By Eamon Baird
PIQUA — Superintendent Dwyane Thompson and Assistant Superintendent Tony Lyons presented a report on bullying during the Piqua Board of Education Meeting on Thursday, Dec. 14.
Lyons stated that there were eight reports of bullying cases, down from nine last year. He added that some incidents occur off campus.
“You can imagine when we get contacted in a bullying report that a child was threatened or harassed via Snapchat. That’s not happened during school most of the time. But we’re still reacting and responding to that. And even investigating those to make sure that we’re not missing something,” Lyons said.
Superintendent Dwayne Thompson added that interactions on social can affect attendance by students who deal with bullies.
“If there are any threats happening outside of school on social media, we try to get those connections to the police department so that they can be addressed because that makes kids not want to go to school the next day and face those kids if they have those encounters through social media and so we do find ourselves having to intervene there as well,” Thompson said.
Lyons added that its important to address bullying situations to stop them from happening in the future.“We want to make sure that there’s no repeat offenses for kids when they are identified as a bully,” Lyons said.
In other business, Treasurer Jeremie Hittle addressed the board with his 2023 fiscal report and budget for 2025 for approval.
Hittle also asked the board to approve the purchase of a Ram 3500 Truck for $75,000 as their current truck is from the 1990s and needs to be decommissioned.
The board unanimously approved Hittle’s budget and the purchase of the truck.
Also Thursday, the board approved the personnel agenda which included the following new hires: Kenneth Bristow as a part-time TR-1 and TR-5 bus driver effective Nov. 21; Shannon Butts as a part-time TR-1 and TR-5 bus driver effective Dec. 4; Barbara Mullin as a FS-3 cook at Piqua High School effective Dec. 4; Angel Sorrell as a BC-3 custodian and bus driver supplement effective Oct. 27.
The board also approved Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) for the following: Tammy Gerlach as an A-4 aide starting on Dec. 12 for approximately six weeks. Tabitha Kohler, TR-1 and TR-5 part-time bus driver from Nov. 22 until approximately Jan. 3, 2024.
The board also approved the resignation or supplemental resignation of the following: Angela Carrol as FS-1 head cook at Piqua Central Immediate School, effective Oct. 16; Courtney Drees as Wellness Coordinator; Amy Davis as RTI Coordinator at Springcreek Primary; Sarah Pond as the junior high basketball cheer coach at 50% salary.
At the end of the meeting, Board President Kelly McMaken addressed Clint Bostick, who was serving on his last meeting as a board member. Bostick served on the BOE for the last eight years and was a guidance counselor at Piqua Schools for 17 years.
“We really appreciate your friendship, and the knowledge that you’ve given to all of us as board members. I’m not from the education world, but you have helped me, and I admire and respect you, and all that you have done for these kids and the staff,” McMaken said.
