Wadsworth Superintendent Dale Fortner informed the Board of Education Monday of two meetings for parents will be held in the near future.
The first meeting will be at 7 p.m. Feb. 26 at the Middle School, located 150 Silvercreek Road, for parents of children who expect to enroll in kindergarten for the 2013-2014 school year. In addition to being informative, parents can also schedule appointments for the screening of the incoming kindergartners at that meeting, Fortner noted.
At a second meeting to be held at 7 p.m. on March 6 at the Parsons Building, 524 Broad Street, parents will be informed of open enrollment. Open enrollment is the state program that allows students living in one school district to attend a school in an abutting district based upon the policies and availability of that school district to accept those students.
Fortner also announced the dates for summer school. The first session will be from June 17-July 3; the second, July 8-26. Wadsworth students will pay a fee of $100 for a summer school classes; non-residents, $125.
In addition, Fortner told the board Wadsworth has three merit finalists. Those students, who Fortner described as "in an elite group," are Grace Cammarn, Samuel Drury and Alan McPherson. According to Fortner, more than one million students across the United States started the process to reach this point.
The board approved the purchase of two new school buses each costing $101,238. Fortner said these would replace two busses currently in service, one of which is 20 years old.
The board also heard a report from mCORE. Started by Dr. Kenneth Berkovitz, mCORE is a company that specializes in screening athletes for problems, which may lead to sudden cardiac arrest. Rich Berlin told the board 28 Wadsworth students were tested in August under the program. It will be offered for those athletes involved in spring sports and is expected to be offered three times per year in the future.
Wadsworth High School graduate Brent Douglas said with sudden cardiac arrest, there is no history, no warnings and no symptoms. Douglas said, Japan starts this screening for students in the first grade and Italy requires it for all athletes. He said we are "way behind" in the United States.
Finally, the board heard an impassioned plea from spokespersons for WESPA, the association that represents the support staff including: bus drivers, crossing guards, secretaries and cafeteria workers, to return to the bargaining table on Feb. 20.
According to the spokespersons, the employees want to be treated with respect in negotiations. After months of negotiation, the board ratified its best and final offer at a special meeting in January. The employees had rejected that offer.
