By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Bowling Green Superintendent Francis Scruci was given a three-year renewal of his contract Tuesday evening by the board of education. His annual salary is $144,000.
The board praised Scruci’s work in the district and gave him unanimous support.
“Thank you for all that you do for us,” Board President Ellen Scholl said to Scruci.
During his 18 months as superintendent, Scruci has been a very visible presence in the community. He holds regular “coffees” with the public, and produces weekly videos about what is happening in the district.
He has been a steady presence at extra-curricular events, creating positive relationships with students.
In an effort to get input from the community on handling school building needs, Scruci has held open meetings in each school building.
His new contract will run from Aug. 1, 2018 to July 31, 2021.
Also at Tuesday’s meeting, Scruci informed the board that he feels compelled to express his personal feelings about national and state issues that he believes are damaging to public education.
The superintendent is no fan of newly confirmed Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. So he plans to send a letter to DeVos, asking her to come spend some time at Bowling Green City Schools.
Scruci has been open about his strong reservations about DeVos, who is a proponent of charter schools.
“Public education is being threatened,” Scruci said. DeVos’ confirmation must not distract schools from their focus on educating students, he added.
“We can’t as a district allow ourselves to be consumed by this,” Scruci said.
Public schools throughout the nation need to make it clear to DeVos that charter schools are not the answer to education.
So Scruci said Tuesday that he will be writing to DeVos and inviting her to visit Bowling Green City Schools.
“This country was built on public education,” he said. “Kids are our focus.”
Scruci also expressed concerns about a new requirement for teachers in the state budget bill. Gov. John Kasich is proposing that teachers and administrators be required to do internships in business in order to get recertified every five years.
“I’m not sure how our teachers will find the time,” Scruci said, adding this is just “another stressor on our teachers.”
The state budget bill also includes another new requirement that school boards add three non-voting members from the business community. Scruci said Bowling Green’s board of education already has voting members from the business community.
He plans to talk with State Sen. Randy Gardner and State Rep. Theresa Gavarone, both R-Bowling Green, to express his concerns about the two items in the budget bill.
Also at Tuesday’s board of education meeting:
- High school principal Jeff Dever accepted a certificate recognizing Bowling Green as one of 433 districts in the nation that earned a place on the Advanced Placement Honor Roll.
- Three long-time employees submitted their requests for retirement, including food service director Sue Chandler, guidance secretary Pamela Eyer, and bus driver George Hubbell.
- Aaron Mejiritski, a sixth grader, was praised for winning first place in the Wood County Spelling Bee. He will go on to participate in a regional spelling bee on March 11 at Owens Community College.
- Students Aaron Lamb and Abby Mockensturm were recognized for earning honorable mentions in the Safety Kids Calendar Contest held by the Wood County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
