001the regular board meeting Tuesday, June 24th, 2025. Uh the first thing I'd like to do is uh have us take a moment of silence uh for uh gun violence. Moment of silence before we begin today's meeting. I'd like to invite you to join me in a brief moment of silence. This is a remembrance of the lives lost and forever changed by gun violence in our communities and across the nation. Let us honor their memory and stand in solidarity with those grieving and reflect on our shared responsibility to build safer spaces for all. Thank you. Treasury, will you please call the RO? Mr. Vasquez here. Miss Barnes, present. Mr. Parker here. Mrs. Gerkin here. Mrs. Barwick here. Uh you have messes. Uh the kids are on summer break so uh we gave them a break today.
002TP's mission provide innovative educational opportunities that ensure each student prepared for their future. I statement to power each and every student to lead and live a purpose-driven life of the stands nation for all. So moved. Second. Treasure has been moved and second. Is there any discussion? Hearing none. Would you please call the RO? Mr. Vasquez? Yes. Miss Barnes? Yes. Mr. Parker? Yes. Mrs. Gerkin? Yes. Mrs. Barwick? Yes. She's now hearing this. Okay. Next on the agenda is the uh uh presentations and for that uh um I will do the first one. The first presentation is in remembrance of Dr. Jerome Jerry Pekco. He gave his heart and soul to create environment that would help all students learn and grow. Dr. Jerome Jerry Pekco was the 28th superintendent for Toledo public schools. He accepted the position
003after spending 23 years with Akran public schools and then as superintendent for Barberton City Schools and the Springfield District. Often referred to as the right guy for the job at the right time, Dr. Pekle led the district through a time of immense transition. His leadership and extensive experience in the field of education helped the district navigate through challenging times. Fondly referred to as Dr. Pep, Dr. P, or POPS during his tenure in Toledo, there was no denying Dr. PCO's commitment to helping students reach their fullest academic potential. He never tired of learning and was a mentor to many, including numerous teachers and administrators. Dr. Pekco firmly believed connecting with staff, parents, and community was the foundation of his dream, which is to create a community filled with lifelong learners. Dr. Pekco often spoke about his
004family, especially his loving wife Becky and his niece Brooklyn. He loved sharing the stories of their exciting travels and excursions. He also liked to regail in the details of a winning golf outing, playing cards with his buddies, or riding the waves on Lake Erie. Dr. Peekle left a lasting impression on everyone who knew him and he will be greatly missed by all who called him a friend and educator. Just I want to make some comments. Um I uh was part of of hiring uh Dr. PCO. I'm not really sure how many of our board members served with you served with Dr. PC. Any other board members serve? Okay. Uh but a lot of our staff uh would remember uh Dr. Pekco. Um I think uh I think the best way to describe Dr. Pekco is
005just a great human being. He was he was just one of the nicest guys you would ever meet. He uh never had a bad bone in his body. He would never say anything negative about anybody or anything. He was always positive. He uh really did help us through some challenging times here at TPS. and his passing is um uh was uh I can't say it was a shock because he he was uh ill for a little bit before, but uh it was certainly a tragedy. Uh I'm looking out some of our our staff and and I think of uh um and I'm not exactly sure who who was directly, but I know Miss Mer and Mr. and uh Brian Murphy. Uh and I I will tell you he had no closer relationship than he did
006with our Miss Angie Jordan. Um I uh I attended uh Dr. Po Peek's funeral and uh TPS was everywhere at the funeral. Uh so I just want to let you know that. So he he he and his family and everyone in Barberton recognized uh TPS and uh they shared that they were TPS proud. Thank you. All right. Next actually yes you have comments and yeah if you don't mind I just uh um did what you said. I I think I look back at Dr. PCO and um I'm sad that he's gone, but I am um thankful that he was um a part of my life for the short time that he was here in TPS. I was a parent. My daughter uh senior in high school, he attended all of her um musical performances. Uh,
007and I think I was part of the um I think the parents that were on the panel to to um I guess there was a couple different candidates at the time and we gave input on uh what we were looking for for a superintendent. So, I was appreciative of that. But he wound up on his own coming to my daughter's performances and actually attended her graduation party and brought a uh the Dr. Seuss book um The Places You'll Go. and we still have that to this day. Um and now read it to our grandchildren. So I I'm just thankful that he was a part of TPS and it um he made an impact. Thank you. Uh I I think just to add to my comments is that uh when I was there at the funeral,
