Greenfield parents address board on school security; district says safety is a priority
Lead Summary
By
Brandy Chandler-brandychandler@gmail.com
Two parents in the Greenfield Exempted Village School District addressed the board of education Monday, saying that their repeated requests that school security be made a priority have been ignored. District Superintendent Terry Fouch said that student safety is, and will remain, a top priority, and that they have worked to address parental concerns.
Kim McGuire-Haines addressed the board Monday with her husband, Wesley Haines, during the meeting held at Rainsboro Elementary School. McGuire-Haines referenced previous discussions she'd had with the board last year and said that she had seen little progress.
"I am back before you with some of the same issues, and I am greatly disappointed," McGuire-Haines said.
She said that Fouch had told her at the end of the school year addressing security would be taken care of over the summer. When school began, she said that she was disappointed to find that some issues still had not been addressed, such as keeping the front door of the schools locked.
"There's a SMART Board in every classroom, but we need to make security in schools a top priority," McGuire-Haines said. "We're in the middle of nowhere. If it's a matter of money, tell us and we'll help raise it."
While classroom technology was a positive, she said that school safety should be the top priority.
McGuire-Haines said that by keeping the front door locked and having to have students "buzzed in," it would not only make the campus a safer place, but she feels would also cut down on tardies at the high school and middle school. She said that she believed Hillsboro and Leesburg schools had similar systems.
The board did not comment back to McGuire-Haines, and she said, "I know that you can only smile at us politely and not respond. I will keep coming back (until the issues are resolved)."
McGuire-Haines said that she has filed a complaint with the Ohio Department of Education regarding a personnel matter and that they had advised her to speak to the Highland County Sheriff's Office and the school board. She said that she had already done those things and had not seen the situation addressed.McGuire-Haines said that she had met with the board in executive session last year regarding the matter, which is not related to the security issue. She said that over the summer she met with Highland County Sheriff Ron Ward and Det. Denny Kirk with the HCSO. She said that she has not seen the school board conduct a proper investigation into allegation that have been made.
Because the issue involves personnel, the matter was discussed last year in executive session, and is not public record.
"All we ask is for a proper investigation," she said. "If it's not true, don't take action, but investigate it."
But security, she said, remains the top priority, and that it has been nearly a year since she first approached the school board about her concerns.
"You've had a year, and my children still aren't safe," McGuire-Haines said to the board. "I wanted to express my disappointment in each and every one of you. I can't believe you didn't investigate it properly. I feel like this has just been passed off onto Mr. Fouch. I didn't bring it to Mr. Fouch, I brought to you. I don't accept that we can't do something."
She said that her family wanted to be proactive and become involved in a making a difference, but she said that they have faced retaliation. She said that a teacher "screamed" at her after she previously addressed the board.
"But that's all right," she said. "I will continue to stand up for what's right."
Following the meeting, Fouch told The Highland County Press that the district had taken McGuire-Haines's concerns seriously and had steps to address campus safety and that it is "a high priority."
Fouch said that all doors on campus are kept locked, except for the main entrance, and that additional security cameras have been installed. The district is still looking into ways to address the front door security.
"It's a little more involved than just installing a key fob system," Fouch said. "Safety has, and always will be, a primary concern."
Additionally, McGuire-Haines said that she had issues with the cost of school pictures – a matter she had also previously discussed with the board.
With four children in the school district, she said that the cost of packages for school pictures was very high. For two of her children, she said, she had to pay $75 each. McGuire-Haines acknowledged that there was a $10-package, but that only included six pictures.
McGuire-Haines said that at Rainsboro, a majority of "the children in this school receive free and reduced lunches. If they can't afford food, how can they afford pictures?"
She said that while her family was able to afford the photos, she felt that school pictures were a "rite of passage" for every student. She said that on picture day, half the children in line do not have envelopes to pay for a photo.
"These children deserve a school picture, and they deserve to know they existed and went to school," McGuire-Haines said.
In addition to the cost, she said that she did not agree that a portion of the cost of the pictures was put into a fund to be used by the school. She said that only because she spoke up about it last year regarding the funds being put in a specific, designated account.
"We're in an economically repressed area," McGuire-Haines said. "We shouldn't be making up the prices. And we should be asked. You don't take without asking."
McGuire-Haines told The Highland County Press that the pictures are a fundraiser, and that she was told last year that the prices are set by each school, and that picture costs are marked up 35 percent. The funds that are raised are supposed to go into a designated fund. Last year, she said, Rainsboro's funds were going into the PTO fund, and not its own designated account.
Fouch noted during the meeting that the money was now going into the proper funds.
McGuire-Haines said that she would want to donate funds, but she wants to be given the option, and not have the money just taken.
