Ongoing Permanent Improvement Projects Discussed At MCS School Board Meeting

BY KRISTI FISH | MIRROR REPORTER — Staff at Maumee City Schools works year-round to improve the district-owned spaces throughout the community, and during the MCS Board of Education meeting on March 27, the board was updated on the ongoing permanent improvement projects.

Assistant Superintendent Matt Dick and Building and Grounds supervisor Larry Burda outlined what the permanent improvement funds are being used on this year and what is planned for next year.

“Permanent improvement cannot be used for operational, salary, anything like that. It’s just for large-scale equipment and projects that have a life of five or more years. That’s the purpose of the PI,” Dick said.

Recently, the district has completed several projects, including the acquisition of two new school buses, installation of a new fence at Fairfield Elementary and updates to hallways with paint and tiles.

Burda showed photos of some projects that are underway, such as new door security and building alarms at the schools.

A total of $500,000 has been granted to MCS through the 2022 Ohio K-12 School Safety Grant Program and the district is working toward making safety improvements at all five schools.

Additionally, Dick said there are several projects currently in the planning phase for this summer.

Upgrades are planned for Union School on the grounds outside and the second floor. Electronic signage is still planned for Gateway Middle School and Wayne Trail Elementary.

The district is also looking to updates in the 2023-24 school year.

“Our PI fund is healthy, it’s going toward great things and it’s really adding to our district,” Dick said.

Several Maumee students were also presented with commendations from the board during the meeting. Twenty-two DECA students and five speech and debate students were recognized, along with several students in gymnastics, wrestling, indoor track and field, cheerleading and dance.

The 22 DECA students will be attending the DECA International Career Development Conference after having qualified at states. The five speech and debate students qualified in the top third of everyone who competed at the state qualifier.

During the meeting, the board also:

• Heard from Superin-tendent Steve Lee, who recognized the contributions of Jack Hiles and George Chapman to the Maumee community. Both men have recently passed away. Lee thanked the Chapman family for recommending the Panther Pride Foundation for memorial donations.

He also congratulated Maumee students for their performance of The Little Mermaid.

Lee said the school is already preparing for next school year, including beginning the hiring process and kindergarten screening.

• Heard from treasurer Paul Brotzki regarding points of interest for the district.

He said not everything has been finalized, but numbers are coming in for the property tax settlement. Brotzki said the district was up from last year, much of which can be contributed to the new construction at Industrial Park.

• Approved the financial statement, cash reconciliation and investment ledger.

• Accepted a donation of books from Isaac Ziss to Fairfield Elementary and from the Maumee Rotary Club to Fort Miami Elementary.

• Approved an out-of-state/overnight trip for DECA students to the DECA International Career Development Conference on April 21-26 in Orlando, Fla.

• Approved the attendance of Michelle Shafer, the district’s director of teaching and learning, at the Library of Congress Teaching With Primary Sources Workshop in July.

• Approved the notification of the non-renewal of contracts for MEA supplemental and lay staff members as well as pupil activity. As board president Mike Wiley reminded everyone, all supplemental and pupil activity contracts automatically expire at the end of their term.

• Approved the resignation of a teacher and the nomination of several substitutes. The board also approved the nomination of William Eversole as an intervention specialist at Fairfield.

• Entered into executive session to discuss negotiations or bargaining sessions with public employees.