008uh Miss Jordan, they they hold you in such high regard. Just want to let you know. Okay. All right. Um, next on the agenda is uh uh Miss Miss Major. Yes, sir. Thank you. For the retirees this evening, I would like to congratulate Nancy Asher, a bus driver who is retiring with 25 years and 10 months of service. Doug Bell, principal Marshall STEM Academy. He is retiring with 32 years of service. Sharon Bington, she is a one-on-one care professional at Hopkins. She's retired for 37 years, nine months of service. Robert Coleman, grade four teacher at Ottawa River, 28 years of service. Lynn Henderman, math and reading pullout specialist at St. Benedict, 38 years, 6 months of service. Dolores Johnson, employee benefit secretary, 28 years, three months of service. Tracy Opportunity zone change agent 32 years
009of service. Christine Crow, media specialist, 32 years, 6 months of service. Anita L. Balan, kindergarten teacher at Larchmont, 33 years, 6 months of service. Sherry K. Wash, CCS at Elmherst, 32 years. Lorie M Oasis, grade three of our hunt, 33 years of service. Don M. Sparks miscellaneous night laborer with 29 years 7 months of service for a total of 382 years and 80 months of service to public schools in graduation. Miss Miss Maser, I I'm guessing there were no retirees here. Okay. I don't No one's come forward. Okay. Okay. That takes us to section three on the agenda, which is uh community comments. Uh we have one speaker, Miss Charmaine. Uh Ivy, uh treasur, will you please uh state our policy? The board values the input of citizens and community members regarding all aspects of
010the district. The board understands that education is the center of all community issues and activities and that input is important because allows the board to hear all views and all matters. In order to ensure a quality public comment portion during board meetings, all citizens and community members who are scheduled to speak before the board shall abide by these general rules. Each speaker has three minutes unless modified by the board president. The time will be displayed for the speaker to see. The treasurer will announce when time is expired. Any questions that the speakers would like responses to should be submitted in writing and the board president will secure answers within a reasonable time frame, normally 7 to 10 days, depending on the amount of research required to provide a comprehensive response and a time-sensitive nature of
011the question. Four board members will not engage in policy dialogue with speakers, but will use their established committee format to have substantive dialogue. The public comment section is the opportunity for the board to listen to all citizens and community members and make contact with speakers following the meeting for individual feedback and questions. The general guidelines are established as a way to provide the maximum opportunity for board members to listen to citizens citizens and community members and provide an organized instruction procedure for feedback that will help our students and families. Thank you, Miss Ivy. Go ahead. President. No. Okay. Representative woman here and I'm wondering what that position entail. Will that person lobby for uh parents in one of the departments so that parents have a better chance of advocating for their own children? And if
012not, I would like to uh introduce a concept to the board. Uh it's called pizza. It's for parents, teachers, students, staff, and administrators. And it's four things just like that. This this so parent have a greater input into their child's education. Uh after the 24 25 school year, I find myself even more educated after proctoring a seventh and eighth grade math class. I currently hold an achievement and behavioral support specialist position uh at one of the chartermies here in Toledo and I had no idea Bishop when you said my research might need to be updated. It did. Okay. the class the classroom experience beyond. Uh I want to mention Ruby Bridges as a first black American who crossed an all white school lines to be educated. The amount of times she must have heard Uh
013it has to be comparable to the amount of times I heard our children calling each other White children, black children in school. So Mr. Durant, I lack the mortorium on the word in all schools. So what we did was we introduced the word scholar and what they did was first they weaponized it say what's up scholar what's up scholar they weaponized the word scholar until they started adopting it I would hear it when I walk down the hall right scholar all right scholar we can change these children's lives if we give them new vocabulary and tell them something different about theel culture doesn't remind the wrongdoing it reminds us who we are who we're capable of. And right now, the educational system has not has not been well equipped to teach us our real power.
