[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-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",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_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",6230341,"mediaKeyId","3442265-5138fe6ed1f71e40aafe72314c07838b","parentId",3442265,"title","Kings Local recognizes retiring staff, honors decades of service","audioSeconds",647,"startMs",747000,"endMs",1394000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3442265-5138fe6ed1f71e40aafe72314c07838b&start=747&end=1394","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3442265-5138fe6ed1f71e40aafe72314c07838b/thumbnail_747000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6230341/Ohio/Kings-Local-recognizes-retiring-staff-honors-decades-of-service","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6230341-39a5e15759324df7ceff05a88f16d049/orig.mp4?Expires=1770453042&Signature=MmK8i3vN5zvbX4d59ndkXOVi6vGdO9CDcd8JTZdfP1~UDPQa8Skn1PBQp9uD~VrpZzAtVLMbtBg7huOk-XV6mB8XotXO-0lo6LuDwYZTASM8WFa-46r8T3s5HZgnrZ1ejOP5~NwrXx-iCA5DRiAwHQ8-DEZ3JPxmlSDED9IxWbL4b~T5PKUiiFLBtYzI2z61NS3sNz~I~34SAjIkCH8mteyTib~4LWPrFuOmdVeRfAfiiJtxa3nKeSmaJ07FocHwUFaXJjlY0005HsO4QE-n-3jVzN~J1yFpDiO8ykvKXiPagVlWx89amKHg9x1FcfDzsauix9TxIgrbb1f-Cmi92Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Kings Local Board of Education","date","2025-05-22T09:09:05.82Z","article","Kings Local School District officials recognized more than a dozen retirees at the board meeting, thanking staff for years of service across classroom, custodial and support roles.

Assistant/administrator (presenter) Timothy Spinner (presented as “Mister Spinner”) called retirees to the front and said the group represented “hundreds of years of service” and a lasting impact on students and colleagues. Retirees recognized included:

- Jenny Bowman — 33 years, fourth-grade teacher, J.F. Burns Elementary
- Dave Devore — 33 years teaching (32 at Kings), fourth-grade teacher, J.F. Burns Elementary
- Tracy Kreps — 31 years (28 at J.F. Burns), fourth-grade teacher
- Beth Simpkins — 30 years (cafeteria cashier and custodian; most recently head custodian, J.F. Burns)
- Denise Rutkowski — 43 years, intervention specialist (high school and Columbia Intermediate)
- Wanda Cochin — 20 years, head custodian at Columbia Intermediate
- Franny Moray — 23 years, language teacher (French/Spanish)
- Mike Stevens — 38 years, social studies teacher at Kings High
- Dave Weinbrenner — 34 years, roles including assistant principal and counselor
- Jane Allen — retiring but unable to attend; recognized in absentia

Several retirees spoke briefly. Dave Devore thanked the district and recalled his early interview and long career with Kings: “I appreciate the opportunity I was given,” he said. Mike Stevens said, “I love Kings. Kings is my life ... Kings will always be in my heart.”

Superintendent Greg Sears and the board presented tokens of appreciation — Kings flags for advisers and “stronger together” T-shirts for students who give the RAISE presentations — and invited retirees for a group photo.

Why this matters: Recognition highlights long-term staff contributions across instructional and operational roles and marks personnel transitions the district will manage in staffing and recruitment.

