Recent awards, upcoming employment approvals reviewed at Hillsboro school board meeting

Recent individual and school honors were discussed at the Hillsboro City Schools Board of Education’s Monday, April 21 meeting, as the meeting also included numerous employment approvals.

Superintendent Tim Davis highlighted the individual award winners from the district honored at the 42nd annual Region 14 Exceptional Achievement Award Recognition Ceremony, which was also hosted at Hillsboro High School.

Student winners were Cameron Spurlock, the Outstanding Student Award winner for both Highland County and the region, and Halle Jones, who earned the SATH Foundation Scholarship award. Staff honors went to Hillsboro Intermediate principal Darci Miles and high school intervention specialist Ben Miller, both of whom received Exceptional Achievement Awards.

In other recent recognitions, Davis reported that “Hillsboro High School has renewed its designation as a Purple Star School for the Class of 2025 from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce.”

According to the Ohio Governor’s Office, “To qualify, schools designate a staff member to serve as a liaison to military families. These liaisons complete professional development, identify military-connected students, and coordinate support throughout the school community. Purple Star schools also participate in at least one supportive activity each year.” 

“This designation is valid for three years,” Davis said.

Davis also reported that seven HHS students “have successfully completed the STNA [state tested nurse aide] program at SSCC.

“These students earned a 12-point industry credential as well as their STNA license,” Davis said. “This was a successful first-year pilot program.”

Both Davis and student board representative Madison Dearmon discussed recent and upcoming events in their respective reports. The superintendent said the annual senior showcase for HHS was held April 17.

“We had 29 local businesses attend, and our juniors and seniors each had time to network with the businesses for internships, seasonal, part-time or even full-time employment,” Davis said. “Thank you to [guidance counselors] Mrs. [Jessica] Rhoades and Mrs. [Tina] Young for putting this together.”

The Hillsboro Great Oaks FFA also recently held their annual banquet and awards ceremony.

“It went great,” Dearmon said. “Each member was recognized at least once.”

Board members Larry Lyons and Beverly Rhoads added that they attended the recent production of “High School Musical” as well, while board member Jerry Walker said he has been attending sporting events.

Dearmon said that as the school year winds down, HHS seniors are “preparing for graduation, the baccalaureate ceremony, a senior trip, senior sunrise and the senior walk through the school.” They and other high school students are also looking forward to prom April 26.

“The junior class has been hard at work getting everything ready for prom, which is this week,” Dearmon said. “They plan and prep all of it, so a huge thank-you to the students who help with that and to Mandi Jones for advising all of it and putting in all the work she does for us students to have a great prom.”

Other upcoming events include the National Honor Society’s May blood drive; the FFA chapter’s Food For America Day with kindergarteners; and the state livestock judging competition, where three FFA members will participate.

“The team consists of Emma Yochum, Carter Boyd and Claire Winkle,” Dearmon said. “A big congrats to them for making it this far, and we wish them lots of luck this Friday.”

In other reports:

• Rhoads recapped the Great Oaks Board of Directors’ April meeting. Plans are underway for the 2025-26 school year, and “55 programs across the four campuses out of 85 total programs have waitlists as of April 9.

“Only 10 programs are remaining with five or more open slots next fall,” Rhoads said.

The Great Oaks meeting included recognition of Treasurer/CFO Brian Rabe and staff for their recent Ohio Auditor of State Award; Director of Student Services Donna Eakins and Dean of Satellites Ted Kirkpatrick for their upcoming retirements; and their respective replacements, Dan Rush and Shannon Whittie.

Upcoming Great Oaks events include a retirement celebration, senior ceremonies and Adult Workforce/OTC Graduation.

Rhoads said that she also recently attended the OSBA Southwest Region executive committee regional meeting, where she had the opportunity to tour the new addition and renovation to the Southern Hills Career and Technical Center campus.

• Lyons noted that the state biennial budget has been approved the House and “now is in the Senate for their version.”

