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Blanchester Board of Education approves FY25 contracts, personnel slate and financial adjustments
Summary
At its July 15 meeting, the Blanchester Board of Education approved the meeting agenda and minutes and unanimously approved a package of items including FY25 contracts with Forward Edge and Montgomery County ESC, multiple donations and scholarships, personnel hires/transfers for 2024–25, and a Treasurer-recommended increase of interim/inactive investable funds to $4.5 million.
The Blanchester Board of Education on July 15, 2024, meeting in the auxiliary cafeteria at Blanchester Middle School approved a package of administrative, financial and personnel items for the coming school year.
The board unanimously approved the amended agenda and the minutes of the June 26 regular meeting. Blanchester Board of Education member John Panetta moved to accept the Business of the Board as presented; member Jeremy Kaehler seconded and all five members in attendance voted in favor.
The board approved overnight student events and multiple donations to athletic and activity funds. Approved overnight events included the George N. Parks Drum Major Academy at Otterbein University (July 9–12, 2024) and a Color Guard team-building stay in Laurelville (July 26–28, 2024). Athletics donations approved included gifts to the football fund (totaling listed donors and amounts) and a $100 donation to the baseball fund from the Tom Lawson Memorial Golf Tournament. The board also approved $1,000 soccer scholarships for Olivia Potts and Destiny Blankenbeckler to be paid to the college of their choice.
The board approved FY25 service contracts including an on-site technology services contract with Forward Edge and low-vision/orientation & mobility services from the Montgomery County Educational Service Center. Those contracts were added to the agenda as corrections and approved as part of the Business of the Board vote.
On financial matters, the board reviewed Treasurer reports showing that actual cash on June 30, 2024, exceeded the five-year forecast by $154,827 (about 2.8%), with purchased services cited as the largest driver of variance. The board approved increasing interim/inactive investable funds from $3,000,000 to $4,500,000, authorizing the treasurer to invest those funds per board policy; trustees discussed locking in rates ahead of potential Federal Reserve changes. The board also approved the minimum payment in lieu of transportation under Ohio Revised Code 3327.02 so that Melissa Sahadi may transport one student to Milford Christian Academy.
The superintendent’s personnel recommendations were approved unanimously, subject to required certification and licensure. Actions included voluntary and administrative transfers (including approval of Jenny Hartman’s voluntary transfer to a high school mental health position), hiring recommendations such as Joey Catilla as middle school intervention specialist, a roster of certified and classified substitute teachers, supplemental coaching contracts for the 2024–25 school year, and approval of several volunteers for extracurricular positions.
The board noted upcoming events and operational items including Active Aggressor training at Blanchester High and Middle Schools on August 9, 2024; new teacher orientation on August 6–7; an Open House on August 16 from 5–7 p.m.; and scheduled its next regular meeting for August 19, 2024, at 7 p.m. The meeting adjourned at 7:30 p.m.
Actions recorded at the meeting were unanimous on all presented votes; the roll call recorded five members present: John Panetta, Mike Williams, Kathy Gephart, Chris Baker and Jeremy Kaehler.
