001Good evening. Tonight is Monday, July 7th, and welcome to the Lakewood Board of Education meeting. Um, a regular meeting. Uh, first, uh, we will have a call to order. Um, do I need to after do the roll compression. Mrs. Katsenberger here. Mrs. Shaughnessy here. Mrs. Clark Sutton here. Mr. Callian here. And now uh we need uh I'd like a motion to appoint a treasurer prom for this meeting. Motion. Okay. Thank you. It's been moved and seconded. Uh can uh Miss Kiff, can you call the role? Miss Katenberger. I. Mrs. Shaughnessy. Hi. Mrs. Clark Sutton. I Mr. Callahan. Hi. Hi. So, it has been passed. Uh, so I would invite everybody to join me in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for
002which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Excellent. Next, can I have uh a motion for the adoption of the agenda? I move adoption of the agenda is presented. Second. It's been moved and seconded. Miss Kundiff, can we can you please call the role? Mrs. Katzenberger, I. Mrs. Shaughnessy, I. Mrs. Clark Sutton, I. Mr. Callahan, I. Thank you. Um, next we can I have an a motion to for the approval of the minutes. So moved. Do we have I don't Oh, don't we have Sorry. Um, moving right along to the superintendent report. Good evening, President Kenberger, Vice President Shaughnessy, distinguished board members, assistant treasurer, Miss Kundiff. Uh, good to see you. Uh, it is my pleasure to introduce uh again this year our athletic director, Mr. Rap Sloan. [Applause]
003Thank you, Superintendent Nwiki, Assistant Treasurer Emily Kundiff, President Katzenburgger, Vice President Shaughnessy, and distinguished board members. I've been invited here to recognize the efforts of some of our amazing student athletes and the coaches that help them achieve their goals this year. The Lakewood track programs, both boys and girls, continue to grow exponentially. During a time where many programs see their numbers declining, the culture of our track programs continue to attract athletes and provide them with an opportunity to grow as athletes and people. It's a testament to coach Tulle and her staff, and I could not be more proud to be associated with this group of individuals. Before I bring up coach Tulle, I'd like to say just a couple things about Sharion and her grit. Um, if you know anything about track athletes, a lot
004of times they're multiaceted. They're not just really good at one event, they're good at several events, but they're typically really, really good at one event. So Sharion's really, really good event is the 100 meter hurdles. So going into the district, she won the district championship and she finished with a second the second fastest time in the state of Ohio in the 100 meter hurdles getting ready for regionals. So her mindset was I'm going to win a state championship in the 100 meter hurdles. So we go to the regionals at Port Clinton and they use a new starting system this year which is a beep instead of a a gun which is typically what they use. And the 100 meter hurdles is basically the second race that goes off. The first one is a distance race
005where they're not all geared up and you know they're just sort of standing up ready to run. But in her race it's a sprint so she's in a starting blocks and the beep hasn't started but the little girl next to her twitches a little bit and Sharion jumps and gets disqualified. So at that time her hopes for a division one state championship in the 100 meter hurdles is vanished. So being Sharion, she put her head down, maybe cried a little bit for about two or three minutes and then gathered herself and an hour later broke the school record in the 300 meter hurdles and qualified for the 300 meter hurdles and the long jump in the state tournament this year. So just to say something a little bit about her grit. So with that being
006said, I'd like to bring up coach Steph Tulle who was the CWC coach of the year this year as well. [Applause] Um, thank you for inviting us again. It's always an honor. We appreciate everybody who takes the time to uh bring these athletes up. I didn't realize how emotional I'd feel when Robert probably told that story. But um like to take a um but you know the um conference title that our girls won um you know and you get to be coach of the year and yada yada but you know there's I always forget 14 events in track in Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So you can't win a conference title with one coach. you know, there's five of us that work tirelessly and um through all the disciplines, the throws, the jumps, the distance, and the
007sprints and hurdles. Um, you know, we scored in every single event at conference and um you know, we laid things out. We knew it would be close. We've been chasing River and uh Bay and Westlake and one year by year we're passing one up, but we you know, River, they just have such an established track program. um so well coached, so much respect for them. Um so we just knew, you know, it could go swing one way or another, right? And so everybody who uh had a setback and we had one, you know, a hurdler happened to be a dog lead and her sister just completely face planted over the last hurdle and she was going to finish, I don't know, third or fourth and anyway, so you swing up six, you swing down and
008but then our little freshman throwers came through. But the point is that you don't you can't do this or achieve this just it wasn't even remotely me. I just put it together surrounding myself with amazing people who love track, love working with young adults and love what they do. So Austin and Adam and Sheena and Rachel um really they're the ones who it should be coaches of the year because track you cannot do it with one. It takes so many. So I'm super grateful. It was a lot of fun. and the girls had a lot of fun and um it was neat because even the boys team really celebrated with us because you know we compete together eat on those nights. So so that was a big honor. So thank you for the recognition. I
009appreciate it. Um but we're here to celebrate Charie and she's had an illustrious wonderful four-year career. Um but as people know it wasn't like she was this sparky little freshman like she always had talent, right? And everyone thinks, oh, you know, I've often talked with this with uh Lena. Um, you know, they, oh, you have a talented mom and dad, athletic, but you know what? You got to have hard work, too, right? I mean, you have good genetics, but beyond all that, without hard work and the ability to come back after setbacks, you can't get to where she got and achieve what she got. Um, and and um, you know, there had been a prelude sophomore year finals in the 100 meter hurdles. She clipped the last hurdle, went down, took like 11th and didn't
