001This hearing is to provide public notice of the superintendent's recommendation to rehire the following individual into their same position. This is in accordance with Ohio Revised Code 3307.353 which requires the action to be conducted at the regularly scheduled board meeting on March 18, 2026. The position is Paula Highfield, head cook. Now I'm going to call together to call to order the board meeting for February 18th, 2026 at Mercer Elementary. >> Mr. Nye >> here, >> Dr. Simmons >> here. >> Miss Wazooi >> here. >> Mr. Ward >> here. >> Dr. Strickler >> here. Our next item is the pledge of allegiance. We are going to be led by the amazing Maddox students. United States of America. There are exits at the top of the stairs and at the bottom of the stairs here as well
002for us should we need them. >> Can I get a motion to adopt tonight's agenda? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Dr. Simmons. >> Yes. >> Mr. Nye. >> Yes. >> Miss Wazooi? >> Yes. >> Mr. Ward? >> Yes. >> Dr. Strickler? >> Yes. >> Next item on the agenda is approval of minutes. Could I get a motion to approve items 4.1 and 4.2 two as presented. >> So moved. Second. >> Mr. Nye. >> Yes. >> Dr. Simmons. >> Yes. >> Miss Wazooi? >> Yes. >> Mr. Ward? >> Yes. >> Dr. Strickler? >> Yes. >> Our next item on our agenda is a special presentation from Maddox Elementary. >> Hi, good evening everyone. Uh, thank you for having us. My name is Zachary Larson. I'm the assistant principal at Maddox and it is my pleasure
003to to sort of just introduce our crowd but I I just want to say before I do um this is my first year here at Forest Hills and I'm just blown away anytime I see all these students all these families coming together this is amazing. So uh thank you for that but also you know Dr. Strickler came by just a second ago and said hi to them and all of that. And she reminded me of something that I always think about, but she said, "This is why you guys as board members, ad administration, teachers, this is why we do what we do, what you're going to see here in a minute. We have a lot of amazing things happening at Maddox." And and so it's my pleasure to introduce them, but also I'm gonna I'm
004gonna hand it over because I could talk forever. You really want to see them, let's be honest. Uh, so I'm going to uh introduce Emma Coffin, one of our third grade teachers, to uh talk a little bit further. So, thank you guys. Good evening. As Mr. Larson said, my name is Emma Coffin and I teach third grade ELA. Each year, we set goals for our students and then work hard as adults to support them reaching these goals. This year, we have a literacy goal and a connections goal. Right now, I'd like to share the literacy goal with you. All students in grades K through six will engage in daily writing activities for a variety of purposes across all content areas. Each student will demonstrate writing growth through through schoolwide writing activities three times a year.
005In November, all students crafted our first schoolwide piece. It was about gratitude and it was published during our grand night. In February, our students wrote their second piece, a friendly letter. Last Thursday, students paired up within their home rooms and shared their writing. Now, I'd like to invite three Mustangs to the podium to read their letters to you. Hi, my name is Thatcher. I'm a first grade in Mizen's class. Dear Aaron, I appreciate you because you are a good friend. You are good at sports. Lastly, you are very good at spelling. your friend Thatcher dear June, I appreciate you because you you are my best friend. You include me in your games. One reason I am grateful for you is if we were not in the same class, we would not be as close as
006friends as we are now. You are kind and sweet. I am thankful to to have you as my friend. I appreciate you because you you always say yes to literally everything. Another reason is you are nice. You stand up for people. You are a great friend. Love your friend Elina. [applause] >> Hi, my name is Devin and I'm in Miss Dod's fourth grade ELA class. And [snorts] dear Eli, I think you are very awesome. You are always getting nice. You are always nice to to a lot of people you meet. You always say please and thank you, too. I also think you are very funny, too. You can make a lot of people laugh. You're also the greatest friends I've ever met. I'm so happy that you are my friend, and I hope you know
007you are my a great friend, your best friend. Don't smile. [applause] You got this, Tori. >> All right, good job, guys. That was awesome. Um, as Emma mentioned, we have two student success goals this year, and I'm going to share the wellness and culture goal. As evidenced by the school connection survey, in the spring of 2026, all students in grades K6 will identify positive connections with peers and adults in the areas of their academic, social, and emotional well-being. Um, Mrs. Borio, he did not she go ahead stand. We'll just give her a little wave. Okay. Um, we both run the Madic Student Council and this year we've got any time that we meet between 45 and 55 kids, which is awesome. Um, the kids are really excited about student council this year. We asked them
008as Valentine's was approaching, what could we do to get everyone involved? And I have a few student council members that are going to share what we decided to do. So, Ronin. Okay. Hello, my name is Ronan. I am in fifth grade. With kindness week approaching, our student council wanted to find a fun way to promote kindness throughout the building at Maddox. After proposing a lot of ideas, we finally settled on making kindness clips. Hi, my wait. Hi, my name is Hannah Fry. I'm in the fifth grade. The idea originally came from a few members who have been clipped at cheer competitions or swim meets. The idea is to clip someone from another team with positive words or affirmations. Hi, I'm Hannah Reeves. I'm also in the fifth grade. You don't want to collect the clips.
009You want to have the clips passed along as many times as possible. Each person discovers, reads, and passes the positivity on throughout the council. We knew we could tweak this idea and make it work for spreading kindness around our school. >> Hi, my name is Ruby King. I'm in the fifth grade. We used our January meeting to create the clips. This was so much fun as we came up with fun slogans and glued on our place charms. Some of our fun words were smile, you got this, you are loved, be proud, and shine on. We created over 200 clips in 35 minutes. Hi, my name is Ellie and I'm in the sixth grade. On February 12th, during our morning arrival, we worked to clip and pass the 200 clips that were made. K through six
010and teachers were clipped. It was so much fun to see the kids in the hallway finding the clips, reading them, smiling, and passing them on to another kid. We definitely fulfilled our goal of spreading kindness at Maddox. Tonight we have a kindness clip for you. [applause] >> Thank you. >> I love it. All right, good evening everyone. My name is Peter Frankus and I am the ILAB teacher at Maddox Elementary. It's awesome to see a lot of familiar faces. And another round of applause, please, for all the Mustangs in attendance here. [applause] >> [applause] >> Thank you. So, in my space, it's a STEM space. We do science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and to build off of that, last week on Thursday during parent teacher conferences, we had an innovation night at Maddox Elementary. We had
011incredible attendance in grades four, five, and six with 20 group projects and a packed eyab full of awesome ideas. Tons of critical thinking happened outside of school and was brought back into Maddox Elementary. And this evening, we have some friends that are going to talk about the projects that they did. But it was a huge success to have it come back into the building. think science fair inside of our building with our community and I cannot wait to see where it goes next year. We had students going out the door saying I cannot wait until next year for innovation night. So let's get those Mustangs up here and see what they have. Starting with Evelyn Berkeley. [cough] >> Hi. Hi. My name is Evelyn Berkeley and this is my project, Elephant Tree Sap. I decided
012to study this because it sounded really cool. My dad and I planned this together. We use recycled bottles. We made them look like leaves and trees. Basically, we mixed together hydrogen prod hydrogen peroxide, dish dish soap, yeast, warm water, and it was usually as you can see in the picture. As a result of this project, I researched about elephants getting nutrients from tree sap. I think that they that they will that they will eat tree sap for their nutrients. Especially when a mom is pregnant or had a baby, she will eat slash drink it because it helps them um produce more milk. Elephants are legit keystone species. If you're wondering, a keystone species is a plant or plants or animals that are very important to the environment, even if there aren't many of them. They
013they help keep everything balanced. If a keystone species is removed, the whole ecosystem can change in a big way. Thank you. >> [applause] >> lean way into that mic so we can hear you. We want to hear all about the projects. >> Good evening members of the board. My name is Wesley >> and I am Nash. We are fourth graders at Maddox Elementary and we are excited to share our science fair project with you. As you can see, our project is titled volcano. >> We wanted to test which kind of volcano explosion would be biggest. For our first try, we used Diet Coke and Mentos. We also tried Diet Coke and Lifesavers. >> Then we tried elephant toothpaste, which is hydrogen peroxide, dish soap, yeast, and water. For our final attempt, we tried baking soda
014and vinegar. >> The picture on the screen shows us adding the elephant toothpaste ingredients. The hardest part of the experiment was cleaning it up between each trial. >> In the end, our data showed that elephant toothpaste gave us the biggest eruption. >> Thank you for letting us share our work tonight. >> Does any [applause] does anybody have any questions for us? I'm just saying you got to tell all the kids at the parties who've been using Coke and Mentos that elephant toothpaste is the way to go. >> Thank you. [applause] >> Hi, I'm Logan and this is my project. I made a cloning machine on Scratch. is an online coding game where you can make whatever you want by coding without all the complicated stuff. I decided to make this because I've been starting taking
015an interest in Scratch and I thought this would be a good way to actually have people try it. Other than my family, the hardest part of this project was drawing everything in the game. Other than searching it up on Google and copy and pasting images onto the game. Anyone have any questions? That's cool. >> Great job. >> What did people want to clone? >> Um, you can clone pizza, um, an apple, some golden diamonds, a house, and was there anything else? I don't think there's anything else. >> Great work. [applause] >> I know that was a lot of mustangs. Uh we've had some really great work going on at at Maddox, so we wanted to make sure to celebrate it. Thank you for having us to celebrate our students with you tonight. >> Thank you
016for sharing with us. >> Thank you. Thank you, Joy. [applause] >> If I could just share, um I went to the innovation showcase last week and I was expecting, you know, a few tables and a few kids and and maybe a baking soda volcano and it was like packed cheap by jowl. you had to like elbow your way through, you know, fifth graders to get in there. There were Lego sets, there were marble runs, there were crystals, there were um I remember when I was a kid, I made a potato battery in something, but it never occurred to me until last Thursday to make a mashed potato battery >> and see if it generated more voltage that way. I don't think it really did, but it was a great idea. It was a wonderful experience.
017You guys need more space next year. It was amazing. And I'll just add medicics, we are so happy to have you here and we even dressed up for you. So we have the board has [applause] >> we're so proud to have your school as part of our district. >> Thank you all. >> All right. Assuming they may not want to stay for all the business, so I'm stalling for a second. Oh, Larry, I see you've got the Maddox tie, too. >> Up next, we have the Forest Hills Teachers Association report from Mr. Chris Preston. gonna top all that. [laughter] >> It's funny. Um, well, good evening to each of you, Board of Education. I have one brief topic tonight. Usually have like two or three. It's just one. With outside time being limited over the
018last month due to weather constraints and inside time being the norm, our staff and students have enjoyed having the opportunity to be outside over the last few days. Just this morning, my teaching team took our seventh graders on a nature walk outside uh before our classes began. It was enjoyable to get out, take a walk for a few minutes before it was time to learn about angles, the Byzantine Empire, and biomes. Consequently, this stretch in the year for teachers is when our protocols, norms, and routines set in the classrooms earlier in the year bear us fruit. Teachers continue their normal daily schedules of lesson design, classroom instruction, and providing timely feedback. Our teaching staff continues to provide a high level of service to our students and families throughout the throws of winter in sickness and
019in health. And with a particularly cold and snowy winter season, spring and warmer temps are on all of our minds. This concludes my report and thank you for listening. >> Thank you. >> Item 6.2, Forest Hills Foundation for Education report, Stacy Gillard. I feel like sometimes I should use this child chair, especially going after Chris, but I won't because I have really big heels on and I probably fall. So, good evening. I hope everyone is doing well. My name is Stacy Gillard, executive director of the foundation. I am thrilled to have a couple new people here with us tonight. Um wanted to give a quick reminder shout out that the 2026 Forest Hills 5K will be on Saturday, May 9th. Um our theme this year is small steps with big big impact. How we all
020can take small steps together and make a big impact on students. So with that, we have a student here tonight. Her name is Alexa and I will let her introduce herself. Hi board. My name is Alexa Inman and I am a junior at Turpin High School. It's an honor for me to be brought up here by these girls tonight in order to talk about our upcoming 5K and being a Forest Hills ambassador for the Forest Hills Foundation of Education. This is my second year as an ambassador and I'm glad to support this organization that brings people together for a great cause and just for the events that they bring to us to connect families, friends, and neighbors to become a full community. And this really creates a positive impact. And this foundation's mission is really
021important to me and many other students at the high schools, elementary schools, and even our middle school because it reminds us that even the smallest actions we take, like a running or walking event, can make a big difference. And that makes me really proud to be an ambassador for this organization. Thank you. >> Hi, my name is Jen Shreger. I am the Forest Hills 5K race or race ambassador chair. So I am recruiting race ambassadors. So we have a lot of great benefits to be a race ambassador. Really just need to be enthusiastic about the 5K. Um share the 5K registration fund raise. Um and we have promos like t-shirts, prizes, things like that. So it's a really great way for students, staff, faculty, parents to all come together and really work together to fundra.
