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West Geauga Scores Big on State Report Card

West Geauga Board of Education Regular Meeting – September 15, 2025

Meeting Details: The West Geauga Board of Education met on September 15, 2025 at 7:00 pm in the Board Office Community Room, 8615 Cedar Road in Chester Township. Meetings are open to the public and media. The meeting agenda and minutes are available online. Look for the Meeting tab in the right hand corner. Pick the meeting you want to review and then click on “Agenda.” A video recording is available here. As of the date of publication of this report, this video has been viewed 69 times. Notations in the report refer to the minute notation on the video for a particular section. 

Board Attendance: Mrs. Christina Sherwood, President; Dr. William Beers, Vice President; Mrs. Kathy Leavenworth, Member;  Mrs. Mary-Michelle Coleman Walsh, Member, and Mrs. Pam Claypool, Member, were present.

Staff Attendance: Dr. Nancy Benincasa, Superintendent; Karen Pavlat, Treasurer; Scott Amstutz, Director of Instructional Technology; Dr. Amy Davis, Director of Pupil Personnel; Meagan Bellan, Director of Curriculum and Instruction; and Jim Kish, Director of Career Pathways/Connections were present.

Other Attendees:  There were approximately ten other non-identified attendees and this observer present.

Opening of Regular Meeting - The Regular Meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm by Mrs. Sherwood. The roll call was conducted, and the Pledge of Allegiance was recited.  

0.50 min. Additions and/or Changes to the Agenda –  A motion was made, seconded and approved to add “Report Card Update by Dr. Nancy Benincasa, Superintendent” to the agenda under Program Reports and Presentations.

1.35 min. Program Reports and Presentations

• Report Card Update by Dr. Nancy J. Benincasa, Superintendent - Dr. Beninincasa stated that the State of Ohio report card results were released this morning.  She is proud to announce that the WG School District:

  • Ranked 11th out of 607 school districts in Ohio in overall scoring.

  • Was 1 of 10 schools that received five stars in all five individual categories and cumulative scoring.

  • The High School ranked 2nd out of all Ohio high schools.

She thanked all those who contributed to this achievement: the community, the board, the students, families, and staff who have worked so hard to achieve this level of excellence.  Dr. Benincasa indicated there would be more detailed reports to the board in the future as the analysis of the data is completed.  Mrs. Sherwood commented that this report card is not just about tests but about the functional skill the students are receiving.  Dr. Beers stated that this didn’t happen overnight, but over a ten-year period.

Public Remarks - There were no public remarks.

6.50 min. Routine items - Consent - All Approved

• 2025-09-350 Resolution to Approve Routine Matters of the West Geauga Local School Board of Education

• Resolution to Approve August 2025 Financial Statements

• Minutes - August 11, 2025 Regular Meeting

• Certified Substitute List for the 2025-2026 School Year

• Classified Substitute List for the 2025-2026 School Year

7.10 min. Financial Resolutions - All Approved

• 2025-09-351 Resolution to Approve Warrants for August 2025

• 2025-09-352 Resolution to Accept Donations

Name                    Amount Donated             Recipient

Lorraine Szabo      $      500.00                      Joseph J. Szabo Chemistry Award

OHSAA                    $12,500.00                      HS Athletics

WGPAD                   $  1,276.72                      MS Music Department

• 2025-09-353 Resolution to Approve Transfer of Funds 

From                     Amount           To

General Fund      $1,000,000      Permanent Improvement

General Fund      $   250,000       Termination Benefits

Mrs. Pavlat explained that these are transfers that occur annually.

8.15 min. Personnel Resolutions - All Approved

• 2025-09-354 Resolution to Approve Additional Per Diem for Certified Staff in the 2025-2026 School Year

• 2025-09-355 Resolution to Approve Change in Certified Contract - Certified Salary Movement for the 2025-2026 School Year

• 2025-09-356 Resolution to Approve Classified Staff Appointments for the 2025-2026 School Year

• 2025-09-357 Resolution to Approve Change in Classified Staff Contracts for the 2025-2026 School Year

• 2025-9-359 Resolution to Approve Additional Transportation Route Assignments for the 2025-2026 School Year

• 2025-09-360 Resolution to Accept Classified Staff Resignations

• 2025-09-361 Resolution to Approve Unpaid Days

• 2025-09-362 Resolution to Approve Supplemental Contracts for the 2025-2026 School Year

• 2025-09-363 Resolution to Approve Service Contracts for the 2024-2025 School Year

• 2025-09-364 Resolution to Approve Service Contracts for the 2025-2026 School Year

• 2025-09-365- Resolution to Authorize the Award of Service Contracts for the 2025-2026 School Year

• 2025-09-366 Resolution to Approve Student Practicum Placement for the 2025-2026 School Year

15.25 min. Policy and Program Resolutions - All approved

• 2025-09-367 Resolution to Declare Emergency Circumstances and Update Board Policy(s) on the First and Final Reading - Dr. Benincasa indicated that the emergency circumstances are due to HB 96 and the need to have the affected district policies updated to be in compliance.