010make it to regionals, right? And she was like definitely ranked top four. Um 300 hurdles that same day. Couple, you know, an hour later she clipped like that fifth hurdle and and that one they had to peel her off the track, right? And um that was another regional birth missed. So, you know, she didn't make the 4x two when we went to nationals that year. She was devastated, right? But there were four girls ahead of her. But she just stuck her head down, stayed focused, trusted that her time would come. You know, we had lots of tears behind the scenes like, I want to try this, I want to do that. We need you here, we need you here. You know, when you when you coach a team, you don't get to just do whatever
011you want. Like sometimes you got to run this or you got to run that because we need points here or there because ultimately you're trying to represent Lakewood with the best product, right? And Charie always bought in. So um I think she leaves behind that that um spreading that to the other girls understanding you know we need you got run where we need you jump where we need you just trust us right and she did so um she had had the goal all along to break the 300 hurdles right that was like the last three years her thing and then she was really breaking through this year 60 and feeling that speed and then she just really clipped with that 100 right and then she's like I can break that record like we we knew
012that was an that was a 47 year old record, right? 47 years that that hund that record stood um and that girl was an amazing athlete for Lakewood. So, you know, so then, you know, let's let's go for that, right? So, we did some hundreds and did some, you know, things like that. And so, when she had that that devastating, oh, we just stood there was like, oh, you know, and they're so unforgiving. It's like, sorry, dream's over. You're out. Let's start the race. Right? There was no, you know, charging the field like they used to and then, you know, they're not sophisticated enough to jump to throw other kids off. That's just not what high school kids do. Maybe at the pro level, right? But so anyway, so you know, and oh, and people
013in the crowd gasped and coaches who'd been watching her were like, "Oh my gosh, you know, this." So went to the tent, had her time. After about 15 minutes, like, "All right, you got to get your crap together." Like, cuz you you this isn't you're not done. Like, you're gifted. You came here in three events, so let's not waste these opportunities. Cuz she had shifted loving that those hundreds like she was going for a state title. I was like, "Let's just, you know, you tried. You've been chasing this dag on 300s. Just go for it. The weather's perfect. You know, just just go do what you do, right?" And dog on it, she did it. And that was I mean, you have I mean to tell you that was probably the probably in 35 years
014of coaching when that is probably the most devastating I ever think had witnessed personally as a kid uh coach a kid just lose a dream like right there. Bye-bye. I've never had a kid like in final that big. Right. Dual meets even then. I don't even know why they deumin a dual meet because it's a dual meet. But anyway, uh that's a whole another conversation. But um and that whole starter thing, right? So um because you use a the regular pistol the whole year all of a sudden they don't tell us and you know we're not whining about it but the reality is it's very odd when you just hear and it's not even like at the Olympic level where um they have tons of speakers and they probably have a $50,000 this is like
015a $1,500 little you know. So it it um but it shook a lot of kids and they really had to pay attention you know and and um be guarded with that. Um we did watch a top rated uh four girls 4x1 get DQed right in front of us not that much later and it's just wow I'm just thinking at the state level like geez just charge the field and then go from there right but anyway um but she did those three hurdles and then then she came back and just she didn't jump a very good first long jump but that's just like she wanted to I was like this is four years you you don't have time to cry you don't you got to do this this is not for me not for lakewood this
016is what you've been working on, right? And so she went back and breathed and trusted what we'd been telling her to do and, you know, pull her hips forward, yada yada, and PR, PR, PR, like her next three two jumps, made the finals, and then it would it took 18 feet, more than she jumped 18 feet, one and a quarter, which was a another PR. Her last three were all PRs in those in the finals, but the first five girls jumped over 18 feet. So she she took fourths as 18 feet one and a quarter and uh made it to the state meet. So tragedy with the 100 then she made the state in two other events was just it was spectacular. So uh went down there and she had a great run at it
017and ran a really good 300 hurdles and um and jumped really well in the long jump and even there it was so competitive. Um and you know sh never makes anything easy. you know, jump in and everything's electronic. So, we could literally see on her phones, okay, she's in third and then she's seventh and n yada moving right and just like you just every time she jumped, someone else jumped further and you know, but then in the end um she made that podium and was all all state for the long jump which she didn't I don't know if she even jumped once or twice last year, right? because there were two other girls jumping cadence and and someone else and Charie was focusing on a few other events, right? So, so here she virtually takes
018a year off long jump and it wasn't even an event going into indoor she was considering, you know, that was like just let's get back to long jump, right? You can't run four races, but you're too talented not to do four things, right? So, anyway, it was a great run at state and I forget what you were in in the 300 lows um overall. 13th. Yeah. Yeah. Real good. But that even that record she broke, she destroyed it again then on that Friday night at regionals. Um way down by more than a second. Um and that stood I forget how long that record was. It was a long time. Um so anyway, so she walks away with both of those hurdle records after all. And we traveled to nationals and went to um Philadelphia and
019that was a great experience. And she was like 72nd. She ran great. was but she was just soaked it in like paying attention to times and you know I think the first eight girls her uh school record is 1415 right and that you know heading as a state meet that was the second fastest time in the state of Ohio every single girl that finished and this is the nation mind you they were like 1365 and quicker like the top eight girls it was but it was but she so appreciated their talent that it wasn't like it was like wow like this is so awesome and and she was she knew like famous people who ran here. It was really neat experience. And we brought a freshman too, Ivory. Um I always pronounce her Gunka Won.