Next steps: The district will proceed with usual personnel and staffing processes to fill vacated roles and noted some retirees may return as substitutes, per remarks from retiring staff.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Kings Board of Education Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The board recognized a group of retiring employees from across the district, noting collective decades of service and presenting tokens of appreciation.","taxTitle","Kings Local, School Districts, Ohio","taxId",38728,"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},6230346,"Kings High students present RAISE updates and return from BPA national conference with top finishes",1700,98000,1798000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3442265-5138fe6ed1f71e40aafe72314c07838b&start=98&end=1798","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3442265-5138fe6ed1f71e40aafe72314c07838b/thumbnail_98000.jpg","/articles/6230346/Ohio/Kings-High-students-present-RAISE-updates-and-return-from-BPA-national-conference-with-top-finishes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6230346-6c0eb09b89b2b678efeb0a5eb295eb08/orig.mp4?Expires=1770453042&Signature=UzZgkk53qtwBv2l5DotkVQpDzgmbbf0jyBmpVckAVqglAb4aXRdioh2wUExhLu2MALWQUVio1IPQY0TrWUY4IXJZ1yPMEM-KI-1YclXdV5jxBWl54LHKxQoKGJSHzlGowE8xbkb3wrOGbw9o6qOsYAId4attfx1t~kt9RI6ih9oOesk-xwXUHtz1HXtPm5L7HxbuVXkD5jmSNYznPrmLhRoKwif9hJm2W5lXv4BpGEPA8NCeiBM-zTM7YozpaONV6MlLStEMNIAKtQhZLDn~jT8W0qhzgrLhejNnNvnsHPcY36fcrCtERzV2S235zhzGwZuhZnFx2HJSDU3rQgjOWw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Students Taylor and Gabby presented the final monthly RAISE update of the school year at the Kings Local School District board meeting, highlighting athletics, academic programs and senior capstone engineering projects.

Among athletics, the high school reported ECC championships for both the softball and women’s lacrosse teams. The presentation also noted individual athletic milestones, senior-night celebrations, and tournament scheduling for baseball and lacrosse.

On academics, the students reported that juniors and seniors sat for the Ohio Seal of Biliteracy in multiple languages; the presentation noted that 34 seniors graduated with the seal this year and several juniors have already earned it for next year. Engineering capstone projects included a 3D‑printed prosthetic hand that moves on voice command and a student-built speed‑capture photo system for the area behind the high school.

Separately, Kings students and their advisor Cassandra Barnes returned from the Business Professionals of America (BPA) National Leadership Conference in Orlando, where teams competed against thousands of delegates. Raven‑and-team results read by the board included:

- Dane Singer — 3rd place, Computer Network Technology (national)
- Avery Mulley — 9th place, Promotional Photography (national)
- A virtual branding team (Katherine Linneman, Julie Gatto, Avery Manley) — 5th place (national)
- A virtual branding team (Sofia Beatty, Kylie Hake, Ally O’Rourke) — 8th place (national)
- Ivan Jones — 20th place, Computer Network Technology (national)

Kylie Hake, a student, described BPA as a career-technical student organization that provides real-world client work, team projects and professional skills training. Cassandra Barnes, digital media arts teacher and BPA advisor, told the board the team began work in January and that the students were proud to bring national recognition to the school.

The board and administration also recognized RAISE students of the month: Sofia McClain (respect), Lindsey Johnson (accountability), Drew Thompson (integrity), Bree Reese (service) and Riley King (enthusiasm). The students said they appreciated the opportunity to present and thanked the board for their support.

Why this matters: Student presentations give the board and community a direct view of extracurricular, academic and applied-learning accomplishments and national-level competitive success.

Next steps: Staff will continue to share student accomplishments at board meetings and the district will support BPA and RAISE programming next school year.","Students from Kings High presented monthly RAISE highlights and several Kings Business Professionals of America teams and individuals returned from the BPA National Leadership Conference with national placements.",{"_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},6230351,"Kings Local approves negative change order; $56,000 returned to Columbia Intermediate building fund",206,3388000,3594000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3442265-5138fe6ed1f71e40aafe72314c07838b&start=3388&end=3594","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3442265-5138fe6ed1f71e40aafe72314c07838b/thumbnail_3388000.jpg","/articles/6230351/Ohio/Kings-Local-approves-negative-change-order-56000-returned-to-Columbia-Intermediate-building-fund","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6230351-053040dc438e5e05e227f0f980304913/orig.mp4?Expires=1770453042&Signature=PlUWcXjvzOHJIh5F7PtZUjrECQUPBqvL8vklPOpYJ55te-jueUoNckC3KkDgqg3-bvt41CRRfIavwCyUdmP1gSpB2RqwIG3r~GJKlpGvip1F2slO4fqvmsgtFFBHwMQ479mCJltVoyhCsHDnbsu19-n2fOOquOXNeXmDmrNvxuzmsHROqZpfuMgUZG128wf5DoEV9jbHo6Wx3lFyk2ScOdMB18uK7hRVkhlfWSpHmtejbzENPDfao0RGzVnfI~qvbK1abb1trBffh0fZEZiRu1OGi3lFMHoHOqYysSZCzapKnMvS-1ym9l3A60a~NxDgjvh9hV8IH8iMe4JmJL1wew__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Treasurer Don Morrow told the board a Columbia Intermediate change order would return $56,000 to the district’s building fund because less concrete was needed than originally specified and because of a credit related to HVAC pipe work.

