Interest among Boardman Local School officials in considering the renovation and or demolition of the current Center Middle School was among several topics discussed at a Boardman Board of Education workshop held last Saturday.
      Supt. Frank Lazzeri said last summer the Ohio Schools Facilities Commission invited the local school district to participate in a type of review program in an apparent effort to consider the district’s eligibility to receive state funding to replace Center Middle School. Parts of the school are some 100 years old.
      Mr. Lazzeri said the Boardman Local School District was among 19 districts across the state of Ohio invited to participate in the review program and said Center Middle was determined to be the school “with the greatest need.”
      Mr. Lazzeri said he informed the Facilities Commission the Boardman School District is changing, noting that he advised over the past decade the number of free and reduced-priced lunches served to students has nearly quadrupled.
      The superintendent said despite the changing demographics of the district, only about 16 per cent of a multi-million dollar project to demolish the current Center Middle School and build a new school, would be eligible for state funding.
      Members of the school board also learned ‘more technology devices’ are needed within the school system that will allow students to take state-mandated testing programs,.
      “We have been informed all such testing will be done with computers, beginning next year,” Mr. Lazzeri said.
      Boardman High School Principal Jared Cardillo informed the board that drug testing programs for student athletes, as well as student who drive to school, will begin this July.
      Another topic of discussion at the workshop was the district’s participation in the All American Conference.
      Boardman Local Schools have dropped out of the Stark County-based Federal League and will participate in the All American Conference next year in all sports, except football. For the 2014 season, the Spartan football program will play in no league.
      Following a public session, the agenda for the workshop indicates the school board adjourned into a closed-door meeting to discuss negotiations that are currently underway with its teachers union, the Boardman Education Association.