020Yep. Yep. She um qualified as a freshman in the discus and did phenomenal. It was so exciting. That's such a uh she's thrown well over 100 feet. So she's going to chase that record next year. It's I think 117. Um but she she had a great experience. It was great. Her dad and Coach Rachel was thrilled. So, um, but anyway, sorry, what else do we want to say about you? She has a full ride to, uh, Xavier University in New Orleans. Um, between her academics and her, um, track career, she has she has a full ride, so we're excited. It's going to be far away, but nice and hot. Um, and she's going to be a multi-athlete, so they'll have her in the heptathlon, the pentathlon, because she can she's well-rounded. So, um, come on
021up, sh. And then I she got this wonderful recognition from um Nikki Antonio right from the state of Ohio, a citation recognizing your athletic achievements and state qualification for track. So Mr. Sloan wanted me to give you that. So anyway, it's never goodbye. It's just see you later and you know it's been a joy to coach her and and uh just see you grow because you trusted and worked hard, worked really hard. So thank you. [Applause] We also have a certificate from the board as well for you. And I have to say I did have my own uh Sharion Boxley experience. the one day, you know, we get to go to a lot of things and the one day we were at the Westshore Career Tech uh passport ceremony where you were the student of
022the year and gave a beautiful speech and then few hours later there was a League of Women Voters Scholarship event where she graciously accepted a um scholarship and then that was the day that you guys went on to win the conference championship. I'm like, it is Sharian Dxley day in Lakewood, Ohio and just graciously uh just, you know, showed up for everything and did a wonderful job. So, um, you've just been an asset to Lakewood your whole time. So, congratulations. I think we want to have some and, uh, I think this is a family event, so come on up, everybody. It was one day. I was like, "Oh my gosh, this does everybody realize this is all happening in one day." It was amazing. What's that? Yeah. Yes. Absolutely. They're gonna love. Okay. Next up,
023I'd like to read a couple of statistics regarding our baseball team. These were compiled by Lakewood's number one fan, Dr. Charles Greenoff. Um, one of his bullet points said, "This historic season, the Rangers reached the Elite 8, winning the district title for the first time since 1993 and were regional se or regional finalists for the first time since 1989. They were 42 and 12 over the last two seasons, the highest winning percentage over two seasons in the past 50 years. The Rangers were 4-0 against the rugged Southwest Conference and had signature wins over Avon Lake, Avon, the school on Detroit, and North Canton Hoover. The Lakewood Rangers have been playing baseball for over a hundred years. Only one other team in 1949 went further in the state tournament than this team did. Every great program
024has someone steering the ship and our Rangers have had the pleasure of playing for an alumni, a great coach, and a great human being, head coach Grant Graves. [Applause] Thank you for having us tonight. It's uh great to be back this year. I think um this time last year we came and and spoke with all of you and honored our our team winning the uh GLC East Championship and and I think somewhere in in my long drawn out speech we talked about coming back in 2025. So it's great to be back. Thank you all for having us and congrats to Shie and Coach Tulle. And um I just loved uh the last four years watching Shie uh still working out there late into the spring season, especially this year. We were kind of practicing late
025in May at the same time and watching her just pull those hurdles out by herself and you know knowing how much motivation that must take and hard work and so congratulations to you and to the team and we're going to miss seeing you out there that late in May and getting ready to do some great things. So, congrats and um best of luck next year and and uh just to speak about our team a little bit. Um like like coach Sloan said and Dr. G uh you know uh historically puts together you know this was a historic season for a number of reasons and um I think you know more than anything just such an enjoyable ride. Uh you know I've been a part of Lakewood baseball for a long time. It's it takes sometimes
026a year like this to kind of put it all in perspective. But um as a player, as an admirer, when I was going through the Lakewood City Schools District and saying, "Man, I can't wait to play for the high school team." And being an assistant coach and now being the head coach, it's been quite a ride to get to this point. And um to be able to coach a group of guys like this um usually only happens once in a coaching career or so. And um just to take that all in and be here in front of you again this year is an incredibly rewarding experience. I can't thank these guys enough for how much hard work they've put into this. Um, you know, to get to the Elite 8 is an incredible accomplishment, but
027I I think to do it the way that these players have done it, um, to handle the adversity that they did, to have the year that they did, uh, to beat our rival, um, to play well within our conference, um, it it takes a lot to do that. Baseball is a very funny and and difficult sport. A lot can happen, um, within the just the, you know, uh, small details of the game. So, for us to be, excuse me, 23 and eight, um, you know, play the most, uh, baseball games ever in the history of Lakewood High School, uh, 31 games, to be together for that long of a season was just so rewarding. Um, thank you to all of you for your support. We went on our first ever out of state trip as
028a team. We went to South Carolina, uh, Myrtle Beach. Uh, that trip, I I really credit it with helping us come together as a team. Um, spend that time together, get closer. Um, and you can see when we came back, you know, we we go on a pretty good little run there. We beat St. Ed's, uh, beat Buckeye, who was one of our main rivals in the conference, and it really just kind of propelled us. So, that time away, that that faith that the school district shows in the team. Um, it can't be overstated how much that meant to us to just be able to go across state lines, only be with each other, and really just go down there. We were 301 in Myrtle Beach. Uh, we didn't get to go on the go-karts.
