Hillsboro City Schools board OKs latest five-year forecast, lengthy list of employment approvals

The Hillsboro City Schools Board of Education approved the district’s latest five-year forecast Monday, as board treasurer Ben Teeters said there were “no substantial changes” from the revision he presented in February.

As noted by Teeters, the board approves these forecasts each May and October. In February, the board also approved a revised forecast at the state’s request.

The “unreserved fund balance” figures presented in October showed a total deficit of $799,584 for the end of the 2025 fiscal year, up to a $4,645,709 deficit at the end of 2026 and $8,856,681 deficit by the end of 2027. Teeters said in February that he “had underestimated the revenue,” as well as “overestimated the health insurance.”

“I submitted the same forecast as we had used in February,” Teeters told the board Monday. “There hasn't been any substantial changes since February in the forecast.”

The current figures show the district in the black at $1,278,404 for 2025, but with a deficit of $2,079,620 for 2026 and a deficit of $5,808,592 for 2027.

“I did not increase the school foundation revenue that we receive from the state,” Teeters said. “I left it all flatlined, so that's why when it gets out toward the year four and five that it goes into the red. With the new state biennium budget that comes out, we’ll probably be getting more money, but the state recommended that I flatline it based on 2023 levels.”

Also on Monday, during the public participation portion of the meeting, a parent, Laura Pickering-Polstra, spoke out against a graduation policy.
 
According to Pickering-Polstra, graduating HHS seniors were sent an email telling them, “Please do not decorate your graduation cap. You will be given a new one at the ceremony and charged for the replacement if you do.”

She argued that this is “an unconstitutional violation of students’ freedom of expression.”

“As long as the expression is not disruptive, due to profanity or lewdness, students have the right to self expression,” Pickering-Polstra said. “There is no learning environment to disrupt at a graduation ceremony, so in this case, why not simply check student caps before the ceremony, and if anyone has done something inappropriate to the cap, just pull theirs instead of everyone else’s?

“My husband and my family and I ask you to reconsider this policy.”

Board president Bill Myers said they would issue a response within 10 days, which will be “before graduation.”   

In other action:

• The board approved the financial reports as presented. Teeters reported a general fund cash balance of $8,720,409 for April 2023, up from $8,575,565 in April 2022; expenses of $2,286,452, compared to $2,276,455 last year; and revenues of $4,808,935 for the month, up from $2,144,097 last April.

“We received part of our real estate tax settlement in the month of April, where last year it was in March,” Teeters said of the large increase in revenues compared to last year.

• The board made numerous staffing approvals, including the following:

Leaves of absence were approved for teacher Angela Miller (effective May 10-June 21), HVAC maintenance specialist Nick Naylor (April 3-May 1) and head cook Stephanie Thompson (April 28-May 12).

Resignations were accepted from teachers John O’Rourke (due to retirement) and Paige Shebley, both effective at the end of the 2022-23 school year.

The termination of custodian Shelby Hale, effective April 28, was approved.

The following staff members were approved to work kindergarten registration: Paige Anderson, Shellie Anderson, Tirina Bieler, Danielle Bice, Susan Burnett, Debbie Couch, Courtney Daniels, Tara Davis, Tiffany Gobin, Katie Greer, Kirsten Harp, Lynette Knisley, Crystal Moore, Crystal Myers (with Bill Myers abstaining), Kala Newman, Ellen Patton, Rodney Newman, Karen Shoemaker, Lindsay Wagner, Mikala Warfield, Kristine Wigginton and Tara Williamson.

The following individuals were approved for the contracts and positions indicated, contingent upon a satisfactory background check and proper certification:

— Summer school tutors: Macy Anderson, Danielle Bice, Melissa Boysel, Kyleah Brey, Jennifer Chaney, Heidi Fawley, Jenna Horick, Cyndi Inlow, Blake Kibler, Megan MacIvor, Brittany Oxley, Fran Poole, Verona Roush, Matt Sexton, Rob Snavely, Amy Vance and Laura Wolf.

— Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), $17.44/hour: Anna Aber, Kim Benner, Melissa Boysel, Rachel Brath, Karen Fraley, Jennifer Gleadle, Chad Haynie, Lili Hunt, Ladonna Keplinger, Melissa Mahan, Melissa Miller, Brittany Oxley, Leonard Oxley, Rebecca Peters, Susan Rhoads, Paige Shebley, Amy Vance, Carol Waits, Julie Wertsbaugh and Jennifer Wilson.

— SFSP Sponsor Manager Monitors: Anna Aber and Leonard Oxley ($2,250 each).

— Volunteers: Jennifer Alsip, HES; J.C. Captain, Emma Fouch and Brayden Zimmerman, 2023-24 assistant basketball coaches; Richard Kelch, HHS; and Nicole Shawhan, HES, HMS and HHS.

— One-year contracts: Macy Anderson, Bernadette Attinger (new hire), Kyleah Brey, Samantha Charek, Madison Crouch, Angela Crowder, Jillian Dickel, Tiffany Gelter, Megan MacIvor, Heather Mathews, Jeffrey McRill, Olivia Page, Lauren Purtee, Ashley Pollock, Mercedes Reese, Ryan Reilly, Susan Rhoads, Trista Rhodes, Kayleigh Robinson, Garrett Ross, Pam Sebastian, Shania Setty, Rebecca Smith, Tobi Stevens, Stephanee Teufel, Lindsey Wagner, Jordan Walker, Laura Wolf, Ellen Wright, Karen Yakimow and Benjamin Young.

