Ashland board OKs slate of administrators including new principal at middle School
Ashland City School District Board of Education
Regular session, May 22
KEY ACTION The Ashland City School Board of Education approved a slate of administrators at Monday evening's meeting.
KEY DISCUSSION Superintendent Steve Paramore said Tim Keller will move to Taft Elementary School as the assistant principal and James Lindeman will be the new principal at Ashland Middle School.
More: Academic standards upped for athletes in Ashland City Schools
Linda McKibben, deputy superintendent, was rehired as a retiree.
There will be two full-time assistant principals at the middle school, Paramore said, because "it's important to have an extra person on hand (there)."
Wendy Packard was hired as the second assistant principal at the middle school.
The contracts of two personnel who are at the end of their three-year contracts − Tammy Stevens, assistant superintendent of student services, and Ben Spieldenner, chief innovation officer − were renewed for an additional three years.
Paramore said he was excited for the addition of an administrative intern, Bricia Huckleberry, to assist the principal at Reagan Elementary School and the principal at Edison Elementary School.
"We need to start preparing for the future," Paramore said. "That's a big part of this as well."
Paramore said Ashland administrators operate at a very high standard and thanked members for allowing him to put good people in the right positions to be successful and retain those already serving.
"I'm excited at the direction we're going," Paramore said.
Board signs off on health care plan
OTHER DISCUSSION The board approved an agreement recommended by the district's health care committee with Meritain Health, a branch of Aetna, to provide health care for district employees from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024.Post-COVID, health care expenses have risen, Paramore said. The agreement approved is designed to do what's best for employees, while also doing what's best for the district financially.
The board also approved a resolution for the Ashland Public Library to submit to voters a 1-mill levy renewal for operating expenses. It is the legal responsibility of the largest school district in the library's service area, which is the Ashland City Schools, to allow the library board to make a request to voters.
"We are merely the body that says (the library) can go to the voters," clarified board member Pam Mowry.
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Jared Smeltzer gave a report on Career Based Intervention, telling the board all 12 student participants passed credentials in basic business and customer service. At least five of the 12 would not be getting a high school diploma were they not involved in CBI, Smeltzer.
The district is using a $500,000 grant for Safe Routes to School with the city of Ashland to analyze walking and bike riding issues in getting to school and obstacles that might be in the way, Paramore said. The study will not address student drop-off or busing.
A blended instructional model will be implemented at the middle school as a program which has proven successful for at-risk students. "It gets great results and keeps kids in the building," Paramore said.
The board approved two bus purchases as part of an ongoing plan to keep the fleet up to date and to make sure there is always a backup for the bus with special accommodations.
UP NEXT Work session or special meeting, 5:30 p.m. June 5, administrative offices, 1407 Claremont Ave. Regular session, 5:30 p.m. June 26, administrative offices
This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: New health care plan OK'd by Ashland City Schools board
