By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
Governor John Kasich’s biennial school budget was discussed at Buckeye Central’s Board of Education meeting Thursday night.
According to Treasurer Nancy Ackerman’s report if the biennial budget was to stay as is the school would lose approximately $100,000 over a two-year period.
“It’s nothing to get too excited about yet,” Ackerman said. “It is just preliminary, but I will keep my eyes on it to update the forecast.”
Superintendent Mark Robinson explained that they are waiting to see what the final numbers are, but remain hopeful.
“We are waiting to see the final numbers and hopefully they are going to be fair to districts across the state including ours,” Robinson said.
The upcoming PARCC and AIR tests for students in grades 3 through 12 were also discussed Thursday night. The tests are performance based assessments which relate to the end of the year test which then go into the value added grade for the school.
The first round of tests begins Feb. 17 and run through March 6 with everything moving back a day if there are closings or delays during this time. Round two of the tests will take place between April and May.
“I think my biggest concern is the time we are spending on testing. I mean we are spending not hours, not days, but weeks working with our kids when it comes to testing,” Robinson said.
“We’re losing the art of teaching, everything is becoming a science. You have to test well, you have to do well and this and that, and the kids are losing an artistic side,” Robinson continued. “You can tell the difference, when you come into the building you will know those days that testing is taking place, because the building is much more solemn, it is silent and there is a higher stress level.”
The Buckeye Central Board of Education approved all items on the consent agenda including the rehiring of head football coach Jeff Niedermier, and assistants Terry Oswald, Chad Jensen, and Joe Wies.
The Buckeye Central board approved having Ackerman entertain contracts to build a 26-feet-by-40-feet addition to the existing storage building. The estimated cost would be $68,000.