NORTH BALTIMORE — Students leaving school for spring break this year won’t be able to leave homework
behind.
The North Baltimore Board of Education approved a plan Tuesday to help make up school days lost to
inclement weather.
With 11 days missed and only five allowed, the district is looking to make up the difference unless a
decision can be made in Columbus as to how many extra days will be allowed.
The Ohio House wants to add four days, the Senate just two.
The district will make up as many as three days with online lessons, also known as blizzard bags, that
will be sent home with students over spring break.
Three is the maximum blizzard bags allowed by the state, explained Superintendent Marlene North.
The courses will have “very specific curriculum-related content,” she said.
By planning the make-up courses so far in advance, the teachers will have a better idea of what areas of
homework to give.
Additional days will be made up at the end of the school year, unless they are forgiven by the state,
North added.
The district also continues to move forward on its superintendent’s search.
Four focus groups have met and a special board meeting is set for March 19 to screen applications. On
March 26-27, interviews will begin.
“It is very important to the board to find a good fit for our district and our community,” North stated.
“That’s why the focus groups are so important.”
North announced in November her plan to retire June 30.
At the March meeting, North also hopes to have a rendering for athletic fields on the junior/high school
site.
Having the renderings will be the first step for fund raising.
She cautioned that what will be displayed will not be the final version but rather one option that can be
explored.
Scott Lockwood, Powell Elementary principal, announced that the fourth-grade class will start its spring
fundraiser today through March 12 and will be selling a variety of catalog products.
Bob Falkenstein, junior/high school principal, announced the band boosters raised $4,057 with the 13 ABC
All-Star game. The money will be used to purchase new marching band uniforms, which will be seen at the
first football game.
The board also approved the use of student electronic devices in grades 7-12 beginning today.
According to Falkenstein, the devices help put more school devices in students’ hands as a result of
students using their own, and he is encouraging students to email teachers, read more e-books and start
their own Twitter account.
An all-online econ class will be offered next year as well
“We don’t have full staff buy-in quite yet,” Falkenstein said.
The board also:
• Accepted the resignation of Bradlee Rowlinson as athletic director. He will continue to coach and teach
in the district.
• Named coaches for varsity boys and girls track, junior high track, varsity football, varsity
volleyball, varsity golf and varsity cross country. There are no changes from last year’s coaches.
• Approved donating $300 to the Wood County Youth Olympics.
• Accepted a donation of $4,200 from Hancock-Wood Electric Round Up Grant to purchase iPads for special
education students. Four devices have been bought.