(PHOTO BY SAMANTHA N. STRIPE / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
PRESENTATIONS … Michelle Leatherman, Director of Instructional Services at Wauseon Exempted Village Schools, presents at the Wauseon Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. Jennifer Grime, Director of Student Services, and Jessica Gerig, Director of Intervention Services, also presented to the board.
By: Samantha N. Stripe
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
The Wauseon School Board held a meeting on Tuesday, March 13, 2025. Several presentations were shared, including the Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer John Kahmann’s five-year forecast.
The meeting began at 5:00 p.m. with roll call and the Pledge of Allegiance. All members were present.
PRESENTATIONS
There were three presentations by Wauseon Exempted Village School employees, beginning with Michelle Leatherman, Director of Instructional Services.
She shared with the board the various roles she holds, including the responsibilities that she has, such as testing state and district testing and supervising and evaluating the school counseling department.
Jennifer Grime, Director of Student Services presented next. She explained that all “three of our positions have so much overlap” that it is sometimes “kind of difficult” to see where the divisions in their positions.
Grime stated that she oversees special education for students in kindergarten through grade 12 and oversees several other duties, like making sure that students are in the right classroom setting and that they have all the support they need.
She also helps with the hiring process of intervention specialists and paraprofessionals in special education classrooms, as well as other roles.
Finally, Jessica Gerig, Director of Intervention Services, presented, sharing that one of her “big aspects” for next year will be the preschool administrator.
She has a variety of other duties within her position and noted that “by adding my position this year, [Leatherman] and I have been able to meet with teachers more, so they have the support and we’re able to get the resources around for them.” She said that she works with her colleagues to ensure that reporting for state mandates is complete and fitting.
TREASURER’S REPORT
Next, the previous meeting minutes were wholly approved. CFO/Treasurer Kahmann then provided his consent agenda to the board, which included bills and financials.
He stated that under financial reports, the month of April was closed with no adjustments. “We’re at the point of the year where we’re at a cash high,” he said. “We’ve received all of our property taxes, our incomes taxes…it will look a lot different when we race to finish.”
He then discussed bills paid, which included payroll, for the month of April, as well an update of fiscal year 2025 appropriation updates, noting there were several budgets that needed amended.
There were also fund-to-fund transfers, two Then and Now Certificates and three donations to the school, all of which were approved by the board.
FIVE-YEAR FISCAL FORECAST
Kahmann began the presentation by reinforcing that the forecast is for the general fund only and is completed using current knowledge available at the time. “We use forecasts for a communication tool and a planning tool,” he said.
Kahmann discussed that a variety of things could affect the budget, such as tariffs, as well as legislation “that could see flat funding from the state of Ohio for the next two years.”
He noted that they are seeing the income tax distribution “out preform the forecast.” The cost of benefits has stabilized compared to the previous years as well.
From November 2024 to May, the revenue is 5.3 percent higher than previously forecasted, which he stated could be helped by the property taxes, among other items.
The “all other revenues” section of the forecast is “up quite a bit” due to earnings from high interest rates on investments.
Under expenditures, the report implicated that they are 2.5 percent above the estimate, with Kahmann stating that “salary is the biggest expenditure we have.”
Under the general forecast, Kahmann noted that a year ago they were looking at increases for school foundation funding, income tax and real estate tax, but they don’t know how the taxes are going to level off and that the state funding may begin to fall over the next five years. The cash balance is noted to increase over the next five years before the school levies drop off.
After the presentation was complete, the board then accepted the five-year contract as CFO/Treasurer to Kahmann as of August 1, 2025.
SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT
There were multiple personnel items presented to the board. Three-year contracts were awarded to Jessica Gerig, Director of Intervention Services, Keith Leatherman, Wauseon High School Principal, Ryan O’Dell, Wauseon Middle School Principal and Theresa Vietmeier, Wauseon Elementary School.
Additionally, the following staff members will retire as of June 1, 2025: Troy Armstrong, Amy Kreiner, Mark Britsch and Chris Zirkle.
Several one-year contracts were also approved, including one-year limited certified supplemental contracts.
Next, a school resource officer (SRO) memorandum of understanding was discussed. The school currently has one full-time SRO and will be allocating $35,000 which helps cover both positions, so that they may add an additional, part-time SRO to the team.
Armstrong noted that for many years the school didn’t have to pay for an SRO at the school and thanked the city for that. The new position and allocations were approved by the board, with member Phil Kessler abstaining his vote as he is a city employee.
Also approved by the board in the superintendent’s report:
-The third version of the Special Education Model Policies and Procedures Resolution.
-A retroactive reemployment resolution for four retiring staff members who wish to be reemployed as superannuates upon retirement on June 1, 2025.
-Various NEOLA policy revisions, a majority of which were due to legislative changes, Armstrong said.
-The 2025 graduating class of Wauseon High School – composed of 147 students – was approved by board members, with Chad Richer abstaining as his son is listed as a graduate.
-A retroactive service agreement for occupational therapy and related services with Northwest Ohio Educational Service Center.
-A service agreement for the 2025-2026 school year with Northwest Ohio Educational Service Center.
-A service agreement with A&G Education Services for the Leap Program for the 2025-2026 school year.
Three overnight trip requests for the NCFL Speech and Debate Finals, NSDA National Speech and Debate Tournament and end-of-year performance trip for the choir.
-A resolution for the Wauseon Public Library levy on the ballot. A library can be tax-based on a school district and the board is required to pass the resolution.
The meeting adjourned at 5:54 p.m. and moved into executive session at 5:56 p.m., with no action taken. The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, June 23, 2025, at 5:00 p.m.