Board accepts recommendation to educate, engage and resurvey community
The Hamilton School Board accepted a recommendation from the Community Facilities Advisory Committee (CFAC) to not move forward with a referendum for the April 2023 ballot. The District will continue to monitor concerns and educate the community regarding facilites and operational needs.
The School Board convened a 2022 CFAC in November to study community growth, enrollment projections and facility needs in the District. Committee members Bob Freese and Alan Mamerow presented the recommendation. Recommendation is based on community survey results and the fact that the state has not yet determined how it will fund schools over the state’s next biennium. The District’s recent outreach efforts have resulted in significantly higher support among parents and staff. However, the District will focus on ways to better educate the community as a whole regarding needs. The School Board accepted the CFAC recommendations to present at a future meeting following community outreach efforts and a second round of surveys.
No space to take Open Enrollment students
School administrators calculated that the district will not have enough classroom space to take additional Open Enrollment students for the 2023-24 school year due to class size guidelines, space constraints and space for special education open enrollment.
Open Enrollment is a statewide program that allows students to attend public schools outside of their districts if space is available. District administrators monitor enrollment throughout the year and report back to the School Board closer to the start of school if there might be room for students from outside the district. Creating a waiting list was proposed.
Templeton Middle School in Spotlight
Templeton Middle School Principal Brad Hoffmann presented a School Spotlight video highlighting the new Random Acts of Kindness program, 8th grade science wired dollhouse project and 7th grade science bird beak lab.
Character Strong Pilot Program approved
Character Strong provides lessons to students in grades 5-12 on self management, relationship skills and responsible decision making. Schools began using these lessons at the start of the 2022-23 school year. The lessons will now be used for the remainder of the current school year and also the 2023-24 school year.
In personnel matters
The School Board approved the retirements of:
- Wendy Horsens, Technology Integration Resource Teacher at Marcy and Lannon Elementary Schools, effective end of the school year;
- Lori Schlapman, School Counselor at Marcy Elementary School, effective end of the school year;
- Sandra Wright, Communication Arts Teacher at Hamilton High School, effective end of the school year;
- Jeff Jones, Head Custodian at Marcy Elementary School, effective February 28; and
- Michele Trawicki, Principal at Marcy Elementary School, effective June 30.
The School Board approved the appointments of:
- Linda Weitzer, Associate Kitchen Employee at Maple Avenue Elementary School, effective Jan. 2;
- Ashley Lesko, Paraprofessional Special Services at Maple Avenue Elementary School, effective Jan. 9; and
- Johanna Schread, Art Teacher at Hamilton High School, effective Jan. 24.
The School Board approved the resignations of:
- Brian Versh, Custodian I, p.m. at Hamilton High School, effective Jan. 3;
- Xiao Liu, Paraprofessional Special Services at Silver Spring Intermediate School, effective Jan. 6;
- Charuta Ingole, Paraprofessional Special Services at Maple Avenue Elementary School, effective Dec. 22, 2022; and
- Christy Schwechel, Grade 5 Humanities Teacher at Silver Spring Intermediate School, effective end of the school year.