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Leetonia school chief wants 8 periods a day

LEETONIA — Interim Superintendent Dr. Andy Tommelleo explained his reasons for wanting to increase the junior high/high school schedule from seven periods to eight periods to allow for more electives and flexibility.

He also talked about a change in the proposed school calendar for next year to incorporate a week off for spring break.

Both proposals prompted questions by board member Larry Duko Jr. and spirited discussion, but no action by the board.

Tommelleo said having eight periods of 45 minutes of instruction will allow for more electives, which will help students meet the graduation requirements and keep them on task to complete each pathway to graduation, including pathways in manufacturing and information technology.

More periods also allow for more staff collaboration, for implementing student graduation plans for students at risk.

He said this proposal was based on feedback from students, staff and the administration.

Duko questioned how the plan made up time lost for core subjects, pointing out state report card results which had the district failing on almost all indicators. He compared it to a basketball athlete wanting to improve, but cutting practice from an hour each day to 45 minutes per day.

Board member Dan Votaw said he’s not a fan of the eight-period day and would have liked to have seen a chart showing how it will work.

Board member Richard Hendricks said he’s in favor of more electives and said this was the same discussion they’ve been having for two years. He said with less time, students would have to concentrate more.

For the school calendar, Tommellio said they looked at two options and gave teachers a vote. The proposed calendar that won included a start date of Aug. 17 and an end date of May 27, with a week off for spring break.

Elementary teacher Michele Kornbau said elementary teachers were not consulted and questioned how that would affect testing, saying if kids have a week off, then have to take the tests, they’ll be rusty.

Duko questioned the number of days and how the week off would affect students at the career center. He said he didn’t like it.

In other business, Ryan O’Donnell, family liaison from the Columbiana County Educational Service Center, assigned to Leetonia, spoke briefly about efforts to assist students with chronic absenteeism and truancy, saying numbers are getting better. He relayed how one student missed multiple days at the beginning of the school year, then they determined the student suffered from social anxiety, got the student some help and no days have been missed so far in 2020.

In personnel matters, the board accepted the retirement of high school secretary Molly Grubbs, effective March 31, non-renewed all supplemental contracts held during the 2019-2020 school year, effective end of the school year, and hired Dan Dennis as girls varsity head softball coach, Paul Hulea as head football coach and Eric Rice as girls varsity head soccer coach. Alexa Bruderly and Michael Burns were approved as certified and classified substitutes retroactive to Feb. 6. Eli Duke was approved as a robotics team volunteer.

The board also approved use of the auditoria and stage for the Leetonia PTO Spring Craft Show on April 4. Agreements were approved for College Credit Plus with Kent State University and Youngstown State University, and a five-year beverage agreement with CCBCC Operations for Coca Cola products was approved. A K-12 Prevention Education Partner agreement was approved with the Columbiana County Mental Health & Recovery Services Board.

The following donations were accepted: $100, Diane Perkins, Perkins-Tortora Scholarship Fund; $550, Leetonia Area Sports Association, boys basketball; $500, Leetonia Area Sports Association, girls basketball; $400, Humtown Products, stadium project; $1,000, anonymous, Woods Family Scholarship Fund; $450, Leetonia Athletic Booster Association, updating sports plaques in gym; $250, American Legion of Ohio Charities, state of Ohio sign banners; and $500, anonymous, state of Ohio sign banners.

Transportation Supervisor Michele Votaw thanked the board for the new electronic sign in front of the school, for bumping the district into the 21st century. Under student achievements, Tommelleo recognized the winter homecoming king and queen and students who participated in the recent robotics competition and qualified for state next month.

At the end of the meeting, the board went into executive session for personnel, with no action to be taken.

mgreier@salemnews.net

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