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MARTINS FERRY — The Martins Ferry Board of Education prepared to close out the 2020-21 school year Tuesday.
Staff receiving financial recognition for their work and risks taken during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The board approved a 4 percent base salary increase.
A $1,000 COVID bonus for all teachers, staff, administrators and at-will central office employees effective Aug. 1.
Treasurer Dana Garrison said the staff will receive 4-percent raises for 2022 through 2024.
"The COVID bonus is only a one-time payment of $1,000 per employee, and it's due to the additional work and in-person teaching ... versus remote," Garrison said, adding teachers, administrators and office staff come to about 122 employees, for a total of $122,000.
She said board members are not included.
Garrison said the funds are provided by the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act and the Education Stabilization Fund.
"That was negotiated between the board of education and the Martins Ferry Education Association," Superintendent Jim Fogle said.
Garrison also gave the district's five-year financial forecast.
The district is expected to be in the black through 2025, with deficit spending in 2024 and 2025.
"Public utility and personal property value increased. The health insurance increase for next year was a half a percent, and I was estimating it at five," she said. "There are some grants that could offset some of our expenditures."
Garrison added that the triennial update is taking place this year. County auditor's staff review three years' worth of valid property sales and establish updated property valuations that must be approved by the state.
"Typically that results in an increase in tax collections for the district, but we'll have to wait and see how that works out," she said.
In other matters, Fogle updated the board on coronavirus cases. He said there are two active COVID-19 cases related to Ayers Elementary.
"Those students are quarantined at home," Fogle said.
He said there are no active cases related to the middle or high school, and no staff are currently infected.
"Throughout the year, Ayers Elementary's had 11 cases," Fogle said. "The middle school's had eight; the high school's had 14 for a total of 33 students that were here and ended up testing positive or became sick while they were here and had to be sent home."
He said 19 staff have been infected.
Fogle reported total enrollment is 1,405 students. There are 566 students at Ayers Elementary with 467 learning in person and 99 learning remotely. At the middle school there are 423 students, with 325 learning in person and 98 remotely. At the high school there are 416 students with 311 in person and 105 learning remotely.
In answer to a question from board member Nick Stankovich, Fogle said his goal is to have the remote learning students remain enrolled with the district next year.
Fogle added the preschool graduation ceremony will be held today at the Ayers Elementary cafeteria. There will be two ceremonies, with the Monday and Tuesday classes at 9 a.m. and the Thursday and Friday classes at 1 p.m.
The kindergarten graduation ceremony is at 1 p.m. May 19 at the high school gym. The eighth grade graduation will be at 7 p.m. that day in the gym.
Each student is permitted four guests.
The high school graduation will be held at 2 p.m. May 23 outside at the Purple Riders Stadium, with no limit to participation. In the event of poor weather, the ceremony will be moved to the gym and each graduate will be permitted four guests.
"Congratulations, Class of 2021," Stankovich said.
Assistance will also be available after graduation. The extended learning camp is scheduled June 1-24.
"It'll be (9 a.m. to noon) Monday through Thursday for those four weeks, and we currently have 116 students that are scheduled and registered to come," Fogle said.
These include 63 elementary students, 42 at the middle school and 11 at the high school. Bus transportation will be provided, as will breakfast.
"Their teachers have been meeting and developing the curriculum. A lot of it will be very similar to the afterschool program," Fogle said.
In addition, board member Bill Suto suggested the board resume the practice of livestreaming board meetings on the district's YouTube channel. He said the public enjoyed the practice, established at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The people loved it," Suto said. "I think it's a great idea, because then you get the public involvement. I've had at least seven people talk to me about this."
The next meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. June 29.