00120th board meeting of the Elyria City Schools in order. Please join me. Oh, roll call. >> Roll call. Yes. Uh-huh. Mrs. Seguin? Not here. Mr. Gebhardt? >> Here. Ms. Carstarphen? Here. Mr. Houser? Here. Mr. Parker? Here. Please join me in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. I'd like to introduce our group up here. To my right is Brent Parker, board member. To my left is Annie Carstarphen, board member. To her left is Lyn Houser, board member. And then our >> [cough and clears throat] >> superintendent Ann Schloss, and our treasurer Colleen Aholt. And you are? Oh, I'm Mike Gebhardt. I'm vice president president tonight, I guess.
002Uh, board recognition. I guess we have a presentation, uh, Helen Charns Shaffer fund for teachers awards by her daughter, Becky Saracens going to give the award. Come on up, Becky. Yes. Should I just stand here? Come up to the mic, come up to the mic if you would. Yeah. I had three teenagers in the house at one time. I can speak well here. I I call that my sixth grade voice. >> Yes. Does this turn on? Yeah, it's on. It's on, yeah. And then as I was driving out here, I couldn't believe that it was 50 years ago that I started with the Elyria City Schools. >> Wow. I called it just back then. Wow. >> That's awesome. And our family is just so excited to present these two awards. Um Mr. Michael West could
003not make it. He had another um prior um commitment. But let me tell you um he is going to Washington D.C. uh to experience the cultural of expressions exhibit in the National Museum of African History. Um And that's so exciting. The other recipient is Carrie Rowland. And again, I have to tell you about both of these applicants. Both of them in their application chose to understand people better. To try and experience other cultures so that they could pass that on to their students. Ladies and gentlemen, teachers and administrators, it doesn't get any better than that. Thank goodness the Elyria City Schools has such teachers. Mhm. And I am going to let Carrie discuss where she's going. I thought that was you, Cindy. You can come up, Carrie. Thank you. Don't be shy. Oh, wow. Aw.
004Aw. >> [laughter] >> We can have a hug. Carrie, you can come up. Aw, hi. Aw, that was sweet. Oh, we're going to be going down to Asheville, North Carolina to the mountains down there in the Biltmore Estate so we can kind of like explore the culture and everything going on there. And I'm a steam teacher so just to see how technology has changed over time. And come back and share that with everyone. Aw. That's wonderful. Thank you. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Carrie does Carrie does Bo get to go? Does Bo get to go? All right. Lucky guy. We We thought we were getting Becky. Yes. Uh you were 50 years how old I mean your mother would have been how many years in since she left or since she started? Before she died
005she had visited 43 different countries every continent. Wow. Wow, that is awesome. She was in my mom's school. She was my wife's first principal. I think Glenn had her for a little bit. >> was she at Crestwood she was our principal and just wonderful. And I love the scholarship and the meaning behind it. Yeah. It's great. Thank you, Becky. Thank you, Becky. THANK YOU. >> [applause] >> UH WE DO HAVE SOME VISITOR COMMENTS TODAY. This uh Mike Michael Oats would like to discuss the athletic programs and his concerns. Come on up here. >> It should be on Mike. Just turn it towards you. >> 10 minutes and uh would you give your name and your address, please? Uh my name is Michael Oats. I live at 1185 East River Street in Elyria. I'm a lifelong
006resident of the city of Elyria. I have been a youth coach in the programs for about 13 years now at all levels. Uh I started and funded out of my own pocket the Elyria Middle School softball program for the last 2 years with the help of Matthew Sowerka, who is a outstanding young man. I like that guy. He's a good guy. Um >> [clears throat] >> I was under the assumption that I would move up with the program to the high school level with the coaches. Um apparently there's a couple parents that don't like me, which is fine. You're not going to make everybody happy in the city or the programs. But it's kind of escalated from there to the fact that I applied for another district job with Midview, and emails started coming in
007badgering me, my reputation, making false claims. Just all kinds of stuff that they investigated them, and they're coming from his staff, which are people he hired with, first off, no experience in coaching. Um so I don't know what the athletic director's thinking >> [snorts] >> along those lines anyways, letting them hire all these people that have no experience. Um and I just kind of want to bring it to your attention because I've had enough. Uh it's it's specifically one person. I don't know if you want their name or if you want me to Can you email me? I can. I can. >> Um I continue to run youth programs in this city, and I'm kind of fed up with it, you know, with the athletic director that I'm considering transferring my kids out of this
008city. >> [snorts] >> And that's not something I want to do. Our families have long legacy of sports of all sports in this city at the highest level. And I would hate for that to get taken away from my kids. Um my daughter refuses to play for the high school softball program because of this. She is a stellar athlete, a 4.3 grade point average, and attends the LCC early college program. And they're losing out on a great kid because of this. I just I don't know what you guys are what you know, if there's anything you would even do about it or not, but I just feel like something needs to be done. And these people need to be held accountable cuz like at this point it's harassment. And I've moved on and accepted the
009fact that they don't want to welcome me there at the high school, which is fine, but I want my kid to play. But as long as these people are associated with your program that he's hiring, she will not. And the fact that coaches are bullying upperclassmen to quit because of this freshman class that came in is downright [snorts] awful, too. Like I I just don't understand like what's going on up there. Like the girls programs at Elyria High School right now are terrible. They're terribly coached. They're terribly ran by the athletic department, and something needs to happen. So I don't know. I don't know what I don't know what you guys want to you know I don't know what else to say really. It's just it's it's disheartening to me to be honest with you.
