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NEWTON FALLS -- The Newton Falls Board of Education is considering videotaping its meetings for public viewing and will check to see what other school districts do to record their meetings.
Board President Tonya Kline said the board approved at its recent meeting having Superintendent Andreas Johansson check what other school boards do to have their meetings recorded both live and posted afterwards.
She said the board members have been discussing the pros and cons of video recording meetings.
"We are moving forward to investigate what we can do to videotape our meetings. We want to learn what is involved before we make a final decision," Kline said.
She said the village council currently records its meetings live and then has them available for viewing online afterwards.
Kline said the board will wait and hear from Johansson at the next meeting on what is involved to get meetings videotaped, costs for equipment, and then have them placed online for viewing.
Kline said board members want to be informed on what the process entails.
In other business, the board approved a policy that school properties and the school campus are 100% tobacco free.
Johansson said this includes all types of tobacco products from cigarettes to vaping.
He said the policy is designed to protect the health and safety of all those who are on school property.
Kline said the board supports the policy, noting it will keep people at the schools and events safe. Johansson said the district will enforce the tobacco-free policy with the school resource officer.
STUDENT TRIPS
The board also approved a proposed 2029 international trip program, during which students will be able to travel to other countries under teaching staff supervision.
Kline said the program would be for two students to travel in 2029 to such places as Paris, Normandy and London.
Kline said officials recognize that educational travel provides students with meaningful opportunities to experience history, culture, geography and civic learning beyond the traditional classroom.
She said district students have benefited from prior educational experiences that have strengthened classroom learning, encouraged personal growth and expanded students' understanding of the world.
As part of the program, two district teachers will coordinate and accompany participating students on a proposed international educational tour.
The proposed itinerary is expected to include Paris, Normandy, France, London and England and include historically and culturally significant locations connect to European and world history.
Early board approval is necessary to provide sufficient time for trip planning, student information, fundraising and passport acquisition.
Trip costs are expected to be paid by the students' families, fundraising and donations.
Kline said two students went to France and Poland this summer and shared their experiences.
Peyton Evans went to Poland, and Noah Lane went to Normandy and Paris. The two shared what their experiences were like traveling overseas this summer.
She said that was a separate program from the one being proposed for 2029.
Kline said the students discussed how the trips benefitted them and shared what they saw and learned.
The board also received donations from the Joseph Bednarcik Living Trust, with $17,342 for the high school art department and the same amount also for the high school music department.
The Newton Falls Ministerial Association provided a kiln worth $7,779 to the high school art department.
The United Way of Trumbull County also provided $7,994 for the Tiger Trail to Kindergarten program, which was held in August and helped prepare kindergarten students for the upcoming school year with reading preparation.