By Noell Wolfgram Evans

The Tallmadge Board of Education held a regular meeting at 6 p.m. on April 15 in the Tallmadge High School community room. In attendance were Council President Mike Passarelli, Vice President Chad Davis and Council Members Todd Loughry, Jennifer Ross and Kim Polatas. Also attending were Superintendent Steve Wood, Treasurer Jeff Hostetler, Director of Curriculum Courtney Davis, Tallmadge Middle School Principal Jeff Manion, Director of Student Services & Data Analytics Roy Zeman and Director of Technology Kurt Gwin.

The meeting opened with Passarelli leading the Pledge of Allegiance before Hostetler called the roll. Hostetler quickly became the focus of the meeting as the board was asked to approve his retirement, which would be effective on July 31. Hostetler thanked this and all the past boards. 

“It’s been a great 21 years,” he said. 

Following the board’s reluctantly stated approval, they moved on to the next agenda item. This was a second reading of two policies: GBCA and JEB. Wood said that GBCA changes the date for mandatory kindergarten enrollment to a child turning five by the first day of instruction for the school year. Wood said the change to JEB was to make a call out for personal relationships.

The next two agenda items were tangentially related. The board was asked to approve contracts with Wings of Change and Harbor Education Services (LEAP) for the 2026-2027 school year. Zeman explained that both allowed them to meet the individual needs of students in different ways. Loughry asked how payments were calculated for both programs, and Zeman explained it was comparable to a day rate. Following some additional cost discussion, both contracts were approved unanimously.

Passarelli asked that agenda items 5.1 through 5.10 next be combined under consent. These all dealt with hiring and the issuance of one or two-year contracts or continuing teaching contracts. Davis clarified that these were all continuations of existing roles and not “new money.” These contracts were unanimously approved.

The next item for the board's consideration was a request for approval for 4 BPA members to go to the national competition in Nashville. Wood explained this was part of the career technical education program on investment management that is hosted at Tallmadge. 

“It is pretty spectacular that they are on the national stage just a few years into this program,” Passarelli said. 

Unanimous approval was offered to this, as well as to the next agenda item, which was to make a correction in the record of a name. The board also approved the hiring of a student worker for the summer.

Wood then shared what he termed “the good stuff:” graduation will be May 19, the senior breakfast takes place May 14, senior give back is May 13, senior honors happen May 5, and the community forum will be April 29.

Davis said the social studies and math committees are finishing up their work reviewing curriculum and “finding ways to adjust and be more creative for our needs.” She let the board know that ELA and science teams are on tap to perform the same task next year. Davis also had some relief in her announcement that the Local Professional Development Contact site migration was nearly complete and teachers should soon have access.

The Medicaid audit has been completed and went well, according to Zeman, who also invited everyone to attend the Nordonia Miles of Smiles event on May 8.

Manion offered praise to the grounds and maintenance teams who are “working shorthanded but doing a great job.” He also said the turf project on the K-8 campus has been completed.

For his part, Gwin acknowledged Hostetler and thanked him, calling him a mentor and a friend.

Wood next took time to remind everyone about what was at stake if the levy on the May 5 ballot failed. He said if the 5.6-mill levy does not pass, residents will see only state minimum bussing; six to 10 teaching positions eliminated; support staff positions eliminated; increased pay-to-play numbers; and a restriction in the building usage options with an increase in building usage fees.

“We will try anything and everything,” Wood said. “We continue to be a victim of state funding.”

Wood reminded the board that the district currently spends just below the state average for each student and nearly $3,000 below the top-spending district in the area.

“I hate everything about this,” Wood said. “Kids will struggle to get to school. This is going to have a terrible effect on families.”

Wood then rebounded. 

“But there are amazing things happening in our district,” he said. 

He went on to cite the recent production of SpongeBob and the five individual school records that have been “shattered by the members of the track and field team.” He also gave praise to the flag football team for their successful start to their season, and he thanked several alumni whose monetary contributions helped build the soon-to-open baseball stadium.

The podium was then opened up to audience members. The first to speak was resident Jim Faltas, who said “people don’t understand what’s going on in these buildings.” He added that people need to be made to understand what was happening. 

“Change is inevitable. You need to learn how to embrace it,” he said.

Jon Bryan, the vice president of the Tallmadge Teachers Association, wanted to announce that the executive committee of the association unanimously voted in favor of the levy. 

“So now it will win for sure,” he said. 

Bryan also invited everyone to attend the kindergarten graduation ceremony on May 18.

Emily Taylor, a parent and local business owner, said she believed that people were just not seeing the information about why the levy is needed and are “making up a negative narrative.” 

“People aren’t seeking this information out. You have to give it to them,” she said. 

She suggested that they relook at how they are currently doing that.

Barb Mays wondered what would happen if the “spending freeze was lifted,” and the district found itself with additional money. 

“I really do think that most people do care about the schools,” she said.

Before the meeting closed, Poltas offered specific thanks to Davis and Loughry “for putting in a lot of hours on this.”

“We are working really hard on this and would welcome any help,” she said. 

Following this, the meeting adjourned shortly after 7 p.m.