Salem-Liberty Elementary teachers Erica Schneider and Lynette Stengel give a presentation about the Reflex Math program to the Fort Frye Board of Education Monday night.. Reflex Math is an app for elementary math class students to master basic facts plus subtraction, multiplication and division. (Photo by Douglas Huxley)
Beverly – The Fort Frye Board of Education held its regular meeting Monday night at Fort Frye High School in the Cadet Career Center.
The board heard a presentation from Salem-Liberty Elementary teachers Erica Schneider and Lynette Stengel on Reflex Math. Reflex Math is an app for elementary math class students to master basic facts as well as subtraction, multiplication and division.
The program allows students to learn the process or facts of mathematics through games and learning. Teaching these facts to students usually involves multiple steps and complex math tables, Schneider said, but Reflex Math makes it easy for students to be able to remember these facts right away. Schneider said that Reflex Math provides a lot of scientific research on the importance of the spontaneity of math facts.
“So knowing instant recall of those facts is very important, because we have multiple skills like that that come out,” Schneider said. “And you can imagine how boring it is for students who don’t know their facts.”
The Reflex program is designed to be used three days a week for 15-20 minutes, Stengel said. She said her students use the program in the morning.
“They come in, they do it, and in 10 minutes they’re done, and they can read the silent reading book, or whatever, until everyone’s done,” Stengel said. “So, it’s just another extra tool in our toolbox, but I think it’s probably the most powerful tool we have right now to get it perfecter faster.”
During the approval schedule, the Board agreed to update the job description for the available mechanic position as well as the transportation/utility supervisor job description.
The board has also accepted a number of donations to the Fort Frye FFA. They accepted $100 from American Legion Post #389 toward FFA grants, a $1,000 donation from the Ohio FFA Alumni Association for Julia Selfoss and Margaret Fulton’s trip to the Washington Leadership Conference, $50 from the Haines family and $50 from C&J Farms.
The board also approved a $25,000 donation from Citizens Bank Company to go toward a high school gym improvement project for new basketball stands, equipment, and installation.
“I always appreciate those donations from businesses and community members to help our students get opportunities and our project to improve the high school gym.” said board member Carey Schilling. “That’s great. So, I really appreciate those.”
During the administrative and financial agenda, the Council approved a number of personnel and curricula items.
The Board voted to approve and purchase universal screening devices for classroom amplification of the K-3 Reading and Math Assessment Kit and the NWEA Map for Grades 3-8 to assess Reading, Math and Science as presented to the Board by Nicole Honker, Director of Curriculum and Special Education for Fort Frye Local Schools, During the March 23rd meeting.
It’s called Map Growth. Honker said during the previous meeting. “Grades three through eight is what we’re proposing. They’d take this assessment, and it’s given three times a year, and it would give us data for reading ELA (English Language Arts), math and science. Which is something we haven’t been able to universally screen[for]in the past.”
The Board has also approved the Rise Up Curriculum as an online industry credential in Fundamentals of Customer Services, Sales, and the Retail Industry to help students obtain credentials to help meet alternative competencies.
“It just gives us an alternative for students to meet their graduation track,” said moderator Stephanie Starcher.
The Board has also approved student bridging services for PEAK’s Summer Credit Recovery Program. The program is for students in grades 7-12 and will take place from June 1 to July 31. Teachers will meet or confer with students for up to eight hours per week as needed. The cost for students is $100 per half credit and $150 per credit hour.
The Board approved the Ohio Association of Public School Employees (OAPSE) three-year employment contract for 2023-2026 as submitted and the school’s 2023-2024 contract for athletic trainer services at a rate of $15,000 annually with the Memorial Health System.
“It’s really cool for us to have this MMH athletic trainer,” he said. Starcher said. “It’s a really great partnership.”
Starcher said the school district is still hiring replacement bus drivers as well.
The next Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Fort Frye on May 18 at 5:30 p.m. The meeting is open to the public.