Hillsboro City Schools Board of Education reorganizes; Myers, Rhoads to continue leadership roles

After a one-week delay due to inclement weather, the Hillsboro City Schools Board of Education reorganized for the 2025 calendar year and hosted their regular monthly meeting Monday, Jan. 13.

The agendas also included a public hearing on the 2025-26 school calendar as well as a tax budget hearing.

In their annual organizational meeting, Bill Myers was again selected to serve as board president, following nomination by Beverly Rhoads and unanimous vote by the board. Rhoads was also chosen as board vice president, having been nominated by board member Larry Lyons.

Myers has served as board president, and Rhoads has been vice president, since 2017. District treasurer Ben Teeters administered the oath of office to both individuals.

All five board members — which include Myers, Rhoads and Lyons as well as Tom Milbery and Jerry Walker — were thanked by superintendent Tim Davis in his report, in honor of School Board Recognition Month.

In other reports, Rhoads shared highlights from the Jan. 8 Great Oaks Board of Directors meeting. Their meeting also included reorganizing for 2025, with several area board members selected for leadership roles. Those include JB Stamper of Wilmington, Chair of the Great Oaks Board of Directors, and Ron Friend of Fairfield Local, Parliamentarian.

Another local individual recognized was former Miami Trace Great Oaks FFA member Amberly Szczerbiak, a current Miami University student, who was selected as 2025 Ohio Fairs' Queen.

The Great Oaks board also accepted a $2,311,500 bid for a rooftop unit replacement at Diamond Oaks, while the Eric Scott Compassion Award was presented to Laurel Oaks counselor Ami Brinley during the meeting.

Both Lyons and Walker discussed recent legislation in their respective reports. Lyons said that the district “will need to review our policy on the newly signed Parent Bill of Rights that was passed” by the Ohio Legislature and signed by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine.

As reported by Megan Henry of the Ohio Capital Journal, “The bill requires public schools to let parents know about sexuality content materials ahead of time so they can request alternative instructions. It also prohibits any sexuality content from being taught to students in kindergarten through third grade.

“This new law strengthens Ohio’s existing law around religious release time by creating a mandate. Currently, Ohio allows school district boards of education to make a policy to let students go to a course in religious instruction during the school day, but this now becomes a requirement for Ohio school boards.”

Walker discussed a bill affecting Social Security that was approved by the U.S. Congress and signed by President Joe Biden recently. According to Jennifer Shutt of States Newsroom, “The new law eliminates the windfall elimination provision and government pension offset that for decades had reduced the amount some Americans,” including retired educators and other public employees, “receive in Social Security benefits.”

Myers announced in his report that the board’s next meeting — set for Feb. 17 — will be held at 9 a.m. instead of the usual 7 p.m. start time.

In other discussion:

• The board approved the financial reports as presented. Teeters reported a general fund cash balance of $12,103,419.47 for December, up from $10,317,676.65 in December 2023. Monthly expenses were $2,362,109.19, Teeters said.

• The board approved the following individuals for the contracts and positions indicated: sub classified — Destiny Sonner (cook); and volunteers — Darby Hodge and Ryan Mau (coaches).

• The board approved the reimbursement of mileage to Mr. Buddy Norris for transporting two students round trip from their residences to CEC-N, located at 4286 Wuebold Lane, Cincinnati, effective Dec. 1, 2024. The IRS mileage rate shall apply. After a discussion and suggestion by Walker, a stop date of June 1, 2025 was added to the agreement.

• The board approved an amendment to the current agreement between Hillsboro City Schools and G&J Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company.

• The board authorized a leave of absence for teacher Kim Ison effective Jan. 3, on an intermittent basis.

• Kelton Burson, Ava Campbell and Hope Shorten were approved as early graduates.

• The board approved the awarding of a diploma to Katie Paige, a resident of the district who has completed the Ohio Department of Education’s requirements per HB 64.

• The Board approved the A-Z Effective School Board Award Nomination Checklist for the Southwest Region Ohio School Boards Association.

• The board accepted an anonymous $200 donation toward items for students in need.

The organizational meeting included the following standard annual resolutions:

• A resolution to set the dates and times for the 2025 school board meetings. Meetings will continue to be held on the third Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at the district office, unless otherwise noted.

• The board voted on board committee assignments, which remain unchanged from 2024, with the exception of the different student representative. Committee assignments include: Finance: Rhoads and Lyons, with Myers as alternate; Policy: Rhoads and Milbery; Ohio School Board legislative liaison: Lyons, with Walker as alternate; Great Oaks representative: Rhoads; American Disability Act: Walker; Southwest Regional Board: Rhoads; Business Advisory: Rhoads, with Lyons as alternate; Athletic Council: Milbery and Myers; HEA and OAPSE liaison: Walker; student representative: Madison Dearmon; Wellness: Walker and Dearmon; Community Relations: Milbery and Lyons; and Technology: Myers.

• The number of students enrolled in the district — which was 2,209, including 25 juniors and 27 seniors attending Laurel Oaks — as of Dec. 31, 2024 was certified.

• The tax budget for fiscal year July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026, with estimated expenditures of $36,222,500 from the General Fund, was adopted.

• The board voted to establish a Service Fund, to be set aside as an account within the General Fund, and to appropriate $7,500, which amount shall be incorporated into the appropriations of the district for July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026.

• The board authorized the treasurer to “represent the Board of Education for the certified public records training to fulfill the requirements” by law.

• In two separate resolutions, the superintendent was authorized to employ staff and accept resignations as needed.

• In two separate motions, the treasurer was authorized to pay all bills within the limits of the appropriations resolution as bills are received and when the merchandise has been received in good condition and to invest interim funds at the most productive interest rate whenever interim funds are available.

• The board approved a resolution to draw and pay taxes.

• The board authorized the superintendent or designated assistant to serve as the purchasing agent for the district.

• The board agreed “to be paid at the maximum rate allowed by law.”

• The board waived the reading of minutes for each board meeting.

(Author’s note: Thank you to Ben Teeters and Tim Davis for their assistance with, and contributions to, this article.)

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