001with students wav Blair, Brier Davis, Ava Johnson, Paisen Risner, and Cara E. Turner. So, uh, thank you, Kirk Cameron, middle school principal. I have four students here with me tonight, and to be quite honest, I'm going to pass the mic off to them because you'd rather hear them than me. So, um, I do have, uh, Gordon V Blair, Brier Davis, uh, they're both eighth graders. And then Payton Risner and Ked Turner are both seventh graders. So, KMH Ambassadors, I'm Brier Davis. I'm Mason Risner. I'm K Turner. And I'm Glenn Blair. What do we have to do? Our purpose and our mission mission is to ride to provide a welcoming welcoming and supportive environment for our students at Kenton Middle School. Our goal is to make transformation transformation to the elementary school to the middle school
002easier for students. Our core core value is to create a safe space and welcoming atmosphere for every student at Ken Middle School. Why student ambassadors? The reason why we have student ambassadors is because to make it more like so people feel more welcome more than rather than just teachers welcoming students because when it's students themselves it feels more welcoming and personal than the student than the teachers doing it. Our key roles and responsibility. Sixth grade orientation. Sixth grade orientation is when we bring in fifth graders to get a taste of what middle school is like before they come in to be our future sixth graders. Peer mentoring, giving tours to the incoming new students and going through their schedule and showing them and making them UNC making them comfortable in our school. We also greet
003parent greet people at parent teacher and conferences. Here's some photos that we've that we took on sixth grade orientation day. We have some photos of people touring like ambassadors and what the fifth graders looked like. And you'll also see photos of people on the stage. that is dimensions which is our middle school showc where they go around and um compete with other schools to do to sing and dance and perform and that's the presenters and then there's cafeteria workers and groups being toured and then we have some students with their siblings and then dimensions is also on the stage and then what we were doing after we toured the fifth graders Moving forward in our goals for ambassadors. Welcoming everyone to K. Welcome welcoming to everyone to our Wildcat family. Okay. Moving forward, something we
004want to do is called micromanaging mentorship. And this what what this would be is on Fridays, we'd have like for all new students, you'd get like a group of three to five people and you'd go and you'd sit with them at lunch and answer any questions they have about the school and just get to know them so they don't feel as like like this is like a big thing for them. that they don't feel like they're drowning in the big water. Thank you. Are there any questions you guys like to ask us? I'll start. Does anybody want to share why you wanted to be an ambassador? I wanted to be an ambassador because I wanted to show like the new kids seem that it's not scary to be in a new school. Um, I wanted
005to be an ambassador because I remember when I was in sixth grade, I was really, really scared to go into middle school and I remember not having many good guides when I went. So, I really wanted to be a good guide and a welcoming comfort for those incoming fifth graders. I wanted to be an ambassador cuz I like helping people and making friends and that's a good way to um I wanted to be an ambassador because I wanted to help and show them that they can have people to ask questions and not be scared to ask questions. How does one become an ambassador? Um, how you become an ambassador is in the beginning of the year you go on a form and you answer certain questions that our um, mentor Ashley Ward sends out. She
006is our school guidance counselor and it has certain questions like what are you involved in outside of school? What are your grades? Uh, teacher recommendations and then each teacher in your grade goes over it. Every single one put in from your grade and they pick certain students that they think would be a good guide and Mrs. board goes over them and then you have your ambassadors picked and then once you are picked you have your first meeting and you are are able to be chosen if you want to be a presenter or a tour guide. Um there's a majority of the group 80% are tour guides and 20% are presenters. Uh tour guides take a group of fifth graders and there's different rounds and they take them around the school and they tour them and
007presenters present a slideshow about different facts about the middle school and fun things about our staff members. So, does this transition to KHS ambassadors then? Um, is there a high school? There there is a high school mentor. They showed us around for um 8th grade orientation a couple weeks ago when we were getting ready to go into our freshman year and they showed us around and showed us some of the classes that we were able to assist in. Any more questions? All right. If you guys would stay up there for me though, you're getting your picture taken from electric board. So use the chalkboard there. Thank you for coming in, ladies. You guys sit at the front. You guys Thank you. Back like you've done this before. That's all. Yeah. All right. We're ready. One,
