The following actions were taken by the Northwest Ohio Educational Service Center Governing Board at their regular meeting held December 16, 2025.
The meeting was called to order at 6:06 p.m. by President Kelly Hug. All in attendance recited the Pledge of
Allegiance.
REPORTS:
•OSBA LEGISLATIVE LIAISON: Mr. Brian Baker reported on several items. Governor Mike DeWine signed HB 434 into law, which makes corrections to the transportation and main operating budgets. HB 434 included an emergency clause, so it became effective law immediately upon signature.
Gov. DeWine vetoed SB 50, refusing to change the law to allow 14- and 15-year-olds to work until 9 p.m. on a school night. The legislature has until December 31, 2026 to vote to override this veto. Several acts were delivered to the governor on Tuesday, Dec. 9: HB 10, which would require public school boards of education and ODEW to adopt policies prohibiting the purchase of “cultivated-protein food” products or food “misbranded as a meat or egg product”.
HB 114, which would alter the age requirements for kindergarten admission and hold harmless students affected by a scoring error on the biology end-of-course assessment during the 2024-25 school year. HB 124, which would modify the process for property tax sales-assessment ratio studies.
HB 129, which would include certain property tax levies in the calculation of a school district’s effective millage floor. HB 184, which would make corrections to previous capital and main operating budgets. HB 186, which would cap tax growth for districts on the 20-mill floor to inflation through a retroactive tax credit and provide funds to reimburse school districts for some losses in 2026 and 2027.
HB 309, which would allow county budget commissions (CBC) to reduce millage on certain voter-approved tax levies, excluding debt levies, if they find it necessary or prudent to do so. HB 335, which would cap the inflationary growth on all inside millage beginning in tax year 2026.
After delivery, Gov. DeWine has ten days (excluding Sundays) to sign, veto or allow these acts to become law without his signature. At the time of this publication, the governor has yet to act on the above bills or they will become law effective December 19. Both the House and Senate clerks have released their schedules for the first half of 2026.
The House will convene committee work the first week of February, with their first session of the year slated for Wednesday, February 18. The House has 10 confirmed meeting dates before their summer break.
The Senate returns earlier, resuming committee work Tuesday, January 27 with their first session Wednesday, January 28, and has 11 confirmed session dates in total. Both chambers will recess for the primary election in the spring and for summer break in mid-June.
•CFO/TREASURER: Mrs. Abby Lorenzen reported that annual insurance open enrollment was completed on November 13 and reviewed enrollment changes for January 2026. Overall medical enrollments decreased by four, dental enrollments decreased by one, and vision enrollments increased by six.
She shared that mid-year program cost estimates were in progress and would be sent to districts on January 13. She, along with Kerri, Jill, and Andy, began reviewing services and staffing in early December, and she worked with the special education office and districts to refine student lists for more accurate estimates.
Mrs. Lorenzen noted that she attended the OSBA Capital Conference, participating in advocacy sessions, committee meetings, and vendor discussions, and appreciated the opportunity to attend. She reported that the audit was completed and submitted to the Auditor of State on December 12, noting delays due to the late release of federal audit guidance.
She thanked her staff for their support while she was out of the office and stated that the next finance committee meeting would be held prior to the January board meeting at 5:40 in Kerri’s conference room.
•DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL EDUCATION: Mrs. Jill Gilliland reported on several items. Great things are happening in ESC classrooms, where teamwork, positivity, and strong commitment to students are evident.
Teachers are effectively using specialized curriculum designed for students with complex needs, including the Unique Learning System for those working within the Extended Learning Standards.
Students are engaging in class discussions, interactive smart board lessons, and activities supported by assistive technology, allowing them to access concepts at higher levels and communicate their ideas.
Supervisor Stacy Elchinger continues to provide professional development and curriculum support for teachers using the Unique Learning System, while SLPs play a key role in promoting consistent use of assistive technology and supporting students’ communication independence.
On November 10th, I attended a Think Tank meeting at the Mid Ohio ESC, where school psychologists, SLPs, ESC leaders, regional consultants, and university representatives discussed shortages in these professions and explored innovative solutions for recruitment, retention, and pipeline development.
IEC Principal Jessie Curry has been interviewing candidates for teacher and instructional assistant positions as we work toward opening a second autism classroom during the second semester.
•DIRECTOR OF CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION, & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Mr. Andy Hunter reported that the state is in the process of narrowing the list of approved K–3 early literacy diagnostics to five tools, with three currently approved at this time. Many districts in the region already utilize one of the approved options, including i-Ready and Acadience Reading K–6, which are both widely implemented.
