North Canton Board of Education tables school safety statement

The Repository
·2 min read

Editor's note: Information was updated on Oct. 13, 2022, to correct errors in this story and headline. See correction below.

North Canton City Schools Board of Education

Monday meeting

KEY ACTION: Tabled a decision on whether to make a school safety statement that said the school district would rely on armed police and school resource officers and not arm staff members.

DISCUSSION: Superintendent Jeff Wendorf said in a statement the district would be "diligent in keeping our school buildings and facilities secured and will continue to review protocols and tools."

More:'Our teachers need resources. They don’t need guns.' Stark schools weigh arming staff

"We have many safety measures in place at every school building and school resource officers from the North Canton Police Department who are present during the school day," he added. "... We feel we have the measures that provide a safe environment for students and staff members already in place."

Board member Robert Roden opposed tabling the statement.

OTHER ACTION:

  • Created a new position called permanent substitute teacher. The position is a 178-day contract with a 7.9-hour work day. Pay is $150 per day for those with a valid Ohio teaching license (Ohio Substitute Teaching License does not count) including BCI/FBI check or $130 per day for those with a valid Ohio substitute license including BCI/FBI check. The permanent substitutes will be eligible for medical, dental, and vision insurance at 20% employee paid and 80% board paid and will be eligible for sick leave days.

  • Approved out-of-state tournaments for the boys golf team to participate in the Erie Cathedral Prep Classic in Meadville, Pennsylvania; the girls golf team to participate in the Erie McDowell Invitational in Erie, Pennsylvania; and speech and debate team to participate in the Yale Speech and Debate Invitational at Yale University.

  • Accepted a $200,000 donation from Gregory Industries in Canton for the Legacy Campaign for the Athletic Facilities plan. The district also received the following donations for the project: $20,000 from RG Smith; $7,400 from The Susie V Foundation; $2,600 from the Sideliners; $4,000 from Belden Brick; and $1,381 and 200 shares of Albemarle Corp. stock from Kyle and Sara Adams.

UP NEXT: Sept. 14 meeting at 6 p.m. in the Media Center at Hoover High School.

Patricia Faulhaber

CORRECTION: The board discussed but ultimately tabled making a school safety statement about relying on school resource officers and not arming staff members. The school district provided incorrect information about the measure's status. The board may revisit the issue of whether to make a statement in the future, according to Superintendent Jeff Wendorf.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: North Canton teachers won't carry guns