014And so, if this goes along generationally and you weren't equipped to teach us and you and you didn't allow a lot of community support in the decision making, uh, our representation matters to our children. And to this last point, in 2021, I ran for mayor of the city of Toledo. I was arrested in city council for moving my seat. My name uh uh was attempted to be damaged. The platform is education, employment, recreation, transportation, housing to derail the super prison pipeline and end mass incarceration by legislation. If y'all think Charma is going anywhere but to do her service to the city of Toledo, y'all might as well give this to me. I'm here. Thank you. Thank you. I will I will answer your your one question though. the uh parent representative is not a new
015uh position and it's really not a position. It is a representation and we haven't always had a person uh sitting in that seat but it's always been available and uh you probably talked to Miss uh Jordan or Dr. grant about how we choose who that uh person is to to to change my work. I'm glad we can change. Thank you. All right. So, so now uh we are to section four with the uh organizational input. Um and the only person I don't see any anybody else except for uh the parent congress representative who is Miss White. Good evening everyone. My name is Joanna White. Hello Charmaine. I know you. How are you? And I am volunteering to sit here today to update everyone on what Mrs. Brigman and the parent um leadership council has been
016doing and our plans for the upcoming school year. You know, we have been working, excuse me, on attendance uh letting our parents know how important it is for our children to get to school on time and that being 5 minutes late every day can end up to be a whole week um or more of our children losing educational time in the classroom. We started our attendance blitz in February of this past school year. It was successful. But this year, we're not going to wait till the middle of the school year to tell people you need to get to school on time. So, we're making plans now to get everybody excited before school starts, you know, to get everybody up and ready and excited and give them different ideas about how to get to school on
017time. Especially if you have a parent who works nights, the children are home alone. We need to help those parents create a routine with their children so that when they pull up in the driveway, the kids can walk out the door and get to school on time. We've also have been continuing to educate our families and communities about the uh the medical clinics in all of our high schools. That is very important. A lot of our families don't know that it's a free clinic and you could just walk in anytime. And I personally have walked in and used the Rams Health Clinic for my children, for my teenage daughters when they were in high school. They got physicals. My babies here, they continue to go there. And I don't know if everyone know that those
018offices in the school buildings, they do close at the end of the school year, but they do have a clinic that is open all year round. And so since we like North uh Partners of Northwest Ohio, we continue to follow a physician there that's in the clinic that's all year round and it's on Collingwood. I would also like to inform the board that I'm super excited. You know, I'm the PTO president of Joe's Leadership Academy of Business and we have a free hygiene pantry and our hygiene drive is going to start July 1st this year. We usually started in the fall for the past three years. we haven't had good um representation as far as drop offs and donations. We think because people aren't thinking about back to school, they're thinking about Christmas, Thanksgiving, and
019Halloween. So, we're trying to hit the people in the time where they're thinking about going back to school, where they're buying school supplies and uniforms for their children, and maybe they'll throw some deodorant and some hygiene products in there for students who are less fortunate. Also, I want to let you know that the um neighborhood health association is going to have a hygiene a vaccine clinic at Jones Leadership Academy. We are hosting that on August 21st at our school from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. And we have invited our feeder schools, Esqueella Smart, uh Keen, and Lip Stewart. But of course, anyone in the community can bring their child there in order to get their updated vaccinations. And we're doing that because the teachers have told us that the they're having a hard time getting
020those medical uh response papers forms filled out in a timely manner so that the children go on field trips. So, and if they not up to date with their vaccinations, they are not allowed to come to school after a certain time. And so that right there, we're trying to uh prevent people or students from missing school by making sure that they have their vaccinations, by making sure that they have their medical forms and and letting everybody know that it's important to be in school. Every minute counts. Again, I appreciate being here. I'm humbled to be here and thank you for asking me. Thank you. Section five consists of uh comments by the board and I'll start with Bishop Parker. Mr. President, I will yield my time to my colleagues today. I don't have much to
021say. Thank you, Miss Ger. Well, I didn't have anything to say until I got this text message just as we were entering uh entering the uh meeting today. But the um the the news is that the vouchers hurt Ohio lawsuit. Um the judge has uh ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, which is the over 100 school districts that have come together to sue the state of Ohio, that vouchers are indeed unconstitutional. Uh that was a summary judgment, meaning we didn't even go to full trial and they found on behalf of us um in at least three of the five points that we raised uh that all of them um suggest that vouchers are unconstitutional. It's not completely won quite yet, but it certainly is a huge victory. It'll go to a district court of appeals.
