Tiffin Schools changes daily schedule

During a meeting of the Tiffin City Board of Education, the board approved a 15-minute change in the bell schedule for the next school year. The following start and dismissal times were approved for the 2022-2023 school year: * Columbian High School — 7:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.* Tiffin Middle School — 7:35 a.m.-2:45 p.m.* Washington K-1; Krout 2-3; Noble 4-5 — 8:45 a.m.-3:15 p.m.* Lincoln Pre-K — 8-11 a.m., noon-3 p.m. The vote was divided with board members Andrew Gase, Larry Kisabeth and Meagan McBride voting in favor of the change and Victor Perez and Dustin Williams voting against it. "This is a situation none of us want, but one we need to address," Kisabeth said during the meeting. The schedule changes come as the district is working toward implementing a two-tier busing system to continue to serve the same amount of students the district currently has while facing a shortage of bus drivers. McBride said the district's only other option to consider was to reduce the services the district offers. Williams expressed concerns about the proposal brought to the board as some of the items identified as next steps were not complete. The board moved to table the issue to have those items fully detailed, but the motion failed with a vote of 3-2, with Gase, McBride and Kisabeth voting against tabling the issue and Perez and Williams voting in favor. "We do not get the luxury of liking or disliking an issue, but we have the responsibility of voting on a proposal that is complete, and this proposal is not complete," Williams said. The district had established a Transportation Task Force and had scheduled public meetings over the last month. McBride said the district has recently increased the amount it pays drivers to be at a similar, competitive level with other area districts to try to recruit drivers. Tiffin resident and parent Carissa Allen addressed the board at the meeting, indicating her disappointment in the board and leadership. "We do not deserve this as a district," she said. On another matter, Krout 2-3 Elementary School Principal Bill Beaston presented on the elementary school's Read to Succeed Program. The board also recognized its third-quarter Crystal Apple Award winner, Brad Fuhrer, a paraprofessional working at Tiffin Middle School. "It has been a pleasure to work with TCS," Fuhrer said. The board entered into an executive session to consider the employment or compensation of a public employee and to consider the purchase or sale of public property. No action was taken. On another matter, the board approved a proposal with Schmidt Security Pro to provide sole-path cellular communicators on the fire alarm systems and to provide monitoring in all district school buildings. This service contract came about because the City of Tiffin does not provide the service to the district. In other news, the board: * Heard committee reports.* Accepted donations and grants.* Approved the Columbian graduating class of 2022.* Approved the elementary and middle school parent/student handbooks.* Approved the readoption of board policies.* Approved the board policy of Student Withdrawal from School (Loss of Driving Privileges).* Approved a memorandum of understanding with Great Lakes Community Action Partnership for the Head Start Program.* Approved an administrator contract for Abigail Musgrave to serve as a school psychologist.* Approved Clouse Professionals contract for Columbian sidewalk repairs.* Approved the Honeywell Building Performance Service agreement to provide HVAC mechanical maintenance and preventative maintenance for all TCS facilities except Tiffin Middle School.* Approved the adoption of the North Central Ohio Trust, TCS non-grandfathered employee benefit 2-Tier and 3-Tier plan amendments. The next regular meeting is 6:30 p.m. May 23 at the Tiffin Middle School, 103 Shepherd Dr.