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LEETONIA -- The school district is achieving at the top of county, according to the top district official.
Schools Superintendent Dennis Dunham reported at the September school board meeting the district received 4 stars out of 5 on the state report card, which indicates the district "exceeded state standard."
"There is still some improvement to be made," Dunham noted, while pointing out only one other Columbiana County school district received 4.5 stars and two others 4 stars.
"We continue to see improvement in achievement, progress, gap closing, graduation and early literacy," Dunham said, offering recognition to everyone involved in the education process. "Thanks to the staff, parents and, most importantly, our kids for taking this seriously, because it means something; it gives us a bench mark of where we are and where we need to be."
Also at the meeting, Dunham announced fundraisers to support longtime educator and coach Guy Costello, who was diagnosed with ALS, known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, in May.
Costello, who has coached the varsity boys basketball team the past two years and taught history at the middle and high schools more than 30 years, has been on leave since his diagnosis.
A benefit dinner will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. Nov. 5 at the K-12 campus. Tickets cost $12 and are available at the school. There are also T-shirts for sale at $20 and bracelets for $2.
"His spirits are very good because he is that type of person," noted Dunham.
In other business, the board accepted donations of $200 from Charles T. McShane Jr. to the Rob Perkins Memorial Scholarship Fund; $3,102.40 from the Leetonia Athletic Boosters to the Varsity Boys Basketball Fund; and $100 from Robyn and Andrew Billet to the Hall of Fame Fund.
The board also accepted the resignation of Tiffani Heverly as part-time front door attendant and approved Kaitlyn Culp Morris as volunteer/non-supplemental contract advisor for high school Art Club.
Additionally the board granted supplemental contracts to Gretchen Hull for freshman class advisor, Laurie Crisan as sophomore class advisor, Scott Fredericks as weightlifting coach and John Bryan as junior high boys basketball coach; and set pay for game workers of $45 per game for high school and $35 per game for junior high; and approved before/after school program classified staff at $20 per hour for Ryan O'Donnell and Kimberly Carter Stefanak and certificated staff at $25 for Samantha Sacconi, Steve Work, Carrie Roller, Amy Gibson, Catherine McCoy, Jennifer Hartman, Casey Harris and Emily Rodik.
At the end of the meeting, board member Larry Duko questioned how band uniforms are paid for and suggested the board match the cost spent by boosters similar to football uniforms. Treasurer Jennifer Coldsnow said the band boosters pay for the uniforms. Dunham said the administration can discuss the issue.
khowell@salemnews.net