[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-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",[32,75,86,98],{"_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":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6273219,"mediaKeyId","3004666-f49538fe7662b7a075f3e664dee28270","parentId",3004666,"title","Mason High’s Carrington Harper honored as Ohio indoor triple-jump champion at board meeting","audioSeconds",272,"startMs",1487000,"endMs",1759000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3004666-f49538fe7662b7a075f3e664dee28270&start=1487&end=1759","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3004666-f49538fe7662b7a075f3e664dee28270/thumbnail_1487000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6273219/Mason-City/School-Districts/Ohio/Mason-Highs-Carrington-Harper-honored-as-Ohio-indoor-triple-jump-champion-at-board-meeting","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6273219-28f461de9f939cb5d2bb318b204176ec/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151365&Signature=HpTRYSV-8j7LjpAuOL9WZjBkqMggiHxcLfe~jIvPSW2L7o1tejFxC5stAkq9nEG3avP5FoMWiWr96Gh1qBZi~WsEWmVhslUvNyRsckHZQzMPI-rykBxEQRlM-7xdsbGq0~2oa-~ZavE0u2Pg-gjKqZW~rQ4~6GgZSmknD9oCStAnLMr63qfpPUpN5EL1CEL~wFiQiuYpIkZTD-YGE8lllqG5RSn6AnS2fE36DK7IEqxblqkAgvhZBf2DmJZ~GNpKV4vsN9rQvD0YX6RUY9Efd64rF~GLfMCNaN4ztnPuJMirgZzH~HtoV9cWwTKYR5jptmEMwMJtP8tVQI6n6J8-QQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Mason City School District","date","2025-04-16T07:38:50.347Z","article","Mason High senior Carrington Harper was introduced at the board meeting Tuesday after winning the Division I indoor state championship in the triple jump.

Head coach Tony Aftado (presented in the meeting as Tony Aftado) and Coach Oliver praised Harper’s development and leadership. Coach Oliver recounted Harper’s confidence after her third jump at the indoor state meet: “After her third jump, she came up to me and she had this big smile on her face and she says, ‘Coach, I’m gonna give you a state championship,’” Oliver said. “She went out there and she did it.”

Harper, who said she began triple jumping as a freshman, told the board the victory represented a long process of improvement and “redemption” after placing third the previous year. “I was just so happy to be able to come in first because last year I was third,” she said. Harper described the triple jump as rhythm-driven and physically demanding; she said she plans to compete in college and is considering medical school as a career path.

Superintendent Dr. Cooper and board members congratulated Harper and coaches with remarks and a gift; the board took a group photo to mark the occasion. Coach Aftado and Coach Oliver credited the program’s assistant coaches and community support for the athlete’s success.

Context: The appearance followed the district’s monthly “superintendent’s presentation” segment and showcased district extracurricular success alongside academic and program items on the agenda.

Next steps: Harper will finish her senior track season with Mason High and has interest from collegiate programs; the board and community celebrated her state title and leadership role on the team.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Mason Board of Education 4/15/25","oneSentenceSummary","Mason High senior Carrington Harper and her coaches appeared before the board after Harper won the Division I indoor state championship in the triple jump. Coaches, the superintendent and teammates praised her leadership and athletic achievement.","taxTitle","Mason City, School Districts, Ohio","taxId",14478,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6273224,"Mason Intermediate interim principal named; transportation director announces retirement",0,3146000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3004666-f49538fe7662b7a075f3e664dee28270&start=3146&end=3146","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3004666-f49538fe7662b7a075f3e664dee28270/thumbnail_3146000.jpg","/articles/6273224/Mason-City/School-Districts/Ohio/Mason-Intermediate-interim-principal-named-transportation-director-announces-retirement","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6273224-7b7af76dbae3cbd3656fd728b3b2a831/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151365&Signature=TwIeMyn7sc~N96SelsoEem1mrxult-pTSW~Od5BryckaO1UnaW8w7BxxBxz4mu-MgrOefV9ehboiquMAYAR9jZhDeIrST9N6ANiwpEqWgnBFXf1zwwYPQals-y265owT8dv5tDMXaX7ufTBGXQm~aKAr7sCLEULNagvjzLXO8fyiMIiKXd5m0cUTSgrjYmtbxw4OrMDf1Zyta4AE2YvHNK~caPBMovs7kBtLLF6c42gaJlOIuujxI-dgKh9a2xO6FO7BnUmHw84C2rkGPqsk9g-Y0hqTGckJPfKF~rATYgj3Xb40AxcvXpwib6giqyCggmZOKf7POOojJBZnN4EHfw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Mason City Schools board on Tuesday approved the superintendent’s recommendation to appoint Diana Todd as interim principal of Mason Intermediate for the coming school year.

