PHOTO BY BRIANNA BALOGH / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
WARM WELCOME … Edon Northwest Local School sits ready, with a freshly manicured lawn, as students return Aug. 18 for the 2026-2027 school year.
By: Brianna Balogh
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
The Edon Board of Education met on Thursday, Aug. 13, with the start of the school year just around the corner on Tuesday, Aug. 18. President Cody Best called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.
After attendees recited the Pledge of Allegiance, Treasurer Deb Nester took roll call. All board members were present and are Christian Appel, Patty Eicher, Ashley Reed, and David Wehrle.
Also in attendance were Superintendent Anthony Stevens, High School Principal Kayla Lapham, and Elementary Principal Jennifer Ripke.
The meeting quickly moved through the consent agenda, approving the minutes of the previous meeting, financial reports for July, amended certificate request from the County Auditor, donations totaling $6,590.48, and the NWOESC substitute teacher and paraprofessionals list for July 2026.
Eicher moved to approve the consent agenda items with Reed providing a second. The motion was passed. Stevens noted that in the near future there would be some disposal items to approve.
TREASURER’S REPORT
Reports followed, with Nester presenting the Treasurer report. Revenues are down from last year by approximately $216,000.
Expenditures were up by approximately $237,000. Revenue remains under expenditures by $453,269. The day’s cash sits at 184 operating days.
Nester noted that the real estate tax settlement has been delayed due to the tax payment due date being extended to Aug. 7, however July’s income tax payment was received.
HIGH SCHOOL UPDATE
Principal Lapham followed with exciting news, seventh grade orientation would be held later that evening with students receiving Chromebooks.
To help ease the start of the year, students and parents will be able to log in to school accounts and have their PowerSchool password reset for the upcoming year.
Freshmen parents meeting will be held on Monday, Aug. 17. Lapham noted that for the 2026-2027 school year they would be combining senior communications and experience classes. This will help prevent procrastination in the experience class.
Also new for the upcoming year is the Future Plans Career Assessment for grades 10 through 12. Lapham explained she herself took the three day assessment over the summer as well as a few other staff members. Feedback was positive, Lapham using descriptors like “amazing” and “impressive.”
The assessment will be administered over a five-day week in August. Seniors and sophomores will receive their results first, ahead of juniors, to support timely decisions regarding college planning and Four County Career Center enrollment.
Reed asked whether the results were as expected. Lapham said she was surprised by the number of medical interests but noted that, as a science teacher previously, it made sense.
Continuing through the report, Lapham informed the board that nine students will be participating in work-based learning, eight seniors and one junior. Four students will graduate early in December.
Fourteen juniors and 16 seniors will be attending Four County Career Center. Edon will also welcome three foreign exchange students, one for a semester and the other two for the entire school year.
Lapham concluded with an update to the homecoming plans, noting that the traditional class floats will be reworked.
Instead of full-size builds, the floats will be miniaturized and created using shopping carts or wagons, keeping the classic theme but on a smaller, more manageable scale.
It will allow for most of the work to be done at the school and the floats will be easier to display at the game and at the pep session.
It will also take less of a time commitment but still allow the students to have the experience of building something together as a team. The board agreed it sounded like a good idea.
ELEMENTARY UPDATE
Principal Ripke followed with updates on kindergarten and preschool. During the staggered start, 18 kindergarten students will begin each day, for a total of 36.
The afternoon preschool class is currently full, with a few openings reserved for special-needs placements, while the morning class still has available spots.
Ripke was happy to report that the classroom announcements via email went well. With some technological uncertainties, Ripke reported that all students in grades one through six had working emails and that parents were able to open the file.
Ripke hopes to continue in the future and will not be posting class lists on social media. Eicher commented that her daughter loved it.
Ripke then reported that 17 fourth- and fifth-grade students will take part in tutoring, though the district is still deciding between two program options.
When Wehrle asked how digital tutoring compares with in-person support from a teacher, Ripke noted that classroom tutoring would be ideal, but staffing limitations make it difficult because tutors must hold a reading specialist degree.
Parents will receive a notice outlining the updated attendance laws in their back-to-school paperwork, and Ripke closed by thanking the parents club for providing a coffee truck for staff during upcoming work days as well as supplying school materials.
SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT
Stevens followed with the Superintendent’s report. The newly approved EMIS coordinator and school nurse have been working hard in preparation for the new school year. Stevens praised both, stating, “They have hit the ground running.”
The track runway resurfacing was completed in mid-July. Stevens said he hopes the new surface performs better than the original concrete, which developed issues that may have stemmed from excess moisture or insufficient curing. The resurfacing was redone at no cost to the district.
Stevens said the transportation survey was successful and gave the department more time to finalize bus schedules, rather than trying to assemble them during the open house the night before school begins. He added that the response was strong and routing was nearly complete.
Wehrle asked how the recently acquired line painting robot was performing. Stevens stated that so far it was going well, but not all lines were painted for the football scrimmage.
ACTION ITEMS
Action items followed with several items for the board to approve. Wehrle moved to approve the fiscal year 2027 financial forecast and support assumptions for fiscal year 2027 through 2031. Appel provided a second.
Eicher moved to approve the resignation of Debra Green as custodian effective Sept. 1, seconded by Reed.
The next item was an additional resignation for Cindy Slattery as a bus driver effective Jan. 1. Appel moved to approve and Wehrle seconded.
Continuing through the action items, the board moved to rescind the events driver contract approved for Terry Whitney on July 13.
Stevens explained because of retirement requirements they need to rescind and will approve a new contract in approximately two months.
Eicher put the motion on the floor and Appel seconded.
Reed moved to approve the next item, a memorandum of understanding with the Edon Northwest Teachers’ Association. Approval of all bus drivers and bus routes followed, with Eicher moving to approve. Reed provided a second.
The board approved supplemental contracts for the 2026-2027 school year, pending successful completion of licensure requirements. Appel moved to approve, seconded by Eicher.
The last item before the executive session was to approve a service agreement with the NWOESC for OBI services for fiscal year 2027.
The motion to approve was made by Wehrle and seconded by Eicher. All action items were approved unanimously.
At 5:55 p.m. Eicher moved to go into executive session. With a second from Reed, all members approved moving the meeting into executive session. No action was expected to follow.
The next meeting will be held on Monday, Sept. 14.