LISBON — David Anderson Jr./Sr. High School life skills students opened the Blue Devil Share Shoppe and dedicated the space to Superintendent Joseph Siefke’s late wife, Tammy Siefke, during the Lisbon Exempted Village Board of Education meeting Thursday.

Siefke cut the ribbon on the space that includes clothing, toiletries and food items for students to shop for using “Devil Dollars,” plus a full-size kitchen with new appliances for students to practice life skills.

Sophomore students Timothy Kuttler and Jayden Godfrey presented Siefke with a plaque commemorating his wife, who died on Feb. 26, that he then asked them to hang in the newly-completed space.

“The Blue Devil Share Shoppe is dedicated in loving memory of Tammy L. Siefke, as you were you will always be treasured forever in our memory,” Godfrey read from the plaque.

The students thanked Maintenance Supervisor Roger Tullis, Siefke and the school board for helping to make the Share Shoppe and the upgraded life skills room a reality.

“We would like to publicly acknowledge and thank you, the board of Lisbon Schools, for your investment, not only in the Share Shoppe, but also in the life skills room,” Godfrey said. “The additions that were made enabled us to learn how to cook different items, which you will be tasting soon.”

Kuttler and Godfrey then invited everyone on a quick tour before a hearty dinner of melted turkey and ham sliders, fresh vegetables and dip, apple crisp, and homemade ice cream was served.

The school board also presented the students with certificates of appreciation for their work.

Intervention specialist Melissa Walton spoke to the Shoppe meeting specific needs of students — such as professional clothes for an interview in the Shoppe’s “Dress to Impress” section.

She said that Kuttler and Godfrey also cleaned and organized the kitchen before beginning to cook, and they keep it well-maintained. The students also learn other life skills like reading a pay stub and determining sales tax.

“It’s not just cooking,” Walton said. “But we do incorporate it because they like it. And a lot of them need to cook because they might be home by themselves.”

Siefke mentioned that the life skills room has been a goal for himself and Lisbon Schools Special Education Director Lynne Beech for “quite some time.”

“As we thought about the kids in the community and how these skills were so very important that they learn how to do,” Siefke said. “I know a lot of people have been waiting for the Share Shoppe to open so they can donate things to it.”

In other business, a donation to the athletic department of $625 from Eells-Leggett-Stauffer Funeral Home for a record board honoring Lisbon’s first 1,000-yard receiver, Logan Stauffer, was accepted.

“This past season, Logan Stauffer became the first player in school history to become a 1,000-yard receiver,” David Anderson Jr./Sr. High School Assistant Principal and Athletic Director Kyle Bing said. “We have record boards for 1,000-yard rushers, 1,000-yard passers. There will be one hung up in the stadium with the other ones and one in the hallway,” he said of the record boards.

The board also approved the 2024 Honors Builders Club Trip through 20th Century Tours to Chicago for grades 6-8 on May 22-24.

The fifth-grade class day trips to Camp Frederick in Negley on May 28 and 29 were also approved.

“Students will participate in a number of outdoor, team-building, and nature-themed activities,” Board President TK Hiscox said.

The board issued one-year classified contracts to Linsey Petersen and Marcia Lewis as preschool aides and two-year classified contracts to: cafeteria workers Anita Adkins, Brandi Gregg, and Lou Pezzano; custodians Brian Clapsaddle and Austin Urquhart; aides Richard Cole, Judith Darcy, Kristen Kemp, and Jill Thompson; bus drivers Dave Kuhns and Ann May; and secretary Katrina Wallace.

Cafeteria workers Amanda Korda and Angela Smith were approved for continuing classified contracts.

Also on Thursday, the board established a part-time seasonal custodial position at $12 per hour and hired Deona Lange and Angela Smith for this summer, not to exceed 25 hours per week.

The Lisbon Exempted Village Board of Education will next meet at 5 p.m. May 23.

ehouk@mojonews.com