HCSD Board of Education Meeting 5-26-26

001I call this meeting to order. It is Tuesday, May 26, 2026 at 4 p.m. We're at 533 Dayton Street, Hamilton, Ohio at the Hamilton City School Board meeting. Uh Mr. Frasier is not able to be with us tonight, so Mr. Mr. Natiello is filling in. Would you please take the role? >> Okay. Dr. Hopkins >> here. >> Mr. Davidson >> here. >> Dr. Copus >> here. >> Miss Manuso >> here. >> And we'll mark Ms. Matthews as absent. >> Well, thank you. All right. And it doesn't look like we have anybody from city council this evening. So, we will move on to our spotlight with Miss Wise Road. Hi, good evening. Uh, it is my honor and pleasure to um spotlight two outstanding young women from Hamilton main campus that graduated last week. Um, both

002of them have earned a governor's merit scholarship. So, I that's a a really big deal. But there's other accomplishments that uh they've made and an impact positive impact that they've both made over the course uh of their time in the Hamilton City School District. So, um I would like to read a little bit about both of them and then we'll have you come up and we'll go from there. Does that sound okay? All right. The first student is Cadence Ryan. Cadence is a young woman who e exemplifies academic dedication, a profound sense of service, and an incredible incredible resil resiliency. Growing up in a single parent household and moving frequently, Cadence faced early challenges with limited resources. Instead of letting those obstacles hold her back, she became independent at a young age, turning adversity into

003fuel. Driven by a desire to honor her mother's sacrifices, she channeled her life experiences into an extraordinary work ethic, Cadence has consistently achieved straight A's while pursuing a remarkable rigorous curriculum. She maintained an outstanding weighted GPA of 4.719. She was just one of 16 students enrolled in the prestigious Early College Academy at Miami University, working toward earning her associates degree alongside her high school diploma. Her academic excellence earned her the Governor's Merit Scholarship through the Ohio Department of Higher Education. Beyond the classroom, Cadence's passion for service shines. She is she was an active member of the National Honor Society, Student Council, and ASTRA where she regularly took on leadership roles for community events. Perhaps her most impactful role was through the Big Brothers and Big Sisters program, where she acted as a mentor to local

004elementary students, demonstrating firsthand her compassion, responsibility, and a general desire to lift others up. Cadence plans to major in accounting, a field where her precision, independence, and determination will undoubtedly serve her well. I'm going to need some advice with that accounting because I don't do very well, Kaden. So, keep my number. Cadence resiliency paired with her remarkable achievements proves that she has the drive to conquer her goal. We are incredibly proud to celebrate her tonight and look forward to her bright future. Please join us in celebrating Kanet Ryan. NEXT, I would like to let you know about Riley Scott. Riley, as a student, has always stood out for her ambitious goals and her unwavering willingness to go above and beyond to reach them. Adaptable, self-sufficient, and deeply mature, she consistently seeks out challenges with that

005not that will not only test her academic limits, but also prepare her thoroughly for a future dedicated to helping others. Throughout her high school career, Riley pursued a remarkable rigorous course load, diving headirst into honors, AP, and college credit plus offerings. She earned over 25 credit hours of college credit work. She maintained a GPA of 4.623. She also earned an academic honors diplomas that we celebrated last week. Her hard work also earned her the prestigious government governor's merit scholarship to the Ohio Department of Education. What makes Riley truly special is how seamlessly she balances this academic excellence with leadership, athletics, and community service. She was an active member for both the student council and national honor society and participated in civics day. She was a varsity cheerleader for three years built on 10 years of

006competitive cheerleading. Shout out to Stingrays while balancing a heavy work schedule of 20 to 25 hours a week at Texas Roadhouse. Despite this schedule, she regularly volunteered at local preschool, dedicating her time specifically to supporting students who qualify for special education. This powerful combination of scientific curiosity and profound empathy has fueled Riley's ultimate career goal to become a pediatric oncologist oncologist. In her own words, Riley shared, "I wish to provide sick children with a with a figure they can rely on to help them through the roughest times of their lives. I aspire to make a change in each child I work with and hopefully care for them through their sickness into their health." Riley's determination to succeed combined with her genu genu genuine heart for others will make her a true asset to any college

007community and the medical field at large. We're incredibly proud to again repres have her represent Hamilton High School. Please celebrate Riley Scott. Ladies, I'm going to have you come up. uh you get the uh profound distinguished here of getting a bracelet that very few have earned over the course of this year because you totally exemplify what the Hamilton way is all about. Would either one of you like to speak? >> I'll put you on the spot. >> No, no problem. No problem. Congratulations. >> Ladies, don't go too far. Ladies, don't go too far yet. >> You guys will come up here for a second. We just want to thank you on behalf of our school board. Come stand up here. You don't have to speak, but we're going to speak to you. >> Well, Mrs.

008Blevens, I actually have a few questions. >> Oh, go ahead. >> Okay. Can I go first? >> Yes, sir. >> Miss Cadence, Miss Riley, um, well, first of all, congratulations. And I mean, we fully recognize what you've been able to accomplish academically, but I got to be honest with you. Your academic accomplishments are not really what impresses me. Uh, first, Miss Cadence, I have a question for you. share with us, if you will, why you chose to become involved in the Big Sisters uh or Big Brothers Big Sisters program, and tell us what that meant to you. >> Um, I was in the program when I was younger, like in elementary school, so I knew how much that like figure meant to me as a daughter of a single mother. I didn't really have a

009lot of mentors in my life that were there like when she was at work all the time. So, having a older person to look up to was really impactful for me. So being able to be in that program when I got older was like giving back to the the program that helped me so much. >> Well, I I respect that. I really do. And it's wonderful that you're picking to further something that's had such a profound impact on you as a young lady. So congratulations. And by the way, was it accounting that that you wanted to study or >> um I don't know when the information came from. That was a while ago. I I'm looking into I'm looking into nursing instead. Oh, nursing. Yeah. At Northeastern. >> I need some help. Well, both great

010careers, but if it it hadn't been accounting, I was going to say we've got some great accountants here in the district that could probably point you in the right direction. But, um, anyway, I I really respect what you've accomplished and what you'll do in the future. Uh, Miss Riley, um, pediatric oncology, very, very impressive. And, and you know, that's a that's going to be a difficult career path to get there. And then you know once you if you do pursue it and you do reach that goal a lot of difficult times ahead because that treatment is not always successful. Um but share with us if you will why why did why does that interest you? Why does that challenge you and why does that interest you? >> Um over the past probably a year a

011year and a half I would say I've had to see three separate kinds of specialists for my own health. >> Specialists that I never thought I would have had to see. And some of them were really helpful and some of them you could tell their heart wasn't in their job. So I think picking such a difficult specialty and wanting to do it as much as I do, I want to be like I had a really good doctor and she made me really want to go into this specialty specifically. >> Well, I I certainly wish you the best and again a lot of respect for what you've accomplished. So thank you. I would just echo everything and say congratulations on your huge accomplishments. I've got to see at least one of you grow up through high

012school a little bit. Um so congratulations Cadence and congratulations Riley. This is huge and tremendous accomplishment when you're still very young and have many years and many opportunities ahead of you. Um and I say it all the time and I don't mean for it to start to sound trit but it's the truth. Young leaders like you are the reason I still have hope for the future. You're the reason I get up every day. Um, and I'm truly grateful to have young people like you in our city. I think to Dr. Copus' point, what really stands out is not just your academic achievements. I've met many, many intelligent people in my life. What counts is your empathy and your willingness to serve others and to step into that servant leadership. So, kudos and thank you. Yes,

013I would just as your superintendent echo the comments here, but you know, as you both were were speaking, just impressive resumes of what you've already done in your first 18 years of life. Now, imagine what you'll do in the next 50. And I have no doubt that the foundation that you've set here. I look out here and see uh your your cheering sections. You're going to go far. And I'm just so grateful that our district has been able to be a small part of that because the maturity, the poise, the caring and compassion that you show here is exactly what we try to help every graduate find in themselves. We didn't put it in you. We just helped you find who you are. And that is really important and something I'm extremely proud of. And

014I can't wait to see all you do as a nurse uh and an oncology uh doctor as you get older. Uh Dr. Copus is right. Both of those fields are very challenging, but I hope that you know that you have an entire community and school district behind you. And when someone says, "Where did you go to high school?" Because that's the number one question in Ohio. It's not where did you go to college, it's where did you go to high school. You say, "I went to Big Blue." And I hope that people stand up and say, "Man, Big Blue can produce such amazing kids because you guys are our future." So, thank you for representing us so well. Mrs. Weisro is correct. You've got the Hamilton way on your wrist and you've already lived that.

