Chardon Schools Transportation Director Resigns

October 21, 2020 by Amy Patterson

Chardon Schools Board of Education officially accepted the resignation of Michael Gatrell from his position as transportation director Oct. 19.

After a short executive session and with no public comment, the school board approved a separation agreement from Gatrell, in which the district agreed to pay him a three-month severance in exchange for his resignation and an agreement not to seek employment with, nor contact anyone else employed by, the district.

The contract termination comes on the heels of a rocky start to the year for parents and students as bus routes — complicated by COVID-19 social distancing requirements — were delayed for weeks.

In an email after the meeting, Superintendent Michael Hanlon said the district is using Community Bus Services for transportation supervision.

“We will continue to evaluate the most effective manner to supervise the operations of our transportation department in the future,” Hanlon said.

New transportation routes should be added to the district’s Infinite Campus website later this week, Hanlon told the board Monday, adding the new routing program could be launched as early as Oct. 23. He encouraged parents to check the “Transportation” IC tab for updates.

The district is short by about 10 drivers and will no longer be using drivers from other school districts, as those schools have transitioned back into in-person instruction, Hanlon said.

Routes will be available first to local Chardon Schools drivers, with left over routes then assigned to CBS personnel as the district continues to look for more drivers.

Hanlon also told the board the district has had zero new coronavirus cases for students or teachers, whether on-site or remote.

“We’re generally seeing a positive impact with respect to the maintenance department and the work that they’re doing, the work of our students, the work of our staff and everybody basically doing what they can to minimize risk in the school setting,” he said.

To date, Hanlon said the district has had 43 students and two staff members in quarantine.

He said in a call last week with superintendents, health officials praised the efforts of schools and said contact tracing is not identifying schools as the major contributing source of viral spread.

However, community spread of the novel coronavirus is expected to increase, according to health officials, as people spend more time indoors during the onset of the seasonal cold and flu season, Hanlon said.

He said while the district initially planned to tie in-school instruction status to the color-coded Ohio Public Health Advisory map, after discussions with Geauga Health Commissioner Tom Quade, the district decided to use the state’s risk map in combination with numbers being seen in the school district to make a decision whether to close buildings, or shift to every-other-day in-person instruction.

Any shift in plans will take effect the Monday of the week after the district, working with the health commissioner, decides a shift to a hybrid instructional model is necessary, he said.

“So far, (there is) no change in instructional model, but I think it bears everyone being cautious and aware that we could be seeing a change in model in the coming weeks or months if numbers continue to trend in the direction that they are,” Hanlon told the board.

He added the district can’t control the governor or some authority beyond the scope of Geauga County ordering schools to close.

Hanlon thanked Junction Auto Family and General Manager Cliff Babcock for the donation of a 2020 GMC, with a retail cost over $29,000, to be offered as top prize in a raffle to raise money for a new scoreboard at Chardon Memorial Field.

Babcock approached the district with the donation, Hanlon said.

Board member Karen Blankenship said the money to replace the scoreboard is sorely needed. She said Dave Jevnikar, who broadcasts Chardon games and sporting events on Geauga-TV, spends hours browsing eBay and anyplace else he can find parts for the current scoreboard.

“And every summer, he’s out there on a lift trying to replace the lights or whatever electronics need to be replaced. So this is, you know, something that is needed at the field and it is used for a lot of sports, a lot of activities,” Blankenship said.

According to a district press release, tickets are $25 and the second-place winner will receive $500. The raffle closes Feb. 5, 2021, with the ticket drawing taking place during the Chardon Boys Varsity Basketball game that evening at halftime.

The board also extended congratulations to Chardon High School Assistant Principal Ryan Bandiera on his selection as Ohio’s Assistant Principal of the Year by the Ohio Association of Secondary School Administrators.

“Ryan is an excellent member of the leadership team at Chardon High School and we are very proud of his accomplishment,” Hanlon said during his report.

District Treasurer Deb Armbruster reported the Ohio Department of Education issued a $500 check in Bandiera’s name to the school district, but Bandiera returned the money to be used for student needs.

“I thought that was pretty cool,” Armbruster said.