NEW SCHOOL COUNSELOR … Pettisville School Board welcomes Sarah Roper as the new Jr. High/High School Counselor for the 2025-2026 school year.
(PHOTOS BY AMY WENDT / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
AMAZING SHAKE WINNER … Jazlene Hernandez, the overall winner of the Amazing Shake competition shared a presentation on CPC with the school board.
By: Amy Wendt
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
amy@thevillagereporter.com
On Monday, May 12 the Pettisville School Board met in the school’s conference room for its regular May meeting with all board members present.
Before opening the meeting, Superintendent Josh Clark introduced Sarah Roper to board members. Roper, who previously worked alongside Junior High/High School Principal Adam Wagner and Superintendent Clark at Evergreen Schools, was chosen to fill the Jr./Sr. High School Counselor position effective the 2025-2026 school year.
Reflecting on her addition to the team, Principal Wagner shared, “…she comes with a great skill set, a great deal of experience, passion for students and will hit the ground running with our students.” Superintendent Clark echoed these sentiments.
Later in the meeting, the board voted to extend a one-year contract to Roper along with ten (10) extended days at a per diem rate.
Once the meeting was officially convened and immediately following roll call, the board entered into an executive session to discuss the appointment, employment, dismissal, discipline, promotion, demotion, or compensation of an employee or official.
Upon reconvening at 7:25 p.m., the board attended to the consent agenda by approving minutes from the April 2025 meeting, accepted the treasurer’s financial reports, and authorized the payment of bills as submitted.
Moving on to a long list of personnel items in the consent agenda, contracts were approved for the following: Lisa Arend as a substitute bus driver; Josiah Grant, Ashlynn Rice, Luke Horning, Alex Galvin, Echo Eash, and Grace Hastings as summer custodial staff (students); Wendee Lovinns as summer custodial staff; Lucia Rodriguez for field preparation; and Regina Reidling as Elementary Musical Director.
Kindergarten teacher, Lynne Hoffmire submitted her notice of retirement resignation which the board approved. Reflecting on Hoffmire’s departure, Superintendent Clark added, “We will miss Lynne greatly. As you know, she has been here for a long time and she has impacted all of our kids here.”
The board also approved the non-renewal of all supplemental contracts for the 2025-2026 school year.
Limited contracts for certified staff were approved as follows: Jan Litogot, Dawn McKibben, Erinn Thompson, and Donna Meller received five-year contracts.
Matt Meyer, Sarah Hastings, Nichole Aeschliman, Megan Leatherman, Whitney Short, Adrian Mendoza, Katie Planson, and Deedra Darby-Dixon received three-year contracts, while Regina Reidling and Tanner Rufenacht received one-year contracts.
Limited contracts for classified staff were approved for two years and include Lindsay Bevard, Stephanie Hamilton, Jennifer Bergstedt, Lisa Anaya, and Jessica Moyer.
Administrative contracts were approved for five years for Adam Wagner and Jamie Fox. The Pettisville High School Class of 2025 list was presented and approved.
The board authorized a service agreement with the NWOESC for extended school-year instruction for a student and approved ten extended days for Greg Waidelich, STEAM Coordinator, for the 2025-2026 school year at a per diem rate.
Superintendent Clark delivered the Elementary report in Principal Jason Waldvogel’s absence and highlighted the latest news regarding state testing, RTI, and transition meetings. He also shared that the 5th and 6th-grade presentation of “Frozen” was a success with many attendees.
In the Junior High/High School report, Principal Wagner reminded the board that Graduation will take place on Sunday, May 18 at 2:30 p.m.
He also thanked Reading Intervention Coordinator Kisha Genter and the school staff for organizing the district’s first collaboration day. The event paired junior high and high school students with elementary students for a time of learning and fun.
Activities included singing, kickball, gaga ball, science experiments, making popsicle stick animals in the STEAM lab, and exploring hydroponics.
Wagner also briefly spoke about Student Appreciation Week, Scholarship Night, and upcoming student award ceremonies.
The latest Five-Year Forecast was presented by Treasurer Chris Lee. The forecast noted steady property tax projections. Lee noted that his report does not account for potential changes in state funding since House Bill 96 is still under consideration at the state level.
Overall expenditures were based on historical trends with no significant increase over the forecast period. However, Lee noted that the district expects an increased expense related to wind turbine repairs.
The report showed overall surplus spending throughout most of the five-year period, though a deficit is projected in the final year of the forecast.
The board voted to accept the Five-Year Forecast and directed that it be submitted to the state.
Treasurer Lee and Superintendent Clark then shared with the board the potential impact that House Bill 96 could have on district finances.
Lee and Clark, along with several other school district administrators from the six-county area recently traveled to Putnam County and met with State Representatives Jim Hoops, Roy Klopfenstein, and Ty Matthews to express their concerns about the proposed bill.
HB 96 proposes continuing the Fair School Funding Plan while at the same time reverting to a “bridge funding” model, effectively pausing the fair-funding formula. It also includes a 30 percent carryover cap on district balances.
Pettisville is over that cap with forecasted carryovers averaging 53.2 % from 2025-2029.
“The reasons why we-we have built that carry over to the level that it is, it’s to weather storms much like what’s contained in House Bill 96 right now,” Lee elaborated.
“It’s for capital improvements that are needed, for emergencies that would happen…just all of those unforeseen things.”
Superintendent Clark added, “This is a big deal for public education, and we need to stand behind the fact that you know, we are being financially responsible, and we should not be penalized for being financially responsible.”
“While we agree that the reduction of property tax and the burden to local taxpayers is important, there needs to be a mechanism that works to do it,” added Clark.
A special guest, Jazlene Hernandez, who is the Junior High Amazing Shake winner, took a moment to share her presentation with the board.
Her presentation focused on the Community Pregnancy Centers (CPC) of Northwest Ohio, an organization with which her grandmother has been involved for over 18 years.
Jazlene highlighted CPC’s support for mothers and families and emphasized the organization’s commitment to serving all individuals regardless of age, race, religion, or ability to pay.
Transportation Coordinator/Technology Assistant Gabe Jaramillo was also on hand at the meeting to share with the board a demonstration of the app BusRight, a new transportation system being used by the district.
The app was chosen to modernize the transportation system and features route mapping, ETA updates, and real-time tracking for both parents and drivers. Each bus is now equipped with a tablet to help drivers navigate their routes.
After all agenda items had been addressed, at 8:39 p.m. the board entered into a second executive session to discuss the appointment, employment, dismissal, discipline, promotion, demotion, or compensation of an employee or official.
Upon reconvening at 8:45 p.m., the board approved a 3% increase for administrative contracts for the 2025-2026 school year.
Pettisville Board of Education’s next regular meeting is set for June 16, 2025, at 8:00 p.m.