The Worthington Board of Education held its organizational meeting and first regular session of 2026 and completed officer elections, calendar-setting and routine approvals.

Amber Epling Skinner was elected board president after a nomination and unanimous roll-call vote; Treasurer TJ Cusick then administered the oath. Stephanie Harless was elected vice president and took the oath that followed. "I'm honored to work alongside all of you," Epling Skinner said after being sworn in, outlining priorities including ribbon cuttings, high-school completions and forming a committee to review elementary schools.

The board discussed and approved the 2026 meeting calendar with one amendment: the Feb. 4 work session will start at 2:00 p.m. rather than 1:00 p.m. because of a Chamber luncheon conflict. The motion to amend and the subsequent vote to approve the full, amended calendar passed on roll-call votes.

The board also approved a slate of routine organizational actions as listed on the agenda: appointments to boards and commissions, association memberships for 2026, annual resolutions and a standard consent agenda. Treasurer TJ Cusick reported two recently awarded grants that were added to appropriations: $5,000 from Battelle in partnership with the Ohio STEM Learning Network for classroom robotics kits, and $47,000 from the Ohio Attorney General's school safety grant to offset costs for rapid-response systems; those appropriations modifications were approved as part of the vote on the consent agenda.

Superintendent Dr. Trent Bowers recommended acceptance of donations listed on the agenda and the board approved H-1 donations by roll call. The board recessed briefly to allow family photos for newly sworn members before resuming the regular agenda. The meeting adjourned after scheduling upcoming sessions and routine business.

What happens next: the board published the amended 2026 calendar and will post it on the district website; a proposed joint meeting with Worthington City Council was discussed and tentatively targeted for March, with Amber Epling Skinner and an identified city liaison to work on agenda and logistics.