A plan and proposed alternate for Spring Valley Drive has met with resistance by the Springfield Board of Education and other community officials, who now are proposing a plan of their own.
Earlier this year, the Ohio Department of Transportation announced its intention to eliminate the left turn from northbound McCord Road to Spring Valley, prompting businesses and local leaders to raise objections.
Under their design, traffic wishing to make a left turn would be directed north to the roundabout at the Springfield Schools campus on McCord and Hall Street where drivers would do a nearly full circle before traveling southbound on McCord to make a right turn on Spring Valley. The plan would directly impact the district’s school safety zone.
At the December 21 school board meeting, Superintendent Matt Geha presented another proposal for the Spring Valley intersection.
He reminded the board that they, along with officials from the Village of Holland and Springfield Township objected to the original plan because it would create excessive traffic at the roundabout which is already heavily traveled, particularly during school hours in the morning and afternoon.
ODOT subsequently created an alternative which would entail a roundabout on McCord north of Spring Valley and just south of the Walmart entry, but officials rejected the idea due to its proximity to the high school ingress and egress on McCord.
Steve Serchuk, who coowns the Spring Valley retail complex, engaged DGL traffic engineers to develop another alternative, which the school board reviewed and recommended ODOT consider.
Alternative 1A [see rendering on page 5] entails the creation of a concrete barrier on McCord from Airport Highway to Spring Valley, the superintendent explained.
The plan also:
•eliminates the left turn from Centers Drive to southbound McCord;
•prevents illegal left turns into Sleep Outfitters/Buckeye Broadband property on the northeast corner of McCord and Airport, and
•eliminates the proposed left turn from northbound McCord Road to Centers Drive.
Mr. Serchuk believes the additional safety improvements make it a better option than either of ODOT’s proposals.
“It also is approved by Springfield Township, small businesses that are located in Spring Valley Shops and along Spring Valley Drive,” he said.
He pointed out Alternative 1A will not result in traffic being diverted into school safety zones, making it both pro-business and proschool.
In addition he said the design will increase stacking capacity “by creating two full left turn stacking lanes on South McCord between Spring Valley and Airport.
“Spring Valley Shops are willing to consider donating the necessary land for the street widening,” he added.
“I think, by far, alternative 1A is the most desirable and logical choice for businesses in that area,” said board member Ken Musch.
Board member Sherri Koback asked what businesses on Spring Valley think about the proposal.
Mr. Geha responded that they prefer 1A to either of the alternatives brought forth by ODOT. He also noted that the new alternative is “timely” as ODOT is preparing to put the project out to bid in 2022.
In a related matter, the superintendent updated the board on Senate Bill 270 which is pending in committee.
The bill would require ODOT to notify school districts about potential changes made to the state highway system that could affect school buildings and school safety zones.
Sponsored by State Senators Theresa Gavarone and Teresa Fedor, the bill was developed in direct response to the Spring Valley issue.
“The goal of this legislation is to ensure that school districts across the state have more involvement in decisions that will affect traffic safety around school safety zones,” the senators wrote.
TikTok
In addition to combating the COVID-19 pandemic, district leaders–as well as their counterparts nationwide–continue to battle a virus of a different sort, TikTok challenges.
The latest TikTok issue occurred on December 17 when a TikTok post declared that Friday as “National Shoot up Your School Day.”
As a result, the school day was disrupted with 180 students in the lower grade levels and 20 percent of high school students absent.
“There were no specific threats, but we were still on our guard,” Mr. Geha said, noting the district beefed up security at its buildings.
The superintendent pointed out it was no easy task and credited Brett Warner, head of security, for finding extra off-duty officers who were willing to work that day.
Because of the threat “additional officers were needed everywhere,” he said and Lucas County sheriff’s department is already down a number of officers.
Mr. Geha said finding additional security for events remains a challenge with fewer officers working longer hours. “Even when we have evening events, they’re turning it down. There is too much work out there.”
The superintendent urges parents to monitor their child’s online presence and to limit or curtail altogether access to TikTok.
Personnel
The school board acted on a number of personnel issues. They:
•Employed Shiloh Reynolds, interventionist at Crissey elementary, effective December 1.
•Moved Jamie Riley from SMS to Dorr elementary intervention specialist as of December 2.
•Approved a change of assignment for Adam Bick, from interventionist to longterm substitute at the middle school.
•Issued one-year contracts to Laura Dauer, 4 hours SMS counseling secretary, December 6; Shirley Ingram, 2 hours Holloway lunchroom monitor, December 13; Wade Opaczewski, 4 hours Dorr night custodian, November 29; Beth Urton, 2 hours Holloway lunchroom monitor, January 3; Amanda Williams, 4 hours SHS food service personnel with additional cleaning duties, November 22.
•Authorized changes in assignment for Aaron (AJ) Albright, from 8 hours SHS night custodian to general maintenance, November 29; Sandy McCaleb, from 2 hours Holloway lunchroom monitor to Holloway recess, December 6; Amanda Williams, from 4 hours SHS food service personnel with additional cleaning duties to 2.5 hours SHS food service personnel, December 8; Susan Wyland, from 8 hours Dorr night custodian, nine months to 8 hours SHS night custodian, 12 months, November 29.