Morrow described the entry as a negative change order that would remain in the building fund and not be used for operations: “This is a $56,000 coming back to the district,” he said, adding that the money will “stay in the building fund that can only be used for buildings and for debt. Yes. No operations.”

The administration framed the change order as an example of the normal ebbs and flows of construction projects: less concrete was required in one area than anticipated, which generated the credit. Construction-management staff emphasized that change orders with negative values are presented to the board to document and approve savings returned to the project fund.

The board voted to approve the treasurer’s approval items, which included the Columbia Intermediate change order; the roll-call vote approved the items.

Why this matters: The returned funds increase the district’s restricted building fund balance and are restricted by law to capital and debt uses; they do not augment the district’s operating budget.

Next steps: Construction and finance staff will continue construction oversight and return any further change-order savings to building funds for board approval.","A change order for Columbia Intermediate was presented as a negative $56,000 — a credit to the district — stemming from lower-than-anticipated concrete work and a credit on HVAC piping; the board approved routing the funds to the building fund, not the general fund.",{"_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},6230356,"Board approves five-year athletic-training contract with Beacon Orthopedics and TriHealth including annual investment",210,3634000,3844000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3442265-5138fe6ed1f71e40aafe72314c07838b&start=3634&end=3844","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3442265-5138fe6ed1f71e40aafe72314c07838b/thumbnail_3634000.jpg","/articles/6230356/Ohio/Board-approves-five-year-athletic-training-contract-with-Beacon-Orthopedics-and-TriHealth-including-annual-investment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6230356-a52944da2619be11e8fe154bc3908106/orig.mp4?Expires=1770453042&Signature=f4ivmPG8bpkaao2~r~ZWX~V5cA9GL3mDXnagfpsXN4sjcl7hkDALYjYlrgLw1UhWi4ElzlaXrU6vGu4rcytc9Fwhm9oiH7l3P4ek3MqyJO4T9pK4UKc5Ewk-omAzdIpR4qB9yiqYzE0oc01bhmhLBdLoAHte2d1yAxZeRivRQvnUt0TUi8kO8-wOc0D80fIuVC7cM4SnQnDVXheqydTZN98~kU4xDcLYNBWnmLyrTsPOGaWLDjgy8GBkPHuiYPsnGSFTui0wVvEo4BkcYNHt1aKgnAVvp8kWqRZ3ihIAToNeoAOocxcsr8glV5wGQntKHfWgr~I7cIID5~objm0oHA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Kings Local School District board approved a five-year contract with Beacon Orthopedics, working with TriHealth, to provide athletic training services and other clinical supports for student-athletes and staff.

Superintendent Greg Sears told the board the combined Beacon–TriHealth proposal includes athletic trainers, access to physicians and physical therapy, priority scheduling and an annual $75,000 financial commitment to the district for five years. “Beacon combined with TriHealth ... have shown their willingness to invest in this community,” Sears said.

Sears said Beacon has been a partner with the district for more than 25 years and that the new agreement adds a formal annual financial investment that the district had not previously received. The board voted to approve the superintendent’s approval items, which included this contract; the motion carried on a roll-call vote.

Why this matters: The contract continues a long-term clinical relationship and adds a recurring financial contribution to the district budget for the five‑year period. The contract language and final terms were negotiated and finalized before tonight’s vote, per the superintendent’s remarks.

