[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-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",6575772,"mediaKeyId","3045403-ae83dce6732dbc72ba87b5d931cfbe92","parentId",3045403,"title","Votes at a glance: Talawanda board approves contracts, policies, personnel and student code updates","audioSeconds",134,"startMs",5219000,"endMs",5353000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3045403-ae83dce6732dbc72ba87b5d931cfbe92&start=5219&end=5353","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3045403-ae83dce6732dbc72ba87b5d931cfbe92/thumbnail_5219000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6575772/Ohio/Votes-at-a-glance-Talawanda-board-approves-contracts-policies-personnel-and-student-code-updates","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6575772-b2c06df6e7927cda2ddac491fff1db2f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771167427&Signature=UmnyLTZu5XSrzhdBjzQVQCTiEgskITdNXmwnmAekYeuUld9G38eQ2fYjmjbjuJZnWCCKnHPg2~4lO11-53iFdgWya8a7LbQm9msUH0E1A-9ECYFYHOZZWwkfl-og5U6YkXNPPJBrevwFYc3bjvYBS9N9Ea~EJD86yVyyLf25eu24Zu2Qjyy8WdKxFC9S~PsLDoNUAoRnciMBgZqUHB8qL5rzC8wzHurPFxWCr6l1P~fbciA06thUckG9Bv7FG0cjQBSa0AkGNl8S5wfm-~epB1TTcRjUSDwV5GU0-165DrIb9gqI7Xjmeblk~cysPX8E7YbIeNHr~eeeObEuu-kRUQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Talawanda City","date","2025-04-18T02:14:49.197Z","article","The Talawanda City School District Board of Education approved a slate of routine and substantive items on April 17, voting to accept minutes and financial reports, authorize contracts, approve personnel recommendations and adopt policy revisions and student code updates.

Key approvals (block votes and roll calls):

- Minutes and financials: The board approved minutes for the March 20 regular meeting and the March 26 special session and accepted the March 2025 financial report.

- Contract approvals: The board approved a contract with New Era to upgrade the Bogan building public‑address system (Cafeteria/PA) and awarded service agreements with local educational service providers (BCESC MOU for Union Day 2025–26 and Warren County ESC service quote for FY26). The board discussed that the PA upgrade had been planned and that the existing system dated to the building construction.

- Personnel: The board accepted resignations of certificated staff, approved limited classified contracts, substitute classified employees and supplemental contracts. These personnel items were presented in block and approved by roll call.

- Policy second readings: The board approved at second reading a set of policy revisions that were presented for first reading earlier in the month, including updated language on student supervision and welfare and a new policy allowing weekly release time for religious instruction under district procedures.

- Student support and code of conduct: The board approved the Talawanda Student Support Guidelines and Code of Conduct for 2025–26. Administrators said the document had seen substantial revision in recent years and the only new change this year was the inclusion of a suicide hotline reference; administrators described use of Public School Works for discipline reporting and restorative practice trends.

Votes: Roll call votes were taken for block items and for the specific approvals listed above; the meeting minutes record unanimous roll calls on the block approvals. The agenda approval earlier in the meeting passed after a roll‑call vote; amendments added an item to approve the New Era contract, acceptance of a certificated resignation and a resolution of censure to the agenda.

Board members said some items, particularly the policy language, reflect state law and recommended best practices and that voting to adopt written policy language is necessary for legal compliance even when members personally disagree with particular statutes.

The board scheduled further work on district forecasting and legislative advocacy given state budget uncertainty. The censure resolution, a separate and contentious matter, was addressed in its own vote elsewhere on the agenda.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Talawanda Board Meeting - April 17th, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its April 17 regular meeting, the Talawanda City School District board approved minutes, financial reports, several contracts including a PA system upgrade, personnel actions, a package of policy revisions (second reading) and the student support guidelines and code of conduct. The board also approved other routine business in a block vote.","taxTitle","Talawanda City, School Districts, Ohio","taxId",60486,"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},6575776,"Students lead 'Amplifying Brave Voices' mental‑health campaign; district posts resource hub",467,1081000,1548000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3045403-ae83dce6732dbc72ba87b5d931cfbe92&start=1081&end=1548","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3045403-ae83dce6732dbc72ba87b5d931cfbe92/thumbnail_1081000.jpg","/articles/6575776/Ohio/Students-lead-Amplifying-Brave-Voices-mentalhealth-campaign-district-posts-resource-hub","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6575776-6c0491086c4fe17f91e19d35f2aba490/orig.mp4?Expires=1771167427&Signature=oj6Dl1U9eJIUz~vX5f2ay9Hd1PL3fzmX~cTHoWvElUfhWb3Y82zDNdk7~jiuqpIZqxJXMc-CttSda~XFoU8tNrif0T7a5o2OniPULWuspJOQb~xFSxFueLbPFySn3DVijEE7Cd4hn1TeE8S9uW84j1GOb3FRuBP00FB5q~ylJiMFADLK~PV5tb5FsntaEcCIZSilQmadewPIlG5Cu15K-0mlh1VbzPaMCdowgkKHvkAVOLJeWLFPGS5q8XTjd5pBY1RC~4cdeI2hIvDiUjac39LzpPoo2O1eyL62Q2PyXy-kva1tp3C5bIAGiYGIetE39-eD6afWIR-yy0iiKE5PiA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Students and staff presented a two‑year, student‑led mental‑health initiative, Amplifying Brave Voices, during the Talawanda board meeting on April 17 and said the district has posted a resource hub on its website to help caring adults support students.