015But we are going to help the next generation who will come in here in the next 18 years and say this is what I want to be and this is where I I started. I want to thank all of the family that is here, family and friends who are here because I know you were their shoulders. You were the people I'm looking at here. This has to be dad. >> You look just like your daughter. Do you guys other than the red hair and this is this grandma? >> Okay. I was going to say the red hair right there. I see it. Um, but thank you to each of you for all you've done. Um, >> this is >> Oh, hi mom back there. And I know mom over here. Um, I will tell you

016that for the bulk of my life, I was raised by a single mom and you shattered a ceiling. You you are making your own path and that means the world. Um, and you know what I'll say is love comes in so many forms. Aunts, parents, grandparents, etc. friends. And just know that that's here. So, thank you for being here after graduation, coming back to school one last time. Um, but just thank you for representing us so well and congratulations. >> One more word and then we'll do a picture. Okay. >> All right. So, next we will move on to our OSBA business honor role recipients with Miss Weisbro and Dr. Copus. >> Okay, >> I got you, Dr. Copus. >> Hey. >> Yep. >> All right. Uh, like we've talked about before when we've discussed

017this award, it is very impactful to make those community connections. Um, our district is blessed to have quite a few throughout the city of Hamilton. And tonight, we want to recognize three um that directly have made such a profound difference for our district. Um, I was speaking with one of the members that we're going to recognize tonight and it was I've been doing this for 11 years and now I see a connection with the district. I'm I'm hearing back. Well, we're shouting back. We're shouting back a huge thank you um to make sure that you know that we see your hard work and efforts on a daily basis and uh we're very much appreciative. So, what I'd like to do is just read a a quick thing here from um the Ohio School Board Association

018and then I will call the recipients up and then we'll do some group pictures. Tonight, the Hamilton City School Board would like to congratulate um the Caring Closet with Tammy Booker Sims, Richard's Pizza with Gail and Karen Underwood, and Hamilton Living Water Ministry with Kathy Hester, who is not able to make it at this time, for being named to the Ohio School Board Association business honoral. With this certificate of recognition, the Ohio School Board Association offers its sincerest thanks to all all of our businesses for its strong support of the Hamilton City School District. The board of education, students, staff, and our Hamilton community also extend their appreciation. School business partnerships greatly benefit all involved. Local businesses play a crucial role in supporting their community schools while students get real world experience. This support is

019easily important as school districts struggle with limited resources. Just as businesses support the schools, it's equally important that schools and communities support their local merchants and service providers. OSBA encourages everyone in the community to recognize all three businesses outstanding contributions to the Hamilton City School District. So, at this time, uh Tammy Booker Sims, can you come up, please? Gail and Karen Underwood, please come on up. And then again, Kathy Hester is not with us tonight for Hamilton um Living Waters. >> Thank you. >> Water community. Would anybody like to I'll put you on the spot, too. Like to anything or the board go ahead and speak. >> Uh thank you. Uh this award was unexpected but appreciated. Um and just so you know that my sister and I uh have been out in the world,

020graduated from colleges and we are both products of the Hamilton School District. So >> yes, again I want to thank you uh for this honor. Um, also I was the first of the second set of Hamilton blue big blue. So I was the first full set that went through uh when we switched back to Big Blue. Um, and I know we're big supporters a lot especially of the band. Um, I grew up in the band. >> Karen was part of the band and in Taft. Um, and I'm just so thankful that our school district continues the extracurricular activities, especially at an affordable level for all students to participate because I think it's just such an important thing for kids to have other things besides just, you know, learning and classes, but learning those other things

021in life that also help you grow as a person and in other ways. So, thank you for your support in that. Well, I have a I have a comment or a story really to share with you. I want to give you an example of how famous your famous Richard steak sandwiches are. Uh 22 years ago when I was serving in the United States Army in Iraq, I walked into uh we used to call them defects, dining facilities, messauls, whatever. Anyway, I walked in, you know, what's for child this evening? And they said Richard's steak sandwiches. And I'm going how I mean being from Hamilton of course I knew and um not every soldier was from Hamilton but there must have been a few. Somehow they had arranged to have 150 steak sandwiches sent I on

022what ice some you know but yeah man that was uh one of the very few treats but uh that was a long time ago but that's how famous those sandwiches are. So and they're still just as good today as I remember them years ago. But I I'm the board member that actually nominated your business for for the award and and uh I let me tell you how I did that. I was just simply talking to people in our district and I was looking for you know organization and we're very fortunate because we have so many businesses that help our district. Um and you know I was looking for businesses that had been long-term supporters of Hamilton High School or the Hamilton City School District and your name came up multiple times. So that that's why.

023But I just want you to know truly thank you for what you've done and and hope you choose to to continue to support the big blue. So >> yes, thank you to both of you uh for all of your support. As you've talked about, extracurriculars are are many of the reason. As much as I hope my 16-year-old gets up to go to math class, he doesn't. He gets up for the activities that he gets to be in because he went to math class. And that helps uh kids figure out who they are and find their passions and their voice and how to work together and all the the in my opinion the the real lessons that they need. And so you helping to provide nourishment and support uh our band, our football teams. every time

024I turn around, there's another way that uh your company has shown up with Richards being a part of that. It just it helps us uh to be able to keep those costs low to be able to make it so more kids can access those pieces because I never want a child to be turned away from pursuing something they think they could be the next player at, right, the next big thing because of cost. And so our partners make that possible. So just thank you uh for all that you do for our district. Yes. Tammy, are you going to speak? I know you are going to. All right, Tammy. >> I just want to say I just got back from Denver last week and I took 20 Richard's famous with me for my siblings that have

025moved out there and it was the hit of the graduation party. So, um, never get tired of them. Um, I'm representing the Caring Closet tonight. I'm pretty loud. I know. He's shaking his head. >> Uh, I'm representing the caring closet tonight and I want to say thank you so much for the recognition, but I really want to give a shout out to the army of volunteers that show up and do everything from laundry to sorting to filling boxes to the people that show up and bring small checks and large checks. They bring bags of toothpaste or deodorant. There's a whole lot of people in this town that support the caring closet, which allows us this year. I haven't had time yet because school just ended, but we served about between 700 and 800 kids this

026school year just since so that was 7 to 800 kids that needed a new pair of shoes, that needed a warm coat, that didn't have clothes to wear to school. So, I see you over there, Katie. That Katie has Katie supports us and I say thank you to you also. But anyway, uh, thank you so much for this. Um, it's a big deal. I feel like the Caring Closet is hugely impactful in Hamilton and, um, I'm proud to be a part of it. So, thank you, >> Tammy. I I've got a comment. Yeah, let's give her a hand. That's wonderful. Um, you know, I'm lucky enough to know the young lady that started the Caring Closet years ago. My wife always tells me, you can't tell people thank you enough. So, I want to tell

027you thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Um, on one hand, isn't it a shame that we have seven or 800 students that need your help, but isn't it truly a blessing that your organization can provide that? >> Yes. >> Um, and and I appreciate you recognizing all of the people that volunteer to help you do that. But I I mean, I only wish that people really did understand and appreciate what that organization does for our student uh body. It's truly great. And please don't ever give it up or if you ever do, make sure you pass it on to someone else that's as energetic and as accomplished as you are. So, but thank you so very much for what you do. >> You know, I I talk about your wife frequently and the other ladies

028that started uh and I'm sure you as husbands were involved as well in building the infrastructure that set the carrying closet up. And those OGs, they're still there. Joanie, I just saw Joanie this week. She came and did laundry for us. So, there's a place for everyone. Um, there's a place for everyone and as resources dwindle, need rises, which is unfortunate for what we do at the caring closet because we need more and we get less. So, keep us in mind. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, Tammy, I just to to close that out, I want to thank you. I remember when I came to Hamilton and found out that you had an organization that was completely dedicated to supporting the students in Hamilton City Schools, I was just blown away.

029Um, and I remember coming down there the first time and saying, "Well, how much does this cost?" Or, you know, and you went through what the application looks like that the kids fill out, and I thought, "Oh, man. Well, does some not get accepted?" You said, "No, that's so we get to know who they are, what their interests are." So, it's not just grandpa's pair of pants or grandpa's shoes. We want it to be relevant. We want it to be something these kids are happy to wear and feel seen and a part of everything. And for a kid who who sometimes grew up not knowing where those next pair of shoes or pants came from, that would have been a gamecher in my community for me. And so I just thank you. You know that

030we will continue to support in any way we can. We do drives all the time. You know, we've taken our staff to try to make sure they understand what you're doing because it is the work um of helping to raise up this entire town. So I thank you for what you're doing. Um as Jesse mentioned earlier, we want to shout back to you that we are here too, that you're not in this alone. We see what you're doing and and you're helping get these kids across the stage as much as we are. So, thank you for your work. >> Thank you. >> You all should come to Witches Night Out, too. >> It's our one fundraiser, the only time we beg for money. So, join us. Thank you. >> Thank you. I also really appreciate

031how you are all role models for our students, too. When you talk about being products of the big blue and the business that you own and feeding veterans and uh taking care of our school community, that's also role modeling for our students and helping them see themselves and people from their own community doing tremendous things to give back. So, thank you. >> Take a pause really quick and just get pictures. >> Okay. Okay. Yes, he's in char. Congratulations. >> Everybody want Thank you so much. >> Thank you very much. >> I All right. So, next we will move on to our Crystal Al award with Mr. Wright. >> Thank you very much. I think that's on. Um tonight we uh annually we've done this. This is the fourth year um partnering with Horseman. Um and

032Mike and Tyler are here tonight representing Horseman. Um just to give you a little bit of a background on what the Crystal Owl and the Crystal Apple Awards are in our buildings. Each of our principles award Crystal Apple awards um for outstanding service. Uh and then we do a district-wide one, which is the Crystal Alward, which we're going to be doing tonight. Um, so for this evening, we are here today to honor Kim Brander as she receives this distinguished and well-deserved Crystal Al award. The Crystal Alward is presented annually to an employee who exemplifies dedication and outstanding work within the school district. Kim has dedicated her entire career to the Hamilton City School District. She has shown remarkable perseverance and an incredible work ethic. She consistently puts students first and works tireless tirelessly to ensure

033they are served with excellence. One of the most remarkable things about Kim is her legendary attendance. Colleagues who have worked with her for decades can barely remember her missing a shift. One noted she hasn't t taken a single sick or personal day in 10 years, while another recalls her missing work only twice in 25 years. She always shows up ready to give 110% and keeps the kitchen running smoothly no matter what challenges arise. As a manager, Kim is devoted to the success of her kitchen and has built an incredibly efficient operation. We all know and respect her for being refreshingly honest. She tells it like it is. And of course, there is the famous Kim way of doing things. Beyond her hard work, uh Kim is a phenomenal leader, mentor, and friend. She goes out

034of her way to make new fa staff feel welcome, shares products to help others around the district, and has even stepped in to do laundry for a colleague when their washing machine broke. She is always there to listen and offer support for both professional and personal matters. Kim, we know you hate being in front of the camera, but since you are a massive Survivor fan, your team had to admit if the cafeteria were an island, you would definitely outlast, outplay, and outwork everyone. You don't just do your job, you truly love it. Thank you for your endless dedication to the children of this district. Congratulations, Kim. >> How about I just give you the paper? >> It'll be on TV. Congratulations. Thanks. >> Okay. >> All right. >> You already pointed that out. >> Well,

