By HOLLY GASKILL
In a brief meeting Tuesday evening, Southern Wells Community Schools held a final hearing on a $3 million bond to pursue multiple facility improvement projects.
No one from the public spoke on the matter. The bond will have a $0.06 impact on the district’s tax rate, but the overall tax rate impact is expected to be $0.02 due to increased assessed value.
As discussed during the board’s September meeting, the district hopes to address the Raider Dome and agriculture building’s roofs, add air conditioning in the Raider Dome, renovate locker rooms, make sewage improvements and other items.
Alongside this, the board adopted its 2025 budget and capital improvements and bus replacement plans. The board also approved a 2025-26 school calendar; Superintendent Trent Lehman said there was no feedback on it following the initial consideration in September. The 2025-26 school year will start Aug. 13, 2025, and end May 28, 2026, consistent with calendars approved by Bluffton-Harrison Metropolitans Schools and Norwell Community Schools.
In other updates, the board:
• Recognized several instructional aides for the service with students, including high school student Emily Steffen who has been working with fifth grade students.
• Adopted the 2025 budget and capital projects and bus replacement plans.
• Accepted Amy Yates’ resignation as a special education instructional assistant in the elementary school.
• Approved employment recommendations for France Donathan and Kody Kinsey to work as special education instruction assistants in the elementary school, as well as Michella Leas as the seventh grade girls’ basketball coach.
• Adopted a resolution for a mitigation plan in case of a natural disaster or other catastrophic events. Lehman explained that the district has approved a similar resolution before and it allows the district to be eligible for certain funding and grants if necessary.
• Approved the HVAC class to visit the University of Northwestern Ohio on Nov. 1.
• Approved fundraisers for the library to host Scholastic Book Fairs Oct. 7-11 and April 7-11, Little Raiders Preschool to host a Christmas party, boys’ basketball to host a free throw marathon, and for PIE to work with LaBraid Sales. The board also approved PIE to use the old bus garage for LaBraid delivery and pick-up on Nov. 14 from 1:30-5:30 p.m.
• Accepted a donation from Family Ford of Bluffton for student activities.
The board will meet next at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19, at the high school media center.
holly@news-banner.com
