PLUGGED IN
Empowering Parents with the Latest PLSD News
February 2021 Edition
Welcome to the latest edition of Plugged In — PLSD’s districtwide e-newsletter. If this email was forwarded to you, please click the orange "Follow Pickerington Schools" button at the bottom of this page or in the right sidebar, which will add you to our mailing list.
In this edition...
Thanks School Board Members!
Pickerington Jaguars Recognized
Latest P4P Promise Blog Now Online
“Hugs” for Our Dedicated School Board Members!
Even though social distancing won't permit us to physically hug school board members to thank them for their selfless service, they received the next best thing during their January 25th regular board meeting — wrapped chocolate Hershey's Hugs and hot chocolate mix! On each Hershey’s Hugs jar the label read: “You deserve a lot of hugs — Thanks a million,” and the hot chocolate mix jar tags say, “Hot chocolate is a hug from the inside.”
January was School Board Recognition Month in Ohio, so the Ohio School Boards Association also helped us honor our dedicated school board members by sending recognition certificates for each board member and a large “Thank You” poster. Various staff from the District Office, along with students from Heritage Elementary signed the appreciation poster before it was presented to the board.
In what has been a challenging year for the district and the country, we can’t thank our school board members enough for their year-round contribution to students, staff, and the community supporting Pickerington Schools! We hope the hugs will make them feel loved and appreciated for all they do to make Pickerington proud every day!
Thank you Board of Education President Clay Lopez; Board Vice President Keith Kristoff; Members Vanessa Niekamp, Cathy Olshefski, and Lori Sanders. We'd also like to thank Superintendent Chris Briggs and Treasurer Ryan Jenkins for their tireless dedication to continuing to moving our district progressively forward.
Board Members Kristoff, Lopez, Sanders and Supt. Briggs
Board Members Olshefski and Neikamp
Jars Full of Hugs and Hot Chocolate Mix
Pickerington Jaguars Recognized
During their February 1 meeting, PLSD’s Board of Education officially recognized the Pickerington Jaguars for winning the Special Olympics Basketball State Championship in 2020!
Unfortunately, because of social distancing restrictions, they were not able to honor the entire team at the board meeting, however, Head Coach Byron Beresford, along with athletes Nathan Honaker, Nick Moore, Kage Beresford, and Bryndan Jones, attended in-person. The rest of the team were invited to join the event virtually on Google Meet.
In addition to the board recognition, Ohio Senator Tim Schaffer congratulated the team by presenting and reading a resolution from the Ohio Senate!
The Jaguars beat Paulding County by a score of 42-38 to win the state championship for the first time in the team’s 20-year history back in February 2020.
Coach Byron Beresford Introduces Athletes
Senator Tim Schaffer Reads Resolution
Teammates Could Join On Google Meet
P4P Promise Blog Is Now Online
2021 has gotten off to a busy start, and Superintendent Chris Briggs is excited to share some highlights from the beginning of this new year with you! From Pickerington High School Central students participating in the VEX Robotics Competition, to the PLSD Innovation Conference to the bond issue and more, be sure to check out the latest Plan for Progress Promise blog.
Health Insurance "Premium Holiday" Announced
PLSD Wins Meritorious Budget Award
February Technical Support Hours
Treasurer's Office Continues Award-Winning Work to Save Staff & Taxpayers Dollars
Pickerington Schools Pass Cost-Savings from Effective Health Insurance Management to School Staff and Taxpayers through District General Fund Savings
At its December 2020 Insurance Committee Meeting, Pickerington Schools announced that it would pass along some of the savings realized through the District's Health Insurance Plan to its employees and taxpayers in the form of General Fund savings. As a result, employees and the District received a "premium holiday" (premium-free pay period) in January.
Enrolled employees received the premium holiday on the second payroll period in January. For an individual carrying subscriber-only health insurance, the premium holiday pay period resulted in a savings of $93.21, and for those on a family plan, the savings was $213.46.
The premium holiday also applied to the employer share of health insurance premiums, and will result in about $552,000 in savings in the District's General Fund. This represents a substantial savings that will be realized for the District. The District spends about 70% of its revenue on student instruction and will be able to shift the savings to other student-centered budget priorities.
When the District's self-insurance fund realizes better than anticipated performance, the District shares those savings with employees and taxpayers through premium holidays. This is the third premium holiday the District has been able to issue since it switched to a self-insured health insurance plan in September of 2014.
The shift to a self-insurance plan was a calculated move in an effort to save the District money on expenditures for health insurance related costs. The overall effect of being self-insured is that the District is able to keep more of its yearly contributions to health care costs in years where experience is better than expected, rather than have those funds be booked as profit for a third-party insurer.
Prior to the switch to self-insurance, the District's annual health insurance renewal increases averaged 8.69 percent. Since September 1, 2014, the average increase has dropped to 4.05 percent.
Additionally, the move to self-insurance has allowed the District to offer competitive health insurance to its employees in the most cost effective way possible. The self-insurance fund had built reserves of nearly 120 days of forecasted yearly costs prior to the premium holiday; after the holiday, those reserves will be at about 105 days, and growing.
Health care costs have been some of the fastest growing costs for American employers, and keeping the District's rate increase steady is a fantastic development for employees, the District, and the community. Pickerington Schools remains committed to strict fiscal management and stretching its taxpayer investment as far as possible while making the greatest possible impact on student learning and success.
If you have questions, please contact Ryan Jenkins at ryan_jenkins@plsd.us.
PLSD Wins 2020-21 Meritorious Budget Award
Pickerington Schools is the recipient of the 2020–2021 Meritorious Budget Award (MBA) from the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO) for the submission of our FY 21 Budget Document. The award recognizes the district for excellence in budget presentation.
ASBO International’s MBA and Pathway to the MBA promote and recognize best budget presentation practices in school districts. Participants submit their applications and budget documents to a panel of school financial professionals who review the materials for compliance with the MBA Criteria Checklist and other requirements and provide expert feedback that districts can use to improve their budget documents.
“Districts that apply to the MBA or Pathway to the MBA programs recognize the importance of presenting a quality, easy-to-understand budget internally and to the community,” ASBO International Executive Director David J. Lewis explains. “By participating in the programs, not only do districts have access to the tools and resources they need to communicate the district’s goals and objectives clearly, they demonstrate their commitment to upholding nationally recognized budget presentation standards.”
This is the district’s second year receiving the award and is a true reflection of the commitment to fiscal integrity.
February Technical Support Hours
Just a quick reminder that updated technology support hours can always be found under in the District News articles on the homepage of our website.
The February technology support hours are:
- Mondays — 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
- Wednesdays — 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
- Fridays — 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Please use the Technology Support Sign Up link.
Technicians will be located in the auditorium at 90 N. East St. (between the District Office main entrance and Heritage Elementary). Please use the doors leading into the auditorium for access.
PLSD P.R.I.D.E. Newsletter & Black History Month
VLA Pictures Reminder
Calamity Day Reminders
PLSD P.R.I.D.E. Newsletter & Black History Month
VLA Pictures Pickup Reminder
Calamity Days Reminders
Mark Your Calendar
- February 15: No school — Presidents Day
- March 4: K-12 Evening Parent/Teacher Conferences
- March 9: K-12 Evening Parent/Teacher Conferences
- March 29-April 2: No school — Spring Break
Stay Plugged In
Email: plsd_communications@plsd.us
Website: www.pickerington.k12.oh.us
Location: 90 North East Street, Pickerington, OH, USA
Phone: 614-833-2110
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PickeringtonSchools
Twitter: @plsd