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Kenston BOE Approves Over $1.5 Million in Permanent Improvement Projects for 2025-2026

Kenston Board of Education Regular Meeting – February 10, 2025 

Meeting Details: The Kenston Board of Education (BOE) regular meeting took place on February 10, 2025,  at 7:00 pm.  The full video of the meeting is posted on the Kenston Website page here and on Kenston’s YouTube page here. View the agenda online and any attached documents here by selecting the meeting tab, the meeting date, and the agenda.

Call to order by President Tom Manning at 7 pm.

Board Attendance: President Tom Manning, Vice President Beth Krause, Ph.D.,  Jennifer Troutman, J.D., Jim Henry, and Dennis Bergansky

Staff in Attendance: Superintendent Bruce R. Willingham Jr., Ed.D. Treasurer Seth Cales, KHS Principal Tom Gabram, and Timmons Elementary Principal Dave Rogaliner

Pledge of Allegiance led by Xavier Mekhael, Timmons Elementary School (TES) 3rd Grade student and Dr. Krause.

4:10 Min REGULAR  MEETING  WELCOME AND ROLL CALL: This meeting is being held in accordance with Section 3313.15 of the Ohio Revised Code.

5:13 Min Approval of the Minutes The Kenston Board of Education approved that the reading of the minutes be waived, and approved the minutes of the Organizational and the Regular Meetings of January 13, 2024  as recorded or corrected.  The minutes of this meeting can be found here and here.

5:44 Min Commendations

Upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the Kenston Board of Education approved the following commendation:

• Christopher Gregory, Kenston High School (KHS) 11th Grade Auburn Career Student, placed 1st at the State level and 9th at the National level in the CyberPatriot National Youth Cyber Defense Team Competition, which is an online competition to find and fix cybersecurity vulnerabilities in virtual operating systems.  The competition is run by CyberPatriot, a program that aims to educate young people about cybersecurity.

9:05 Min Informational Items

• Dave Rogaliner, Principal of TES, gave a presentation accompanied by slides about the building goals of TES. Watch the video beginning at 9:10 for Mr. Rogaliner’s more detailed description of the goals below.

• The first goal of TES was the implementation of Pilot Core ELA (English Language Arts) Curriculum program known as CKLA (Core Knowledge Language Arts) with fidelity. Mr. Rogaliner discusses the CKLA program in a little more detail in the presentation.

• The second goal was to strengthen Tier One and Tier Two instructional practices through analysis of data sources. The analysis will be used to strengthen NNI (No New Instruction) time, which is time to differentiate for the identified needs of the students. Each grade has a dedicated time for this during the school day. During this time, all building resources are dedicated to the designated grade. 

• The third goal was to provide intentional feedback to the faculty in their first year of the program.

• STEAM Week was January 13-17.

• Tom Gabram, KHS Principal, gave a presentation accompanied by slides beginning at 23:24 in the video.

  • KHS Program of Studies- Mr. Gabarm described how Kenston’s Program of Studies (and the accompanying block scheduling) is currently being adjusted to a “more hybrid” model for (potentially, at the earliest) 2025-2026 that allows for more flexibility to contain full year core courses, electives, and a career readiness component.

  • No New Instruction periods will also be built into the blocks on certain days to allow teachers to reinforce student learning. Mr. Gabram discusses a sample schedule beginning at 33:03 in the video to demonstrate what the new scheduling could look like.

• Cheryl Spehar, President of the Kenston Foundation, gave a presentation accompanied by slides beginning at 43:45 in the video.

  • The Kenston Foundation provides scholarships to students and grants to teachers.

  • Teachers in all 3 buildings received a total of $11,000 in grants this year.

  • Scholarship applications are now open and active for senior students to apply. Interviews will begin in March of 2025. The Foundation provides over 30 scholarships.

  • Fundraising for 2025 will begin soon. Fundraisers will include Purse Bingo on March 1, 2025 and the Annual NCAA Basketball Squares, which will be done during March Madness.

Legislative Update- None

The BOE takes an approximately 5 minute break at this time to allow students and presenters to leave.

54:02 Min Superintendent’s Report

Dr. Willingham’s discussion/report, accompanied by a slide presentation, begins at 54:10 in the video.

• The final list of proposed permanent improvement (PI) projects for 2025-2026 here will be presented to the board for approval (under New Business below). The total projected PI expenditure amount for 2025-2026 is $1,594,507. Dr. Willingham highlighted and discussed some of the planned improvements from the list in his report. Dr. Willingham will also be looking to various booster groups to pursue possible grants, scholarships, and donations to help with these projects. Dr. Willingham noted that safety is a big factor in many of the proposed projects but this is still a working document, and many of the big items are prioritized.

• Dr. Willingham advised that the Board and the community would also be able to view this document again when all quotes for projects are finalized for purposes of transparency.

• ZeroEyes went live in December, and received great reviews from the Bainbridge Police Department.

• STOPit is being finalized and moving towards its go live date. Reviewer Note: More information on the STOPit app is available in the January 13, 2025 Kenston Observer Report.

• Stopfinder is being piloted and is a GPS app that will allow parents to track their child’s school bus. Wayfinder, a navigation system for the bus, is also being added and will enhance Stopfinder. This app should help the substitute bus drivers navigate an unknown route more easily, and help with attendance

• The programs administered by Dr. Knight have gone very well and received excellent feedback.