010I've committed my life to this city, and now I'm pushed out and I'm going elsewhere, and I'm still dealing with these same people harassing me. But I don't want to leave the city. I want to I want to be a part of the program. But I can't. And it's Girls are quitting. Like multiple girls quit on them this year. Six. Six to be exact because of the way they're treating people. So, I don't know. You take that with what you want. I don't even need the full 10 minutes cuz that's all I really need to say. Okay. You'll You'll get >> Email me. I I mean it You said you have emails and things. Just send them to me. Okay. We'll look into it. >> I'll look into it. But But as long as these
011people are part of the program, certain kids will not play for this program. So, they're losing out on great athletes, too. So, I just want you to look into who they're hiring and why they're hiring it, too, cuz their character could be really brought into question. The fact that they're questioning mine is it's crazy to me cuz I've done nothing, you know, inappropriate or anything at all but coach kids and encourage them to play sports in the city. Okay. Look into it. All right. Thank >> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. We'll be going meeting minutes from our what May 6th meeting. May Can I have a motion to approve the May minutes? Who's that? The summer? Second? Second. Any discussion? Please call the roll. Mr. Parker? I. Mr. Hauser? I. Ms. Garstarfer?
012I. Mr. Gebhardt? I. Board of Education? Anything? Anybody have anything? Okay. Treasurer actions. Thank you. Yes, to accept the financial report for the month of April 2026, to approve the student activity purpose statements for the 2026-2027 school year, to um acknowledge and appreciate the donation for daughter from from Nathan from Daughters of American Revolution, and to appoint any uh Ms. Carstarphen and Mr. Gebhardt for the expulsion hearing on June 10th at 4:00 p.m. And then the other three would be the representatives. Okay. I have a motion to approve the I do as recommended by the treasurer as presented. So moved. Second. Second. Any discussion? Please call the roll. Mr. Hauser. Aye. Mis- Ms. Carstarphen. Aye. Mr. Gebhardt. Aye. Mr. Parker. Aye. Treasurer other. I do not have any other, but I do have a report.
013So I um put on your desks the financial update for the reduction plan. I just wanted to give a little update on that. The district's financial reduction plan has been mostly implemented. The original target was 9 million in reductions and at this time the total identified implemental reductions are 9.4 million. So it's placed in the district slightly above its goal. The majority of it through the reductions came for personnel related items that 8.3 million and then the remaining came from transportation 562,000 um crossing decreasing of crossing guards 100,000 reduction in building classroom supply budgets 200,000 adjustment to a the athletic program and coaching 125,000 and then streamlining instructional support software 150,000. Can I just say one thing? Just so you know, the reduction um in personnel may look a little higher. We had more resignation/retirements
014of veteran teachers or staff and we the those we recalled and or hired cost less money, so that put us in a better spot um money wise. It wasn't that we cut additional food Right. Yes. Thank you for clarifying that. >> No problem. Um I wanted to give a little update financially what it looks like for the forecast. So, I don't have to do a May forecast officially cuz we had to do it in February, so I'm not doing a whole new one and and um sending it to the high Department of Education, but I did want to give you a little update of what the numbers look like before the reduction and after the reduction. So, as you see on the the on the upper graph, that was before the reduction and how we
015were deficit spending and how we were below our cash balance >> [snorts] >> of 30% per our policy and how we're going into negative. So, after the reduction, after the $9 million or 9.4, you could see in fiscal year 2027, we're only deficit spending negative 3 million instead negative 9. And you could ask the question, well, if we cut 9 million, why isn't it showing all in that fiscal year? So, the fiscal year is representative from July through June and these implementations of the the salaries don't start till August and September. Certified salaries don't start till September. So, that's only a 10-month, so you'll only see that representative for fiscal year 27, 10 months of it and then moving forward, you see in 28, you see the the remeeting of the savings. Right. So, after
