EATON — During the Eaton Community Schools Board of Education meeting held Thursday, Oct. 4, Preble County Engineer Kyle Cross presented the board with aerial photographs of the school buildings.
The photographs include William Bruce Elementary, Hollingsworth-East Elementary, and the Eaton Middle and High School complex.
Cross explained, early this year his office acquired a drone, primarily for the purpose of inspections. He found they could use the drone for additional tasks, including aerial photography.
The photo resembles that of Google Earth, but with a more recent image and a higher resolution.
He presented the district with two framed pictures of each complex and a CD containing the images. If the district decides to use these images for emergency exit plans, they have access to do so.
In other business, Todd Poepplemier, with Garland Roofing, spoke to the board regarding needed roof repairs at Hollingsworth-East Elementary.
The complex had three roof sections completed in early 2015. Now, the district is looking to replace two additional sections. Those sections will be sloped, instead of being flat and holding water.
“Have we been putting aside money to do this without putting us in dire straights?” board member Terry Parks asked.
“Yes. That is why we have been saving back the O34 Fund. I try to hold that back for improvements, big ticket items,” Treasurer Rachel Tait answered.
The project will be be completed throughout next summer, but with “looming tariffs” the district wants to get workers under contract before December. They are afraid costs will increase if they wait for contracts until spring.
Superintendent Jeff Parker discussed the Ohio School Report Card, which Eaton Community Schools scored an overall ‘B’ on. The school scored an ‘F’ on Prepared for Success, ‘C’ on Improving At-Risk K-3 Readers and Achievement, ‘B’ on Graduation Rate, and an ‘A’ on Progress and Gap Closing.
“Basically, the Eaton teachers, staff, students, and administration should be proud of their continued efforts to improve achievement and their continued strength in value added. More important than looking at ‘A’s, is the grade that indicates average student growth at more than one year,” Parker said.
“For me, I’ve always said, with the Report Card, what’s most important is the value added. I think as a parent, teacher, and educator, what is most important to me is, when my child went into that classroom, did they grow at their expected yearly growth or more? Did we meet them where they were at and take them farther? That is the most important part of our report card,” he said.
He added, the data the district gets from the report card is valuable for the district to see and discuss, but the grade system is an “over simplistic” way to view a district.
