West Holmes BOE recognizes new staff at meeting
The West Holmes Local Schools Board of Education met Monday, Sept. 18 at West Holmes High School for a regular meeting.
The board did the following during the meeting:
—Approved the bus routes and stops and authorized the superintendent or his designee to designate or relocate stops as deemed necessary.
—Approved a resolution to reallocate 2.9 mills of its 4.5-mill levy within the 10-mill limitation to a permanent improvement fund for necessary permanent improvements, following the required public hearing on Sept. 14, and include it on the revised tax budget.
—Approved revising the tax budget as follows: permanently stop collection in 2024 (tax year 2023) on the $803,000 emergency levy currently collecting at 1.35 mills, permanently stop collection in 2024 (tax year 2023) on the $422,562 emergency levy currently collecting at .71 mills, and include additional exhibit for the inside millage shift of 2.9 mills to a separate permanent improvement fund.
—Requested authorization to function as district representatives for West Holmes Schools for the following people: Rick Brindley, principal, and Donnie Copenhaver, assistant principal, at Ashland County-West Holmes Career Center; Jessica Martell, education director, at Holmes County Training Center; and Kim Riley, Tri-County preschool director.
—Approved 10 upcoming FFA trips.
—Approved the OMUN Conference Dec. 3-5.
—Approved a resolution declaring the impracticality of transportation for students Kyler Medina, Gladys Medina and Landon Medina to St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Catholic School in Wooster and to provide the family payment in lieu of transportation in the amount of $1,100 per year.
—Approved the West Holmes Middle School eighth-graders to attend a trip to Washington, D.C. April 24-26 and the sixth-graders to attend a camp at Mohican April 29 through May 1.
—Approved partnering with Stifel, Nicolaus & Company Inc. as the underwriter for the municipal securities transaction for certificates of participation for the construction of the new elementary building.
—Approved a one-year contract for the 2023-24 school year for LPDC members Julie Snyder, Joshua Wengerd, Courtney Cooper and Suzanne Goudy.
—Approved the hiring of Paige Emick, social worker, effective Sept. 18; Terry Williams, second shift custodian, effective Aug. 25; and Bryce Wilson, bus driver, effective Aug. 16.
—Approved the transfer of Kimberly Ackers from a three-hour cook to a four-hour cook at Millersburg Elementary, effective Aug. 1.
—Approved the following substitutes: Taylor Yerian, nondegree teacher, effective Aug. 23; Jeff Rettig, nondegree teacher, effective Sept. 6; Steve Bianchini, nondegree teacher, effective Sept. 6; Christa Clark, nondegree teacher, effective Sept. 12; Andrea Bower, bus driver, effective Sept. 1; and Maria Phillips, van driver and bus aide, effective Sept. 16.
—Approved Kristen Bartman as a mentor for the 2022-23 school year.
—Approved the following band volunteers: Jackie Steiner, Ethan Steiner and Angie Morris, and pending a background check, Sean McCune, Candy Rowland and Melissa Cronin.
Other information
In accordance with Ohio Revised Code ORC 153.65-73, West Holmes Local Schools is requesting qualifications for professional design services to assist in the planning, design and construction of a k-5 building. Design services could include planning, programming, engineering, bidding documents and construction administration services.
The board is considering approval of a resolution authorizing the public announcement and release of an RFQ, which will be posted on the district website, for hiring a professional design firm for a k-5 building, with submissions due Sept. 29.
The following new staff members were recognized during the superintendent’s report: Anna Irwin, Emily Yankello, Clay Miller, Kelsey Kenney, Paul Lambert, Marnita Mast, Paige Emick, Courtney Shaffer, Chad Troyer, Brooke Wolfe, Miranda Miller, Billie Jo Addair, Terry Williams, Brittany Akers, Dezirae Wilcox, Luke Colopy, Ben Belden, Alexander Looney, Blake Depinet, Joshua Phillips, Stephen Fowler, Doyle Burgett, Jessica Vaughn, Sean Hoxworth and Joel Groff.
Killbuck Elementary thanked Sperry & Rice for its donation of school supplies for its students.
Millersburg Elementary thanked Millersburg Christian Church and St. John’s Lutheran Church in Mt. Hope for their donations of school supplies.
Nashville Elementary thanked Dometic Sanitation for its donation of backpacks and school supplies and all those who donated toward the purchase of Dash Robots so Nashville students can learn to code.
Lakeville Elementary thanked Lakeville Methodist Church for its donation of notebooks and Dometic Sanitation for its donation of backpacks and school supplies.
Lakeville and Nashville elementary schools thanked Becky Hoxworth and the Comfort Closet for their donation of hygiene items in memory of Becky’s daughter Marina.
The next board meeting is scheduled for Oct. 16 at West Holmes High School.