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HANOVERTON -- The United Local Board of Education met on Wednesday and approved staff training for child sexual abuse prevention, dating violence prevention and sexual violence prevention in accordance with a new Ohio law that requires it.
Ohio became the 38th state to pass what is known as Erin's Law, which requires schools to teach sexual abuse and violence prevention to all students. The code states that "students in grades K-6 receive instruction in personal safety and assault prevention" and "that students in grades 7-12 receive age-appropriate instruction in dating violence prevention education." Ohio schools may use their own teachers, but the amendment requires that those instructors receive training from law enforcement or prosecutors on how to teach the topics. The law is named after Erin Merryn, a childhood sexual abuse survivor.
An agreement between United Local Schools and the Columbiana County Sheriff's Office to provide a full-time sheriff deputy to serve as a school resource officer in the district for a term of three one-year periods was also passed.
In business matters, the board approved the continued participation in the OME-RESA School Bus Purchasing program with the intent to advertise and receive bids for the purchase of one school bus and approved trade-in of two buses to Meyers Equipment. The board agreed to a contract with Straight From the Tap for water quality testing and consultation and approved membership in the Ohio Coalition for Equity and Adequacy of school funding. Membership dues for the 2023-24 school year are $2 per student. June's financial statements were accepted and approved.
The board passed several personnel matters, approving employment for Peggy Mix (bus driver), Justin Clark (custodian), John Bloor (athletic department worker) and substitutes Joanne Ferry, Emily Taylor and Kelsey Popa. The board also approved the supplemental contracts for Nicholas Rhodes (freshman football head coach) and Noleen Moore (volunteer coordinator) and approved volunteers Dave Dees (assistant volunteer golf coach) and Thomas Marrafa (tennis coach).
Donations totaling $1,858 were approved as were three fundraisers -- sponsor shirts for the boys and girls golf teams, clothing sale for the football teams and sponsor signs for football. The board gave approval for the girls golf team to compete at the Oak Tree Golf Club Tournament in West Middlesex, Pa. Aug. 21 and for the varsity cheerleaders to travel to Orlando, Florida to cheer during the halftime of the Citrus Bowl (Dec. 29 to Jan. 2).
Revisions to the student handbooks for high school, middle school and elementary students were presented and approved.