[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6274278,"mediaKeyId","2993501-685bba6ca202dbb83ad70a8f8aa8df06","parentId",2993501,"title","Votes at a glance: Consent agenda, Leader in Me contract and Sandy Pines placement approved","audioSeconds",168,"startMs",3555000,"endMs",3723000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2993501-685bba6ca202dbb83ad70a8f8aa8df06&start=3555&end=3723","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2993501-685bba6ca202dbb83ad70a8f8aa8df06/thumbnail_3555000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6274278/Ohio/Votes-at-a-glance-Consent-agenda-Leader-in-Me-contract-and-Sandy-Pines-placement-approved","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6274278-f89a91c6617e919af4e29e4f642a0237/orig.mp4?Expires=1770960862&Signature=AB~cwIVSEfBn5PIZBFqTq2nT85qOhvjgMNILXTJvh6VdJN74pDrStUsyjYyed4mqEVHTo3PXV8rogImraKABVcjX004YBCqXsSQYhK426big68~B4j0Hw9tDdjLyLGXAg98N137g9Aat07b4QsANCUBL~lVunat2gaAxHKwjvpn5huZ-hlRNW0lOBdILtvrWdK1RzUtM32xdJXpaBj3FmpT9cSZHypT4jbzITdJ4uh4AzgeF1rqnpOTgPhDXJHfWy63u6ChhT5UzdsD9WBDuHO92-V7HQIzZTyDuH8m5phLICy81RKbQ6ybIMXXtHrqZJNaaGLOehelCCQwuLdvplA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Middletown City School District","date","2025-04-15T15:14:57.727Z","article","The Middletown City Board of Education recorded votes on several items at its April 14 work session. Below are the formal items and recorded outcomes from the meeting record.

Consent agenda — Approved
Motion: Approve tonight’s consent agenda (includes field trips, curriculum contracts, grants and other routine items).
Recorded vote: Mr. Moore — yes; Miss Stewart — yes; Miss Schibert — yes; Dr. Ursell — yes; Miss Ramsey Hunter — yes.
Outcome: Approved.

Leader in Me three‑year K–12 contract — Approved
Motion: Approve the three‑year Leader in Me K–12 implementation contract as presented.
Recorded vote: Miss Stewart — yes; Miss Schibert — yes; Dr. Ursell — yes; Miss Ramsey Hunter — yes; Mr. Moore — yes.
Outcome: Approved.

Sandy Pines Residential Treatment Center placement — Approved
Motion: Approve contract for out‑of‑district placement at Sandy Pines Residential Treatment Center for an identified foster‑care student (education costs only).
Recorded vote: Miss Schibert — yes; Dr. Ursell — yes; Miss Ramsey Hunter — yes; Mr. Moore — yes; Miss Stewart — yes.
Outcome: Approved.

Notes: Votes are recorded as presented in the meeting transcript. Where the transcript did not name a formal mover or seconder, the motion text above summarizes the action as recorded. The board did not vote to pause the bus/maintenance facility project; district staff said they will return to the board if a formal pause is required.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Middletown BOE Regular Work Session Board Meeting 4/14/2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its April 14 work session the Middletown City Board of Education approved the consent agenda, the Leader in Me three‑year contract and a contract for an out‑of‑district placement at Sandy Pines Residential Treatment Center; recorded yes votes are listed below.","taxTitle","Middletown City, School Districts, Ohio","taxId",38859,"location","Ohio","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6274280,"Middletown board introduces Dr. Denitris Hill as new Middletown High School principal",185,212000,397000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2993501-685bba6ca202dbb83ad70a8f8aa8df06&start=212&end=397","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2993501-685bba6ca202dbb83ad70a8f8aa8df06/thumbnail_212000.jpg","/articles/6274280/Ohio/Middletown-board-introduces-Dr-Denitris-Hill-as-new-Middletown-High-School-principal","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6274280-76197d6d7ca74b5b0fea44c906ac7e9f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770960862&Signature=QGGlfy~zyyh40CHB0PhwkBlm4ZWifyscpeZikUy5CAzPRSn5ZB74nGo1cB20~kisjxpr4Bd19Bh0IB7dPmcxAQ8OBqqsKkqJvoGPq748A7o7oPRhWGDj6Q6aUwKO~e-7mSiDp65a0r3Ywslmrlv69essxOGyj4swGSLURJUlvtg7JnT2l9j6fUQaN6JLvEg5O-vVWU54dXIRx9appNMRpj59DdQWay35HhF36dSr1O9LPL66Skq4R-d~cnN2K32WyJeAcxkLW9sFLTaNne00HWzmKG0ounpJWDf96ir7L-5xt~8VYJ3cj-96whvgEPV9aa73bLNQ-oQzzR-xcy57ag__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Middletown City Board of Education on April 14 introduced Dr. Denitris Hill as the new principal of Middletown High School. Hill joined the meeting remotely by Zoom and told board members he is “looking forward to connecting with the community, building strong relationships with the staff, students, and families.”