016the reduction plan, our cash balance is back up to about 27%, which our goal is 30%, so we still have to implement a plan moving forward, but we do live to see another year. And moving forward, the recommendation I have is to place an 8.9 mil continuous operating levy on before the voters for November 2026. And based on the current valuations and estimates, it would equate to about a $311 annually per home for a in approximately $25.96 per month. So, the recommendation and the resolution will not be on until January 10th, but I wanted to do the recommendation now and show the information now in case there was any concern or discussion that it's open to talk about. I think it's important to also remember that um you know, we talked about cutting the 9
017million and that really just got us out of the initial emergency of the reduction or of the money problems. So, it only got us so far. Um we still all need that extra levy. So. So, you said the um I'm sorry, you said the the amount that you're collecting now won't be effective until January 10th of '27. Is that what you just said? The amount that we're collecting now >> if if we go out in November and it is approved, the amount that we're approving that we're going out for once it is approved by the voters will be effective January 10th of '27. Is that what you just said? Or did I misunderstand what you said? So, it >> 300 You said it would be 300 and It'll be $311.50 annually per $100,000 home. That
018was annually, not per half. Annually beginning January So, so if we put in a levy on in November of '26 and it passes, it would start for the January of 2027 collection year. So, I'm sorry, I don't know when the tax bills go out. We won't see that money until March of 2027, but it would be for the January 2027 collection year. So, when you get those bills, that would be on there, yes. That's That was my question. Yeah, thank you. Also, um you said January, it's June for the resolution, correct? Yeah. That was where I was going. >> That's okay. June 10th for the for the for the resolution, January collection. I'm sorry. >> Yeah, yeah, that's what I was trying to say. >> of J's in here. I'm better with numbers than words.
019I'm sorry. It's okay. I feel like somebody texted and corrected me on that. I'm sorry. Sorry. Thank you, Corey. Thank you. Yeah. >> [clears throat] >> Thank you. Thank you so much. has a or he heads up a private school and he says that he can give 3/4 of his tax money to the school. So, his federal tax can go to the school. Do you know anything about >> tax can go to his private school? >> school. Yes. I do know that they have the Angel Scholarship Fund, but I don't know if that's what he's referring to. Do you know, Howard? I've not I've not ever heard of that. I I do know there's an Angel Scholarship Fund that you can donate to and then you put it on your taxes and you could get
020that all back, but I don't know if that's what what he's referring to or that's for It's not for public or public schools. Mhm. No, but anybody can give us extra money on their taxes if they if they so so choose. Yes. Just give me your retirement check. What's that? And this the resolution has to be done June 10th. Yeah, so June June 10th will be the first resolution for the 8.9 mil levy. Um and then we have to have a second resolution. That would be in July. It all has to be sent to the Board of Elections by August in order to be on the November Okay. levy guess. Thank you for that. >> [snorts] >> Thank you. Moving on, Superintendent action. Yes, thank you. Quite a few contracts. It's typical this time of
021the year for the following year. So, I'm just going to read through them. Please stop me if you have a question. First of all, for the ESC of Northeast Ohio PEP um contract for student services. Also, suburban transportation contract student services. Phoenix Learning Center LLC for life care wheelchair transportation contract. The Amherst Elyria contract for taxi transportation for students. Phoenix Learning Center LLC student services. You may see the same company multiple times for different services. So, that's why they act cuz I questioned that as myself. Also, the Lorain County Board of DD Murray Ridge contract. Um and congratulations to them for passing their levy. The extended school year student services paraprofessional supports um for the summer as listed below. The Murray Ridge summer camp student services, the contracted hours for student support as listed below.
