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Hamilton board approves Head Start MOU, NEOLA policy updates and routine consent items; admits one nonresident student
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Summary
The Hamilton City School Board voted to adopt a Head Start MOU with Butler County ESC, approved spring NEOLA policy updates, accepted a nonresident-student admission (with one abstention), and passed a consent agenda covering facilities, curriculum and personnel items.
The Hamilton City School Board approved several routine but material items at its meeting, including a memorandum of understanding to host Butler County ESC’s Head Start program, a package of spring NEOLA policy updates, and a consent agenda containing personnel and facilities items.
Superintendent Andrea Blevins described the Head Start MOU as a plan to rent space at Fairwood for Butler County ESC to provide Head Start programming in Hamilton. She said the arrangement would provide centralized preschool services for Hamilton families and generate about $144,000 a year in revenue to the district.
"They have come to us with an ask of possibly renting out some space at Fairwood…this partnership will allow them to provide Head Start programming here in our community, but it will also allow our district to generate some revenue, to the tune of about $144,000 a year," Blevins said.
Board member Dr. Ashley Hopkins moved to adopt the MOU as presented; the motion was seconded and the roll call recorded affirmative votes from present members, approving the agreement.
The board also voted to approve the spring NEOLA policy updates. Blevins described the package as "wordsmithing" and changes required by state or federal law; the board read and voted on the updates the same evening and a roll call recorded unanimous approval among those present.
The board approved a resolution to admit a nonresident student for the remainder of the 2025–26 school year. During the roll call, board member Dave Davidson recorded an abstention; other members voted to approve the resolution, so it carried.
Among consent-agenda items the superintendent highlighted: a $45,000 water-heater upgrade at Highland paid from the classroom facilities maintenance fund (not the general fund); a $27,000 service quote to provide services for one special-education student for the remainder of the year (general fund); an $808 grant to Wilson Middle School to help purchase science materials (the transcript variably transcribes the amount; the district said the award was made); and a three-year donation from Thomas & Galbraith to supply books for elementary vending machines.
Blevins also noted a curriculum adjustment: the district plans to change its gifted screening tool from the CogAT to the Naglieri assessment districtwide, citing both effectiveness and lower cost.
In finance remarks, the treasurer summarized routine resolutions to accept amounts and rates as determined by the budget commission (part of the tax-budget process) and highlighted recent donations, including a $16,000 gift to fine arts from the Halcomb family. The finance agenda and related resolutions were approved by roll call.
The board moved and seconded the motions for the MOU, policies, consent agenda and finance items and recorded roll-call votes for each. The meeting concluded with an adjournment and an announcement that the next meeting will be April 14 at 5:33 p.m. at the Dayton Street address.
