Technology coordinator, speech therapist added

WILLOW WOOD — The Symmes Valley School Board had an extra long meeting Tuesday evening, going into executive session for most of the three hours they were gathered, to consider several personnel matters.

After taking action to nominate and elect Nathan Hieronimus new school board president and to keep Kent Wells as vice-president, the board cruised through their agenda before moving into executive session to consider the candidates for two positions.

Upon reconvening, the board moved to approve the hire of Jeff Pauley as the Symmes Valley School District Technology Coordinator, at a salary of $45,000 per year. They also approved the hire, with the Superintendent’s recommendation, of Caitlin Mahoney as the Symmes Valley Local School District Speech Language Pathologist for the remainder of the 2016-2017 school year, with salary and benefits defined “according to the Board/SVEA contract agreement. Mahoney replaces Catherine Jackson, whose resignation was approved earlier in the evening.

“We’re very lucky to have her,” said board treasurer and CFO Jack Webb.

The board also moved to approve training Heather Estepp as a bus driver and approved the hire of Julie Crawford as a substitute teacher for the remainder of the school year.

In other action, the board moved to allow the treasurer to request an advance on property tax receipts from the Lawrence County Auditor, as necessary for the 2017 calendar year, approved the resignation by retirement of elementary school teacher Abby Fowler effective the end of this school year, approve an overnight trip to Gahanna High School for the softball team, approve the purchase of a school bus from Edwin Davis and Son at a cost of $89,449, and approved a special board meeting, for work session, on Feb. 18 at 9 a.m.

The board also moved to approve a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ohio Association of Public School Employees for a contract agreement update pertaining to bus driver bidding rights and overtime pay rights, with member Tommy Shepherd abstaining.

The board failed to approve continuing membership with the Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce for the 2017 calendar year, with the item dying for lack of a motion after being read twice by President Hieronimus.

During their earlier organizational meeting the board also moved to appoint Shepherd to the Audit Committee and to appoint Hieronimus and board member Hope Rowe to serve on the Athletic Association for the 2017 calendar year. They also approved a motion to move their regularly scheduled board meetings forward one hour, from 7 pm to 6 pm. The date and location of the meeting, on the third Tuesday of each month at Symmes Valley High School, remains unchanged.