029Uh, we were going to go on the go-karts if we were 4-0, so that was regrettable. But um you know we had just had a wonderful experience and that was our only time that you know that was our first time across state lines and things like that. So it was really rewarding to go um and you know just to to have this group and watch them handle all these things. I think it's so um such an incredible poster board for the school, right? Because we I've seen them grow up. I've seen them handle adversity. I've seen them achieve great things. You know, you talk about the vision of a Lakewood graduate and it's it's tough. I teach myself and it's tough to see that in the classroom sometime but to watch these guys navigate the
030outside world whether it's on a trip or you know to go to the state playoffs and do what we were able to do. It takes a lot of those skills that we're trying to impart within these young men. So it was awesome to see. Um we're so incredibly proud of our seniors uh from the senior class. Logan and uh Peter are here with us tonight. Our two seniors that were able to come here. Uh one of our seniors just just had knee surgery today from the season. So we're wishing him well. Um, but the senior class is just awesome for a number of reasons. I think it paints an incredible mosaic of Lakewood High School. Um, you know, we have, uh, students that are going to go on out of state. Uh, Pete's going to
031go to Yukon next year, um, and do incredible things in academics. Uh, we have, you know, uh, players that are going to go on to the next level. Logan and, uh, Leo Sonison are going to go play at Mount Union next year. But we also have, you know, stu uh student athletes that are going to go into the fire academy, become EMS, um, you know, paramedics, they're going to become, uh, physical therapists. You know, they said their experience working with coach Popio in the weight room, coach Jimmy Gajooki, who, uh, we can't credit enough for our success this season. I mean, it's been an incredible investment in our student athletes. So, big thank you there. um you know, but we're going to have our seniors go on and do so many wonderful things in their
032next chapter of their life. And baseball is a great, you know, way to kind of have be a conduit to that. But, um to watch these guys go on and chase, you know, their next chapter, their next dreams has been incredibly rewarding. So, the class 2025, um you know, huge to our success. We wish them the best. Um excited to watch Logan and Leo next year play. But, um this is the part of the speech where I pivot to next year and I hope we can join you guys again in 2026. It's going to be a great year. Um we have a lot of our juniors here in attendance today. Another wonderful senior class coming up, the class of 2026. Um Drew uh Jones there, he just committed to play at uh Bowling Green uh
033next year. Um excuse me, in two years uh for them uh at the division one level. So super excited for him on that. Um he was all state this year. Cooper Russell, a junior, was all state this year. They're here tonight. um they were all state um for prep baseball report for the for the association. So just uh a super um exciting thing to have all these guys coming back and being able to watch them uh you know try to best the class of 2025 and have that little rivalry, but the bar has been set high and we we hope to join you in a meeting in late July next year. So thank you so much for having us tonight. We really appreciate it. Congratulations you guys. Coach, here's a thank you. Certificate. I I
034don't know if you guys knew, we missed you guys at the spring sports banquet, but there were uh director Sloan was giving us regular score updates and while we were It was very exciting. It made the banquet even more exciting. So, yes. And there's um some you guys I can try and do this or you guys can Why don't you guys Why don't we go over here and I can try and I can try and hand these out. That way you guys can have them for the picture. Just alter. What do we got here? Stay right there for a second. She wants to grab Christine, [Applause] thanks to all of you who came tonight when I'm sure you would rather be somewhere else. Um, that's a remarkable turnout for the summer. the effort. So, we
035appreciate it very much. And that concludes the superintendent report. 26 27 or 25 26. There you go. It's exciting stuff. Um well, on that note, that's a really fun superintendence report. Um, at this point in the meeting, before we move on to the super fun business of the evening, anybody who would choose to spend the rest of the evening doing other things is welcome to excuse themselves. You're also welcome to stick around, but I understand if we understand if you want to move on. Congratulations all of you again. [Applause] sit down. That is remarkable turnout to be honest. That's the coach. I'm sure you guys are show. Okay, that's great. So we'll move on to discussion items for the monthly meeting and we'll start with the finance report with Miss Clark Sutton. Thank you. Um,
036investments purchased and matured by as of May 2025. Um, agenda materials identify investments that matured as well as outstanding investments as of May 2025. Investment earnings for regular board funds for the month of May totaled $189,227, bringing the year-to- date total to $2,912,63. Given the volatility of the market, that's looks pretty good to me. Um, for the month of May 2025, general fund receipts totaled 4,680,433 and general fund expenditures totaled 7,24,785. Um, once property taxes are collected, um, the county will disperse another chunk of money to us. Um and that will reverse um the summary of our revenues and expenditures. Our revenue year-to- date actual and projected revenues through May show a positive $865,780 variance compared to the five-year vote forecast. And the noted variance is based on interest income is exceeding 2025 estimates contributing
037to the overall overall positive sorry variance. expenditures. Uh year-to- date actual and projected expenditures through May show a negative $254,719 variance compared to the five-year forecast. Um and the noted variances are based on textbook adoptions are contributing to the negative variance and that is most likely related to timing and should be resolved prior to the fiscal year end. uh cash reserves and compliance items. U our cash reserves are sufficient through fiscal year 2026 and a um a financial summary report has been provided to show the monthly and fiscal year-to-ate cash position for the non-general funds maintained by the district. Appropriation modifications will ensure the district is in compliance with the state auditor's office and the county fiscal office. All accounts have sufficient funds available to cover the increase in the appropriations and the amendment increases
038allow the district to legally encumber and pay funds up to the amounts appropriated. And that is a lot of words to say that we are in good financial shape right now. Thank you. Uh moving on to the we'll skip the building sites and major purchases and move on to there's no report at this time. Move on to the education report. Um Miss Do Mrs. Dman is not is uh away this evening. So we'll rely on Mr. Callahan to fill in. Thank you. We will step in here uh on behalf of Mrs. Dman. There are 10 items I do believe. Um, first one here is uh student club class of 2029. The club will facilitate raising funds for the class of 2029 prom and other activities. And I should point out that these items are being
