Solon Board of Education elects Julie Glavin president, approves routine organizational resolutions and reviews IDEA Part B funding

The Solon Board of Education on Jan. 13 elected board member Julie Glavin as board president and John Hackland as vice president and approved a slate of organizational resolutions needed to run district business for 2025.

The actions, taken during the board’s annual organizational meeting at the Solon Board of Education offices, included authorization to withdraw district funds, establishment of a board service fund within the general fund under Ohio Revised Code 3315.15, retention of multiple outside law firms for education‑related matters, adoption of a resignations policy that makes superintendent‑received resignations effective immediately, appointment of hearing officers for suspension and expulsion appeals, authorization for the superintendent to sign contracts with the Educational Service Center of Northeast Ohio (ESCNEO), renewal of Ohio School Boards Association membership, approval of membership in the Ohio Education Policy Institute for $1,500, participation in the OSBA Legal Assistance Fund and the statutorily required public hearing on federal special education funds.

Why it matters: organizational votes establish who leads the board, delegate routine authorities to staff and outside providers, and document how the district will handle resignations, legal support and appeals. The IDEA Part B hearing fulfilled a state requirement and set out how federal funds will be used to support special education services in Solon City Schools.

Board leadership and votes Board member Julie Glavin was nominated and elected to a one‑year term as board president; John Hackland was nominated and elected to a one‑year term as vice president. Both elections were decided by roll call vote and carried. The board then approved a schedule of regular 2025 meeting dates, effective meeting‑management resolutions, and a resolution authorizing withdrawal of district funds as listed in meeting attachments.

Legal services and administrative delegations The board voted to retain a group of outside law firms to provide legal services as needed during the year. The list of firms was read into the record during the meeting and approved by the board. The board also established a service fund in the district general fund to cover expenses incurred by board members while performing official duties, subject to the limits of Ohio Revised Code 3315.15.

Resignations and hearing officers The board approved a change to allow resignations submitted to the superintendent to take effect immediately upon receipt, with formal board approval to appear on a subsequent agenda. The board appointed Superintendent Fred Bolden as the hearing officer to hear suspension appeals on the board’s behalf and approved the Educational Service Center of Northeast Ohio to act as the board’s designee for expulsion appeal hearings for 2025. The board also authorized the superintendent to sign contracts or agreements with ESCNEO on the board’s behalf when appropriate.

IDEA Part B and early childhood funds (public hearing) Superintendent Fred Bolden led the public hearing required under Ohio law on use of IDEA Part B and ARP Early Childhood Special Education funds. Bolden said the district’s allocation for early childhood preschool special education for the year is $19,542.49 and described that amount as a small portion of the district’s special education spending.

Bolden reported the IDEA Part B allocation at $970,413.83 and said $30,972.34 of that amount is earmarked for the district’s nonpublic school (identified in the record as St. Rita’s). Bolden explained which positions the federal funds support in part: roughly 50% of several therapists’ salaries (speech, physical and occupational therapists), a portion of school psychologist positions, one special‑education preschool teacher and supporting aides, and other partial staffing costs; the remainder of special education staffing is paid from the district’s general operating fund. “If you don’t spend them, you lose them,” Bolden said of federal grant dollars as he described the district’s approach to meeting requirements and spending those funds.

Public comment At the start of the meeting a resident, Trenice Crawford, identified herself as a substitute teacher and introduced a newly formed nonprofit, saying, “It’s called the mother’s silent cry,” and asked the board to note the organization’s existence and mission to raise awareness of maternal mental‑health needs. The comment was an informational public‑comment item; no board action was taken on it.

Process and next steps All organizational items were approved by roll call and the board adjourned the organizational meeting to begin its regular meeting. Several items (legal‑services retention, resignations policy, hearing‑officer appointments, memberships and participation in OSBA funds) included attachments or referenced outside agreements; the superintendent noted that some authorities would be used as required during the year and that not all retained law firms would necessarily be used.

Votes at a glance - Election of board president: Julie Glavin — approved by roll call. - Election of vice president: John Hackland — approved by roll call. - Establish 2025 regular meeting dates — approved by roll call. - Resolution authorizing withdrawal of funds (attachment referenced) — approved by roll call. - Retain outside law firms for legal services (list read into record) — approved by roll call. - Establish board service fund (Ohio Revised Code 3315.15 limits) — approved by roll call. - Accept district resignations policy (resignations effective on superintendent receipt; board approval to follow) — approved by roll call. - Appoint superintendent Fred Bolden as suspension hearing officer — approved by roll call. - Approve Educational Service Center of Northeast Ohio as expulsion hearing officer designee for 2025 — approved by roll call. - Authorize superintendent to sign contracts/agreements with ESCNEO — approved by roll call. - Renew membership in the Ohio School Boards Association — approved by roll call. - Approve membership in the Ohio Education Policy Institute, $1,500 — approved by roll call. - Participate in OSBA Legal Assistance Fund for 2025 — approved by roll call. - IDEA Part B and ARP Early Childhood Special Education public hearing held (informational; allocations stated) — hearing held and record made.

The board moved from the organizational meeting into its scheduled regular session after the votes listed above.