With a revitalized track and football field on the agenda along with the hiring of a new head football coach for next season, the Benjamin Logan Board of Education considered several ways to improve the student athletic experience.
Beau Harmon, activities director, provided the board with a detailed account of why the new track and football field project is necessary and what needs to be done. The problem starts with an over-30-year-old track that was never intended to last longer than a decade. But on top of that, the field has drainage issues, which has caused the track to deteriorate faster.
“Other CBC schools refuse to run our track because of how bad it is,” Harmon said, “so that’s a major loss.”
According to Superintendent John Scheu, the condition of the track has led to several injuries.
With football gates also bringing in money — close to 50 percent of their total revenue — not being able to host games this fall would be a detriment in many ways. Still, this is an extensive project as the entire football field would need to be excavated and replaced. The plan is to install artificial turf since it can be used right away but costs the same as dirt and sod.
Another time-restraint comes into play with ordering a new scoreboard — the current one has been gradually going out for sometime. Since it takes months for a custom scoreboard to be built, they need to order it right away in order to have it in time for football season. The board approved the purchase at a cost of over $205,000.
Continuing in the sporting vein, Scheu recommended hiring Paul Jenne as the new head football coach, saying Jenne impressed everyone he interviewed with across the board.
“Not only are we getting a coach who’s produced a winning program at his previous schools, but his character-building skills for his football players is significant,” Scheu stated. “His teaching credentials are impressive as well.”
Jenne is certified to teach grades one through eight, but will most likely be placed with a middle school class.
Board member Mark Himmeger added Jenne was “head and shoulders” above other candidates.
Jenne, who attended the meeting, described the Benjamin Logan community as “salt-of-the-earth people,” and promised to give the school “a reason to have a new scoreboard.”
A collaboration between music and technology has resulted in the creation of 2D video games.
In other board action:
- Thanks to federal ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) funding, the school received $40,000, which the board approved to go toward the purchase of new musical instruments.
- The Benjamin Logan Future Farmers of America received a $3,000 grant from the Logan County Farm Bureau. Their goal: to support students and give them the tools they need to grow into the future of agriculture the state needs. This money will go toward a wetland rehabilitation project, which has been approved.
- Treasure Jennifer Sudhoff presented the January 2023 finance report for approval. She also informed the board they had received over $143,000, which was their full Logan County windmill payment for the year.
- Members approved the following new hires: Kandie Brown, custodian; Timothy (TJ) Yoder, mechanic; and John Forrest, maintenance;
- The board also approved the following 2023-2024 instructional requests: new high school courses, high school course selection handbooks, inter-district and intra-district open enrollment, an overnight trip to Chicago for the National High School Quiz Bowl, a high school band and choir excursion to perform in Orlando, Florida, and three third grade visits to the Columbus Zoo; and an educational trip to Germany and Italy for European history in July 2025 was also approved since it has to be reserved well in advance.
- The board approved a new lease agreement with Weekday Religious Education to place a trailer on school property.
- Scheu asked the board to accept donations from outside sources and volunteer services for some coaching assignments.
- During the audience participation segment of the meeting, a handful of people spoke out in support of the Fountain Point Solar Project, feeling the money it would provide the school over the next 45 years would have a positive affect on thousands of students.
The next meeting is 6 p.m. Monday, March 20.