035Kim, Kim, you're not gonna have to speak, but stand there so we can speak to you. Okay. >> I just um on behalf of our district want to thank you for all that you do. You know, I I talk all the time that, you know, when we think about education, we sometimes think about teachers, right? But there are so many unsung heroes that make sure that our kids get through each and every day. And you are one of those. You make sure that they're fed. You make sure that they're greeted. You make sure that they're seen and heard. And that is really, really important to allow them to go into the classroom and to learn and to be successful. And so just like I talked about all those partner agencies that help get our kids

036across the stage, you too and your team have a massive part of that puzzle. Um and so I just thank you on behalf of our entire district for all you've done. Your service is amazing. I hope you're not going anywhere for a very long time. Oh, okay. Um but um I just I thank you on behalf of our district and if every single one of our food service workers were like you, we would be winning the world. And we are. But you just show you set the bar extremely high for everyone around you. So, thank you for what you do. >> Miss Kim, did I did I hear them say your entire career with our district? >> Yes. >> Wow. Then what? 20 how many? >> I started in 1989. >> Oh my goodness. Well,

037hey, I really respect that. I mean, I really do. That That's incredible. And by the way, I have to tell you, when I was in school years ago, I love my teachers, but I equally love the the cafeteria ladies because, like you said, they were the ones who fed you. But yeah, tremendous respect for what you've done. And in two sick days in 25 years, I think I was sick twice last week. So, but yeah, and and I think someone made the comment that you were one of those fortunate people that truly loved what you do. And man, what a what a blessing that is. So, but thank you so much for what you've done for us and and like Mrs. Bleven said, I I hope you choose to continue doing that. But thank you

038very much. >> All right. Yes. Hungry children cannot learn. >> All right. Next, I will consider a motion to adjourn to executive session to consider the employment of a public employee or official and to consider matters required to be kept confidential by federal law, regulations, or state statutes. >> I make the motion that we move into executive session. >> I'll second Mr. Nadiello. >> Yes. We will return for a business meeting soon. forth the effort. She wants to keep moving forward and trying new things and doing better on what she's interested in. >> I come from a long line of teachers. Both my grandmother and mother work in the district. Um, or my grandma just retired, but it's kind of instilled in me a kind of respect for my teachers and my counselors and kind

039of being able to take advantage of all of the resources and the passion that they put into their work to um really take advantage of every opportunity. >> Maddie is a special part of the fine arts family. We've known Maddie for several years now. baby. >> We probably see Maddie more than her parents do during the week. >> But there really is a club for everyone. There's a place for everyone and you will get the opportunity to kind of grow in your talents and your strengths and your skills. >> The one thing you should know about Maddie Wagenfield is that she will do great things in society. Um, more than anything, I'm really happy to have met all of the wonderful people that I've met here at Hamilton. And above everything, I think that this

040school has taught me to be a good human. Today is very exciting. It's our practice 5K. So, the girls have been practicing since uh mid-March. And um each practice we do a little bit of activity and cardio. And our goal is to build up to the 5K in Cincinnati on May 9th. So today they've been practicing um for a little over a month and so we're about halfway through. So we are going to have a practice 5K here at Bridgeport and the girls have to do 12 laps. It's very exciting. We're going to we're going to celebrate them and and make this day special for them. It's an amazing program. the girls um have that like activity piece in it, but it also is amazing with how it teaches the social skills and confidence and

041teaches each girl how to be bold and own who they are, which is so important for young girls. So, it's for girls ages third grade to fifth grade. And it's really wonderful. It's not just running. It's a whole lot more than that. I like to be able to hang out with my friends and I like to like just run and be free. It's amazing just to see them push themsel and, you know, not give up on themselves and then to accomplish this huge goal. My favorite part is just to see them be able to accomplish such great things and then as a result, these tools that we're teaching them to help them with their confidence, they come in handy and then they get this like instant satisfaction of I did this really hard thing. >>

042I really like running and I thought it would be fun and make my confidence be higher in running. The one thing about girls on the run, it's all about building girls up and um inspiring them to be confident in who they are and to celebrate their differences and um teaching them they can do hard things and it's just really wonderful. It's worth the experience and I really enjoy it. Thank you all for being here to celebrate Caitlyn. Everyone here knows exactly how special she is. Today she'll be presented with a scholarship from the VFW program, Voice of Democracy, uh for a spoken essay she presented. The prompt being, "How are you showing patriotism?" >> Never have I ever heard such an astonishing speech. I mean, she just took talked from the heart. Some people just

043follow the the person before them or something like that and they they talk about patriotism but not like she does. >> I've been patriotic my whole life. I've always done things for veterans. I my grandfather and my father are both veterans. So I've kind of always been introduced to the topic. So it felt natural to me. I focused on my strengths and what I've done over the past few years and it really drove my entire essay. Starting young, you can do it. I know a lot of people are like, "Oh, well, I'm a kid. I don't know what to do. I don't know how to start." Truly, starting is the hardest part. Once you start, it's so easy. And a lot of the schools have opportunities that really integrate it into our lives early on.

044And that truly is the most important part to get into the schools now so we learn a life of giving. Miss Wagenfield and I, we have a very close connection. I've worked with her for many years and she truly did start me on this path. We are so excited uh for all of our students accomplishments, but this student in particular has uh done amazing things. I've learned about a lot of them today. Um but this VFW essay contest uh that she won through Butler County and then the state and now she's headed to nationals. Congratulations. Um it just kind of shows what our students are about and that's pride in their community. It's pride in their country. It's serving others and I think Kayn is is a great example of that. And so her house

045principal is here today, Miss Watkins. and we are more than thrilled to send her to Valley Forge to bring home the national victory for the blue. Um, but more importantly, it's just about the service to our community and our country that we are so proud of her. All right. Well, at this time, I'd like to invite Bob Long up from the Hamilton Community Foundation for a really exciting and generous announcement. Can we put it back here for you? Okay. Thank you, Andrea. It all kind of started with a very simple conversation that Andrea had the first time she met with the Hamilton Community Foundation's education committee. Kathy Clank asked her, "What would you think of having therapy dogs in the schools?" And Andrea immediately responded with enthusiasm. And that was the start of a great

046partnership. Andrea and one of our foundation staff members, Tracy Eids, were all part of Leadership Hamilton class number 33. And that group decided, did I hear applause for that group? I think they're biased. >> There are other classes who might differ with that, but I won't. Uh, but they decided that they were going to make the positive connections therapy dog program a reality. And thanks to the generous support of many local businesses, school PTOs, uh the Hamilton High Student Council, many many other individuals, we have made tremendous progress. Therapy Dog Arrow and also Tango are having a big impact on our schools. Not just the students, but the teachers and the staff as well. They offer a lot of emotional support. They help reduce anxiety and also stress. And there are three more therapy dogs

047that will be coming this spring and summer. Originally, Andrea told me it was going to probably take five years for every school to have a dog. But then Andrea had to tell our community the bad news that the district was having to make $10 million worth of budget cuts. Our foundation CEO, John Gadulli, told me, he said, "We need to do something immediately to show our support for the schools." So this morning, I'm very pleased to tell you the community foundation board of trustees unanimously has agreed to provide a grant that will ensure every Hamilton school building will have its own therapy school therapy dog next school year. Now, this foundation grant will cover the entire three-year funding cycle that's needed for each of those six additional therapy dogs. Our foundation has prioritized education in

048this area for a long, long time, 75 years. And with more than 300 college scholarships, we can help a lot of high school seniors. We're also proud of our collaboration with Andrea and her staff on a program called Many Grants for Teachers, where we help roughly 140 teachers every year with up to $300 in out-ofpocket expenses that they need for classroom enhancements. We believe very seriously in collaboration, compassion, innovation, and also heart to make this a great community. We want to thank everyone who's helped with the therapy dog program because together arrow we are building community four paws at a time. This is Tango. And Tango is our certified therapy dog through the AKC. and he is going to be a therapy dog in Hamilton City Schools this school year and for the future. The

049students are so excited to have Tango in the building. Um even just seeing him through the glass as they're walking in, they're like, "Tango's here." I think the biggest thing that Tango is going to provide for us is really a lot of comfort um and emotional regulation. Um we know that students learn best when they are emotionally regulated. And so having Tango available to help us feel the calm, that connected state, and just be able to kind of calm our bodies, um it really helps to allow students to feel comfortable and safe, um here at school, which then allows them to be ready for learning. >> It's the connection. Um no one has to teach a dog how to connect and how to have empathy. It's part of their genetic makeup. It's part of who

050they are. um and their connectivity um just the way they feel um their sense of calm, you know, them picking up on how we smell different when we are having different emotions. Their noses are way more attuned. They can pick up on those things. Uh and they can respond and they intuitively know how to respond to um help us be calm. Um you know, uh Arrow, who's already been across the district, will stop and spend more time with people who might have something going on that no one's ever going to know about, but Arrow knows. Um, and now Tango is going to know too. And you don't have to use any words. They can take care of us without us having to talk because sometimes there aren't words for situations that are hard. Ultimately, we'd

051like to have a dog in every building. Um, you know, and that's we're relying on our community for that. Um, and we've already been met with an overwhelming response. Um, we have, you know, one building already successful and I've got three more buildings on tap that we're be going to be expanding our pack very shortly. One of our main missions is uh the community, right, and children and youth. So, it's all kind of the pillars of the American Legion. So, being able to keep it close and local is a great thing. >> His job is people. He is here to work for people, to be comfort, to be friendly, and he's just he loves love. He loves to be pet. He wants friends and attention. So, his job is people, and I want him to

