Wooster City Schools moving forward with master plan, levy eyed for 2023

Linda Hall
·2 min read

Wooster City Schools Board of Education

Tuesday, July 26, meeting

KEY ACTION   Agreed to move forward with the master facilities plan by approving a declaration of intent that allows the school district "to start to embark on any part" of the plan, according to Superintendent Gabe Tudor.

Gabe Tudor
Gabe Tudor

DISCUSSION  Tudor said the resolution applies to "anything we would decide to go out for a levy on (likely architectural services), and recoup that money if a levy was passed."

He said the district will continue to involve the community in the planning process for the new construction.

While a levy is not planned for November, it will "definitely be considered for May," Tudor said, with proceeds paying for architectural work.

Tudor said he and Treasurer Amy Welty had planned this week to actively pursue an architect to handle the next phase of design.

Public comment: Arming teachers is 'a terrible idea'

During the public comment portion of the meeting, Becky Furlong, director of technology, read a statement submitted by Becky Thorne of Wooster. Thorne called House Bill 99, which addresses school employees carry firearms, "a terrible idea."

She said her middle school daughter is terrified of the potential for educators to be armed and students gaining access to weapons.

Tudor said board policy permits only school resource officers to he armed.

The ability to arm teachers "has been around for a long time in Ohio," he said, but HB 99 reduces the training required to be armed.

"The district has not been engaged in that even when there was a higher level of training," Tudor said.

Board member Danielle Schantz confirmed district policy "is very clear" on only law enforcement officers being allowed to be armed in schools.

In her comment submitted to the board, Barb Friedhoff of Wooster highlighted a virtual workshop called Safe Ohio Schools: Building Safe Schools without Arming School Personnel.

"A few of us are already registered to watch and be part of that webinar," said board member Jody Starcher, noting it will generate "more conversation about what we're doing to protect our students."

FOR YOUR INFO

  • Welty reported donations in the new fiscal year total almost $4,600. Welty and board President Sue Herman highlighted $1,000 from Pete Klosterman in Memory of Earle and Ann Klosterman for the benefit of the Klosterman Natatorium Donation Fund; contribution of time from the PRC Saltillo Group for beautification of the grounds at Edgewood Middle School; and the Albert Kobilarcik Education Fund for the purchase of 39 graphic novels for Parkview Elementary School, among others.

  • Schantz gave a shout-out to summer school personnel for sacrificing some of their own summer break for the program.

UP NEXT Meets at 7 p.m. Aug. 15 for a work session in Wooster High School library, 515 Oldman Road. The regular session is 7 p.m. Aug. 23, in the high school large group instruction room.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Wooster City Schools moving forward with master plan, levy eyed in May