Perkins welcomes new staff, purchases fresh tech

PERKINS TWP. — Perkins Schools officials took several actions ahead of the upcoming new school year. During a recent public meeting, board members: • Authorized the purchase of 150 Apple MacBook Air laptops for teachers and 500 Google Chromebooks for students; Federal grant funds will cover both purchases, officials said. The new MacBooks cost $154,200 with a buyback of $28,700 in reimbursement at the end of the life cycle. The new Chromebooks cost $154,500. "The district utilizes a replacement schedule for teaching staff computers," according to a district statement. "The district also utilizes a buyback program in which the older devices are sold back to reduce the new purchase cost. This new purchase also includes a buy-back contract to purchase the MacBooks at the end of their cycle." • Approved members of the Class of 2023 for graduation. The ceremony will be at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 28 • Accepted district transportation supervisor Randy Conaway's resignation, effective July 31 • Hired, for the 2023-24 school year, Meadowlawn Intermediate gifted intervention specialist Samantha Ahner; Briar Middle School sixth-grade math teacher William Fial; Meadowlawn Intermediate intervention specialist Brookttanna Fox; Perkins High School math teacher Christa Oeder; and resident educator program coordinator Lisa Nielsen • Learned that, effective the 2023-24 school year, behavior specialist assistant Morgan Allendorf will move to Furry Elementary, and Meadowlawn Intermediate art teacher Justy Boggs will move to Perkins High School. Justy will replace Mike Beuglass, who's retiring. She is married to superintendent Todd Boggs. • Appointed Hillary Turner to be Perkins Schools' preschool director beginning Aug. 1, 2024; Turner is currently the district's school psychologist. • Agreed to enter into a one-year contract with HomeTown Ticketing for online event ticket sales; This move was recommended by athletic director Ted Sturzinger and assistant treasurer Mike Spafford. "Hometown Ticketing is a point-of-sale software built to enhance the ticketing process for school district events," Spafford and Sturzinger said. "The software provides a great deal of flexibility, enhances the end-user experience, improves internal controls and improves reporting. Hometown Ticketing is widely utilized in Ohio and is the exclusive ticketing point of sale for the Ohio High School Athletic Association." Right now, Perkins Schools uses PaySchools Local Events, which is "fairly restrictive in functionality and user-friendliness." "In coordination with the athletic department, we've looked to make technological improvements to improve the ability to sell tickets and passes online for various events," Sturzinger and Spafford said. _ Reach reporter Caitlin Nearhood at nearhood@sanduskyregister.com and follow her on Twitter @CaitlinNearhood