Mount Gilead Student Services Director Molly Clapper provided an update for the district’s “Empowered” goal at the school board’s Jan. 16 meeting.
Clapper began with examples of the Positive Intervention Program (PBIS) at Park Avenue Elementary, Mount Gilead Middle School and Mount Gilead High School. In the PBIS program, students are rewarded in many ways for consistent, positive behavior. She also described some opportunities for community service projects for grades third through fifth, which occur every Friday. The projects are created to “inspire students, create school spirit and enrich community spirit.”
Community service projects students participated in were collecting gourds and live holiday trees to benefit bobwhite quail at the Headwaters Outdoor Education Center, collecting and sorting recyclables, cat hotels for the Morrow County Humane Society, cards to military service members, and school beautification projects.
At the middle school, projects included participation in a garden by the environmental club, participating in art club, builders club, academic challenge, Operation Christmas Child and Backpack Blessings. High school community and school service projects include students and teachers working on academic opportunities, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, National Honor Society service projects (especially blood drives,) FFA service projects, Key Club with Kiwanis service club, and sports teams which have stepped up to help with community service wherever needed.
In other business:
• The board approved both the amended certificate of estimated resources and fiscal year 2024 permanent appropriations. The board also accepted the resolution approving the amount and rates authorizing the necessary tax levies as determined by the county budget commission.
• A donation of $216 by an anonymous donor was approved for student debt at the middle school cafeteria. The donation by the First Book Company of $265 was approved for the high school library for books.
• Supplemental contracts were awarded for the 2023-2024 school year to Assistant Musical Director Hillary Billups and Musical Pit Director Anthony Taylor.
• Supplemental contracts for track and field were approved for Sabrina Bolha, high school assistant track coach; Jake Hayes, high school assistant track coach; Lauren Huelsman, high school head track coach; Melissa Shipman, high school volunteer track coach; Brandon Strain, high school assistant track coach; Hannah Crawshaw, middle school track coach; Rachel Hatfield, assistant middle school track coach; and Jason Heacock, middle school track coach.
• The following supplemental contracts were approved for baseball and softball: Brad Diller, JV baseball coach; Mark Kennon, head baseball coach; and Morgan Dettra, head softball coach.
• Employment contracts for 2023-2024 were approved for Teresa Carwell, substitute aid, substitute teacher substitute health care consultant at $22 per hour; Charles Cribbs, substitute teacher; Whitney Smith, class III secretary; Sarah Howell for Chiefs Club/SACC Program, effective Jan. 10; and Anna Becker, who will serve as dean of students at Park Avenue Elementary outside of her assigned duties as reading teacher.
The next Mount Gilead Board of Education meeting will 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 20.
Alberta Stojkovic is a correspondent for The Morrow County Sentinel.