022I'm sure that the uh state is not just going to stop uh stop their um assault on public education because of one uh common police judge. Uh but it is taking us um further. So it's a it's a done deal. They can appeal it immediately. So there's no further delay that we expect. Um it just means we're going to have some lawyers doing lawyer stuff for a little bit longer because I'm sure after that appeal we'll end up in the Ohio Supreme Court on this topic. But this is a huge victory here in Ohio. And if folks have been noticing other states around the country that these um unconstitutional voucher systems have been falling just one after the other. Utah state supreme court just drilled theirs unconstitutional. In the state of Tennessee, they couldn't, as
023hard as they tried, pass um every attempt they had at vouchers and universal um you know, backpack bills and so forth. So, I think we're going to uh finally see uh the light at the end of this uh of this travesty of giving away a billion dollars a year to um nonpublic schools while we are contemplating uh the cuts and how we're going to continue programming that we already know we need here in the district. So, good news and I'm glad I got to be the one to say uh to mention it tonight. Thank you, Mr. president. Um, so thank you, uh, board member Parker because you know I talk a lot. Forgive me time. Um, first I would like to, uh, recognize and give a shout out to, uh, Mr. Ward at ML King.
024Um, he is retiring and he was very, uh, a foundational point for my oldest son. Um, the reason why my son re-entered back into TPS was because of him. And so, um, kind of to what, uh, my board member, uh, Taylor Gerkin was talking about, I actually drunk the Kool-Aid about charter schools being a little bit better for public schools. And I found out real quickly after the second one closed during mid semester that that was not the truth. And um, we were experiencing bullying and Mr. Ward reassured us that this was a place to call home and I'm forever grateful for that. Um, and seeing my that my son now will be a senior when school start again. Um, he definitely played a big part into raising the young man that I have grown
025to care for and sometime rolled my eyes um and not try to uh put him on punishment as much as he became uh a teenager. So, I do want to give a shout out to him and all his uh effort and hard work to raising the young men um at MLK King for I believe 35 years I believe um that he dedicated to TPS. So, thank you Mr. Ward and I hope you enjoy retirement and please feel free to pick up Tyon whenever you want. Um so uh as many may know some may not know that I was I have the honor and privilege to represent so public schools Ohio and Ohio at the Harvard University Academy uh actually Kennedy Harvard uh Harvard Kennedy of Government School. Um and I am so grateful for my
026colleagues and the staff for uh taking over and let me uh spend three weeks away uh a very intense course. It was 10 to 12 hour school days which I thought I could do. Um but I did. Uh I cried a lot in a lot of uh Kool-Aid. Um but it was a a very amazing journey. Um I learned so much and I can't wait to bring some of the knowledge and the people that I interacted with. Um 47 in the class um and uh from across the country and some from uh different countries as well. Um, and here out of roughly I want to say 3,000 people, I was one of the recipients for a scholarship. So I want to thank the V the Victory Institute and the Bonet Foundation for giving me that
027opportunity to uh take up space at Harvard. Um, one of the it was a a lot of foundational points for me there. Uh, but one of them was I received my completion of certification on Junth. Um and that meant so much to me to be in a very prestigious place um historically that many folks who look like me was denied to now become an alumni on the same day that uh many folks in Texas who were enslaved found out they were free uh did bring tears. I did cry in public um which I try not to do but I did and that was very uh so rewarding to know that I can share that with uh not only to public schools but to Ohio my family my children who sacrificed um it was probably happy
028I was gone for 3 weeks um to bring that back to be now archived in the history of greatness with along of the other 40 uh six members that joined another thing that happened which has made me truly a TPS proud board member was a professor, Professor uh Todd Rogers who were who was uh he initiated actually the attendance champion blitz and he talked about the states he worked in and I said oh you work in Ohio you know I'm at TPS public schools he said oh my god yes and he is so excited to come back and we're going to be working on some things for high schools so um to know that our named Ring Loud at Harvard University. Uh it's pretty dope. I felt like I had a big, you know, shoulder