039uh excuse me read and discussed here at this first meeting of the month to be acted on of course at our at our second meeting of the month. Uh second item is a resolution to approve an extended field trip a field trip to Germany. Lakewood High School students will travel to Germany. will have the opportunity to broaden one's vision of our world community and offer the platform from which a learner can come to an enhanced understanding of the world that surrounds us. Students will experience expertled tours uh in Berlin Bron Homestead and Munich. Uh the trip will take place June 18th, 2026 through July 2nd, 2026. Next, we have an agreement between the board of education and ACE Taxi Service, Inc. Uh, ACE taxi will provide transportation to and from school for students with disabilities
040that are eligible for transportation as determined by the department of student services for the 2526 school year. We also have an agreement between the board and personal leasing transportation. Similarly, uh personal leasing as they have uh for some time will provide transportation to uh and or from school for students with disabilities that are eligible again as determined by the department of student services for the 2526 school year. Personal leasing uh has again provided for many years that service. Uh we also have an agreement between the board and uh Samia Transportation Inc. Um Samia Transportation Inc. will be an additional vendor to provide services to our students with disabilities for the 2526 school year and an agreement between the board and suburban school transportation. Uh they have previously been a vendor will be providing transportation services
041to students in wheelchairs for the 2526 school year. Um we also have a memorandum of understanding between the Lakewood Board of Education and Dr. Seth Garcia, PhD. Dr. Seth Garcia has agreed to provide mental health services to Medicaid eligible students at no cost to the district for the 2526 school year. Um we also have a community-based career technical agreement between the Westshore Career Technical Education District and Gordon Food Service. This one-year agreement will provide a community-based career technical experience for up to six Westshore students. These students will participate in vocational exploration, assessment, and training in a real world environment. Students will be provided with training experiences designed to develop functional daily living skills, appropriate social behavior, and communication skills. Students are not paid for this work experience. A Westshore teacher will be assigned along with
042an aid to provide direct on-site supervision of all students. We also have a resolution to approve an agreement with Cisco Moroi. Uh a Moroi enterprise agreements simplifies and strengthens the district's wireless network management while costing less than a standard year-to-year contract. It consolidates all access points under a single license with one renewal date, streamlining both budgeting and oversight. The agreement provides full access to advanced security and performance features, supports flexible growth across buildings, and enables centralized cloud-based management, boosting operational efficiency and ensuring reliable connectivity for students and staff. And finally, Lakewood Public Library Board of Trustee reappoint. Uh the Lakewood Public Library Board of Trustees recommends the reappoint of Mr. Michael Artbower as trustee of the Lakewood Public Library to a term that commences on September 12th, 2025, expiring on September 12th, 2032. And I
043do believe that concludes my report if I'm not mistaken. Or is there one other item? Nope, I do believe that concludes it. Thank you. And thank you for the reminder to mention that all these agenda items are for being read at this meeting will be moved uh voted on in the second regular monthly meeting. And now we will move on to policy which is me. Uh resolution to adopt a policy of the Lakewood City Schools Board of Education. Pursuant to policy 9140.01 superintendent has established a board policy review committee who has reviewed all suggested res revisions contained in this report. In addition, these revisions have also been reviewed by the superintendent, treasurer, cabinet members, and the NEOA consultant. And that concludes the uh policy report and we will move on to human resources with Mrs.
044Shaughnessy. Thank you. Um we have six items that we'll be voting on. The first are certified appointments, special compensations, and salary and pay rate adjustments. Total of 98 actions. a total of 57 classified appointments, special compensation and salary and pay rate adjustments, and uh 45 community recreation and education actions for aquatics, athletics, and programs. Um the next item is a resolution to approve an agenda to the master service agreement between the Lakewood Board of Education and Rachel Wixie and Associates um dedicated school staffing. and that's the organization that we contract with and have for a number of years for substitutes. Um the next is kind of exciting. It's a resolution to approve Lakewood Community Baseball Softball Association name change. Lakewood Community Baseball Association, called LCBA, wishes to enter a memorandum of understanding to allow the
045organization name change to Lakewood Baseball Softball Association to fall under the umbrella of the Lakewood Board of Education. The Lakewood Board has been working directly with LCBA board president Julia Toque, who represents the current LCBA board of directors. This agreement allows the recreation department greater oversight and alignment of the overall baseball and softball operations of LCBSA such as registration, scheduling, permitting, field maintenance requests, payments, etc. They'll also benefit from structured oversight as well as the financial benefit of not being obliged to pay for permitted space. Um, as we continue to align our offerings through the recreation department with the athletic department, we've worked hard to support our in-house travel and intercolastic baseball programs. Adding our softball partnership will increase the alignment of all of our baseball softball programming K through 12. And I know this
046is something we've been working on for years and um we've gotten excellent support from our athletic director and high school coaches. I know. Um the next item will be a resolution to approve the appointment to the Lakewood Reck and Education Commission. Um they have interviewed the commission has interviewed and agreed on June 17, 2025 to ask the Lakewood Board of Education to appoint Mr. Christopher Ferrron as commissioner to the Lakewood Community Recreation and Education Commission. And he will be assuming the remaining time left on Mr. Tom Ziggman's term which expires December 31st, 2026. And I believe that concludes my report. Thank you. Um, we will now move on to the communications portion of the evening. Do any of my colleagues have any comments they'd like to make? Oh, just wanted to uh thank and congratulate
047everybody who participated in the Fourth of July parade. All so many student organizations and um sports teams and uh you know the recck department. It was a great uh showing and it's always such a wonderful day for Lakewood and the I believe the Lakewood project played for three hours at the Lakewood Park before the Holy cow. Um I think the count was 40 songs, something like that. Um so it was a wonderful lead into the always wonderful fireworks. So it's a it's just one of our favorite days for our city. And so uh it wouldn't be this couldn't happen without our teachers and coaches and students and parents and everybody who make it possible. So thank you for everybody for everything you did. Um and uh just wanted to say that. Anybody else? Um, now
048we have a couple of uh folks who wanted to make comments. And just a reminder that everybody has uh three minutes to make public comments. Um, and after that, I'll uh ask you to, you know, have to cut it off. Um, and to remind everybody, we don't engage in back and forth conversations. So, you'll make your comment and if there's any followup, we do that after the meeting. Um, and so the first person who has a comment is Erin Kelly and just state your name and the street of residence and that. Hi everyone. One second for getting their technology up and running. Okay, go ahead. Thank you. All right. Hi everyone. Erin Kelly. I live on Lake Road. Um, thanks for the opportunity to speak tonight. I've spoken to some of you starting back in
