The June 3 school board meeting started with a bit of confusion on Monday night. After a good 10 minutes of fighting through technology issues with Google Meets, the online video call used to broadcast the meeting to those unable to be at the STC Partnership in person, the meeting was called to order.

Right away the board got into a discussion on bond proceeds options relating to the new middle school project. This is an ongoing process that the board has been going through with other bond proceeds fed through different banks, some being local to the school district. For the final $5 million, the board opted a deal with the State Bank of Toledo putting the funds in a CD for 6 months.

The board got through first readings one policy update was of note. Public comment policy is being updated and the board decided to move forward with expanding the time of each speaker from two to three minutes. This policy change would put the district in line with more districts across the state.

In second readings the board approved changing the order of the agenda for future meetings. In the slightly adjusted format discussion items will be handled before action items, a measure many districts and professionals are moving towards.

Moving into discussion items the board talked with Superintendent John Cain about the remaining open positions with a few more resignations still coming in at the end of the school year.

The fireworks of tonight’s meeting came from a discussion about trying to pass another PPEL. Working with a few deadlines to appear on a ballot in the fall the board has until the July 22 meeting to move forward with another attempt at passing the measure after one in late 2023 fell short. A fired up Jackie Ellenbecker talked openly about a lack of support and needing to rally parent and teacher support.

Cain talked about the effects of the PPEL with the measure being pushed to the community at the same time as $1.2 million in budget cuts were being enacted. While no plan was set in stone on the measure, the board wants feedback from community members in opposition to the 2023 PPEL vote and will entertain discussions with those groups and individuals before moving forward.

Following the impassioned PPEL discussion was talk of raising rates for substitute teachers. This would put STC in line with many area districts and help alleviate some of the sub shortage in the area.

The meeting ended with board president Elizabeth Dolezal thanking attendees for being flexible.