M’burg school may get community garden

0

MECHANICSBURG – Mechanicsburg Exempted Village Schools’ courtyard may become a community garden.

Mechanicsburg FFA Advisor Kevin Neer told the school board Monday he is seeking a grant from the Ohio FFA Foundation to start a community garden in the unused courtyard area at the school. The agency gives out $45,000 in grant dollars each year for projects, and he is requesting the maximum for one location – $5,000.

The grant would pay for raised garden beds and potentially irrigation for the vegetables, which would be monitored by FFA students and harvested for local food pantries. It would also pay for tools, soil, fertilizer and other items needed to get the garden started.

“If this doesn’t work, we can just throw some sheep in there,” he joked to the board, speaking of the empty courtyard.

The school board also learned of new ways the state is interpreting preschool regulations. The district’s operations no longer meet state regulations. Superintendent Danielle Prohaska said she estimates it will cost an additional $90,000 annually to meet newly reinterpreted guidelines. The costs would largely be borne by the district, though it may bring about an increased cost to families of those students in the future.

Also at the meeting, the board:

•Accepted donations of $500 from the Mechanicsburg PTO for the sixth grade Kirkmont Trip; $3,150 for the 2017 Baseball Banner Sponsors; a total of $825 from Donay Life & Wellness Center, Vernon Funeral Home, The Medicine Shoppe Urbana, Peoples Savings Bank, Mechanicsburg Athletic Boosters, Bundy Associates, Village Pharmacy, Game Time (Andrea Tullis), and JR’s Garage, all for the After Prom; and $250 from Honda of America for the athletic department.

•Approved hiring MS Track Assistant Coach Coby Wilhelm for the 2016-17 school year.

•Approved hiring Bus Driver Shonda Hoops for the 2016-17 school year.

•Accepted the resignation for retirement of Bus Driver D. Keith Rutan.

•Approved advancing Christie Dodane to the Masters +15 level on the pay schedule.

•Approved hiring Jami Hurley as EMIS Coordinator at Step 5 on the EMIS salary schedule for the 2017-18 school year.

Administration dealing with new costs associated with state compliance

By Casey S. Elliott

[email protected]

Casey S. Elliott may be reached at 937-652-1331 ext. 1772 or on Twitter @UDCElliott.

No posts to display