022And I'll help lead along the way. So, if anyone's interested in joining our ambassador team, um you can scan the QR code on our flyer. This will be going out in different um newsletters from the buildings and also you can um scan, like I said, the QR code, it'll take you to a Google form. You complete that and I'll reach out to you. So, thanks again. We appreciate all of your support with the 5K. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Great. Well, thanks Alexa and Jen. Um, I always say it takes a team of people to do the work that we do. Um, so I'm glad that Alexa could come here tonight. And like Jen said, if you are interested in being a race ambassador, we would love for you to join. Um, and that
023is community members, parents, staff, students. Um, we love to be able to share your story and why you are passionate about the 5K. Next, I wanted to give a quick shout out. So, we the foundation for the last three years, four years, sorry, has outreached to students and we have designated funds for studentled grants and I'm really excited to sh showcase a few tonight. We had 34 applications. This is the most to date. Um totaling over $100,000. Now the foundation has based on our um projections and fundraising has designated 25 to $30,000 for these projects. And so part of that what I wanted to share tonight is we currently have a campaign going on with give with heart. So, in honor of February, honor with how we share love, how we support kids, um this
024is a great opportunity for parents, staff, community members, um to make a donation and be able to support these incredible ideas and projects that come directly from students. I was with a parent earlier tonight um and telling her about this and she said, "If you want to talk about giving money directly to students, this is totally the way to do it." And I was like, "Absolutely." So, I wanted to give a quick shout out because there were so many good ones and there are so many videos I wish I could show all of them. Um, but for example, at Mercer Elementary, they would like to have a hydroponic system, which is a grow garden in their school for all students. Wilson. Um they are really looking at accessible gym equipment, playground equipment, extended um as
025well as a natural playscape. Um then going down, if you follow along, Anderson and Turpin. So Anderson, we had students that want to create an American Red Cross student club. Also, at both high schools, we have media athletics collaborative, which are students that actually go to sporting events um and take videos and promotional promotional photos and video to be able to promote the different athletes that we have in our community. At Turpin, there was also a group that got together once to have a women in STEM club. Gonna give a shout out to that for the women in STEM club. Um also bringing back the Lancer newspaper at Turpin. And then in addition to that having a recycling program um at actually at Turpin High School and collectively both Anderson and Turpin requested funds to
026further enhance sources of strength which is actually a program that the foundation funds um at a larger level through the district. Um but they wanted to be able to promote this and encourage with incentives um and different things. So I love that those came from both high schools, not just one. Um, if you go down to the bottom, we had air. So, they want glass basketball hoops. So, for those of you that have basketball players, um, girls or boys, um, also Bob binders. And so looking at the importance of executive functioning um if you go up to Nagel uh at our event the foundation's event at Denim and Diamonds we talked a lot about how it's important to be able to provide kids with STEM camp opportunities this summer. And so we actually were able
027to fund we have $6,600 in student scholarships for students to attend this camp invention this summer. A key component of that is having seventh through eighth grade students serve as leaders in training. So students applied through that grant through Nagel. Archers, I love this one. Um they do at lunch every day, they do a good news Sherwood. So what they do is they have students talk about the good news that's happening in their lives, in their classrooms, and they want to be able to have a mobile media system that allows them to be more mobile friendly. And then lastly, the bees, Summit Bees, an outdoor sensory play space along with a hydration station. And what better way to talk about what kids and students come up with than directly hear it from them. So, I'm
028going to turn it over and you can hear directly from the summit students. I feel >> [applause] >> So over half of the student led grant applications actually we asked this year that people that the students could submit a video and let me just tell you I actually want to show all these videos to everybody in our community because it's hearing straight from the mouths of our kids where they see a need in a variety of different ways and how they can come up with a solution. They just need money to make it happen. So, my last plug is if you are interested, like I said, the foundation has designated 25 to $30,000 to support student grants. We are encouraging others to give. If you take a picture of that QR code, um we would
029love to be able to to support so many more of the student grants. Um, and love that we do this and love that the kids have the ability to critically think, identify ways that they can make a difference in their schools, um, and then make it happen with funding supported by incredible people that give to the foundation. So, thank you very much. Any questions? >> Just one, the media athletics collaborative, can that include the arts? So, media athletic is just for the sports like it's for the athletes. Um actually my son is highly involved in this at Turpin. Um and so they go to different athletic events and take photography and videography and then they are able to showcase that. Um overall I in regards to the arts, I'm not quite sure. So I know
030that they um have this at Anderson and Turpin um particularly for students that are interested in going into like media um and video development beyond high school. So, I don't know about the arts, but we could find out. >> You mentioned all the videos. Are all of the videos posted on your website? >> They are not. So, we just got all of them. Um, just stay tuned because you're probably going to be seeing a lot. Like, I have your emails. Um, so you're probably going to be seeing a lot of the videos. I think the best way to say why we raise money as a foundation is when you hear kids be able to articulate what they see, what the need is, and they just need funding. And I don't know about you, but when
031I was younger, um, if you came up with an idea, maybe the funding wasn't there. Um, but if our community can come together, um, we'd love to be able to support all of them. So, we will be sharing more of those. And Stacy, I feel like you were clear on this, but just to be very explicit about it. So there's 25 to 30,000, but about $100,000 in applications. So this um initiative is to try to raise more money specifically for that for the student grants. >> And I'm in the process, I think we're going to get a couple matching gifts, which is great, from some of our very generous donors. Um, but we'd love to be able to have additional folks be able to support our student ideas across the district. And have you chosen
032any already or you're waiting to see if more money comes in? >> So we actually are in the process of reviewing those. We actually have seven students from Anderson and Turpin that will be part of the review team. Um, we started that a couple years ago because it I will tell you having the students on the review committee adds a whole another level of feedback and um ideas and we've never heard of this to hey did we think about this and so we the foundation's really proud that we include students on our review team. Um the goal is by early March that they would be decided. Um and then actually at the next board meeting I would be able to come back and share who was selected. >> Great. Yeah. >> Very cool. >> Awesome.
033>> Thank you all. Love you. Red. >> Dr. Simmons, we make a motion to take us into executive session. >> Yes. So, pursuant to Ohio Revised Code section 121.22G1, 22G1. I hereby move the board adjourn to executive session for the purpose of considering the employment of a public employee or official. >> Second. >> Dr. Simmons. >> Yes. >> Mr. Nye. >> Yes. >> Miss Wazooi. >> Yes. >> Mr. Ward. >> Yes. >> Dr. Strickler. >> Yes. We will be back. Elena, can we do roll call since we're back from executive session? Sure. Mr. Nye >> here. >> Dr. Simmons >> here. >> Miss Wazooski >> here. >> Mr. Ward >> here. >> Dr. Strickler >> here. Item 8.1 is superintendent contract. We're going to turn it over to Mr. Hook. >> Thank you, Mrs. Be
034and members of the board. Um, it is with a mixture of emotions that I wish to tender my resignation effective at the end of July 31st, 2026. I've spent the last 36 years of my life in service to students, staff, and four different communities as a teacher, a coach, assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent, and as a superintendent. But now after 36 years, uh it is time for me to move on to another chapter like spending more time with my family and looking at retirement. It has been my honor to serve the Forest Hills School District for the past four years. Like most districts, we have worked together on the challenges that we have faced and together we have worked on the many successes of our district. I am proud of the staff we have assembled
035and organized. We have the very best administrators, teachers, and staff members. You all have been an inspiration to me as we have worked together to educate the next generation of students who will become our future leaders. Everyone has rolled up their sleeves in providing the best educational experience for our students. Our performance index on the state report card in my opinion is one of the most telling and important indicators of our academic success. It measures just how well we have done on all state tests annually. We have continued to improve in this area each and every year for the past three years. It's not easy especially for a high-erforming district like for ourselves. I am proud of all nine of our buildings that continue to deliver excellence every single day. I'm also so proud to
036have been heavily involved with a great group of people in passing one of the most important levies in recent history in 2023 when we passed our 6.9 mil combination levy which also included 1.5 mills for permanent improvements. This has allowed us to be able to make the necessary capital improvements on all of our buildings and facilities to protect our community's investments as well as stabilizing our district finances for operations. In closing, I would like to extend my best wishes and good luck and support to all of our students, staff, our board, and our community. Thank you. Thank you, Larry. >> Thank you, Larry. >> So, we would need to make a motion to accept Larry's resignation and approve the resignation agreement. Can I get a motion? >> So, moved. >> Second. >> Mr. Nye, >>
037yes. >> Miss Wazooi, >> yes. >> Dr. Simmons, >> yes. >> Mr. Ward, >> yes. >> Dr. Strickler, >> yes. So, if I can say a few words as well. Um, Larry, thank you for your 36 years of dedicated service to children and communities across southwest Ohio and especially the last four years in Forest Hills. Um, your leadership has been instrumental in organizing and empowering an exceptional team of administrators and staff who consistently perform at high levels in this district. Our students are the daily beneficiaries of the energy, commitment, and professionalism your staff brings to their work. Our district continues to be a high performing district as you mentioned and we are well positioned to continue striving for excellence in all that we do. We are deeply grateful for your leadership during the successful 2023
038levy campaign which secured critical resources for our district and addressed many long-standing facilities needs. Thank you for your dedication and commitment to Forest Hills. We sincerely thank you for your service and we wish you the very best in your future endeavors. to our students and families, staff and community. We will start immediately to work on a superintendent search with the goal of having somebody in place as part of the transition this summer. We want you to be involved in that process. We'll use a search facilitator and there will be opportunities for you to participate in that search to talk to us about what you want to see in a superintendent and what the district needs. So, we look forward to working with our community as well. Thank you, Larry. Truly. >> [applause] >> Item nine
039on the agenda is public commentary. The board is committed to conducting its meetings in a productive and efficient manner to ensure that the meeting is completed in a reasonable amount of time while also recognizing the importance of fair and adequate opportunity for public input. In order to conduct an orderly and fair representation of expression, the board will provide a period for public participation per policy PO0169.1 at every regular board meeting. Public participation will be a total of 30 minutes. Each speaker will have three minute time limit. The board does not discriminate based on the individual content of the speech or viewpoint of the speaker. If several people wish to speak on the same topic, the time limit may be adjusted at the president's discretion. Speakers should be prepared to respond to questions from the board
040members seeking to clarify the issue. We have two speakers tonight. First will be Tara Ladenberger and then on deck is Mike Rutled. Those steps are a little tricky. Okay, good evening. Um, my name is Tara Lauderberger, Anderson High School, class of 1995 and a current community member. Uh, I wanted to thank you, Larry, uh, for your time and service and education. 36 years is, uh, quite remarkable. So, thank you. Um, I am here tonight, as you can guess, to speak about the Anderson High School pool. As an alumni and community member, I want to express my long-standing frustration with the lack of a clear plan, the lack of meaningful community engagement, creative funding solutions, and the lack of forward thinking around this issue. For years, it has felt like this district is running on on
041a running like a gerbble on a wheel, going round and round, collecting quotes and assessments, but never really taking meaningful action. It is unacceptable that this aquatic space, once a viable classroom and competitive athletic facility, has remained in disrepair for seven years without a long-term plan. The constant explanation that the district doesn't have the money and the pool is old is difficult to reconcile when levies continue to pass to maintain this building. Yet the basement and the pool remain neglected. Since then, the district has moved forward with other visible projects, including the mascot change and new football and track turf. While the pool remains unressed, community members are left asking a simple question. What is the plan for the Anderson High School pool? Young families are noticing. They are talking. They are looking ahead to
042aquatic facilities and programming and growing concerned. They are visiting other facilities like Sycamore's brand new pool and Mason's beautiful aquatic center and asking why can't we have this? The compass the comparison is easy to make. Neighboring districts such as Sycamore, Milford, West Claremont, Mason, and Princeton appear committed to maintaining and updating their aquatic facilities. Forest Hills has honestly fallen behind. I still hold on to the belief that we can catch up, that aqua, our aquatic programs can be rebuilt into the public school powerhouses they once were. Repair or replace the Anderson High School pool. That is the step that must come next. I'm urging the mostly new board to push the a the Anderson High School pool to the forefront of your financial planning and decision-making. Our students, families, and community deserve a clear, committed
043path forward. I invite you, the board, to join me for a tour of the Anderson High School Pool Space on Monday, March 2nd at 6 PM. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Rutled. Hi, my name is Mike Rutled and I'm an I'd like to thank you all for doing what you do. I know it's difficult uh lots of different polls and pushes from the public and uh appre I really appreciate anybody who runs for office uh especially these days. I am Mike Rutled. I'm a um class of 81 Anderson High School grad and I had three Anderson children of my own who all graduated from Anderson. One swam. They all uh participated in athletics. I was a beneficiary of that pool at Anderson. Um, when I went to Ohio State, uh, some of my, uh,
044fellow students from rural areas were astounded and envious that we had a pool because the district when it built Anderson in the early 60s and Turpin in the late 70s had the foresight and the the belief in its promise of its children and the importance of athletics to build that pool. Um somehow somewhere along the line um something got all spun out of of uh course. Uh either people knew going in uh that there was a flaw with the pool and didn't tell anybody or uh there was a failure on the back end. But either way, I think at the very least the district owes the general public a written explanation of exactly what happened with that pool and why it is in this state. To me, it is a black eye on the community.
