Parkway's Osterfeld to retire in December

ROCKFORD - After eight years with the district, superintendent Jeanne Osterfeld will step down at the end of December.

"It is just that - a notice," Osterfeld told school board members on Wednesday. "Like I said before, I'm looking to retire at the end of this calendar year of Dec. 31, but I'm not ready to say goodbye yet because I still have a lot that I want to make sure we have in place so that way there is a very smooth, smooth transition."

Board members accepted her resignation but haven't made a decision on an interim superintendent.

Osterfeld was first hired on a two-year contract on Aug. 1, 2017. She previously served as middle school principal at Versailles Exempted Village Schools.

All told, Osterfeld has 34 years of experience in education, having served at Fort Recovery, St. Henry, Versailles and Parkway.

Treasurer Debra Pierce also presented the five-year forecast.

The district is in good standing with fiscal year 2025's ending cash balance estimated at $7.49 million.

As long as two renewal levies pass in 2025, the district will not slip into deficit spending. Pierce thinks the levies will pass, but if they don't, the district will have to readjust figures.

In other business, Osterfeld updated the board on the $2.81 million athletic building, which was initially expected to be finished at the end of October.

She said the contractor and crews are working on the gas lines, which could delay the project competition date. She didn't have a new timeline, but the project had already been pushed back to February.

Plans call for a 13,350-square-foot athletic complex that would house an expanded locker room with raisable batting cages, a training room, a sprint track, additional bathrooms, a section for the district's golf simulator and a multipurpose area for numerous athletic programs.

Grand Lake Volleyball will donate volleyball equipment for the athletic complex. Also, the pole vault pit the district recently replaced may still be used in the facility as a cost-saving measure.

Board members also suggested moving forward with installing gold siding on the the three track buildings and one wresting building, although no action was taken.

The gold, which has to be custom made, could cost an additional $10,000. The board said it wants to save money but also prioritizes consistency with the other buildings that have the same siding.

Osterfeld also updated the board on drivers not stopping and running the red lights on the district's busses, creating a serious safety concern.

"This is a huge safety issue for us," she said. "We continue to try to pick up kids on the door side to keep it as safe as possible. It's crazy to me that it's a 30-second stop … and they (other drivers) are very impatient at that time of the morning. Our drivers do a great job of being very careful, watching and making sure our kids are safe when they're getting on and off the bus, but we can only control so much."

So far this year, the district has seen six violations and five have been reported to the police.

In other business, board members,

• heard about a high school program that streamlines graduation requirements and other scholarship or job opportunities for students.

• heard the district is partnering with the Cincinnati Reds for its Straight "A" program. Thirty students are eligible so far.

• heard the district is fully staffed.

The board meets next at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 11 in the community room.