District literacy contacts have been notified of the updated approval list and reminded that only two additional tools will ultimately be approved. Districts whose current diagnostics are not included in the final list may face potential costs related to ending existing contracts, adopting new systems, and providing additional training for staff.
Mr. Hunter also shared that the curriculum department has put on a wide range of professional development opportunities with strong educator participation. These offerings include leadership “Brunch and Learn” sessions, Value-Added trainings, IMTSS, gifted education, writing workshops, and collaborative sessions for social workers and counselors.
Teachers who attend these trainings may also earn graduate credit through Ashland University. Following the release of Value-Added metrics, the data team completed all Roots Projects and will now begin individual district meetings to review findings, explain results, and collaborate on next steps to ensure the data leads to meaningful instructional impact.
•DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY & OPERATIONS: Mr. Chad Rex reported that the Technology and Operations Department’s current cybersecurity project is focused on patch management and vulnerability scanning. He noted that a new software program has been implemented to scan laptops and desktops for vulnerabilities and automatically apply patches as needed.
Mr. Rex highlighted that Mr. Corey Todd has been leading this initiative and is nearing completion of the work. He shared that Mr. Todd also set up Microsoft Intune Autopilot, an automated provisioning process that streamlines the setup and deployment of computers.
Mr. Rex stated that this project represents a significant improvement in efficiency and timeliness, enhancing the department’s ability to serve and support the organization effectively. Mr. Rex reported that the Technology Department currently supports 820 active devices across the organization, including 2 servers, 64 desktops, 390 laptops, 168 iPads, 39 interactive whiteboards, 30 mobile phones, and 127 office phones.
This total does not include additional technology such as printers, projectors, or televisions. He noted that the department supports multiple operating systems, with Apple, Microsoft, and Google representing the primary platforms.
He shared that the department is in the process of adding the fax line used by the Independence Education Center and the Opportunity School to the organization’s eFax solution, with completion anticipated by December 19.
Mr. Rex noted that this effort continues to improve data security and operational efficiency. Finally, Mr. Rex highlighted upcoming professional network meetings hosted at NWOESC.
The Technology Leaders meeting is scheduled for December 19 at 9 a.m., while the Transportation Supervisors and Maintenance Supervisors meetings are scheduled for March 4 at 10:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., respectively.
•Approved the Following Consent Items:
• Minutes from the regular Board Meeting held October 28, 2025
• Financial Transactions – appropriation modifications, transfers and advances, and monthly financial reports.
Approved the following service agreements and MOUs:
-Elevated Recruitment Services to provide to NwOESC/OMEC, Identification and Recruitment in Farms/Agribusiness Services for the period of 11/6/25-6/15/26.
-Johnson Controls to provide to NwOESC, Planned Service Agreement and Scope of Work for the period of 01/01/26-12/31/26.
-Ohio School Boards Association to provide to NwOESC, Annual Membership for the period of 1/1/26-12/31/26.
-Ohio School Boards Association to provide to NwOESC, Board Member Basics Training for the date of 2/4/26.
-Ohio School Boards Association to provide to NwOESC, Legal Assistance Fund for the period of 1/1/26-12/31/26.
-NwOESC to provide to Anthony Wayne Local Schools, Instructional Services at the Liberty Education Center for the 2025-26 academic year.
-NwOESC to provide to Defiance City Schools, Substitute Speech Therapy Services for the period of 10/13/25-6/30/26.
-NwOESC to provide to Defiance City Schools/Holy Cross Catholic School, Speech Therapy Services for the period of 8/15/25-6/15/26.
-NwOESC to provide to Genoa Area Local Schools, Auditory Services for the period of 11/6/25-6/15/26.
-NwOESC to provide to Holy Cross Catholic School, Speech Therapy Services for the period of 8/15/25-6/15/26.
-NwOESC to provide to James A. Rhodes State College, Clinical Affiliation and Educational Experiences for the period of 12/16/25-12/16/26.
-NwOESC to provide to North Central Local Schools, Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA)/Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) for the period of 10/17/25-6/15/26.
-NwOESC to provide to Pike-Delta-York Local Schools, Intervention Specialist Services for the period of 8/25/25-9/22/25.
-NwOESC to provide to the University of Findlay, College of Education, Student Teacher and Field-Based Experiences for the period of 10/28/25-indefinitely.
