School Superintendent Christine Trampe addressed updates in the Mantua district at the first board of education meeting for 2024-’25 on Aug. 19.
“It’s a bustling time here in Mantua Township schools,” she said. “Board of education members that have reviewed our recent findings have probably realized all the beautification improvements we’ve been doing in our buildings.”
Those improvements include new signage at J. Mason Tomlin Elementary; upgrades to playgrounds and bathrooms; and the district’s largest project, preparing Tomlin for the Evergreen Preschool Program. Earlier this year, the district received a state grant to greatly expand preschool by adding six new classrooms at Tomlin and updating programs at Sewell Elementary School.
“There’s a lot of things going on as we prepare for orientations next week,” Trampe noted.
Orientations for preschool – first for Sewell then for Evergreen at Tomlin – were held on Aug. 27, while a kindergarten orientation is to take place today at Sewell Elementary. The school year starts with a full day on Thursday Sept. 5.
“This is going to be our second year in a row that we’ve had a full day of school,” Trampe said of the first day. “Which is tiring, but it works out, I think, much better for the students to get a full day, for the parents to get a full day and for the staff to have a full day.”
Trampe also announced that for the first time in more than 15 years, the district will conduct strategic planning, meaning that by communicating with staff, parents and students through surveys, district administrators can come up with a plan to better accomplish their goals. A facilitator will also help identify the district’s specific needs.
“We’re unique,” Trampe explained. “We have preschool in two separate buildings. We’re a K-to-6th-grade district as opposed to a K through 12. We have a referendum that went through not too long ago. Those are things that are very specific and unique to us, so that’s part of the reason why.”
The next Mantua board of ed meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 9, at Centre City Elementary School.
