Election issue • Capital Conference preview October 2014 • Volume 58, Issue 5 J OURNALOHIO SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION Cast your vote educationfor QUICK RESPONSE When you need us! We value your time! Claim calls are answered 24/7 by our experienced claim adjusters. Call 866-825-2467. Ohio School Plan claim handling philosophy is to be Fair, Friendly and Firm. Fair – In collaboration with each OSP Member, we fully investigate every incident to ensure the utilization of defenses and immunities For more information, afforded to Ohio’s educational institutions. call 1-800-288-6821 Friendly – We understand the people side of the equation, and Hylant Administrative Services treat each call professionally and with courtesy. 811 Madison Avenue Toledo, Ohio 43604 Firm – We stand by our members, focusing on long-term solutions rather than paying frivolous claims. ohioschoolplan.org The Ohio School Plan is exclusively sponsored by BASA, OASBO and OSBA. Table Of Contents ON THE COVER Candidates discuss education, p. 18 J OURNALOHIO SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION Election issue: OSBA gathers responses from gubernatorial and State Board of Education candidates on education issues . — photo credit: iStockphoto FEATURES p. 38 A second chance 38 North Ridgeville City’s online academy is keeping kids on track. Meet your new and improved Capital Conference 44 New learning sessions and topics mean there is something for everyone. Best practices for building a 21st century STEM school 60 Advice for advancing STEM education in your schools. Germann is president-elect nominee; Penrod will lead OSBA 16 NEWS p. 56 in 2015 State Board candidates weigh in on issues 22 School for troubled youth achieving exceptional results 42 OSBA thanks sponsors for valuable conference support 56 Honoring education reporting 63 DEPARTMENTS p. 3 Executive Outlook 3 According to Law 6 Management Insights 8 Boardmanship 10 Capital Insider 12 OSBA: Working for You 14 New digital edition available! OSBA Journal (ISSN 0893-5289) is published bimonthly by the Ohio School Boards Association, 8050 N. High St., Suite 100, Columbus, OH 43235-6481. Periodicals postage paid at Columbus, Ohio, You can access the Journal’s new and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: send address changes to OSBA Journal, Attn: Mailroom, Ohio digital edition on the OSBA website at School Boards Association, 8050 N. High St., Suite 100, Columbus, OH 43235-6481. www.ohioschoolboards.org/journal. Comments and articles should be sent to the editor at the above address or email [email protected]. The views expressed in articles appearing in OSBA Journal are those of writers and do not necessarily represent OSBA policies or positions. Notice of rights: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. For information on permission for reprints and excerpts, contact OSBA. Who We Are OSBA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE JOURNAL STAFF Susie Lawson President Ed Penrod President-elect Crystal Davis Sharon E. Manson Immediate past president Ken Morlock Central Region Editor Denise Baba Northeast Region Eric Germann Northwest Region Gary Motz Daniel L. Hothem Southeast Region Managing Editor Jim Sommer Southwest Region Angela Penquite OSBA BOARD OF TRUSTEES Assistant Editor/ Central Region Layout and Graphics Dr. Marguerite Bennett Mount Vernon City & Knox Richard Lewis, CAE County Career Center Bryan Bullock W. Shawna Gibbs Columbus City Assistant Editor/ Ken Morlock Madison-Plains Local (Madison) Communication Coordinator Randy Reisling* South-Western City Lee Schreiner South-Western City Charlie Wilson Worthington City Amanda Finney Senior Marketing Northeast Region Denise Baba* Streetsboro City Coordinator/Advertising Thomas F. Brophey Wellsville Local (Columbiana) Albert Haberstroh Trumbull County ESC Jeff Chambers John W. Halkias Plain Local (Stark) Director of Communication Robert M. Heard Sr. Cleveland Municipal Candice L. Christon Services Susie Lawson Tri-County ESC & Wayne County Schools Career Center Richard Lewis, CAE Veronica Sims Akron City Executive Director Doug G. Stuart Rittman EV & Wayne County Schools Career Center Northwest Region Eric Germann Lincolnview Local (Van Wert) Mission Statement & Vantage Career Center Kevin Landin Ottoville Local (Putnam) OSBA leads the way to educational Timothy McKinney* Bath Local (Allen) excellence by serving Ohio’s Robert McPheron Bath Local (Allen) public school board members Lisa Sobecki Toledo City Pete Japikse and the diverse districts they Bob Vasquez Toledo City represent through superior service, Southeast Region unwavering advocacy and creative David Carter* East Guernsey Local (Guernsey) Daniel