Latest news with #NorthElementarySchool
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Watch: Air Force dad returns home to surprise sons at school
EAST LIVERPOOL, Ohio (WKBN) — A heartwarming reunion unfolded at North Elementary School in East Liverpool Monday as a military father returned from deployment to surprise his two boys at school. Master Sgt. David Demarest just wrapped up a two-month deployment in Germany — his sixth deployment. The 20-year Air Force Veteran works in Aircraft maintenance with the 9-11th Airlift Wing out of Pittsburgh. Master Sgt. Demarest walked into the cafeteria on Monday and surprised his two boys, Mason and Riley, who weren't expecting to see their father at school. 'It's a whole lot of emotions at once and sometimes it's hard to keep it all in,' Demarest said. 'You want to try and keep your composure about things, but when you've been missing them for so long and you finally get to see them. And every single time, they're always so much bigger. You're like, 'Holy cow! You're just so much bigger!' It's just so exciting.' The boys had some requests for souvenirs, and of course, Dad didn't come home empty-handed. Mason and Riley wanted a German cookbook, a toy and some baguettes. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Watertown City Council discusses proposed $3 pool fees
May 13—WATERTOWN — If you take a dip in a city pool this summer, expect to pay a $3 fee. The majority of City Council supports a $3 daily pool fee that's proposed in the city's 2025-26 budget. Council members discussed the pool fee during a budget session on Tuesday afternoon. Council members Robert O. Kimball, Benjamin P. Shoen and Mayor Sarah V.C. Pierce plan to keep the pool fees in the financial plan that carries an 18.8% proposed tax rate increase. "A small fee is appropriate," Kimball said, although he is concerned that some people won't be able to pay the fee. Other communities charge pool users a fee, Shoen said, adding that he thinks "99.9%" of all residents can pony up for the small fee to swim in the city's two pools. "I haven't made up my mind yet," Councilwoman Lisa A. Ruggiero said, adding that she's heard complaints from residents, especially from those who live on the city's north side, about the fees. She's also worried that it might lower pool attendance. During a rainy summer last season, the two pools were busy with about 21,000 people using them. Councilman Cliff G. Olney III wondered whether the pool fees were proposed as a way to end the city's costly summer pool program. He accused the mayor of coming up with the proposal to dissuade people from using them. In a heated exchange, Pierce took exception to the comments, clarifying that city staff came up with the idea. She said she had nothing to do with proposing the fees. Last year, Pierce backed shuttering the city's third pool, the Alteri pool at the Alex T. Duffy Fairgrounds, saving the city about $200,000. The proposed fees are projected to generate about $60,000 in revenues. The revenues would offset the expenses to hire lifeguards and for operations of the two pools. City officials have said that the summer pool program is expensive to run for just a couple of months a year. The proposed budget to operate two pools is $441,360, which is in line with the current budget of $431,904, Comptroller James E. Mills said. The estimated cost per pool will be approximately $220,000 this summer. Two summers ago, the city charged $3 a day for non-city residents, but this new $3 fee would be for city residents and non-city residents wanting to swim in either the Thompson Park Pool or the William J. Flynn Pool at North Elementary School. Besides the $3 daily fee for an individual, the group rate would be $2; a $25 fee for an individual for the entire season; $100 for the season for a family of four and another $20 for each person. Depending on the weather, the Thompson Park pool might open for the Memorial Day weekend. The two pools will employ between 40 and 45 lifeguards this season. During Tuesday's budget session, council members also discussed the financial situation of the Thompson Park Golf Course. The city lost money after purchasing the golf course from Michael E. Lundy for $3.4 million in 2023. If the facility continues to be in the red, Kimball would be in favor of closing it, even though he has signed up to be a member this summer. He plans to support what he thinks are "the most important" items in the spending plan, Kimball said. The golf course "is not in the top two or three," he added. City Manager Eric F. Wagenaar told council members that city staff plans to present "some options," including leasing it to a third party, for next year. Council members also spent less than 15 minutes discussing the city's water budget before adjourning for the afternoon. Under the proposed budget, total spending would increase from $57.8 million to $59.11 million, or a 2.73% increase. The 18.8% tax rate increase would mean the current $9.4076 per $1,000 of assessed valuation would go to $11.178. Taxes on a home assessed at $200,000 would increase by $354, from $1,881.52 to $2,235.60. So far, council members have discussed reducing the spending plan by about 4%. Council members will meet for the last budget session at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Randolph County Board of Education votes to fire 33 staff members
Video is previous coverage from March 2025 following Reduction in Force hearings in Randolph Co. ELKINS, (WBOY) — After dozens of hearings and nearly a month of waiting, a vote to eliminate positions with the Randolph County Board of Education was held Tuesday, with the board voting to terminate 33 positions across the county. Of the 42 staff members up for termination Tuesday night, the board voted to terminate the following after the 2024–25 school year. Name Position School(s) Angela Isenhart Aide/Autism Mentor Elkins Middle School Anita Wiseman Secretary II/Accountant II Midland Elementary School Deborah White Coordinator of Staff Development & Instructional Services N/A Anita Gammon Coordinator of Transportation N/A Emily Poss Science Teacher Elkins High School Rebecca Smith 5th Grade Teacher North Elementary School Tommy Coger Social Studies Teacher Harman School Lindsay Blake 1st Grade Teacher Jennings Randolph Elementary School Amanda Simmons 1st Grade Teacher Beverly Elementary School Hannah Shiflett Music Teacher Midland Elementary School Natasha See 5th Grade Teacher George Ward Elementary School Angela Vandevender Remedial Specialist George Ward Elementary School Samantha Golden 2nd Grade Teacher North Elementary School Cynthia Dilly Preschool Teacher North Elementary School Madison Hart 2nd and 3rd Grade Teacher North Elementary School Evan Gissel Music Teacher Beverly Elementary School Logan Vliet Physical Education Teacher North Elementary School Emilie Ticer