Q&A | Board Meeting 4.13.26

Hello Titans,

Thank you to those who attended and participated in the Board of Education meeting on April 13, 2026. We have compiled responses to several questions raised that evening and are sharing them to help clarify and be transparent.

Just a reminder, Board of Education meetings are conducted to carry out official district business and must remain orderly and in accordance with established procedures. To ensure the most accurate and thorough responses, district employees are strongly encouraged to submit questions in advance to Superintendent Dr. Jeff Graham. This allows for appropriate review and for responses to be addressed directly to the Board in alignment with board policy.

We also ask that public participation follow the structure of the meeting:

• The first Hearing of the Public should be limited to questions directly related to agenda items for that meeting.
•  The second Hearing of the Public provides an opportunity for broader comments, which must remain respectful and on topic at all times.

We value community engagement and appreciate your cooperation in helping maintain a productive and respectful meeting environment for all.

1. I heard we are receiving $95,000 from the county, $25,000 from Stocker, and $10,000 from Amazon?

   1. County funds - we received $96,000 from Lorain County on 4/14.  This is a refund from the County as a surplus from their collections.  Our legal counsel informed us we can place this into our general fund.  We have not decided yet how to allocate this money.

   2. Stocker - we applied for, and received a $50,000 grant from the Stocker Family Foundation.  This money is earmarked and can only be used to support preschool and kindergarten Reggio Emilia practices.

   3. Amazon - we received a $10,800 rebate for using Amazon as a vendor.

   4. Note - all of these funds are one-time receipts.

2. Some preK playgrounds are out of compliance w/mulch being thin and concrete showing.  What are we doing about that?

   1. Our playgrounds are inspected regularly and are in compliance.  Our annual inspections begin soon.  Any playgrounds that we have concerns about will be addressed in the Spring/Summer months when the weather breaks and cooperates.  If there are immediate issues that need to be addressed at any school, please have them reach out to us and also have them submit a work order.  We will ensure our playgrounds are safe, both the mulch and the asphalt. 

3. We now have some work orders that are 83 days old without being completed.  Who decides what is completed and not?

   1. We had one work order that we denied and did not close out. Our current turnaround time for work orders is 4 days.  Remember that all work orders need to go through the Master Library. If the work order is not placed in Master Library, we have not received it and won’t be able to address the need.

4. For reductions, we are including admin from last year, but not teachers.  Why?

   1. Last school year, we offered an early-retirement severance package to eligible teachers. A total of 48 teachers participated in the severance package last school year, and at the administration's request, an additional two teachers delayed their participation until the end of this school year. Of the 48 teachers who participated in the severance package, we replaced 40 of them, in most cases with teachers with fewer years of experience, and at a lower cost. We did not replace eight teachers.  

   2. As for including teachers in the reductions over the past two years, we included all members of all unions and administrative positions. We reduced our teaching staff by eight members from last year to this year, and those positions are included in our two-year total reductions.

5. Zero students passed the STNA test.  Why are we still allowing the program to continue?

   1. This is our first year offering this program in response to student requests. Discussing identifiable student test results would be a violation of FERPA.

6. Are we still contracting with Mary Mayse?

   1. We reduced Mary Mayse’s contract to 3 days per week this year, with a prorated salary for her reduced time. She resigned on March 1, with a limited contract for up to an additional 15 days through July 31.  Her role is to help in case of an emergency.

7. Do we pay bus drivers a full 8 hours?

   1. We have 61 drivers and monitors, and a total of eight are contracted for eight hours per day. They work eight-hour days.  Everyone else is paid based on their hours worked.

8. Can we keep doing Girls on the Run for the next 4 weeks?

   1. Yes. This issue has been resolved

9. Can we recognize Aramark workers in some special way?  Maybe provide lunch for them?

   1. Yes - we work with Aramark leaders to recognize their members

10. Is it a conflict of interest for a board member to benefit financially from a partnership with a 501c?

    1. Per our legal counsel, in this particular situation, there is no conflict of interest.