Diana Todd took the podium after the vote and introduced family members who attended. “I am honored to serve the staff, the students, and the family in this new role,” she told the board. Todd said she began her career at Mason Intermediate and pledged to bring “full momentum” and collaborative leadership to the building.

Superintendent Dr. Cooper described Todd as a “homegrown talent” and said the board and district leadership had received positive feedback from staff and community members ahead of the appointment. Board members praised Todd’s service to the district and thanked her family for their support.

Retirement and search: During the personnel discussion Dr. Cooper also announced that Mark Merzenowski — who has led the district’s transportation department after a career that included middle-school assistant-principal duties — has submitted his retirement notice, effective Jan. 1, 2026. The administration told the board it has begun a search and interview process for a successor.

The superintendent said Merzenowski transformed the transportation operation, improved staff retention and built a culture of strong service in a complex operation that handles dozens of bus routes. The board asked the district to continue outreach as the search proceeds.

What was voted: The board approved the personnel recommendations by unanimous roll-call vote. The personnel packet included multiple hires, retirements and wellness-dollar expenditures; the interim principal appointment and the retirement date were recorded in the personnel list.

Next steps: Human Resources will complete onboarding for the interim principal and continue the open search for the transportation director. The board expects updates as candidates are interviewed and finalists are identified.","The board approved Diana Todd as interim Mason Intermediate principal next school year. The superintendent also announced the retirement of long-time district leader Mark Merzenowski, effective Jan. 1, 2026; the district is searching for a new transportation director.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6273229,"Votes at a glance: Mason City Schools board approves minutes, personnel items, contracts and financial reports",2024,1116000,3140000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3004666-f49538fe7662b7a075f3e664dee28270&start=1116&end=3140","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3004666-f49538fe7662b7a075f3e664dee28270/thumbnail_1116000.jpg","/articles/6273229/Mason-City/School-Districts/Ohio/Votes-at-a-glance-Mason-City-Schools-board-approves-minutes-personnel-items-contracts-and-financial-reports","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6273229-1c5cb1904a9b99b6d4454dadd5c6b161/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151365&Signature=e-fzuAVB3F~wNF59lqjkoh44dzfo~8YJsrRYc0y7~XL9xokKOX5QuhjO6TB5Ggm6JYh9JS9QwcAlL-LD-jkWu50rJJSEY4plui5VDkvxImhjJw7Dha86sKBucZZWIyT5BW9f9X3PwYooL737Mlp~OYdMAF~xOJwUWjRLOHridF9WNuMWe3udtpFhgF8G6-5UTSmqy0Uy9RusOEG-1ONqIG7XFEWFYYaNA3lu-DnVXBkmQnOp1rYUcOxpMzglkpzTrTsh7p-5dkrOx-OREEPxcNevfczRsaPzWlZ2tJ-zLLmG9hyzCNGYsTVveWPVdo-8v~gPHi0nS53u8LKL4EvbTQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Mason City Schools Board of Education held roll-call votes on routine and substantive items and approved the minutes from its April 15 meeting, the superintendent’s personnel recommendations, the ledger of action items and the monthly financial reports.

Minutes: The board voted to approve the minutes from the April 15 meeting by roll call; all board members present voted yes.

Personnel: The board approved the superintendent’s personnel recommendations, which included the appointment of Diana Todd as interim principal at Mason Intermediate (see separate article for details) and a number of hires, retirements and wellness-dollar uses noted in the personnel packet. The board received Dr. Cooper’s highlights during discussion; the roll call was unanimous.

Superintendent action items: The board approved the district’s recommended agreements and purchases brought forward by the superintendent’s office. Items called out during the presentation included:
- A transportation agreement with the city for the Red, Rhythm & Boom event (district buses to support the community concert).
- An alternative-placement agreement to support a student’s educational needs.
- A districtwide contract for Discovery Education / DreamBox (adaptive math platform) and related instructional purchases.
- Annual OHSAA (Ohio High School Athletic Association) renewal.
- Library book disposal and replacement process.
- A contract for Character Strong, a tier-2 social-emotional curriculum for counselors.

Treasurer’s reports: The board approved the monthly financial reports and heard an extended presentation from Treasurer Sean Bevan about state budget proposals under consideration in Columbus and modeled impacts (see full article on the budget discussion). The roll-call vote to accept the reports was unanimous.

How board votes were recorded: For each roll-call vote presented during the meeting the board secretary read members’ names and recorded “Yes” votes from board members present. The roll-call sequence included (as identified on the record): Mr. Orr, Mr. Steele, Ms. Yiling, Mr. Galvin and Ms. Bacci; each vote on the motions noted above was recorded as “Yes.”

Outcome: All motions called during the regular session were approved. No motions in regular session were tabled or failed.

