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BELPRE -- The Belpre City Schools Board of Education is taking steps to prepare for next school year.
At Thursday's meeting, the board approved the first reading of the Belpre City School 2023-2024Calendar and the 2023-24 Belpre High School Academic Handbook.
The proposed school calendar includes students returning to classes on Aug. 17, with kindergarten classes beginning Aug. 21, 22 and 23. The Thanksgiving break will be Nov. 22-24, the Christmas break will be Dec. 21-Jan. 1 and Spring Break will be March 25-29, 2024. The last day for seniors will be May 17, 2024, followed by commencement on May 19 and the final day for students will be May 21, 2023.
The calendar includes 170 days for students, four teacher work days, two parent/teacher conferences and eight professional development days.
Superintendent Jeff Greenley said a virtual town hall meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 28 on Facebook Live and YouTube to discuss various plans, programs and announcements coming up from the school district. The school calendar will also be discussed at the town hall before the board takes it up for its final reading at its March meeting, he said.
In other business, the school board voted to accept donations: $164.10 from American Publishing to Athletics; $200 from Belpre Performing Arts Boosters to Volleyball (for field clean up); $250 from NDTM, LLC to athletics for game admissions sponsorship; and $625 from Rowland Motors, Inc. to Athletics (game admission sponsorship).
Among various personnel matters approved, the board announced the hiring of Kevin P. Welsh Sr. as the new head football coach for Belpre High School. Welsh previously coached at Riverside and Fort Frye before coming to Belpre.
The board approved a real estate purchase contract with the Terry R. Wyatt Family Trust to purchase real property at 214 Stone Road. Greenley said the master facility plan approved by the board in 2021 called for the acquisition of the property.
The district is working with the Southeastern Ohio Port Authority on the first two phases of environmental studies planned on the old elementary school building on the Belpre High School campus in preparation for its demolition. Greenley said the district will begin work in mid-March on a separate project to conduct repairs to the high school track facility. During that process, arrangements have been made for student athletes to use facilities at other schools for practice, he said.