The New Bremen Local Board of Education met in regular session at 7:00 p.m. in the
Community Room.
Roll Call:  Mrs. Michele Bambauer, Mr. Scott Bertke, Mrs. Shelly Busse, Mr. Cory
Suchland, and Mrs. Suzanne Wells.  Also present were Superintendent Jason Schrader, K-8
Principal Diane Kramer, High School Principal Brian Pohl, and Treasurer Jill Ahlers.
President Cory Suchland led the pledge of allegiance.
Representatives from the Spring sports team reported on their upcoming seasons. Representing softball were Caity Bergman and Nichole Wente.  Baseball representatives were Wyatt Puthoff and Grant Selby.  Mr. Gary Jones represented both the boys and girls track teams.

Elementary/Middle School Principal, Diane Kramer, submitted the following report:

1.  Continuous improvement
•	The inservice on March 16th included the following professional development for grades K-8:  health fair, math standards, English language arts series webinar, and staff collaboration.

2.  Instruction
•	Congratulations to our 7th grade STEM Fair winners, Alexa Steinke, Chase Bertke,
and Lilly Rindler.  Their invention was titled “The Window Escape”.  Thank you to 7th grade science teacher, Mrs. Steinemann, for organizing the event.  All projects were on display at Open House.
•	The end of the third nine weeks was Thursday, March 15th.  Grade cards are going home Friday, March 23rd.

3.  School Operations, Resources and Learning
Environment
•	We currently have 60 students registered for kindergarten screening which will be held April 3rd and 4th.
•
•	Severe Weather Awareness week is being recognized this week.  We participated in the Statewide tornado drill on Wednesday.
•	The annual spring book fair is also being held this week.  The theme this year is Paws for Books.  Come. Stay.  Read a Great Tale!  The book fair was open to the community during Open House on March 19th.  The money earned from the book fair is used to purchase books for the two libraries in our building.
•	The scheduling process for junior high classes has begun for next school year.  A letter was sent home with students to sign up for band in grades 5-8.  Mr. Nellom will speak with all 4th grade students about joining band before the end of the school year.  It is important for us to have an accurate count this spring to prevent conflicts with class sizes when schedules are finalized at the end of the school year.
4.  Collaboration
•	The ESC is providing professional development on the new English Language Arts
Standards to grades K-2 teachers on March 20th and grades 3-4 teachers on March
22nd.

•	Garmann Miller met with K-8 staff members on February 28th.  Staff members were able to share their “wish lists” and gain information on the building process from the architects.

5.  Parent and Community Engagement
•	Miss Smith and the fourth grade class presented the musical “Just Imagine” on Thursday, March 15th.  Performances were held at 9:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. and were open to the public.  The students did a wonderful job!

•	Open House was held March 19th from 6:30-8:00 p.m.  Classroom and art projects were on display.  Parents and community members enjoyed seeing the new K-8 building plans.

•	The New Bremen Historical Society held their annual dinner banquet in the elementary gym on March 20th.  Our junior high student leaders helped serve the dinner.

•	7th grade students completed their second and final Washington DC fundraiser.
Cookie dough orders need to be picked up this Thursday in the cafeteria between
3:00 and 5:00 p.m.

•	The Cardinal Pride parent organization is sponsoring a spring sportswear sale running through March 31st as well the upcoming community garage sales.

6.	Special Education
•	I am planning to attend a two day co-teaching inservice presented by Anne Beninghof on April 23-24.  She is the same presenter coming to New Bremen in November.

Additional Items and upcoming events:
•	Spring Testing Schedule:
April 5	Grades 6, 8 English Language Arts – Part 1
April 6	Grades 6, 8 English Language Arts – Part 2
April 10	Grades 4, 7 English Language Arts – Part 1
April 11	Grades 4, 7 English Language Arts – Part 2
April 12	Grades 3, 5 English Language Arts – Part 1
April 13	Grades 3, 5 English Language Arts – Part 2
April 17	Grades 6, 8 Math – Part 1
April 18	Grades 6, 8 Math – Part 2
April 19	Grades 4, 7 Math – Part 1
April 20	Grades 4, 7 Math – Part 2
April 24	Grades 3, 5 Math – Part 1
April 25	Grades 3, 5 Math – Part 2
May 3	Grades 5, 8 Science

