Nordonia Hills City board approves reduction of force, lays off 12 support staff

On April 22 the Nordonia Hills City Board of Education approved a board resolution to implement a reduction in force for non‑teaching support staff, authorizing the layoff of 12 paraprofessionals.

The superintendent described the move as part of a year‑long staffing and budget review. He said 18 support staff accepted a voluntary buyout earlier and 13 teachers accepted buyouts last month; three teachers were previously laid off. The superintendent said district administrators will review each paraprofessional’s assignment, including ties to students’ IEPs, to determine which positions must be recalled to meet legal requirements for special‑education services.

Board members voted by roll call. Board member votes recorded in the meeting were: Mister Tidmore — yes; Mister Kearney — yes; Mister Larmer — yes; Miss McKinley (board president) — yes; Miss Vodich — yes. The motion carried unanimously.

The superintendent described the reduction of force as different from teacher staffing actions, saying the process for support staff provides the district an orderly way to “reset and right‑size” services while preserving a mechanism to recall staff tied to required services under students’ IEPs. He said the district will meet with union representatives and administrative teams to identify which paraprofessionals must be recalled first to protect mandated services.

Board members and administrators noted the district’s concern about losing experienced paraprofessionals and the potential effect on special‑education supports. The superintendent said the district will prioritize recall decisions based on student needs and contractual recall procedures.

The board did not adopt additional staffing or budget changes at the meeting; the superintendent signaled that more staffing decisions and recall notices will follow as the administration completes assignments and consults with union representatives.