Hillsboro City Schools seeking to hire 2 school resource officers; district prepares for upcoming school year

The Hillsboro City Schools Board of Education approved the job description and salary schedule for two new School Resource Officer positions during their Monday, July 20 meeting.

As previously reported, superintendent Tim Davis told the board June 24 that the district was weighing options for their school resource officer for the 2026-27 school year. Their current officer, Zach Burnett, has been serving the district for several years through a memorandum of understanding with the Hillsboro Police Department. However, according to Davis, the HPD is dealing with staffing shortages and will be unable to provide a full-time officer for the upcoming academic year. 

Davis said Monday that the district is seeking to fill two positions, one for the elementary and one for the high school, to hire internally. Applications are being accepted now for the positions, which require current Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy (OPOTA) certification and peace officer commission in good standing, plus current certification or ability to become certified as a School Resource Officer. 

In other updates from the superintendent, Davis said that the district is “still putting the finishing touches on the summer cleaning and repairs,” with ongoing maintenance projects “almost complete.” Those include a roofing project at the middle school, painting and floor repairs in the buildings, resealing of driveways/parking lots and installation of fence and wall pads at the learning academy.

This was the board’s last regular meeting before the start of the 2026-27 school year, as Davis said that the district was looking ahead to new staff orientation Aug. 4, a teacher work day Aug. 5, District Day and open houses Aug. 6 and the first day of school Aug. 12.

Davis also congratulated varsity boys bowling coach Shane Ison for his selection to the inaugural class of the Ohio High School Bowling Coaches Hall of Fame.

In another report, board member Beverly Rhoads, who conducted the meeting as president pro team in school board president Bill Myers’ absence, gave a report on the July Great Oaks Board of Directors meeting. During that meeting, Myers said the board approved several grants; the addition of 13 new programs and course offerings, plus two program name changes; a collective bargaining agreement with the teachers’ organization; and a contract with president/CEO Harry Snyder through July 2032. 

The Great Oaks board was also updated on various construction projects and the success of the Great Oaks Education Foundation Golf Classic, which raised $54,000.

In other discussion:

• A public hearing on the reemployment of five superannuates — teachers Cassie Adkins, Donica Grow and Jenna Horick, administrator Diane Michael and special education supervisor Heather Murphy — was held before the regular board meeting. As part of their usual agenda, the board voted 4-0 to approve the reemployment of all five individuals.

• The board approved the financial reports as presented. District treasurer Ben Teeters reported a general fund cash balance of $10,538,332.51 for June 2026, up slightly from $10,263,519.29 in June 2025.