— Two-year contracts: Heidi Fawley, Gabrielle Lochbaum, Edward Letts, Ashley Purtee and Jordan Rhude.

— Three-year contracts: Shellie Anderson, Kayla Bagshaw, Kim Benner, Carissa Brandenburg, Erik Callahan, Jennifer Chaney, Elena Cullom, Amy Craig, Brian Cummings, Mary Lee Daugherty, Elizabeth Denton, Michael Domitor, Krista George, Fawn Girard, Ashley Fisher, Jennifer Gleadle, Jennifer Howland, Cyndia Inlow, Laura Jacky, Jodi Langston, Elizabeth McNeal, Kayla Morgan, Mike Nartker (rehire), Joshua Pohlman, Anissa Simmons and Christine Snyder.

— Continuing contracts: Kayla Gauche, Amanda Miller, Matt Schneider, Kimberly Smith and Alyssa Walker.

— Supplemental contracts: Brandon Ballein, MS boys cross-country coach; Nathan Boatman, HS varsity boys golf coach; Heith Brown, Jason Fox, Cody Mathews and Ben Pence, HS assistant football coaches; Amy Captain, HS varsity football cheerleading coach; Amy Craig, HS quick recall adviser; J.C. Captain, MS football coach and open gym coordinator (female); Chris Fauber, HS assistant boys varsity basketball coach; Brandi Fenner, MS assistant football cheerleading coach; Ben Fouch, HS assistant girls varsity basketball coach; Jake Fouch, HS reserve girls basketball coach; Trevor Gleadle, HS reserve boys basketball coach and fall site supervisor; Jim Horne and Jake Spruell, MS football coaches; Nathan Horne, HS varsity football coach; Ben Howland, HS varsity boys soccer coach; Josh Howland, HS varsity boys basketball coach and open gym coordinator (male); Ed Letts, HS varsity boys cross-country coach; Carey McBride, MS girls basketball and HS varsity girls golf coach; Amanda Miller, HS varsity girls soccer coach; Lawton Parry, MS boys basketball coach; Kelly Perkins, HS assistant volleyball coach; Ashley Purtee, HS assistant girls soccer coach; Taylor Reed, HS assistant football cheerleading coach; Trista Rhodes, HS reserve girls soccer coach; Dan Snapp, HS assistant boys soccer coach; Rob Snavely, HS varsity girls cross-country coach; Heather Storer; HS varsity girls basketball coach; Jordan Walker, HS varsity volleyball and MS girls basketball coach; Dustin Willey, HS freshman boys basketball coach; and Ben Young, MS girls cross-country coach.

• The board approved the treasurer’s request to use set balance year-end program to set appropriations to expenditures.

“This is something we do every year,” Teeters said. “June is the end of our fiscal year, and so in order to make sure that everything balances out with expenditures and revenue, there's a program that we can run.”

• The board approved the workers’ compensation group plan for calendar year 2024 with Sedgwick. The contract fee is $1,270, with an estimated workers’ compensation premium of $56,098. Teeters said the fee is “probably about $20 higher this year than it was last year.”

• The board approved several unrelated contracts, including: one with the Miami Valley Educational Computer Association (MVECA) for fiscal year 2024; one with Downtown Photography for photographic services for the 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years; and one between Hillsboro City Schools and New Story Schools to provide speech, occupational therapy and physical therapy services for a HCS student at the New Story Schools in Columbus.

• The board also accepted a continuing contract/service agreement with the Southern Ohio Educational Service Center effective July 1, 2023-June 30, 2025. Through the city/county agreement, the district receives money from the state that can be used for various services.

• The board authorized the payment of $16,292.28 to the Holiday Inn Roberts Centre for the 2023 senior prom. In response to a question from board member Jerry Walker, both superintendent Tim Davis and Teeters confirmed that “prom fees met that cost.”

• The board approved the following early graduates: Kadence Collins, Shari Greene, Emmalynn McGuire, Benjamin Newman and Ashton Stewart.

• The board approved the following food service prices for the 2023-24 school year: adult lunch, $4.50; student lunch elementary, $2.50; student lunch HS/MS, $3; reduced lunch, free; and milk, 50¢. Teeters said the prices have not changed from the 2023-24 school year.

• The board approved the following textbooks: middle grades science, grade six, 2017 Ohio (157 copies); middle grades science, grade seven, 2017 Ohio (153 copies); and middle grades science, grade eight, 2017 Ohio (168 copies), for a total of $45,465.93.

• The board approved an out-of-country field trip for eighth through 10th grade students. According to the resolution, they will have a Global Education Opportunity to Ireland and England, June 3-11, 2025. The cost will be $4,339 for students.

• The board accepted the following donations: an anonymous $500 donation toward elementary school supplies; a $349 donation from Merchants National Bank toward pizza for staff appreciation week; and a $300 donation from Walmart toward teacher appreciation week.

“The Hillsboro PTO also did a coffee truck with little mini cheesecakes for the elementary and the bus garage, so that was greatly appreciated,” Hillsboro Intermediate Principal Darci Miles told the board.