Ridgedale Board of Education Meeting

1. Roll Call
Mrs. Courtright

______Hamilton ______Hayden ______Park______Roberts ______Roush


2. Pledge of Allegiance
Mrs. Cathy Hamilton, Board President

3. Recognition of Guests and Visitors

0169.1 -PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT BOARD MEETINGS
The Board of Education recognizes the value to school governance of public comment on educational issues and the importance of allowing members of the public to express themselves on school matters of community interest. The Board offers public participation to members of the public in accordance with the procedures below. The Board applies these procedures to all speakers and does not discriminate based on the identity of the speaker, content of the speech, or viewpoint of the speaker.


In order to permit the fair and orderly expression of such comment, the Board shall provide a period for public participation at every regular and special meeting of the Board and publish rules to govern such participation in Board meetings.


The presiding officer of each Board meeting at which public participation is permitted shall administer the rules of the Board for its conduct.


The presiding officer shall be guided by the following rules:

  • Public participation shall be permitted as indicated on the order of business.
  • Attendees must register their intention to participate in the public portion of the meeting upon their arrival at the meeting.
  • Individuals may not register others to speak during public participation.
  • Participants must be recognized by the presiding officer and will be requested to preface their comments by an announcement of their name, address, and group affiliation, if and when appropriate.
  • Each statement made by a participant shall be limited to five (5) minutes duration unless extended by the presiding officer.
  • During the portion of the meeting designated for public participation, no participant may speak more than once on the same topic unless all others who wish to speak on that topic have been heard.
  • All statements shall be directed to the presiding officer; no person may address or question Board members individually.

The presiding officer may:

  • interrupt, warn, or terminate a participant's session when they make comments that are repetitive, obscene, and/or comments that constitute a true threat (i.e., statements meant to frighten or intimidate one(1)or more specified persons into believing that they will be seriously harmed by the speaker or someone acting at the speaker's behest)
  • request the assistance of law enforcement officers in the removal of a disorderly person when that person's conduct interferes with the conduct and/or orderly progress of the meeting;
  • call for a recess or an adjournment to another time when the lack of public decorum so interferes with the orderly conduct of the meeting as to warrant such action.

The portion of the meeting during which the participation of the public is invited shall be limited to thirty (30) minutes per topic unless extended by a vote of the Board.


4. Points of Interest/Discussion
Various

a. FFA Student Speeches
b. Facilities Updates
c. Legislative Updates

d. International Educational Trips


5. Motion to Amend the Agenda
Mrs. Courtright

Motion to approve the following agenda item______________

Seconded by ____________

10.  Motion to Amend the February 23, 2026 agenda, adding a resolution to engage with Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC).

 

_______Hamilton_________Hayden__________Park___________Roberts__________Rousch

 

 


6. General discussion of agenda, addendum, and other items of concern
Mrs. Courtright and Dr. Bower

Items listed below under the Consent Agenda are considered by the Board to be routine and will be enacted by the Board in one motion in the form listed below. There will be no discussion of these items prior to the time the Board votes on the motion unless members of the Board, staff, or the public request specific items to be discussed and removed from the Consent Agenda. The Superintendent and administrative staff recommend approval of all Consent Agenda items.

Discussion

Roll Call

______Hamilton ______Hayden ______Park ______Roberts ______Roush


6.1 Meeting Minutes
Mrs. Courtright

a. Organizational Meeting January 14, 2026
b. Regular Board Meeting January  15, 2026


6.2 Treasurer's Report

6.3 Superintendent's Report
Dr. Bower

a. Recommend to approve transportation agreement for student attending The Ohio School for the Blind
b. Recommend to approve FMLA William (Thom) Richards from 03/24/2026 to 06/16/2026

c. Recommend to approve the NCOESC mid-year foundation contract with adjustments

d. Recommend to approve the early graduation of Jacob Milligan pending successful completion of all requirements set forth by the Ohio Department of Education and the Ridgedale Local Schools Board of Education


6.4 Student Activity -New Account being Created
Mrs. Courtright

Creation of a new Student Activity Account for International Field Trips- Fundraising


6.5 OHSAA Membership 2026-27

Recommend to approve membership into the Ohio High School Athletic Association for SY 2026-27.


