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Tipp City board approves 2025–26 student handbooks, site-work contract and multiple agreements; resident urges clearer process
Summary
At a regularly scheduled meeting, the Tipp City Exempted Village School District board approved the 2025–26 student handbooks, memorandums of understanding, a $4.29 million site‑work contract for the PreK–8 project and several procurement items; during public comment a resident criticized meeting audio and questioned personnel and policy decisions.
The Tipp City Exempted Village School District Board of Education approved a slate of routine and project-related items at its evening meeting, including the 2025–26 elementary, middle and high school student handbooks and an initial site‑work contract for the district's PreK–8 renovation.
Board members voted to approve the student handbooks after the board president noted that draft policy 5136 (redline changes) is attached as reference. The board also approved a then‑and‑now purchase order certification to pay a late invoice related to the LT Ball renovation project, citing ORC requirements for invoices dated in a prior fiscal year.
On capital work, the board approved bid package 1.01 for site work and underground utilities tied to the PreK–8 project. A presenter said the GMP (guaranteed maximum price) for the site package totals approximately $4,288,000 and described the package as one of several phased GMPs for the overall project. The board separately approved a proposal from GPRS for underground utility locating and mapping services at 5575 North Hyatt Street (the 13‑acre project site) and accepted an agreement with Garmin Miller Associates concerning the current bus garage demolition project.
Other approvals included two memorandums of understanding with the Tipp City Educational Association (the CCPD Course Incentive Program and a TCEA interview agreement), a memorandum of understanding with the Center for Advancing Student Achievement (effective 08/01/2025), changes to administrative titles and job descriptions (e.g., Director of Teaching and Learning; Director of Student Services), targeted salary‑schedule/work‑calendar adjustments for specific employees, and a $30,000 consulting agreement for the Tipp City AI Academy with Dr. Stephanie Coughall.
Procurement votes included authorization for a cooperative purchasing agent to advertise and solicit bids for school buses and passenger vans (the board clarified the resolution should not obligate the district to purchase two buses) and the purchase of a T‑350 stand‑on floor scrubber for $15,715 to replace a broken unit.
During the informational portion, a finance presenter told the board the July financial report reconciled close to forecast. The district received a reimbursement for a science‑of‑reading program that occurred in July and returned a $387,000 federal advance in July once state grant money arrived; staff said those items will be reflected in a revised forecast ahead of submission to the state.
In public comment, resident Kathy Bone said, "the sound in here is awful," and urged installation of microphones so the public can hear meetings; she also asked why the student handbooks were being approved after classes began, asked whether suspending the reading of policy 0131 reflected a Neola or legal change, and raised questions about the district's owner representative and an unresolved $10,000 staffing reduction she said district leadership had discussed. Those concerns were heard but not resolved during the meeting.
Board members set the next work session and regular board meeting for Sept. 16, with the regular meeting start time adjusted to 6:30 p.m. The meeting adjourned at 6:55 p.m.
