Significant growth in the number of children served at Wood Lane School is requiring the addition of one
more classroom.
The growth in individuals enrolled in services has grown from 899 in 2013 to 1,138 this year, said Brent
Baer, superintendent of the Wood County Board of Developmental Disabilities, at the board’s meeting
April 15.
The growth in the program is primarily children under the age of 5, but additional growth has been
identified throughout the lifespan.
“The children who previously received early intervention services are now transitioning to school age,”
he said, and the number of referrals for children to attend Wood Lane also has increased.
In 2014, 154 children were being served. This year that number is 245, he shared.
Statewide, the amount of growth has gone up 10 percent. Locally, that number is almost 30 percent.
“Thirty percent growth in a five-year window, you wouldn’t project that. … For whatever reason, we have
to be prepared for our enrollment.”
Students can enter or exit the school any time in their educational career, said Principal Lorraine
Flick. Meetings are held to determine if Wood Lane is the best match for a child.
“Sometimes we say no at the end of that process … sometimes we just know it’s perfect,” she said. “It’s
very uniquely designed around the child and the family and how we may support them.”
The number of referrals is greater than we’ve had in recent years, she added.
This has necessitated increasing the number of classrooms at Wood Lane School. Adding a classroom will
require hiring a teacher and outfitting the room with tables, chairs and supplies. No additions will be
made to the building; however, a room now utilized by physical and speech therapy will be used and those
services moved elsewhere.
“I appreciate the fact that you are very person centered,” board member Rebecca Ferguson told Flick.
The board also has set May 20 for the public auction of its property at 705 W. Newton Road. The former
Community Employment site, which has 9,000 square feet, has been empty since May 2018.
The auction will start at 2 p.m. and as the board is required to accept or reject the bid, members will
meet at 3 p.m. at the site. This will be their regular monthly meeting for May.
“It’s not something we do very often, so we are looking forward to that,” Baer said about the auction.

SS Auction Group LLC is handling the sale.
The board also:
• Learned Phase 1 of the renovations to the Service and Support Building, which began Sept. 23, is mostly
finished. It included adding office space, creating a flexible meeting space, and updating the lobby.

The board met in the new meeting space, which can be split into quadrants, each with its own access door.

A team of employees picked the carpet, wall and counter colors in the new spaces.
Phase 2 will include renovating the former conference room into offices, adding a women’s restroom and
updating security. This phase should be completed in May.
• Learned the women’s Division II Special Olympics basketball team is state champions, while the men’s
Division IV team placed fourth at the state tournament.
• Was told that graduation will be May 17 at 1 p.m. at the Bowling Green Community Center’s Dolores A.
Black Gymnasium. Five graduates will be honored.
• Recognized Bonnie Rawlik, family support services technician, who is retiring April 30. She started in
1981.
• Learned the Dectron unit, which provides dehumidifying, heating and cooling for the pool building and
heats the pool water, needs to be replaced. The board authorized the purchase, not to exceed $86,500.