045It's uh it's a broken tooth at the bottom of the the building. It it's rotting away. I know I personally saw Nick Douglas in the early 1980s or late 70s put up the scoreboard himself on his own time that still stands there today with right with every recorded by uh at the pool and by the uh athletes and also uh he created a special meet called the Turkey Bird Classic just among uh swimmers. and uh he recorded that records the best times for that meet. Um I don't know. I have several other things I'd like to say, but well, if I were a young parent today looking at school districts, I'd [snorts] be looking at Milford. I'd be looking at Sycamore. Not Mason. It's too big. uh but uh somewhere where they have a belief
046in the importance of the pool and when people who who even people who didn't swim for Anderson but people who attended Anderson when they see pictures of that pool their heart breaks and if you don't think that I don't believe that Anderson has a pool right now you they they don't get the same benefits from the pool as Turpin people do as evidenced by the number of athletes who are participating. >> Thank you, Mr. Rutled. >> Thank you for your time. >> I'd also like to say if if you don't think it's such a big deal that Anderson doesn't have a pool, why don't you announce Turpin's going to close its pool next week and see h see how the public responds to that. Thank you very much. >> Understood. >> Respectfully. >> Item item
04710.1 is the superintendent update. So, sorry about the Olympic update, but every four years I get I don't know, a lot of people get dialed in to events we never see any other time. Um, but I did want to mention this in particular. Uh sadly, uh Quinn Dinger, who is a student here, um at Wilson and went to seventh grade here before he went out to Utah to begin his long training. Um just wanted you to know he was supposed to compete, I believe, to tonight or tomorrow, uh but reagravated a knee injury in training while in Italy and will no longer be able to compete. We just found out about that today. Um, he was set to participate in his first ever Olympics in the freestyle aerial uh team uh team skiing, which I
048caught a glimpse of that the other day and it just is nuts what they do in the air. Um, but anyway, Quinn and his girlfriend, who is also a fellow Olympian, uh, sent a nice video to all of the students at Wilson, uh, just saying hello from the Olympics. I mean, that's how cool is that? >> So, uh, the stu students got to watch it and heard about committing to their goals and achieving dreams and it was just so well done. And while he's not going to be able to compete, we just uh we're very proud of Quinn and as a community and so just want to wish him the very best in the speedy recovery. Um sorry for that Olympic moment. Just >> the video was very cool. >> Once every four years it
049said [laughter] it was inspiring. >> Uh real quickly I'm just gonna kind of touch a little bit on the strategic plan. And uh we talked about doing uh some of it with communications which is our strategy five which is delivering uh relevant, proactive, timely information through varied communication channels. And before I go a whole lot further, you got to know that Josh Bazan and Ardan over here by the camera and superstars, little superstars, and have just continued to grow and develop our our communications outlet uh and looking for new ways uh to just get the word out. Um so you can see in this first one just three little three pieces here some of the key initiatives uh we're unpacking the newsletter uh which is a deep dive into important topics programs and priorities and
050we deliver deliver that midmon via email and we post it as a web article as well. Uh the one in the middle I believe [clears throat] is our curriculum up close. So that was kind of a somewhat of a new piece where we really focused in on one particular um area of our curriculum um that goes out uh on regular social media posts uh as well as our monthly web article. Um it's pretty cool. I think we did we did modern world history at Turpin High School and kind of a show so that people could see what was going on within the classroom. The other piece was every moment matters and just kind of as a a staff shout out to celebrate staff members throughout the district who embody every moment matters. That's posted on
051our social media every other week. So we try to do that a little more often because that's just quick snippets. Um some of the analytics um in August the the first one here on your left is just website year to date for the website. Um and you've got on the left this year versus last year. um we get and of course the views are when people open up our website. So we're well over 100,000 and it's really high and August the semester and I would anticipate as we move towards graduation it'll pick up again too and we get into proms and different things at the end of the school year. So, I I get that lots of views. But that second piece below the the uh views are the web articles. Again, something new. Um
052well, not new, but we're doing more of those. Last year, we did a couple of web articles. Um and that's those are unique. Um seven of them in August versus two the year before. And you can see each month we've we're pushing those pushing more and more of that information out. Those are cool articles. Uh and they're posted on our website so you can see those at any time. Um email notifications. Um Forest Hill School District uh 2526 70% of uh email opened. Now I learned this. And I go 70%. How's that? And I then I real then Josh informed me. He said, 'Well, when you get spam email and you get the you know somebody trying to sell you something, sometimes you don't even open it. You recognize it and you just delete it.
053Well, that's not an opened email then. So that's why that is. But if you look at the difference between our analytics, 70% 70.8% 8% opened. Uh, and these are a couple of third-party national averages on emails uh being open. You're talking about not even 50%. So, I think that's that's significant. Um, and again, these are are basically school and educational clients. The on the right of that is the parent square. And of course we navigated to that from school messenger. We felt it was a little more robust. And you can see that the the rate is higher for opening those parent square. We're at uh or delivery rate rather is at 98 to 99%. Uh versus 90% with school messenger. And again sometimes those are und deliverable. uh a parent doesn't remember to update you
054know the email properly or you know it can be some it's something as simple as that. Um but uh we try to send those reminders out to keep people uh moving forward with those. Uh social media analytics, you can see the Facebook uh numbers. Um as of January, we have uh almost 10,000. Um looks that's about a 12% increase over the year before. um with the number of as well as the posts that we've increased the number of posts average views per post over 10,000. Um so really focusing our efforts on the post being around our culture blueprint and the strategic plan. So we're trying to to point it and get it a little more laser focused on on the the things that really are driving our district. So, um, there you see the Instagram
055numbers. I'm gonna, um, so that's a real kind of a quick snippet of where we're at midyear on the on the communications and and we'll keep that out there and available so you can see that. Um, I'm going to stay pretty high level on this and there's a reason for the next one. This is more of our I Ready stuff. This is our progress monitoring piece for the for academics. Um, and the reason is next Monday we have our we have a TNL um committee meeting and I want them to dive deep into that first get, you know, find any questions they may have as well. Um, what's going on right now is they took their um their second test. Okay. Okay, they're midyear test. I ready is you test at the beginning mid midyear
056and then then at the end. Okay. And so um predominantly mathematics and reading is is the main arenas. Okay. Um they're measured individually and that's what's cool about it. And I think what's really the strength of the program is that these kids are measured where they are and tries to elevate them forward. So if they're a high performer, they're trying they're shooting for 70% improvement, which isn't easy if you're a high performing student. Uh if you're a fourth grade person and you're two grades ahead, you haven't even had those some of those concepts yet. So there's a there's a ceiling there's a bit of a ceiling um where you would imagine that majority of the kids are going to be one grade behind when they take it in the fall because they haven't had any
057of the classes yet. They haven't had anything. So um so this is kind of what they looked at already. They've already started the breakdowns into the into the individual buildings and having that work accomplished. I think some of that is what um TNL will be sharing on Monday. Um but just so you can see they the color thing here. I have to look at this because I can barely see it up there. Um where you find the right dot. There it is. See these the greens? Your battery is running low. Who's that? [laughter] >> That's you. >> Okay, real quick. The green. Okay, let's This is fall reading. This is winter reading. There'll be one more in the spring. Okay. So, all of these kids here, and you're talking over 50% of our kids are
058started the year at grade level or above grade level. This group has yet to to, you know, they're basically where you you probably should be, you know, fall of your f your fourth grade year. you're you're not you haven't met all the standards yet in fourth grade and obvious and these are those number of kids that are below you know maybe even two grade levels already you can see the significant movement >> it's significant okay high percentages um we have for through the uh winter diagnostics 46% of our kids are already performing at or above grade level. Again, that's just some crazy stuff. Our goal obviously is to get all of these kids up and uh we set a benchmark. They set a benchmark at se like I said 70% but it's 70% for each
059child. So your 70% isn't the same as this kid's 70%. It's based on the particular child. Okay? Okay. And as they move those kids up um they start analyzing okay what are we not doing or what do we need work in okay which is really I think the strength of the program. So an example is maybe they were spending a lot of time with phmic awareness or phonics. What they did notice in a lot of the buildings is they're going to push hard now into vocabulary which is again one of the big pillars in literacy. When you start looking at what what makes you know great readers you got to talk about phmic awareness phonics um you're talking about vocabulary fluency comprehension. So, they've already identified those and each building will target specifically what they
060need. Okay? And there's going to be some some differences that are unique to them and they'll even get that down into the classroom, individual classroom, but they'll go into some pretty deep detail uh at the TNL meeting and then that'll come forward if there's any other pieces or questions that you want to to hear from that. And it's really the same the same thing when you start looking at the I Ready math update. Uh same basic concept. We've got a strong number of kids who are already I don't want to say whiz kids, but yeah, they're pretty good. [laughter] They're pretty good. Um and look at this. from fall to winter. These are kids that have already met their their what would be a normal growth >> For the full year. Exactly. They've they've seen
061it all. Now, obviously, we keep pressing and this and we keep adjusting. One of the areas uh in numerousy is going to be geometry. That seems to be a challenging concept. Um and it that's pretty universal too. I I think that happens. Um but number sense is also is critical. And so those are some specific areas that we've already seen to target for the second semester. Um I will say we'll do it again in in May. Yeah. In May because it's after our state tests. Good, bad, or different. I don't know. I think sometimes you get into May and you've had you got your the spring state tests are done. It's kind of like so we'll see. But the good news is the kids that are identified as needing supports and have either ramps or
062uh mathematic improvement programs that carries forward. So they start getting uh interventions right from the get-go. So it never stops. Larry, is it the same test all three times? >> It's a dynamic. It's a dynamic test. I believe the items alter up and down based on how a student's doing. >> And and I I I know that because my daughter tells me all about her I [laughter] test and and that. But I guess my question is um is it calibrated? like when when you were talking about how many of our students are already above grade level before they start the year. Does the test account for that when they're when they're deeming this person above fourth grade level on the first day of fourth grade or the the day they take the test in fourth
063grade for example? >> Start with a grade level question and then it levels up or down based on how the student responds. >> And the grade level question is one that that that student should be able to answer by the end of that grade year. Okay. >> Yes. >> That's the yellow That was my question. Is is the standard the beginning of the year fourth grade standard or end of the year fourth grade standard. And that's got it. Thank you. and that's where the progress monitoring comes into play because we see this progress over the course of the year. individual growch. So, not just a year's growth, more than a year. And this data makes me want to stand on a chair and celebrate because that's amazing. I mean, it is hard. If you start
064in green, you still have a teacher trying to teach for the next year. and accomplish all the standards. When you start in yellow or orange, then you need more accelerated growth, faster growth, more intensive help because we're trying to get you caught up to grade level and beyond. So, I mean, anytime we are growing that green, that should yield a huge shout out to the teachers. Yeah. Yeah. So, shout out to all the teachers. This is amazing. >> Fantastic. >> They're doing fantastic. >> Thank you, Bob and Kim, and everyone. >> They're all >> behind the scenes. >> They're, like I said, they they've started as soon as they got the information back, they were meeting with their team leaders, their principles from all the buildings, going through the data. they're already back at the
065building level analyzing deeper and deeper uh like I said right down to the individual teachers rooms individual kids so that we know what that particular kid needs and so it's it's kind of an amazing software really so and our our people are just doing just great work with it so but I just want to give you a quick highlevel look at that again I think Wendy and and Jason or who's on the who's on the >> who's with me at teaching and learning. >> Jeremy. Yeah. Okay. Jeremy and Wendy. Yeah. So, this is might be great if anything perks to your mind, questions to them or whatever that it's it'll be fun. >> Yes. >> Good information. >> Thank you. >> All right. 10.2. to Larry as well. It looks like membership in the Ohio
066High School Athletic Association. >> Sorry, >> actually approve. Go ahead. >> I had one more thing regarding your update as well. We had don't mean to put you on the spot with this, but we've talked about this several times at board meetings and in facilities and technology committee meetings, but we had two speakers speak about the pool. And I was wondering if you could from like a 10,000 foot view in your perspective like what is preventing us from moving forward with a plan on the pool with whatever it might be whether it's formally making decision. This is what we're using the space for or we're going to fix the pool and this is what we need to do it. Like what are the big things holding us back right now because it's been sitting there
067for quite some time, right? um you know the prior board came in with intentions to address it like I mean so it's it's just been something that >> intentions have been there to address it and it hasn't happened. >> So from your perspective where are we what's standing in the way of us making any type of progress or any decision on what to do with that space? >> Well my opinion only. So that's ultimately that'll come down to you guys the board's decision to to look at it. I think a couple of things uh when I look at it and from my understanding of what happened in the pool and again I don't know if there's anybody here still hardly that was when it got closed I think Larry Corley I picked his brain pretty
068hard he was our former maintenance person uh what had happened uh the leaks where the water was going some of the ooze that was coming up into the Um again I didn't see that but I it's it's in disarray for sure. Um we have done you know we have contacted um a couple of people actually um but specifically the people that did like the pool at sycamore that under you know really understand what's what's involved. Are you talking about a six lane? Are you talking about a competition eight lane? Are you talking about what it is that you're really wanting to do? Uh, and the cost involved. I think the other thing that people forget, and again, my opinion 50 years ago, I don't think they thought through uh building pools in basement. Okay, maybe
069watch. It's It's a wonderful life too many times or something. I don't know what. But the challenge you've got is to do any significant work in there. The amount of money you would spend in stabilizing the roof or ceiling, which is actually the floor of the gymnasium above it, is it's a lot of money. Millions um because you're going to have to take out a side of the wall to go under. And then again, it's a gem. So, those are some pretty significant barriers. Uh, it's not as easy as just putting a a liner in it and going from there. Okay, they've lost they were losing thousands of gallons of water a day and they didn't know where it was going. And I've heard that from the a from the ads to to others as
070well. Um, my understanding is also when they started work on the auxiliary gym, they they smelled chlorine. [laughter] Again, they never found it. I don't know if there's a huge sinkhole under there. I wouldn't know. I don't know. I don't nobody knows that component of it. So, the cost to build, let's say, you know, I shared this before, the cost to build, just do it. And again, you're going to I don't have those in front of me. So, so don't hold me to the exact cost. Um, but understand that uh you're better off, my opinion again, to build a facility outside of that basement again. Okay? Don't I wouldn't repeat the mistake of doing it in a basement again. It just it doesn't what you have to do if you have anything massive go on
071in there is is astronomical financially. You're better off building separate facility on its own. Okay, not underneath another floor type of thing. whether it's on Anderson's campus, whether it's adjacent to um another spot there. Um the other piece with this is um we have tried to get some donors. A couple of times we had we thought we might get some but the appetite wasn't there. Uh doesn't mean it won't be. Um I think right now uh we're part of the con collaboration uh with Anderson Township and with the parks trying to figure out the beach acres component. One of the things that we have said from a school perspective is uh in partnering is we have two major needs as a district. Well, we got one academically that's preschool. Okay, we tried to we've pushed
072it all into um Sherwood and we are getting full. Not getting we are. So, we're going to have to make some decisions on do you split it up? Can you make it at a different spot the pool beach acres? We've look looked at some other communities that have built community pools where the schools have partnered um the city in Mason, the city and the and the school did um and Delh High Township Westside um they did the pool, other exercise facilities, meeting rooms, etc. with the township and um and they did a a preschool there. So, they've got their preschool. Oak Hills preschool is at that location. So, there are some some unique possibilities and I think we're in that position where now we're we've looked at different facilities. We've done, you know, talked to
073the community about what they want. And so, now it's is this going to be a reality? And would that become possibly the home site for both Anderson and Turpin and they can use both facilities. That's that's a possibility too. And financially we don't know. Well, we don't know yet. So, but that process is well down the road. And I think uh Wendy is on that and I'm sure we'll uh there can be another board member there um as well. And so I think they're moving pretty quickly trying to figure out and get some parameters on that. I think to move faster than that, I think you got to wait to see what happens with this. if they're going to do a a pool and they're going to make a competitive size pool and diving pool
074and and and that similar to like a Delhigh township that may be pretty significant. >> Yeah. >> So very expensive. >> Also been part of those conversations to date around trying to collaborate to figure out if that's a potential option and where we would go from there. Yeah. >> Yeah. Um, so I I'm not asking you to speak to anything that happened before you were at Forest Hills, but since you've been here, have we had firms come out and look at the site and provide estimates or provide us options? >> Right. And I I'm trying to remember the last facilities and technology committee meeting to to repair the pool to get it like back to what it was. The number was in the 10 to 12 million if I'm remembering right. So, what would it
075take to, you know, we have 132 days of cash on hand, right? End of year balance is expected to be $37 million. Obviously, we can't just like throw 12 [laughter] million of that in into the pool, but we had passed this permanent improvement fund. Why wasn't the pool addressed as part of that? Why wasn't that prioritized as part of the improvement for the district as you guys laid out what needed to be addressed? >> Well, what we did is we had a third party come in that really understands like the envelopes of each of our buildings. Uh when I first got here, I think I took a drive around and I think the first time I drove through the parking lot at Turpin, I think I hit the bottom of a pothole that was as
076big as my car. So, I go, "Well, we got some other issues going on." Um, we have we're getting almost to the point where we've caught up with the envelopes of our buildings. That's that being uh the external facades, the roofs. Uh we've spent a quite a bit of money on that. We've got millions of square footage of of concrete and asphalt that has had been in disrepair. Um I've done a fantastic job. And if you've been in any of those and and John, if you want to think a little bit about it, but we that's been our really our major effort is making sure the buildings that we have were functioning well. security was is is was improved. Um so that's where the majority of of of our e economics went. >> Um and
077in the meantime, we got some some um pretty telling costs of of what it would take to build a pool. So really, you know, it comes down to is is that where you want to spend dollars >> versus what's on the five year. That's why we've had that move kind of almost like a five-year forecast only. It's a for PI. We've started that so that we can see what we're doing and we're almost got her. We're almost there. and uh but it was significant dollars that we were behind and and that really became the emphasis uh initially for our dollars. So, >> and is it is it right that the swimming and diving standards have changed such that if we repaired the existing facility, it no longer meets the requirements >> diving >> for diving?