-NwOESC to provide to Van Wert City Schools, Assistive Technology Evaluation Services for the period of 11/13/25-6/15/26.
-NwOESC to provide to Western Governors University, Placement Services for the period of 12/16/25-12/16/28.
•Approved Policy Recommendations
|
Policy 1422 |
Nondiscrimination, Equal Employment Opportunity, and Anti-Harassment |
Replacement |
|
Policy 1422.02 |
Nondiscrimination Based on Genetic Information of the Employee |
Rescind |
|
Policy 1623 |
Section 504/ADA Prohibition Against Disability Discrimination in Employment |
Revised |
|
Policy 1662 |
Anti-Harassment |
Rescind |
|
Policy 2260 |
Nondiscrimination and Access to Equal Opportunity |
Revised |
|
Policy 2260.01 |
Section 504/ADA Prohibition Against Discrimination Based on Disability |
Revised |
|
Policy 2266 |
Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities |
Revised |
|
Policy 3122 |
Nondiscrimination, Equal Employment Opportunity, and Anti-Harassment |
Replacement |
|
Policy 3122.02 |
Nondiscrimination Based on Genetic Information of the Employee |
Rescind |
|
Policy 3123 |
Section 504/ADA Prohibition Against Disability Discrimination in Employment |
Revised |
|
Policy 3130 |
Assignment and Transfer |
Revised |
|
Policy 3362 |
Anti-Harassment |
Rescind |
|
Policy 4122 |
Nondiscrimination, Equal Employment Opportunity, and Anti-Harassment |
Replacement |
|
Policy 4122.02 |
Nondiscrimination Based on Genetic Information of the Employee |
Rescind |
|
Policy 4123 |
Section 504/ADA Prohibition Against Disability Discrimination in Employment |
Revised |
|
Policy 4162 |
Drug and Alcohol Testing of CDL License Holders Who Perform Safety-Sensitive Functions and are Subject to DOT Testing |
Revised |
|
Policy 4162.01 |
Drug and Alcohol Testing of Employees without CDL Licenses Who Transport Students in Alternative Vehicles (Non-DOT Testing) |
New |
|
Policy 4362 |
Anti-Harassment |
Rescind |
|
Policy 5136 |
Personal Communication Devices |
Revised |
|
Policy 5200 |
Attendance |
Revised |
|
Policy 5223 |
Released Time for Religious Instruction During the School Day |
Revised |
|
Policy 6109 |
Acceptance of Payment by Credit Card |
New |
|
Policy 6152 |
Student Fees, Fines, and Charges |
Revised |
|
Policy 6830 |
Audit |
Revised |
|
Policy 7540.02 |
Digital Content and Accessibility |
Revised |
|
Policy 7541 |
Electronic Data Processing Disaster Recovery Plan |
Rescind |
|
Policy 8300 |
Continuity of Organizational Operations Plan |
Revised |
|
Policy 8305 |
Information Security |
Revised |
|
Policy 8400 |
School Safety |
Revised |
|
Policy 8462 |
Student Abuse and Neglect |
Revised |
|
Policy 8600.04 |
Bus and Alternative Vehicle Driver Certification |
Revised |
|
Policy 8640 |
Transportation for Non-Routine Trips |
Revised |
|
Policy 8650 |
Transportation by Alternative Vehicles |
Revised |
•Established the 2026 Organizational meeting: Tuesday, January 27, 2026 at 6:00 PM at the NwOESC Conference Room with President Pro Tem, Kelly Hug.
•Approved proclamation. The Superintendent and Administrative Team recognizes each board member for their dedicated service to the NwOESC Governing Board, as January is Board Member Appreciation Month in the State of Ohio. We want to thank our Educational Service Center’s governing board as well as those serving on area city, village, local, and joint vocational boards of education for their dedication, hard work, and commitment to molding an education system that meets the needs of both today’s and tomorrow’s children.
•Approved commendation. The Northwest Ohio Educational Service Center Board of Education commends Brian Baker for being recognized by the Ohio Educational Service Center Association at the OSBA Capital Conference with a Special Distinguished Service Award in honor of his 30+ years of exemplary service to Ohio’s students, staff, and school communities. The Board expresses its sincere appreciation for his long-standing leadership, dedication, and commitment to educational excellence in northwest Ohio and beyond.
