Mansfield City Schools’ Board of Education regular Tuesday meeting offered good news for the district. Enrollment numbers are up and fresh money in the form of grants is funneling into new activities and curricula for Malabar Intermediate School.
According to the Mansfield City Schools Monthly Enrollment Report, the district is up in enrollment by 117 students since June 2014. This number is an increase from last September’s number, which was 66. The total number of students enrolled in the district, as of September 17, 2014 is 3,752.
“There are a lot of reasons working for the increase in enrollment,” explained Superintendent Brian Garverick. “I know it has to do with the curriculum at the high school, there is open enrollment at the high school and the Spanish Immersion, the Foundations Academy has no high school this year … So, there are many reasons.”
Assistant Principal of Malabar Intermediate School Tom Hager and Principal Andrea Moyer were also at the meeting. Hager gave a report to the board about the recent grant given to the school. The grant came from Richland County Foundation.
“We are so happy for this. We’re thrilled,” said Hager.
The total amount granted to the school amounted to nearly $94,000. Of that, $62,000 will be used on purchasing new “GO Math!” textbooks with online capability. Also, $25,000 will be appropriated for field trips, the first of which will take 6th graders to Ohio State University’s Student Union in Columbus. The rest of the money will be appropriated to tutors during the fall season and the purchase of ELMOs.
“We wanted this really bad for our kids,” shared Hager. “The GO Math! Textbooks have arrived; the teachers have already really dived into that. We’re excited,” he added.
President of Mansfield’s Board of Education Renda Cline thanked Hager and Moyer for their teamwork. She also wanted to acknowledge Moyer’s work at Malabar Intermediate School.
“You (Moyer) do an awesome job. The children respect you, your professionals respect you, and your teachers and parents respect you. That’s huge,” said Cline.
Also on the meeting’s agenda was the renewal of the Reading Recovery services with Ashland University, which will provide teachers with “Reading Recovery and Literacy Lessons.” The program will be paid through grant funds.
The renewal of the district’s agreement with The Ohio State University at Mansfield’s Literacy Professional Development for elementary and middle school teachers for the 2014-2015 was approved of as well.
The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. in the Raemelton Administrative Building on 856 West Cook Road. To view last month’s minutes, visit their website.
