BELLVILLE, Ohio — The Clear Fork school district welcomed two new board of education members during its first meeting of 2016.
Dan Freund and Carl Gonzalez were the top two vote getters in a field of four write-in candidates last fall. They were elected to fill seats formerly held by Jim Jackson and Randall Freeman. Freund and Gonzalez took the oath of office during the BOE’s organizational meeting earlier this week.
New school building presentation
Bill Prenosil, senior planning administrator with the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission, presented construction management options for new school buildings. Prenosil said if the renewal levy passes in the March election, the district can begin searching for architectural services “the next day.”
He outlined four options the district has to choose from for hiring and overseeing architects, contractors and construction managers.
Noting that the presentation offered a myriad of details to consider, DeSanto urged fellow board members to research the options. Work sessions to explore the options along with additional construction and financial considerations are expected.
Computer security discussed
The board then approved security software for the district’s Chromebook computers.
The board approved the purchase of a three-year security software contract for the district’s 1,068 Chromebooks. The service, provided by “Go Guardian,” is specifically for schools and provides “web filtering, activity monitoring, and classroom management,” according to the company’s website.
One feature of particular interest to the district is the ability to track and locate a stolen Chromebook, said Superintendent Janice Wyckoff.
“We went for a semester without any software like this,” Wyckoff said.
During that time she noted that a family on fixed income was required to pay for two stolen Chromebooks.
“I urge you to pass this,” she said.
Board President Jim DeSanto noted that the $14,994.72 price tag for the three-year contract equates to $4.68 per device each year. The fee is not currently passed on to Chromebook users who only pay $25 for insurance against damage that might be incurred.
In the past the district has weathered some criticism regarding the software.
Wyckoff said parents have the option of providing a Chromebook for their children. She said that school Chromebooks could be used at school and not taken home if there is a concern with its software.
She stated that Go Guardian does not install its files on other computers used by students logging on to their accounts from home.
Baseball field to be named
Head baseball coach Thomas “Rusty” Staab described support for the baseball program provided by Bellville’s American Legion. He told board members he would like to see Clear Fork’s baseball field named the “Legion Park” in their honor. Jim Klenk noted that the Legion has been supportive of all the district’s athletic programs.
“This is long overdue,” Gonzalez said in response to Staab’s presentation. The coach stated that enough money had been set aside to purchase a banner with the field’s name along with a sign for the press box.