•Approved Personnel Consent Items:
RETIREMENT
● Mabee, Susan, Intervention Specialist, Effective 4/30/2026
RESIGNATION
● Cottrell, Jessie, Paraprofessional, Effective 11/21/2025
● Frank, Alli, Paraprofessional, Effective 11/25/2025 (position abandonment)
● Guyton, Elani, Paraprofessional, Effective 11/10/2025 (position abandonment)
● Hazelton, Ashley, School Nurse, Effective 12/2/2025
● Mason, Jaimie, Paraprofessional, Effective 11/16/2025
● Ryan, Jamie, Paraprofessional, Effective 12/4/2025 (position abandonment)
● Smith Yackee, Alyssa, Paraprofessional, Effective 12/4/2025
•EMPLOYMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
CONTRACTS
Certified Limited
Name Contract Length
Fleming, Jenna CERT-1 YR 1/5/2025-7/31/2026
Porter, Machetta CERT-1 YR 11/10/2025-7/31/2026
Seiler, Bronwyn CERT-1 YR 11/24/2025-7/31/2026
Classified Limited
Name Contract Length
Brenneman, Ruthie CLASS-1 YR 12/4/2025-7/31/2026
Fritz, Caitlin CLASS-1 YR 1/5/2025-7/31/2026
Hill, Destiny CLASS-1 YR 1/5/2025-7/31/2026
Lee, Kristen CLASS-1 YR 12/1/2025-7/31/2026
Meyer, Angela CLASS-1 YR 1/5/2025-7/31/2026
Yoder, Katie CLASS-1 YR 11/3/2025-7/31/2026
Certified Supplemental
Name Contract Length
Selgo, Olivia CPI-Trainer 12/17/2025-7/31/2026
Classified Limited School Year Enrichment
Name Contract Length
Alspaugh, Kerri CLASS-1 YR 1/1/2026-6/30/2026
Keller, Dayton CLASS-1 YR 1/1/2026-6/30/2026
Keller, Emiley CLASS-1 YR 1/1/2026-6/30/2026
Keller, Teresa CLASS-1 YR 1/1/2026-6/30/2026
Mann, Donna CLASS-1 YR 1/1/2026-6/30/2026
Classified Limited School Year Enrichment
Name Contract Length
Myers, Dorothy CLASS-1 YR 1/1/2026-6/30/2026
•Approved the following substitute teachers and paraprofessionals:
Substitute Paraprofessionals
Kalyn Baker, Madison Custer, Renee Hardy, Teresa Kimpel, Sara McClure, Jessica Newman, Eugina Storeholder, Addison Tussing
Substitute Teachers
Avani Abhyankar, Barton Ankney, Melissa Aschemeier, Abigail Baldwin, Alexis Barker, Lindsay Bergman, Brandi Boyd, Julia Brightman, Alex Buchhop, Sarah Buchhop, Bryson Collins, Bradley Dunkle, Anna Elton, Abigail Ford, Shawn Glenn, Maria Glover, Ilsa Grieser, Carly Grime, Margaret Grimes, William Grimes, Ashley Haas, Jayna Hammon, Anthony Hench, Anita Herod, Patience Johnson, Becky Lammon, Giulia Lee, Sara McClure, Robert Orta, Karley Ramirez, Kally Randall, Jenna Rode, Shelby Roe, David Rohrs, Anita Roth, Brodey Roth, Jayci Schooley, Cheyenne Segura, Dylan Siebenaler, Sara Thielman, Rachel Thoma, Jada Uribes, Madden Valentine, Ethan Van Loocke, Anita Van Zile, Eugene Wyse
•Approve the following 21st Century Staff:
21st Century Teacher
Defiance Elementary- Megan Stambaugh
Defiance Middle School- Laura Martinez
•Approved the following Bus and Van Drivers:
Bus Drivers:
NwOESC – Christopher Staup
Substitute Van Drivers:
NwOESC – Chantel Gifford, Lindsay Whitman Drewes
•Approve the following Student Teachers/Interns/Volunteers:
● Baird, Aubrie, Field Experience II as a Rhodes College student, Spring 2026, Placed with Sarah Baker
● Thomas, Cheyenne, Student Teaching as a Western Governors University student, Spring 2026, Placed with Stacy Elchinger
● West, Elysha, Student Teaching as a University of Findlay student, Spring 2026, Placed with Jenny Deuel & Cheryl Shively
INFORMATION/DISCUSSION ITEMS:
● Discussion was held regarding a lease inquiry for potential temporary use of available NwOESC office space.
● The COSSBA National Conference will be held in Louisville, Kentucky; March 13–15, 2026.
