From left, Jeff Royer, Travis Dangler and Michael Hall represented the Entrepreneurship class at the Sept. 15 school board meeting. The class is working on a retail store where the community and school can work together to increase school spirit and awareness, and consequently was chosen for the Spotlight on Success award. The class plans to open a store that offers Smith-Green Schools clothing and other such merchandise. Other class members include Alex Duncan, Brenan Herendeen, Sam Imbody, Brandon Johnson, Kristopher Kreager, Jade Rollins, Nicholas Tomei and Mark Tomlinson. The class is taught by Ben Jagger.

School enrollment is down for the third consecutive year, according to Carol Kaiser, superintendent of Smith-Green Community Schools.

At Monday night’s school board meeting, Kaiser announced that enrollment for the year is 1,226, down 24 from last year at this same time.

“This will result in a loss (of funding for the corporation) of $87,106,” Kaiser said.

“This is the third fall since I’ve been here that the numbers have resulted in a loss (of funding),” Kaiser added.

The enrollment was at 1,290 three years ago, and the declining enrollment has an effect in other areas, as well, Kaiser said.

Kaiser went on to say that there are two less administrative positions at Smith-Green since she came on board, which has resulted in a savings of $260,000 for the corporation.

“We must look at making cuts for financial reasons,” Kaiser said. “It’s not because we don’t care about the staff - we do - but we must continue to look at the financial (implications).”

Smith Township trustee Don Amber congratulates new school board member Michael Sturgis after swearing Sturgis in at the Sept. 15 board meeting. Sturgis replaces board member Brandon Almas, who resigned to continue his education and pursue a law degree.

Kaiser also noted that the school had a meeting with the trust company that manages the corporations’ insurance and benefit plans.

“We will be adding wellness programs” in the near future, Kaiser said. She added that claims were running at 91 percent for the year, which is ”a healthy percentage,” she said.

In other school board news:

• Approved claims included $11,698 in regular claims; $25,914 in prepaid claims; and $485,162 in payroll claims.
• The resignation of Naomi Woehnker, first grade teacher, was accepted. Woehnker resigned at the end of the 2007-08 school year. 
• New hires include: Loree R. Grimm as first grade teacher with a 185-day contract for the 2008-09 school year; and Elizabeth Sorg as a medical clerk in the school’s medical department. Sorg will be paid $10 an hour plus benefits and she will assist the two nurses who staff the medical unit. Board member Bob Amber clarified that the hiring of Sorg did not constitute three full-time people working in the medical office. With the part-time status of the employees, there will only be two working at one time, Kaiser said - a nurse and a clerk.
• The board approved the extended day and overnight field trips for all three schools for the 2008-09 school year. There has been some reduction in th
  

  Smith-Green School Board members, in front, from left, Tanya Young and Cathy Petrie; in back, Michael Sturgis, Nick Uecker and Bob Amber.
  e number of field trips, said elementary principal, Nicole Singer, and there were some field trips on the list that may or may not take place. “We looked over the list and consolidated where possible,” Singer said. Amber said he was glad to see the students’ cost - when applicable -  was very affordable. “Only eight dollars to go to Cedar Point is pretty reasonable,”  Amber said.
• The board formally adopted the proposed budget for 2009, along with the Capital Projects Plan and the Bus Replacement Plan. All are public record and any citizen can request a copy at the administrative office.

Story and photos by Viv Sade