Superintendent Dr. Hauser described the district’s search process and said students, staff and community members asked for a principal with strong leadership, a commitment to student success and strong connection skills. Dr. Hauser said the district considered community and staff input in the selection.

Board President Chris Urso welcomed Hill and noted Hill’s prior experience, including principal roles in Dayton and Texas and his current service as a community superintendent in Colorado. Hill said he spent five years working in Dayton and looks forward to relocating to the area and beginning work in the 2026 school year.

The board did not take a vote at the introduction; district leaders said Hill will meet staff, students and community members in the coming weeks and the district will finalize onboarding and start dates.","The board introduced Dr. Denitris Hill as the new principal at Middletown High School. Hill joins the district with more than 20 years of experience and participated in the meeting remotely via Zoom.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6274284,"Middletown City officials warn federal recall of ARP/ESSER funds threatens $10M bus/maintenance facility",841,1914000,2755000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2993501-685bba6ca202dbb83ad70a8f8aa8df06&start=1914&end=2755","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2993501-685bba6ca202dbb83ad70a8f8aa8df06/thumbnail_1914000.jpg","/articles/6274284/Ohio/Middletown-City-officials-warn-federal-recall-of-ARPESSER-funds-threatens-10M-busmaintenance-facility","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6274284-2adf1690e9380d9cd7801206de007b82/orig.mp4?Expires=1770960862&Signature=dGXsL30qKcsCojfZDoBIbZJEpteocA9NA9RdTX5~nroo7MhNgL~Uh~1TIMWoUJWNip7MFzPtmUfui~CfWJ4Gpg04UjaTbk-Gfc3vW~OUrw2uLLu2HtKPxFeH3xBx0NHg82IAMtpPx7UHirsy3UBfIPi~B1s390-EGaRCjEcWBWVKwrCZVvVYYB7mffDZwyuOpw-90eenET5zP28c5KVw4ymlJLKdaEmXl0qCMB95OSk2~byln3eJLqNPVvz5ZiESVlVzniOo3kSMLHWupWbMIwHrTBWeyDjaRs7pIOXWhkFhPBSToKhFsusFIUKD8W-nQOlfh10nPo9D6mP4albKHg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Middletown City Schools officials told the board on April 14 that a March 28 presidential directive and a subsequent federal Department of Education letter have paused reimbursements of leftover ARP/ESSER funds and placed roughly $6.5 million in ESSER support for a $10 million bus and maintenance facility at risk.

Randy Bertram, the district treasurer, said he wrote to U.S. Rep. Warren Davidson and Ohio federal officials after receiving a notice that unused ARP/ESSER funds may be recalled and that approved late‑liquidation projects must be paused pending a reapproval process. Bertram said he learned representatives from the Department of Education, and staff in congressional offices, were already working on processes to allow some projects to proceed if states and the feds reapprove them.

Eric Sautzing, the district’s business manager, and district facilities staff described the project status: the district has spent more than $4.1 million—about 41% of an anticipated $9.9–$10 million project—and the job is at a stage where exterior siding, insulation and roofing work are the next steps. The facilities speaker said “Any pause at this point in time has a very drastic effect on the ability for us to continue going forward with the quality that is necessary” because the building is currently open to the elements and much of the cost has already been incurred.

District staff said the federal letter from Education Secretary Linda McMahon (distributed March 28) includes processes that might allow approved projects to continue but requires the state and federal programs to reapprove late‑liquidation spending. Staff said Middletown is one of about 17–18 Ohio districts with late‑liquidation projects totaling about $15 million statewide; Middletown’s exposure is roughly $6.5 million in ESSER funds.

Officials described contingency funding options: use available PI (permanent improvement) funds while holding ESSER reimbursement requests, shift later to general fund dollars if necessary, seek short‑term borrowing (the district previously borrowed $2 million to start the project), or pursue legislative or federal reapproval to preserve ESSER reimbursement. Bertram said prior communications with federal program staff gave the district reason to hope for an administrative remedy but no guarantees; board members pressed for a timeline but staff said none had been provided yet.

Board members expressed urgency about keeping the contractor and site intact. Sautzing and facilities staff said the district has submitted materials to legislators and congressional offices and will continue outreach; they also reported pay applications running roughly $600,000 per month and estimated PI dollars could cover about three months of current pay apps while the district seeks clarity.

The board did not vote to halt the project. Officials said they will return to the board if a formal pause becomes necessary; until then district leadership intends to continue contracting and construction while pursuing approvals and legislative support.