● An OSBA Board Member Training will be held at NwOESC on Wednesday, February 4, 2026 at 5:00 PM. This training is open to new and seasoned area school board members and central office administrators. Information has been shared with our member districts.
● For the 10th consecutive year, NwOESC has been named a High Performing ESC as awarded by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. NwOESC indicated a 39.4% cost savings across 5 primary service areas as compared to not utilizing an ESC shared services model. We are grateful to offer districts consistent, high-quality, and efficient services to our member districts and beyond.
● The Administrative Team’s 2025-26 Departmental Priorities/Goals were finalized with the Board.
● The NwOESC BAC September 16, 2025 Meeting Minutes were shared with the Board.
•SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT: Superintendent Kerri Weir reported on several items. The Coalition of Ohio Rural & Appalachian Schools (CORAS) has continued to grow, expanding from roughly 80 participating districts in FY25 (including 4 in our service area) to more than 120 districts in FY26 (11 in our service area).
NwOESC joined CORAS in FY25 and regularly shares CORAS advocacy updates and resources with all member districts. CORAS hosts monthly Zoom meetings, and Randy Gardner continues to serve as our regional liaison. A statewide Rural Summit is being planned for February to convene CORAS members from across Ohio.
CORAS has been a strong, consistent voice for rural schools and ESCs, and we appreciate their leadership and partnership in advancing priorities that matter to our region. In October, President Todd Hernandez of Northwest State Community College confirmed that NSCC will continue covering the cost of College Credit Plus (CCP) textbooks for area high school students enrolled in CCP courses through NSCC.
He shared that the college’s Board and Foundation view this support as an important way to reduce access barriers and further strengthen partnerships with our local school districts. We are grateful for NSCC’s continued commitment to our students and communities.
Superintendent Weir also shared that the NwOESC Business Advisory Council (BAC) continues to strengthen partnerships and shared learning between education and business across northwest Ohio.
Through this regional BAC approach, the NwOESC supports all 23 member districts and the Four County Career Center. Andy Hunter, Mike Remer, and Superintendent Weir serve as Co-Chairs, with Abby Lorenzen serving as Secretary.
This year, the BAC has placed a particular emphasis on site visits, most recently touring Advanced Rehabilitation Technologies in Bryan and North Star BlueScope Steel in Delta. ODEW recently requested confirmation of NwOESC’s use of High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) in early childhood programs.
Superintendent Weir reported that NwOESC uses Creative Curriculum, which is fully aligned with an ODEW-approved option. She thanked Preschool and Related Services Coordinator Jessica Fredrick and the special education supervisors for ensuring the many classrooms operated on behalf of districts remain compliant, and for supporting staff as they implement this newer curriculum with fidelity.
In addition, at the request of the Region 1 State Support Team, NwOESC is piloting Teach Everyone Language, a 20-week intervention program designed to supplement Creative Curriculum. Fourteen staff members will be trained to ensure consistent implementation across classrooms and strengthen early literacy supports for students.
Superintendent Weir provided an OMEC update, noting that she and Abby Lorenzen met with Ohio’s Migrant Education Director, Dr. Jose Salinas, for a periodic program update. Dr. Salinas reviewed eligible child count data and outlined recruitment strategies – supported by the Federal Consultant – to strengthen identification efforts.
Key strategies include expanded bilingual outreach, adding recruiter capacity, and targeted recruitment within agribusiness. OMEC is also leveraging AI to support data analysis, which has helped identify recruitment gaps and prioritize next steps.
Dr. Salinas shared that the current migrant grant runs through September 30, 2026; after that, the grant administration model is expected to change, with additional guidance anticipated this spring.
Finally, Superintendent Weir highlighted holiday activities and scheduling. As part of charitable giving, NwOESC selected Snack Sisters as its charitable focus. Snack Sisters is a dedicated group of women affiliated with Shepherd’s Circle, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Archbold, with a mission of providing weekend snack packs for students at the Independence Education Center (IEC).
Donations are being collected through the end of December. Superintendent Weir also noted that staff appreciation treat bags were delivered to all staff, and she thanked Linda Schlosser for coordinating as well as the many staff members who helped assemble and deliver the bags across the service area. Superintendent Weir concluded by sharing the NwOESC Main Office will be closed to the general public December 22–January 2 for the holidays.
•Adjournment: As all the business of the evening was complete the meeting adjourned at 7:02 p.m. The Organizational and Regular meetings of the Board will take place on Tuesday, January 27, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. at the Northwest Ohio Educational Service Center, 205 Nolan Parkway, Archbold, OH 43502.