Board approves routine financial, policy and personnel items; outlines process to fill a board vacancy

At its meeting the Anthony Wayne Local Schools Board approved several routine but consequential items after public recognition and presentations.

Treasurer Ray presented three items — monthly financials for October, a connectivity grant designed to offset district internet costs, and the return of unused auxiliary funds from programs — and the board voted to approve them. The board took the same approvative action on a recurring educational agreement (used to secure additional staffing when needed) and a resolution to re-adopt the district's special-education policies and procedures, a required annual compliance step noted by special-education directors.

On personnel, the board acknowledged one custodian retirement (Bernadette Mazurinski), several resignations including a coaching vacancy, and approved hires across classified positions (including bus driving and food service), certified substitutes, home-instruction tutors for extended-school-year needs, volunteer approvals (including community volunteers from Waterside for reading support) and limited supplemental contracts — notably a split basketball coaching position listed at 34% time. The superintendent clarified that volunteers who work unsupervised with students must pass background checks.

Board members also reviewed the process and timeline to fill a forthcoming board vacancy after Ms. McKnight’s announced resignation effective at year-end. The application window closed with 25 applicants; the board will screen applications over the next two weeks, select three to five finalists for interviews at a special work session, invite finalists to the December public meeting for brief introductions, then hold interviews in executive session and plan a formal vote at the January meeting (the appointee would be sworn in after the organizational meeting in January).

All motions on minutes, treasury items, educational agreements, special-education policy re-adoption and the personnel slate passed on roll-call votes with board members present voting in favor. The meeting adjourned and the board announced its next regular meeting for December 8 at 6 p.m.