• 2025-09-368 Resolution to Approve the First and Final Reading of Revised Board Policy(s) 8300 and 8305

• 2025-09-369 Resolution to Approve the First Reading of New Policy(s) 0165, 0166, 7540.09, Revised Policy(s) 0100, 0142.1, 0151, 0152, 0155, 0163, 0164, 0167.2, 1100.01, 1520, 4120.08, 4121, 7530.01, 7530.02, 7530.03, 7540.03, 7540.04, 8310, 8315, 9160, and Rescinded Policy(s) 0165.1, 0165.2, 0173 - Dr. Beers indicated that this was just a first reading of the policies and were subject to change and revision prior to the final reading.

18.50 min. Business Resolutions - All Approved

• 2025-09-370 Resolution to Approve Anti-Skid Agreement Between Chester Township and the West Geauga School District

• 2025-09-371 Resolution to Approve Ohio Schools Council Cooperative Advertising and Receiving Bids for School Bus Chassis and Body and Transit Vans.  Mrs. Pavlat explained that the district van fleet needs to be upgraded as part of the transportation program.  The district has purchased four buses within the past year and the bus fleet is in good shape.

• 2025-09-372 Resolution to Approve the Interdistrict Contracts for Education Services between West Geauga Local Schools and Berkshire Local Schools - Mrs. Claypool asked if this was a new program.  Dr. Benincasa stated that it was new and exists outside of the district.  Its purpose is to provide West Geauga students different individualized training than was currently available to the district.  Mr. Kish is the coordinator of this program and there will be future reports to the board as part of the state report card analysis presentations.  

• 2025-09-373 Resolution to Approve the School Affiliation Agreement between West Geauga Local Schools and Preston Superstore

• 2025-09-374 Resolution to Approve Service Agreement Between ABA Outreach Services and West Geauga School District

• 2025-09-375 Resolution to Approve the Independent Contractor-District Agreement Between Proactive Behavior Services and West Geauga Local Schools for the 2025-2026 School Year

27.0 min. Board Resolutions - All Approved

• 2025-09-376 Resolution to Approve the Agreement with Huntington Bank for Deposit of Public Funds to the West Geauga Board of Education

• 2025-09-377 Resolution to Approve Cafe 306 Proposed Price List for the 2025-2026 School Year

27.45 min. Discussion of New Business and Suggestions to be Introduced on Future Agendas

• Mrs. Sherwood indicated that the November 17th meeting will need to be moved to November 10th because of a conflict with Ohio School Board Association meetings.

28.30 min. Reports

• Board Report - no report

• Superintendent Report - The following are highlights of Dr. Benincasa’s report:

  • Charlotte Spier - Participant at the Playhouse Square Key Bank Shining Star performance contest.  Dr. Benincasa hopes to have her perform for the board in the future because she is so talented.

  • Wolverine Kickoff Classic - estimated that over 400 persons in attendance and it was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate Fall Sports participants.

  • Homecoming - occurred the previous weekend and included a football victory.

  • Fall Sports Attendance - she has begun to attend as many Fall Sports events as her schedule will allow.

  • Plumbing Issues - the High School experienced a major sanitary plumbing issue which has been remedied.  There will be a report to the board at a future meeting.

  • The roofing project is within two weeks of completion.

  • The staff has spent time making connections with community stakeholders to gather their input on the schools.

  • School Year Start - the year’s beginning has had a positive start.

34.15 min. Adjournment - Approved

• Announcement of Next Board Meeting – It was announced that there would be a Regular Meeting on October 13, 2025 beginning at 7:00 pm in the Board Office Community Room, 8615 Cedar Road in Chester Township.

• 2025-09-378 Resolution to Adjourn – The meeting was adjourned at 7.35 pm.

Observer: Bob Doxey

Editor: Rooney Moy

Reviewer: Carol Benton

Date Submitted: September 29, 2025

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