052know as many people as he can and make a difference in as many lives as he can. I mean, it's amazing. You know, I wouldn't be where I'm at if it wasn't for here. So, being able to come back and and get the love that I get and be able to return it is it's it's huge to me. >> I didn't think this would happen cuz I kind of just jotted it down one random day when my teacher wasn't there and I was like, I don't really think anything's really going to happen. I was like, oh my gosh, nothing like this has ever happened to me. This is so awesome. It was amazing to hear the stories and like their their thoughts on, you know, how how they made the design and and what it

053meant to them. So, like hearing all that was it's awesome. >> I did the Phoenix on the very front of the ship and like the clock. >> You know, I picked a piece out of each each uh design that I seen and I tried to all implement it together and like try to make one like a really cool cleat so that way not just one person, but maybe like 10 or however many I could be able to get. Like I said, some of it related to me and some of it didn't relate to me at all, but it related to people that I love and people that I grew up with. So, it's like I might as well uh might as well put everything together if I can. >> I do suffer like how no

054one really no one really cares. No one really sees what I'm doing. And then this just kind of proved to me that what I'm doing is worth something to someone. >> You know, being able to just try to make it all about y'all, all about the kids. So that's something I love to do every year. >> Hi, I'm Shaqula Matthews aka Pastor Shaq. Born and raised in Hamilton. I am in my seventh year of schoolboard. Oh my gosh, seven years of serving the community in this capacity has been an absolute blessing. um that the people would find the confidence in me for me to serve another year to be able to represent not only um this city but my community that I was born and raised in. And it's just been an honor to be

055able to serve the kids cuz I work with youth with hype. So to be able to serve in this capacity of being a part of the decision-m and helping make this district better than what I found it and also once my term is up to leave it better than what I found it is definitely the ultimate goal. Uh for me it was important to be a part of the board and to be able to work with others to help bring about change to help make sure that every student had the opportunity to be great and whatever that is. If it's excelling in academics, if it's excelling in their sports, however, I wanted to be a part of that process to make sure that young people had what they need to be able to be great

056in whatever capacity, whatever that may look like. For me, I think since I've been on school board, I've um been I've worked with some amazing board members. uh M Mag, Lauren, Dave, all of them. I've wor with working with some amazing people and I look forward to working with our new incoming board members, uh Carrie Vancuso, and um Dr. Ashley Hopkins. So, I'm looking forward to their input and what they will add and bring to the board. But I've seen so many great things. I've seen a lot of great partnerships come along with working with the city and development in that regards. I've been one thing that that I've been really excited about is the program that Chris Canel heads up with students and them finding employment. I think that has been just just phenomenal

057how he's really taken that by the head just to really move forward with that program and open up so many opportunities for kids to be able to find employment. So that's been important for me. I also love the CCP course that the students are able to take advantage of. They're able to of course continue working at towards graduation but as well as earning the associates degree in Miami. So for me those have been two amazing things that stand out to me that I really really really really love about our district. So, cuz I've talked to many kids that they're graduating from high school as well as college. And I just think that's phenomenal. And I that's really setting that that child up to really be great. And I think that being a part of those

058things in the district have been amazing. We have great leadership. We have great leadership with Andrea. We have a great school. We have great schoolboard members that are willing and dedicated to us being great and putting us in the best position as possible. We all know that um districts over all over the nation are facing challenges as it relates to budgets and just everything. And we feel as if a district we're we've done the work. We we are dedicated to coming together and being supportive of our admin team and of our leadership to make sure that we are able to continue to position our students to be great, continue to support our teachers and staff and make sure that we continue to do things the Hamilton way. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. Heat. Couple years

059ago, we had a plan that we wanted to work with a company to start designing a cafeteria that was different than your typical school cafeteria. We wanted it to feel more like a food court and less like your typical long tables, benches, rows. So, we wanted some different types of seating in there. The response has been wonderful, not just from the students, but also from the community. We've had lots of adults in here on open house. We've had other jealous teachers from other buildings that have been telling us how great it looks. Uh, so we've had a wonderful response. Honestly, >> it feels more like when we went to Miami, we just got to sit in their cafeteria and it felt just more like mature. And so, it just is really cool that our cafeteria

060is a lot like that. The kids are doing better this year. Like from last year, we always would get up, scream across the whole lunchroom cuz you couldn't sit with like all your friends. It's like kind of a small space, but now it's like a bigger space, more tables. You can just sit and eat with your friends, be comfortable. It's a very big change from last year. >> I feel like it's very comfortable. Um the students enjoy eating there while talking to their friends. They really um seem to like the new changes that were made this year. >> We tried to bring not just Garfield in here, but also the city of Hamilton. We brought in Hamilton things from around our community, including some maps of the neighborhoods that our kids come from. >> It

061makes you feel like you're being part of the community and enjoy the places that are important. >> I'm just so glad that we get to share this with our students. I'm so glad they get to enjoy it. And I just love making Garfield even better. My name is Dr. Ashley Hopkins. Uh I work for Miami University directing our Upwardbound College Preparatory Program at Hamilton High School. Uh, I've worked there for about eight years and I have worked in public education for almost 20 years this year. I decided to run for school board first and foremost because, as I mentioned, I have worked in public education for almost 20 years. Um, and I'm a product of public education and my whole family is. I come from a workingclass bluecollar background um, from Appalachia. I'm a first

062generation college student myself. And if it wasn't for the great public school educators in the small town that I grew up in in Galiples, Ohio, um if it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be where I'm at now. I wouldn't have my doctorate in educational administration, and I wouldn't be serving my community here in Hamilton and helping open the door to educational access for other students. I think in the district, we do a really exemplary job of providing an individualized educational experience for each of our students. And so we have a district that has many many passionate educators from our um support staff in the cafeterias and in the classroom, our teaching assistants, our teachers clear up to our administration. They really all genuinely care about students and their well-being um and their ability to learn

063and succeed. And so we're really focused on doing what is best for our students and and that looks very individual for each student. we take the time out to get to know our students and to think through each one of those individual needs and problems that they maybe um experience in the classroom or in their educational journey. I'm really excited to stand as an advocate for our students to continue the student focused educational uh traditions that we've developed at Hamilton School District. Um, I really am focused on being an advocate, especially for our students who are uh maybe overlooked or feel overlooked, making sure that our most vulnerable populations are really advocated for in the board meetings and when we're making different difficult decisions throughout the year. So, I'm excited about that. I'm excited about

064the performance in our data and being at the front of that and thinking about how we can continue to respond to the changing educational landscape, maintaining that data while also protecting and supporting our students overall well-being and educational access. I know that we have challenges ahead, but to be very honest, those challenges are uh some of the motivation for me to even jump in right now. I think it's a really important time to serve public education. And so for me, this is a bit of a call to service um as we navigate choppy waters, but we're going to come out on the good side. >> As a new principal at Hamilton High School, I was really thinking about this Hamilton Baiten game and how we could make this a community celebration, but really at the

065core of the Ben mission is service to our community. And that's always been an important part of uh what my passion is in education. So whether it's working with 17 strong and micro grants with our youth or just getting out in the community and doing cleanups, we really wanted to launch something that was bigger than the football game, something where our kids give back to the community. Some of them are actually throwing stuff in the dumpster right now, helping out Miss Evony, the executive director at BTW. And then we have boys out in the community, walking the streets, picking up trash. Over the summer, uh we had the the opportunity to meet uh with Hamilton High's administration and and just talk about this game. Uh this game is such an awesome opportunity for both schools

066uh to showcase really what we believe what we're all about. And in meeting with Tai and talking, we wanted to do something to make our community better to bring our uh our two football teams that that obviously are competing to win win football games. Uh but more importantly, we wanted to come together to to serve the community in the midst of a rivalry week that we're working together to make things better. I think that, you know, when I look at, you know, our guys and Hampton's guys, there's so many little faces in those crowds, little kids that look up to them. them. I mean, they see them as celebrities at times and just to inspire in them a desire to to be more than just what they are on the football field. I mean, they're

067leaders in our community. They're doing great things and I think the opportunity to showcase that really to inspire hopefully some other people to get involved in 17 strong uh here at the Booker T. Washington Center to get involved here, which are great organizations uh that need need people like this to come out and serve uh and make the place better. And it's just really to me signifies kind of a new launch of service to our community for both of our schools for Ben and for Hamilton. So it was great to see everybody out in their jerseys. Uh it is Hamilton versus Ben Friday night, but right now everybody's working together to make our community a better place. I'm Dr. Joe Copus. I'm a board member here in Hamilton. Uh I've been on the board for

068two years. Um lifelong resident of Hamilton. I'm a product of the uh public schools here in Hamilton. Uh I'm married to Joanie Lowour Copus for 42 years. We have uh three grown children also here in Hamilton. Um I am a retired dentist. I practiced clinical dentistry for 30 plus years. I'm also a retired colonel from the United States Army. uh having enlisted in 1983 and retired in 2018. Um I love being on the school board. I think uh the health and the welfare of our city is in a large way dependent on the status and condition of our public schools. And even though we currently are facing some challenges, I think we're doing the best that we can and we're still producing and delivering a very good product to our city. ever since day one

069of me being elected to the board was I I am very much an advocate for the staff. Um I've said on multiple occasions that the three most influential people in my life were teachers that I had in the Hamilton City Schools and they truly have affected me and influenced the decisions that I've made in life. So I I can't focus enough on the welfare of our staff and our goal as a district should be to attract and retain as many great educators as we can. I think that's so critically important not only to the success of the schools today but the success of our city as we move forward and fortunately our schools I think have a very good working relationship with the city and I think both of those two entities understand that each

070we're dependent on each other and the success of each is dependent on each other. One of the things I wanted to accomplish when I was elected is that I wanted to see the culture in our district change a little bit and I think because of our new superintendent Mrs. Blevens and her staff. I think it has. Um, and I also wanted to see I wanted to try to take better care of our staff. And fortunately, each one of our unions in the Hamilton district has been able to renegotiate their contract and they've been given what I think are some pretty substantial pay increases, which makes us very competitive in what we're trying to do as far as finding good people and keeping them here in Hamilton. It's an honor to be on the board. And

