LEES CREEK — The New Vienna Elementary principal spoke about how sometimes they’re not able to meet the special needs of students.
With a shortage of substitute teachers, when daily teachers are absent the middle school is using its Title teachers and intervention specialists to cover those classrooms.
Title teachers are designated for children who need reading support, and intervention specialists are on staff to provide extra support for students with various disabilities.
As a result of Title teachers and intervention specialists being pulled to cover classrooms, those two sets of students do not always receive the services they need, said New Vienna Elementary School Principal Allen Seitz.
He asked the school board to consider approving revised education requirements for substitute teachers for the academic year 2021-22 as permitted under recently passed Ohio Senate Bill 1. The bill aims to increase the current pool of substitute teachers by allowing school districts to employ non-degree people to serve as substitutes.
Seitz also said his elementary school has a lot of students facing traumas and its one social worker can use some help in addressing the students’ mental health needs. So they have added a program from an organization and he’s hoping it will start after Christmas break.
One of the best things about the new program will be the easy access: Almost all the mental health services will be provided in the school, saving parents from having to transport their children to another location for the services, said Seitz.
“A lot of our students are having [mental health] needs that we are having a hard time meeting,” the principal said.
On another note, Seitz reported every New Vienna Elementa4y fifth-grader was able to go Nov. 1 to 3 to Camp Joy. A couple children had anxiety issues, but the school worked with the parents and some of the students were picked up in the evening so they didn’t have to stay the night.
There were intervention specialists there to help with students with disabilities, added Seitz.
During East Clinton High School Principal Michael Adams’ report to the board, he said they’ve seen an increase in autism, and recently staff received professional development that offered training and knowledge about the autism spectrum.
Also at the Nov. 23 board session, Superintendent Eric Magee reported they are still waiting on final building permits to be able to move forward with construction of a new middle school. There was an official ground-breaking Nov. 4.
The general contractor is “chomping at the bit,” said Magee.
The permit request was submitted in the summer, the superintendent said. While the building permits are through Clinton County, it contracts with Warren County to conduct the procedure, Magee said in response to a question from the board.
East Clinton Astros Athletic Director Brian Carey, in his first year as AD, presented a report, too. He officially proposed, and the board approved, starting an East Clinton High School girls soccer program.
Twenty-nine girls in grades eight through 11 have signed a sheet indicating they plan to play. Girls soccer is a fall sport, and the Astros will have their inaugural season in the 2022-23 school year.
Carey announced the athletics department is looking to bring back the Brett Wightman Invitational, last held in 2017. They are waiting for confirmation from a timing company to finalize the event, scheduled for April 26, 2022. Volunteers will be needed, according to a handout from Carey.
The AD said new middle school scoreboards have been installed, featuring wireless controls and a memory chip that tracks fouls.
As a discussion item, Carey recommended the East Clinton Middle School teams move to the SBAAC’s National Division, which is comprised of smaller schools than the American Division who the middle school currently plays against.
The move would mean a more competitive field of opponents for the Astros middle school student-athletes, he said.
The high school already is in the National Division, Carey pointed out.
If the East Clinton school board approves the idea, the realignment would not be a done deal, he added. The realignment would still have to be proposed to the athletic conference.
Reach Gary Huffenberger at 937-556-5768.