Next steps: The district will implement the contract per the approved terms and monitor service delivery and the financial investment over the five-year period.","The Kings Local School District board approved a five-year contract with Beacon Orthopedics in partnership with TriHealth to provide athletic training services and an annual $75,000 marketing/investment commitment to the district.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6230361,"Kings Local treasurer outlines levy and earned-income tax options to steady district finances",1624,1879000,3503000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3442265-5138fe6ed1f71e40aafe72314c07838b&start=1879&end=3503","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3442265-5138fe6ed1f71e40aafe72314c07838b/thumbnail_1879000.jpg","/articles/6230361/Ohio/Kings-Local-treasurer-outlines-levy-and-earned-income-tax-options-to-steady-district-finances","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6230361-8ff3b520c4d05549c94ac34febcea451/orig.mp4?Expires=1770453042&Signature=PRAtfLdEiR8Bx11lKJ5Aa4iWogsiVfZ4iBYPur5l1vFvfwN3CfamVV7o5LC-klYw58biHT5Jx9FhXaMZEC6EnPEF8vjr4y6rpC37uFvHnBIZgoVoNNJm5nI3Tjv7lZMD2-t3GjvZF7lLxF0eiW748NI2ad8SsKOiTZTPZz60xyk7-JsilcC2kSnh8C2yeOVpmFoq2SvTrS7o8LMzNAkW6r2-ewm3hRpdjuLElaFyX6ngJBNxS87mCqlYjE3Z5QxUrJLnnjyDKZRDOcB-IYaeBVab0thhOarZ8Cwc4IC8XPYDAeGrGznfKamNwesfaGrdAZ78nCJ63MV1t2pjgeXmRA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kings Local School District Treasurer Don Morrow told the school board on Monday that the district’s five-year forecast projects shrinking state aid and a structural gap between revenues and rising expenses, and presented three possible revenue options to stabilize finances.

Morrow said the district’s revenue picture includes the 02/2022 operating levy and roughly $7,000,000 in savings and efficiencies identified over the last three years. “One of the reasons that ... the trajectory of our finances are what they are is, our state funding's insufficient,” Morrow said, adding that the district is modeling a midline state-budget outcome that still reduces state dollars over the next two years: “we're projecting to actually get less this year than we got last year and then get less the year after that than we got that year.”

The options presented were: a “standard” operating property-tax levy (modeled at 6.9 mills, producing an estimated cost to homeowners of $20.13 per month for each $100,000 of home value); a larger ballot ask phased in over multiple years to extend the levy’s effective life; and an earned-income tax levied only on Kings residents, modeled at 1% on wages and compensation.

Morrow described the earned-income option as a longer runway if local wages grow. He said the county Department of Taxation’s publicly available income estimates dated to 2021 were outdated, so the administration adjusted the modeling by roughly 10% to approximate future incomes. He emphasized the tax would be limited to “earned income” — wages and compensation — and would not tax retirement income such as Social Security, pensions, capital gains or dividends under the modeled scenario.

Board members discussed trade-offs. A board member asked whether a 1% earned-income tax would provide a lasting benefit; Morrow replied, “Absolutely. It's a game changer,” and said his modeling used conservative assumptions and a five-year baseline. Superintendent Greg Sears stressed the district’s continued work with state legislators to seek additional funding but said those changes were not assured: “We're continuing to advocate for more state funding,” he said.

Morrow said a standard 6.9-mill property levy would keep the district near a roughly 60-day cash balance that staff and legislators consider lean but acceptable; the phased or larger levy would extend that runway without producing a large cash spike. The earned-income-tax scenario produced a steadier revenue stream in modeling because it grows with wages, whereas local property-tax revenue does not necessarily increase when home values rise, Morrow explained.

No formal board action was taken on a ballot plan during the meeting. Morrow said staff will refine scenarios and bring follow-up information to the board at the next meeting and in upcoming public sessions so the board and community can consider ballot timing and specific levy wording.

Why this matters: Kings Local is projecting lower state support while expenses rise and enrollment grows. Board members and staff framed a key question for voters and the community as whether to continue the district’s traditional property-tax levy approach, pursue a phased larger levy to delay future asks, or pursue an earned-income tax limited to district residents and earned wages.","Treasurer Don Morrow presented a five-year financial forecast showing declining state funding and described three revenue scenarios — a standard property-tax operating levy, a phased larger levy, and a 1% earned-income tax on district residents — for the Kings Local School District.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Kings Local recognizes retiring staff, honors decades of service

Kings High students present RAISE updates and return from BPA national conference with top finishes

Kings Local approves negative change order; $56,000 returned to Columbia Intermediate building fund

Board approves five-year athletic-training contract with Beacon Orthopedics and TriHealth including annual investment

Kings Local treasurer outlines levy and earned-income tax options to steady district finances