Board adopts policy on protection of individual beliefs, approves college-credit and partnership agreements and personnel slate

The Brunswick Board of Education approved several policy and personnel items and ratified agreements with area colleges and service providers during its Jan. 21, 2025 meeting.

The board adopted new Policy 2265, “Protection of Individual Beliefs, Affiliation, Ideals, Principles of Political Movement and Ideology,” a policy the superintendent said was required by recently enacted state legislation (referred to in the agenda as House Bill 214). The policy prohibits requiring students or staff to affirm allegiance to specified political beliefs or ideologies. The adoption was approved by roll call.

Board members conducted first readings of a set of revised and new policies drawn from a NEOLA update (listed in the agenda as an October 2024 update, volume 43). The board will review those policies again at a future meeting for final adoption.

On academic partnerships, the board approved College Credit Plus memoranda of understanding for the 2025–26 school year with two postsecondary institutions listed in the agenda; the motion was described as routine annual renewals to provide students access to college-credit classes. The board also approved a field-experience and student-teaching agreement with Kent State University to allow placement of teacher candidates in district classrooms.

The board approved an increase to a LearnWell contract for a student placed in a residential treatment facility (special-education tuition services), subject to federal procurement compliance, and approved a contract for Wraparound Experts LLC to provide special-education wraparound services for the 2024–25 school year.

The board approved the Safety Town (listed as “safety tone” in the agenda packet) 2025 schedule, including registration dates, class times and costs; a board member clarified the program is for Brunswick residents only.

The superintendent presented a large personnel slate covering resignations, leaves of absence, reassignments, hirings, supplemental contracts and volunteer listings. The agenda summarized counts: multiple resignations and absences in support staff, two certified leaves of absence, one certified employment, home-instruction tutors, 44 supplemental contracts for the 2024–25 school year, 97 nonteaching contract recommendations and six volunteer approvals. The board approved the entire personnel package by roll call.

Board members thanked staff for the policy and contract work and expressed appreciation for the district’s students and programs; no subsequent action items were identified beyond routine implementation and monitoring of the approved agreements and personnel changes.