071uh, when I ran for the board in 23, there were two seats available. There were four candidates and I think it's very appropriate that the uh community at that time had a choice. It really is a critically important job and the decisions that you make uh not only influence the schools but it influences the health and the welfare of our city as a whole. Arrow is the Hamilton City School District's first therapy dog. Um she is certified through the AKC as a certified therapy dog. Um she is here for our students and our staff and uh is just a part of our the Hamilton community >> and I'm just so impressed with her poise. Um she is so well trained and just does a great job already uh to lighten all of our moods. I

072I couldn't be thankful enough to leadership Hamilton Hamilton Community Foundation and the Pauls and Stripes College for preparing such an amazing partner. We couldn't have asked for a better dog. I know Andrea just saw the benefit and all the research that was behind how therapy dogs make a solid impact with students, you know, through attendance and grades and behavior and she did a lot of research herself and brought it to the team and wanted to take the project on. And this is one proactive strategy that local communities are using to help build resilience, kindness, positivity. There's a lot of research out there about how a therapy dog will lower anxiety and stress, which so many of our young people and our staff are facing on a day-to-day basis. Our goal is to get a dog

073for each of our buildings. Um, as you know, there's a lot of needs that go around and Arrow is just one. We're a very large district. And so, our goal is to onboard four to five dogs a year that would allow us to eventually get there in the next few years to a dog per school. that will allow that dog to become really a part of that school culture. Through community donations, through different agencies, we've been able to raise the money completely so that not one district dollar is being used for this. >> She's calm, mild manner, just very sweet, very gentle, listens very well, a lot of love, a lot of love, a lot of happiness. Um, a lot of energy behind it, which is great. My name is Dave Davidson. I'm a Hamilton

074City School District board member. Uh I'm starting my will be my 11th year. Uh I was just reelected um in November. I am a product of the Hamilton City Schools and actually I'm a third generation uh Hamilton City School graduate. My father graduated in 1951 from Hamilton High. My grandfather uh from Hamilton High in 1928. Uh I have three boys that graduated from Hamilton High and I currently have two gr grandchildren who are students in the Hamilton City School District. I'm married to Kim, who's a teacher in the Hamilton City School District. I have 10 grandchildren. Two of them live in Germany. Uh I'm a practicing attorney here in Hamilton. I've been practicing for about 35 years in Hamilton. I love Hamilton. I came back to Hamilton when I graduated from law school. I'm committed

075to Hamilton. It's a great place to raise a family and I was fortunate to do that. Uh, I've been very active in community activities. Uh, I was involved with Westside Little League when my boys were younger. I'm on currently the planning commission for the city of Hamilton. I was on city council for 5 years back in the '9s. The reason I went on to uh the city council back then is Hamilton was going through a difficult time. Everybody was complaining. We were losing manufacturing jobs. People were moving out of Hamilton. We had empty storefronts, no businesses, and we were all complaining. And one day, a friend of mine said, "Quit complaining. Do something about it." So, I ran for city council. Very much enjoyed that. Did my time on that. But I have a passion

076for kids and children. And so I ran for the Hamilton City Schools um board of education back in the um 2008 uh and did a term plus one year at that time. Absolutely loved it. for personal reasons uh with health issue with my my previous wife. I stepped off um and decided later on I wanted to come back and do it again because I loved it so much. Um love being around the children, love around being around uh teachers and administrators. Our district's great and I loved it. One of the reasons I I came back this last time is it really seemed that there was a disconnect with our teachers and our staff and morale was very very low and the school district did for a period of time go through a rocky period of

077time. I think we're on the upswing. We have a great superintendent we just hired. She's very ener energetic, very positive about the district, and she is very uh teacher oriented and wanted to make sure our teachers are happy because that's important. Hamilton needs to start retaining our teachers that we have and recruiting. Uh unfortunately, people don't want to be teachers anymore. So, there's a teacher shortage. So, we got to keep who we have and we got to attract new. And this has to be a district people want to be part of. And I think it is there now. And I'm I'm happy where we're at. Our our test scores are up there. Uh Hamilton has turned things around. We're on the upswing. We have some challenges coming ahead. Um state hasn't been too friendly with

078uh public education, but we'll meet those challenges. We've met them in the past. We'll meet this challenge. I just want everybody to hang with us. So this is Hamilton's pre-apprenticeship program. It enables the kids to learn core fundamentals of all these different industries. State of Ohio recognizes it for construction, manufacturing, agriculture, architecture, and engineering. So these are core fundamentals for all of those different industries. We don't like to call it even a core curriculum anymore. We call it a confidence class. So it's to give you confidence in using hand tools, using power tools, understanding what you're learning in class and how it applies to the real world and careers that are available for you. So there's two different aspects to it. So in order to complete the class, the kids complete a series of quizzes

079based off the curriculum and they also have to attend class so much. So they're actually getting hands-on instruction from Durana employees on site. The kids are actually working with them. They're exploring on that side. We do it to the curriculum. They do it to the quizzes. However, if the kid chooses to go to the next level, they're able to take what's called the credential course. So, they're now able to go and get a full credential from it. So, even if they don't do it now, the beauty of it is they can take it later on in life. And it's the first half of 39 different apprenticeships that are out there in the industry. They're ready to go. Um they're ready to go right into the workforce right now and today. So, we want employers in

080the Hamilton area to say, "Hey, if Durana taught these guys, they're ready to go." Guys and girls, we have a lot of girls that are coming in the program now. They're ready to go directly into the workforce and come work for my company. They are going to be able to do their OSHA. They're going to be able to understand a power tool. They're going to understand how to work inside of a working environment. What people don't realize is we have so much talent sitting inside that school, sitting inside this community, and it's ready to go. They just need somebody to sit down with them, tell them that we believe in them, show them the confidence, and then to back it up with opportunity. Now, I need employers to step up and say, "Hey, we'll take

081them because they went through this program. My name is Carrie Manuso. I'm a lifelong Hamiltonian. I'm a graduate of the Hamilton City Schools. I went to Miami University and I worked in Cincinnati for a bit um after I graduated from college, but I felt a calling to come back to Hamilton uh years ago in the early 2000s. And I wanted to not only come back to Hamilton, but I was doing work that I enjoyed, but that I I I felt was missing something. And I wanted to come back and have an impact on my community and work in nonprofit. So, I did come back to Hamilton and I've spent my career at the Lane Libraries and I love being in a nonprofit organization that serves the community, serves the citizens of Hamilton. So during the

082time of of my career, uh throughout my career, I've done lots of other things to work within the community that I love so much. And so I've volunteered in many capacities. Uh I'm on the parks conservancy board. I've been on several other boards and several other community committees. And I felt the time had come for me to have a a different kind of impact within my community through being on the school board. The Hamilton City Schools are near and dear to my heart. As I said, I'm a graduate of Hamilton City Schools, but I've always been a great advocate of our city schools as well. From the time I graduated from high school, I became an advocate immediately when I moved to Oxford and I lived there and understood that the reputation of our little

083town wasn't necessarily the best. and I became a cheerleader for Hamilton at that moment in time and I have been ever since. And a big part of that is our school district. And I'm really excited now that I get to be involved directly with our school district to help create and continue the positive impacts that it makes on our community. I'm really excited to uh have a front row seat to the children of our community doing great things and helping to drive the decisions that will be of great value to them. As a member of this community, as a graduate of Hamilton City Schools, as a mother who has a child in the Hamilton City Schools currently, I'm really excited to become part of the Hamilton way and see what comes for the future with

084Hamilton City Schools. We knew teachers were routinely spending their personal dollars to get their classrooms ready. >> A lot of people don't realize how much money teachers spend out of their own pocket to support their classrooms. >> We have lots of new teachers who don't have anything to prepare their classroom. So, they've got to go out and buy all this stuff. We have teachers who are switching from one grade level to another. And then we have teachers who often times will become certified in another area and so they switch too. So all these people are saying if I'm going to have the best most interesting classroom it's got to be right. And so what do I do? I go shopping. They're spending on average between $500 and $900 a person. Sometimes annually just to get

085their classrooms ready. Every year I spend hundreds of dollars on my classroom and uh I've never received any outside assistance there and so this was really nice. It put some money back in my pocket. >> There's so many teachers who do have needs and have really legitimate things that they're proposing and I'd like to see us be able to support more. They literally cheered when I emptied a new box of dry erase markers into our bin because we use those supplies every single day and they really appreciate, you know, a new fresh product that's working. >> I believe teachers have been spending their own money forever, but I don't know of many other communities where there is an organization like our foundation that has stepped forward. I think that's really um special. When I first

086saw the application and was asked how I would spend up to $300 in my classroom, I was stumped. Teachers dream of having extra money, and this isn't a question we are asked very often. School supplies are expensive, as are supplemental learning materials and social emotional tools that are all key to a student's success. Teachers often spend their own money to make sure our classrooms are equipped to meet the needs of every student. This is just an outstanding way to say we understand the community foundation is a perfect place to have a fund like this um where we can show support for teachers year in and year out. This is Raina River. Um, Reena means queen in Spanish, and that definitely fits with her personality. Um, we were told first day of training that she has

087a very princess-like personality. So, she's in charge. She's the boss, and so in order to um, be her handler, we're going to have to make sure we show her that we are in charge. And we are her boss. Um, so she fits right in with the royals here at Riverview, and we're lucky to have her. She's super calm. Um, she does have a little bit of playful energy, but once she gets her vest on, she knows she's going to work. Um, she tends to just kind of settle down. She loves to lean, lay on you. She'll lean her whole body weight on you. If you're sitting on the ground, she'll climb right in your lap. Um, she definitely feels like she's a lap dog and she just, you know, will snuggle right up with you.