The following students are participating in Junior High Track:

7th Grade Girls (15):  Natalie Gregg, Allison Hays, Lauren Homan, Brooklyn Kremer, Rianna Paul, Abigale Powers, Megan Reinhart, Lily Rindler, Mia Schmitmeyer, Olivia Schwartz, Chandee Suchland, Journey Suchland, Grace Tebbe, McKenzie Waterman, Bridget Wilson
7th Grade Boys (14):  Dylan Bambauer, Patrick Bernhold, Carter Elking, Luke Garman, Dylan Kremer, Cole Powers, Ben Sailer, Hunter Schaefer, Gavin Schrader, Jason Schroer, Ray Soldini, Gavin Spragg, Blake Suchland, Jonathan Zimpfer
8th Grade Girls (13):  Emma Bambauer, Chloe Bornhorst, Journey Boyle, Mara
Brackman, Kaylee Freund, Olivia Grillot, Emma Krieg , Lily Lennartz, Mallory
Messick, Kanyen Sexton, Madeline Nieport, Victoria Solorzano, Aliyah Truman
8th Grade Boys (11):  Zach Ashman, Owen Gabel, Cole Hamberg, Mason Kuck, Caden Marsee, Colton Muether, Tyler Paul, Braeden Suchland, Blake Terpstra, Grant Wilker, Xavier Wyatt
Coaches:  Lindsay Roiberg, Karly Jones, Seth Williams, Jake Hemmelgarn

•	April 3-4	Kindergarten Screening
•	April 6	Spring Picture Day
•	April 10	McTeacher Night from 4:30-7:30 p.m. at Minster McDonalds
•	April 26	Grades K-5 FFA Ag Day
•	May 7-11	Teacher Appreciation Week
•	May 9	5th Grade Farm Safety Day
•	May 11	5th Grade Wax Museum
•	May 17	Middle School Band Concert at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
•	May 22-23	Grades 3-8 BIY Days
•	May 24	Last Day of School for Students

High School Principal, Brian Pohl, submitted the following report:

Continuous Improvement

•  In an effort to focus on how we teach, departments are creating instructional to-do lists for their content areas to create documentation that lists application of teaching processes that we perform. So far we have reviewed strategies for objectives and engagement, we will continue by reviewing curriculum, assessment, and environment. Then we will delve deeper into those strategies to facilitate growth in those areas. We have also discussed what student engagement looks like in class and third quarter benchmark assessments.

•  High school staff is now on Chapter 3 of our book study for Zen and the Art of Public
Education and moving into Chapter 4. These chapters have focused on philosophy of
life and how that impacts teaching and first day expectations and how that effects future classes.

Instruction

•  We are continuing to explore the SAMR Model as we are piloting our one to one initiative. The SAMR model is an acronym that stands for Substitution (math dept demonstration March 13), Augmentation (English March 13), Modification (social studies April 10), and Redefinition (science April 10) leading to the enhancement and eventual transformation of teaching via the use of technology. Additionally, we took a small group of staff to Hilliard on March 8 for site visits of their one to one initiative and learned a great deal about how they have made the transition.
•  Third quarter benchmark assessments were given, the data was reviewed, and an item analysis created to determine re-teaching needed.

School Operations, Resources & Learning Environment

•  We taught a monthly character lesson on tolerance and another on sacrifice. Students completed a basic skill on how perform a random act of kindness and learned about cultural competency as part of the lesson.

•  Student schedule requests are inputted into DASL. I have a working first draft of the schedule for next year and I am awaiting how staffing will be fulfilled so I know how to proceed accordingly.

Collaboration

•  Math teachers from grades 5-12 met on March 16 to begin the process of creating common language, power standards, a curriculum map, and focusing on departmental collaboration.

•  Theresa Newbright in collaboration with Jen Sniegowski shared with staff how to utilize podcasts to facilitate instruction and taught how this enhances learning for students.

