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MARTINS FERRY -- The school year is wrapping up and Martins Ferry City School District is looking to the educational needs of the 2023-24 school year, and some additional programs and expenses are expected.
Treasurer Dana Garrison addressed the Board of Education Tuesday and reported the expected 5% increase in health insurance will likely be higher.
"We've had some preliminary information here and we're looking at the pretty good possibility of a large increase. I typically estimate 5% every year, but based on some information that we received from the (Portage Area School Consortium), it looks like we're in the high range, so it could be anywhere from a 7% increase to 14.8% increase," Garrison said.
She added 7% would be an additional $230,000, and 14.8% would be $487,000. Garrison said 7% would mean an added $65,000 beyond the expected 5%.
She said she expects to know more after the consortium meets tomorrow.
"We should be getting rates soon for next year. That's something to keep in mind as we consider casts for next year and upcoming costs. It's going to go up a good bit more than it has in the last few years," Garrison said.
Board member James Agnew asked what was driving the increase. Garrison said the district's claims have increased.
Agnew asked if these included illnesses and accidents. Garrison said prescriptions also drive up costs.
Garrison said the district utilizes the Schwendeman Agency insurance broker.
"They have several different design plans," she said.
In other matters, Superintendent Jim Fogle said the elementary school principal was requesting the creation of a new teaching position for keyboarding, basic computer skills and Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. There also may be a need for an additional intervention specialist to work with kindergarten and first-grade students.
The high school is requesting a second guidance counselor to oversee new graduation requirements such as industry-recognized credentials, pre-apprenticeship programs and testing requirements to obtain those certifications. Board members noted there had been two guidance counselors in prior years.
Fogle also reported looking into estimates for turfing the district's baseball and softball fields. He is also looking into a possible survey of the road leading uphill to the campus.
The board also heard from Lisa Kleevic, site coordinator of the After Hours Academy for after school activities. She said participation among middle schoolers has been strong.
"We started out the year with 40, now we still have 20, which is good because sports and everything start now, spring sports," she said. "Their scores in reading and math have gone up, which is the goal.
"Math is a little bit harder. They don't make as great jumps in math as they do in reading, but they have upped their scores," she said.
Kleevic said she uses state testing programs to measure how they were doing at the beginning of the year compared to now and found the majority have improved.
"It tests them. It tests their level, and if they're doing really well it makes the content a little harder," she said.
Recent events included a field trip to the Belmont County 911 call center for a look at how emergency responses are coordinated.
A "Summer Fun Camp" will also be provided for students who completed the program. Events include topgolf, the Urban Air Trampoline Park, bowling and the Allen Pool in the St. Clairsville/Richland Township Memorial Park.
"We have a really nice educational but fun summer school camp we're going to take them on the first two weeks of June," she said. "We have lots of things planned."
She said next year is the final year of the five-year program, made possible through grant funds from a 21st Century federal grant.
"I'm hoping we do real well and our numbers look real good, so that when they rewrite the grant, we will receive it again," she said.
The board went into a very brief closed-door executive session for employment issues, then later went into another closed-door session for about an hour and a half to conference with an attorney for disputes with the public body that are the subject of pending or imminent court action.
The final day of school will be May 26. Graduation will be May 28.
A work session will be held at 4 p.m. Thursday, May 11, immediately before the regular board meeting, to discuss special education, buildings and ground and curriculum.