The district intends to provide additional detail to the board on reapproval timelines, the precise remedies identified by the Department of Education and any fiscal adjustments once they receive written guidance from state and federal offices.","Treasurer Randy Bertram and district staff told the board an April 1 federal action to recall unused ARP/ESSER dollars has paused reimbursements and put about $6.5 million of ESSER money supporting a $10 million vehicle/maintenance facility at risk; the board heard options to continue work while seeking federal and state approvals.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":92,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6274290,"Middletown City Schools board approves three-year 'Leader in Me' K–12 program funded with IDEA Part B reallocation and sponsor grant",1444,470000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2993501-685bba6ca202dbb83ad70a8f8aa8df06&start=470&end=1914","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2993501-685bba6ca202dbb83ad70a8f8aa8df06/thumbnail_470000.jpg","/articles/6274290/Ohio/Middletown-City-Schools-board-approves-three-year-Leader-in-Me-K12-program-funded-with-IDEA-Part-B-reallocation-and-sponsor-grant","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6274290-736b6f3b5837fbeab1bccada34d144aa/orig.mp4?Expires=1770960862&Signature=X4apsS1X6u0bn4gJvESMh8tlIi1oDVL303tnT3DU~jUkvfxj2zNGdRe1Fzc21oa1YjqriFMo4jCAQaVsWLjP3siQG3g-VTeTjeMEQyLB~sIKeQJVGKY6AAw9Af1COlerB-oEsti0JLY2JGwkAwzdb6uAI6d9W7xClLvQj384bVtb1i6D6Z3ZUZvtMyZvcGefO2TiTGQHv~QltQuSS8sjnWYfvX32NWxm8iqUYLeucSkxrfWjauPbrmiA~H9WvxUqHFx60J7ODicpBJiO8HPtR1DgVYEZQ2A-Lt092-O2zDSekMJJA9DhDrqZHBNeFqwszeUFOhaHyapM9ZuaEncjhg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Middletown City Board of Education on April 14 approved a three-year districtwide contract to implement Leader in Me, a leadership and character development program based on Franklin Covey’s 7 Habits, with the district covering an initial allocation using IDEA Part B early‑intervening funds and a Leader in Me‑affiliated sponsor offsetting a portion of the price.

District officials said the program will be implemented in all buildings K–12 and is intended to provide a single, research‑based framework and common language across schools. Director of Student Services Susanna Davis told the board Leader in Me “is rooted in the internationally known 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey” and that the district chose it after an exhaustive review for a program that could scale K–12 and be sustained over time.

Supporters said Leader in Me embeds social‑emotional and leadership instruction into daily academic instruction rather than delivering stand‑alone SEL lessons. Davis said the implementation plan includes a dedicated district coach, building‑level “adult lighthouse teams” that set building priorities, and student lighthouse teams and action teams to carry skills into school life. She said the initial district investment will be paid from IDEA Part B funds redirected for early intervening services.

Board members asked how the sponsor funding and federal allocations were secured. Davis said the sponsor grant is guaranteed for the three years and that the district’s portion will be covered by a reallocation of up to 15% of IDEA Part B early‑intervening funds; she added that after year three the district’s annual ongoing cost would be about $50,000. When a board member asked if the sponsor commitment was already in place, district staff responded the sponsor funds are guaranteed and the district is being invoiced only for the difference.

Board discussion touched on local pilot experience: staff from Amanda Elementary and elsewhere had studied the program and visited sites implementing Leader in Me; district leaders said Amanda staff reported stronger family and community connections and that some buildings have already adopted related practices. Davis said the district can provide local survey and outcome data to board members on request.

The board voted to approve the contract. The motion passed on a recorded vote of board members present (recorded as yes votes by board members Moore, Stewart, Schibert, Ursell and Ramsey Hunter). The contract will appear on a forthcoming agenda for signature and formal contract execution.

Board members and staff said materials will remain available to parents on request and noted the district plans continued reporting on implementation and outcomes.

The district packet included a financial overview showing a district column and a sponsor column; district staff said the district column equals $431,302 (district allocation) toward a three‑year agreement and the sponsor offset is listed in the packet (sponsor figure referenced in discussion as approximately $267,000). Staff said IDEA Part B early‑intervening funds would cover the district portion this year and next and that the district expects the federal allocation to be present in next year’s budget according to federal program staff communications. Questions about longer‑term funding were raised and staff said years 4-plus would require the district to budget roughly $50,000 annually to sustain K–12 implementation.

Davis and Superintendent Dr. Hauser said the program is not an academic curriculum but a leadership and character framework layered onto instruction; they asked the board to approve the district‑level agreement so buildings can begin training and lighthouse team work over the summer.

The board chair and district leaders said they will return to the board with implementation timelines, local pilot data and ongoing budget reporting as the program rolls out.","The Middletown City Board of Education approved a three-year K–12 agreement to implement the Leader in Me leadership and character program. The district will pay an initial allocation from IDEA Part B early-intervening funds; an affiliated sponsor will cover a portion of the cost.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Consent agenda, Leader in Me contract and Sandy Pines placement approved

Middletown board introduces Dr. Denitris Hill as new Middletown High School principal

Middletown City officials warn federal recall of ARP/ESSER funds threatens $10M bus/maintenance facility

Middletown City Schools board approves three-year 'Leader in Me' K–12 program funded with IDEA Part B reallocation and sponsor grant