049March, but I'm going to take the opportunity to speak to as many people as I can in Lakewood about this issue that's very near and dear to my heart right now. Um, coming to you to ensure that this issue is part of the minutes going down into the school board. Um, I do realize we have a follow-up meeting at the end of July, which I'm also looking forward to um to see what we can do here. But here here's why I'm coming to you. So, I come to you as a parent, not as a parent, but as a concerned member of Lakewood. Um, I am a parent, a person that walks by the Horseman playground every day. And I've had the opportunity over the last year to see children on that playground every day. And
050I am concerned as a citizen of Lakewood about the safety of the children with mobility issues on that playground. I come to you to ask, is that playground ADA compliant? I've asked for the audit that was done. I understand that there was one. I haven't received it yet and I just put it in. I'm not saying we're delinquent on that. But I am truly coming to you as a safety issue. This isn't related to the seven I'm not going into the seven school issue. It it really is about the the um the status of today. And my question is if it's not why the earliest date I can find that the Champs program has been in Horseman dates back to like something in 2017 I could find. I don't know how long it's been there
051since then. My question to you is, have we not remediated that playground because we don't want to touch the playground and then bring it up to code for ADA compliance? The CHAMPS program does have children with mobility issues. ADA compliance requires accessible routes that allow children to access spaces, structures, get into buildings, get into the lock and keys on the the structures themselves. ground level play components, elevated play components. I can go down to the levels of these. I mean, you can all read the code on this. I'm not a lawyer here. Accessible surfaces, accessible entrances. I encourage all of you to go behind Horseman. It's the hidden playground. All of you see the big playgrounds that are out there today in the other schools. They're big and beautiful and everyone sees them. Look at
052the one out here. Horseman is not that. And it has the children that probably needed to be looking like that. What you'll find is lock and keys, a chain with a padlock. Why it's there on two entrances, I have no idea, but a child in a wheelchair couldn't get in there. The small path leads to nowhere. The children cannot get off a path if they're being pushed. They cannot play on any of the structures that exist. You get to go on a tiny path ride and back off. And hey, if you're lucky, you're probably going to fall over if someone is not tightly gripping you on that playground. So my ask to you is when the budget comes out, please prioritize this. ask relative to everything else. Our children matter and it's the Lakewood Ranger
053vision. Thank you. Belonging inclusion. Thank you so much. Um our next speaker is Monica Brua. Good evening. I'm Monica Brua. I live on Arthur Avenue, but I'm here today on behalf of another parent, Erin Kelly. I last met her at s um the city's council uh community converation last week where she was pleading with council members to get involved because she has been unable to get help from the school board and administration. She mentioned her concern which is the um horseman playground. The equipment is old. It is not ADA accessible. It is broken. Uh it really needs a makeover. Uh I was there. I've taken pictures. I've taken measurements. Um Erin uh stated that she would love to to meet uh as she mentioned. I wrote all this before she agreed to speak today. Um
054and looking into GR grants because there are a lot of opportunities uh working with the PTA and fundraising but nothing has been done. Um let's see. Um sometime after Horseman was renovated in 2008, Champ's program moved there. The program includes ch uh students in wheelchairs and other uh accessibility issues. And that was the time that the district should have updated all of these needs uh for those children. Play is a necessary part of education and common sense says that they should uh that we should work towards supporting every student uh that we have. So how many pieces of equipment are available for someone in a wheelchair? There are none. What can a student do in a wheelchair? As uh Miss uh Kelly mentioned, they can go it's 85 feet that they go down a path
055that is barely eight feet or five feet wide, which is the ADA requirement. It's on an angle. Um so if you are close on that, you can uh fall down. And just for reference, 85 ft walks down this path, goes across the back room, and goes right to the cameras. That's not a lot of fun for a student. Um I don't think that is fun. Um some ADA, we talked about the ADA um guidelines. So the ground play, you have to have at least one um uh type of ground play component. Uh there is none at Horseman. The elevated play components, you need to have 50% of elevated play component play components um on the accessible route with fewer than 20 elevated components and there are none at Horseman. So the district touts at every
056meeting heard it today visions of a ranger. So let's apply it here. Where's the collaboration? Where's that team problem solving to work with the parent who's interested in helping and fundraising and getting this going? Where's the global awareness awareness uh engagement opportunities to promote fair uh equity and fairness? Where's the empathy, the awareness of others challenges? Where's the critical thinking generating ideas and the possibilities and actions? The students at Horseman and the parents and residents of this district deserve more than just these words about a vision. They deserve action. So, uh, hopefully you'll be able to, uh, work reach out and, uh, work with Aaron about this. Thank you. And I will move on to other board business. Um, Mrs. Shaughnessy. Thank you. Um, these are two items that have requested we approve on one
057reading, so we'll need roll call. The first are two certified resignations and 11 certified appointments. And I move adoption of the resolution. Second. It's been moved and seconded. Can we Mrs. uh Miss Kundiff, can you call the role? Mrs. Kenberger. I. Mrs. Shaughnessy. Hi. Mrs. Clark Sutton. Hi. Mr. C. I'm sorry, Mr. Callian. Hi. Thank you. Sorry. And the next item, there are two classified uh resignations. I'm requesting approval on one reading and I move adoption of this resolution. Second. It's been moved and seconded. Miss Kundiff, can you call the role? Miss Katsenberger. I. Mrs. Shaughnessy. I. Mrs. Clarkson. I. Mr. Callahan. Hi. Uh, thank you. I did have a question. Miss Kundiff, I don't know if we or there was a I know that there was some question about a um statement about what
058was going on at the state level for Mr. Zean. I don't know if that was going to be read tonight or if we were going to wait for Mr. I have a Okay. So, did we want to do that tonight? And it's long. Okay. It's very I think that's okay. We all I think we all got it. He sent it out. Yeah. And he wanted us to I think we were supposed to read it tonight or at the next meeting. Yeah. No, that's fine. Did you I could go ahead and read it or Yeah, I think we should go ahead and read it. Okay. I think it's important. Okay. So, if it's finance, would you like to do a calendar or would you rather I did? Sure. Whatever. Okay. start at the That's the first.