022The extended school year tutor um at the tutoring hourly rate for up to 20 hours for the summer for the following employee. Also, the um to declare the impracticality of providing transportation for the following um pupils involved. Also, to the Lorain County Board of DD Murray Ridge contract for student services for next year. The home instruction after school program uh tutor hourly rates for the following two um teachers. To approve a one-year agreement with Aramark for next year. And that concludes my action items. Okay. Have a motion to approve the items recommended by the superintendent. So moved. Second. Did you get that? Mhm. Any discussion? Questions? Please call the roll. Ms. Garstarfin? Aye. Mr. Parker? Aye. Mr. Gebhardt? Aye. Mr. Hauser? Aye. Personnel. Superintendent other? No, but I have plenty of personnel action items. So,
023I'll start in with those. First of all, we're going to renew some contracts. First, the certified administrative, then also the termination of certified staff. The word termination is a strong word, but we have to do this every year. These are the long-term subs, building substitutes, daily substitutes, supplemental contracts, and tutor contracts. So, they're all listed below. Also, the continuing contracts for certified staff is listed below. These are teachers who have They're leaving the limited contract um to become a continuing contract. The approval of the athletic supplemental contracts as listed below. Um To approve the recall of the following certified employees. I believe we're up to 11 certified employees being called back now. These are six of them listed below. To approve the termination of the limited contracts as follow as followed for classified staff. Um
024kind of the same situation and they're listed below. We have to go through this so that they know they have to You'll see coming in August and September, they'll all be back on to do their jobs again. Um then we have the classified administrative staff contracts as listed below. The classified staff continuing contracts as listed below. Um the appointment of classified staff. We have a couple moving around. Um to approve the unpaid leave of absence of the following classified staff as listed below. To approve the resignation of the following classified staff as listed below. To approve approve the two-year limited contracts of the following classified staff for the school years 26-27 and 27-28. To approve the recall of the following classified employees from the reduction in force list for the 26-27 school year as you
025see listed below. To approve the retirement of the following classified staff member, Bruce Whalen, who's been with the district for 26 years as a custodian um, in the custodial department. He is currently the head custodian for the Westwood campus. We wish Bruce all the best and thank him for his years of service. Also to approve the stipend of $50 for a half day for Envision and math training on [snorts] June 1st, not to exceed half day for all fifth through eighth grade certified staff who are approved for Envision and math training. To approve the stipend payment of $100 for a one-day amplified math training. You approved that curriculum last time for both of these um, just as a reminder on June 2nd. A not to exceed one day for all K-5 certified staff who are
026approved and are teaching math in those grade levels. Approval of the stipend of the following certified staff member to take the training. Cody will be um we had a Ben Lavallee resign and go to another district uh, about a month ago and Cody Rogers will be moving to that position and now he needs to get trained in the project lead the way training as well as his career tech validation module. So, you see both approvals listed there. Also, the approval of stipend for certified staff um up to $3,000 for the extended learning program through the Elyria High School certified teachers is listed below. The to approve the stipend for up to 160 hours at the hourly rate for the following certified staff teachers um for the grant funded So, this is all paid through the
027grant. Uh Elyria High School for the English language learners summer 2026 enrichment camp. The really nice thing about this is the state is allowing us to have the eighth graders coming up from the ELL program to um come to this camp so they can transition to the high school. So, that's a really nice um thing to have for them so they get to know um the high school and some of the teachers as well and they'll be familiar with some of the other teachers that they've already had. To approve the one-year limited contracts for 2026-27 school year for the following certified staff as enclosed. Um and that concludes all of my personnel action items. Are you sure? Can I have a motion to approve the personnel items recommended by the superintendent? So moved. I'll I'll
028second that. I'll second that. Discussion? Questions? Please call the roll. Ms. Kristoffan? Hi. Mr. Hauser? >> Hi. Mr. Gebhardt? Hi. Mr. Parker? Hi. Item M, other personnel items recommended by the superintendent? No, just uh a few um things under my superintendent's report. Um just uh remember I put grade, but it's supposed to say graduation. Um Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. Um we'll keep you posted. It's looking okay right now weather-wise. We've had a rough couple years, but we'll get through it. That is again Tuesday at the high school at 7:00 p.m. There are maps and everything that are on the website or have gone out. They'll be on social media for directional where to where to go, parking and everything else. Also on Friday, couple days from now, the senior clap out. It's a really neat
029tradition that was started where they go down to their middle school and they wear their cap and gown and the the kids at middle school get to clap them out there. That's a really nice tradition and the kids enjoy it. Lots of events going on in the buildings. Couple shout-outs I want to say thank you to the Kiwanis. Their their annual bike giveaway has happened. I believe it's still third grade. Am I correct? Still third grade, yes. They write essays and and they get that. Also tomorrow night at 6:00 p.m. are the senior community scholarship awards. We have to divide and conquer. We have two big events tomorrow night. We have Mrs. Perot and her class that are getting a big volunteerism award with Second Harvest at Emerald Event Center and then we have that.
030So there'll there'll be some of us at both tomorrow. And then we have sports winding up for the season. I know there's still some in playoffs and and starting in June all the camps are starting. We see a lot of youth camps being promoted and uh really like we had a great time bagging groceries last Friday with the football four or five of the football players. I was with the mayor and I did a better job of not smashing the bread and cupcakes. He won't tell you that, but I did. But we had a good time for a great cause and we saw a lot of people there and it was um it was it was very nice and we we thank the PD and the football players and the head coach Mr. Wilson came
031out and supported that event. But that is all I have. Please look at the website. There's so much going on and we gave you all your graduation tickets so you can get in. Just a reminder 6:30 we we report and get get ready to start the show. That's all I have. And what color pants? What's that? What color pants? Black. Black jeans? Black. What's the dress code? What's the dress code? >> Black pants with your black gown or if you wear a dress or whatever, but yes, black. It matches better. We're going to be matchy-matchy. Board of Education. I guess we have a board policy wave the first reading and adoption to wave the first reading and adoption of the following policy policy board development and adoption policy proceed procurement overdose reversal drug free work
032workshop student absenteeism. Is this These are new updates law updates and stuff. So they're just updates on policies in place. Okay. Some new things as as things come out at the state level with some of the laws. Okay. Can I have a motion? So moved. Second? >> Second. Any additional questions? Please call the roll. Mr. Parker? Aye. Ms. Gerstarfin? Aye. Mr. Gebhardt? Aye. Mr. Hauser? Aye. I we have no executive tonight, do we? Uh real quick we have uh, just to of put an out, but we have the appreciation concert on the square on Friday. >> sorry, I forgot that one. You got a lot going on. This Friday? This Friday, they announce the new assistant drum major, so that's kind of exciting for the band. And they'll play the for the military, they'll play
033the songs and have a fun night down in the square. What time is that, Brett? I believe it's 6:30. >> 6:30, I think. >> 6:30. 7:00? Okay. Get there Get there at 6:30. >> want to get there at 6:30, yes. And the um Yeah, the band plays >> choir last night. Yeah. Oh, they're the talented students. Oh my goodness, they are so talented. It was awesome. >> Yeah, we have such wonderful fine arts music programs throughout the district and it I think it gives you goosebumps to see how talented our students are and what a what a great job our teachers and staff do with the students to bring their confidence out to do what they do. Yeah. It was great. It was great, yes. Anything else? I just real quick, Jan, just I know
034we had all the curriculum in the back last board meeting from the math program and that's going to be a big initiative. I know the science of reading has been really, really good. We've seen good things. Just what what's what's a 30,000-ft what what's the different camera angle on on math as we as we had talked about? >> is the new focus of the state, but I am going to let Courtney give you that cuz she's the expert and I don't want to talk for her. So, 30,000 ft there, Courtney. Where where are we going with it, Courtney? It's a big one, math is. >> Yeah, well, you know, back in October when I kind of gave the big overview presentation, I mean, you know, it was clear that we have some work to do
035in math. And then the state has been trying to push out some guidelines, like just how we have RIMS for reading and reading improvement plans, like they're trying to push that for math. It hasn't gone all the way through yet. Um But just as a district, I mean we we have some work to do in math. So that's you know, we're kind of and we're not taking focus away from our literacy and we're seeing >> think. Yeah. really good outcomes from that. But yeah, I mean we're excited about the math the updated curriculum. Yeah, I'm just curious about the curriculum. It was it's neat to start with. >> good process. I mean we had a great group of staff that and a a diverse group of staff from all grade levels and intervention specialists and
036administrators that you know, we evaluated several programs all based on the state's standards for high-quality materials and you know, loved everything that Amplify had to offer and yeah, and it even comes with some new like uh benchmarking and progress monitoring tools that we haven't had in the past. >> Nice. Um that will really kind of be able to track math math progress a little better throughout the year. Um moving forward. So in trying to get you know, give teachers the opportunity to get their hands on it a little bit this summer before they're stepping back in the classroom in August. So yeah, I mean academic services is we know that math and Cindy really Cindy's the expert. You should be doing the talking. Yeah, why am I even talking? I forgot she was sitting back
037there. You're doing just fine. Nodding my head back there at everything you're saying. And I I I mean I think it's the K you know, five four staff was very you know, excited about Amplify and just everything that it has to offer. And we've seen also we have their program for ELA and just customer service. I mean everything is is outstanding. So I we're excited to get started with the training and like actually get the materials in hand. So we appreciate the support on that. That's wonderful. Wonderful. Anything else? Okay. Can I have a motion to adjourn? So moved. Second? Oh, wait. Don't forget that the Memorial Day parade is Monday. Um I think the band is in, the uh JROTC will be in, so we'll have representation from the Maryville City Schools there, so
038yeah. Don't forget. >> Okay. I have a second. I'll second. All right. Madam Chair? Mr. Curserfin? Aye. Mr. Hauser? Aye. >> Mr. Gebhart? >> Aye. Mr. Parker? Aye. Meeting adjourned. Thank you for coming. Thank you.