008two, three. One more time. All right. Thank you very much. Great job. Thank you. You too. This is like really formal. Sorry. Um, so my name is Mark Schumer. I am running for Harden County auditor uh this coming May primary. Uh, the current auditor, uh, Mike Bacon is retiring after 31 years. So, uh, Mike is somebody that I talk to on a on a regular basis. um when I found out he didn't have a succession plan kind of in place, we spent some more time talking and I saw this as an opportunity to um step forward and continue to help the community and uh so that's why I decided to run for the position. I am a lifetime Harden County resident, born and raised here, a 1993 graduate of Kenton High School. Don't judge me
009by Mr. Styer. After I graduated from Kenton, I went to Try University, which was Tri-State back in back in my day. I got a bachelor's of science and business administration degree, then on to Michigan State University where I received my jurist doctorate, my law degree. After I graduated from Michigan State, moved back to Kenton. I've been operating out of um the same office with my father, now my brother, uh for the past 20ome years um as a private practice attorney. So, the county auditor, um, honestly, I I don't need to probably explain too much of that, especially Miss Smith, Mr. Thrush, you guys, uh, deal with, uh, Mr. Bacon on a regular basis. You understand, uh, what goes on between the school and the auditor's office. Uh, but in addition to, uh, those duties, uh,
010the auditor is in charge of payroll for the county and make sure that bills are paid for the county. uh your weights and measures of your gas tanks as long as they're making sure that they're pumping, you know, properly, your dog tags, and then of course most importantly and the hot button topic that everyone's talking about now is uh real estate valuations and and real estate uh you know tax leans. So with that kind of breath of duties uh through the auditor's office, it's important that whoever is going to step into that position um have an understanding of local government, have an understanding of governmental accounting, which is significantly different from uh private accounting, um have some understanding about uh real estate. So I believe that um my legal career has put me in position
011to uh step into that role uh in good measure. uh there's not going to be anyone that's going to step into the auditor's position that that is going to be able to take that over from day one and know everything that goes on. There's just too much going on there. But with a a good, you know, background, I think that um you have an opportunity to step in and and not, you know, fall behind early on. So, I am the attorney for the villages of Dunkirk and Mount Victory. I'm the zoning and nuisance officer for Cessna and Dudley Township. and I am the attorney for the upper sided drainage conservancy district which they're in charge of uh the cider river as it runs through uh the district and through the county. So with all of
012those meetings obviously I'm sitting in uh on the financial discussions financial decision- making. So I'm very aware of how government works very aware of governmental accounting. I'm sometimes a little too aware of it sometimes on the legal side but but that's how that goes and and it's good to have that background I believe in addition uh on the legal side a lot of my practice revolves around uh real estate transfers so I understand real estate valuation uh I also understand that when you find some skewed valuations and how that'll affect the entire county so the legislature has given uh the auditor's office a little bit more power. You know, there's been some reforms in the past year uh to try and keep um more accurate valuations, try and keep um the misuse of tax dollars
013down. uh the budget commission which is Harden County prosecutor, Harden County treasurer, and then the the auditor. They have some additional powers now where they can um pull out transfers that uh come in significantly outside of uh what a normal valuation would be. Um typically around here, you're seeing farmland 10 to $15,000. Um what you're starting to see is some some oddballs that come in. uh if you look down around the Columbus area like a where the data center will come in for example there can be premiums of sometimes around $100,000 an acre. So if that transfer comes in and is used as part of the valuation for everyone else's property in the county that's going to artificially raise everyone's values and now you're going to be paying more taxes when your value is not
014necessarily of that level. So, it's important that whoever's in that auditor's position um has ability to realize that's a that's a crazy transfer. That's not something that should be included in the reevaluation as it's sent down and needs to be pulled out. So, that's just an example of of you know the knowledge that's needed stepping into that office. So, outside of um my legal career, uh I sit on numerous local, state, and national boards. Uh probably the most applicable is United Soccer Coaches, which is the world's largest coaching organization. We operate with a multi-million dollar budget. Uh I was part of the team that was brought in last year as a new board um to kind of write the ship. Uh the organization had gone through uh a number of years of mismanagement to the