Notes: Where the meeting transcript recorded only an anonymous “so moved/second,” the record shows that the motions received a second and were put to roll-call. The board made no new legislative positions at this meeting (the board heard public comment and passed routine motions).","The Mason City Schools Board of Education conducted several roll-call votes, approving minutes, personnel recommendations (including an interim principal), superintendent action items (contracts and curriculum purchases), and monthly financial reports.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6273233,"Mason City speakers and finance chief warn House Bill 96 could cut services for students with disabilities",1722,2488000,4210000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3004666-f49538fe7662b7a075f3e664dee28270&start=2488&end=4210","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3004666-f49538fe7662b7a075f3e664dee28270/thumbnail_2488000.jpg","/articles/6273233/Mason-City/School-Districts/Ohio/Mason-City-speakers-and-finance-chief-warn-House-Bill-96-could-cut-services-for-students-with-disabilities","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6273233-7f44ec4927371a28f27fa9a4591fcc3f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151365&Signature=ehdC43GteJAWl7R-alTS5Fnoj3H0YKH3Tve4HKnZW3BBkGgxAh2yv4VrBmhJRaWcOTp3R9i6qx-EAZmtBzgVtYlBQYIzkXoQD8igtceIrRCUHLSUv26sk6kn4pgjsyzGEqND-2iykn8SSLgp8eC4hXVx9u0qk0S8BLRsF6-IFxBMkYHq1UXjr5LZvWbURDkSgp-eWNUN8zY5sMAmi73kHbInkRUI1M~hRa3KQW4EGS2z9AdxmK-je6alyNkRpJurpyIKwU4~4qURPxhGauIxiQOPdUgTLtCBPbMwMRlun1~fFYxYOvfscENqXh6Lokq8E-DSJWDOtKfG~IIiNSR78g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A Mason City parent urged the school board on Tuesday to press state lawmakers for changes to the proposed biennial budget, saying House Bill 96 and related measures could eliminate specialized classroom services her children rely on.

In public comment, Tara Lovitz said her family moved to Mason “almost 10 years ago specifically because of the exceptional programming offered to students with disabilities” and warned that the community risks “larger class sizes, fewer paraprofessionals, and major cuts to our specialized classrooms” if the budget passes as proposed.

The plea followed a detailed presentation by Treasurer Sean Bevan on the budget proposal’s effect on school district reserves and local tax collections. Bevan told the board that, under the version of the budget passed by the Ohio House, a 30% cap on operating cash reserves could force a roughly $18,500,000 reduction in local tax collections for Mason City Schools — about $1,900 per pupil and about 13% of the district’s operating budget.

Why it matters: Bevan and speakers warned the cap would reduce the district’s ability to smooth funding between levy cycles and to pay for services that are largely funded locally, including special-education supports. Bevan said the district finished the prior fiscal year with reserves near 44% of operating expenses, above the district’s 20% internal target but below some peer districts. He and Superintendent Dr. Cooper framed the reserves as a buffer against timing gaps and unpredictable costs, not as money “hoarded” for unspecified uses.

Bevan outlined the mechanics: state law ties property-tax millage rates to changing property values (House Bill 920), producing a stair-step revenue pattern when levies pass. Under the budget proposal, county auditors would adjust millage rates downward in the calendar year following a fiscal-year review that finds reserves above the cap.

“The way it would work is that if your cash reserve is above that 30% threshold at the end of your fiscal year, the county auditor would be tasked with making an adjustment to the millage rate,” Bevan said, adding that reduction would be applied the following January.

Public-commenter Tara Lovitz urged board members to “be willing to get uncomfortable” and to use their roles to ensure legislators hear stories about how the services at stake affect students and families. Dr. Cooper asked community members to contact legislators and said the district was actively advocating in Columbus; she asked residents to continue writing and calling their senators and representatives.

Board members and district staff said they will continue monitoring the bill in the Senate, which resumes consideration in late April, and will share updates with the public. Bevan said district leaders were in frequent contact with state lawmakers and urged residents to make their voices known.

What the district presented: Bevan provided the board with these figures and clarifications during his remarks: current state funding per pupil about $4,500; district spending per pupil roughly $14,600 (below the state average); a modeled reduction of about $18.5 million if a 30% reserve cap is enforced; and a district reserve target of roughly two and a half months (about 20%).

Next steps: Dr. Cooper and Bevan said the district will continue daily outreach to legislators and will keep the public informed as the Senate and conference-committee work on the budget this spring.","At the Mason City Schools board meeting, a parent urged the board to publicly oppose proposed state budget limits that she said would endanger specialized classroom services; Treasurer Sean Bevan presented district modeling showing a potential $18.5 million reduction if a proposed 30% reserve cap is enacted.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Mason High’s Carrington Harper honored as Ohio indoor triple-jump champion at board meeting

Mason Intermediate interim principal named; transportation director announces retirement

Votes at a glance: Mason City Schools board approves minutes, personnel items, contracts and financial reports

Mason City speakers and finance chief warn House Bill 96 could cut services for students with disabilities