• A survey went out for calendar planning. Around 73% of respondents expressed an interest in a start day closer to Labor Day. There is a lot of work that goes into making a change like this, per Dr. Willingham, so he advised not to expect it next year. This survey was to gauge interest before any discussion or planning goes forward regarding a different start date.

1:15.45 Min. Hearing of the Public on Agenda Items - None

1:15.50 Treasurer’s Report

• Noted several large donations under section 8.1 below from the Musical Arts Association of Kenston (MAAK), the Parent Teacher Organization, and the Kenston Community Education groups.

• Mr. Cales presented slides here for January’s month end financial report beginning at 1:16.30 in the video.

Observer Note: Mr. Cales refers to his slides as he speaks and the audience looks to the screen; however, they are not immediately shared to the live stream video by the videographer until 1:21.39 Min. They can be found here.

• January revenues, compared to last year, are up somewhat at $535,456.

• January cash balance, compared to last year, is down $769,214. Some of this is just the timing of expenditures versus revenues. In tracking with the five year forecast, revenue is trending up a little compared to where it was anticipated and expenditures are up as well. However, the cash balance is favorable as anticipated, due to some of the consolidation efforts of the last year. Also actual tax revenues are up due to timing.

• Mr. Cales highlighted cash flow projections beginning at 1:23:40 in the video. He advised that monitoring cash balances closely is vital to staying on track, making informed decisions, and being transparent for the taxpayers. Hopefully the cash flow balance will maintain as expected through the five year forecast so that the district does not need to go for an operating levy within the forecast period

• State and Federal funding allocated for Title IDEA B is $538,854.91.  Mr. Cales explains how these monies are broken out and allocated to salaries, benefits and supplies on the final two slides. 

• A Permanent Improvement Levy fund summary will be presented to the Board and the Community on an annual basis to show actual expenditures and highlight projects completed.

1:31.19 Min 

Financial Items - These are available here by selecting the meeting tab, meeting date, and 8.1-8.5 on the agenda. All Approved.

• As noted by the Treasurer above, see generous donations.

Certified Personnel Items - These items are available here for review by selecting the meeting tab, meeting date, and 9.1-9.6 on the agenda. All Approved.

Classified Personnel Items - These items are available here by selecting the meeting tab, meeting date, and 10.1-10.2 on the agenda. All Approved.

Supplemental Personnel Items - These items are available here by selecting the meeting tab, meeting date, and 11.1-11.2 on the agenda. All Approved.

Exempt Personnel Items - These items are available here by selecting the meeting tab, meeting date, and 12.1-12.2 on the agenda. All Approved.

Business Operations - These items are available here by selecting the meeting tab, meeting date, and 13.1-13.2 on the agenda. Approved.

• Upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the Kenston Board of Education is being asked to approve a contract with the MAAK for the acquisition of an equipment trailer for the KHS Music Department, at no cost to the district.

• First Reading: RESCINDING - Protective Facial Coverings During Pandemic/Epidemic Events policy here.

Teaching and Learning- These items are available here by selecting the meeting tab, meeting date, and 14.1-14.4 on the agenda. Approved.

• Proposed Program of Study for 2025-2026 here.

Special Education Items - These items are available here by selecting the meeting tab, meeting date, and 15.1  on the agenda. Approved.

Old Business Items - These items are available here by selecting the meeting tab, meeting date, and 16.1  on the agenda. Approved.

New Business Items - These items can be found here by selecting the meeting tab, meeting date, and 17.1-17.4  on the agenda. Approved.

• Proposed Permanent Improvement Projects list is available here.

1:35.10 Min Hearing of The Public on Non-Agenda items

• Anthony (no last name provided), who runs a sports radio show, was a former student of Mr. Kofron’s Entertainment Marketing Class. He described how he found his confidence in public speaking and his career in radio due in large part to what he learned and experienced in Mr. Kofron’s class. He spoke in support of continuing the Entertainment Marketing class even after Mr. Kofron’s planned retirement.

• William Eisner addressed the board about state flags a few months ago and wanted to thank them for the state flags now appearing on the flag poles in the district. He presented the board with state seals made by his 3D printer. He explained the meaning of the Ohio state seal.

1:44.15 Min A motion was made and approved to enter into Executive Session to discuss the employment and compensation of a public employee.

Under Ohio Law, the Board may hold Executive Sessions to discuss personnel matters, litigations, purchase of property, negotiations, matters required to be kept confidential by federal law or state statutes, and details of security arrangements. Executive Sessions are used for discussion only, no board action can be voted on in Executive Session. Ohio Revised Code Section 121.22 defines the Sunshine Law and matters for Executive Session.

**Mr. Manning took a moment, between the motion and the roll call vote for Executive Session, to announce that Kenston has a sectional and district wrestling tournament coming up in the next couple of weeks. Kenston will be hosting 14 teams this next weekend and 56 teams the weekend after that.

Mr. Manning advised that no action would be taken by the Board after Executive Session other than adjournment and the video ended at 1:45.45 Min.

Next regular meeting: March 10, 2025 at 7 pm 

More information here: Board of Education | Kenston Local Schools

Video Observer: Jacqueline Berger

Editor: Carol Benton

Reviewer: Sarah McGlone

Date Submitted: 2/13/25

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