078>> Diving. >> Okay. So, we could theoretically make it deeper, but that sounds even pricier. >> Okay. >> Right. But that's just for diving, not for swimming. >> Correct. >> At the current depths, but my understanding was that it's a sixlane pool and the current standard is eight, right? >> Right. It's it's fine for practice or maybe small meats, but it's if you're starting from scratch, that's not what you're building under any circumstances. >> So, I didn't realize that about the meets. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> So, not to hijack everyone else's questions, but do we know like let's let's say we have the money to build a pool. Do we have a sense of like what the standard So, it's eight lanes wide. It's 50 yards or meters long, I assume, or 25, whatever
079it is, but then you need this much space around. Do we know what the like the footprint of a pool is supposed to be if we were starting at the beginning? This is a little off track. Maybe this is a question for our time. I just do we have that information out there? >> Yes. >> Okay. [snorts] >> Right. Right. Right. Yeah. Right. Right. Right. >> Yeah. There's a conversation happening. And I mean it's it seems like every turn there's a reason not to do it or reason why it can't happen. But what would it take to start making progress? Like if we were to say like but why can it happen? the board said, "We want to prioritize this." How would we get the money? Would it have to come through a levy or
080a significant donation? >> Typically, or sure, if you have that kind of donors that can that can do that kind of money. I mean, I'll be honest with you, and I don't want to say speak too much out of turn about Sycamore. Yeah. I think there was a single eight figure donor. doesn't want to move to Forest Hills. We have an excellent community here. >> We're trying to find them and see if they'll move here, but no. Um, so yes, typically the the traditional way would be a bond issue, >> you know, for construction of a of a facility. That would be the cont, you know, or start a fundraising mechanism. And your your goal is going to Again, you'd have to have the the estimates before, but if you're going to do that, in
081my opinion, you do it not in that where it's currently at. >> To me, that doesn't make sense. I would fill that in, make that some other space, have some discussion with what's really needed in the in the district and use it and build in another location, whether it's right at Anderson attached to the auxiliary freestanding somewhere. Um, you might get some savings if you attached it to the auxiliary building because you might be able to use some of the restrooms and whatever the code. There's some code they could do some things with the code if it's attached like that. Um, so it really becomes but it's still significant dollars. Don't don't get me wrong about that. So, but I still, like I said, I I think one of the pieces is to see and
082I think you're probably going to we're probably going to know something by I would think this spring summer. Um or you're going to know that they're not going to do anything. I think one of the two is going to happen >> with the beach acres >> at the beach acres site. I think once you once you have that information, then it's a little bit easier to >> figure out what's next >> to say, okay, >> where is that? How does it fit? what's coming up on the PI um platform moving forward. But again then you again you got to decide um the mechanism for fundraising a levy type bond issue or B private donations start a campaign go from there. I don't know how long it would take that. I don't know. >> As I
083look at it, like I feel like the permanent improvement plan looked at the deficiencies in our building and how do we get them fixed so our buildings can maintain longer into the future. That's separate from a long-term facilities plan of which the pool would be included. I don't think given what you're talking about of whether it's a freestanding facility, something attached to adjacent to the building, that decision can't be made in isolation of a longer term facility plan related to Anderson High School or the district as a whole. >> Sure. >> And I think one thing in our early discussions we've had as a board is a desire to start that plan. Um, I'm not sure what that looks like, but those I I value and think we should prioritize that conversation of like, well,
084if we're dreaming, >> that's what it starts with though, >> right? Um, so instead of like approaching it as, well, we can't do it for these reasons. If we're dreaming, what does our district need building wise, right? Um, you know, I was I was telling Atlanta earlier, I was in a last week and um, you know, it's it's an open design. and it's very different than some of our other schools and you have four classrooms in one space with no door. Um, you start asking questions like is is this an optimal learning environment for our students? The teachers make it work. They're doing an amazing job there. And I had some of the teachers tell me like, "No, no, don't give me a door. I love it like this." [laughter] Right. But, um, >> Addie's
085effect sizes would say it's pretty neutral. Yeah. >> Overall, right? Were wondering about the data on that. Um, so I think that I think that is a a a good first step in where we need to go with this is like look district-wise at a comprehensive plan. And I had conversations with folks from the township on one of these facility tours last week about their interest in engaging the school district and the larger township comprehensive plan. um and how we can work together to collaborate and make sure that we're not operating independent of the township, operating independent of the parks, and that we're all working together for the best of of the community. So, I'm I'm hopeful that we can get something rolling. >> Yeah. >> At that level, and the pool can be part
086of that, but it sounds like in the short term there's not like a short-term fix to this issue at the time for the time being, right? >> Well, the short-term fix has been that we've made the pool accessible. I'm talking about Anderson, right? Yeah, >> that was Yeah, that was the short term, >> right? >> But um I think that the next thing is is let's see what this where these go and and we've been pushing on this for the last year. So it just and of course then how the funding works and through tiffs etc all that development. So th that is to come and I think um I think we have to kind of see what that looks like. I'm hopeful. I mean I'm hopeful that that's >> a positive plan that that
087we can take advantage of and it's it would be advantageous to us. It would be advantageous to the township and the residents in the area. So >> thank you for that, Larry. And I know there's passionate folks in our community about the Anderson pool and that that's not the end of the conversation. It's something that we will continue to work on, try to prioritize as we long-term plan, but I appreciate the update on where we are at the current point and what's been done to date. >> Thank you. >> All right. 10.2 membership in the Ohio High School Athletic Association. >> This is just an annual thing. Uh, I need approval for that be before we get to the consent agenda. This I'd love to be able to put this at the organizational meeting, but
088it's never out to us in time. >> So, it just never is. So, um, >> we got it we got it in the mail and basically it's we have every annually we have to agree to to be a part of OSAA, the Ohio High School Athletic Association. By doing so, we agreed to follow the rules and regulations and then therefore get to participate uh in Ohio High School athletics. So, just need approval. >> I will make a motion to approve for us till school district continued membership in the Ohio High School athletic association for the 2627 school year. >> Second. >> Dr. Strickler. >> Yes. >> Miss Wazooski? >> Yes. >> Mr. Nye? >> Yes. >> Dr. Simmons? >> Yes. >> Mr. award. >> Yes. >> All right. Item 11.1 is the human resources report.
089Dr. Chuck Ogden is >> filling in for Mr. Phillips. >> Rena HR is what >> I wasn't going to say that. >> I've been referring to myself as uh good evening again. I'd also like to note that this does begin the consent agenda. Um, I do want to add uh one little fun fact with the uh Maddox students that were up here with their uh clips. I still have uh my youngest son, Hunter's clip from sixth grade when he went to Lovelin Intermediate in my truck and he was a part of Hope Squad. That's what they did theirs with. So, super cool to see that going out. And Mrs. O'Brien and Zach do a wonderful job there. So, that was that was super cool. Very cool. Um, I'd also like to note before we get
090into the HR report, this is specifically attached to strategy 4.1C. Summing it up, staffing model aligned with the five-year forecast. Um, first on the HR report, um, we do not have any retirements to discuss. As you know, we have a couple of resignations. Uh, nothing terribly impactful with that. Um, we uh have actually already replaced one of the PAR resignations which I'll get to later in appointments and we are uh looking at the assistant strength coach at Turpin. Um, he got a great job uh actually with a full salary so can't can't front the gentleman for that, right? Uh, as my son is in the strength industry and it's rather niche and you got to feed yourself and pay rent. So, we completely understand that. Um, moving on to C in the report, um, appointment
091and personnel items. Um, you have, uh, the paraprofessional, uh, Corey Meeks, who we were very excited to get. He was a sub at error as a paraprofessional and was able to replace the paraprofessional that resigned. That is not a new FTE. That is a replacement of an FTE. So, kind of even Steven at that point. Um, moving on to the other classified appointments. These are probationary periods going to off of their probationary um period, which is uh always nice when uh those 120 days work out uh in your benefit. Continuing on with uh athletic worker, pupil activity, supplemental contracts, I wanted to talk about a couple of things. There are a number of supplemental and contracts here. We are in a I'm in my second year and um we have a Camp Kern season. Mr.
