Upper school board OKs dress code

The Upper Sandusky Exempted Village School Board passed a high school dress code at Monday night’s meeting, but it is less strict than the one originally proposed by a committee reviewing the topic.
Upper Sandusky High School Principal Jim Clifford said he ultimately would have preferred campus wear, but the complaints from parents were somewhat overwhelming, even for a previous proposal that stopped short of the campus wear policy recently instituted by many other districts in the region.
Instead, the new policy is not all that different from the current one, as board president Russell Lee noted, saying he expects there still will be trouble enforcing it.
“It doesn’t matter what the policy is, you’re going to have issues,” Clifford said.
The policy names collared polo shirts, dress shirts, crew neck shirts, Ram wear T-shirts, jeans, khakis, dress pants, capris, tennis shoes and dress shoes as “preferred clothing,” but also allows dresses, skirts, shorts, polyester athletic pants and sandals that meet certain requirements.
Unacceptable clothing includes gym or athletic shorts, sweat pants, baggy pants, tights or leggings, cut-off shirts or pants, pajamas and hats, among other things. Writing is permitted on clothing, but it must be appropriate.
Clifford said girls present 90 percent of the current issues, and he wants to promote a good environment for learning.
“It’s not gym class. It’s not the beach. It’s not a fashion show,” he said.
The dress code requires clothes to fit appropriately and does not permit low-cut or sleeveless shirts.
Clifford said he plans to have a short assembly to introduce students to the new dress code.
Separately, Superintendent Mike Eaglowski reported it seems likely the state will be switching to a letter grade evaluation of districts rather than the current system that gives labels such as excellent, effective, continuous improvement, academic watch and academic emergency.
However, Eaglowski said the standards are expected to be raised so that to pass the proficiency tests, “proficient” will not be good enough. Instead students must score at an “advanced” or “accelerated” level.
He said the failure rate is expected to double. Currently, 382 Ohio districts rate as excellent or better, but under the proposed system, only 22 will receive an “A” grade.
In other action, the board:
— authorized the treasurer to place a notice in The Daily Chief-Union about a meeting 7:30 a.m. June 7 to discuss the potential retire-rehire of Connie Miller.
— accepted the resignation of custodian/bus driver Gary Heckathorn.
— offered one-year limited contracts to Kyle Cutnaw, Lauren Pate, Diane Knepper, John Boyd, Emily Coakley, Susan Naugle, Donna Close, Joyce King, Pete Miller, Deanna Oney and Erica Shadley.
— offered two-year limited certificated contracts to Deb Berger, Jane Bricely, Tony Cianciolo, Matt Miles, Kristal Reis, Chelsea Porter, Holly Schoenberger, Jessica Starner, Jeff Fett, Jay Herbst, Susan Pahl, Beth Richman, Denise Stull and Audra Manriquez.
— offered a continuing certificated contracts to Tim Pohlman, Jason Morris and Patricia Niederkohr.
— offered Jim Ulrich a long-term substitute teacher position.
— offered a one-year limited classified contract to Dawn Watkins, Mike Barth, Teresa Logsdon, Shirley Jones and Stephanie Holycross and a two-year limited classified contract to Beth McDermott, Denise Clark and Darlene Perricone.
— offered continuing classified personnel contracts to Robin Goodman, Jaime Duress, Suzanne Getz and Tim Merriman.
— approved 2/7 of Lisa Beach’s salary to be paid out of the food services fund.
— offered Beach and Watkins classified substitute contracts.
— approved Charlotte Cole for assessment supervisory work.
— offered one-year limited contracts through St. Peter’s auxiliary to Tammy Clifford, Kelly Eikenbary and Mary Lee McCardy.
— approved extended service days for Vicki Washburn, Jake Moyer, Jim Frye, John Boyd, Kristal Reis, Linda Barth and Alison Cheney.
— approved supplemental contracts for Angela Miller, girls tennis coach; Eaglowski, Jean Fox, Angie Morris, Rhonda Caudill, Cheryl Coakley and Dianne Grafmiler, LPDC; Hannah Miller, girls assistant soccer coach; Gary McCreary, school board media technician; Frye, computer technology coordinater; and Grafmiller, high school faculty manager.
— approved Ty Calvin as a supplemental volunteer girls soccer assistant coach.
— employed Cliff Davis for 2012 maintenance work and hired Dylan Waggy as summer computer tech assistant.
— approved Jim Wheeler to the Upper Sandusky Community Library Board of Trustees.
— approved an agreement with Ohio State University and Ohio Northern University to have cooperating student teachers.
— approved field trips for FFA to the state convention in Columbus and Camp Muskingum in Carrollton.
— accepted donations from Ram Boosters, $1,122.50, for half the cost of football coach headsets; Elks Lodge No. 83, $100, Muddy Buddy event; Louis Schoenberger, $250, high school educational videos; Union Elementary Boosters, $385, lunches for Muddy Buddy event; and Union Elementary Boosters, $609.13, playground equipment.
In addition, the board passed a resolution to sell approximately 1/8 acre to Salem Township at the location of the former Salem bus garage.

By LONNIE McMILLAN
Sports editor

Posted by Daily Chief on April 24, 2012. Filed under Local News,Recent Headlines. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry