SALINEVILLE — Tuesday was the final board meeting for Linda Morris, who is finishing 26 years on the Southern Local Board of Education this year.

Morris said she has enjoyed her time on the board, which included consolidating the elementaries, the building project that created the current facilities for Southern Local today and many other changes over the years.

Some of the current teachers were children who went to school with her own children. The hardest years for her have been the last ones, trying to keep the schools open and healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Morris was edged out by another board member John Sawyer during the last election. Karl Blissenbach, who resigned his seat on the Utica Shale Academy board following a meeting earlier on Tuesday, will be a new member on Southern Local’s Board of Education.

During his report to the board, Superintendent Tom Cunningham thanked Morris for all her years of service to the board.

Cunningham reported the district is looking at some upcoming projects for the future, which include putting a new roof on the building this summer, replacing the current boiler system and the board is awaiting architectural plans for an auditorium.

Currently the stage is on one end of the cafeteria.

In other matters:

— Board member Rodney Edmiston made a motion to table three items on the agenda to approve the contracts of three employees with the Utica Shale Academy. Those contracts were for Laura Krulik, special education supervision; Mike Skrinjar, special education services; and Carter Hill, dean of students. The contracts have been tabled until January.

— The board held a lengthy executive session at the end of the meeting citing it was for matters to be kept confidential by federal law of rules or state statutes. They invited some parents into the meeting with them one at a time.

— The board approved Lacey Locke and Lisa Pitts for two three-hour cafeteria monitoring positions in the elementary; changed Chris Lewis from volunteer assistant girls basketball coach to a paid varsity girls assistant coach position; hired Jayce Sloan as freshman boys basketball coach; and approved Kelsey Shreve as a tutor.

— In January, Cunningham said Deputy Jeff Haugh will be joining the school as the school resource officer. Assistant High School and Junior High School Principal Adam Loudin also talked about upcoming programming to help with concerns the school is having about substance abuse, vaping and even self harm among older students.

djohnson@mojonews.com