092Buck would know about all that. We have an army of people. Um again, it's not about me, but I I had a youngster go to Camp Kern. He still talks about it. Uh both of them do. So um I just wanted to note that um this is everything from support organization supplies uh we do not exclude anybody. So there are a number of uh aids there you can imagine when you have six elementaryaries funneling into one activity. Um you I mean I don't know if anybody's been able to shadow a a health aid or a school nurse. my hat tip them every day because man, they have a they have a mountain of work to do. So, just if if you're looking at that, I want to be more respectful to the new board members
093that if you're like, "Wow, Cam Kern, Cam Kern, Cam Kern," it's like, "Oh, yeah, we do Cam Kern and Forest Hills." So, um this isn't all of them. There will be some peril professionals next month. Um but again, I just wanted to to make note of that because if this has been my second board meeting, I might be like, "Chuck, it's a lot of camp current people." So, just thought I'd give uh light to that >> before I move on. Does anybody have any questions at this point? >> Okay, outstanding. Um, we do have and and I'm going to I'm going to give a shout out for uh John on this and Richard, I know this excites them. We do have a subb driver that uh is on the approval. So, uh and uh if
094anybody is listening and they know bus drivers, send them our way. We would love to have you be a part of the Forest Hills team. So that's always very exciting. Item D is our volunteers list. Uh again, I will explain most of these um classroom helpers, field trips, a number of volunteer coaches as well. Pretty runs pretty much runs the spectrum of volunteers. We have our background checked um just as our our full-time or part-time FTE employees. But, uh, you know, one of the great things, Stacy said it earlier, you know, it takes a village and it's an awesome place to be. So, we do have a number of volunteers that are that are in and out of the buildings. Um, but they uh get a full background checker in the wrapback system, things of
095that nature. Wrapping out the uh the HR report would be our student teachers and interns. Um, so there are a couple here. I know we've had we had a number. First semester is very hot and heavy mostly because you have a traditional student teaching method which is what I went through maybe what Mr. Ward went through full 16 weeks we have in proximity we're very close to UC they do a cohort model which is year-long they do a half day student teaching um so always heavy in the fall not as heavy in uh second semester so I know Mr. for fellows put a couple through in January. There are a couple more here. Um we also uh if somebody's coming in for general observations, when you're going through an educational program, you you'll come in
096for observations a couple times a week andor if um you're a counselor, you have to have 600 hours of work before you can get your counseling license. So, um with that being said, are there any additional questions with the HR report? Outstanding. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Item 12.1, business operations, Mr. Eert. Good evening. I have just two items on the agenda today. Uh the first one item 12.1 is a res resolution to award a cooperative purchasing contract for the air roof. Again if you remember we talked earlier in the year this is the Aqualus consortium contract that we u excuse me are entering into that. And then item 122 is a resolution again to solicitate bids for uh school vans. So again, we will this will be through the EPC uh
097cooperative, not aqualas and we're looking to get two 210 passenger vans. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Do we already have any vans? We have two extremely old rickety vans. And so, and because the laws have changed and the way uh van sizes can do, we can actually put another student in the van. There's limited amount you can put in a van. And but this also gives us the ability for our coaches once they receive van certification which is important but it's nowhere near the level of a CDL. So various coaches and stuff pick up their van certifications for the groups just like when I was a wrestling coach once you get in the state tournament you're usually dealing with two and three athletes. So you know Brad Gner u does the vans for his kids in
098small tournaments and things like that. Will the old ones be retained or these are these are additions? >> Uh, one is going to end up being scrap. >> Okay. >> And the other one we're keeping around for a backup that and then a utility vehicle. >> And the reason the cost is listed as zero is because this is just the authorization to solicit bids, not to actually purchase. >> Yes. The cost average what we believe with all the research we've done will both will run us um I think we were I'm going not gonna quote that cost. I'm just going totally brain dead at this point, but yes, we will have the cost in there, but this is just the permission to look for the bids now. So, we don't have any cost we can
099put in the >> And you think the primary use is likely athletic? >> Athletics, yes. You cannot run a van as part of a daily route. There is >> that is that even the case if we are responsible for transporting a private school student, can we not use a van? >> Occasionally, yes. But you the transport and the the buses are the requirements. >> So it's for non-rine, non- daily service. Yes. Okay. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> With respect to the roof, we were talking earlier about uh the long-term facilities plan, permit improvement plan. Yes. This is one of the items that was baked into the plan a couple years ago when we put the EI levy together. Right. Five five years ago, we developed a five-year plan and we go through each year
100and our original priority were uh the the envelopes like Mr. Hook said. Then we also have to start looking at the MEP, the mechanicals, electrical, and plumbing to see those upgrades. You guys just acknowledged a or approved the chiller at Turpin, air handler at Turpin. Put those together. That's a million over a million dollar there. So there's and there's multiple of those in all the buildings. So that's our next main look looks see and uh we're going to try to get some upto-date evaluations of those mechanicals too because that was also part of the program we did with Four Seasons Environmental when I brought them in to do the evaluations. They put a average life expectancy on all our MEP and so now we're now we're caught up on the envelope. We we'll concentrate on
101the engineering of the >> So this is the permanent improvement levy at work, right? >> Yes. >> Okay. Got it. >> Any other questions? Okay. With that said, I respectfully request that the board approve 121 and 122 as part of the consent agenda. >> Thank you. teaching and learning. Dr. Ogden, roll two. >> Good evening again. Um, really quick before, uh, I get to the first part, there was a question um, with the grants in regards to the media athletics collaboration from a from a secondary curriculum standpoint. Um so there are that is specifically focused on actually kind of in your room Jason in regards to uh the business of sports marketing and things of that nature from the theater andor drama perspective. Um there are two other class intro to film and film studies
102which focus on that side for for the arts side but that that class uh media athletic collaboration is focused more from the athletic side but we do have offerings in both of the high schools for basically the same for the theater and drama departments >> and do the the intro to films classes do they also promote the film in addition to of course >> so it it's in it's encompass of and any and I'll speak from a former high principal standpoint, it's kind of like they take care of their own. I mean, as far as productions, you will have when you put on a performance such as that, when you say theater, what you go when you go to watch a production and you see the performance, you're seeing, and I might be, this might
103be high, a third of the actual students involved because you have set crews, you have media crews, you have sound, you have light, all of that stuff, promotion, all of it is is encompassed into the overall production. >> And they've got a new camp this summer, right? I think the film group does. >> Oh, camp. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> For younger students. Great. >> Yes. Yes. Thank you. So, I just I heard that earlier. Um I was up here 12 times tonight, so I thought I'd go ahead and just >> No, I appreciate it. I appreciate it. We're all about athletics and the arts. >> Yep. And and not to go too curriculum nerd because that fills my cup up, but if on our website at the top we have a resources tab. When you
104click that and you scroll down, it'll give you the option on the left. if you go click 912 and then you'll be able to see our course guides eventually. So that's I I go to that daily actually I keep them up on my tabs but you can go through and look at years of of courses and things of that nature. So um okay um we have two students that I am recommending as part of the consent agenda to receive their high school diploma both from Anderson High School. uh Lawrence Marcus Brightwell and Jaden Messiah Sharer and I wanted to actually speak about this really quickly. Uh Mr. Nye asked, you know, well, you know, do we want to put them in at the beginning um neither the young men or their families were going to
105come this evening. Um so we went ahead and and put it here and they're ready to enter the workforce and they're going to work full-time. Um I wanted to share that A because that's awesome. B again as I mentioned as a former high school principal when I had the opportunity I told Mr. Fender I got this go run alley to dance so um just I wanted to let you know that and everybody else normally if we had early grads we would have them here similar to Maddox you know what I mean kind of kick off the board meeting but if there are any questions to that I just wanted to let you know that >> I just wonder if we can stop and give them a round of applause since they won't be with us
106>> absolutely [applause] Okay, moving on to overnight field trips. Um, specifically, if I had to sum this up, this is all district strategy too. Um, future ready. Um, now normally per our international travel handbook, these would only come forward in January. Um, with uh, and I'm speaking specifically to the international trip, we had to work through a couple of details. So, I went ahead and and told this trip leader, I will go ahead. I want to kick this can down the road because we want to make sure this is fully vetted. So, that's why the international trip wasn't with um the other, I believe it was four or five um in January. But for the just domestic overnight trips, we have our TPA Academy, which is super cool. They are headed out to Portland, Oregon
107for the educator rise rising national conference. Um, this is something that is awesome. We have here at Forest Hills and from a human resources perspective, this is all Mr. fellows or or maybe prior, but upon graduating from college, if they maintain their pathways as a as an educator, we will guarantee all of our TPA grads and interview for any open positions that we have that they are certified to teach. So, super cool. They're they're Mrs. Row and Mr. Lynch really put on a show and they have a competitive bunch. So, >> super exciting. um our varsity winterguard students um at both schools will be competing uh in Avon, Indiana. Uh great group to watch. And then our orchestra students from Anderson will be going to New York City to participate in Carnegie Hall performance. Um
108so if if Mrs. Cox is listening, she wanted to make sure I had this on the agenda. Yes, it's on the agenda. >> It's Carnegie Hall. >> You're telling me. Um no, trust me. Uh super excited. She has put a lot of work into trip this trip. If you notice, this is this is a 27 trip, so there's a lot of front loading involved in this. And then finally, I I kind of started the meeting with it because it's it's out of cadence is the international trip um to Amsterdam, Belgium, the Czech Republic. Um this is a cool international uh leadership summit and there will be an uh very strong AI emphasis on this. This is a a repeat request because we additionally had this up in 2020, but uh there was some form of
109pandemic that went on and it didn't happen. So, I'm not going to say the word. Um but uh this is a repeat of this application. So, super excited to put this forward. Any questions? >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> The the trip to Prague and the other places in Europe that that I noticed that it said student leaders is are students choosing themselves for application or are they chosen by teachers or some other member? So the reason I put student leaders on the spreadsheet is because a lot of times for example um I'm going to use one of the previous trips going to Greece. Mr. Fissinger is taking taking theater students right this is going to be across a spectrum of of students. So there'll be collaborations with leadership groups and administration and putting it out.
110And so there'll be um there'll be somewhat and and I'm I'm speaking a little bit off the hip here because clearly I'm not leading the trip. Um but the goal is to get student leaders that want to engage in in a leadership summit that is on in an international platform. And again there's AI components tied into it. >> And is that administered by EF tours or another third party? >> No, it's it's it's EF tours. only one I get very touchy because again my background in HR and the liability of international travel that's why we very much have tried to funnel and bottleneck um requirements tie it to policy look at the things of you know just really button it up a lot so EFours is established it's tried it's true plus they also have
111a a good insurance policy and liability policy and a global presence if something were to happen. The only one that we put forward this year that isn't with EF tours is the German program, but that's an exchange program. It's uh my mind is slipping what organization it is, but that's something that's been going on for many. And those students are literally going to live in Germany for 21 days and we had exchange students living here. And then just comparing this month's approvals with last month's approvals, it seems like the orchestra students in 2027 will get a chance to go to potentially Disney in Orlando >> in February andor Carnegie Hall in New York City in March. >> Amazing opportunities. >> Absolutely. And I believe I believe the Disney one, don't quote me on this, I
112I think like that's a little bit more of a destination. It happens every so often to make sure every orchestra student um has the opportunity to engage in that trip. >> That's the combined one, right? >> I was gonna say, isn't that the band you? >> It is band for sure, but I thought that it was orchestra plus drama. >> Maybe I I'll look into that. I I've worked at in one school district that every four years they made they I'm sure they went to Hawaii. And so >> how do we do that? I I don't I don't think that's a rotating one, but I'm just >> But if if you would like, I can certainly look into that for you. >> No, I just wanted to say it sounds like you guys are creating
113really great opportunities for the students. >> Well, you know, in full transparency, I have to put it all in the treat the the teachers, the instructors, the directors. We just make sure it's safe and approve it and ask the the questions like you are now. Um, but uh we we can't take credit for that. That goes all on them for what they do professionally. We're here to support them. >> Well, kudos. >> All right. Thank you. Last time I'm done. >> Jamie Roth. >> Item 13.3. [clears throat] >> Good evening board members. I have uh two items to discuss this evening with you. Um might be familiar with these items uh from the previous board updates. I've tried to give a little context and and a heads up. Uh item 13.3 represents a partnership with
114Washerman Day Treatment Center. Uh it's a program to support one of our kiddos. Um this contract reflects an IEP team decision to increase service uh therapeutic services and supports for that particular student. Any questions on that one? Okay. >> Does the 25,000 include transportation? >> Yes. >> Okay. Item 13.4 is a contract with Hamilton County Educational Service Center to provide um our specialized classroom teachers with additional expertise and training through a board certified behavior analyst. Uh the contract is for two days a week for the remainder of the school year to support specific students and staff. Um, again, uh, specific to our specialized, uh, programming that we call extend our extended support classrooms. Any questions on that item? All right. Um, well, with that, I request the board uh approve these two contracts and all
115the other consent agenda items. Is that No, that's not me. They Sorry, they shouldn't put the new guy at the end. [laughter] >> That'll work. Thank you. Atlanta, we are up to the treasurer's update. >> Oh my goodness. And we've got a big night. So, I'm gonna have to take over the PowerPoint so I can hit some links within mine. So, we weren't sure how to do it with the clicker. There we go. Um, as you know, I sent uh the uh regular financial monthly reports to you in advance uh with my comments. Um, so you could have a chance to look at that in advance as it is already uh going over two hours and uh we have some a little bit of time to go over the forecast and some benchmarks here. So
116I don't know if anyone had any questions or if we could dispense with the going over the monthly report tonight. >> I just noticed it was a very large month for donations. All right. >> When this is just donations, donations to the district looked particularly high this month, but it looks like this is the month when the OrthoCency Christ Hospital contract >> vests. Is that a fair statement in terms of >> a fair statement? Yeah. Um, as part of our athletic training um contract Uh Christ Hospital actually donates uh 200,000 uh 50,000 to each of the secondary schools. So Nagel, Turpin, and Anderson, and then 50,000 to the district. And that goes we put that in a special um fund. Uh and that goes towards upgrading athletic facilities and what what they need with that.
117>> That was the only thing that stood out to me as particularly different than every other month. So, I just wanted to to call a note >> and considering how long this meeting already is, you'll be happy that we already had a two-hour finance committee meeting and we already asked all these questions. So, we're we're good on our questions. >> When we get to the benchmarks a lot, this is going to be a repeat for Erin and Jason. So, they'll they'll be able to give that part when we get there. Um, okay. So, moving on then to the uh forecast and the benchmarks. Uh these really support strategy four of our strategic plan and that strategy is that we will demonstrate responsible, efficient, equitable and transparent stewardship of our taxpayer investment. So again, the forecasts
118and the benchmarks that we are reviewing tonight support our progress towards meeting that strategy. So, we're going to start with the forecast and I'm going to try to go over it quickly because it seems like I'm coming every other month with the forecast with the state keeps changing what month it's due. So, um for fiscal year 26 that we're in, it was due um in Octo by October 15th. So, we had to bring it in September to make that deadline. And it's due by uh February 28th. Next year it will be due in August and in February. So just uh it just seems like we're bringing it all the time. So I'm going to try there haven't been a lot of changes and you'll see as we go through this. So I'm going to go
119through the forecast pretty quickly. Um if you look at our current year um five-year forecasts and again this is just the general fund. So it only includes um our operating fund fund 001 general fund. Um And if you look at that, we have projected revenue this year of 108 million uh expenditures of 102 and we will believe that we will add 5.9 million to our cash balance for this year. So this year revenues are expected to exceed expenditures to the tune of 5.9 million. If we take a dive into what bank makes up that 108 uh revenue analysis almost um 80 million comes from our local funds. So either in the form of real estate taxes, public utility taxes or we are a district that gets quite a lot in our uh partnership through uh
120tax increment financing with Anderson Township and a little bit also uh with uh Village of New Town. state funding only makes up 24% of our general fund budget and all other revenue um makes up about three million. The majority of that other revenue is we put our kindergarten tuition um in our general fund. So that makes up the majority of that. So what do we spend our money on? Moving to that, um we uh spend, like we said, this year we're going to spend in expenditures a little over 102 million. Uh the largest majority of that of course goes to personnel cost around 85% projected this year, fiscal 26. Um 9% goes to purchase services, which are uh utilities, allow utilities in there, make up the largest part of that. And then all other expenditures
121with the supplies and materials, capital outlay, debt service, the debt service that the general fund pays is um the renovations uh for central office. Uh the purchase uh for the bus depot operations center and the district bought I believe it was 11 buses. So there's three debt payments being made um out of the general fund. And looking at the forecast, the last payment um on the bus depot and the buses will be made in fiscal year 29 and we continue through fiscal year 32 on the payments for central office. So um if we look at what percentage we've changed in the past versus what percentage we have in the forecast um annual change in revenue, you'll see 5 um 03% historical annual change in revenue, but it's a little bit of a misnomer because the
122uh uh 4.5 operational levy is in this um I'm sorry the 5.4 operational levy is in the historical data and going forward we have not forecasted any tax increases. So that's the reason there for the big difference between the percentage increase in revenues in the past and the percentage increase going forward. If we look at the forecasts, the annual change in expenses in the past has been uh 4 57%. Going forward um the annual expenditure change is about 3 uh 43%. Couple uh things in that historically a couple years ago we loaned the permanent improvement um 1.2 2 million. So that is in the trends that kind of makes it a little high. Also, um year 30 in the forecast where the debt payment goes down by almost 400,000, that also takes it down a
123little. So good news there. [clears throat] Moving on to the uh projected revenues versus expenditures. If you take a look at the graph to the left, uh the blue represents the revenue that we are projected to receive during the year and the orange represents the expenditures. And you can see as we go forward this year, of course, we're adding um uh 5.9 million uh to the district cash reserves. Next year, fiscal year 27, we're projected to add about 2.2 million um to our cash reserves with uh revenues exceeding expenditures by that amount. Uh the third year of the forecast is when expenditures be begin to overtake revenue and um that's where uh in the third year of the forecast fiscal year 28 we are projecting expenditures to exceed revenues by almost 1.3 million. And of
124course that goes up as the forecast goes on to the subsequent years. And as we know we've talked about it many times that happens because we have inflationary increase in our revenues, but of course we're still subject to the inflationary increases in expenditures that we're subject to in our in our own daily lives. >> I think these charts Oh, sorry. Go ahead. >> Oh, go ahead. Yeah, >> I was just going to say, Elena, just to kind of reiterate that in layman's terms, the blue bars are pretty much stable, right? We do not get any increase in revenue from levies >> over time. We get a stable amount every year and that remains the same. But that doesn't mean that costs of electricity and salaries and building maintenance don't continue to increase. So they are
125subject to inflation. We are not subject to inflationary increases. So that's a really important piece to understand. This isn't a mismanagement of funds. This isn't oh we can just increase the cost of our widget like in business. This is the nature of educational funding. The stability of the amount you get for a levy is what you get as long as that levy is in place. That doesn't change. And that's what leads schools to be in this s situation of having to eventually come back to the taxpayers to eventually ask for a levy that just re-equalizes the balance of where we're at. >> Exactly. And we're going to talk about that more too when we get to the benchmarks and we talk about our millage and what has happened with that and why revenue doesn't increase.