L. Hothem River View Local (Coshocton) solutions. & Coshocton County Career Center Sharon E. Manson Waverly City & Pike County © 2014, Ohio School Career Technology Center Boards Association Ed Penrod Logan-Hocking Local All rights reserved (Hocking) & Tri-County Career Center Ohio School Boards Association Gail Requardt East Muskingum Local 8050 N. High St., Suite 100 (Muskingum) & Mid-East Cheryl W. Ryan Columbus, OH 43235-6481 Career and Technology Centers Kevin E. Weaver Crooksville EV & Mid-East (614) 540-4000 Career and Technology Centers fax (614) 540-4100 Southwest Region www.ohioschoolboards.org Rick Foster* Manchester Local (Adams) Gail Martindale Cedar Cliff Local (Greene) & Greene County Career Center A. Chris Nelms Cincinnati City Jim Sommer Greenville City Sue Steele Goshen Local (Clermont) & Great Oaks ITCD Warren Stevens Urbana City & Ohio Hi-Point Career Center Jay Smith *Region president Executive Outlook Constitutional change is wise investment Growth potential Richard Lewis, CAE, executive director he OSBA Board of Trustees diversification, this conservative and unrealized losses on its investments. voted at its July meeting to approach has served OSBA well for The U.S. Department of the Treasury recommend several changes to many decades. Although OSBA missed had been buying bonds at a rate of theT association’s constitution. The most out on high stock market returns during $85 billion per month beginning in significant change deals with OSBA’s bull markets, its investments did not September 2012 to help keep prices up. investment policies and it, along with lose principal during times of recession News in spring 2013 regarding possible the other recommendations, will go and bear markets. Investing in bonds “tapering” of this bond-buying program before the OSBA Delegate Assembly in and government agencies provided a sent bond prices into a downward spiral. November for approval. conservative but steady stream of income Tapering became a reality in December to the association. 2013 and the bond-buying program The OSBA Constitution sets rules ceased altogether last month, which may for how the association’s funds can Sound fiscal practices have further effects on the market for be invested. It currently states the government securities. association may only invest funds dictate that OSBA not immediately needed for current A second issue affecting OSBA’s operations in fully insured securities, becomes more fluid investments is the federal funds rate, which means investing in stocks or which was driven down by the recession mutual funds is prohibited. Strictly in its long-term and previous downturns in the economy. interpreted, OSBA is not permitted The federal funds rate is one of the to diversify its portfolio in the manner investment strategy. most influential interest rates in the that is widely accepted in the financial U.S. economy, since it affects monetary community. However, in 2013, the bond market and financial conditions, which in turn went into turmoil and values hit a 30- affect employment, economic growth Fortunately, despite its lack of year low. OSBA experienced realized and inflation. No one predicted how OSBA Journal — October 2014 3 Executive Outlook long this downturn would last and the OSBA Constitution, Article Committee along with a draft how long interest rates would stay this X, Section 1, Management and Investment Policy should the assembly low. The lack of movement in these Disbursement of Funds, as follows (new approve the recommendations. The rates has caused OSBA’s returns on its language appears in bold capital letters policy is intended to provide a stable government securities and certificates of and eliminated language is in strike- framework from which sound deposit to be minimal. through): investment decisions can be made regardless of changing economic Given these concerns, the OSBA Board The Board of Trustees may authorize conditions. of Trustees believes now is the time to its executive officer to invest funds discuss a different approach to investing OF THE ASSOCIATION not In short, the policy directs that the the association’s assets. The trustees took immediately needed for current objective of OSBA’s investment action to authorize OSBA President operationS AND CAPITAL program will be to prudently invest Susie Lawson, Tri-County ESC and EXPENDITURES of the association funds to achieve long-term growth and Wayne County Schools Career Center, in bonds, notes, certificates of income within acceptable risk levels. The to appoint a group to study the issue; the indebtedness, treasury bills or other policy defines the investment objectives, ad-hoc Investment Committee met with securities issued by and constituting