•Modified working hours for Jeanene Drozdowicz from Dorr night custodian 4 to 8 hours, November 29; Rachelle Frank from bus driver 5 hours to 5.5 hours, and from bus driver-midday 3 hours to bus driver-midday 2.5 hours, both November 29; Dawn Grant, SMS food service personnel, from 3 to 4 hours; August 27; Matthew Keller from bus aide 4.75 hours to 5 hours, November 22; Jamie Manack from bus driver 4.25 hours to 4.5 hours, November 22; Josh Mattis from bus driver 5 hours to 5.25 hours, November 22; Michael Shiflett from bus aide 4.75 hours to 5.25 hours, November 29 and from bus aide-midday 3 hours to 2.5, November 29; Danny Sprague from bus driver 6.25 hours to 6.5 hours, November 22; Beth Tipping from bus driver 4.25 hours to 4.5 hours, December 13; Angela Vandromme from bus aide 5.5 hours to 5.75 hours, November 22; Jeffrey Winters from bus driver 4.75 hours to 5.25 hours, November 22.
•Hired as casual labor Reese Shull, effective November 16.
•Approved leaves of absence for Veronica Cannan, SHS food service, through mid March, and Cindy Cherry, bus driver and Crissey recess monitor, through the end of March.
•Awarded personal service contracts for the school year to Amy Gelsone, chair accompanist of the SMS/ SHS choirs, as of October 27.
•Issued pupil activity contracts to Jeffrey Altman, SMS wrestling coach, November 15; Alexa Buck, Alexander Burns and Jacob Burns, SHS volunteer bowling coaches, December 14; Robert Edwards, SMS eighth grade basketball coach; Jewellia Gust, SHS volunteer dance coach, effective November 26; Chelsea Haas, SMS volunteer eighth grade girls basketball coach; Robert Harris, SMS wrestling, assistant coach, December 13; Brad Kerns, SHS boys volunteer basketball coach; Alexia Koepke, SHS volunteer gymnastics coach, December 20; Scott Reitz, SHS boys volunteer basketball coach, November 29; Todd Reitz, SHS boys assistant basketball coach, junior varsity, December 2; Mike Shull, SHS boys volunteer basketball coach.
•Accepted the retirement resignations of Julie Bick, effective May 31, and Richard Rinestine, May 25.
The board also accepted resignations from Taylor Bolton, SHS night custodian, November 16; Jeanene Drozdowicz, Holloway recess monitor, November 29; Shirley Ingram, Holloway lunchroom monitor, December 16; Danielle Jacobs, secretary to middle school counseling department, November 24; Molly Perlaky, December 1.
In addition the board terminated the employment of Chanay Fayese, substitute teacher, effective December 10.
•Employed as a student worker Ka’Ron Logan, as of November 29.
•Approved substitute teaching contracts for Susan Bachmayer, Mackenzie Dolejs, Liliana Esquivel, Jessica Holmes, Elizbeth Moore, Kendra Redway, Shiloh Reynolds, Jennifer Roberts, Grace Schlageter.
They also approved as classified substitutes Deborah Covault, lunchroom and recess monitor; Aundre Graham, bus driver, bus driver-field trips; Susan Sund, accounts receivable/ accounts payable/payroll clerk; Jakub Todd, bus aide; Sean Westhoven, bus driver, bus driver -field trips.
•Awarded stipend contracts to Carrie Wcislek, freshman mentor.
Stipends for the third grade after-school tutoring program were approved for Crissey–program coordinator: Randy Norris and instructor Kim Simon; Dorr–program coordinator: Debbie Hughes-Pettaway and teachers Jennifer Mercer and Kristy DiSalle; Holland–program coordinator: Christie Wilkins and instructor Liza Runyan; Holloway–teachers Tara Cowell and Elisabeth Fausnaugh.
Elizabeth Garner and Ms. Russell will receive stipends as ACT prep tutors.
•Contracted with Travis Pennell as theater manager, $13 per hour as needed, and Katherine Vogt, evening school, study table monitor.
•Accepted a tutor contract for Mark Malinowski, out of school instruction, effective November 1.
Other Business
In other business, the school board:
•Authorized the board president to execute and finalize salary increases for the superintendent and treasurer positions following executive session.
•Increased the ballpark monitor’s pay from $13 to $25 per hour.
•Approved updates and revisions to the following policies: public participation at board meetings; evaluation of principals and other administrators; weapons; College Credit Plus program; career advising; eligibility of resident/nonresident students; educational opportunity for military children; nonimmigrant students and foreign-exchange students; attendance; student mental health and suicide prevention; early high school graduation; student hazing; positive behavior intervention and supports and limited use of restraint and seclusion; cost principals– spending federal funds; disposition of real property/ personal property; student records; school safety; student abuse and neglect; transportation; non routine use of school buses, and bonding.
•Declared transportation impractical for a student pursuant to the requirements of Ohio Revised Code and procedures set forth by the Ohio Department of Education.
•Appointed board member Ev Harris as president pro tem for the January organizational meeting.
•Approved three requests to attend professional development meetings.
•Addressed protesters of the mask mandate. Mr. Geha spoke with the group following the meeting. They did disburse afterward but left their signs on the floor of the front vestibule.
The next board of education meeting will be at 4 p.m., Wednesday, January 12, at the administration building, 6900 Hall Street, Holland. The meeting is open to the public, and masking is required due to the spread of the COVID-19 omicron variant.