088We already have had a huge impact on on the students. Um, I have a lot of students that come check in, check out with me at the beginning and end of the day. They tend to struggle more during the day. And they ask me every day for pictures of her. When's she going to get to start coming to school? um can they help walk her? Does she have toys they can play with? And so we have a lot of kids already that are looking for ways to earn time with her. Um and they just know that dogs can provide comfort, not just to kids having a hard time, but all kids. And our staff has also been really looking forward to it. It's been a hard year, lots of change, and so she's just a

089comfort to to help us all adjust to that change. You know, she's a member of our team and we always say once a royal, always a royal. We're a family here at Riverview. um whether you're a staff student, a community member that comes in and she's a part of that community now and we're here to to help make the community better and better each day. My name is Josh Marger. I'm the principal here at Garfield Middle School. And what you see going on behind me right now is the Garfield America 250 community fair. It has been a phenomenal day so far. There's still a lot of things planned today. We got vendors, food trucks, carnival games. We got our big screen and stage. We're getting ready to do our first speech. We actually have a

090gentleman that was in the Cold War and did a secret mission he's going to be talking about as a spy. Um, we have a lot of other things going on today, including a senator, a representative, uh, who are going to be speaking as well. We have the Michelle Robinson band playing later today. We also have going on currently a 1800 style baseball game going on on our football field because in the 1800s they did not play in dirt yet. They played in an open field. They also played bare hands. So these guys are whizzing the ball at each other with bare hands. We've seen some amazing plays so far. And we even had our own mayor throw a pitch. And of course we are ending with huge, huge fireworks. We hope to see you there.

091Jet has always just been intellectually curious. Um, he is a kind person. He's really everything that Hamilton City Schools represents. Um, and to see him get into MIT, knowing where he came from, it makes me emotional. I mean, I'm I'm really proud of Jet and everything that he's accomplished. >> It's undeniably one of the top schools like in the world, especially for what I want to study. I want to study engineering because I've always been interested in math and physics. Um, so it's I'm very very proud of myself for getting there and also I know how fortunate I am because I was deferred and then got in regular and I looked up the statistics on that about 1% of people in my shoes get in and so just the fact that I was, you know,

092part of that 1% makes me very very happy and proud of myself. >> Uh, he's a phenomenal student athlete. I think that me playing football at MIT, I'm getting more than just the MIT package. I feel I feel that's why I'm very very happy I get to play football there. >> He's part of our academic quiz team. Um, he has really achieved a lot here at Hamilton High School. He takes our most rigorous courses. >> We call this side Y. >> Sine of the equals y over one or y. >> We started an hour of code program at Highland and he taught himself how to code in 2 weeks as a third grader and I thought we got something special here. Ever since I was little, I would say I ask my family members almost

093too many questions about literally everything cuz I just I wanted to know things. And nowadays it'll be like I'll go to bed and not know something and I have to Google it. And I feel like everybody does that, but I do that to the teenth level. And it's like sometimes I'll want to teach myself things, but other times I they're just to a level where I need to ask other people. And I've been lucky here at Hamilton to have those people to ask. There there's some very very smart uh teachers and other students here who have helped me a lot in my journey. Um but more than that, he just his character is phenomenal. He always uh welcomes new students in. Um he can relate to kids from all walks of life. He really represents

094everything that's great about Hamilton High School. So to see him get into MIT, one of the most prestigious engineering schools in the country, is no surprise to me. And I'm glad they see what we see here at Hamilton. Today, HCTA was culminated our bare necessities drive. We've been doing this drive for the past 5 years and we brought in all of our donations that teachers have been donating for the whole month of February. Everything we donate goes directly back to our students. It helps our students not worry about what they have to wear, if it's clean, if they have deodorant or any of the products that they need to be able to go to school each day. They can focus on learning and not have to focus on their appearance or hygiene. This is so

095impactful for the carrying closet. Um the timing of the year, so we often start running out of these items at this point in the year. We've already done 650 referrals and so when they gather things through the month of February and then bring them in March, it's perfect timing. It allows us to finish out the rest of the school year and have new packs of underwear and toiletries for all the students that need them. items that are brought to the carrying closet are donated by the community, including the teachers union. This is uh their donation day. And uh we deliver these items straight back into the community to the students that are enrolled here in the Hamilton City School District. We always need these items that they brought today. We always need the toiletry items,

096twoin- one shampoo and conditioner, deodorant, bar soap, uh toothpaste. All of those items would be new items unopened, full size. And the way they would do that is um we have a donation box that's secure on our front porch. We are uh at the corner of Main Street and D Street. Um our door is on the D Street side of the building and you can put your donations in there and they will be safe until we open up the box and take them out. I want to say such a heartfelt thank you to the teachers union. They have supported the carrying closet for 5 years and they also support our fundraiser which is night out and we are so thankful for them. We can't do what we do without the support of people like them.

097The National Merit Scholarship is based on your performance your junior year on the PSAT. I was surprised with a perfect score. Getting this scholarship was definitely to me kind of a representation of my hard work that I've done throughout my entire high school career. And obviously takes more than just a test score. You had to have recommendations from uh your teachers and also write a response to kind of make it past the semi- finalist finalist standing. Yeah, I'm pretty proud of my hard work. I'm thankful for all the assistance that I've gotten from the Hamilton City School staff and yeah, >> so she is dedicated to what she does. She doesn't want to take um the easy route. She'll put forth the effort. She wants to keep moving forward and trying new things and doing

098better on what she's interested in. >> I come from a long line of teachers. Both my grandmother and mother work in the district. um or my grandma just retired. But it's kind of instilled in me a kind of respect for my teachers and my counselors and kind of being able to take advantage of all of the resources and the passion that they put into their work to um really take advantage of every opportunity. >> Maddie is a special part of the fine arts family. We've known Maddie for several years now. these words about me. >> We probably see Maddie more than her parents do during the week. >> But there really is a club for everyone. There's a place for everyone and you will get the opportunity to kind of grow in your talents and

099your strengths and your skills. >> The one thing you should know about Maddie Wagenfield is that she will do great things in society. Um, more than anything, I'm really happy to have met all of the wonderful people that I've met here at Hamilton. And above everything, I think that this school has taught me to be a good human. Today is very exciting. It's our practice 5K. So, the girls have been practicing since uh mid-March. And um each practice we do a little bit of activity and cardio and our goal is to build up to the 5K in Cincinnati on May 9th. So today they've been practicing um for a little over a month and so we're about halfway through. So we are going to have a practice 5K here at Bridgeport and the girls have

100to do 12 laps. It's very exciting. We're going to we're going to celebrate them and and make this day special for them. It's an amazing program. the girls um have that like activity piece in it, but it also is amazing with how it teaches the social skills and confidence and teaches each girl how to be bold and own who they are, which is so important for young girls. So, it's for girls ages third grade to fifth grade. And it's really wonderful. It's not just running. It's a whole lot more than that. I like to be able to hang out with my friends and I like to like just run and be free. It's amazing just to see them push themsel and, you know, not give up on themselves and then to accomplish this huge goal.

101My favorite part is just to see them be able to accomplish such great things and then as a result, these tools that we're teaching them to help them with their confidence, they come in handy and then they get this like instant satisfaction of I did this really hard thing. >> I really like running and I thought it would be fun and make my confidence be higher in running. The one thing about girls on the run, it's all about building girls up and um inspiring them to be confident in who they are and to celebrate their differences and um teaching them they can do hard things and it's just really wonderful. It's worth the experience and I really enjoy it. Thank you all for being here to celebrate Caitlyn. Everyone here knows exactly how special she

102is. Today she'll be presented with a scholarship from the BFW program, Voice of Democracy. Uh for a spoken essay she presented, the prompt being, "How are you showing patriotism?" Never have I ever heard such an astonishing speech. I mean, she just took talked from the heart. Some people just follow the the person before them or something like that and they they talk about patriotism but not like she does. >> I've been patriotic my whole life. I've always done things for veterans. I my grandfather and my father are both veterans. So I've kind of always been introduced to the topic. So it felt natural to me. I focused on my strengths and what I've done over the past few years and it really drove my entire essay. Starting young, you can do it. I know a

103lot of people are like, "Oh, well, I'm a kid. I don't know what to do. I don't know how to start." Truly, starting is the hardest part. Once you start, it's so easy. And a lot of the schools have opportunities that really integrate it into our lives early on. And that truly is the most important part to get into the schools now so we learn a life of giving. Miss Wagenfield and I, we have a very close connection. I've worked with her for many years and she truly did start me on this path. We are so excited uh for all of our students accomplishments, but this student in particular has uh done amazing things. I've learned about a lot of them today. Um but this VFW essay contest uh that she won through Butler County

104and in the state and now she's headed to nationals. Congratulations. Um it just kind of shows what our students are about and that's pride in their community. It's pride in their country. It's serving others and I think Kayn is is a great example of that. And so her house principal is here today, Miss Watkins. and we are more than thrilled to send her to Valley Forge to bring home the national victory for the blue. Um, but more importantly, it's just about the service to our community and our country that we are so proud of her. All right. Well, at this time, I'd like to invite Bob Long up from the Hamilton Community Foundation for a really exciting and generous announcement. Can we put it back here for you? Okay. Thank you, Andrea. It all kind

105of started with a very simple conversation that Andrea had the first time she met with the Hamilton Community Foundation's education committee. Kathy Clank asked her, "What would you think of having therapy dogs in the schools?" And Andrea immediately responded with enthusiasm. And that was the start of a great partnership. Andrea and one of our foundation staff members, Tracy Eids, were all part of Leadership Hamilton class number 33. And that group decided, did I hear applause for that group? I think they're biased. >> There are other classes who might differ with that, but I won't. Uh, but they decided that they were going to make the positive connections therapy dog program a reality. And thanks to the generous support of many local businesses, school PTOs, uh the Hamilton High Student Council, many many other individuals, we

106have made tremendous progress. Therapy Dog Arrow and also Tango are having a big impact on our schools. Not just the students, but the teachers and the staff as well. They offer a lot of emotional support. They help reduce anxiety and also stress. And there are three more therapy dogs that will be coming this spring and summer. Originally, Andrea told me it was going to probably take five years for every school to have a dog. But then Andrea had to tell our community the bad news that the district was having to make $10 million worth of budget cuts. Our foundation CEO, John Gadulli, told me, he said, "We need to do something immediately to show our support for the schools." So this morning, I'm very pleased to tell you the community foundation board of trustees unanimously