126But that is one of the main reasons that school funding is broken. So no increases literally in property tax. >> It was a similar point. It's like these charts tell the story of a levy cycle. And you can see where we talked today in the finance committee meeting about >> 29 possibly 2030 is when we're may have to go back out to the to the community to ask. Um and again want to reiterate something that's been said multiple times here is that it's not about irresponsible spending. It's not about a decline in enrollment, anything like that. It's about the nature that Wendy just highlighted of our income remains steady and is subject to state budgets that we can't predict as well. Um, but the expenses continually increase. And as you said on the prior slide,
127when 85% of our budget is personnel and there are contracted raises and uh benefit costs increases, you're going to see the corresponding increases on our expenses every year that don't get the corresponding increase in the revenue taken through local taxes. >> Exactly. Yes. Yes. So, so it's all in all it looks like it is a pretty good um forecast and you know the um department chairs, the principles, everyone in the district works together to continually look for ways to save money, do things more efficiently. So, that's something we talk about all the time. Um we're getting ready to start our annual budget process and Larry and I will sit down with the departments to go over what their needs are um as we start to prepare budget, but it's a continual process that we I
128know that um uh Mr. Fellows continually looks at uh the task and job descriptions and you know, how can we do uh more with less and and how can we change things around so we're more efficient. So, we do continually try to do that. Um between now and the next four years, there's going to be a lot happen. Um there's going to be a new state budget. Uh we we don't know what will come our way. So, we just the five-year forecast is a document that needs to remain flexible and um just keep our eyes on it. But yeah, it certainly is challenging when inflation marches on and our revenues do not. >> Mr. Fellows needs to look at his own line because Chuck did a great job as a rent to HR tonight and
129maybe we could save money by uh >> oh >> getting rid of Rob here. He's not here. where he's not here. Chuck did a great job. [laughter] >> I guess that's what happens when you miss me. >> That's right. >> Not sure Dr. Argdan's looking for two jobs. But >> so to boil it down, what's different in this forecast versus the October um forecast? What you see here is state revenues increased by um 11,000. not much on a a $102 million budget. Um we did see our taxes um the valuations this fall and came in a little bit lower than we are we were expecting. That's not really unusual. Um actually in past years there are times where evaluations will dip a little. So what happens is in tax year uh 2023 we had that
130huge increase I think it was 29% uh people kind of lean in uh we start having more board of revision cases people going uh to the auditor uh having their valuations lowered uh businesses doing that um so it's not unusual for our valuations to stay stagnant in the years after a a big increase like that. And I have some data later in the report that will look at the valuations. Um when we look at that little dip in uh uh taxes, we also took took a look at how our expenditures are tracking and we looked we still have quite a balance in some of our budgets. So we were able uh to reduce uh purchase services by about 350,000. Most of that is in legal expenses. And I know that um today at the meeting
131um Erin asked for 10 years worth of data. I do have that. I haven't had a chance to get it out to you. It's been a busy day. Sorry about that. But the last 10 years, just so you know, um legal costs have ranged from 159,000 a low year to 620,000 in a high year. This year to date, we're running right at 106, I think, thousand. So, right right about there to the >> And that's more than sufficient. I don't need you to do more digging than that. I was just looking for the range over time, but you've provided that. So, thank you. >> Okay. [laughter] Yeah, it's it's sitting on my spreadsheet and I just never got it out to the two of you. It's been a busy day. Um so anyhow, legal costs.
132So most of the 350,000 that we reduced in um uh purchase services was due to legal costs. I did have some discussion with the um other directors that have some money sent there. for example, there's quite a bit still in technology, but Steve has plans for that later with -ate. I know that um Jamie the um uh special ed contracts are running a little bit lower this year, but I did leave the money in his budget because you never know what students going to come through the door in the week, next week or two. So, at the end of the year, we may have a little bit more there. it all in all the um bottom line did not move by much at all. So when we look at uh the cash on hand uh
133I just wanted to give you the projected uh days cash on hand at the end of each year and remind you that the um suggested B benchmarks by GFOA and ASBO are that a district should at a minimum have between two to three months 60 to9 90 days worth of cash on hand at a minimum. >> But we know because of the way schools fund it and with revenues get a big jump when it comes in. So when you're at the beginning of your levy, you're over that. But then as expenditures increase and revenues don't, um, we start eating at our cash balance. So what you can see is like we talked about earlier, the cash balance remains strong, gains a little bit in fiscal year 27. So we'll go up to about 134 days
134is what's projected we'll have on hand at the end of the year, but in 28 we start to slide with our cash balance. So again, um, two things that you really want to look at when you talk levy is the number of days cash on hand and of course the going forward. So, just keeping our eye on that. Um, again, things are going to change with state funding, so on so forth. This could change. Um, one of the things that the state does when it gets the five-year forecast or fiveyear forecasts, I know the state changed it to a three-year forecast, but they haven't changed any of the formats. And the three-year forecast is really a four-year forecast because it's the current year plus three. So, it's very uh frustrating to us treasures. And you'll
135hear me use different terms. I tried to just say uh financial forecast because you see everything still in the report is still in uh the five-year uh set because they haven't changed the formats. But anyhow, when they get the all the forecasts up there, they all the over 600 school districts, they take a look at the cash balances and they uh put that in some data for us. So, what I wanted to um share with you is you see here the Hamilton County ending cash as a percent of expenditures. And if you can see right now um we ended and this is for fiscal year 25 so they only take a actuals not project it um and we have 31% cash as a percent of expenses. The Hamilton County average is a little bit higher
136than that. It's at 34.77. And as you can see um um in the report on the screen and I also you also have access to the PowerPoint to to be able to get this. Um you can see that our balance is not exceptionally high. The reason I wanted to share this with you is there was some legislation that didn't make it through. First it was going to cap the balances school district could have at 30%. then it was readjusted to 40%. So, we just want to keep an eye on this because you never know when that sort of legislation might come back. But at 40% um we're really fine. And as you can see, out of the 20 uh two districts in Hamilton County, um the majority of them have a lot more on hand
137than we do. So, that's good to know. And I also for if in case you want to look at other years, I put the link in to where you can find this data in case you're a data nerd like me and like to go and look. So anyhow, the link is there in the PowerPoint. Again, two things we're going to look at when we decide whether or not we need a levy. Two points that we look at is we look at line um 6.010 010 um on the forecast and that is the excess or deficit of uh revenues under over expenses. So you need to um start when the expenses exceed the revenues, you need to take a look at your cash balance. How much do we have? And it's kind of those two things
138that you need to keep your eye on to decide when you need a levy. So that said, whoops. One other thing I just wanted to talk about. This is um not necessarily about our forecast, but it is something that you're going to start to see in the paper. And so I wanted to share this data with you about House Bill 129 and House House Bill 186. Uh you're going to start And you've already seen some stories of school districts that have had devastating losses in revenues because of these two house bills. What you will see is we are not affected by these two house bills because we have already provided our residents with the property tax relief that those house those house bills are providing to other levies. What you have up here in the
139blue box, this is leveies and whether or not they were subject to House Bill 920 or the 20 mil floor prior to um House Bills 129 and 186. All of our levies are the first row in this blue box. They're traditional uh continuing levies. They are subject to the reduction factor in House Bill 920 and they are all included in the 20 mil floor. So what House Bill 129 does is it revises the 20 mil floor calculation to include fixed sum levies of the emergency and the substitute. And you see them both up there. They were not subject to House Bill 920. So they were not reduced and they were not included in the 20 mil floor. So that is what this the house bills did is to change both of those to include them
140in the 20 mil floor. Um I wanted to also uh share with you a spreadsheet. So, Elena, if I could, sorry, if I could just say that for my own um understanding, they weren't included in House Bill 920, meaning when districts had passed those kind of levies, they would increase inflationary uh through inflation without taxpayer votes or agreement, whereas we have never done that. We have always gone to the taxpayers and there has been no inflationary increase to our taxpayers without their knowledge and agreement. >> Right. >> Okay. >> New construction is the only The other thing, emergencies and substitute levies set outside the calculation for the 20 mil floor. All of our levies are within the calculation for the 20 mil floor. So you could have a district that had continuing levies and those
141continuing levies were at the 20 mil floor and they could have an emergency levy of five mills and a substitute levy of three mills. So they could be getting 28 mills of taxation. Now, what's going to happen is those 28 mills are going to be going into the calculation at 20 mil floor. So, they're no longer going to get that inflationary increase on their continuing lobies. >> So, and for some school districts, this is devastating. I mean those were tools that were given to school districts to use after dro case and school funding was ruled unconstitutional and school districts used those mainly school districts that um didn't enjoy the community support that we did. Uh emergency levy is for a limited term. It was easier to pass a levy if you um convinced your could
142convince your community to let you try it for five to 10 years and then they would see the need and how you were spending it. A substitute levy then um isn't first passed on its own. A substitute levy then takes that emergency levy and makes it continuing. So instead of simply renewing a five-year term levy for another fiveyear term levy, a substitute levy would take that emergency levy that maybe was set for a five-year term and turn it into a continuing. So but now those two levies that set outside are coming in. Um what I've shared with you is a spreadsheet uh that was prepared by the legislative service commission uh for our legislators up in Columbus. And um they are they took every school district in the state to show the effect on that
143school district of these two bills. And I've shared the spreadsheet with you. I added a couple of columns. I added a column um the column that shows the losses is one that I put in just to do the calculation because they did the current law versus what the law will be once the bills were passed, but they really didn't calculate the loss in their spreadsheet. So the columns that have the loss I put in there, the spreadsheet is um sorted by county. So when you get to um Hamilton, you can see Forest Hills as you go across. We have no loss and you can see Cincinnati public has huge loss. Uh Northwest some of our fellow school districts this is a really painful for them and I'm sure there's going to be stories in the
144paper and you could be gain questions is how does that affect forest hills? So I just wanted to have this little piece of information about the forecast as they go out. That said, that was kind of a a quick fast um explanation of the forecast. Uh if you want the long version, you've got 20ome pages to put you asleep. The auditor does like this 20ome pages. So, we do need to continue to do this and this is what we'll follow at the state at the end of the year. That said, that kind of is the end of the action items. The benchmarks are just for information. So, if I could now respectfully request that we go ahead and close out the consent agenda and that the board um move to approve the consent items contained
145in agenda items 11.1 through 14.2. >> Can I get a motion to approve action items 11.1 to 14.2 as presented? >> So moved. >> Second. Um, sorry, I wrote the wrong one. Um, Dr. Simmons, >> yes. >> Mr. Ward, >> yes. >> Mr. Nye, >> yes. >> Miss Wazooi, >> yes. >> Dr. Strickler, >> yes. >> Okay, going on to benchmarks. My favorite thing, and this is uh one that Erin and Jason have already uh gone through today. Uh, so this is something that we take a look at. I did print out some of the reports because there's a lot of data on them. So, I thought it might be nice for you to have a hard copy at your desk. The cup report is something that is prepared up at the state. It comes
146out every um December and it's based on data from the previous school year. So, what came out in December of 25 is based upon the 2425 school year. They take all the information from all our financial records, all the information from EMUS, uh, things like that for all the over 600 school districts and and put it in a nice interactive data tool. So, what we have here is our cup report. It's divided into sections and there are also three columns of data. The first column of data is our data. Um, the second column is the average of 20 school districts in Ohio that most look like us from a demographic standpoint and what their averages are. And the third column is the statewide average of all districts. So, looking down through here, um, you have
147your demographic datas in section A. you have a lot of personnel um data in section B. One thing I do want to mention is when they have the classroom average teacher salary that is simply taking the amount total amount that we pay teachers and dividing it by the number of teachers we have. Um so what does that do? teachers or districts that have a large percentage of of teachers with higher level of experience are automatically going to have a higher uh teachers average salary. Uh later in the year um later in the spring, we also get data that compares our teachers schedule to surrounding district schedule. And that's probably a better way to look at to benchmark what our teacher salaries are. But you do see the data here also some data on administrators and
148um uh as far as average salary and number of administrators. The next section, property valuation and tax data. This is for tax year 24. we can get a lot um more current data from the Hamilton County auditor. So when I benchmark that data, I use the auditor as a source instead of the cup report. And moving on down through here, you see there's um revenue and expenditure data for us are similar districts and um revenue and expenditure data for us are similar districts and state average. And I think it's important to point out that those similar districts are chosen by the state that we don't get to cherrypick which ones we want to compare ourselves to. It's the state that determines that peer group of 20 districts that we are most similar to according to
149their metrics. >> Yes. And um we do have a list here up on the screen and I did uh leave that. One of the things I did give you a hard copy of this is our 20 school districts that are most like us. They are ranked in order. number one is the one who most closely resembles us from a demographic standpoint um to 20 uh is the one that is the least of the 20 like us. And it's important to note that demographics in school districts change every year. These 20 similar districts change every year. So, looking down through here, there are quite Beaver Creek City and Green County. Uh, real close to us is the school district that is most like us this year. And I think Mr. Ward's going to be familiar with