Fouch said after the meeting that school picture prices are consistent at each school and that a portion of the money for the photos is donated back to the schools by the photographer. He indicated on the purchase form that it states a portion will be donated back. The funds, he said, go toward the purchase of books for the library, yearbooks and education equipment.
Also appearing before the board Monday was eighth-grader Megan Hardesty. As a seventh-grader last year, Hardesty competed at the state competition for Power of the Pen and placed 12th in the state overall.
The board recognized Hardesty with a pen and a certificate of achievement.
Fouch said that Hardesty competed "literally against thousands of other students.
"We are very proud of you for your passion, and for the fine manner in which you represented Greenfield," Fouch said. "We encourage you to keep up with the writing process, and those skills and your talent will serve you all the days of your life."
During the superintendent's report, Fouch said that new greenhouses, which were donated by Visibly Green of Greenfield, have arrived and are currently being installed. He said that when the structures are completed, it will allow science and agriculture students to have the proper environments to observe plant growth.
"It will be a wonderful addition to the program," Fouch said.
Additionally, Fouch said the district hopes that if the proposed Greenfield community garden develops, the greenhouses could be used to assist in the cultivation.
In other business:
• Fouch reported that overall, the GEVS enrollment is down by 52 students from last year, for a total of 2,121. He said that they hope more students will enroll by the official count date in October, since in Ohio, funding is based on the number of students enrolled.
• Area 937 Ministries, located in Hillsboro, made a donation of backpacks to Greenfield students, Fouch reported. "We appreciate the donation to students, as they struggle to get the supplies they need," he said.
• Responding to a question from board member Greg Barr, Fouch said that 73 percent of students are Greenfield Elementary are on the free and reduced lunch program, and that 67 percent of students are in the program at Rainsboro, and 59 percent of students at Buckskin are in the program. Fouch said that some of the dates on the program had been imported from last year and that they were working on getting up-to-date numbers, but that, "It's a growing number."
Additionally, Fouch said that over the summer, Highland County Community Action Organization provided lunch programs to students. Across Highland County, he said, 2,602 meals were served to 251 individual children. Fouch said that 46 percent of the overall meals were served at the Greenfield locations.
"They really took advantage of it in Greenfield," Fouch said. "It's encouraging to see our children coming in and getting a good, nutritious meal."
• Board member Sandy Free has been nominated to serve on the All-Ohio School Board for the southwest regional district and will be honored at the southwest region's dinner on Oct. 13.
Two parents in the Greenfield Exempted Village School District addressed the board of education Monday, saying that their repeated requests that school security be made a priority have been ignored. District Superintendent Terry Fouch said that student safety is, and will remain, a top priority, and that they have worked to address parental concerns.
Kim McGuire-Haines addressed the board Monday with her husband, Wesley Haines, during the meeting held at Rainsboro Elementary School. McGuire-Haines referenced previous discussions she'd had with the board last year and said that she had seen little progress.
"I am back before you with some of the same issues, and I am greatly disappointed," McGuire-Haines said.
She said that Fouch had told her at the end of the school year addressing security would be taken care of over the summer. When school began, she said that she was disappointed to find that some issues still had not been addressed, such as keeping the front door of the schools locked.
"There's a SMART Board in every classroom, but we need to make security in schools a top priority," McGuire-Haines said. "We're in the middle of nowhere. If it's a matter of money, tell us and we'll help raise it."
While classroom technology was a positive, she said that school safety should be the top priority.
McGuire-Haines said that by keeping the front door locked and having to have students "buzzed in," it would not only make the campus a safer place, but she feels would also cut down on tardies at the high school and middle school. She said that she believed Hillsboro and Leesburg schools had similar systems.
The board did not comment back to McGuire-Haines, and she said, "I know that you can only smile at us politely and not respond. I will keep coming back (until the issues are resolved)."
McGuire-Haines said that she has filed a complaint with the Ohio Department of Education regarding a personnel matter and that they had advised her to speak to the Highland County Sheriff's Office and the school board. She said that she had already done those things and had not seen the situation addressed.McGuire-Haines said that she had met with the board in executive session last year regarding the matter, which is not related to the security issue. She said that over the summer she met with Highland County Sheriff Ron Ward and Det. Denny Kirk with the HCSO. She said that she has not seen the school board conduct a proper investigation into allegation that have been made.
Because the issue involves personnel, the matter was discussed last year in executive session, and is not public record.
"All we ask is for a proper investigation," she said. "If it's not true, don't take action, but investigate it."
But security, she said, remains the top priority, and that it has been nearly a year since she first approached the school board about her concerns.
