Parents and students urge Parma City Schools to save Paige program; board motion to continue fails

Monday evening at the Parma City School District board meeting, parents, students and some board members urged the district to preserve the Paige gifted program after administrators sent an email announcing its elimination. A motion by board member Mister Reyes to direct the superintendent to continue Paige for the 2026–27 school year was seconded and put to a roll-call vote; the motion failed after two yes votes and three abstentions.

The outcome followed more than an hour of public comment from Paige families. "We have gotten word that our Paige program is going to be canceled as of next year," parent Jennifer Sapik told the board. "These kids are exceptional. They deserve every right, and it is not only our job, but it is our duty as this district to make sure that those kids are taken care of." Student speakers described Paige as a place where they learn at an advanced level and feel accepted; one student said, "Page is where I am accepted and Page is where I thrive."

Superintendent Doctor Hunt and district staff told the board the decision to remove Paige was an administrative action tied to the district's budget planning. Hunt said the program has four Paige teachers whose salaries could be "recouped" through the staffing process and that the district's total gifted-services cost is roughly $940,000, while the Paige program itself was estimated in public discussion at about $376,000. At the same time, a board member who reviewed district-line items said non-salary program costs for Paige are roughly $8,000.

Several board members and parents called for greater transparency before a program change. "We were told that fundraising wasn't considered," said a parent during public comment. Board member Miss McTaggart cited Ohio law and board policy in saying the elimination of a districtwide instructional program warrants board involvement; she referenced ORC 3319.01 in explaining that the superintendent executes board policies and cannot unilaterally create or eliminate a district-wide program without board delegation. A board member, Jeremy (name used in public comment), similarly said he did not know what was considered when the program was eliminated and apologized to the public that the board had not been fully informed.

Mister Reyes made a formal motion that the board direct the superintendent to continue Paige for 2026–27; the motion was seconded and called for a roll-call vote. Votes recorded at roll call were: Reyes (yes), Miss McTaggart (yes), Miss Kopeck (abstain), Missus Sebastian (abstain), and Presiding officer/Doctor Early (abstain). With only two affirmatives and multiple abstentions, the motion did not carry.

Parents and students reacted angrily after the vote. Several asked the board to schedule a special meeting to discuss gifted services and to provide a transparent accounting of what alternatives — including fundraising, phasing options, transportation changes or reassignment of staff — were considered before the decision. Superintendent Hunt said staffing and enrollment processes must run their course and that the district would return with further detail when available.

Next steps noted at the meeting included follow-up communication under the district's public-comment policy and requests from families for a special board session focused on gifted services. The motion's failure leaves the administrative decision in place pending any further board action.