150the one who is second most like us, which is Love One. Um, and we also Springboro's close by, Centerville's close by, Kings, uh, Sycamore, Mason, and Milford. So, a lot of schools close by. when you think there's over 600 um school district in the state that have that many that closely resemble us close by is um very interesting. So, but anyhow, when you look at the center column of data on the cup report is the average of these 20 districts. >> Elena, can I add something? So we we talked about this in our finance committee meeting today and you know you mentioned that a lot of this cup report benchmarking is part of strategy 4 as we're trying to demonstrate that efficient and being efficient stewardship transparent with taxpayers money and whatnot. And there are
151some things that you know stand out as you you look into this data a little bit more deeply. Um and the first is um our total operating expenditures per pupil is $15,849. But for the similar district average, it's 17,057, which suggests that compared to similar districts, we spend less per pupil. And it we also spend almost $2,000 less per pupil than the statewide average. But then when we look at our performance index um in the cup report among those 20 districts, we're in the top half um and that performance index considers state standardized test scores that allow us to compare ourselves against other districts. >> So we we also see that I'm assuming you're going to show the Hamilton County data coming up. >> I I am. Yes. Yes. So, I don't want to steal
152your thesis there, but statewide at least from the cup report. It shows that we spend less but achieve in the higher the top half of those comparable districts, which is um yeah, it's it's an awesome story. I mean, Mr. Dr. Hook presented data um earlier on some of our um progress with the I Ready tests and shows what we're doing academically and then on these standardized tests we're achieving at high levels and spending less than other districts to do so. Um some of the other data that that comes out of this um you know Atlanta mentioned earlier that 85% of our budget is personnel. our teacher salary is right on average with with similar districts um with a higher percentage of our teachers at that 10 plus years of experience. >> Our administrator average salary
153is about $14,000 less than similar districts. So again, there's a consistent story of us spending efficiently or in many cases less than our competing districts, but performing at average or higher levels than those districts. >> Yeah. State level. >> Yeah. You hit on it. Return on investment, right? >> Yeah. Middle to low cost, high performance. So, and that's the hallmark of our district and that's one of the wonderful things about it. >> Yeah. It's very evident at the county level that Yeah, it's coming up. >> And yes, and I will uh pull that data down for similar uh districts as well. So, we can look at that at a future future meeting a little bit a little bit more in depth as to which uh school does have the higher costs than where where we're
154at. >> Yeah. I like the way Larry put it in the committee meeting. Good bang for your buck. [laughter] >> I'm sorry. I didn't >> It was good bang for your buck was the >> Yes. Good bang for your buck. That's what Larry said. Yeah. taglines. Um, let's see. We went through the similar district. Uh, one of the things, let's see, I did go ahead and, um, >> probably have the next one out of order, so I don't want to do that one. One of the things that we want to talk about millage rates. And before we come into play with the millage rates, I wanted to share with you what I get every year uh in December. And this is what I get from the county. So what you see here are our millage
155rates. The first two rows are inside millillage. That's inside or unvoted. So that was given to us at the inception. Um, every political subdivision has 10 mills of unvoted taxation that they can use to service uh their residents. Our share, like where we're sitting right now, there's 10 mills um divided between Hamilton County, Anderson Township, and us. And then there'd be 10 mills with New Town, Hamilton County, and us. So that 10 ms our piece of that is um uh five 5.33 mills of inside millillage inside millillage is not subject to house bill 920 um but all of our vote at millillage which you see there millillage type outside all of that is subject to house bill 920. So, what you see where it says the column that says full rate, that was the rate
156that was voted. And when you get down and you see um probably one, two, three, four from the bottom, you see the 5.4 mills that was put into um our operating general fund. You can see that right now we're collecting the effective rate of 4 124271. So you can see that that has been reduced um by about 1.3 mills in three short years. So that was pretty hefty reduction but this is what I get every year from the county. The reduction is shown by um by particular voted issue each line. And there are two classes of property. There's residential property and then there's commercial and industrial. I typically focus on residential properties because that makes up about 89% of Forest Hills. we only have 11 to 12 and it'll change um in any given years
157by a little bit but we focus more on talking about the residential effective rate. So overall if we were collecting what has been passed by our residents we'd be collecting over 78 mills instead residential we're collecting 36.17. So again, this comes from the county. And when we talk about House Bill 920, this is what I wanted to share with you. This is a 10 years history. I might have added a few. I got started and kept adding years, but anyhow, this is the evaluation. Um what this sheet shows you is the evaluation since uh tax year 2014. And of course we know tax years taxes are levied and collected are paid in a rear sorry they so tax year 14 was collected in 15. This year in calendar year 26 we are collecting taxes for
158calendar year 25. So the third column over the valuation that is the valuation from the county in each of those years. I've calculated the increase and as you can see it's there couple years in uh tax year 15 and 16 where the valuation actually decreased a little. Um when you look at uh years of reappraisal and updates. So the county does reappraisal every six years of all property with a trienal update in the third year. In those years, valuation tends to spike a little higher. And um then in the next couple years, the uh increases are really negligible. But if you look down through there, you can see what the effect of the increase was on residential millage. And in particular, we talked about tax year 23. Collection year 24 had a giant valuation increase
159just right at 29%. But you can also see what happened to our residential millillage. The year before it was at 38.89. We passed a new levy that total 6.9. So we added 6.9 mills. But by the time House Bill 920 came into play, we collected um about a mill and a half less. Our residential rate actually went down by a mill and a half. So this is what House Bill 920 does in response to valuation increases. So I wanted to um take a few few minutes just to go over that. And you see out in the last column there, I've listed what was a reappraisal year, what was an update year, when new levies were put into place. So, uh we're looking at um tax year uh 27 will be an an update year. I
160want to take a look at that. And now what we were talking about, we looked at in the uh uh finance committee today. Here's a list of all the 22 school districts in Hamilton County and what their residential property tax rate is. And as you can see, we're right there, right there, just a just a little over a quarter of a mill over average. And as school districts pass levies, we change. So we are in the beginning years of a levy. So again, we're a little bit higher than average. Um I think we only had a couple schools pass levies uh last year. Uh Princeton and I believe it was Deer Park passed levies last year. So they're both above us. Oak Hills did pass a levy, but they also had a renewal fall off.
161So, theirs was they didn't move much. In addition to this, you'll see uh there's a couple school districts that also collect income tax. So, you would expect that our residential rate would be a little bit higher than theirs. But you can see Wyoming um has 40.9 residential millage uh but also has a one and a quarter income tax. Again, um Southwest uh while they have lower millage than we do at 24.03, they do have a threequarters of a percent income tax. So again, uh good bang for our buck there with a middle of the road uh millage rate. that will be heading down the next couple of years due to House Bill 920. So looking at that, these residential tax rates are red are released by the county. That's the source and they're released in
162December. Looking at the um going back to the cup report, taking a look here, this is how we compare to the other school districts in the county in terms of cost per pupil. Um so if you take a look at that, um I think I had it calculated. Uh we're actually uh 14% or $2,215 per pupil lower than the county average. And we are 11% lower than the state average cost per pupil of 17,000 609. So we're 11% less than the state average there. >> I'm a little disappointed because I thought the ROI was going to be the quadrant slide. That's all [laughter] right. >> Oh yeah, because I do love that. That was brought up during the finance committee. The scatter diagram. >> Brought that up. >> Yeah. I like that. >> We'll have
163to bring that one back. That's my favorite, too. But anyhow, I also like this sheet. And I know it's really old school to put something um on a a sheet like this, but I like how it just visually shows um when you look at the the the cost data, we are on the lower end, the the green highlights. And when it comes [clears throat] to how much is spent into the classroom, how what percentage of our cost per pupil actually goes into that classroom, we're on the high end. And then we're very much on the high end as far as uh uh performance index. When you look at this sheet, I update it twice a year. The cup report, like I said, comes out in December. Um that comes from the state. The residential tax
164rates again come out in December. That comes from the Hamilton County Auditor's Office and the percentage spent in the classroom and the performance index of course come from the report card that comes out in August. So, and on the back and Erin says she likes this just for really number nerds, [laughter] this is the uh cash basis financial of the general fund for all those years. So, one of my favorites. So, any questions or any clarifications on uh the benchmarks? And again, these benchmarks are what we look to um make sure that we're complying with our strategy number four. >> Yeah, that's great information. >> Thank you very much. Thank you for putting this all together. >> All right. Item 15.1, board discussion. >> Who has things to share? >> I would like to shout
165out, >> especially because somebody's still here. [laughter] So, with her permission, I am offering a shout out to Nora Gner, a fourth grader who recently emailed the board with her opinions on certain items that are offered or not offered at school lunch. And we appreciate your ode to the cheesy bread sticks, the Bosco cheesy bread sticks, and we truly love hearing from students. And I know that it takes a lot to email a group of adults and tell them what you think. So, I just wanted to say thank you for being here at the school meeting and thank you for your message. We will cons we will take this under consideration. But listen, seriously with this, like the problem is they're yummy and cheesy, [laughter] but they only get them once a month and they
166want them more frequently than that. And Norah is emailing on behalf of her students. So, how do we make this happen that we can get the Bosco cheese sticks once a week instead of once a month? Is that something we can do? How do we make that happen? >> I did put it on our list of potential March topics. >> Yeah, [laughter] >> service. We'll have to >> Okay, >> get Carlo. >> Don't ask the dietician. Just do it. [laughter] >> I took an I took an informal survey. Yes, I did not ask a dietitian, but I take an informal survey of these students who live in my house and they are very much in favor of your proposal, Nora. >> So, >> stay tuned. >> That goes beyond our control, but we will ask
167some questions. >> It can be a squeaky wheel. >> Excellent. Anything else, Aaron? I have a couple of are we doing shout outs now or we do any >> Yeah, I think anything you want to share as part of board discussion shoutouts would be great. >> Sure. I want to give a quick shout out to the entire cast and crew of the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime. I had a chance to see that from the theater department at Anderson and I was particularly interested to see that they've brought back apparently something that's been out of um out of play for a number of years a drama tur which is a person who researches the plays to then be able to provide historical context to the actors and the crew so that they
168can make it as accurate as possible. So Tristan Potter was the drama for this play and got an entire page in the program explaining that context to the audience as well as the students. I wanted to give a shout out to all the eighth grade student athletes who are planning on uh participating in athletics next year and thinking about strength and conditioning and just showing up to be as uh as well developed as they can in terms of their performance here in Forest Hills. Uh there are three summit students that I since I'm the liazison for that building wanted to shout out that they had uh initiated a volleyball enrichment program at the elementary level. Caroline Wilson, uh Kinley Saunders and Everly Weber are starting a program that they they petitioned the PTO. They got
169the funding for it and they'll that will be happening for summit on March 2nd and 4th. And I think that might be it for my shoutouts. Yes. Thank you. >> All right. Should we continue with shout outs and then come back if there's anything else? All right. >> Uh yeah. Um I would have shouted out the uh Maddox uh innovation showcase, but they were here and shouted out themselves, so I don't need to do that. Um at Nagel, the Nagel dance team, which is brand new, um placed second in the state competition over the weekend or or maybe the weekend before last, I forget now. Um second place for a brand new team. That's great. Um the Nagel Robotics team, which is also uh brand new, uh went to its first ever competition uh last
170week. So shout out to Shannon Henderson, who is the uh club adviser there. Um Nagel is in the midst of bringing seventh graders up for their um you know, open house, which I think is on March 5th, and of course, their eighth graders are now in the in the middle of high school scheduling, so that's always fun. Um, Nagel's also kicked off its one drive fundraiser this week, which is part of the capital campaign to improve the outdoor areas and so many other things there. So, give to that if you can. Um, and then final shout out to Rob Fellows who is not here because he is taking the bar exam next week. So, I remember how fun that was. So fun. I did it twice. Not because I didn't pass, because I didn't two
171states. >> No shame. It's okay. [laughter] >> I'm two for two. Um, so good luck to Rob. >> Excellent. >> I did have one other one. Josh was kind enough to give a social media post to the uh combined forest cells Anderson Turpin mock trial team and there were a number of students who won individual awards. They found out they did advance to regionals and they are competing again tomorrow. So congratulations to the combined team. Did I took Did I take yours >> regional championship for my >> I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I had a chance to watch them perform and they were just very impressive. >> Yes, absolutely. Um shouting out the science and innovation fair both across Turpin and Sherwood. Um, I had the chance to see Sherwoods. They had 109 39 139 students
172voluntarily participate in projects. It took up most of the um cafeteria walkway to to walk through and see them, which was really impressive. Um, at Sherwood, Audrey um has also um continued on and qualified for the regional spelling bee. So, she will be participating in that Saturday, March 7th, which is very exciting. um you hit upon mock trial and then Turpin is also doing a showcase and share where teachers have the opportunities to see each other's classroom look for examples of how portrait of a learner is coming to life in different classrooms. So I think that's a a really neat um piece of what they're doing to help continue to grow our teachers as well. And then the last shout out I want to give for buildings is actually to the Oaks. There have been
173several Anderson interpret students who have participated in HOSA regional competitors um events. I looked up HOSA. It is was an acronym. It's no longer an acronym, but it is um related to health organization um academic opportunities. And in particular, Tessabel Driscoll from Turpin got second place in clinical labs for animal health. Um Ava Welligge got first place and Sam Lepovitz got second place for veterinary science. There was also a breakfast this morning at the Oaks to honor some of the students of the year across different programs. And both Sam Lepowitz from Turpin and Isaac Muscleman from Anderson were recognized and I had the chance to go to that and then Isaac was nice enough to give me a um short but very thorough tour of their facilities. I think there are about 17 different career