015point that they were um facing bankruptcy. um short period of time we turned that around to where uh we're now turning a million-dollar budget this past year. So we've done uh at least from my point of view a fantastic job of not slashing services uh to our members and providing transparency to our members and providing value uh for what they're doing. U the reason I see that's important uh in relation to the auditor's position is that's a little bit of what the auditor needs to do for the general public. You know they need to make it known to the public of this is what your dollars are going for when you go in and you you sell your house. You know why are you paying $4 a th you know a dollar four excuse me
016a dollar a thousand on your transfer tax. Why are you paying that current money? Where does it go? where the money, the finances go for the county. And not everyone that is looking for that information is savvy enough to understand a a financial statement, you know, a balance sheet. So the information needs to be presented in a way publicly that is easy for anyone to digest and with the new changes they're making um currently in the office uh with their computer programs and it gives us the ability I believe to provide that kind of transparency on a regular basis for everyone to see it. They understand where their money is going. Um and we're being very transparent with uh with the public. So, um, again, I I think that's, uh, kind of where I come
017from and and the position that that I'm coming into this. Um, and, uh, you know, I I would appreciate everyone's support, uh, on May 5th. So, any questions. All right. I appreciate your time. Thank you. And look forward to working with the guys. Okay. Item number six, reports of the treasurer. Um, we have while the auditors have finally kind of wrapped up our audit, just waiting on the formal report to come back. Um, I did ask if anyone was interested in a post audit. I think I've heard from most of you. I'm not sure, Rodney, if you were interested. Okay. Um, so I'll let him know that it honestly it was a it was a clean audit. just a couple of uh little housekeeping things that they got, like I said, really nitpicky about, but
018other than that, it was a clean audit. Um, next month, I will pre be presenting another five-year. We don't have to, but I want to make sure that our income tax at the end of this month is reported so we can see where we're at. And I'm just going to kind of give you a little overview of what's to come with our budgets for next year. Um, we've got a math curriculum and an ELA curriculum that's going to cost us at least 500,000. And then we've got Chromebooks, um, in the cycle and another 500,000. So, you're going to see at least two items in the, um, supplies, well, one supply, one equipment that are going to increase our budget by total of a million dollars for next year. So, that's a big chunk of change
019um, dipping into our general fund. Um, it's a cyclical thing. We anticipate that and we're just happen to be on one of those cycles for the next year. Um, so you'll see that next month. That's really all I have. All right. Thanks, Joe. Motion. Thanks, Rodney. Sty. Thanks, Mike. Mr. Hel, Mrs. Hidinger. Yes. Mr. Ledley. Yes. Mr. Styer. Yes. Okay. Item number seven as superintendent reports. Yep. And we went ahead and typed it out. Um again, this is a matter of formality, but if you're going to rehire someone that retires from the school system, you have to post that and make that public. And so, we're just making sure that people know that there will be a public hearing, which is an opportunity to speak for anybody that uh has any concerns at our next
020board meeting. So, that'll be the May 18th board meeting. Just want to make sure people know that. Outside of that, I just wanted to give a quick shout out to our all those that were involved in our musical. Um, I know several of you were there and saw it or whatever, but wow, it was over the top and and just because the kids put the work into it to make it that way. So, very impressed. And even as they were showing some of the pictures of as they were going around and touring uh the new building, you could see the performing arts with the lights and everything in the background. It's just it's still kind of surreal that we have that the capabilities uh that we do now in that new building. was pretty awesome.
021So that's it. Um I think I just added that real quickf last Thursday as well. That was uh very well done. Very well done. I think all the kids did fantastic job. Colt put a little extra time into that one too for some reason. I don't know. FFA, but it was really good. Put an extra spin on that. But it it was very well done. Very good. And that's another one that for a while. Yep. And the kids uh run that one from start to finish. I mean, they're the ones that So, that was really makes it very impressive. Very, very well done. So, all right. Um item number eight, uh committee reports on that minute. Um so, the biggest ones that I would point out, which are under 10A, um is we will be
022adopting a new policy for NIL. Um, so you guys want more information on that? See me. Um, and the other one is public participation in the board meetings. Uh, we're going to ask that you're a resident of the school district, um, parent or guardians of students in the district, an employee in the district, individuals with business ownership in the district, or elected appointed officials that are in the district as well. So, they're the biggest ones. A lot of them we just are already policies in place that we just had to, you know, redo the wording. All right. Thanks, Parks and Wreck. Yeah, you can. Oh, yeah. Parks and wreck. The biggest thing from that one was um Glendale Park isn't used for anything anymore. And that uh the city was leasing it for a dollar
