right. The lowest bidder was Earthworm Construction, and thy agreed to a per occurrence contract of $650 for plowing and $450 for salt distribution.
The board rescinded the contract with the NOAH project for the purchase of the old high school property. The NOAH project had been planning for the last several years senior living apartments at this area, but this contract came with two conditions, one of which the buyers’ were unable to complete. The NOAH project is no longer in existence, and the property is going back to the district. Long did mention he’s already received several expressions of interest, but serious discussions of what the next step will be are being held for a later time.