Highland Local School District - Regular Meeting

Roll Call: Kathy Belcher       Burgess Castle       John Messmer       William Short       Eric Thacker      

Resolution to approve the minutes for the January 8, 2025 Regular Board of Education Meeting and Organizational Meeting as presented.

Roll Call: Kathy Belcher       Burgess Castle       John Messmer       William Short       Eric Thacker      

Resolution to approve the January 2025 Financial Statements as presented.

Roll Call: Kathy Belcher       Burgess Castle       John Messmer       William Short       Eric Thacker      

Messmer:

Short:

Belcher:

Castle:

Thacker:

In order for the Board to fulfill its obligation to complete the planned agenda in an effective and efficient manner, a maximum of 30 minutes of public participation may be permitted at each meeting.
Each person addressing the Board shall give his/her name. If several people wish to speak, each person is allotted three minutes until the total time of 30 minutes has elapsed. During that period, no person may speak twice until all who desire to speak have had the opportunity. Persons desiring more time should follow procedure of the Board to be placed on the regular agenda. The period of public participation may be extended by a vote of the majority of the Board present and voting.

WHEREAS, as a public board of education may hold an executive session only after a majority of a quorum of this board determines by a roll call vote to hold such a session and only at a regular or special meeting for the sole purpose of the consideration of any of the following matters:

A. Consideration of the appointment, employment, dismissal, discipline, promotion, demotion, or compensation of a public employee or official.

B. Investigation of charges or complaints against a public employee, official, licensee, or student unless such employee, official, licensee, or student requests a public meeting; except that consideration of the discipline of a Board member for conduct related to the performance of their duties or their removal from office shall not be held in executive session.

C. consideration of the purchase of property for public purposes, or sale or other disposition of unneeded, obsolete, unfit-for-use property at competitive bidding, if premature disclosure of information would give an unfair competitive or bargaining advantage to a person whose personal, private interest is adverse to the general public interest.

D. Discussion with the Board's legal counsel of disputes involving the Board that are the subject of pending or imminent court action.

E. Preparing for, conducting, or reviewing negotiations or bargaining sessions with public employees concerning their compensation or other terms and conditions of employment.

F. Matters required to be confidential by Federal law or regulations or State statutes.

G. specialized details of security arrangements and emergency response protocols where disclosure might reveal information that could jeopardize the District's security.

H. Consideration of confidential information related to the marketing plans, specific business strategy, production techniques, trade secrets, or personal financial statements of an applicant for economic development assistance, or to negotiations with other political subdivisions respecting requests for economic development assistance, provided that both of the following conditions apply:
    1. The information is directly related to a request for economic development assistance that is to be provided or administered under one of the statutes referenced in R.C. 121.22(G)(8)(1), or that involves public infrastructure improvements or the extension of utility services that are directly related to an economic development project, and

    2. An unanimous quorum of the Board or its subcommittee determines, by a roll call vote, that the executive session is necessary to protect the interests of the applicant or the possible investment or expenditure of public funds to be made in connection with the economic development project.
Therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Highland Local Board of Education, by a majority of the quorum present at this meeting, does hereby declare its intention to hold an executive session on item(s) as listed above.

Roll Call: Kathy Belcher       Burgess Castle       John Messmer       William Short       Eric Thacker      

Resolution to approve the resignations of the following personnel

Shae Miller     Intervention Specialist

Shawn Wilhelm    Varsity Assistant Softball Coach

Roll Call: Kathy Belcher       Burgess Castle       John Messmer       William Short       Eric Thacker      

Resolution to approve the following personnel for retirement

Lynn Thompson    MS Dean of Students

Roll Call: Kathy Belcher       Burgess Castle       John Messmer       William Short       Eric Thacker      

Resolution to approve the following trip request

Marching Band         Orlando, FL        January 27 - January 31, 2026

NJROTC                   Columbus, OH    February 28 - March 1

Roll Call: Kathy Belcher       Burgess Castle       John Messmer       William Short       Eric Thacker      

Resolution to approve the following classified substitutes

Joshua Swims        Custodian

Mary Cochran         Aide

Roll Call: Kathy Belcher       Burgess Castle       John Messmer       William Short       Eric Thacker      

Resolution to approve the following personnel for home instruction tutor.

Amber Billings        Teacher Hourly Rate 

Roll Call: Kathy Belcher       Burgess Castle       John Messmer       William Short       Eric Thacker      

Resolution to approve the following FMLA request        

Jill Adams        ES Paraprofessional

Roll Call: Kathy Belcher       Burgess Castle       John Messmer       William Short       Eric Thacker      

Resolution to approve the Middle School Assistant Principal Salary Schedule.

Roll Call: Kathy Belcher       Burgess Castle       John Messmer       William Short       Eric Thacker      

Resolution to approve the following classified contract.

Troy Stewart        Elementary Custodian    (Step 0)

Trish Harmon       High School Custodian    (Step 0)   Effective 1-10-25

Roll Call: Kathy Belcher       Burgess Castle       John Messmer       William Short       Eric Thacker      

Resolution to approve the following supplemental contracts

Kathleen Davis    Head Girls Volleyball Coach    (Year 4)

Roll Call: Kathy Belcher       Burgess Castle       John Messmer       William Short       Eric Thacker      

Resolution to approve the HVAC Assistant's amended contract.

Roll Call: Kathy Belcher       Burgess Castle       John Messmer       William Short       Eric Thacker      

Resolution to approve the Treasurer's amended contract.

Roll Call: Kathy Belcher       Burgess Castle       John Messmer       William Short       Eric Thacker      

Resolution to approve participation in META Solutions Cooperative advertising and receipt of bids for school bus chassis and bodies for 2024-2025. 

Roll Call: Kathy Belcher       Burgess Castle       John Messmer       William Short       Eric Thacker      

Resolution to approve the payment of Master Chief Shipley's severance at the full daily rate (Navy and Highland combined rate) and at 25% of his sick leave balance (no more than 25% of 248 days) upon furnishing evidence of retirement from the applicable retirement system.

Roll Call: Kathy Belcher       Burgess Castle       John Messmer       William Short       Eric Thacker      

Resolution to approve the NJROTC severance pay at 25% of the instructors sick leave balance (no more than 25% of 248 days) upon furnishing evidence of retirement from the applicable retirement system.  The rate to be applied in contract years 2025-2026 and forward is only the rate in which Highland is responsible.  Severance will not be paid on the portion of the daily rate in which the Navy reimburses the district.

Roll Call: Kathy Belcher       Burgess Castle       John Messmer       William Short       Eric Thacker      

Resolution to approve payment in lieu of transportation for the following students who live in the Highland District and attend a private school within 30 minutes of the Highland District.  Transportation has been deemed impracticable.

Riley Hancq                    Gilead Christian

Rebekah Hancq             Gilead Christian

Roll Call: Kathy Belcher       Burgess Castle       John Messmer       William Short       Eric Thacker      

Resolution to adjourn this meeting and schedule the next meeting of the Highland Local School District Board of Education to be held Wednesday, March 12, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. in the middle school robotics room.

Roll Call: Kathy Belcher       Burgess Castle       John Messmer       William Short       Eric Thacker