023a year and then it fell back to us because they didn't want to deal with it anymore. Uh it's a big open space. Um, in fact, it took me a minute to find it because there wasn't any equipment or anything on there. It's just a big old pole and where a basketball court used to play at B. So, uh, that falls back to us, uh, to decide what we want to do with it. Uh, and that's the biggest thing. Thanks, Mike. Okay. Um, item nine, there's no old business motion. Nope. Uh, new business. Item 10, authorizations and resolutions. Um item 10A is just to approve approve to adopt, revise, replace, read the following board of education policies and bylaws. And Tasha just uh spoke on a couple of those. Um item 10B is to approve
024approve to adopt, revise, replace, delete the following board of education administrative guidelines and forms. Um item 10 C is to approve the recognition of teacher appreciation week May uh the week of May 4th through May 8th. Um item 10B is to approve the following trips. Um KHS OP FFA uh to the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, Ohio for the Ohio FFA Convention. And then uh KHS BPA to Gay Ward Operland, Nashville, Tennessee for the BPA Nashville Leadership Conference. Um item 10E is to approve the following donations. uh Bob and Jill Simmons to KMS and $140 in memory of Sheena Pel and there's some donations also going to the quiz bowl. Um item 10 F is to approve the renewal of the voluntary uh student accident insurance with Guaranteed Trust Life Insurance Company. Um item 10
025G is to approve the following resolution um effective April 20th uh with K City Schools Board of Education agrees to pick up the total amount of employee contributions uh required by section 3726. Item 10H is to approve the contract between uh BTH and Master and Sven Driving School and Kent City Schools for the Renault classroom at the Kenton Middle High School for the driver education program. Uh from May 1st through April 30th, 2027. Um item 10 I is to approve the agreement between James and Road State College and Kent City Schools for college credit college critical plus courses for the 2026 2027 school year. Um item 10J is to approve the bus transportation agreement between Ohio High Point and Ken City Schools for the 2627 school year. Um item 10K is to approve the following
026sliding fee schedule for preschool students. Um, item 10L is to approve the following amended appropriations. That looks like we're just going to need some funds. Yeah, we're spending some things, so I've got to increase the appropriations for it. Okay. Um, item 10 M is to approve the following certificate resources. Um item 10N is to approve the Amplify Desmos math resources for the for grades K through five uh four-year bundle that includes both digital imprint for the core curriculum uh math diagnostic intervention and professional development for teachers during implementation of that you mentioned before that's one of them um item 10 O is to approve the following resolution of urgent necessity Uh whereas the board needs to install new or additional lights for its high school soccer field before the fall before the 2026 fall season.
027Uh item 10P is to approve the one-year KA teacher agreement for July 1st, 2026 through June 3rd, 2027. Any discussion on any of that? Uh just to recognize the loss of Jim. Uh she was a gem. I've known her a long time. Kent girl work knew her from working at the library when I was younger and you know she work for us at the high school at the for the school system and she was a wild cat and I was very sad to see her at the loss loss of her. So condolences to her family and everybody who knew her. She was a gem. Former board president was on on our board. Yep. Heidinger for a motion. Thanks for Mr. Ledley. Yes. Mr. Styer. Yes. Mr. Hel. Yes. Mrs. Hidinger. Yes. Okay. Item number 11,
028personnel items. Item 11 A is to approve the non-renewal of the employee and non-employee supplemental contracts at the end of the 2526 school year. And you see that list there, really large list. Um, item 11 C is to approve Christian Murphy as KCS assistant maintenance position. Um, item 11D is to approve the following subsidies for the 2025 to 2026 school year. Um, item 11E is to approve Randy Joe Clemens for KMHs central office second shift custodian. Item 11 F is to approve Sophia Bicker, a math teacher for a limited one-year contract for the 2026 27 school year. Um item 11 G is to approve the written retirement of Lisa Copenberger, um administrative assistant. Um and Lisa has been with Kay Schools for 17 years. So we thank her for her many years of service and
029dedication. Um item 11H is to approve the written resignation of Sarah White um KES educational assistant. Um any discussion on any of that motion? Motion for Styer. Thanks Mike. Heinger. Thanks Tasha. Mr. Styer. Yes. Mr. Hel. Yes. Mrs. Hidinger. Yes. Mr. Ledley. Yes. Um item item 12 was an addendum. Uh 12A is to approve the quote from county electric for the light tower uh fixture installation and associated electrical work at the soccer field to be done without work to be done. Thanks Rodney Styer. Thanks Mike. Mr. Hel. Yes. Mrs. Hidinger. Yes. Mr. Ludley. Yes. Mr. Styer. Yes. Um item 13 is approve approved to go into a executive session to discuss the sale of property to prepare for collective bargaining strategy and administrative contracts. Time uh 6:30 motion. Thanks. Go ahead. Thanks, Mr. Hel. Yes.
030Mrs. Hidinger. Yes. Mr. Ledley. Yes. Mr. Styer. Yes. Okay. The next regular board of education meeting will be held on May 18th, 2026 at 6