107has agreed to provide a grant that will ensure every Hamilton school building will have its own therapy school therapy dog next school year. And this foundation grant will cover the entire three-year funding cycle that's needed for each of those six additional therapy dogs. Our foundation has prioritized education in this area for a long, long time, 75 years. And with more than 300 college scholarships, we can help a lot of high school seniors. We're also proud of our collaboration with Andrea and her staff on a program called Many Grants for Teachers, where we help roughly 140 teachers every year with up to $300 in out-ofpocket expenses that they need for classroom enhancements. We believe very seriously in collaboration, compassion, innovation, and also heart to make this a great community. We want to thank everyone who's helped

108with the therapy dog program because together arrow we are building community four paws at a time. This is Tango. And Tango is our certified therapy dog through the AKC. and he is going to be a therapy dog in Hamilton City Schools this school year and for the future. The students are so excited to have Tango in the building. Um even just seeing him through the glass as they're walking in, they're like, "Tango's here." I think the biggest thing that Tango is going to provide for us is really a lot of comfort um and emotional regulation. Um we know that students learn best when they are emotionally regulated. And so having Tango available to help us feel the calm, that connected state, and just be able to kind of calm our bodies. Um, it really helps

109to allow students to feel comfortable and safe um, here at school, which then allows them to be ready for learning. >> It's the connection. Um, no one has to teach a dog how to connect and how to have empathy. It's part of their genetic makeup. It's part of who they are. Um, and their connectivity. Um, just the way they feel. um their sense of calm, you know, them picking up on how we smell different when we are having different emotions. Their noses are way more attuned. They can pick up on those things. Uh and they can respond and they intuitively know how to respond to um help us be calm. Um you know, uh Arrow, who's already been across the district, will stop and spend more time with people who might have something going on

110that no one's ever going to know about, but Arrow knows. Um and now Tango is going to know, too. And you don't have to use any words. they can take care of us without us having to talk cuz sometimes there aren't words for situations that are hard. Ultimately, we'd like to have a dog in every building. Um, you know, and that's we're relying on our community for that. Um, and we've already been met with an overwhelming response. Um, we have, you know, one building already successful and I've got three more buildings on tap that we're be going to be expanding our pack very shortly. >> One of our main missions is uh the community, right, and children and youth. So, it's all kind of the pillars of the American Legion. So being able to keep

111it close and local is a great thing. >> His job is people. He is here to work for people, to be comfort, to be friendly, and he's just he loves love. He loves to be pet. He wants friends and attention. So his job is people. And I want him to know as many people as he can and make a difference in as many lives as he can. I mean, it's amazing. You know, I wouldn't be where I'm at if it wasn't for here. So, being able to come back and and get the love that I get and be able to return it is it's it's huge to me. >> I didn't think this would happen cuz I kind of just jotted it down one random day when my teacher wasn't there and I was like,

112I don't really think anything's really going to happen. I was like, oh my gosh, nothing like this has ever happened to me. This is so awesome. It was amazing to hear the stories and like their their thoughts on, you know, how how they made the design and and what it meant to them. So, like hearing all that was it's awesome. >> I did the Phoenix on the very fin and like the clock. >> You know, I picked a piece out of each each uh design that I seen and I tried to all implement it together and like try to make one like a really cool cleat so that way not just one person won but maybe like 10 or however many I could be able to get. Like I said, some of it related to

113me and some of it didn't relate to me at all, but it related to people that I love and people that I grew up with. So, it's like I might as well uh I might as well put everything together if I can. >> I do stuff from like, oh, no really no one really cares. No one really sees what I'm doing. And then this just kind of proved to me that what I'm doing is worth something to someone. >> You know, being able to just try to make it all about y'all, all about the kids. That's something I love to do every year. Hi, I'm Shaqula Matthews aka Pastor Shaq. Born and raised in Hamilton. I am in my seventh year of schoolboard. Oh my gosh, seven years of serving the community in this capacity

114has been an absolute blessing. um that the people would find the confidence in me for me to serve another year to be able to represent not only um this city but my community that I was born and raised in. And it's just been an honor to be able to serve the kids cuz I work with youth with hype. So to be able to serve in this capacity of being a part of the decision- making and helping make this district better than what I found it and also once my term is up to leave it better than what I found it is definitely the ultimate goal. Uh for me it was important to be a part of the board and to be able to work with others to help bring about change to help make sure

115that every student had the opportunity to be great in whatever that is. If it's excelling in academics, if it's excelling in their sports, however, I wanted to be a part of that process to make sure that young people had what they need to be able to be great in whatever capacity, whatever that may look like. For me, I think since I've been on school board, I've um been I've worked with some amazing board members. uh Mag, Lauren, Dave, all of them. I've worked with working with some amazing people and I look forward to working with our new incoming board members, uh Carrie Vancuso and um Dr. Ashley Hopkins. So, I'm looking forward to their input and what they will add and bring to the board. But I've seen so many great things. I've seen a

116lot of great partnerships come along with working with the city and development. In that regards, I've been one thing that that I've been really excited about is the program that Chris Canel heads up with students and them finding employment. I think that has been just just phenomenal how he's really taken that by the head just to really move forward with that program and open up so many opportunities for kids to be able to find employment. So that's been important for me. I also love the CCP course that the students are able to take advantage of. They're able to of course continue working at towards graduation but as well as earning the associates degree in Miami. So for me those have been two amazing things that stand out to me that I really really really really

117love about our district. So, cuz I've talked to many kids that they're graduating from high school as well as college. And I just think that's phenomenal. And I that's really setting that that child up to really be great. And I think that being a part of those things in the district has been amazing. We have great leadership. We have great leadership with Andrea. We have a great school. We have great schoolboard members that are willing and dedicated to us being great and putting us in the best position as possible. We all know that um districts over all over the nation are facing challenges as it relates to budgets and just everything. And we feel as if district we've done the work. We we are dedicated to coming together and being supportive of our admin team

118and of our leadership to make sure that we are able to continue to position our students to be great, continue to support our teachers and staff and make sure that we continue to do things the Hamilton way. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. Heat. A couple years ago, we had a plan that we wanted to work with a company to start designing a cafeteria that was different than your typical school cafeteria. We wanted it to feel more like a food court and less like your typical long tables, benches, rows. So, we wanted some different types of seating in there. The response has been wonderful, not just from the students, but also from the community. We've had lots of adults in here on open house. We've had other jealous teachers from other buildings that have been telling

119us how great it looks. Uh, so we've had a wonderful response. Honestly, >> it feels more like when we went to Miami, we just got to sit in their cafeteria and it felt just more like mature. And so, it just is really cool that our cafeteria is a lot like that. The kids are doing better this year. Like from last year, we always would get up, scream across the whole lunchroom cuz you couldn't sit with like all your friends. It's like kind of a small space, but now it's like a big All right. I call this business meeting back to order. We'll stand for the pledge of allegiance. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with

120liberty and justice for all. All right. I'll accept a motion to approve the board of education agenda. >> So move. >> Second. >> Mr. Nadiello. >> Mr. Davidson? >> Yes. >> Miss Manuso? >> Yes. >> Dr. Hopkins? >> Yes. And >> Dr. Copus? >> Yes. >> All right. And I will now accept a motion to approve the minutes. So move >> second. Mr. Natiello >> Mr. Davidson. >> Yes. >> Miss Manuso. >> Yes. >> Dr. Hopkins. >> Yes. >> And Dr. Copus. >> Yes. >> We have no public participation tonight. So we will move on to our superintendent comments with Miss Ble. >> Thank you, Dr. Cop Hopkins. Uh just a few brief comments uh this evening. One, I just want to congratulate our entire district on a successful end to the school year. It

121seemed like it got here quicker than it ever I ever could have imagined, but it has been a phenomenal year in spite of everything. So, I thank our board for all of that. I want to give a massive shout out to all of our retirees who we will honor next week at our retirement lunchon. Also, a huge thank you to all of our staff for chipping in to prepare for the moves over this summer. Uh we have a record number of our staff who are coming to be a part of our summer custodial crews to help prepare our buildings and get them ready for 26 27. Um I also just you know in in light of all of the changes that we've g gone through I think it's really important to remind our community that

122Hamilton is going to continue offering amazing opportunities like the young people that we saw earlier today here at our work program. Uh through all of the changes we have not upped our class sizes. We have not cut transportation or extracurriculars or academic opportunities. And so I just thank this board for allowing us to focus on streamlining our cuts to uh to areas that we could lower overhead costs and to continue providing high quality. Now uh that we've hit this summer, our team is going to focus on setting up for a great 26 27. Um, I want to remind all of our families that our open enrollment and special permission application window is still open and active through May 31st. So, if they're interested in applying to either come to Hamilton or to attend a school

123that is not their home building, they need to get those in. Uh, we will plan to communicate with families over the summer for those 26 27 uh assignments. We also I just want to take a moment to wish everyone a joyous and restful summer. Uh, please check out the latest edition of It's Happening in Hamilton, our staff, I'm sorry, our community newsletter for great community activities through Lane Library, our food truck and the city and 17 strong and in the packet that was put together by one of our rockstar parent mentors just with amazing things to do with our kids. I already heard some of our parents at home are counting down the number of days until they can send their kids back to school. I heard 84 was a number last week. Um, we're

124not quite counting down because there's a lot of work to be ready, but there's also a lot of excitement uh that's ahead for us. Uh, this evening, you'll see there are a number of items. I'm not going to go through them as much as I typically do, but just a few key highlights that I always like to point out. One, all of our handbooks are up for approval tonight. Those are our building handbooks and our department handbooks. It's important to have a guide of what our expectations are so that our community can see exactly what we hold ourselves to. You'll also see tonight that there are a number of grants that are up for approval that provide resources and funding to many of our buildings everywhere from Ridgeway to Crawford to the high school. Uh