In other discussion:

• A lengthy list of employment approvals was made, mostly for the upcoming school year. The board approved the following individuals for the contracts and positions indicated:

– Volunteers: Taylor Eversole and Faith Hawkins (HES), Jessica Molyet (track coach) and Elizabeth Preston (all);

– Sub classified: Gary Garvie (custodian, retroactive to April 15), Rodney Hipsher (bus driver, retro April 14) and Jordan Williamson (van driver);

– Sub certificated: Daria Jones;

Supplementals: Allen Hoosier (2025-26 assistant football coach), Nathan Horne (winter/spring weight room supervisor, 2025-26 HS varsity football coach), Josh Howland (2025-26 HS varsity boys basketball coach), Lindsay Inman and Matt Schneider (spring site supervisors), Heather Jones (2025-26 HS varsity girls volleyball coach) and Heather Storer (2025-26 HS varsity girls basketball coach);

– One-year contracts starting 2025-26 school year: Bernadette Attinger, Samantha Charek  (part time), Quentin Cox, Lydia Falgner, Kirsten Harp, Teresa Marion, Hunter Morgan, David Sedivy and Samantha Whitenack;

– Two-year contracts starting 2025-26 school year: Madison Crouch, Angela Crowder, Tiffany Gelter, Megan MacIvor, Heather Mathews, Jeffrey McRill, Olivia Page, Mercedes Reese, Trista Rhodes, Rebecca Smith, Marissa Stone, Stephanee Teufel and Ellie Wright;

– Three-year contracts starting 2025-26 school year: Ashley Badger, Kirstin Easterling, Heidi Fawley, Jason Fox, Olivia Fulton, Mathew Garman, Joseph Gobin, Tiffany Gobin, Tanya Hendrix, Edward Letts, Crystal Myers (in a separate motion with Bill Myers abstaining), Ashley Purtee, Rob Snavely, Jackie Thoroman, Marlene Whiting, Kristine Wigginton, Tara Williamson, Shannon Yochum; and

– New 2025-26 certificated positions: Jeri Brown (teacher, one-year contract); and Sherrie Burchett and Christina Chlopik (intervention specialists, one-year contract).

• The board approved the list of 2025 graduates, with the student representative and 2025 graduate Dearmon abstaining.

• The board approved the financial reports as presented. Treasurer Ben Teeters reported a March 2025 general fund cash balance of $10,107,295.89, up from $8,504,645.67 in March 2024, and expenses of $2,929,610.24.

• The board approved the tax amounts and rates for the fiscal year 2025 as determined by the budget commission and authorized the necessary tax levies and certifying them to the county auditor, at the recommendation of the treasurer. The document is on file in the treasurer’s office.

• The board accepted the following donations: an anonymous $250 donation toward athletics; Bonnie Barton ($400), Bickle Insurance Services LLC ($500) Buckeye Family Eye Clinic, Inc. ($500), Brad Grimsley ($600), Lesia Langston-McKenna, DMD ($200), Vickie and Russell Newman ($250), Sabrina Shoemaker ($200) and TC Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning ($50) toward robotics; Burwinkel Family Dentistry ($150), Hillsboro Family Dentistry ($50), Ann Burwinkel-McKenzie and Mark McKenzie ($250) and Weastec ($250) toward the High School Science Showcase; and Michael Domitor ($300) and Joe and Laura Jacky ($100) toward student needs.

• The board approved the open enrollment policy for the 2025-26 school year. The following restrictions were approved for the interdistrict open enrollment policy: open to all Ohio school districts; application deadlines are April 1 through Aug. 1; previous open enrollment students and their siblings will get first preference; enrollment limitations will depend upon space at each grade level; and approval of special education students will depend upon teacher limits/space. This remains the same as the district’s current policy.

• The board approved the tuition sliding fee scale for preschool income eligibility chart. In a separate motion, the tuition fee scale was approved as follows: “Standard monthly tuition will be $100 per month (September through May) for families that are above the 200-percent poverty guidelines. Eligibility for free tuition is determined when a family is 200-percent below the poverty guidelines.”

• The board approved leaves of absence for cook Anna Aber, effective March 13-May 1; teacher Marylee Daugherty, effective Feb. 24-28; and paraprofessional Tamara Gleadle, effective May 13-Aug. 5.

• The board approved the retirements of paraprofessionals Lori Brock and Joni Willer, effective May 31, and Dianne Williams, effective May 30; and custodian James Vaughn, effective May 30.

• The board accepted the resignation of bus driver Robert Williams, effective May 30.

• In two separate motions, the board approved a purchase sales agreement with Miami Valley Educational Computer Association (MVECA)  for broadband internal connections, effective Feb. 26, for $91,558.64; and a contract with MVECA Internet Services from July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2028.

• The board approved an emergency housing agreement between Hillsboro City Schools and Highland District Hospital.

• The board approved the 2025-26 elementary handbook and preschool handbook in separate motions.

• An out-of-state field trip for the high school robotics team to Dallas, Texas, May 5-9, was approved.

(Editor’s note: Thank you to Ben Teeters for his assistance with this article.)

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