Ohio / School Districts / New Albany-Plain Local
Administrators described the first full year of the house system across grades—elementary houses (Team Eagle), intermediate house squads, middle- and high-school houses—with activities, service projects, house points and student leadership roles designed to increase belonging and student engagement.
Ohio / School Districts / New Albany-Plain Local
The New Albany-Plain Local Board of Education held its first organizational meeting of 2026, swearing in newly elected members, electing John McClellan president and Jen Fuller vice president, and adopting standard annual board authorizations including federal grant signatory authority and bidding thresholds.
Ohio / School Districts / New Albany-Plain Local
New Albany-Plain Local presented results from its 2025–26 student belonging survey: participation rose slightly from 2024 but declined among upper high-school grades; 218 students were shown an optional open-text prompt and 190 responded, with top themes of peer teasing, social isolation and identity-based exclusion.
Ohio / School Districts / New Albany-Plain Local
The board approved authorization for a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) package totaling $56,430,261 for a new elementary school. Staff said soft costs are excluded, estimated roughly $3 million in cost pressure from tariffs and subcontractor rates, and described immediate site logistics including tree removal before bat season and a campus fiber connectivity issue.
Ohio / School Districts / New Albany-Plain Local
Public commenters and board members offered tributes to outgoing Board President Debbie Kalinowski, thanking her for 11 years of service and noting her leadership during levy and district growth. The board presented a small token and adjourned for the evening.
Ohio / School Districts / New Albany-Plain Local
On a series of motions the board approved a $91,048.24 appropriation increase for grants, authorized tax‑advance outreach, accepted retirements and donations, approved Chromebook replacement not to exceed $113,881, and adopted a NIST‑based cybersecurity program to comply with House Bill 96.
Ohio / School Districts / New Albany-Plain Local
The board approved appointing Vice President McClellan as President Pro Tempore effective Jan. 1, 2026, to serve until officers are elected at the Jan. 5 organizational meeting.
Ohio / School Districts / New Albany-Plain Local
Director of secondary education Brian O'Shea briefed the board on editorial and curricular changes to the high‑school program of studies, including split College Credit Plus listings, consistent AP titling, revised prerequisites for AP Physics, broader courses eligible for the state technology seal, and a 14‑course update; registration begins Jan. 26.
Ohio / School Districts / New Albany-Plain Local
Superintendent Sawyers told the board the elementary-school project is moving toward a guaranteed maximum price and construction could begin around February; survey work on the former Discover site (city‑owned) is underway ahead of a likely early‑2026 lease recommendation.
Ohio / School Districts / New Albany-Plain Local
District staff told the board the new K–2 elementary school design has been value-engineered but remains over budget; administration plans to present a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) recommendation at the Dec. 8 meeting and flagged contingencies for escalation and design allowances.