059Yeah. Okay. There it is. Okay. Just checking. Thank you. I'm not tricking. Thanks, Betsy. Thank you, Mrs. Shaughnessy. Um so this is a um a review and analysis from our district treasurer about um the state bianial budget and the results that how they impact the liquid city schools. So um so he says um with the governor signing of the fiscal year 2026 and fiscal year 2027 bianual budget I wanted to provide an update on the final results that impacted Lakewood City School District as well as the timeline. In February 2025 the governor submitted his budget proposal to the Ohio House of Representatives. The House of Representatives moved the process forward by submitting House Bill 96 as the bill for the bianual budget. Excuse me. The House of Representatives deliberated and amended the governor's budget throughout
060March and April. The House passed the budget bill on April 9th, 2025. House Bill 96 then proceeded to the Senate chambers. The Senate debated and amended House Bill 96 throughout May, April, May, and June. The Senate passed their version of the House Bill 96 on June 11th. House Bill 96 then went to conference committee which included three senators, two Republican and one Democrat, and three representatives, two dem two Republican, one Democrat. The conference committee concurred with amendments on June 25th, 2025. H um House Bill 96 was sent to the governor for his consideration and on June 30th, 2025, the governor signed his signed the HB96 with 67 vetos. There are multiple other provisions of the budget impacting public education. However, I limited the below analysis to only those items that will would have or will
061impact the Lakewood City School District. Excuse me. Um the governor's budget completion of the phase in of the new school foundation formula, also known as um the fair school funding plan or FSFP, first enacted in fiscal year 2022 to include the final two years of the planned six-year phase in that had been in doubt in February. Um increase of the minimum state share of transportation funding to 45.83% 83% 45.83% in fiscal year 26 50% in fiscal year 27. No updates were made on the input data used to compute the per pupil base cost in each district. This data was updated in the 2425 budget and is currently based on the outdated data from fiscal year 2022. The property value and income data that is used to calculate the state share of the foundation formula was
062updated in both fiscal year 26 and fiscal year 27. The combination of the updating of the data used in the state local share calculation and the failure to update the base cost inputs inputs data led to a significant decrease in the state share for over 80% of Ohio school districts in the next bienium. There's also a reduction in transitional aid guarantee, transportation guarantee, and the formula transition supplement for all districts on these guarantees of 5% in fiscal year 26 and 10% in fiscal year 27. The statewide average share of the base cost would decline as follows under the fiscal year 2627 executive budget. Fiscal year 25 a decrease of 34 38.4% in fiscal year 26 35% and in fiscal year 27 32.32%. By comparison from fiscal year 1999 through fiscal year 2024 the statewide average
063state share of the base cost has never been below 40%. In fiscal year 19, it was 46.3% and in fiscal year 2024, the last time the base cost inputs were fully up to date, the state average base cost was 43.3%. So, I'd like to just go back and review um the declines. So, fiscal year 25, it would be down from 43% to 38.4%. In fiscal year 26, it will drop to 35% and in fiscal year 27, it will drop to 32.2%. This financial impact to the Lakewood City School District is a potential loss in revenue of $5.7 million in state funding over that forecasted period. House of Representatives proposal, also what we've been referring to as HB96. In fiscal year 26 and 27, funding for each school district begins with each district's fisc year 25
064foundation formula funding minus the amount of supplemental targeted assistance that they receive. The funding formula is run for 26 and 27 as specified in the executive version of the budget with the exception that supplemental targeted assistance is eliminated. An additional temporary foundation funding amount is provided on top of the baseline funding. Thus, while the executive budget's reductions in the guarantee are retained in the House budget, the impact is muted because districts will not receive less funding than in 2025 under the House budget. Fiscal year 25 guarantee amount is provided with guarantees that a district's temporary foundation funding does not fall. The house school funding formula also provides a base funding supplement of $20 per pupil in fiscal year 26 and $30 per pupil in fiscal year 27. The count of pupils for this calculation is
065based on each district's enrolled average ADM average daily membership members. Okay, I was think was looking for um figure enrollment, excuse me, enroll enrollment growth supplement is provided for districts whose enrollment grew by at least 3% from fiscal year 22 to fiscal year 25 for the 26 school year and from 23 to 26 for the 27 school year. the H and it's a 3% increase across the like of the whole district K12. Um the House budget included a provision which would direct county budget commissioners to reduce property tax millage rates by the amount necessary to reduce school property taxes by the dollar amount equal to the excess of district's cash balance beyond a maximum of 30% of operating expenditures. The financial impact to Lakewood City Schools is that a flat formula state funding potential loss
066of $14 million over the forecast period due to cash balance threshold limitations. The Senate proposal eliminates the governor's proposed reductions in the guaranteed instead continuing guaranteeing in fiscal year 26 and fiscal 27 at fiscal year 21 funding amounts consistent with implementation of the f of the uh fair school funding program. Continuation of the house enrollment growth supplement in a slightly modified form. Implementation of a performance supplement for districts that meet specified criteria on the school district report card overall performance rating. DPA DPIA funding which is special. Okay. um by facilitating a transition from using the current method of identifying economically disadvantaged students with the direct certification method of identifying low-income students and it increased the bank the cash balance cap to 50% of operating expenditures. The financial impact to Lakewood City School District is that