029like, yeah, that's that's our school. That's my school, you know. Um so that was amazing that he knew about our program. He knew about all the hard work that our parents like Miss White is doing. Um and actually use it in other states to say this is how they're uh doing their program and this is how it's working to increase attendances. So that was really awesome to hear um and to literally witness something like that happen that our name is rinking across the country for excellence. Um and so I'm just all grateful. I'm still unpacking a lot of stuff. unpacking my suitcases too, but unpacking a lot of things that I've learned, a lot of lessons I've learned from other members as well as the professors um and how to utilize that to be a
030better board member, a better community member, um and exercise authority versus trying to exercise leadership because leadership is a noun. It's not a noun, it's a verb. So, that's one thing that was beat into us. And so, I will do that and I'm just once again grateful for the opportunity um and just happy to be back and get back to work. Thank you, Miss Firewood. Sure. Just a few things. Um, first of all, congratulations, Miss Barnes, because it's exciting that you had the opportunity to go and represent TPS. Um, while you say your kids may not have missed you, it is a sacrifice. We know to be away from our our kids. So, I I understand that. And so, I'm grateful that you had that opportunity and completed it and absorbed all the things and
031you're going to bring it back to us. So, I I can't wait to hear more about it. Um, I'd like to thank the retirees 382 years uh plus Dr. Allen's uh retirement. Um, we certainly appreciate her uh for her years of service and dedication to our students and we're going to miss you. So, thank you for your service. Um, I'd also miss White I'm so happy that you're here. I I say it every meeting, but I'm so happy you're here. uh we used to fill that seat all the time and it it wound up going away. So their advocacy has been here to to push and and get someone back at that seat for quite a while. I love that you're focusing on attendance because it matters and we know that it matters. Um so
032thank you so much and you know what I'll connect with you about the hygiene closet. Um I have some ideas around that. So uh you and I will sit down and and chitchat about that. And then just to let my colleagues know, I have been um active with providing testimony at the state house. I went and testified on regarding the budget bill uh and and what their um proposal is. And uh I testified on the House Bill 335, which um you know, I talked last time about um public ed having death by a thousand cuts. this is going for the jugular 335 is so um it is detrimental. Um I would encourage you know at this point they're going to go to conference committee. Um you know I don't know if uh anybody has connections
033with the folks on conference committee but if they do they certainly should call them. Uh 335 truly is would be a devastating blow to public education across Ohio. And then also um you know I spoke about the fair school funding plan. Uh, it was a bipartisan effort. It was promised and they've taken it away. Um, I I I don't understand the logic um or maybe the lack thereof logic uh down at the state house. So, it's um it's a sad day. Uh also testified um or provided testimony for Senate Bill 156. Um we've already passed a resolution regarding the success sequence. um you know and and and just on its face value you think that oh it doesn't sound so bad but again um what I find interesting is uh there's folks that are in
034charge of the state house that will use parents rights when it's convenient for them but yet are willing to um overlook parents rights when it comes to what success looks like in their own family. Uh so they should not be dictating to anyone else what success looks like for that individual's family. Uh so I'll leave it at that. Um but I'm hopeful that uh we won't be um the budget won't come out as bad or detrimental as I think it might. Um we're going to have to make some very serious decisions um depending on this budget. That's all. Thank you very much. Mwick. Uh my only comments are uh uh somewhat related to uh Miss Farwigs. Uh we have been trying to uh through our uh lobbyist trying to uh intercede into the legislation legislative
035process. And um I have to be honest, I'm pretty frustrated uh with uh uh any success we've been able to have. Uh the only thing I think we've even had an impact on thus far is the carryover and what that percentage is. Uh but it is good news about the vouchers. Um that is very good news. Um we'll wait and see what happens. Uh but it sure is a step in the right direction. Um and I do know that u Mr. Steulty and Dr. Durant uh also have been working to uh intercede into the legislature as well uh in what they're doing. Um I I I'm just really disappointed um that they're really not listening to uh what any of us have to say who are involved in education. Uh people who are outside of