Amy Masechko, a project lead, told the board the effort was funded by Interact for Health and developed by student groups at Talawanda High School (YITs) and Talawanda Middle School (BIT). “This is a project that has been about two years in the making,” Masechko said, and she acknowledged community partners, including Lemon Grenade Creative, which helped turn student ideas into campaign materials.

Students described the campaign themes and outreach plans. Charlie Robinson and Jace Allen, student members of the teams, summarized two campaign strands: “Be Calm in Our Storm,” which asks caring adults to listen during student stress, and a second strand that lists coping strategies such as music, nature, sleep and sports. Students said the campaign will use social media, printed materials, posters, e‑news and a billboard that went up for the month.

District staff said the Talawanda Health Coordinating Council created a public resource hub on the district website that compiles ways adults can help students, including information about Sources of Strength (a prevention program) and QPR (suicide‑prevention) training. The presenters said Sources of Strength will train student and staff peer leaders in prevention activities; QPR provides guidance for when students need immediate help.

Board members thanked students and staff for the presentation. The district said additional rollout plans will include posters in schools, social‑media posts, and integrating the campaigns into athletic and community events.

The presentation emphasized student voice and youth leadership, and presenters asked the board to support ongoing exposure of the campaign through district channels.","A student‑driven mental‑health campaign called Amplifying Brave Voices was presented to the board. Funded by Interact for Health and produced with local partners, the campaign includes student‑created messaging, a district resource hub, social media outreach and planned staff training programs (Sources of Strength and QPR).",{"_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},6575781,"Legislative changes in Ohio budget worry Talawanda board about cuts and carryover cap",583,229000,812000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3045403-ae83dce6732dbc72ba87b5d931cfbe92&start=229&end=812","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3045403-ae83dce6732dbc72ba87b5d931cfbe92/thumbnail_229000.jpg","/articles/6575781/Ohio/Legislative-changes-in-Ohio-budget-worry-Talawanda-board-about-cuts-and-carryover-cap","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6575781-90984b9dd87c920e25944fe534435267/orig.mp4?Expires=1771167427&Signature=GFckIHRoAT9B4~VeQe4RQFmlgbeA0xTL2VkiiohxfeP5bnEHwL4WlrSsqQ58FhEdALqDCeKJ7kDfRpcg8L-aFcUSQMWHNbxWjOZoJzMdcB7SsYwaNELFHzdkmKPqHw~wbu1Cd6U6CGgdew0Tfc9lfcxKb3lI475fy~pgKsfHx~vRqca0s6JzDsr~WFWOfhbtNp9-j95fYMyMLVCPE65C~lozS~geXBCSdZszGOw2iiW~wLFCcKfEXdQxS5XNhHbzf9YnBjHo6IRLizGj7fpQU0G-razW3PcfNUsykB9tsvQRnnFAshhLjlBhlnBc6y1iGrccm3-1jMNi~azaMfYE6g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Talawanda City School District’s legislative liaison told the board on April 17 that a recently passed Ohio House budget bill, House Bill 96, would significantly reduce state support for public schools, alter long‑standing funding formulas and impose a new cap on allowable year‑end carryover funds.

Mr. Wyatt, identified by the board as the legislative liaison, said House Bill 96 ‘‘is a significant departure from the bipartisan Fair School Funding Plan, which was passed in 2021,’’ and that the House version ‘‘short changes that plan by roughly $400,000,000’’ compared with earlier expectations. He said, under the House bill, ‘‘virtually every district will see a decrease’’ in state support.

Why it matters: The board was told Talawanda already receives a relatively low state share and relies on local taxpayers for more than 70% of its budget. Members warned a reduced state share and a new calendar‑year carryover cap could force districts to return excess reserves to counties and reduce flexibility for forward funding of contracts or capital planning.

Mr. Wyatt described the carryover cap as ‘‘one of the most alarming aspects of the budget,’’ explaining it would limit districts to roughly 109 days of operating funds in reserve and require amounts over that cap to be returned to taxpayers. He said districts currently rely on reserves to manage cash‑flow timing, one‑time building projects, pandemic relief funding expirations and to smooth levy cycles.

