Buckeye Central Board of Education discusses donation requests to help the community

By Jordan Studer

Buckeye Central Board of Education met Thursday evening to discuss a long list of agenda items. One item under discussion was the Community Opportunity project being done by the Crawford County Partnership for Education and Economic Development and the Quality of Life Action Team.

The Partnership is asking that local schools donate $5,000 to help the website and project take-off. Superintendent Mark Robinson said that although he isn’t sure how the project will directly affect their village of New Washington, he knows it will help the county and suggested the board approve the donation.

“Will it have a direct, ‘I can tell you this is the direct impact on Buckeye Central Local Schools,’? I don’t know that we’ll ever be able to say that. Will it have a direct impact on Crawford County? I guess that’s what everybody is counting on and trusting in with the expenditures,” Robinson said.

Board member Chris Martin questioned where the donated money would be going, as he heard that it is all for billboards. Vice President Beth Diesch brought up how a grant project works and what other money must be made to continue a project such as that.

Diesch explained that from her experience with grants, when a grant gives money toward something, it must be matched with something else. She explained that it doesn’t necessarily mean that the $5,000 wouldn’t be going toward advertising, as that would be part of the whole package. Diesch pointed out that a grant can only fund certain things and a website without advertising to get the word out wouldn’t succeed.

Diesch pointed out that a grant can only fund certain things and a website without advertising to get the word out wouldn’t succeed.

“If we want to get specific and say our $5,000 is only going to advertising, we can split that hair. But if we also can come in as a good neighbor and just say, we know it’s part of the whole project and we wouldn’t want a website without advertising…it needs to be part of the whole package. That’s the part I appreciate, this isn’t just seeming like a fly by night kind of a deal, it feels like they are doing more… they are trying to make this a true full package of Crawford County success,” Diesch stated.

Another concern was brought up by board president, Missy McDougal regarding if the donation would be a one-time deal. Robinson explained that from his understanding based on what representatives from the Partnership have said, it would be.

After further questions were brought up regarding the matter, it was decided that a discussion would occur with the Economic development director of The Partnership, Gary Frankhouse before a decision could be made. Robinson said he would see if Frankhouse could appear at the next board meeting to answer any questions they may have.

Another request of donation of $2,000 to the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office for the D.A.R.E. program was discussed and agreed upon. It was explained that the budget is getting tight and it is not desired to have to cut back on D.A.R.E. activities for the students.

According to Martin, D.A.R.E. officer for the surrounding schools, the money is to go directly back to the kids for things such as D.A.R.E. graduation and D.A.R.E. rally’s.

“Don’t feel like you have to do this. This is hard asking for money, it is. I’m doing my best trying to do grants to different businesses… but I don’t want to cut back things I’m doing now because I know those kids look forward to those graduations,” Martin explained.

Robinson explained that he has seen the impact that D.A.R.E. has had on the students and he felt that helping to fund the program would help reach as many kids as possible.

“I think our kids really get into D.A.R.E. I’m always amazed at graduations some of the essays that they write… I know Chris’ love for what he does and the way he impacts kids. Are we going to reach every kid? Probably not… but if we can reach one or two or three of those kids, it’s better than none,” Robinson said.

A motion was made and a vote was taken, during which Martin had to exclude himself from the voting process.  The vote passed agreeing that a donation of $2,000 would be made to the D.A.R.E. program.

During the discussion of reviewing the Buckeye Central Mission Goals, Diesch brought up the suggestion to focus a bit more on the goal to help students with their health and wellness. Diesch explained that she felt it was important to help students learn to pay attention to their own health and wellness beyond the current goal of nurturing their body, mind, and health.

Diesch explained that she felt it was important to help students learn to pay attention to their own health and wellness beyond the current goal of nurturing their body, mind, and health. She suggested that more focus be put on health and wellness relating to any substance abuse as well as healthy habits of food, physical activity, mental rest and relaxation, and personal care.

“I know it’s a big broad sweeping topic and we can’t attack it all in one year, but I think it’s sad to say it’s our job, but it is definitely one of our goals. And I think we can help the families with that for their kids,” Diesch said.

McDougal also mentioned that it is critical that students get more time to move during the school day. She explained that a lot of parents are asking for kids to have more of a chance to get exercise during the day. Diesch also explained that it is unfair that it is expected that children be sedentary all

Diesch also stated that she thinks it is unfair that it children are expected to be sedentary all day when adults do not even like to be sedentary all day as they work.

Robinson brought up the idea of having a day where adults come in and sit all day in the classroom as the students would to fully understand how sedentary students have to be. The Board agreed that it would be a very good idea to go through with this idea. It was agreed that the goals would be further discussed at the next meeting.

Other items were discussed such as what to do with the district fields East of the stadium. It was decided to leave the fields alone and as is for the time being. Several approvals were made in an effort to benefit the students and school as a whole.

It was approved that student fees and class would be eliminated for the 2017-2018 school year. Robinson emphasized that this matter will be reanalyzed each year depending on the financial situations.

A Service Agreement was also approved for the literacy training between Mid-Ohio ESC and the Buckeye Central Local Schools for the 2017-2018 school year. Several other contracts and agreements were passed in regards to helping enrich the student body.

The board went into several executive session meetings to discuss a few items such as personnel recommendations. The next regular Board of Education meeting will be held on Thursday, September 14, at 4:30 p.m.