By unanimous vote last week, the Boardman Local School Board voted to place all fifth and sixth grade students in the local system into Center Middle School, and all seventh and eighth grade students will attend Glenwood Middle School, effective next fall.
      The local schools system has housed fifth thru eighth grade students at Center and Glenwood since 1969 when total enrollment at the two schools was near 2500 students.
      More than four decades later, that enrollment has declined substantially to near 1400 students.
      Despite the declining enrollment, Supt. Frank Lazzeri said federally-mandated legislation passed in the 1970s, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, forced Boardman Local Schools to expand opportunities for children with educational challenges.
      “This legislation expanded ten-fold the need to provide extra space in schools for special education classrooms. Consequently, though our middle school enrollment today is about one-half of what it was in 1969, we are bursting at the seams and are in need of space at that level,” Lazzeri said.
      The move to realign the middle schools will help to maximize educational and extra-curricular opportunities for students, the superintendent said.
      Teacher/pupil ratios will be lowered to levels near one teacher for every 20 students, and the curriculum will be geared to providing the same instruction for all students, Lazzeri said.
      Additionally, middle school athletic programs will be more competitive.
      Another factor in the realignment, according to the superintendent is federal funding formulas that provide funds for educational programs.
      Currently about 35 per cent of the 588 students at Center Middle School receive free or reduced-price lunches, while about 40 per cent of the 739-member student body at Glenwood gets free or reduced-priced lunches.
      “That five per cent makes a big difference when applying for many federally-funded grants,” the superintendent said, noting Glenwood received upwards of $125,00 last year in grants funds that Center was not eligible for because of the ratio of free and reduced-priced lunches.
      “Under the realignment, both schools will qualify for the same level of federal funding,” he added.
      Details of the realignment are still being finalized, especially bus transportation.
      “The realignment could increase our transportation costs by at least $60,000, or perhaps a bit less by consolidating some bus routes,” the superintendent said.
      Once the transportation plans are finalized, the system will hold a public meeting to inform the public about middle school plans for next year.
      Presenting reports to the school board last week on the realignment were Lazzeri, Center principal Randall Ebie, Glenwood principal Bart Smith, newly-named Supt. Tim Saxton, and Nick Hewko, middle school athletic director.
      Other Business
      The school board approved a variety of modifications to its student transportation services. Among those modifications was a stipulation limiting the number of bus stops, “so that students from several homes can meet safely at a central point for group pick-up. Pupils in kindergarten through eighth grade may be required to walk up to a half-mile to a designated bus stop...”
      Another modification noted “As part of the district’s ongoing program to improve student discipline and ensure the health, welfare and safety of those riding school transportation vehicles, the school board may also utilize video and audio recording devices on all...vehicles transporting students to and from curricular, co-curricular and extra-curricular activities.”
      The school board approved the transfer of West Blvd. Elementary School head custodian, Rick Hungerford, to first assistant custodian at Boardman High School.
      Parental leaves of absence were granted to Stadium Dr. phys-ed teacher Kendal Daltorio, high school phys-ed teach Kristi Schenker and Glenwood Middle School science teacher Samantha Steel; while unpaid leaves of absence were granted to Glenwood Middle health aide Mary Neff, and high school teacher aide, Nancy Oslin.
      Supplemental contracts were granted to Steve Stahura, Center Middle girls track coach; Dylan Bosela, high school open gym supervisor; Dan Gainey and Marco Marinucci, high school girls assistant softball coaches; and Mike Trell, high school head softball coach.
      Approved as volunteer coaches were John DePietro, John Pallini, John Phillips Jr., Rick Sypert, Victoria Moore, Ashlee Frazini and John Phillips Sr., high school indoor assistant track coaches; Luke Graziani, high school wrestling coach; and David Merry, high school lacrosse head coach.
      The board granted Joyce Mistovich a $5500 stipend as compensation for her work with the high school television network.
      The school board accepted two donations from former board member mark J. Fulks, $400 to the Soller Scholarship Fund, and $100 to the Board of Edcuation/Administrative Scholarship Fund.
      The board adjourned into an executive session.