Parent & Community Involvement

•  We held our annual College Credit Plus Meeting for interested students and their parents. We discussed the pro’s and con’s of the program and different options that are available to earn credit for college while still in high school, as well as, the process to register for CCP.

•  Freshman attended Exploration Academy and Juniors attended Talent Connection
Forum.

Other Highlights

•  I attended the CPI/Restraint Training refresher course and a team of staff members completed their initial CPI/Restraint Training as well.
•  The student performance of the spring play Steel Magnolia’s was performed.

•  The band held their annual conservatory night, as well as, their midwinter concert with Romer’s catered chicken. The Band earned an Excellent rating at the OMEA District 3 event and Choir earned a Superior rating earning them a trip to state on April 27/28.
•  Mahmoud Boutaam from Sprout Digital Marketing spoke to students about the offerings available for jobs here locally via entrepreneurship and their individual paths to employment via their schooling.
•  Fall EOC testing results are in.
•  The student leaders of the Business Club attended the Southwest Auglaize County Chamber annual meeting and heard Steve Daniel from mapofme.com speak about chasing growth, connection, and alignment as the pathway to happiness and financial success.
•  We had one team of 8 students attend the TEAMs (Tests of Engineering Aptitude, Math,
& Science) competition in Lima at ONU.
•  Tri Star Early Childhood Education student, Ashley Bowers, designed and created a Book Nook for her FCCLA project for the early learners at Head Start and Celina Public Pre-School. She held a book drive and coordinated her efforts on this with another student from Celina.

Athletic Director, Gary Jones, submitted the following report:

•	Our current pop/soda contract with Pepsi has expired. We are currently in discussion with
Pepsi and Coca Cola on a new contract.
•	We are currently in discussion with Team Sports Ohio on an Under Armour contract for uniforms and apparel.
•	The Athletic Booster community mulch day is scheduled for Saturday May 5th starting at 9
AM
•	We will be offering athletic physicals for student athletes in grades 7-12 on Wednesday May 2nd starting at 5 PM. To better share physicians and EMS personnel in the area the physicals will be for New Bremen and New Knoxville athletes.
•	We are continuing to look at facilities so that we can offer our student athletes the best and safest possible training so that may reach their maximum potential both individually and
as a member of a team. Top priority on this list is adding on an additional weight room to the CBC for students in grades 6 – 8.
•	We are still waiting to hear back from our insurance company regarding repairing the gym floor.
•	We had several successes this past winter athletic season, highlights included:
1.   The Girls Bowling Team was the first New Bremen team to qualify to the District
Level
2.   The Swim program set 17 new school records this past season, 9 for girls’ swim and
8 for boys’ swim.
3.   Ezra Ferguson was the first New Bremen swimmer to make the Podium at the
District swim meet.
4.   Vivian Niekamp became the first New Bremen swim/diver to make the state meet.
Congratulations to Vivian as she earned All Ohio Honors in diving by placing 14th
overall.

5.   Girls basketball team finished as Sectional Champions with a record of 19 – 6. The
19 wins were the second most wins in a single season in the history of our program.
6.   Boys basketball team won a Sectional Title

Technology Director, Brian Puthoff, submitted the following report:

•	Blended Learning and One to One Computing – We have begun the process of planning for One to One. After attending several workshops in February and taking a site visit to Hilliard Schools, we have started creating our One to One plan. We feel that a One to One initiative should do more than provide devices to students. It should transform how we teach in the classroom. Technology should be thought of as a tool in the classroom, just as it is in our daily lives. New Bremen Schools has never taken the stance of purchasing technology for technology’s sake or because “everyone else” has it. We do not want to veer from that path with One to One. We feel that just purchasing devices for students, without a formal plan on how to incorporate them into our instructional practices, may result in an expensive and wasteful endeavor.

Therefore, at this time, we believe it to be important for New Bremen Schools to form and implement a One to One Instructional Plan. Included in that plan would be the possible implementation of a new Learning Management System and the decision on what devices (i.e. iPads, Chromebooks, etc.) we would provide our students.

