PHOTO BY JOHN FRYMAN/ THE VILLAGE REPORTER
OATH OF OFFICE … The North Central Board of Education held its organizational meeting on Tuesday, January 13. Taking the oath of office were board members from left, Mark Moreland, Tim Livengood, and Kati Burt.
By: John Fryman
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
john@thevillagereporter.com
The North Central Board of Education reorganized and elected its officers for the upcoming year at its organizational meeting on Tuesday, January 13, before moving into its regular session.
Following the oath of office administered to incumbent board members, Tim Livengood, Kati Burt and the newest board member, Mark Moreland, the board then elected John Huffman as president and Livengood as vice-president for 2026.
The board then approved the following legislation appointments: Burt (legislative liaison), Huffman (budget committee), Moreland (student achievement liaison), and Martha Hasselbusch (superintendent pro-tem).
A motion was made to adopt the times, dates, and locations for 2026 regular board meetings.
Work sessions will take place at 5 p.m. on the same date as the regular board meetings and will be held in the Eagle Room.
Following a short break, the regular meeting then followed with Livengood being appointed Treasurer Pro Tempore in accordance with Ohio Revised Code 3313.23 for the board meeting of January 13, 2026.
Treasurer Carla Rice waived the reading and approved the minutes from the December 16 work session and regular meeting, along with the financial statements and investments from December 2025.
The board accepted the donation of $552.60 from Fix & Fab of Pioneer to the backpack program.
A resolution was approved declaring the necessity of raising $937,947 annually for school district purposes. It involves the one percent income tax levy for five years on the May 5, 2026, ballot.
Since the month of January is Board Recognition Month, Superintendent Mike Bute recognized the board members with certificates and years of service; Kati Burt (four years), Tim Livengood (eight years), John Huffman (two years), Dustin Meyers (two years), and Mark Moreland (newly elected).
“I want to say thank you for everything that you do,” said Bute to the board members. “I also want to understand the time and effort that it takes to serve in the community and the district.”
Bute told board members that the 2026-27 calendar will be ready for approval at the February meeting. There are two calendar options under review for district staff members to vote upon.
He added that there are 175 student instruction days and 183 teacher days included in the 2026-27 district calendar.
The superintendent spoke about the district’s culture/playbook in regard to putting the district’s three pillars together and what they mean.
“Let’s start with culture, and I have a vision on how to behave and the experiences you deliver and receive,” explained Bute.
“Building sustained culture through Focus Three and it’s built through daily responses, choices, and not programs. Focus Three teaches staff and students to press pause and how to get your mind right in order to respond intentionally.
“Obviously, we want to make sure that we develop our thinking as well as our ownership within our twenty square feet.
“The six R’s factor strengthen the self-taught, resilience, and decision-making. All we want to do is add responses rather than reactions.”
He then continued, “Mistakes are treated as learning opportunities, not labels. We want to model the behavior we expect from our students.
“Reflection leads to refinement, and refinement leads to growth. Strong cultures sustained with skills or practice consistently. Continual growth happens when we choose to build skill.”
The district will be receiving $125,000 in federal dollars in IDEA-B spending allocated to the state department of education and given to school districts to provide educational services, resources, and support for students with disabilities this year.
It will be obligated only after the project application is approved by the state. As a part of it, the district is required to make sure to provide in a public setting approximately what the district gets and how the money is spent.
Bute gave an update on the district enrollment numbers through December. There are 306 elementary students, 71 junior high students, and 140 high schools which include Four County Career Center students, for a total of 517 students.
There are also 49 open-enrollment students attending North Central, 113 students who have open-enrolled to other districts, and 57 students are home-schooled.
Elementary principal Brent Saneholtz reported there were no bullying incidents during the first semester. There will be a professional development day on January 20.
High School Principal Martha Hasselbusch reported the daily student attendance for the month of December averaged 93 percent daily.
She also noted there were no bullying incidents during the first semester. There were 10 referrals made in the month of December, with 103 referrals already being made since August.
Athletic director Kyra Gates reported the Senior Recognition Night honoring winter sport athletes will be held on February 17, following the conclusion of the junior varsity basketball game with Waldron, Michigan.
An Alumni Night is also being planned on Saturday, February 14, recognizing former North Central graduates.
Gates also mentioned that the winter sports banquet will be held on March 12 at 6:30 p.m., and Cuyahoga Heights, a Division 7 school, was added to the 2026 varsity football schedule in week three.
In personnel action, the board approved high school arts teacher Cheyenne Sponsler from Bachelor’s Step 1 to Bachelor’s Step 2 on the district’s pay scale.
Rob Taylor was given a five-year contract as the district’s cafeteria supervisor effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2031.
The board accepted the resignation of music instructor/band/choir director Ethan Siebenaler, who had stepped down effective on December 19, 2025.
Approval was made for the NWOESC teacher and paraprofessional substitute list for the 2025-26 school year and any additions or eliminations for the second semester.
The board went into an executive session to discuss employment and negotiations, with no action taken.