6.6 Substitutes

a. Callie Keirns, Substitute Teacher

b. Callie Keirns, Substitute Food Service

c.  Joseph Decillis, Long-Term Substitute Teacher 


6.7 NCOESC Substitutes

Recommendation to approve the following certified subs through NCOESC:

a. Justin Brown

b. Kandace Mustard


6.8 21st Century Power Hours

a. Gracian Daugherty, 21st Century Power Hours 


6.9 2026-26 Spring Supplementals
Dr. Bower

Recommend to approve 2025-26 Spring Supplementals as follows:

a. Asch Tilley, High School Boys Track

b. Shannon Large-Tilley, High School Girls Track

c. Kevin Tilley, Volunteer Boys/Girls High School Track

d. Stephanie Tilley, Jr High Girls Track

e. Steven Taylor, High School Asst. Baseball Coach

f. AJ Imbody, 7th Grade Baseball Coach split (50%)

g. Quincy Thomas, 7th Grade Baseball Coach (split 50%)

h. Jeff Schertzer, 8th Grade Baseball Coach

i. Tamara Rossey, High School Asst Softball Coach

j. Rachel Outcalt, 7th Grade Softball Coach

k. Kortni Backensto, 8th Grade Softball Coach

l. Shane Oliver, JV Baseball Coach


6.10 Overnight Field Trips

Recommend to approve the following overnight field trips:

a. FFA State Convention April 30-May 1, 2026 at Ohio State Fairgrounds

b. FFA Officer Retreat June 1-3, 2026 in Port Clinton, Ohio


7. Certified Contract Calamity Day MOU

Recommend to approve the MOU with Ridgedale Teachers' Association for calamity days moving forward for the remainder of the 2025-26 school year. Full MOU attached.

Based on Article V Section A of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, calamity days in excess of five (5) shall be made up Monday through Friday and included in the calendar adopted under Article V Section F. The calendar committee created a calendar that was voted on by the members and adopted by the Board of Education. This approved calendar listed five (5) staff “make up” work days for May 27, May 28, May 29, June 1, and June 2, 2026, if needed. At this time, the District has used eight (8) calamity days, which means make up work days will be scheduled for May 27, May 28, and May 29, 2026. These dates will be without students in attendance unless the District has to move to in-person make up days for students.

Moving forward for the 2025-26 school year and beginning on the ninth (9th) calamity day and any subsequent calamity day through the fifteenth (15th) calamity day or until such time as the District determines that continued use would cause the District to fall below the required minimum number of instructional hours as determined by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, certified teaching staff will report to work when school is closed due to a calamity.

______Hamilton ______Hayden ______Park ______Roberts ______Roush


8. Forecast Submission for February 2026
Mrs. Courtright

Presentation and Approval of the Financial Forecast for the February 2026 Submission required by Ohio Revised Code to ODEW.


9. Safety Grant- Security Fence and Gate Project
Dr. Bower and Mrs. Courtright

Recommend to approve contractor to complete the installation of security fence and gate.  This will be paid by Safety Grant. The amount of the project is not to exceed $83,829. All work will be completed by June 15, 2026.

 

_______Hamilton________Hayden________Park________Roberts_______Roush


10. Approval of Resolution with OFCC
Dr. Bower and Mrs. Courtright

Approval of Resolution with Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) to allow the district to engage with the OFCC to update our scope of facilities planning.

 

_________Hamilton_________Hayden___________Park___________Roberts_________Rousch

 


11. Executive Session Concluded

Executive Session concluded at ____(if needed) and public session reconvened.


12. Executive Session

WHEREAS, as a public board of education may hold an executive session only after a majority of a quorum of this board determines by a roll call vote to hold such a session and only at a regular or special meeting for the sole purpose of the consideration of any of the following matters:

1. To consider the appointment, employment, dismissal, discipline, promotion, demotion, or compensation of a public employee or official or the investigation of charges or complaints against a public employee, official, licensee, or regulated individual.
2. To consider the purchase of property for public purposes or for the sale of property at competitive bidding.
3. Conferences with an attorney for the board of education concerning disputes involving the board of education that are the subject of pending or imminent court action.
4. Preparing for, conducting, or reviewing negotiations or bargaining sessions with public employees concerning their compensation or other terms and conditions of their employment.
5. Matters required to be kept confidential by federal law or rules or state statutes.
6. Specialized details of security arrangements where disclosure of the matters discussed might reveal information that could be used for the purpose of committing or avoiding prosecution for a violation of the law.
Therefore, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Ridgedale Local Board of Education, by a majority of the quorum present at this meeting, does hereby declare its intention to hold an executive session on item(s) as listed above.

_______Hamilton _______Hayden______Park _______Roberts _______Roush


13. Other Board Directives

Other Board Directives/Initiatives:


14. Next Scheduled Meeting

The next meeting of the Ridgedale Board of Education will be the regular meeting on Monday, March 16, 2026, in the Ridgedale Board of Education meeting room at 5:30 p.m.


15. Adjournment

Motion to Adjourn

_______Hamilton _______Hayden______Park _______Roberts _______Roush