Music Teacher North Elementary School Tiffany Hymes 6th Grade English Teacher Elkins Middle School Shaina Ballantyne 3rd Grade Teacher Beverly Elementary School Alexa Taylor 5th Grade Teacher Beverly Elementary School Emily Alexander 5th Grade Teacher Beverly Elementary School Jennifer Vandevender 5th Grade Teacher Midland Elementary School Crystal Grimmett Business Education Teacher Randolph Technical Center Mark Rosencrance Communities in SchoolsSite Coordinator Elkins High School Rayna Adamy Communities in SchoolsSite Coordinator Beverly Elementary School Shauna Prichard School Social Worker George Ward Elementary School Hillary Shryock School Social Worker Jennings Randolph Elementary School Olivia Dalton School Social Worker North Elementary School Samuel Hawkins School Counselor North Elementary School Jennifer Nottingham School Counselor George Ward Elementary School Brandy English School Counselor Beverly Elementary School William Aleshire Social Studies Teacher Elkins Middle School It is worth noting that some positions were pulled from Tuesday night's votes as funding was either secured for them specifically or through a domino effect from other positions receiving funding of their own. In total, three positions were removed from the list of potential transfers, and two were removed from the list of potential terminations. Clarksburg-Harrison Public Library opens 'Tool Lending Library' On top of the termination votes, the board also voted to transfer 56 existing staff members to new positions within the county. No Title I teachers—federally funded teachers who help disadvantaged kids—who were on the list to be transferred were actually transferred. None were on the list for terminations, either; therefore none were fired. Tuesday night's vote comes after months of administrative turmoil in Randolph County, as the board and Superintendent Shawn Dilly aim to balance the county's budget, which Dilly previously told 12 News would require the elimination of 32 positions. He also previously said that April 22 would be the absolute latest the board could vote as it awaited word on funding that it could use to reduce terminations and transfers. Despite the votes, Dilly has previously said this Reduction in Force (RIF) is only a temporary solution and that school consolidation talks could be back on the table as early as May. The county attempted to consolidate Harman and Pickens schools earlier in the year, but the motion for one was voted down and the other was withdrawn. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Watertown receives $20,000 from state for lifeguards
Apr. 18—WATERTOWN — The state will be funding the city's cost of lifeguards for its two pools. Through the NY Swims program, Watertown will receive $20,000, said Michael A. Lumbis, the city's planning and community development director. Last year, Gov. Kathleen C. Hochul established $150 million in funding for more swim facilities and lifeguards across the state. The state recently announced the first round of funding under the new program. Councilwoman Lisa A. Ruggiero said the city will benefit from the state funding, noting that about 21,000 people used the city two pools last summer. "The two pools are heavily used recreational facilities and children of all ages," she said. "This grant is appreciative." In general, SWIMS Lifeguard Grant funding can be used to cover project costs; advertising for lifeguard positions; lifeguard retention and referral bonuses; supplementing hourly lifeguard wages and lifeguard salary increases. The city will use the $20,000 retroactively to reimburse the cost for hiring lifeguards at the Thompson Park Pool and the Michael J. Flynn Pool at North Elementary School for the 2024 summer pool season, Lumbis said. Jefferson County applied for the funding and received $50,000, of which the city is receiving $20,000 and $10,000 each for the towns of Clayton, Alexandria Bay and Chaumont for facilities in those communities. The city's Planning Department worked on the application with the other three towns to secure the $50,000. The council discussed the funding on Monday because the city must sign an intermunicipal agreement with the county to receive the funding, Lumbis said. The city is currently advertising for the positions, paying $18 hourly for lifeguards and $19 hourly for head lifeguards. The city also applied for $1 million in funding from the state program for the construction of the Flynn pool last year, but it wasn't funded because the project had already been completed when the city applied for that funding, Lumbis said on Monday night. "I think we knew it was an uphill battle," Lumbis said. The Flynn pool opened last summer. Mayor Sarah V.C. Pierce asked if the state planned to proceed with a second round of funding. Lumbis told her that he was under the impression that the state was offering a second round but didn't know for sure. Last year, the City Council closed the city's third pool at the Alex T. Duffy Fairgrounds when faced with a hefty property tax increase.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Yahoo
Charge against former Morgantown elementary principal dismissed
MORGANTOWN, (WBOY) — The misdemeanor charge from 2023 of failure to report against former North Elementary School principal Natalie Webb has been dismissed. According to a press release from Webb's attorney Drew Capuder, the charge, which stemmed from an investigation of an incident that happened in January 2023, was dismissed on Jan. 21, 2025. Webb was principal of North Elementary School in Morgantown when the incident happened after which multiple staff were placed on leave and then-vice principal Carol Muniz was charged with battery for reportedly striking a disruptive 8-year-old student in the head, according to criminal complaints filed against Webb and Muniz several months after the incident. Webb's attorney cited State Code §49-2-803, which makes eyewitnesses responsible for making reports to Child Protective Services, and said that Webb did not witness the incident. Monongalia County Sheriff's Office warns of 'false reports' about vehicle in Cheat Lake Capuder released the following statement from Webb after the charge was dismissed: 'I am thankful the misdemeanor charge has been dismissed. This has been a challenging time for my family and me. I am very disappointed in the way I was treated by the Superintendent and the Monongalia County Board of Education. From the very beginning of their investigation, I feel as if they considered me to be guilty until proven innocent. After vigorously defending my actions and navigating legal hurdles, I have been vindicated by the dismissal.' Natalie Webb According to the West Virginia Judiciary's Magistrate Case database, Carol Muniz was found not guilty on the battery charge in March 2024. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