Board members discussed practical consequences: losing the ability to negotiate multi‑year contracts or to maintain strong bond ratings, and being forced to spend reserves for short‑term needs. The liaison also noted changes in the budget that would increase funding for private school vouchers and education savings accounts while reducing direct funding to public schools.

Board members asked for clarification about different budget projections and models; the treasurer and board members said district forecasts for next year’s five‑year outlook would be difficult to prepare until state action is finalized. The board encouraged continued local advocacy to legislators as the bill moves to the Ohio Senate.","Talawanda board legislative liaison warned that the Ohio House budget bill (House Bill 96) would reduce state school funding, eliminate the Fair School Funding Formula and impose a new carryover cap that could force districts to return reserves to taxpayers. Board members discussed implications for levies, bond ratings and local taxpayers.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6575786,"Talawanda board votes to censure member after dispute over open Google calendars",1297,7441000,8738000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3045403-ae83dce6732dbc72ba87b5d931cfbe92&start=7441&end=8738","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3045403-ae83dce6732dbc72ba87b5d931cfbe92/thumbnail_7441000.jpg","/articles/6575786/Ohio/Talawanda-board-votes-to-censure-member-after-dispute-over-open-Google-calendars","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6575786-34e523e8d146e1a98268cdbd20415336/orig.mp4?Expires=1771167427&Signature=cs0LZdN55foQ1pinVTyrblJNaV0hjZReP1QlpX5cWsniOId1xwLDM58VjjpE1F4d2aiMpoZ2xamADWcRHTq7Eicjl-9hduEnAFntm0yArFTaiVySe1EpQt~96RGeGv9sPImrIQyL3H1qEdHDrW2mpwmHLhg7wgZO6hamBl3GPRucgYe6efmy8P0Wky4c--6lUjF4ncZkKD~0YfUvnQg922tHr-BPl-18SFrDYkosM6JrvlB2Unln2EQ46ytu-JJHI8hnwO-ASn57M-y7Iw5X~6oZak0GLrd605xk97x8mXbETUvLEh4qhIQ74MKntXRKHmP0pDuEtJd6DAh~8-9aJw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Talawanda City School district board of education voted 4–1 on April 17 to adopt a resolution censuring board member Dawn King after a months‑long dispute over open Google calendars and the public release of a cybersecurity report.

The resolution, moved and seconded during the regular board meeting, followed extensive public comment and more than an hour of discussion among board members. Board President Dr. Howard called for the vote after members debated whether a board member’s access to and sharing of internal calendar entries and other district materials had crossed ethical lines and endangered student privacy.

The board’s nut graf: supporters of the censure said the member’s actions had risked exposure of sensitive student records and undermined trust; opponents argued the member was performing oversight and that the district had systemic security gaps that should have been fixed earlier.

Dawn King, identified in the meeting as a member of the board, defended her actions. “I did not place any IEP on Google Calendar,” she said, adding later, “I did not share any information that I found.” King said she had raised concerns about calendar settings after her husband noticed they were open and that she had sought executive session review earlier in the year.

Board members who supported the censure framed it as a matter of student protection. One member said the controversy “is about who we choose to be as a district” and argued that accessing confidential calendars and publishing instructions for others to view student documents was unacceptable. Another board member said the matter could have been handled without airing private details publicly: “Someone made a choice. And the choice was not in the best interest of our students,” the member said during debate.

Public comment at the meeting included parents, teachers, and union representatives who criticized the handling of the district’s calendars and the release of the cybersecurity report. Several speakers urged the board to prioritize student privacy and to change district practices and legal counsel if necessary. The Talawanda Educators Association co‑president told the board the controversy had caused a “severe crisis of confidence” among staff.

Board President Dr. Howard and other members said the board must rebuild trust and restore professional norms. The motion carried with four votes in favor and one opposed; Mrs. King cast the lone “no.” The board did not adopt additional disciplinary measures against King at the meeting beyond the censure language itself.

The board and multiple speakers referenced federal educational privacy rules (FERPA) and a state criminal statute during the debate; board members and public speakers urged further review of procedures and potential legal exposure. The meeting record shows the board accepted the censure resolution as its formal action on the matter and directed no immediate personnel sanctions beyond the censure.

The board indicated follow‑up steps could include a district work session on protecting student data and review of legal counsel; no specific timeline was announced during the meeting.","The Talawanda City School District Board of Education adopted a resolution censuring board member Dawn King after months of dispute over open Google calendars and the public release of district cybersecurity material. The vote was 4–1. The meeting included extended debate and public comment from parents, staff and community members.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Talawanda board approves contracts, policies, personnel and student code updates

Students lead 'Amplifying Brave Voices' mental‑health campaign; district posts resource hub

Legislative changes in Ohio budget worry Talawanda board about cuts and carryover cap

Talawanda board votes to censure member after dispute over open Google calendars