067there was a potential increase in state funding of 1.6 6 million over the forecast period due to the performance supplement and we continue he's walking us through the different seasons. Then we had conference committee in June. The conference committee version of the budget largely followed the state senate's proposed funding formula. The two main differences are as follows. um cut the performance supplement in half to $53.9 million each year and move it outside of the foundation formula as an additional funding item similar to preschool special education and special education transportation and restore the house proposed base funding base funding supplement increasing the per pupil amounts from $20 to $27 in fiscal year 26. six and from $30 to $40 in fiscal year 27. Conference committee version of the budget split the difference by imposing a 40%
068cash balance cap. The conference committee version also provided for a sliding scale to reduce the impact of the cap for districts whose cash balances are below 10 million dollars. the financial impact to the Lakewood City Schools. There is a potential increase in state funding of $800,000 over the forecast period due to the performance supplement. There is also a potential loss of $12 million over the forecast period due to the cash balance threshold limitations. Then the governor's vetos that impacted the Lakewood City Schools financially. um he ve uh Governor Dwine vetoed the 40% cash balance threshold limitation component. This means that the potential increase in state funding of $800,000 over the forecast period due to the performance supplement supplement is likely to happen for the Lakewood City Schools. Again, um he wants to reiterate that there
069are multiple other provisions of the budget impacting public education. However, I have limited the above all an analysis to only those items that have or will impact Lakewood City School District. Other items of note, other educational items vetoed by the governor, a provision that would have prohibited school districts from paying for the employee share of STS or STS contributions for superintendent, treasurers, and principles. He vetoed out a provision that would have included emergency levy, emergency levies, substitute levies, incremental growth levies, conversion levies, and combined school district income tax and property tax levies into the calculation of the 20 mil floor. Uh side note, in Lakewood, we rarely use any of those um levy those particular levies. So that doesn't make a big difference for us. Um, he also vetoed a provision that would have required
070schoolboard candidates to have a political affiliation on the ballot for elections. Uh, he vetoed a provision that would have allowed county budget commissions to reduce property taxes on non-debt levies. And he vetoed a provision that would have created an education savings account program for nonchartered non-public schools. included in the final budget bill. Modified the record reporting requirements regarding the five-year forecast, reduced the forecast time period from 5 years to four years, and change the reporting deadline to August 31st and the last day of February. Current law is November 30th and May 31st. And the treasur's office always does a great job of having all the material updated every month. So, they want to change their due date, that's fine. Um, moving forward, with the final budget now set, the district can focus on future operating
071needs. As has been discussed throughout the last two years, the district will most likely be seeking additional funding from the community in the form of an operating levy request in May 2026. That's soon. The current budget will allow the district to seek a traditional levy request. Had the provisions discussed above been included in the bianual budget, the district would have needed to be more creative and strategic in its approach. I appreciate the governor's commitment to public education by his vetoing many provisions that have decimated public education in Ohio. However, advocacy will need to continue with vigilance to ensure that all children of the Lakewood community and the great state of Ohio are provided the opportunities of a thorough, efficient, and adequately funded public education. As the governor stated in his press conference, the future of
072Ohio is in our children, and it is all of our responsibilities to ensure that they are provided the opportunities to achieve and grow to be productive citizens of the great state of Ohio. And uh disadvantaged pupil impact aid is Thank you. I appreciate that. And that concludes um Mr. Zean's letter to all of us. And that's going to be published. Yes. Good. Because it's hard to take it all in. Um I think also we have to pay attention to the whole inside millillage thing was not addressed. House Bill 335 I think and that's a huge impact on our city and the schools if they abolish or even decrease inside mills. So there were some interesting stories in the observer from people talking about but they didn't make a change this time. It's it's a separate
073piece of legislation that's in committee. I I think they're not going to come back till September. But keep your pens handy or your Yeah, I think fingers on the phone. To Mr. Zean's point, I think that a lot of things kind of moved in and out of the budget. And um while we're very happy that some of the things were vetoed, taken out of the budget or vetoed, it's uh something to very much keep an eye on because I think some of these things aren't going away. And um we you know they as we've seen in the past um sometimes bills can be introduced or things can be slipped into existing bills and literally in the middle of the night. Um so that that's happened literally in like two o'clock in the morning an existing
074bill right before it voted on. So, um, public pressure, I think, and then and phone calls and everything, I think, had an impact this time and will continue to have an impact if everybody participates. So, keep doing it. I I think that the re a real danger is that the um income tax cut is going to cost um the state about a billion dollars. And so that means that that's makes money um not available to school to public schools. So I think that you know you don't think of them necessarily in the same way but if you cut down your available uh funds then you're not going to have the money to support the guar the anything. So does anybody else have any comments? Okay. Do I have a motion to adjurnn the meeting? So
075moved. Second. It's been moved and seconded. All in favor? I I The meeting is adjourned.