Expenditure reduction plan to be implemented
The Fairless Board of Education passed a resolution at the March 25 meeting to implement an expenditure reduction plan for the district for immediate action this spring. The community will receive a mailing explaining plans for necessary cuts.
Superintendent Michael Hearn said the impact of Ohio House Bill 96 has made the board have to make cuts of $650,000 for the 2025-26 school year. Fairless Local School District will lose about $1 million in funding over the next two years.
According to information provided by the district, the biennial budget, as proposed, will mandate more responsibility to the local communities to fund schools as the state share of educating students is projected to decrease from Fairless Local’s share. The funds will be reduced to 17.5% in 2026 from 52.6% in 2020. The state’s share of educating students is projected to decrease for about 87% of Ohio’s public school districts.
“We want to try and keep the reductions away from core programs for students to make sure the students have a full, rounded experience,” Hearn said. “We will have less staff in all three of the district buildings.”
Areas to be reduced are as follows:
—Reduction through attrition-implementing cost savings by not filling certain teaching and support staff positions vacated through retirement and resignation.
—Reduction in support staff and Educational Service Center support staff, assessing and eliminating or reducing select positions within the district and ESC services while maintaining essential operational and educational functions.
—Increasing class size, adjusting students-to-teacher ratio where feasible to optimize staffing efficiency while striving to maintain educational quality.
—Eliminating programs that include summer school and camp and supplemental curriculum programming.
—Sharing administrative roles with other districts.
In another matter the board recognized speech and debate team members Nova Day, Riley Brothers, Kaylee Dowdle and Mary Hammel, their adviser, for achievements in the team’s first year and the indoor track team and adviser Ben Russell.
The board also did the following:
—Accepted the following resignations: Michael Kimball, custodian, effective March 31; Eric Johnson, aviation teacher, effective May 30, both for retirement; Jessica Cattel, Spanish teacher, and Anna Rankl, paraprofessional aide, both effective May 30; and Stuart Cortney, bus driver, effective June 2.
—Approved contracts for Gregory Wentling, head elementary custodian, effective March 3; Shaluh Mack, eight-hour custodian, effective March 31; and Shauna Mills, five-hour cook, effective March 17.
—Approved a $2,500 stipend for Marla Terrell, high school summer physical education teacher for 2025.
—Rescinded the supplemental contracts of Larry Carter, assistant baseball, and Jessica Swihart, assistant track.
—Granted stipends to Jessica Swihart, assistant track, and Joseph Moriarty, weight room for spring, both certificated personnel.
—Issued supplemental contracts to nondistrict teachers Jonathan Norman, junior high track, and revised supplemental contracts to Matthew Samaco, assistant baseball; Abraham Highben, reserve baseball; and Samuel Uminski, freshman assistant baseball.
—Entered into a contract with CHI Corporation for WiFi network management and maintenance services at a cost of $70,475.
—Approved a contract with ATT for installation of WiFi equipment and services on two buses using eRate at a cost of $7,300.
—Gave approval for a contract with SPARCC from June 1, 2025, to June 31, 2026, for technology support at about $76,500.
—Heard the fiscal year state auditor’s report stating the district received an unqualified opinion.
—Entered into a contract with SCESC to provide services for $150,000 to be deducted from state foundation payments to Fairless and paid on a semi-monthly basis during the fiscal year.
—Passed a resolution for Special Education Model Policies with slight modifications.
—Approved Gracie Ashton, temporary certified substitute teacher, as needed for the remainder of the school year.
—Entered into a three-year agreement with Professional Skills Institute for nursing services, 37.5 hours per week as follows: 2024-25, $83,510; 2025-26, $75,740; and 2026-27, $79,530.
The next board meeting will be held April 15 at 6:15 p.m. at the high school, 800 Seventh St. SE, Brewster.