"You've had a year, and my children still aren't safe," McGuire-Haines said to the board. "I wanted to express my disappointment in each and every one of you. I can't believe you didn't investigate it properly. I feel like this has just been passed off onto Mr. Fouch. I didn't bring it to Mr. Fouch, I brought to you. I don't accept that we can't do something."
She said that her family wanted to be proactive and become involved in a making a difference, but she said that they have faced retaliation. She said that a teacher "screamed" at her after she previously addressed the board.
"But that's all right," she said. "I will continue to stand up for what's right."
Following the meeting, Fouch told The Highland County Press that the district had taken McGuire-Haines's concerns seriously and had steps to address campus safety and that it is "a high priority."
Fouch said that all doors on campus are kept locked, except for the main entrance, and that additional security cameras have been installed. The district is still looking into ways to address the front door security.
"It's a little more involved than just installing a key fob system," Fouch said. "Safety has, and always will be, a primary concern."
Additionally, McGuire-Haines said that she had issues with the cost of school pictures – a matter she had also previously discussed with the board.
With four children in the school district, she said that the cost of packages for school pictures was very high. For two of her children, she said, she had to pay $75 each. McGuire-Haines acknowledged that there was a $10-package, but that only included six pictures.
McGuire-Haines said that at Rainsboro, a majority of "the children in this school receive free and reduced lunches. If they can't afford food, how can they afford pictures?"
She said that while her family was able to afford the photos, she felt that school pictures were a "rite of passage" for every student. She said that on picture day, half the children in line do not have envelopes to pay for a photo.
"These children deserve a school picture, and they deserve to know they existed and went to school," McGuire-Haines said.
In addition to the cost, she said that she did not agree that a portion of the cost of the pictures was put into a fund to be used by the school. She said that only because she spoke up about it last year regarding the funds being put in a specific, designated account.
"We're in an economically repressed area," McGuire-Haines said. "We shouldn't be making up the prices. And we should be asked. You don't take without asking."
McGuire-Haines told The Highland County Press that the pictures are a fundraiser, and that she was told last year that the prices are set by each school, and that picture costs are marked up 35 percent. The funds that are raised are supposed to go into a designated fund. Last year, she said, Rainsboro's funds were going into the PTO fund, and not its own designated account.
Fouch noted during the meeting that the money was now going into the proper funds.
McGuire-Haines said that she would want to donate funds, but she wants to be given the option, and not have the money just taken.
Fouch said after the meeting that school picture prices are consistent at each school and that a portion of the money for the photos is donated back to the schools by the photographer. He indicated on the purchase form that it states a portion will be donated back. The funds, he said, go toward the purchase of books for the library, yearbooks and education equipment.
Also appearing before the board Monday was eighth-grader Megan Hardesty. As a seventh-grader last year, Hardesty competed at the state competition for Power of the Pen and placed 12th in the state overall.
The board recognized Hardesty with a pen and a certificate of achievement.
Fouch said that Hardesty competed "literally against thousands of other students.
"We are very proud of you for your passion, and for the fine manner in which you represented Greenfield," Fouch said. "We encourage you to keep up with the writing process, and those skills and your talent will serve you all the days of your life."
During the superintendent's report, Fouch said that new greenhouses, which were donated by Visibly Green of Greenfield, have arrived and are currently being installed. He said that when the structures are completed, it will allow science and agriculture students to have the proper environments to observe plant growth.
"It will be a wonderful addition to the program," Fouch said.
Additionally, Fouch said the district hopes that if the proposed Greenfield community garden develops, the greenhouses could be used to assist in the cultivation.
In other business:
• Fouch reported that overall, the GEVS enrollment is down by 52 students from last year, for a total of 2,121. He said that they hope more students will enroll by the official count date in October, since in Ohio, funding is based on the number of students enrolled.
• Area 937 Ministries, located in Hillsboro, made a donation of backpacks to Greenfield students, Fouch reported. "We appreciate the donation to students, as they struggle to get the supplies they need," he said.
• Responding to a question from board member Greg Barr, Fouch said that 73 percent of students are Greenfield Elementary are on the free and reduced lunch program, and that 67 percent of students are in the program at Rainsboro, and 59 percent of students at Buckskin are in the program. Fouch said that some of the dates on the program had been imported from last year and that they were working on getting up-to-date numbers, but that, "It's a growing number."
Additionally, Fouch said that over the summer, Highland County Community Action Organization provided lunch programs to students. Across Highland County, he said, 2,602 meals were served to 251 individual children. Fouch said that 46 percent of the overall meals were served at the Greenfield locations.
"They really took advantage of it in Greenfield," Fouch said. "It's encouraging to see our children coming in and getting a good, nutritious meal."
• Board member Sandy Free has been nominated to serve on the All-Ohio School Board for the southwest regional district and will be honored at the southwest region's dinner on Oct. 13.
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