Mohawk hears 5-year economic forecast

By BRIAN HEMMINGER

City editor

SYCAMORE — The Mohawk Board of Education heard the five-year forecast from treasurer Rhonda Feasel during its regular meeting Monday.

According to Feasel, Mohawk expects to have a surplus until 2025, when it will go into deficit spending, although revenue changes are difficult to predict due to the current status of the Rover Pipeline.

The Rover Pipeline initially provided a boost in the school’s funding, but it appealed its tax valuation to 57% and then again appealed its tax valuation to 39% in December. As a result, Mohawk Local Schools collected $331,596 less than anticipated from utilities tax in fiscal year 2022 and over $500,000 less than it originally collected.

On the bright side, Feasel said income tax collections increased 15%, which was a significant increase compared to original estimates. Other revenue changes include increase in preschool and special education tuition, which are trending up by $86,871 this year.

Another positive for Mohawk is a larger than anticipated kindergarten class for the upcoming 2022-23 school year, which balances out a trend of smaller classes in the district. 

Expected changes in expenditures include three mid-year resignations this past school year and the fact that one position at the district will not be filled while the other two will be replaced with newer, less experienced staff, resulting in a cumulative reduction of $355,447.

Lastly, one of the largest increases in expenditures is insurance, which jumps 20.8% beginning in June. 

Feasel said the district has done a good job setting aside money for projects instead of having to go back to the taxpayers to ask for more money. Upcoming large projects include a new roof, new press box at the football field and a storage building. 

Feasel’s economic forecast is available on the treasurer’s page of the Mohawk website at www.mohawklocal.org/treasurer.aspx. Feasel can be contacted at 419-927-2414 or by email at Rhonda.Feasel@mohawklocal.org.

Mohawk High School Principal Robert Chevalier reported prom took place over the weekend and went well and the eighth grade class had a good time at its Cedar Point trip.

Chevalier proposed the idea of the “recoverable F” for students in a situation where they are on pace to get an F with less than a 50% overall academic score in either the first or third quarters. 

“I’m proposing that we round up those first and third quarter Fs to 50% if they are below that to give the kids a floor and give them a chance to earn a passing grade for the semester if they work hard enough in quarter two or four,” Chevalier said. “It’s a better option than them having no hope for recovery at 25% or 30%, where they could become a problem in the classroom. This rewards the kids that put in the time and effort to earn a 75% or better in the second or fourth quarter to get an overall passing grade.”

Board president Josh Messersmith said he liked the idea of redemption.

“I wouldn’t’ want to be judged entirely by the one worst mistake I’ve ever made,” Messersmith said.

Board member Lori Arnold agreed, saying it could be a wake-up call for a student to give them a push to put in the extra effort.

Board member Eric King mentioned freshman forgiveness for first-year students at Ohio State as a similarly-successful initiative.

Board member Carl Long said it is a good opportunity for the kids, although they still have to take advantage of it.

“They’d still have to earn it if they want to recover to a passing grade,” board member Sam Flood said. 

The board approved the measure and it will be added to the student handbook in the grading scale area. 

Class presidents from the Mohawk freshman, sophomore, junior and senior classes also presented to the board. 

Freshman class president Lance Frankard said the staff was welcoming and helped make the transition from junior high to high school a smooth one. He highlighted the Mohawk mentorship club as a successful program. 

Sophomore class president Molly Ward said it was nice to have a school year with fewer COVID restrictions, which made attendance at football games and the homecoming dance easier. She highlighted school fundraisers like the flower sale and class participation in the mentorship club. 

Junior class president Owen Chevalier highlighted his class involvement in prom planning, the mentorship club and fundraisers that included a car smash. A highlight of the school year was the return of the Mohawk Olympics.

Senior class president Samantha Lersch said she was proud the senior class won the Mohawk Olympics and she was happy to be able to attend prom. She highlighted senior trips, sports, band, choir and the work the National Honor Society has done. 

Lersch said she plans to take a gap year before working to get an art history degree and eventually become a museum curator. 

Assistant principal Jen Birney, filling in for elementary principal Brooke Bowlin, said the elementary had a music performance both in the afternoon and evening Monday. Upcoming performances are a sixth grade band and choir concert Thursday and a kindergarten performance the following week. 

Next Friday will be the presidential awards program and Birney said progress reports will be sent home with students following the most recent iReady testing. 