• The board approved the following individuals for the contracts and positions indicated: 
—Professional development activities in June ($2,500): Robert Snavely; 
— Sub classified for 2026-27: bus drivers James Bush, Katessa Coats, James Florence, Phil Loudin, Eric Luschek, Bret Malone and Robert Williams; cooks Aailaya Collett, Lili Hunt, Jessica Messer and Dorothy Porter; secretary Debbie Couch; cooks/custodians Debbie Crowe and Lindsey Wilson; aides Joyce Dragon and Jessica Mentzer; aides/secretaries Brittany Evans, Shelly Johnson and Cindy Smith; custodians Gary Garvie and Brandon Haines; cooks/secretaries Jessica Gipson and Tiffany Lewis; aide/cook/secretary Surina Potts-Deeter; aide/cook Susan Rhoads; and aide/cook/custodian/secretary Nicole Shawhan.
— Sub certificated for 2026-27: Ronna Achor, Sara Allen, Robert Armentrout, Tracey Barnett, Kaylynn Bell, Michelle Bohl, Lindsey Burkhart, Jamie M. Burton, Alyssa Chaney, Maggie Chaney, Kimberly Cochran, David Evans, Donita Everetts, Stephanie Harper, Rhonda Hassman, Robert Hixson, Paula Homan, Elizabeth Howland, Jana Huff-Daye, Heather Hughes, Teresa Jolly, Daria Jones, Lori “Krista” King, Alexis Lennert, Tara Malloy, Donald Marsh, Jennifer Maynard, Emily McCarty, Randy McFarland, Jessica Messer, Christin Morris, Sydney Mycroft, Teresa Myers, Kimberly O’Brien, Cole Pharo, Emily Pohlman, Katie Purdin, Patricia Reinholz, Dee Robinson, Paige Rowe, Cathy Savage, Justin Scott, Rebecca Shawhan, Lindsay Snavely, Betsy Tefend, Lori Vanzant, Shane Walterhouse, Amy Williams, Lindsay Wilson (Bloom), Emily Worley, John Worley, Beth Wright and Stephani Young.
— Certificated for 2026-27: Hannah Conley, teacher, one-year contract.
— DLC: Abby Baker, Elizabeth Buchanan, Pam Harp, Tanya Hendrix, Edward Letts, Shannon Yochum and Tina Young.
— Supplementals for 2026-27: senior class advisers and HS National Honor Society, both split, Cindy Asmus and Stephanie Haines; choral accompanist Charles Colliver; HS Quick Recall adviser and HS assistant marching band director Amy Craig; MS football coach Tate Erkenbrecher; MS football cheerleading coach Brandi Fenner; HS assistant marching band directors Donica Grow and Joe Jacky; HS marching band director Kevin Grow; Art Club adviser Tanya Hendrix; auditorium sound and light Mark Holmes; fall play adviser, International Thespian Society adviser and HS musical Jenna Horick; spirit store advisers (split) Lindsay Inman and Brandi Waits-Miller; HS musical and HS/MHS vocal music adviser Laura Jacky; HS assistant football cheerleading coach Abbagayle Kelly; freshman class adviser and HS Student Council (split) KaleyJo Myers; HS varsity football cheer coach, yearbook adviser and junior class/prom adviser Taylor Reed; sophomore class adviser Matt Schneider; graduation organizers (split) Jessica Rhoades and Tina Young; HS/MS Robotics Club adviser Tracey Staggs; and HS student council (split) Shannon Yochum. 
— Volunteers for 2026-27: elementary volunteers Dustin Barr, Heidi Barr, Brittany Bayless, Eric Binion, April Calhoun, Bridget Campbell, Chase Colliver, Regina Crowe, Bridget Cutler, Brittany Dance, Mary Dixon, Stephanie Dunseith, Joe Earley, Amanda Fife, Bertha Hamilton, Lynette Hamilton, Nancy Horvath, Tasha Kereky, Allison Knisley, Caleb Link, Shianne Ludlow, Jeffery Meyer, Branton Miller, Angela Newman, Chelsey Ojeda, Tamra Parsons, Tonya Reed, Janice Smith, Sarah Stapleton, Jessie Taberski, Lance Vodnais, Sherry Ward, Kylee Warner, Tonya Weber and Tracie Wright; and elementary/middle school volunteers McKenna Hatfield, Carolyn Maggie and Paige Satterfield.

• The board accepted the resignations of counselor Kayla Bagshaw, paraprofessional Aleah Darbyshire and teacher Kirstin Easterling, all effective with the end of the 2025-26 school year. 

• The board approved changes of status for the following individuals, all effective with the 2026-27 school year: Jacob Bice, from BA step 0 to MA step 0; Jessica Chase, from BA step 0 to MA step 1; Ashley Fisher and Celia Griffin, from MA to MA+15; Olivia Fulton, from MA+15 step 11 to MA+15 step 12; Wyatt Gleadle, from BA step 0 to MA step 10; Kristina Marion, from BA step 0 to BA 150 step 6; KaleyJo Myers, from BA step 0 to BA 150 step 0; Emily Pinkerton, from BA step 0 to BA step 2; and Alyssa Walker, from MA+30 step 13 to MA+30 step 14.

• The board approved a $50,000 transfer between line items for each month of the 2027 fiscal year, as well as one $250,000 transfer between two line items approved in a separate motion.

• The board approved the sale of two school buses (Nos. 18 and 30) for scrap.

• The board authorized the payment of an $8,180 invoice from CollegeBoard for AP testing. 

• The board accepted a $35 donation from Alberta Morgan toward the summer food program. 

• Prior to the regular board meeting and superannuate meeting, a federal grant budget meeting was conducted at 7:45 a.m.

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