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Warren City board adopts ODE special‑education model, ranks construction firms and approves routine fiscal and personnel measures
Summary
On Feb. 25 the Warren City School Board unanimously approved a package of fiscal, personnel and policy items including adoption of the Ohio Department of Education's December 2024 special‑education model policies, ranking DeSalvo Construction and Don Incorporated for construction‑manager‑at‑risk services on a medical office renovation project, approval of tax rates and multiple routine contracts, and a resolution directing the superintendent to notify ODE about a teacher's unilateral termination.
The Warren City School District Board of Education on Feb. 25 approved a slate of resolutions covering policy compliance, procurement steps, personnel items and routine fiscal matters.
Special‑education model policies: The board read and adopted the Ohio Department of Education's updated special‑education model policies and procedures (released December 2024) — a change the presenters said is required to meet federal and state law (the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act and referenced Ohio code). The resolution directs district staff to use the required ODE forms and authorizes the superintendent to notify the Ohio Department of Education of the board's adoption through ODE's monitoring system on or before March 30, 2025, and to repeat the upload by Nov. 30 in subsequent school years. Board members recorded "Yes" votes during roll call and the motion carried.
Construction‑manager‑at‑risk ranking: The board also adopted a resolution ranking firms that responded to a public request for statements of qualifications for construction‑manager‑at‑risk services for a medical office space renovation project. The resolution ranked DeSalvo Construction and Don Incorporated as the most qualified firms and authorized the executive director of business operations, with the architect and board counsel, to solicit technical and pricing proposals from the ranked firms. The board's resolution states the action was taken in compliance with Ohio's open‑meeting law (citation to section 121.22 of the Ohio Revised Code was read into the record).
Personnel, contracts and routine fiscal business: The board approved a package of superintendent recommendations covering agreements, contracts and leases (items A–M); accepted the January 2025 financial statement and short‑term investments; approved revised appropriation budgets A–G; set tax rates for calendar year 2025 (no change from the prior month as noted by the treasurer); approved participation in the Ohio Schools Council cooperative advertising and bid process for school bus chassis and bodies; and approved ODE certification for Ohio teacher evaluations. The board also approved tuition reimbursements, gift acceptances (donations from community organizations with listed approximate values), and personnel items a–o including certificated retirements for James Bell and Jacqueline Lawrence and four classified retirements listed on the agenda.
Notification to ODE regarding teacher resignation/termination: The board adopted a resolution authorizing the superintendent to notify the Ohio Department of Education's Office of Professional Conduct regarding teacher Brandy Gurbese (the transcript contains alternate spellings for the surname). According to the resolution language presented to the board, the teacher submitted a letter of resignation on Jan. 11, 2025; the superintendent replied on Jan. 12, 2025 that the resignation was not accepted and directed the teacher to report, which the resolution states did not occur; the board instructed the superintendent to notify ODE of a unilateral termination after July 10, 2024 in apparent violation of Ohio Revised Code section 3319.15.
How the board voted: For the items called with roll call, the transcript records affirmative roll‑call responses from the members identified on the record (for example, Missus Lomparos, Missus Patterson, Doctor Arles/Ailes and Mister Walker were recorded as voting "Yes" on multiple items) and consistent statements that "the motion carries." The record shows one abstention by Mister Walker on a specific subsection (section C, item 6) while he voted yes on other personnel items.
What happens next: For the special‑education model policies, the board directed that notification be uploaded to the Ohio Department of Education's monitoring system on or before March 30, 2025. For the construction‑manager ranking, administration is authorized to move to the RFP/price‑proposal phase with the two ranked firms; further contract awards will follow pending the pricing/proposal evaluation. Other routine approvals take effect as administered by district staff.