•	Network Switch Upgrades – It is time that we start looking at updating our network switching hardware. This hardware is at the core of making our network operate as these are the devices that move all of the data around through our network and give us access to the Internet. Normally, I would highly recommend that this hardware be refreshed every five years, which would be this summer. However, in lieu of the building project, I would like to take a different path.

Network switching equipment is included in the project for the new K-8 building so it would not make sense to replace our existing equipment at the elementary building at this time (provided our existing equipment continues to operate). In addition, it would make the most sense to have the switching hardware in the existing high school match that of
the new building since the main technology control center will move from the high school to the new building when the new building opens. Because of this, I would like to wait on updating our network switching equipment at the high school for as long as I can in order to coincide with what is purchased and installed in the new building. My plan is for us to “set aside” the money allocated to update our switching hardware at the high school this summer and use it to update the high school’s equipment at the same time when we purchase the new networking hardware for the new building.

Treasurer Recommendations
1. Approve the Regular School Board Meeting minutes from February 21, 2017 and the
Special School Board Meeting Minutes from February 26, 2018.
2. Approve the General Fund Paid Bills . . . . . .	$ 148,802.65
3. Approve the Lunchroom Fund Paid Bills . . .	$   11,582.46
4. Reactivate the records commission (a yearly requirement).  The records commission consists of the Board President, Superintendent, Treasurer, and Administrative Secretary.  We will meet sometime before the next board meeting, and report back at that time.

18-23		Motion by Bertke, second by Suchland that the board approve the motions contained in the Treasurer’s recommendations as presented. Upon the call of the roll, the vote was as follows: Bambauer, yes; Bertke, yes; Busse, yes; Suchland, yes; Wells, yes. Motion Carried.

Superintendent Recommendations
1.   Accept the resignation of High School Principal, Brian Pohl, effective June 29, 2018.

2.   Lawn Care Employees -
Employ the following individuals on an “as needed” basis for 2018 at a rate of $10.00
per hour:
a.  Burt Fiser	b.  Don Kramer
c.  Greg Maurer	d.  Rob Sniegowski

3.   Donation to Staff Luncheon
Donate $500.00 towards the cost of the staff appreciation luncheon that is scheduled to be held in the High School Commons on Friday, May 25 from 11:30 – 1:00.

18-24	Motion by Wells, second by Busse that the board approve the items contained in the Superintendent Recommendations as presented.  Upon the call of the roll, the vote was as follows: Bertke, yes; Busse, yes; Suchland, yes; Wells, yes; Bambauer, yes.  Motion carried.

Informational Items
A.  Franklin B. Walter banquet at Wapakoneta High School on Wednesday, April 4th at 6:00 p.m. B.  Building and Site Plan update – Jason Schrader provided an update on the new building
and the site plan.
C.  School Property Update – Jason Schrader provided an update regarding plans for the current middle/elementary school site.  The Holy Redeemer church has agreed to waive their right of first refusal (ROFR) on the parcel of land that was subject to the ROFR at the middle/elementary school site.  Plans are being developed to conduct a land swap with Crown Equipment Corporation.  The school district would swap the middle/elementary school land with the Fairground Farm land located east of the high school, which is owned by Crown Equipment Corporation.  Additional research and discussion will take place to finalize the details.
D.  The chiller has been installed and is ready to be tested this week.

18-25		Motion by Bambauer, second by Bertke to adjourn to executive session for the purposes of Appointment or Evaluation, Employment, and Property Purchase or Sale, at 7:43 p.m.  Upon the call of the roll, the vote was as follows: Wells, yes; Bambauer, yes; Bertke, yes; Busse, yes; Suchland, yes. Motional Carried.

18-26		Motion by Busse, second by Bambauer to return to regular session at 9:52 p.m. Motion carried unanimously.

18-27		Motion by Busse, second by Bambauer to approve the employment of Jason Schrader in the position of Superintendent.  The contract will be for a period of three years and salary will be according to the administrative salary schedule.  Upon the call of the roll, the vote was as follows: Bambauer, yes; Bertke, yes; Busse, yes; Suchland, yes; Wells, yes. Motional Carried.

18-28		Motion by Bambauer, second by Bertke to adjourn the meeting at 9:55 p.m. Motion carried unanimously.

President	Treasurer