Tusky Valley welcomes exchange students
Aitor Zamarripa-Molina, left, Aron Gartzke, Principal Jason Phillips, Alejandro Fernandez Serrano and Noe Quastana.
Four foreign exchange students were introduced at the Sept. 9 Tuscarawas Valley Board of Education meeting held in the new community board room.
Jason Phillips, high school principal, introduced the students.
Aron Gartzke of Germany is a junior. He is a kicker for the football team and is a member of the soccer team. In Germany he has one more year of high school and will attend a university to study sports management and marketing.
Alejandro Fernandez Serrano is a junior from Spain and plays soccer and plans to run track. After graduation he plans to attend a university to study the science of sports.
Noe Quastana is a senior from France. He is playing football and plans to run track or play baseball in the spring. He will retake his senior year in France and plans to attend a university to study finance.
Aitor Zamarripa-Molina is a senior from Spain and plays soccer and wants to participate in spring sports. He plans to visit New York to take an exam that will allow him to enter a university in Spain. He plans to study physical therapy.
The board meetings will be held in the community board room in the former band room of the administration building. Those attending should enter door six at the west side of the building facing the football field.
“Plans are to install a new ceiling and carpet in the board room. Each organization will have a room to meet in. The room has been painted, and the windows in the individual rooms will be tinted,” Superintendent Derek Varansky said.
In another matter Mark Phillips, treasurer, explained payments for the high school/middle school and elementary are taken from the permanent improvement funds. The district borrowed money and has a 30-year loan and pays $1,450,000 per year. There also is a maintenance fund that costs $140,000 per year as required by the state.
“The total cost for payments is $1.6 million out of the budget annually,” said Mark Phillips, treasurer.
Rover Pipeline provided funds to construct new buildings without a bond issue request from property owners. Funds also were received from the state toward the construction of the middle school/high school.
The board also did the following:
—Accepted donations/grants of $22,716 from Tusky Valley PTO for the elementary school plaza, pavilion and patio concrete; $1,367 from Conservancy of Cuyahoga Valley NP for field trip transportation; $500 from Lockport Brewery for affordable Christmas; and from ProVia for student supplies for back to school.
—Learned the district received $1.8 million from the State of Ohio for the health clinic that will be located in the former high school building. The establishing of the health clinic will not cost the district any expense.
—Approved 2025 permanent appropriations of $32,581,595.
—Gave approval to a transportation contract with Mustang Transportation beginning Aug. 20 for the 2024-25 school year at $175 per day when services are being used.
—Granted one-year supplemental contracts to 10 certified employees for various duties and five contracted employees for extra-curricular activities.
—Approved the nonroutine use of a school bus for shuttling purposes at the request of Tusc Parks for the annual Canal Tavern 5k Run and Walk on Oct. 20 with all expenses paid by Tusc Parks.
Other information
The board thanked the administration for greeting the children when they came to school. School began Sept. 3.
The next meeting will be Oct. 14 at 6 p.m. in the community board room by entering door six of the administration building, 2632 Tusky Valley Road, Zoarville.