174paths there now. I saw cosmetology in action, veterinary care in action, actual community members bringing in their children for child care, pets to be um taken care of, and it welding happening. Um it was amazing to see all of this great career work in action. So, I just really want to give them um a shout out as a whole. And then my last shout out is just all the teachers who participated in professional development this last Friday. Um, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to actually present at Springer um for a day around executive functioning and there were several Forest Hills teachers who were there improving their understanding of executive functioning so that we can continue to help our students be successful in the classroom. So, a shout out to those teachers and
175to all the teachers who were um bettering themselves on behalf of our students. >> Uh, yeah. So, uh, couple weeks ago I had the opportunity to meet with assistant principal Dave Huga at AIR. um talk to him about the superintendent lensure program. We actually have eight um eight folks in eight staff members in our district that are currently enrolled in Xavier's superintendent lure program. So that's that's really cool. Um was able to take a tour of Ayer, see uh some of the neat uh activities they had, talked about the um unique challenges they have preparing students for the transition to Nagel. Um also competed in and lost a beatboxing competition against a third grader. So that was fun. Um, [laughter] >> wait. You did? >> I did. Yeah, it was an impromptu beatboxing competition. >>
176Can you Can you give us a sample? >> No, most certainly not. But maybe I can see if he can come and perform for us. >> Bring him. Bring the one who can actually beat box. >> Um, also wanted to shout out all the uh operations and facilities teams for all their work the last few weeks with the snow getting us in and out of the school safely, the bus drivers um as well. And then um also wanted to mention Josh Bazison and his team. I think the the storytelling that we've been doing the last several months. Um you know in the strategic plan it's explicitly talks about telling our district story talking about how we're using the the the money in the classroom to better the classroom. And I it the whether it's through
177the newsletter, Facebook posts, emails, um it's really evident that there's a intentional effort to demonstrate what we're doing in our school. Not just the day-to-day, but the special projects, the student successes, um the the work the teachers putting in and how the money that the district has entrusted us with is being used um to empower our students. So, I I really appreciate that work and and look forward to continue to seeing some of those highlights. So, thank you, Josh. Um, I've only got a couple and I'll keep it short. Um, mostly because you guys took a couple of mine. Um, no, it's okay. Um, Ava Witch was one of mine. Um, I mentioned the >> Congrats to John and Donna. I know they're probably very proud. Um, the Mercer, uh, Katie Saka is still up
178for the gold star teacher of the year. You can vote through Friday. Um, if you would like to find that on the website. I know Josh has posted that a bunch of times. >> I thought she won. >> Did she win? I thought voting went through Friday. Didn't she win? >> I'll double check just in case. >> Keep voting in case. >> I thought we were still voting, right? >> I could be wrong. >> Still going on. I thought Friday. So >> maybe she's in first though. I hope she is. >> I'll double check on that. Um the only other one I had was about the um AHS the the play. I did not get to see it. I wanted to. I heard the reviews were excellent. You're the fourth review I've heard that it
179was very very good. So I wish I could have made it, but I heard it was great. So, um, great work for all the students and staff who participated in that. So, that's it for me. Thank you. >> And I might be stealing one of yours, but I think we've already seen reports from some of the elementary schools celebrating America's 250th birthday. So, I know that was one that we were talking about last month, and it's great to see that students and teachers are working on that. >> Yep. Yep. I have that on our list for our March 3rd conversation. >> Great. >> As well. So, >> all right. >> Other text talks. Yes. Other topics outside of shoutouts. >> It's getting late. Yeah. Yeah, that's that's one thing. Like this is we're two for
180two on three-hour meetings. We got to do something about these chairs if we're going to keep doing this. Um yeah. So, we had our finance committee meeting today. Um Aaron and I were there along with um Elena um Larry and a few other folks in the in district office. And one of the things that we talked about that we wanted to, you know, we can talk more about at our upcoming work session is how we can be more concise um with the monthly treasures report. And so Atlanta prepared two different versions of what this treasures report could look like. And where we were landing on was more of a um you know all the data that's typically provided each month provided in appendices that's given to us in a report with context as Atlanta did
181this week that we can review ask questions in advance bring it and ask questions in the meeting. It lives publicly on the website for the public to see. Um, but then what Atlanta would present is more of a summary page. Um, and then we can ask questions that we have as opposed to going through this every single month. Um, and then twice a year, I think we talked about August and February going into a more in-depth presentation of those of those monthly reports. So, we can talk about what that can look like and and make sure that as a board our needs are being met. Um but beyond that in the finance committee meeting um it was a lot of more in-depth of what we talked about today digging into the cup report and I
182think there's some more stuff that will come out of that that we can talk about later. Uh and then the one last thing I wanted to talk about was more of an awareness thing for the community. Nobody's watching anymore. But um so an important piece of legislation that I want to make sure everybody's paying attention to is House Bill 326 that's moved through the House now that is designed to um change state law to allow school districts and school boards the option to include the classical learning test alongside the ACT and SAT for approved college entric uh college entric entrance entrance exams. Oh my gosh. So, um, obviously everybody's familiar with the ACT and SAT. Um, and should this continue to move through the Senate and become law, all colleges and universities in Ohio would
183be required to accept the classical learning test um, as an entrance exam test in addition to the ACT and SAT. And I bring this up not to say that Forest Hills would be adopting this, but um it is important to keep an eye on what's happening at the state level because, you know, as the makeup of the board changes, something like this could come into uh Forest Hills and pressure could come to make this a mandatory um um college entrance entrance exam test. And if you're not familiar with the classical learning test, um there are some issues and challenges associated with it. um first being uh any sort of lack of predictive validity validity that it is predictive of any type of college performance. It also has some ideological biases that um suggest that the
184content on it is very narrowly focused um excluding contributions from non-white groups um reflecting more of a um heavyleaning Christian lens. Um, and then the bigger thing is is that it's not widely accepted outside of Ohio. So, should a school district and a school board opt to use the classical learning test as their entric exam instead of the ACT or SAT, it would significantly disadvantage our students in our school district or any school district that adopts it from uh and the students that are graduating when applying to schools outside of the state of Ohio. So, it's passed the House. Um, right now um it's not law yet, but it is something to keep an eye on and I would urge uh folks to contact the representatives and ask them to consider not supporting House Bill
185326. >> Any other topics? Jeff, Erin, anything else? All right. The only other thing I just wanted to um let the community know um in terms of transparency is we did have our first work session. I believe it was February 3rd. um as a new board, we spent the majority of time coming together as a board to just understand some of the big um issues of the district. We spent some time looking at employee contracts and evaluations. And then we spent some time talking about safety and security um as a new board wanting to make sure that we have proactive plans in place to ensure the psychological and physical safety of our students um in any unusual situation. So rest assured those plans are in place. We hope to never have to use them, but
186we have a district and administrators who are very prepared, and it was um great as a board to just have the opportunity to review that information. Our next meeting then will be March 3rd. That will again be at central office um in the basement, but it is open to the public. Um as we get closer, we will list the topics for discussion. A couple have come up tonight, so I've been taking notes um as we've been moving through that. Um Larry, a question for you. I know we had talked about talking about the booster raffle. Is that a conversation that could wait until March 3rd or is that a conversation we could follow up on just given the nature of the time or do we want to try to have that conversation here? >> Well,
187you saw in the update what it was >> microphone down >> the micro the microphone. >> Sorry. >> Um Nobody. Is anybody awake? Okay. Um, it was just about a booster car raffle. Um, I think I answered maybe Jeff's question. I I've not seen that done. Um, in a public school, very common in private schools. Uh, the example most recent that I had and and shared was the one uh at McNick. Um and so one is we have policy that right now says it has to be board approved by the board or designate. So that's one option if if you want to do it. I don't know if you want to do every one of them that comes down the road. I don't know how many there would be, but I would imagine if it's
188not a car, if it's something else, it would be the same type of thing where you're doing a raffle kind of piece. It's not illegal. Um, but just like I said, it just doesn't we don't do it a lot. The last piece, give the superintendent that discretion. You know, obviously within parameters or three just if it's a booster thing, then the boosters do it versus not having having it like a car parked on the property or uh using almost like the name, image, and likeness, you know, using logos and and facilities. So, uh that's really it. Um you know, is there >> I wanted to float it for board discussion because I had mixed feelings about it. I I tend to lead leaving it as a booster specific event as as where I was headed,
189but I also didn't know if I knew enough to make an informed decision. So, I asked about bringing it to discussion here just to hear what others thought. Um, the issue here is a potential car raffle for the Anderson boosters and could that be something that would have a car on school property, be marketed at the school, those kind of different functions. And the policy says no, we will not do that. We don't market advertise for politics or business or anything um else in that way. So the this was kind of left up for discussion of >> well and potentially the use of our marks and student athletes as spokespeople or promoters. >> Yes. Yeah. >> That that was my bigger concern with it. Obviously like I fully support the the booster club finding creative
190ways to raise funds. But you know when I'm looking at our policies and the policy 9700.01 01 advertising of commercial activities. It seems to all reference other outside organizations advertising with us, but it doesn't explicitly say how our marks, whether that's our names, colors, logos, um, nicknames, can be used alongside other entities. And I I wasn't sure. I couldn't find any, but maybe I'm missing it. Do we have a policy on how our marks are used externally? When they're used, the the matrix we use to make those decisions when our marks can be used. Well, [sighs] not not completely. When you start talking about logos and yes, we have our logos. Do I want to sit there and tell you that they are all copyrighted and completely done like an NFL type program or No,
191probably not. Most high schools don't. So, >> but at the same time, we want to make sure that [laughter] >> uh I don't think it's wise brand management to >> you know just as things come up. Yeah, you can use this one or no, we can't use this. Like there I feel like there should be a criteria that we as a district when organizations are asking to use our marks on something that we uh not so much vet but there's a there's a process that we go through to see like does this align with our mission? Does it make sense for um us to formally align their brand with our brand and does it benefit our students? Then the other concern that Erin brought up was the use of the the student athletes and I
192I feel like that's a slippery slope like yeah some may feel like it's fun to do this thing but um you know this is where we went with college athletics back in the day and look where we are now of um before you know it like you know they're spending their time outside of school um not being compensated for their name image and likeness um helping making money for other organizations or sell cars for this uh this private entity. I don't know if that's something we want to do. Staff, that's a different that's a different issue. Um, but those would be my two concerns with it. >> Yeah, my my preference would be very much to leave it as a booster thing. Um, to keep us out of it. Um, you know, they're welcome to
193do the fundraiser. I don't think we need to be helping sell cars. And I feel like that's kind of what this is. >> I'm maybe more open to it than other people. I'm I'm all for the idea of looking for other ways to bring revenue into the schools. I'm so I just have a lot of questions about it and it's really late. So, I mean I have questions about things like when they say that we get the profits above the cost of the car, do they mean the manufacturer suggested real retail price of the car or is that below sticker? You know, like what do they mean? Are we just selling a car and then we >> understand the manufacturers? Okay. >> Suggested retail >> and it's only going to Anderson athletics. So, no other
194booster >> organization. Yeah, it would be whatever organization. I have the same questions that Jason has already indicated in terms of what standards would be used to look at a business to say this one is yes, this one is no for how much it aligns with the school. So, I'm not opposed to this and I love the creativity of how can we partner with private entities, how can we look for other revenue sources and I think if those questions are answered, I if those questions are answered, I could be I could be uh very happily in favor of it. But I I like a lot of information. >> I'm kind of right here with Aaron. Um, I'm not opposed to it, but we don't have a policy that specifically addresses it. I don't want to
195do it as an ad hoc thing. You know, 9700 point one is really about companies that advertise in our facilities rather the other way around. So, you know, we're going to have a policy committee meeting at some point in the near future and maybe that's something we talked with about with Neiola or whatever and, you know, try to come to a policy before the opportunity rather than let the opportunity dictate the policy. >> Larry, did they tell you at all whether we have to answer them by a certain time? like because it's an exploding offer. >> I know they want to move >> just as a club and not on >> with us >> in the short term, >> but this is something we'll talk about for future. >> I think it's I think it's
196worth looking at. I I'm I'm kind of like you. I I'm I've never done it or been around a public school that did that. >> Well, that was going to be my other question. How often do we get these requests? >> But I mean, >> it hasn't. >> It sounds like this is the first in in one one time. Just just this one. >> All right. So, let's look at following up on this maybe in our March 3rd, >> okay, >> topics. And then in the meantime, I can you can send me specific questions if you have them and we can try to figure out how to take that up. It sounds like they don't need an immediate answer from us tonight, which is what I was worried about. They're moving forward >> with as
197as their own organiz Yep. >> Okay, perfect. Anything else for the good of the group other than bedtime? >> Yes, we'll work on that. We've got parent teacher conferences tomorrow night in Loveland if you guys want to come join. [laughter] >> All right. Next scheduled meeting of the board of education is March 3rd, 2026. That will be at central office at 4:30. Can I get a motion to adjourn? >> So moved. Second. >> Mr. Nye. >> Yes. >> Dr. Simmons. >> Yes. >> Miss Wazooi? >> Yes. >> Mr. Ward? >> Yes. >> Dr. Strickler? >> Yes. >> Thank you all.