036education are uh making uh all these decisions. That's all I have. Mr. Vasquez, also in the presentation portion, uh we recognize retirees. Uh we also want to recognize that we have a guest here, Miss Olivia Anderson, who is a newly appointed principal of Whittier Elementary. Uh if you'd like to stand and introduce your guest, please. Thank you, Dr. Durant. All right, that takes us to uh section six, the uh consent agenda. Agenda items 6.01 01 through 6 uh 37 are the consent agenda items. Uh board members may request to pull an item from the consent and move to the discussion section of the agenda uh if they so choose. Items 6001 through 605, human resources staff development and training committee, chaired by Paulie Taylor Girkin, co-chair by uh Randall Parker the third. Items 6.06 through
0376.17 are the Finance and Business Operations Committee Chair Bob Vasquez, co-chair Randall Parker III. Item 6.18 is the Workforce Development and Partnership Committee uh chair Chris Varwick, co-chair Bob Vasquez. Item 6.19 through 6.20 are the board curriculum instruction and academic excellence uh committee chair Pauly Taylor Girkin, co-chair Chris Farwe. Items 6.21 through 6.30 30 policy committee chair Bob Vasquez, co-chair Sheena Barnes. Items 6.31, Arts, Athletics, and Student Activities Committee, uh, Chair Chris Varwick, co-chair Randall Parker III. Item 6.32 through 6.33, Family and Community Engagement Committee Chair Sheena Barnes, co-chair Bob Vasquez. Items 6.34 through 6.37 are the approval of the board uh meeting minutes. I'd like to request a motion to approve the consent agenda items. So moved. Second. It's been moved and seconded. Any discussion hearing? No discussion. Treasurer, please call the role. Mr.
038Vasquez, yes. Miss Barnes, yes. Mr. Parker, yes. Mrs. Gerkin, yes. Mrs. Bartwig, yes. Section seven of the agenda consists of reports and minutes from this month's committee meetings and are here for information and reference. No action is required. So we can proceed to section eight of the agenda. Section eight are discussion items. Mr. Treasur, do we have any discussion items? Yes, we do. So this evening we are going to review the uh budget for the FY26 or next school year. And to start it off, we have a video 25 to 2026 annual budget presentation for Toledo Public Schools. This year's budget reflects our commitment to providing innovative, highquality educational opportunities for every student. Let's take a closer look at our priorities, funding sources, and the strategic direction driving this year's budget. Creating this budget was
039a collaborative effort across the district. Together, we identified opportunities to realign resources and focus on what matters most, student success. We know that meaningful change takes time. That's why we're committed to a long-term journey built on continuous improvement and stakeholder engagement. Our instructional priorities form the foundation of this work. From early childhood education to multi-tered systems of support, we're addressing the diverse needs of all learners. Our career technology and STEM programs prepare students for high demand careers that lead directly to employment or college. The total 2025 to 2026 district budget is $713 million allocated across several key funds. These include the general operating fund, capital fund, student activity funds, grants, debt service funds, and the self- insurance fund to name a few. Each fund serves a specific purpose with the general operating fund representing the
040largest share supporting the core of our day-to-day operations. We project over $365 million in general fund revenue drawn from local, state, and federal sources. Locally, revenue comes from property taxes, investment earnings, and excess cost reimbursements thanks to the 5.8 mil combination levy passed in November 2024. Real estate tax revenue is expected to rise slightly this year. We continue to follow a conservative investment strategy to maximize interest earnings while safeguarding district resources. Local funding remains essential to our financial stability and instructional priorities. At the state level, the fair school funding formula determines how we're funded, driven primarily by student enrollment. That's why our strategic efforts to attract and retain students are more important than ever. Federal revenue, including Medicaid reimbursement, also plays a vital role in sustaining student services. For fiscal year 2026, we anticipate over
041$397 million in general fund expenditures. 84% of those funds support salaries and benefits, demonstrating our investment in the people who serve our students every day. We continue to evaluate non-personnel spending, ensuring we direct as many resources as possible into classrooms. This budget reflects a careful balance between fiscal responsibility and our bold vision for educational excellence. We will monitor our progress closely throughout the year, adjusting as needed to stay aligned with our goals. And as we look ahead, we'll continue listening to our community to guide future planning. Thank you for your continued support. Together, we're building a stronger future for every student in every classroom, every day.