A parent teacher organization meeting is 4:30 p.m. next Thursday. Birney said the PTO at Mohawk has shown great support across the school and has gone above and beyond.

Athletic Director Chip Dietrich reported over 600 sporting events took place throughout the school year for Mohawk students. Mohawk softball is currently died for first place in the Northern 10 Athletic Conference and begins tournament play this week. Mohawk baseball had senior night Monday.

Superintendent Jeff Holbrook reported open enrollment for the school’s preschool program is underway and highlighted the school’s full-day preschool program.

Kathy Koehler reported the Sentinal passport ceremony is Wednesday at Tiffin and an adult education tower tech program starts next year at Vanguard Sentinal. 

On the topic of student achievement, Arnold reported the junior high quiz bowl team recently was third at a tournament May 5. The junior high honor society also cleaned another cemetery and students made cake pops for teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week.

Legislative Liaison Flood reported an ed choice voucher litigation webinar is Tuesday, which provides an update to litigation filed May 3.

King reported students in fall sports will have to complete their physicals in the summer and the football team will be getting new uniforms. 

In board discussion, the board approved an overnight basketball trip request from June 15 to June 17 in Sherrodsville for a basketball camp. 

The board discussed a dress code for teachers and staff. Holbrook said he polled area schools and received three responses. The NEOLA policy was too vague, according to some board members. Messersmith asked the board to collect its thoughts for the next meeting about creating a hybrid policy that is more specific than the NEOLA policy. 

The board also approved loaning trophies and other pieces from the school to the Mohawk Historical Society for a rotating display, which is expected to open in June in Sycamore.

In the financial agenda, the board approved

— The five-year financial forecast for fiscal year 2022 through fiscal year 2026 and its corresponding assumptions. 

— An increase the high school cheerleading appropriations of $1,500 to be used for the purchase of new uniforms.

In the business agenda, the board approved:

— A contract with the Mental Health & Recovery Services Board for the 2022-23 school year. 

— New school policies.

— An agreement with Meta Solutions for FinalForms, through June 30, 2023; and for Securly through June 30, 2025

— Accepting a bid from M&B Asphalt, Inc., in the amount of $55,420, for the purpose of resealing and restriping the Mohawk campus parking areas. 

— A contract with Clouse Construction for field house siding and fascia replacement for $32,881.00.   

In the personnel agenda, the board approved:

— Issuing supplemental contracts to Eric Daniel, head football coach; Chris Clinger, Carl Daniel, Zach Hawkins, Cody Kidwell and Eric Wilfer, assistant varsity coaches; Jim Barth, Kyle Jacoby, John Oney and Brad Rice, junior high football coaches; Eric Hoover, head volleyball coach; Amber Mills, eighth grade volleyball coach; Brock Cleveland, head cross country coach; Sunshine Cleveland, assistant cross country coach; Kaycee Hallett, elementary cross country coach; Stephanie Hushour, high school cheerleadng coach; Lisa Snyder, junior high cheerleading coach; Michael Haynes, head boys golf coach; David Trusty, junior varsity boys golf coach; Clinger, Daniel, Hawkins and Rice, summer weight room supervisors; and Shanna Price, majorette adviser for the 2022-23 school year. 

— Dunn and Colleen Gase as summer school instructors for 2022.

— Jeff Justen as volunteer assistant varsity football coach for the 2022-23 school year.

— One-year substitute contracts to teachers and teachers’ aides for the 2021-22 school year. 

— Issuing contracts to classified employees Patsy Hetzel, retroactive to Aug. 18, 2021; and Jan Brickner and Tina Sieber, retroactive to April 26.

— Revising the effective dates of the three-year contract for elementary principal Bowlin from 2022-2025 to 2023-2026. 

— A letter of resignation, for the purpose of retirement, from Dianna Walton, effective May 27.

The board also approved a $637.83 donation from the Mohawk Historical Society to the Mohawk High School National Honor Society; a $500 donation from Bret Margraf to the high school wrestling fund; and the donation of a PlayStation 5 for a PBIS fundraiser from Josh and Jenese Ekleberry.   

In the addendum, the board authorized a contract with Clouse Construction Corporation for the construction of the storage building project in the amount of $468,875.

The board went into executive session to discuss the appointment, employment, dismissal, discipline, or promotion of an employee or official. No action was taken.