Riverside staff announce they’re ready for the new school year

Riverside students and their families can check out the new playground equipment—and the rest of the school—during an open house on Monday, Aug. 21, from 1 to 5:30 p.m. Classes start the next day. (EXAMINER PHOTO | SHARYN KOPF)

With less than a week to go until school begins, Riverside Local Schools are eager to welcome students back. At least, that’s what the superintendent and principals told the board of education at their regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 15.

“The teachers are back,” Kelly Kauffman, middle and high school principal, said. “They seem refreshed and excited and ready to go.”

Bryce Hodge, elementary school principal, agreed, adding, “The new playground is awesome, by the way.”

According to Dr. Scott Mann, superintendent, the pirate-ship-inspired playground focuses on climbing and spinning, which he described as vital for “the development of young kids.”

Students and their families can check out the new equipment—and the rest of the school—during an open house on Monday, Aug. 21, from 1 to 5:30 p.m. Classes start the next day. Around 600 students have enrolled for the 2023-2024 school year, including about 40 kindergarteners.

Mann also reported on the construction status of the Riverside Community Health Center. The building is on-track to be completed by the end of August and should be “up and running” in September.

In other action, the board approved the:

• Substitute classified list as presented.
• MRESC substitute list.
• Resignation of Brittany Scott, cafeteria staff.
• Employment of Kathy Stotler, part-time cafeteria staff, level 8.
• Certifications to drive the bus/van, which now includes all coaches. Those who were approved were: Angel Allen, Chelsea Andrews, Jason Bell, Kayla Castallante, Tonya Castallante, Laura Dalton, Amanda Gammell, Nicole Harshbarger, Bryce Hodge, Tyler Hodge, Kelly Kauffman, Kyle Knight, Scott Mann, Amy McDaniel, Tim McGill, Maelinn Myers, Brogan Oliver, Andrew Phelps, Alan Pope, Shane Pope, Bonnie Shaffer, William Shaffner, Angie Shoe, Dawn Smith, Patrick Smith, Jean Stanfield, Caitlynn Wickline, Lindsay Wyan and Rod Yoder.
• Riverside bus routes for 2023-2024 as presented. The district reserves the right to change these routes as needed.
• Ninth period proposal as presented and the elementary teachers needed for that period at a rate of $25 an hour.
• Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the United Riverside Education Association.
• Teaching staff as Virtual Learning Academy teachers for the 2023-2024 school year at a rate of $250 for a full credit course, $125 for half a course, and $75 for a quarter course, according to the VLA participation agreement. This is on an as-needed basis.
• July 2023 financial reports, including bank reconciliations, annual spending plan report, cash position report, check register report, detail revenue status and detail expenditure status.
• Invoices and expenditures paid in the amount of $707,395 for the general fund and $144,715 for all other funds, totaling $852,110 for the month of July 2023.
  • Payroll-related expenditures for July:
    • Regular payroll: $453,211
    • Payroll related: $157,748
  • Significant or atypical vendor expenditures for July:
    • Hylant Administrative: $49,065 (liability insurance)
    • Houghton Mifflin: $42,918 (school books)
    • DP&L: $6,381 (electricity)
    • Beck Studios: $22,925 (auditeria lighting updates)

The next regular meeting of the Riverside Board of Education will take place on Sept. 19, at 6 p.m. in the school library.