125so many different agencies out there helping to support us. You'll see in here that we have agreements to provide thirdparty transportation for our homeless students. You'll see there's three separate contracts in there because our services go beyond just to what we do within our four walls. And those while they are a cost, they are needed services to get our kids to and from school every day. You'll also see in here um there are a lot of time a lot of different agreements to renew our programming that we use for kids. As I mentioned before, we are not cutting the amazing academic and extracurricular opportunities. So, as part of the consent agenda tonight, you'll see there's many of items in there. And then I always like to highlight the amazing opportunities that our kids have to

126travel to different places. You'll see there are a number of football camps going to major colleges uh over this summer. You'll also see our NJOTC is competing all over. There's just amazing things going on for our kids even though we are in the summer. Uh and those are my comments this evening. The last thing that I'd just like to point out to the community is that after tonight, we will shift our board meetings to Monday mornings just for the summer alone. We will return back to 4 PM once we get back next August, which is only about 80 days away. So, uh, but those will shift this summer. Those are my comments this evening. >> Thank you, Mrs. Blevens. It's exciting to hear about where the kids are going. Uh, next, I will accept a

127motion to approve the associate superintendent items that include the district handbooks and the healthcare connection. >> So, move. >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> Yes. I have a I have a question. Uh, Mrs. Blevins. Actually, it's more of a confession. I I tried to go through these handbooks. I'm not confident that I could pass an exam on them. But my question is this. If if a parent or someone in the community wanted to get access to this information, how do they do that? >> So, there's two different ways. Great question, Dr. Copus. One, they're available on our website. We also at the beginning of the year um send out that link to all of our families and any family that would like a paper copy just has to come in and request one. >> Thank

128you. All right, Mr. Natiello. >> Okay, Mr. Davidson, >> yes. >> Miss Manuso, >> yes. >> Dr. Hopkins, >> yes. >> And Dr. Copus, >> yes. >> All right. I'll now accept a motion to approve the human resources agenda with personnel items and substitute rates for 2026 27. >> So move. >> Second. >> Any discussion? Um, a question again. I asked Mr. Wright this earlier before the meeting started about was it if you look at that list, you would think it's a high number of resignations, but he explained that actually that's pretty normal for this time of, you know, end of the school year. And what was the number? You told me that teachers that we will be uh positioned will need to fill. >> So, right now, um, Mr. Zary and I were just

129discussing it this morning because it's something that we're presenting to our administrators tomorrow. Um right now we are down to about seven teachers um that we have not recalled from the recall list. Yeah. >> Um we've recalled every single one of our um educational assistants. Um we typically fill about 30 to 45 is kind of the average over the past five to seven years um teaching roles. Um and that doesn't include all the other roles as well. But um it's I would say right now it's a pretty typical year and it actually might be a little bit lower than normal. Um, but I do anticipate that um, as other districts are um, experiencing these same budget challenges, um, there might be a little bit later movement into the summer this year than what we typically

130see in the past. >> Well, I don't know how my fellow board members feel, but I would say only having not recalled seven teachers is unbelievably good. So, thank you for your efforts there. >> Yeah, and Dr. was just to add, I I think we have just a few clerical staff that have not been recalled. Um and you know, when you look at it, we've obviously have some administrators who have not been recalled. We just haven't had much in administrative movement. But um when you when you really look at it kind of total, we're down to about probably 15 to 18 total across the district of the 150ome individuals that have not been recalled or um secured other employment in in other locations. >> All right. Thank you, >> Mr. Nadiello. >> Okay. Miss Manuso.

131>> Yes. >> Mr. Davidson. >> Yes. >> Dr. Copus. >> Yes. >> And Dr. Hopkins. >> Yes. All right. Next up, I will take a motion to approve the consent agenda. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> Yep. I have a a question. I noticed that part under the business operations, we're purchasing three new buses. Man, it is shocking what they cost. But my question is this. Are we under any kind of contractual agreement to buy those buses every year or can we go a year without buying a bus? >> We could go a year without. It's actually part of our capital improvement plan is to constantly instead of uh waiting until a bus goes down, we use our permanent improvement dollars to to every year we allocate a certain dollar amount and

132that's what we refresh so that our fleet is constantly retiring the oldest three buses on the fleet and upgrading. If we ever got to a point, which we won't just with the sheer number of buses that we employ, we could skip a year. There's been years that we have when there's bus shortages, etc. The nice thing is is if we are able to sell back our buses, it lowers that o that cost. If you look in your packet, what it costs versus what we're actually paying. We made some money on the sale the sale of the buses that were Yeah. >> retiring. But there is no requirement for us to do that. >> Okay. I think a couple years ago we decided >> to start replacing every year. >> We did and that's all part

133of that capital improvement plan. That's why, you know, even when you go into our buildings, why they look so beautiful. You know, we make sure that we have, you know, uh buildings that are wellmaintained, a fleet that is running uh you know, at top at top shape. So that that's never a reason on why we can't get kids from point A to point B. Um and we are just very blessed. that is in a very healthy uh process for us that that keeps us literally running on the road. >> Yeah. Well, that's impressive. But I mean, the three buses are almost $400,000. >> That's certainly not pocket change. >> No. Um, also under business operations, I I don't have it pulled up here, but there's a comment there about 17 strong giving a grant of

134$2,500 to cover the U police involvement at the at Garfield during the celebration 250. I want to talk about that for just a second. I had a chance to attend part of that. I want to give principal Margerum and his staff a a ton of credit, but I know I'm forgetting there was another gentleman that was intricately involved in arranging that. >> Mr. Wilson. Matt Wilson. Matt Wilson. So Matt Wilson >> to both of those guys. I mean that that was fantastic. What an effort that they went through to put that on and just really appreciate what they did. But back to 17 strong. um you know that's wonderful for them to help us like that and to basically pay for the police involvement there. So um that it's just another example of how different

135organizations support our district. So thank you very much to 17 strong. Well, you know what? Let me I'm going to piggy back on top of that. Also in there, the Hamilton Community Foundation gave $2,500 to Lynon >> um for kinder kindergarten camp. Now, I'm not familiar with that program, but I know that the um principal um Hazelwood, I wish you were here so she could tell us about that, but >> I can give you a little uh background on that. So, it's actually a kindergarten readiness camp. So, they bring in your incoming kindergarteners for a few days over the summer to do some assessments to make sure they're in the right placement, but it also teaches them about school. How do we sit in the cafeteria? How do we ride a school bus? How do

136we Okay. How do we do um you know, the business of school? There's so many uh hidden rules that go along with becoming a a school student that this opportunity allows kids to come in, lower their nerves, so the start of the school year is great. It's something that other schools in previous years have also done. Um this year with all of the change, some of those schools who have done it before, Fairwood, Riverview, Bridgeport, have decided to take a year off with that just with all of the transition that's going on. But I anticipate that that will continue to be wider throughout the district in future years. >> Well, I know we have thanked them before, but I want to thank them again, the Hamilton Community Foundation and 17 Strong for their support of

137our district. Thank you so much. >> All right, Mr. Mr. Nadiello, I think you can take the vote. >> All right. Miss Manuso, >> yes. >> Mr. Davidson, >> yes. >> Dr. Copus, >> yes. >> And Dr. Hopkins, >> yes. >> And next we have our finance agenda with Mr. Nadiello. So this evening, um, there are three items that are up on the finance agenda. Mr. Frasier sent each of our board members a note about these three items. The first one is the Lane public uh library 2027 tax budget. Um obviously it's recommended that it be presented approved as presented. You'll also see there's confirming requisition here for the bureau's bureau of workers compensation for $14,000. Then I know something that Mr. Frasier always likes to note and and kind of echoes uh Dr. Copus

138what you're sharing is just the generosity in our community, but you can see here the donations that we've taken in which is Amvets, Aspire Volleyball, and then the Miami Red Hawks. Yeah. Um, Mrs. Blevens, I have a comment. Um, thank you to anyone that makes donations to the district, but I want to highlight Amvets. Mr. Nadiello, correct me if I'm wrong here. A couple years ago, they donated over $200,000 to our NJOC program, which is a ridiculously unbelievable amount of a donation. Uh, they they're not able to do that level anymore. certainly understand that. But we were just discussing a moment ago this year, this academic year, they've donated almost $70,000 still to that program. That is unbelievable. So, thank you very much to the Amvet Post 1983, which is over on Ross Avenue. So,

139that's that's unbelievable support. >> All right. Motion to approve the finance agenda as presented. >> So, move. >> Have a second. I cannot second. >> Um, second. >> Any more discussion, >> Mr. Natiello? >> Mr. Davidson. >> Yes, >> Dr. Copus. >> You know, let me ask a question, Mrs. Blevens and Miss Manuso. Also, before I cast a vote here, my wife is on the Lane Public uh library board. >> She doesn't she doesn't receive any compensation for being a part of that. So your vote does not um Mrs. Manuso is recommended to abstain because she's an employee of the library. >> Okay. Well then >> but you are just fine. >> Okay then. Yes. >> And Dr. Hopkins. >> Yes. >> And Miss Manusa will abstain. >> I abstain. Y >> is I see

140our next when our next board meeting and Dr. Hopkins is going to announce that. You had mentioned previously that we're going to start meeting on Mondays at 9. Next meeting is Tuesday. >> Tuesdays at 9. >> Okay. You had said Monday. >> You did. Yeah, >> that was that was a it's six o'clock. >> Okay. I just want to clarify that. >> You are correct. It's Tuesday. I apologize. >> And just note I will not be at the next meeting. >> All right. So, as is our tradition, I will take a motion to adjurnn. I motioned. I second. >> Well, our next meeting will be Tuesday, June 9th at 9:00 a.m. and there will be a special business meeting at that time as well. Thank you. We'll see you here at 533 Dayton Street, Hamilton,

141Ohio 455011 on Tuesday, June 9th at 9:00 a.m.